Saved

[ryuunohono]

Ive been chatting with a christian friend, specific religeon unknown and we seem to conflict a lot as we seek truth through the bible, specifically about what it is meant to be saved and how to obtain it.

so an open question

What does it mean to be saved?

My institute teacher said it is when we can once again stand with our heavenly father which sounds good but is not very specific

[Maxel]

There are two different words (and three different meanings) referring to the salvation of our souls in LDS theology:

-Salvation from physical death: Everyone who has lived on the Earth will be ressurected, and their body reunited with their spirit, never to be separated again. This is a free and unconditional gift from Christ, wrought by His atonement- even Sons of Perdition (such as Cain) will receive a glorified, immortal body.

-Salvation from spiritual death: Sin brings spiritual death (separation from Heavenly Father). Those who accept the saving ordinances of Christ (baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost) and follow in His footsteps will live eternally with God the Father in the celestial kingdom, never to be separated from Him again.

-Exaltation: This is the highest degree of salvation and the highest degree of glory a being can attain. Those who are exalted have overcome all things through faith in Christ, have received His saving ordinances and the ordinances of exaltation, including (but not limited to) receiving one's endowments and being eternally sealed to a spouse. Those who are exalted will receive all that the Father has through the mercy and justice of Christ.

To my understanding, being "saved" in many/most non-LDS Christian religions means to be claimed and cleansed by Christ as one of His sheep; to gain heaven as one's eternal reward. LDS doctrine is much more complex on the matter.

Edited September 2, 2009 by Maxel

[Hemidakota]

If the person claims to be saved, what is saved from? That is a return question to those who state this word.

When we did all we are told to do in this mortality, what is left is make preparation to meet GOD, face-to-face and seek the membership of the Church of the First Born. :)

[ttribe]

Here you go. A talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks on this very subject: Link

[Traveler]

Ive been chatting with a christian friend, specific religeon unknown and we seem to conflict a lot as we seek truth through the bible, specifically about what it is meant to be saved and how to obtain it.

so an open question

What does it mean to be saved?

My institute teacher said it is when we can once again stand with our heavenly father which sounds good but is not very specific

There is an old pagan concept that if someone were to perform a certain ritual or utter a certain incantation that they could “please” a certain g-d and obtain heaven to live with the g-ds without being judged for their works. During the panaganization of Christianity following the death of the apostles many Christians have adopted this pagan concept and twisted it to justify themselves and condemn others.

The Traveler

[Hemidakota]

Looking from a prophet who helped to restore the gospel on what it is to be saved, we know, in the words of Joseph Smith, that to be saved is to be placed beyond the power of all our enemies (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 301, 305). He taught further that "salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses and in nothing else; and no being can possess it but himself or one like him." To be saved, then, is to be conformed into the image of Christ, to become like unto the prototype of all saved beings (Lectures on Faith, 7:9, 16).

[Moksha]

I like the symbolism of a drowning man being thrown a life preserver by Jesus, who then hauls him in to safety. He does the hauling out of love.

:)