Until I joined the LDS church I had never heard of the Election of Grace. Jews do not teach of it per se, but it is mentioned in Talmud and expressed to a large degree in Torah as the Abrahamic Covenant. What are the main elements of that covenant?
It is unconditional. God will make Abraham a great nation (Gen 12:2) and give him innumerable descendants (Gen 15:5; 13:16,others). God will make Abraham father of many nations and establish the covenant forever (Gen 17). Very important: the covenant is established through the Isaac/Jacob line because of the faith of the Abot = the Patriarchs of old. (Gen 17:19-21). This is a gift from God, not depending upon mankind’s belief or behavior .
There are other covenants (solemn agreements made by man with Heavenly Father to perform or not to perform an act) that are unconditional. Look them up: Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Mosaic, Davidic, and the New Covenant, which promises the Mediator of mankind who is Christ and who will experience a second advent on the earth for all mankind.
Referring to the election of grace, I think of Torah and Talmud and the exegesis given therein regarding this idea, or should I say “ideal”. Jewish doctrine asserts that God visits the virtues of the fathers upon the children for His name’s sake and can in that way be considered a mark of grace.
Among the many meanings of the word is the definition that it means divine love and protection bestowed freely upon people. It is a state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God and it can mean an excellence or power granted of God. To be in the good graces of = in favor with and vice versa. The word for “grace” in Hebrew is “hesed“. It is most often referred to as mercy, or salvation, but the Hebrew meaning differs considerably from LDS theology.
Exodus 20:5 –God shows mercy unto thousands of generations that love Him and keep His commandments, and in Ps. 103. 17-18, “the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them
Ex 32:13 – I will multiply thy seed as the stars of Heaven…
Gen 26:2-5 Abraham keeps the commandments and is given same blessing. Blessings upon this world come from the faith and obedience of the Patriarchs = the Abot. This is part of the concept of the Chosen People.
Because the Jews do not believe in the sin of Adam and Eve other than their being disrespectful to God – and because they do not accept the Atonement or the man who made it for them – they apply for grace and mercy through other means – human means. Talmud explains the principle that the sins of the fathers are visited on children when they imitate deeds of parents. An idealized past on earth is assumed and used to broker the desired grace of God through the acts of descendants– the excellent examples of Abraham and Sarah are the foundation upon which the grace of God is given when the children live exemplary lives.
Tradition and ritual ceremonies are intended to keep continuing tradition alive. This is one reason (many) Jews are taught not to intermarry. The grace of God is supposed to belong to the People Israel. Gentiles cannot claim it because they are not of Israel. Modern Jewry does not understand that much of humanity is descended from the tribes of Israel and therefore entitled to the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant just as given to the Jews.
This concept of grace through righteous fathers gains an organic, dynamic solidarity in Israel as a body existent through past present and future = all Jews are responsible for each other. Doing righteous things gives more strength and power to do more righteous things. Virtues of fathers have acquired a greater right to a greater reward through the virtuous lives of their children. All is dependent upon the work of righteous forefathers. There is no store other than that. Being a righteous Jew supposedly guarantees a merciful hand of God with the offspring.
The 13 prayers of the Amidah (a Shabbat standing prayer) ask for the mercies of God and blessings upon the People Israel. In the prayer, Jews ask for His help in all ways, and for the Mashiach to come. They ask for forgiveness of sin and other things, but are not aware of why forgiveness is given except that we Jews are His Chosen and we sanctify His name.The Abrahamic Covenant is based upon grace. Also the Adamic, Noahic, Land and the New Covenant in which these eternal blessings upon will be established with National Israel at the Second Advent.
The main difference, as Paul, enlightened by Christ, pointed out in Romans 10-11: the source of eternal salvation is the Christ and election is the act of God who knows that mankind is spiritually separated from God and cannot of his own return in perfection. We need God’s bestowal of mercy through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. These guarantees are based on our fulfillment and worthiness in our premortal lives, according to that covenant. Jewish dogma does not comment on premortal lives but they do not believe against it. Judaism is incomplete theology and claims to be so. This is one reason they look for new Messiahs to teach them.
