Do Mormons believe you buy your way to heaven?

Today in EQ, the teacher said that one of his friends in high school said in a discussion that he learned Mormons believe you have to buy your way to heaven? So I thought about how I would respond to that.

1) We believe it is only through Jesus Christ that we're saved. We cannot pay the price for our sins, and in order to get to heaven and live with God (who is perfect) and learn from Him we need to be holy ourselves. So, as stated before, it's only through Jesus Christ that we're saved from our sins and imperfections. Mosiah 3:17 talks about Jesus being the only way.

17And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be ^ano other name given nor any other way nor means whereby ^bsalvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the ^cLord Omnipotent.

2) The difference between us and most Christian religions becomes how we accept Christ. In general, most Christian religions believe that a verbal "acceptance" of Christ is sufficient. We believe that acceptance is shown throughout life through actions. I think a story Jesus told illustrates this point - Matthew 21:28-31:

28¶But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go ^awork to day in my vineyard.

29He answered and said, ^aI will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and ^awent ^bnot.

31Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

Doing things is the way to receive acceptance in the Kingdom of God. That involves things such as increasing in faith, repenting, being baptized, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost as well as becoming a better person and treating others well and helping all other people do the same things you're asked to do.

Hopefully at the end of life we've shown that we have accepted Jesus while here through our actions.

So, we believe the same as other Christians. The difference is our answer to the question, "how do we accept Jesus?"

Have a good day.