The mists of time lend one a certain romance, Alan Bennett
Its that time of year again. Folk are getting excited about the season, buying and wrapping gifts, some have already got a carol service or two under their belt, along with some mince pies perhaps, and there is a general sense of good will in the air. Mormons are no different in this respect. The December Ensign touches on the great themes of Christmas, the birth of a son, the story of shepherds and angels, the visit of kings. Mormons like to think of themselves as just like everyone else at this festive season.
At the same time, the traditional message of Mormonism is one of distinctions, things that set Mormons apart. Think of the founding claims of Mormonism; other churches are corrupt and wrong, Mormonism is “the only true church,” Mormons have the only true gospel, restored to earth after 1900 years of darkness and apostasy.
How do Mormons hold these conflicting ideas at the same time? How can they be like other Christians and yet so distinct as to be “the only true church?” When we read the items in the Ensign the discerning among us will easily identify the distinguishing marks of Mormonism.
Happiness a Spiritual Fruit?
The Bible message is of God come to dwell among men to serve and, ultimately, to die for men’s sins, then rise again, breaking the bonds of death and inviting all who would to come to God by grace, through faith in Christ (Romans 10:9-13; Hebrews 4:14-16)
The Mormon message is of the Son of God come to dwell among men, to inform and educate people in the “great plan of happiness” God the Father has devised for us. Mormon “salvation” is no more than resurrection, while what Christians understand to be salvation, eternal life in the kingdom of God, Mormons call exaltation and it is earned.
Henry B Eyring states, “You have felt happiness as you have kept the commandments of God. That is the promised fruit of living the gospel (see Mosiah 2:41)” The first presidency message (p4) mentions happiness no fewer than 13 times in an article just 656 words long. Happiness is the great theme of Mormonism, the gift Mormons bring their neighbours, but where does the Bible say Christ died to educate us in the art of happiness?
The Bible clearly teaches that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Galatians 5:22-23) Something as trite and temporary as happiness is not found here. Note also that those things that Mormons would regard as the root of their happiness, those acts of obedience demonstrated in kindness, faithfulness etc. are not roots at all but they are fruit of an abiding in Christ, as explained in Jesus’ description of the vine and the branches in John 15.
God and Son
But isn’t Jesus “the Son of God” as Mormons say? Another distinction is discovered in the visiting teaching message p7, The Divine Mission of Jesus Christ: The Only Begotten Son. Here we learn that the only thing that distinguishes Jesus from the rest of mankind is not his position as the second member of the Christian godhead but because he was born of God the Father and a human mother.
In Mormonism all mankind is literally born of God in a premortal existence and God is as much our Father as he is Jesus’ Father, Jesus himself being our elder brother by premortal birth. In this familiar picture of Joseph Smith’s “First Vision” you are effectively seeing a father and two sons. That being so, Mary was also a daughter of God in that premortal existence, which means that for Jesus to be born on earth of a Divine Father and mortal mother the Mormon God would have to have had an incestuous relationship with Mary. Mormon leaders have asserted as much:
“The Only begotten of the Father (Moses 5:9) ‘These name titles all signify that our Lord is the Only Son of the Father in the flesh. Each of the words is to be understood literally. Only mean only; Begotten means begotten; and Son means son. Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers” (Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine)
“The Saviour was begotten by the Father and his Spirit, by the same Being who is the Father of our spirits, and that is al the organic difference between Jesus and you and me.” (Brigham Young, JOD 4, 218)
Joining the Parade
Then there is an article on becoming Better Saints Through Interfaith Involvement (p28) There are two important points I want to raise here. Mormonism is founded on the claim that all churches are wrong and all those who profess the Christian message of the past two thousand years are corrupt (JSH 1:19) That message is being taken to your neighbours as you read this, make no mistake. John Taylor, third Mormon president said of such initiatives:
“We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense…Myself and hundreds of the Elders around me have seen its pomp, parade, and glory; and what is it? It is a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol (sic); it is as corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century.” (JOD 6, 167)
This statement was made in 1893. Exactly 220 years later Mormons find themselves encouraged to join this same parade of pomp and glory.
My second point regards the claim Mormons make that Evangelical Christians “don’t believe in good works.” It is a common enough statement to those who take the trouble to engage with Mormons but it is patently not true. Mormons should know this since it is they who “do good works” alongside other churches that teach a gospel of grace.
They waste no time telling the world how engaged they are with their neighbours of “other faiths,” as they like to call us, and yet they insist we don’t believe in good works. They expect to find us idle even as we work alongside them for the good of the wider community
How do Mormons deal with such cognitive dissonance? To be so conflicted must come at some great cost. They boast they are different yet insist they are like us. They despise our parade and yet they want to join in, bang their drum, and mingle with the crowd. They accuse us of having a cheap grace yet happily work alongside us as we sacrifice ourselves in service to others, all the time boasting of their own works yet failing to recognise ours.
Generations
The first thing to realise is that different generations join a different Mormon Church. The Mormons of the 19th century were prepared to go to prison, even to die rather than relinquish their practice of polygamy. Even into the early 20th century Mormon leaders died on the run from the law. A whole package of doctrine supported this faith that polygamy was the order of heaven and no earthly power was going to stop it.
In much of the 20th century, while Mormons no longer practiced polygamy outside their temples, that package of doctrine was till taught and clearly understood by Mormons who looked to a future time when it would be restored, perhaps in the millennium. I remember well and taught enthusiastically all that Mormonism had taught about this “celestial doctrine.”
