John Wallace has written a fascinating new book called Starting at the Finish Line: The Gospel of Grace for Mormons.
Starting at the Finish Line seeks to declare the Good News of the gospel in a way that sounds like “good news” to the Latter-day Saint. It does this by 1) establishing the authority and “correctness” of the Bible, 2) explaining how we are saved by the grace of God when we put our full faith and trust in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, and in His blood alone, and 3) exposing the dangers of trying to contribute to our own salvation by adding obedience and good works to the finished work of Christ on the cross.
This message, to the devout Latter-day Saint, is overly simplistic and offensive. But to the struggling Mormon or to those who have already left the Mormon faith and find themselves lost in a sea of confusion, it’s music to their ears.
I caught up with John to discuss his new book.
Instead of asking, “what is your book about,” I’m going to ask the question that’s behind that question. And that unspoken question is, “how are readers going to benefit from reading your book?”
John Wallace: Well, because my book has two very distinct “primary” audiences, I will answer that in two parts. First, to my struggling Latter-day Saint reader (and by that I mean, those that have already left the Mormon faith and don’t know where to turn, and those that are contemplating leaving), I would want them to come away with two things: 1) It’s not about religion! This stringent set of rules and commandments that you’ve labored under all these years are not, as it turns out, your ticket into heaven – even if you do obey them perfectly (and who ever really does?)!
We are not on this earth to “prove our worthiness to return to live with Heavenly Father”. The fact is, we prove our unworthiness to Him every single day. The Bible tells us that our very best righteousness is but “filthy rags” to a holy God. And, 2) God knows this and has already accounted for it. He wants to give us eternal life, as His gift to give, in spite of our unworthiness. Christ suffered and died on the cross to purchase our salvation. We receive that incomparable gift the moment we come to place our full faith and trust in His shed blood! He IS the way… and He’s not asking for help.
My second primary audience is the concerned Christian who wants to have more meaningful (and fruitful) dialogue with their LDS friends and loved ones. My book will help them to better understand the Mormon mindset, as well as help them anticipate some of the more common stumbling blocks and points of resistance from the LDS.
Tell us a bit about the experiences that shaped the insights in the book. Were you ever a Mormon yourself?
John Wallace: Yes, I was an active member of the LDS church for twenty years! I served a two-year, full-time mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina; was married in the Salt Lake temple; graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brigham Young University; and held a number of leadership positions within the church. So, I know what it means to be a devout Mormon.
I also know what it feels like to have serious doubts about Mormon history as well as Mormon doctrine – and yet not have anyone to safely talk to about those doubts. And ultimately, I know how difficult (but ultimately liberating) it can be to make that migration out of legalistic religion and into true saving relationship with Jesus Christ. It was painful and disorienting at times, but oh so worth it.
How is your book different from the many other books that seek to bring Mormons to Jesus Christ?
John Wallace: There are many wonderful books that seek to clarify what’s wrong with Mormonism and why it is that Mormon theology places it far outside of true biblical Christianity. And there is certainly a place for that. My book, however, only glances off of the teachings of Mormonism. I focus almost exclusively on the “good news” of the gospel; Christ dying on the cross to pay for our sinfulness, and the utter sufficiency of His blood.
In fact, in my introduction I write: “This book is not a prosecution of Mormonism…it is very simply a defense of the gospel. If you consider my defense of the cross of Jesus to be an indictment of LDS theology, as I do, then so be it. I believe the supporting evidence is overwhelming.”
I want to overwhelm my LDS reader with the glorious truth that our salvation is in Christ and Christ alone. I want them to see and intimately experience the vastly superior Jesus that we as Christians worship. And I think my book is helpful in opening that door of personal experience. People who have read it tell me that it does so in a unique and powerful way, and I praise God for that. It doesn’t surprise me, by the way. And I say that because clearly God wrote this book; it just happened to be my fingers roaming the keyboard.
Give us two or three insights from the book that would be helpful to all Christians.
John Wallace: First, the LDS church is extremely vulnerable, now more than ever. In this age of ready information via the internet and a younger generation that just isn’t “buying” some of the historical truth claims of the LDS church, they are seeing more and more of their faithful members falling away.
This is our opportunity to share with them the risen Lord. Second, be encouraged by the fact that God’s truth will prevail. God loves these wonderful people more than we do! He’s on our side and is intervening, through His Holy Spirit, to draw them unto Himself. We need to continue to be a shining light of love, peace, joy, and strength to our LDS loved ones so that when they do summon the courage to walk away from Mormonism, they will immediately turn to us to learn more about the true and living God!
What do you hope readers will walk away with after they finish your book?
John Wallace: I hope my Christian reader comes away with a deeper love for and understanding of their LDS friends and loved ones. I hope my book equips them to better reach the Mormons. And to my Latter-day Saint reader, that he will come to see that Christ is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” That it is Christ and Christ alone, and there is no other name under heaven (including Joseph Smith’s) by which we can be saved.
Order Starting at the Finish Line: The Gospel of Grace for Mormons on discount
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