Review: Unveiling Grace

Unveiling Grace: The Story of How We Found Our Way Out of the Mormon Church is a book where the title pretty much says it all.

Book Synopsis

A gripping story of how an entire family, deeply enmeshed in Mormonism for thirty years, found their way out and found faith in Jesus Christ.

For thirty years, Lynn Wilder, once a tenured faculty member at Brigham Young University, and her family lived in, loved, and promoted the Mormon Church. Then their son Micah, serving his Mormon mission in Florida, had a revelation: God knew him personally. God loved him. And the Mormon Church did not offer the true gospel.

Micah's conversion to Christ put the family in a tailspin. They wondered, Have we believed the wrong thing for decades? If we leave Mormonism, what does this mean for our safety, jobs, and relationships? Is Christianity all that different from Mormonism anyway?

As Lynn tells her story of abandoning the deception of Mormonism to receive God's grace, she gives a rare look into Mormon culture, what it means to grow up Mormon, and why the contrasts between Mormonism and Christianity make all the difference in the world.

Whether you are in the Mormon Church, are curious about Mormonism, or simply are looking for a gripping story, Unveiling Grace will strengthen your faith in the true God who loves you no matter what.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

Unveiling Grace is likely one of the best books I've read in learning more about the Mormon church or the Latter-Day Saints. Though I've read textbooks and even source materials back when I studied Mormonism in my undergraduate studies, Dr. Wilder's book brings readers into a deeper understanding of the Mormon culture, teachings, rituals, and worldview. This is a book that was not easy to read as it showed the depth of the chasm between Christian and Mormon teachings, despite what many may argue. However, after reading her book, it is clear that she knows what she is talking about as a former BYU professor and that she is in the unique position of being able to compare the two religions against one another through citing the Bible and the Mormon texts. While I would say that the doctrinal comparison chart in her appendix is worth getting the book alone, Dr. Wilder also does a phenomenal job of describing how God saved her by grace through Jesus Christ. Reading her story shows just how stark of a difference there is between the Christian and Mormon faiths.

This book taught me compassion for people in a religious system based on good works while also challenging me to show love as a Christian. The theme of God's grace and His love through Jesus Christ permeates this book, and each chapter shows more and more of the unveiling that takes place in the author's life. I love how this book exemplifies 2 Corinthians 2:12-18 regarding the veil of the old covenant and what it looks like to now contemplate the Lord's glory with unveiled faces and to be "transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." Since this book is largely a memoir, getting to see such transformations over time not only makes the book personable, it shows just how magnificent the grace of God is toward us. After finishing this book, I was no longer just thinking about the distinctions between Christianity and Mormonism; I was stirred to both prayer and praise by the enormity of what Jesus' death and resurrection means as a Christian. What an incredible testimony of God's saving work where all of the credit and glory goes to Him!

Book Summary

• Format of book: 📱
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Recommendation: 👍

Additional Note

This book actually grieves me and gives me hope at the same time. The grief is not so much what is written, but more so for the Christian reading community. Since I've started becoming active on Christian Bookstagram, I have been inundated with countless LDS-authored books in my feed. I'm not casting judgment on those who love these books as I'm well aware that I do read other books written by people with all sorts of religious backgrounds. However, I don't view those other authors as Christian and as such, have different standards for them. What makes me sad is when these clean/closed door books are shared concurrently with Christian books and there is little to differentiate them. I don't know if this speaks to a lack of spiritual discernment or a lack of knowledge, but if anyone reads Unveiling Grace, it is clear that there is a distinct difference between Christianity and Mormonism. This is not a conviction I will budge on, and it means that I will require so much wisdom and grace from God in choosing my reading materials more carefully. I have hope that He will lead me to the many biblically faithful authors who are persevering in writing about His truth and who Jesus Christ truly is as revealed in the Bible. I am also hopeful and grateful that God has so much patience with us that He will continue opening our eyes to what is from Him and Him alone. Soli Deo gloria!