In the last days of the 20th century and into this 21st century Mormons regard polygamy as an historical curiosity, something of its time but certainly of no great doctrinal significance for them. You will hear Mormons dismiss it and say they don’t even fully understand the whole business other than as something that happened a long time ago. The same might be said, need I remind you, of the Mormon doctrine of denying Black people the priesthood until July 1978.
The second point is demonstrated by another article on page 54, a report about sermons from early church leaders recovered because transcribed from the shorthand in which they were originally recorded. You might expect the Mormon Church to shy away from publishing such potentially incriminating material since the Mormonism of those far distant days is very different from the Mormonism of 2013/14.
But there is something about the passing of time that lends a certain romance to the good bits of history and something of irrelevance to the bad. The Mormon Church plays on this helpful illusion that time lends to just about anyone’s story.
The mists of time allow them to say they don’t really know what was meant so long ago and in such circumstances. Scott Gordon said something like this, as reported in Bobby’s blog post last week. In such ways the different generations of Mormonism are built up, given a new, contextual meaning where once their meaning was timeless.
Where we see Mormons conflicted Mormons refuse to see such conflict. The Mormon Church helps by continually rewriting their history and urging Mormons to think only of what is in front of them, their generation’s story. It depends on where in this web of lies you are but each generation has found comfort in its own untruths. I was thinking of the words of the song Windmills of Your Mind –
Like a tunnel that you follow To a tunnel of its own Down a hollow to a cavern Where the sun has never shone
We can’t assume the Mormon standing in front of us has traversed any particular tunnel or is familiar with the particular dark cavern we first encountered Mormonism. Each will have their own set of ideas, their own understanding to reassure them and it is these, as much as anything, we must first deal with.
What is certain is that the Son has not shone in their lives and it is the message of grace, of the cross that is always our destination as we witness; that never changes. This Christmas lets remember the child in a manger born to die on a cruel cross for the sins of the world, including Mormons who, despite their protestations to the contrary, have yet to know him.
The chapter I have been assigned to review is something of a gift really. The title and content of this chapter go to the heart of what most mainstream Christians would say is one of their main bones of contention when addressing the beliefs and claims of Mormonism, namely the LDS church’s emphasis on Joseph Smith. As an indication of the content of this chapter, there are 41 instances of the name ‘Smith’ and only one mention of the name ‘Jesus’, and even that is in the context of the story of his alleged appearance to Joseph Smith. And here was I, thinking that I was reviewing a chapter of teaching material from the church that claims to have been established in order to restore the true gospel of Jesus Christ; the real, authentic Christianity. Well, we don’t see too much of Jesus here.
There are, then, many avenues I could choose to go down in examining the remarkable claims made about the character and life of Joseph Smith in this chapter. I will begin with this quote: “God had called him to deliver the poor and honest-hearted of all nations from their spiritual and temporal thralldom [bondage].” For a couple of reasons, such a statement goes to the heart of Mormonism. Firstly, there is the clear suggestion that, until the ‘calling’ of Joseph Smith to the role God had supposedly assigned him, people were labouring in spiritual bondage (i.e. there was a need for a ‘restoration’ of truth). This implies that there was a need for the teachings of Joseph Smith because what Christian believers had been thus far treating as gospel was somehow insufficient or false. Secondly, I would suggest that this quotation is verging on blasphemy since it is suggesting that God chose Joseph Smith to ‘deliver’ or ‘save’ people from spiritual bondage. I think that we all know that this was the mission of Jesus, not Joseph Smith!
The second statement which struck me as I read through this chapter was this, “As I looked upon him [that first time] and listened, I thought to myself that a man bearing such a wonderful testimony as he did, and having such a countenance as he possessed, could hardly be a false prophet”. It seems quite telling to me that whoever has compiled and authorised the content of this teaching manual has decided that this comment from Lorenzo Snow is worthy of inclusion. I say this because the above quote shows that Lorenzo Snow decided that Joseph Smith must have been who he said he was on the basis of his having a ‘wonderful testimony’ and a ‘countenance’ that left an impression on him. This is very much in line with the LDS way of establishing truth, namely impressions or feelings that what they are hearing is right, rather than checking if what is being taught is in line with the Jesus of the Bible.
In the following section, some very bold comments are made regarding the character of Joseph Smith. Here is a flavour of that: “There never was a man that possessed a higher degree of integrity and more devotedness to the interest of mankind than the Prophet Joseph Smith. I knew Joseph Smith to be an honest man, a man of truth, honor and fidelity, willing to sacrifice everything he possessed, even life itself, as a testimony to the heavens and the world that he had borne the truth to the human family.” Why the need to create such an outstanding impression of Joseph Smith’s integrity? Any student of the Bible can tell you that God often chose people with major flaws in their character. One need only look at the lives of people such as David and Moses, as well as the people Jesus drew to him, to know that God doesn’t call the people who have already proved that they are ‘worthy’. Besides, the claims made here about Joseph Smith’s character stand in direct opposition to many of the things known about him. Mormon apologists will even acknowledge these flaws as a sign that Joseph Smith was only human after all. So why the bold claims made officially here? They do not stand up. Here are some reasons why I say this.
Joseph Smith ‘married’ himself to the wives of other men, as well as to very young girls.
He publicly lied about practising polygamy. “What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjerurs.”
Joseph Smith also claimed to have done more than Jesus ever did in terms of holding a group of followers together: “I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.”
