Resolved: Grace Requires that We Strive for Obedience.

Thanks for the challenge. I will make my own arguments and respond to some of his arguments in later rebuttles. I recently had the opportunity of debating my opponent on the subject of Mormonism. I suggested the idea for this debate. Since the subject of grace came up at the last round and did not get much chance to discuss it. This is a very important subject and debate because many Christians and non-Christians misunderstand the subject. Here is the True faith will produce works and good fruit through the grace of God. False faith is believing the grace of God is a free ticket out of hell into heaven. The issue for this debate before us "Do you have to do something to warrant the grace of God or is the grace of God free?" Since my opponent is a member of the LDS Church, I feel that we should compare the Mormon view of grace and works. What is The Mormon view of grace and works? 2 Nephi 25:23 "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." "The phrase 'after all we can do' teaches that effort is required on our part to receive the fullness of the Lord"s grace and be made worthy to dwell with Him. The Lord has commanded us to obey His gospel, which includes having faith in Him, repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end" (see John 3:3""5; 3 Nephi 27:16""20; Articles of Faith 1:3""4). ( True to the Faith Page 77) Saving Ordinances "In the Church, an ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood. Some ordinances are essential to our exaltation. These ordinances are called saving ordinances. They include baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing (Wyatt's comments: As a Mormon, to perform these ordinances in the temple, you would have to get a recommend from your bishop every two years which means he judges whether or not you have been faithful to the church in tithes, church attendance and obeying the word of wisdom (no coffee, tea, tobacco, drugs or alcohol)). With each of these ordinances, we enter into solemn covenants with the Lord." (https://www.lds.org...) Now in the context of this debate it is not my opponent's job to defend Mormon works Biblically. I do believe that it would be useful for the audience to do so. What is the Biblical view of Grace and works? Matthew 11:28 " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Philippians 3:3-9 (I believe Paul's commentary on the previous verse) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: The Biblical assessment is that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The doctrine of regeneration teaches us that we were born not desiring or seeking God and God by his grace changes us to seek him and to seek to please him. Based on this you might be asking, "If salvation is a free gift from God through Jesus's death, should we keep sinning since we get into heaven anyway?" The apostle Paul gave us the answer to this question, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2) This means that the evidence of our salvation is that we stop rebelling against God and seek to obey his word. Christians are called as ambassadors of the faith because Christ has reconciled us to him and now our job is to be ambassadors. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ"s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) I hope this debate will be edifying to both believers and nonbelievers alike.