Jesus taught that we as humans have always lived and that we are spiritual sons and daughters of God. This gives us a premortal gift of eternal life with God and Christ if we choose it through our faith (and works follow the man of faith). So we had earned in another place throughout eternity, the privilege of the gift of grace in mortality because our separation from our spirit lives is hidden from us and we are incapable of returning on our own. This is the mercy of Christ. In Romans 8:15-17 the apostle Paul tells us:
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
KJV NIV
Jews have a doctrine of original virtue which is part of the principle of heredity – the influence of descendants upon the ancestors, hence the desire to keep the Jewishness alive in all Jews. They believe the penalty of death was given to Adam because of the sins of Nebuchadrezzar (correct). So we collect a store of merit for the use of succeeding generations. This is the theological aspect of the concept of progress and civilization.
Essentially, they pray for salvation from difficulties – that hasn’t worked… Christianity promises salvation from sin but Jesus promised salvation from self and deliverance from isolation in time and eternity.
Grace, as I see it, is the living record of Heavenly Father that has been extended to individuals and races. We have a moral debt – a sort of spiritual liability which is set down against the assets of saving provisions. The Son of God established the necessary credit to insure our survival for every soul that really desires divine citizenship. Grace and salvation are not at all dependent upon our ancestors’ behavior, but upon individual faith in Christ and a working living desire to do the Father’s will – Individual performance that validates or not our behavior in a premortal lifetime. That merciful redemption of humanity is extended to us because of the promise inherent within each soul, but we can turn it away if we choose. Grace presupposes and validates agency and guarantees its survival through our choice, giving mankind the benefit of the doubt in regard to our infinite possibilities, our infinite
goodness and weighed against our infinite badness.Salvation is wholly God’s work (Acts 13:48 and Romans 8:29-30 and numerous others).
The quality of greatness is determined by content of goodness. It is the result of individual effort and actual living in an existing environment. Few mortals draw the full amount of their possibilities. The majority of impoverished souls are truly rich, but they refuse to believe it. Salvation comes by regeneration of the spirit. Not by self-righteous deeds of flesh. To be saved by faith brings real peace with God. Just as we cannot earn status of son or daughter, grace comes by the will of Father. So when we enter the kingdom of heaven we must be received as a little child.
Why wait until we have grown and believe or not, are righteous or not, read Talmud or not, to know truth and have knowledge that keeps us believing and deserving, when we can have spiritual illumination and know it NOW. By faith we can recognize our indwelling spirit is of God. His acceptance has made us sons and daughters, we cannot claim it. Grace to us is given because of our worthiness in the heavenly homes we have inhabited and our acceptance of the Plan of Salvation and our Savior, even though on earth many do not learn of him or find the faith necessary to be saved. 
Jesus went into the Garden and upon the cross to be sure we would be clothed in his love and salvation. That is why, when we are presented to God following our mortal lives it is because of the perfect life and atonement of the Redeemer that grace is extended to us. That election has been given before this world began, it is not due to ancestral behavior or misbehavior. We must live by faith. Entrance into the Father’s kingdom is wholly free, but progress—growth in grace—is essential to continuance therein.
“Salvation is by the regeneration of the spirit and not by the self-righteous deeds of the flesh. We are justified by faith and fellowshipped by grace, not by fear and the self-denial of the flesh. When you know that you are saved by faith, you have real peace with God. It is not a duty but rather our privilege to cleanse ourselves from all evils of mind and body while we seek for perfection in the love of God.But our works help us find a better resurrection in the kingdoms of the Father, so serve others with all thy heart.
Shalom aleichem b’shem Jeshua ha Mashiach. (Peace upon you in the name of Jesus the Messiah.)
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