Joseph Smith claimed that he had translated some Egyptian papyri that contained writings by Abraham’s own hand into English, when in fact they were not even from the same era as Abraham and were later discredited by all the Egyptologists who looked at the work.
When the truth was published that Joseph Smith had been claiming to his followers that he had received a revelation that contained a doctrine of plural marriage in the ‘Nauvoo Expositor’, Joseph Smith’s response was to have the publication’s printing press destroyed, ultimately leading to Smith’s imprisonment and eventual killing.
I contend that these actions are not those of a man with the highest degree of integrity and devotedness to the interest of mankind.
Much is made in this chapter of how people felt in the presence of Joseph Smith. For example: “never yet have I met another person in whose company I felt the peculiar and powerful influence that I felt while in the presence of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was due to the great portion of the Spirit of God that he possessed, merely the shake of his hand would cause a person to become filled with this influence, and any sensitive nature would know that he was shaking the hand of an extraordinary person.” Why such attention on one individual? The whole chapter is concerned with the building up of the image of Joseph Smith and not with drawing people towards their Saviour. Mormons do claim to be Christians after all (and actually the only fully authentic ones at that!)
If the point was not already made clearly enough, then the sub-heading to the final section of the chapter sums it up: “Each of us can gain a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the gospel was restored through him.” If the LDS church is Christian, then surely a devotion and submission to Jesus as Lord and Saviour is what counts. The idea of then also ‘gaining a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet’ seems utterly superfluous. What would be the need for a true and devoted follower of Christ to gain such a testimony? This could not add anything to knowing, and being known by, the Lord. Do I need to gain a testimony that Isaiah was a true prophet? Do I need to gain a testimony that God spoke to Moses? Certainly, the Mormon missionaries would not expect you to, so why is this then the case for Joseph Smith?
The chapter continues and expands on what this testimony actually means: “What is the nature of our testimony? It is this: That this is the dispensation of the fulness of times; that the angel that John the Revelator saw flying through the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred and tongue and people—that that angel has made his appearance and restored the Gospel to the earth, Joseph Smith being the instrument through which the restoration was effected” Yet any close examination of the gospel contained in the New Testament alongside the ‘gospel’ of Mormonism will conclude that we are looking at two different sets of teachings. There is one which frees people from the consequences of sin through Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, and the other which demands unfailing compliance with a religious structure and system that leaves the grace of Jesus out of the picture.
The chapter closes by emphasising the importance of having an ‘individual knowledge’ of Joseph Smith being a true prophet. Again, we see that what is crucial throughout this chapter is, sadly, an acceptance of the claims that Joseph Smith made about himself, rather than an understanding and acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Saviour. For Mormons, the focus of attention and faith is in the actions of Joseph Smith, not Jesus.
Firstly, I have to say that I am very jealous of MikeTea getting to write a response to a talk given by Randy D Funk. I would have filled plenty of lines just commenting on what a great name he has!
From the Sunday Afternoon Session, I have chosen to focus on a talk given by Kevin Hamilton who is a ‘Seventy’. I believe this puts him on what could be a similar footing to a Catholic Cardinal or Anglican Bishop, although I am happy to stand corrected as I am not an expert in Catholic or Anglican leadership hierarchy. Regardless, he is worth listening to if you are a member of the one and only church that contains the authentic, restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Hamilton’s talk was on the theme of “continually holding fast to the iron rod”. Hamilton referred at length to Lehi’s vision from the Book of Mormon. This vision has remarkable similarities to a vision that Joseph Smith’s father, Joseph Smith Senior, was said to have had in 1811 according to Joseph Smith Jr’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith. At this time, Joseph Smith Jr. was a young boy. It is well documented that Smith Sr. was prone to vivid dreams or visions, and it is very likely that Smith Jr. was well versed in his father’s ‘tree of life’ vision when he came to write the Book of Mormon.
In the Book of Mormon version, Lehi, Nephi’s father, is sharing a vision with his family. There are many people in this vision who are trying to reach the path that leads to the tree where Lehi is standing. Alongside this path, is a rod (like a handrail) that you can hold on to in order to keep on the path leading to the tree of life. Alongside the path is a river and across from the river was “a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.” People in this building were looking out at those on the path and mocking them. (It has been noted by some that artistic depictions of this building used in LDS teaching material, seem to have an uncanny resemblance to the relatively recently built LDS conference centre. Do an online search for images of both and decide for yourself!) The vision talks about different groups of people who attempt to walk along the path. Some lose their way because there are mists obscuring their sight (obviously, they should have held onto the rod), others hold onto the rod and reach the fruit, but when they partake of the tree they become ashamed because they are being scoffed at so they fall away onto ‘forbidden paths’, some are drawn to the ‘great and spacious building’ and fall into the waters as they feel their way, and of course some hold continually to the iron rod, reach the tree and partake of the fruit and remain there. As visions go, there is plenty of imagery here, and this always captured my imagination hearing this story as I grew up.
