Mormonism Rejects Imputed Righteousness
by Michael Flournoy
I was a Mormon apologist. I wrote a book entitled, “A Biblical Defense of Mormonism”, and most of my time was spent debating Christians in online forums. I also participated in podcast and public debates.
In 2016 I was trying to overcome the Impossible Gospel argument, and it was more than I could handle. Desperate and discouraged, I prayed for God to give me something to beat the argument that was making me doubt my faith. God is faithful, and he opened my eyes to something I wasn’t expecting. An alien concept entered my mind. “What if the righteousness required isn’t mine?”
I searched The Book of Mormon and the Bible for an answer, and what I found surprised me. Over and over again, the books taught that it was Christ’s righteousness that justifies the sinner. The idea made sense. I was the heir of an eternal debt, and what could pay it besides the infinite, imputed righteousness of Christ?
The Impossible Gospel immediately lost its accusatory power over me. No, I wasn’t doing all I could. No, I had not denied myself of all ungodliness. But it didn’t matter because Christ was holy and He superseded my sin. The toughest argument I had ever faced was vanquished. I could finally breathe easy.
My testimony in the LDS church temporarily stabilized. As I grew to understand imputed righteousness, I became frustrated because Mormons were hyper focused on what man needed to do, rather than what God had done.
Their doctrine that all blessings are conditional upon our obedience is contrary to the Bible. Romans 5:8 says that Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and Luke 6:35 says God is kind to the evil and the ungrateful. If salvation and blessings rely on the merits of man, then justice tramples God’s mercy.
My perspective completely turned on its head. I had always believed that I was holding grace up to God, as a trophy I had earned. Now I know that grace is actually holding me up to God. I am a trophy He has won.
Christ’s righteousness alone is sufficient to save, to sanctify, and to grant eternal life. Mormonism offers no valid alternative, and I can never go back.
