THE CROSS
April 2026
by Lloyd Sharp
Ephesians 4:14 NIV
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
The uncertainty of life is ever present. We are reminded of it when tragedy strikes: a close friend dies unexpectedly, our health declines and makes our own body our enemy, or the price of goods and services rises while our income remains stagnant. The circumstances of life are like the waves of the sea, tossing us to and fro, and we navigate them as best we can. Paul warned believers against being tossed around by false doctrines and teachers in Ephesians 4:14 (above). Life and this world, will always come with uncertainty. This is why we must remain fixed on Christ and His Gospel.
It is the unchanging nature of God that gives us a port during the storms of this world. Scripture is clear that God does not change. “God is not human that He should lie, not a human being that He should change His mind” (Num 23:19). Jesus is also unchanging. "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever." (Heb 13:8). James tells us there is no variation or shadow of change in God (James 1:17). This unchanging nature is why God is described as a rock throughout the Bible (Psalm 18:2, Deuteronomy 32:4, 1 Corintians 10:4).
The reliability of God is why we can say our salvation is secure. How can anyone know they are saved if the god they worship changes, even slightly? The answer is obvious. Sadly, the god of Mormonism is not unchanging. In fact, it is a core tenet of Mormonism that their god was once a man and became a god by strict adherence to Mormon doctrine. Mormon founder, Joseph Smith stated plainly in his King Follett Discourse, "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!" According to LDS doctrine, the Mormon god changed from a man to a god.
The uncertain nature of the Mormon god also carries over to the LDS concept of salvation. The Book of Mormon states, “For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). While modern Mormons attempt to redefine this phrase to soften its meaning, the words are clear. Grace comes into play only after you have done all you can do. This teaching is also seen in Moroni 10:32:
“Yea, come unto Christ and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.”
Again, we see that in LDS doctrine, grace is contingent on human effort.
The God of the Bible knows no such limitation. Jesus, the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15), is unchanging forever (Heb 13:8). This aspect of His divine nature is known as the immutability of God. Because He does not change, He alone keeps His promises forever (Josh 21:45). Only He can secure our salvation for eternity (John 10:28). This security is demonstrated throughout Scripture.
In 2 Samuel, Chapters 11 and 12, David orders the death of Uriah so he can take Bathsheba as his wife. After their child is born, the prophet Nathan confronts David. David admits his sin, and the Lord takes the child as a consequence (v. 13-14). David pleads with the Lord as the child grows ill. When the child dies, David does not mourn, and his servants are confused. David explains:
“While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Sam 12:22-23)
David knew he would see his son again in God’s kingdom. He knew where his son was. He knew his sin did not erase his salvation. This certainty comes only from knowing the God of the Bible. Unlike the god of Mormonism, who changes from man to god and depends on human effort and works for grace, we can echo Paul’s words:
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
Our salvation rests in a perfect, unchanging, all-knowing God who needs nothing to accomplish His will. In this, we find rest when the storms of life bring us uncertainty and unrest. We can find complete salvation and peace in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the message we share with those in the LDS faith who may wonder, “Did I do all I can in this life? Am I worthy enough to be with Him?” There is rest and salvation in Jesus Christ of the Bible. He endures forever.
Do you have an LDS background or LDS family connections? The LDS Care Group is a safe space for both former and current Mormons to share, encourage, wrestle, and grow in their faith journeys with others who have similar life experiences, challenges, and culture. Our next get-together will be in-person, Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 6:00pm in Mesa, Arizona. If you are out-of-state, you may join us via Zoom. Please email Kristine at kreeintempe@cox.net or call/text 480-313-0399 for physical address and details or the Zoom link.
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
LDS General Conference
by Gary Keating
The biannual LDS General Conference Spring edition takes place April 4-5, 2026. Concerned Christians will be analyzing each message delivered during the Conference. Changes in Latter-Day Saint operating policies are usually revealed within the Conference talks.
We will be searching for these changes this month. Any new LDS church procedures, theologies, or church structure will be shared in our upcoming May newsletter.