Hamilton quotes Elder David Bednar, who emphasised the importance of continually holding fast to the rod of iron, and suggested that this is symbolic of people consistently reading, studying and searching the words of Christ. Hamilton says that for those who are in God’s church (i.e. the LDS church), they have covenanted to keep God’s commandments and repent as needed, since “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) I feel it is a shame that Hamilton is here encouraging the LDS to consistently read Christ’s words, yet they do not take them seriously when they do not concur with LDS teaching. An obvious example would be John 3:16, “whosoever believeth in him (God’s Son) should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Or how about: “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” (Luke 7:48-50) Or, “But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:40-43) It is also a shame that Hamilton is using the quote from Romans 3 about falling short of the glory of God in order to keep God’s commandments and repent, when the whole point of what is being discussed in Romans 3 is that we will never satisfy the law and keep all the commandments. We can only be justified by faith. It is worth quoting the next five verses after Romans 3:23, not only to show that the LDS emphasis on works is unbiblical, but also to illustrate just how selective LDS leaders are in their use of Bible verses and how these verses are put into the context of LDS teaching rather than kept in their own context. So, here are those next five verses: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
Hamilton also appears to be equating ‘continually holding to the rod’ to assiduous attendance of Sunday church meetings. He outlines what the purposes of the three separate parts of LDS Sunday church activities are. These three points do not include worshipping the Lord, learning of Jesus and coming to know Him more fully, or fellowshipping with God’s family.
Hamilton goes on to set himself and his family up as the perfect examples to be emulated: “Our family has committed to attend all of our Sunday meetings… We have learned that we feel good about our decision to attend our Church meetings, especially as we return to our home and continue to observe the Sabbath. We even attend all of our Sunday meetings when we are on vacation or traveling. One of our daughters recently wrote to say that she had attended church in a city where she was travelling and then added, ‘Yes, Dad, I did attend all three of the Sunday meetings.’ We know that she was blessed for this righteous decision.” So why attend your statutory three hours of Sunday church services? So that you can be just as proud as Kevin Hamilton is here. So that you can feel good about yourselves afterwards. So that you can ooze smugness by not even taking a Sunday off when you are away from your home ward, and of course, most importantly, so that you can top up your own personal righteousness account with another blessing. It all goes towards ensuring that you’ve made the grade for the Celestial Kingdom.
A couple of paragraphs on, Hamilton defines ‘holding to the rod’ in many ways. These include: striving to keep all of God’s commandments, having daily personal and family prayer, studying the scriptures daily, showing faith in Jesus, repenting, changing our hearts, being baptised, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and pressing forward, feasting upon the word of Christ until the very end of our lives. Yet since the early days, the LDS church has taught, and sung, that “The iron rod is the word of God” (LDS Hymn no. 274) So to hold to the rod means to hold to God’s word. Hamilton teaches that “We simply hold fast to the word of God by worshipping and attending our Sabbath meetings.” Yet if the LDS church took the word of God (i.e. the Bible) seriously, they would find that what takes place and what is taught in a Mormon church on a Sunday does not chime with it in any meaningful way. Mormons feel that they are holding fast to ‘the iron rod’ or ‘the word of God’, but in fact they are being told to hold on to a habit of unquestioning Sunday church meeting attendance.
Towards the end of Hamilton’s talk, he refers to covenants made by the LDS. He is here referring to temple covenants. These include the covenant of the law of sacrifice, wherein the solemn promise is made to be willing to sacrifice all that one possesses, even one’s own life if necessary, in sustaining and defending the Kingdom of God. (i.e. the LDS church). Hamilton reminds the listeners that the promised blessing for keeping their temple covenants is to receive ‘all that the father hath’. Yet we know that receiving ‘all that the father hath’ according to Galatians 3, Romans 8 and Titus 3 means to be an heir with Christ, and that receiving ‘all that the father hath’ in Mormon teaching is ultimately to become a god (see point 2 under the heading ‘The Blessings of Exaltation’ in Gospel Principles Manual: Chapter 47). Again, Hamilton refers to the fruit that is
mentioned in Lehi’s vision, using the description of it being ‘most precious and most desirable above all other.’ The juxtaposition here of the reminder to the LDS that keeping their covenants can lead to receiving ‘all that the father hath’ and the allusion to partaking of desirable fruit, brings to mind the serpent’s words to Eve in relation to the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden: “ye shall be as gods.” One cannot help concluding that the carrot being dangled here, is that through doing everything the LDS church tells you to do, you will ultimately be able to attain that which was used to tempt Eve, namely the lie that you can become gods. This is the false gospel of Mormonism, based on the teachings of Joseph Smith, rather than the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus.
When perusing the titles of this month’s Ensign, I was struck by how many articles appear to deal with themes that are often explored by critics of Mormonism. Here are some titles to illustrate this: TheJustice and Mercy of God, Christlike Mercy, His Grace is Sufficient and What does Jesus mean to us today? The Mormon understanding of the person of Jesus, God’s grace and the role of God’s justice and mercy in our salvation are all key areas that come in for scrutiny by people who question whether or not Mormons are right to claim the title ‘Christian’. Therefore, the articles listed above will by those on which I focus in my review.
I will start with The Justice and Mercy of God by Jeffrey Holland, one of the twelve LDS apostles. Holland rightly claims that ‘one of God’s attributes is justice’ and also points out, using Mormon scripture, that God is also merciful towards those who are penitent. However, in his article, Holland fails to point out what would seem to be the key element in God’s interaction with his creation, namely that both justice and mercy are perfectly exemplified in the act of Christ’s suffering and dying on the cross and his subsequent resurrection. Rather, we read that ‘we are saved in proportion to what we have learned’. This notion is referenced in the article to ‘Teachings of presidents of the church: Joseph Smith’, which states:
“I cannot believe in any of the creeds of the different denominations, because they all have some things in them I cannot subscribe to, though all of them have some truth. I want to come up into the presence of God, and learn all things; but the creeds set up stakes [limits], and say, ‘Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further’ [Job 38:11]; which I cannot subscribe to. I say to all those who are disposed to set up stakes for the Almighty, You will come short of the glory of God. To become a joint heir of the heirship of the Son, one must put away all his false traditions.”
