17 Points, Part 11 – Fruit of Pride

Shawn McCraney emphasizes the importance of using various tactics, including boldness and patience, to help individuals within the Mormon community recognize what he perceives as a counterfeit gospel compared to biblical Christianity; he expresses love for Mormon people while actively opposing the principles of Mormonism. He invites everyone, especially those from the LDS community, to participate in his ministry's events and services, aiming to foster understanding of the Christian gospel through activities and teachings.

Faithful Latter-day Saints exhibit distinct spiritual attitudes of pride due to beliefs such as pre-existence, genealogical focus, and being the "Only True Church," as well as their cultural and hierarchical structures. On the other hand, faithful Christians, though not immune to pride, often emphasize humility and the adoption of believers through spiritual rebirth.

Shawn emphasizes that LDS culture fosters pride through an emphasis on personal righteousness, genealogical standing, and hierarchical advancement within the church, contrasting sharply with Christian teachings that all fall short of God's glory and that salvation is by grace alone. He critiques the LDS focus on ordinances and works as contributing to a false sense of spiritual superiority, arguing that this mindset undermines the essence of grace and aligns more closely with the self-righteous attitudes of the Pharisees.

Salvation is fully attained through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross and is a free gift granted by faith, not by works or human efforts; this undermines the belief that individuals must earn their salvation through works or specific religious practices, which can lead to pride. When Latter-day Saints understand that the completed work of Jesus suffices for acceptance with God, the pride associated with pre-existent valiance, genealogy, exclusive truth claims, and religious leadership positions will dissipate, leading to a more genuine worship of Jesus alone.