So here we have Smith claiming that people will not come into the glory of God by adhering to the creeds. Clearly, we see a division between Mormonism and traditional Christianity established here by Joseph Smith. But is he right? Smith is implying that the creeds are there to limit God, but this is not the case. The creeds are based on what the Bible tells us about the nature of God, which is why they play such a key role in the faith of many Christians. To dismiss them as limiting our understanding of who God is is to misunderstand their role. It also gives licence to Smith to say whatever he may choose about God under the claim that the description of God in the creeds is not the full picture. Clearly, written words in the creed cannot sum up an infinite God, but when a description of God is in contradiction with that which is found in the Bible, we know that such a description must be questioned.
Let us return to Jeffrey Holland’s article. One of the themes Holland uses to demonstrate both justice and mercy is to use the image of being imprisoned, of having one’s freedom taken away. Holland refers to scriptural examples of people in prison: Peter and Paul in the Bible, and Alma and Amulek in the Book of Mormon. Then he refers also to Joseph Smith’s imprisonment. It seems rather misjudged to group Joseph Smith’s imprisonment alongside those of Peter and Paul, since the latter were imprisoned for preaching Christ, whilst the former was imprisoned for co-ordinating the ransacking of a printing press which had produced a publication exposing his dishonesty surrounding the practice of polygamy!
Elsewhere in Holland’s article, he quotes C.S. Lewis as follows: “Evil can be undone, but it cannot ‘develop’ into good.” This quote is used as Holland develops the Mormon teaching that our works can make reparation for evil, that we can ‘undo and make a new beginning’. Yet we know from the Bible that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) So evil can certainly not be undone by us, but, as that verse continues: “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It is interesting to me that Holland is promoting the view that evil cannot ‘develop’ into good, yet that is exactly what LDS teaching tells us about the fall of Adam. “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy”. (2 Nephi 2:25) In this teaching, Adam and Eve clearly disobeyed God, yet good ‘developed’ from it.
At the start of Holland’s article, he recounts an anecdote where the LDS church sponsored a year’s Bible study course in Utah state prison. At the culmination of this year, a service was held for the inmates’ graduation. Holland quotes the inmate who conducted the service as saying: “This is the most auspicious occasion of our year… because we’re enlightened and that’s as close as we come to being free.” This is an impressive statement and the Bible study clearly had a positive effect on the inmates, yet as I read this anecdote, I recalled a song that I became acquainted with during the period when I left the Mormon faith to become a Christian. The song is by Steven Curtis Chapman and is entitled ‘Free’. In this song, the singer is recounting a visit he made to a prison. During the visit he encounters an inmate who has been born again. Chapman tells of this encounter as follows:
“I met a man whose face seemed so strangely out of place
A blinding light of hope was shining in his eyes
And with repentance in his voice he told me of his tragic choice
That led him to this place where he must pay the price
But then his voice grew strong as he began to tell
About the One he said had rescued him from hell, he said…
I’m free, I have been forgiven
God’s love has taken off my chains and given me these wings
And I’m free, and the freedom I’ve been given
Is something that not even death can take away from me
Because I’m free
Jesus set me free”
After reading Holland’s experience visiting the State prison and the words of the prisoner he quotes, I wonder if any of the prisoners following the LDS church’s Bible study course came to a position of faith where they could say that they were already free through Jesus’ sacrifice, as did the man in Chapman’s song. In that song he knew he was already free in the most important and real sense.
My final point in response to Holland’s article on the justice and mercy of God is that this article does not contain the gospel! Holland claims to be an apostle of the one and only true church on the earth, the restored church of Jesus, and this role means he is capable of revealing the true doctrine of this church to the world, yet nowhere in this article on the mercy and justice of God does Holland explain what the Bible makes abundantly clear:
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” Titus 3:4-7
And
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
And
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” Romans 3:23-27
This last example explains so clearly that we have been shown mercy, since we are sinful, and also that those sins are remitted through the justice of God by payment being made through the blood of Christ. How is it that Holland misses the crowning example of God acting in both love and mercy as found in the Bible? The Mormon church is insistent in its claim to be Christian, yet in Jeffrey Holland’s article I find no evidence of the true gospel as outlined in these three Bible passages.
I would now like to take a look at Christlike Mercy by Randy L. Daybell. Daybell claims that “Mercy is defined as compassion and includes feelings and acts of sympathy, kindness, forgiveness and love.” I would disagree with this. My Oxford Dictionary defines it thus: “compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” So, whilst acts of sympathy, kindness, forgiveness and love are clearly Christlike behaviour traits (and Daybell goes on in his article to outline many powerful examples of Jesus acting powerfully with compassion and love), they are not the same thing as Jesus acting with mercy. In the same way as I have outlined above in response to Jeffrey Holland’s article, the gospel message of God’s merciful treatment of us sinful beings is not dealt with in this article either. The loving, compassionate actions of Jesus that are described in Daybell’s article most certainly do epitomise a way of treating others that all Christians should try to emulate, but this blurring of the lines between acts of compassion and acts of mercy points to a major flaw within Mormonism – namely that they don’t take seriously the notion that we are only made right with God through His mercy and not by our actions.
Let us now move on to Brad Wilcox’s article His Grace is Sufficient. Early on in his article Wilcox says, “The truth is, Jesus paid our debt in full. He didn’t pay it all except for a few coins. He paid it all. It is finished.” If he had stopped there I would have nothing to disagree with him about, except to wonder why his church doesn’t act like they really believe this! Of course though, this is not the message Wilcox wants us to take away from his article at all. He continues: “We will all be resurrected. We will all go back to God’s presence to be judged. What is left to be determined by our obedience is how comfortable we plan to be in God’s presence and what degree of glory we plan on receiving.” We know that this is not the gospel of Jesus, since the book of John states: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” So there are no ‘add-ons’ of how comfortable we will be if we believe in him, for if we do, we have everlasting life, and if we don’t believe we stand condemned. The idea of having some kind of choice about how comfortable we will be with God, or what degree of glory we’ll have does not stand up to Biblical scrutiny. Romans 8:15-17 is great at refuting that idea: “ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Heirs receive their inheritance based on belonging to a family not because they have done all those extra things that demand a reward in return.
What is interesting and also a little surprising is that Wilcox uses Romans 8 as a reference for his argument. Wilcox is saying that our actions determine “what degree of glory we plan on receiving” and that we are able to act to such ends because God’s grace “is our constant energy source”. God’s grace is not some kind of fuel that enables us to keep taking steps along a progressive path to godhood, rather it is more like what Romans 8 actually describes it as being, a free gift: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” We do not carry out acts to get some extra glory, we are freely given it all by God because of his righteousness, not ours.
Later in the article, Brad Wilcox suggests we must change and grow over time because Jesus requires it: “if Jesus didn’t require practice, then we would never become Saints.” I think this is a misleading comment in LDS terms because ‘practice’ doesn’t end with becoming ‘saints’, but something rather more ambitious, namely gods. As the LDS teaching manual Gospel Principles puts it, “To be exalted, we first must place our faith in Jesus Christ and then endure in that faith to the end of our lives.”
Just a little further on in the article I think Brad Wilcox unintentionally sums up the Mormon position perfectly: “Too many are giving up on the Church because they are tired of constantly feeling like they are falling short. They have tried in the past, but they continually feel like they are just not good enough. They don’t understand grace.” How true this is! If they understood grace they would realise that all the trying they could ever do would never lead to them being ‘good enough’, precisely because no-one is good enough! Galatians 3 should provide enough hope for people in that position: “no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith… Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus… if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” And also Galatians 2 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” And of course Romans 11:6 too: “if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
The final sentence of Brad Wilcox’s article ends thus: “Seek Christ, and, as you do, you will feel the enabling power and divine help we call His amazing grace.” My response to this is, yes, we do call grace ‘amazing’ for a very good reason, it sets us free from the bonds of sin and it is freely given. In Amazing Grace John Newtondescribes this liberation:
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.”
Those who do not understand grace truly are lost and blind, that is why many Mormons feel exactly the way Brad Wilcox described, “they continually feel like they are just not good enough”.
A ‘key idea’ noted at the end of Brad Wilcox’s article states that “Our works, such as repentance and keeping the commandments, do not save us, but they are requirements set by the Savior to help transform us.” I would respond by asking if, according to Mormonism, people can live with God when they die despite not keeping all of the requirements of the LDS church. The answer to this is no, so this means these requirements are necessary for salvation.
Continuing the theme of wearing a ‘Christian Mask’, I would now like to look at Apostle David Haight’s article ‘What does Jesus mean to us today?’ His first sentence seems like a perfectly normal thing for a Christian to say: “The Jesus I know and believe in is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.” I have some questions in response to this: the son of which God? Is it the son of Adam who is our God according to Brigham Young? Which of the many gods in LDS scripture is he the son of? (See Abraham ch. 4) Is this Jesus the same one that Brigham Young believed and taught was a physical son of God the Father? “The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood–was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers” (From Journal of Discourses 8) So we can see, even a simple statement like David Haight’s first sentence must be questioned in light of what Mormon prophets have taught about the nature of God the Father and Jesus Christ.
Later in his article, Haight quotes the first verses of the gospel according to John as an example of John’s ‘fervour and… conviction’. Yet he fails to recognise that the teaching, “In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” is actually in opposition to LDS teaching. Joseph Smith clearly knew this was the case because he rewrote this verse, thereby changing its meaning completely: “In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.” (John 1:1 JST) So here again we have confusion as to who Jesus is for the Mormon church.
Moving on through Haight’s article, he says: “We must testify to the world of His godship”. Yet we know that in Mormonism this ‘godship’ is not unique, there are a great many gods in existence. Haight’s sentence continues that Mormons should also testify of “the actuality of His birth in the flesh of both divine and mortal parentage” although of course he doesn’t specify that Mormons should explain that this birth came about after a physical union between Heavenly Father and Mary.
In Haight’s final paragraph he states that “all can be placed on the pathway to eternal progression”. Yet as we saw earlier in the words of Jesus from John 3: “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” There is no ‘pathway’, rather, believers are granted everlasting life and are saved. In Mormonism, Jesus merely puts people on a very long path towards exaltation. In the Bible we learn that God shares his glory with us as his children. We don’t get our own glory by becoming gods ourselves.
It is clear that the LDS church appears to be on a drive to present themselves as very much a mainstream Christian faith with articles saturated with words such as grace, mercy, justice and by attempting to present what Jesus means to them today. I welcome the focus on Jesus, but I hope that this post has helped to show that beneath this ‘Christian Mask’ is a very different set of beliefs, requirements and teachings, and ultimately a completely different, non-Biblical Jesus.
Finally, on a different note, this month the Ensign produced an article entitled: “How is doctrine established?” which stated that: “When revelation is doctrine for the whole Church, it comes to only the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles”. So I wondered about these teachings of Brigham Young:
“The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.”
“When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family”
“Jesus, our elder brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the garden of Eden, and who is our Father in Heaven.”
“It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins which it can never remit”
“This is loving our neighbour as ourselves; if he needs help, help him; and if he wants salvation and it is necessary to spill his blood on the earth in order that he may be saved, spill it”
“Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.”
So when Brigham Young taught these things as a prophet, I presume he must have been sharing doctrine with his church. If that is not the case, please explain how.
This month’s chapter is hard to critique and that is no bad thing. There is no spite in what we are doing here, we don’t find fault for the sake of it. The truth is the truth whoever speaks it and a call to selfless service is no bad thing. There is much here to be commended.
There is the call to rejoice in seeing others prosper in ministry (p 217); the reminder that leaders serve a greater good and the good of others (p218); the call to be sacrificial in service (p.219); to appreciate and nurture the gifts of others (p 220) and to lead by example (p 221);
Of course, it does depend on who you are serving. Selfless service to false gods is as much sin as selfishness in service to the true God. It is as wrong to be a Hananiah (Jeremiah 28) as a Diosphenes (3 John 9-10) and I believe this ministry, among many others, has shown over time that Mormonism does not stand up to scrutiny in its claims to having Christian credentials – and the apostle John explains that we are to love “in the truth” (3 Jn.1-4)
Testing the Prophets
True prophets correctly understand and interpret Scripture and I question this “prophet’s” understanding and application of Jesus’ words in John’s gospel. This is really important because if a prophet does not speak according to God’s established word he is not God’s prophet. Lets take a closer look at John’s text and how Lorenzo Snow uses it. He writes (p 218):
“Let every man who stands in an official station, on whom God has bestowed his holy and divine priesthood* think of what the Savior said to the Twelve Apostles just before he went into the presence of his Father—“Feed my sheep.” [John 21:16–17.] And he continued to say this until his apostles felt sorrowful that he should continue to call upon them in this manner. But said he—“Feed my sheep.” That is, “Go forth with your whole heart, be devoted wholly to my cause. These people in the world are my brethren and sisters. My feelings are exercised towards them. Take care of my people. Feed my flock. Go forth and preach the gospel. I will reward you for all your sacrifices. Do not think that you can make too great a sacrifice in accomplishing this work.” He called upon them in the fervor of his heart to do this work.”
Firstly, where Snow has Jesus having this conversation with the twelve, John clearly tells us it was a conversation with Peter, “When they had finished eating. Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, Son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’” (Jn.21:15) “These” are the other apostles. Jesus is either asking, “do you love me more than you love these men,” or, “do you love me more than these men love me?” Either way, he is not talking to the disciples but to Peter about them.
There is an intimacy here rather like the one we find between Jesus and “the disciple Jesus loved” (Jn.13:23-26). While it is true the others might have overheard, much as we “overhear” today through Scripture, nevertheless this is a private conversation with a quite different purpose to that given it by Lorenzo Snow.
Restoration
The familiar teaching tells of Jesus restoring Peter after Peter’s previous betrayal of his Saviour. You will recall how Jesus had prophesied, “You will all fall away,” (Mk.14:27) Brash Peter loudly protested, “Even if all fall away, I will not…Even if I have to die with you I will never disown you.” (Mk.14:29 & 31)
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today – yes, tonight – before the cock crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.” (Mk.14:30) And we know Peter disowned Jesus, as prophesied. (Mk.14:66-72) Jesus’ conversation with Peter by the sea shore repeated the charge to “feed my sheep” three times, just as Peter had denied him three times. This was a restoration to fellowship and mission of a fallen disciple. It demonstrates the incredible grace of Jesus that he should so receive his betrayer again. But something else is going on here too.
Condescension
Three times Jesus asks, “Simon, son of John, do you love me…?” The Greek word for love Jesus uses the first two times is different from the word he uses the third time. You can see the difference in English in the New International Version if you know to look for it.
“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘You know that I love you.’
Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’
Again Jesus said, ‘Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?’
He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’
Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.;
The third time he said to him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord you know all things; you know that I love you.’”
Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”
Did you see it?
“Do you truly love me?”
“Do you truly love me?”
Do you love me?”
The Greek in the first two instances is agape, a word that denotes unconditional love, a love we will to give, obedient, God’s love. Peter’s answer uses the more prosaic phileo meaning spontaneous, romantic love, fondness, the product of emotion rather than an act of the will.
“Peter, do you agape me?”
“Yes, Lord, you know I phileo you.”
The third time Jesus comes down to Peter’s level, asking, “Peter, do you phileo me?” to which Peter replies, “Yes, Lord, you know I phileo you?”
Here is the love Jesus required, and here is the love of which Peter was capable, and here is Jesus condescending to accept what is offered no matter its inadequacy. The message here is one of grace in restoring Peter and infinite patience and condescension in meeting the apostle where he is. This is our God, meeting us in our inadequacy and need.
The example of service is here in the text but this is no didactic from which we take instruction on leadership, no self-help formula, but a story illustrating the intimacy we, fallen sinners, can have with the Saviour because of his amazing condescension and grace. The leadership lesson comes from the confidence that knowledge of his grace gives us, and from imitating him as we deal with others as much in need of grace as we are.
Studies such as this demonstrate the huge gulf between the Mormon Church and the Christian Church. Not only does Mormonism misunderstand Christian doctrine, but Mormonism derives from Scripture instruction that departs dramatically from what would be emphasised in a Christian Church. What is deceptive is that a chapter on selfless service sounds so right that many would not think to question it.
This prophet represents an opportunity lost to speak of grace and one has to question his credentials as he so mishandles a familiar and beloved portion of the Bible.
Knowing people is a fascinating part of life, seeing the different aspects, personalities, preferences quirks etc of people is always very interesting. It goes without saying that some people we only get to know to a very limited extent and some we really build relationships and maybe build a life together with.
The more important someone is to us the more likely we are going to know them better, that’s again basic stuff, but leads right into looking at Jesus. Those who know Him to any extent know that He is the most significant, life changing person that ever existed.
In the Bible we see that eternal life comes from knowing Jesus.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
This is a massive issue, many people in the world today often think that if they just do their best in life and let the good things they do outweigh the bad then they will be ok. We see Jesus Himself speak to people here that were seemingly doing good things.
Matthew 7:21-23Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
If we do not truly know Jesus even good works that we do are nothing to Christ. Isaiah 64:6 says we are ALL unclean and our good works are like filthy rags to God. Knowing Jesus is what truly saves, not anything that we can do.
So who is this Jesus? This article is going to look at two areas.
1, The person of Jesus.
2, The Offices of Jesus.
So for number 1 We see that Biblically Jesus is completely and utterly God.
Colossians 1:16 says For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
All things created By Him and For Him. We see that the Saviour is not only able to create, but the things that He creates are created for Him. We see this in Isaiah.
Isaiah 43:7Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
We see that this old Testament God that created man for His glory, this Jesus in the New Testament created all things for Himself. If Jesus was not God He would be subject to the wrath of this Old Testament God as we see here:
Isaiah 42:8I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
In Philippians we see the amazing humility that this Jesus displayed in coming to earth and doing all that He did for us.
Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus thought is not robbery to be equal with God. That is very significant. In the New Testament greek we see “Theos” as the word used to mean God, which is mostly by far referring to the Father. We see here then that Jesus thought it not robbery to be equal to the Father. This is because of His absolute glory and majesty before He came to the earth.
Consider this scene in Batman Begins.
Here we see Bruce Wayne trying to experience the Criminal world without ever actually becoming a criminal. He is caught robbing a warehouse but rightly claims he is no criminal because He actually owns the warehouse. He thought it not robbery to take items from it, this is the same with Jesus absolute equality with His Father. However in Mormonism we see a different story.
Also its worth noting that in the LDS Church it is taught that most of the references to God in the Old Testament are the pre human Jesus. It is taught that Jehovah is Jesus and Elohim is God the Father, here is a quote from a past Mormon Apostle James Talmage.
“It is to be remembered that the Personage most generally designated in the Old Testament as God or the Lord, is He who in the mortal state was known as Jesus Christ, and in the antemortal state as Jehovah” (Articles of Faith, 465-466).
However Biblically this seems to not be the case. In the Hebrew when it says Lord it is referring to Jehovah and when it says God it is referring to Elohim, with that in mind consider these verses.
“Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him” (Deut. 4:35).
“That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else” (1 Kings 8:60).
“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;” (Psalm 100:3).
“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God” (Zech. 13:9).
Here is a quote from 10th Mormon President Joseph Fielding Smith showing something of the LDS view of the nature of Christ.
“CHRIST GAINED FULNESS AFTER RESURRECTION. The Sav- ior did not have a fulness at first, but after he received his body and the resurrection all power was given unto him both in heaven and in earth. Although he was a God, even the Son of God, with power and authority to create this earth and other earths, yet there were some things lacking which he did not receive until after his resurrection. In other words he had not received the fulness until he got a resurrected body, and the same is true with those who through faithfulness become sons of God. Our bodies are essential to the fulness and the continuation of the seeds forever” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:33).
In Mormonism Jesus is another one of us. Just elevated initially because He was the firstborn of our heavenly parents. He had to go through the same plan of salvation that we all do, so that then what was lacking in Him could be made complete. This is not the Jesus of the Bible. This is actually not humility.
Ask yourself the question, if Jesus coming to the earth and carrying out the Atonement for us, brought upon Himself an eternity of honour and glory in His exaltation, where was the sacrifice in what He did on the earth? Was it not really an opportunity?
Jesus said unless you believe that I AM He, you will die in your sins. (John 8:24) Do you really believe that Jesus is the great I am? The eternal glorious creator of all things who never needed anything, who never had need of anyone to give Him council, who is eternally glorious?
Or is He your elder brother, simply going through the same plan of salvation you are, and may one day be your equal, depending on how you live your life?
Secondly, I want to focus on the Offices of Christ. Actually I am going to look at just one, that is his Priesthood.
In Old Testament times High Priests carried that role one person at a time until death, we see that stated in Hebrews.
Hebrews 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Old Testament High Priests daily offered sacrifices to seek to atone for the sins of themselves and Gods people. This was their most significant role. This role is now totally fulfilled and complete in Christ.
Hebrews 7:24-28 But this man, because he continueth ever,hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Jesus, because He will never die has the role of the High Priest forever. The primary role of the High Priest is done and that role is held eternally by Christ. There is no longer the need for human priests to mediate between God and man and here is why:
1 Timothy 2:5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Yet in Mormonism we see this:
Doctrine and Covenants 68:19
“But, as a high priest of the Melchizedek Priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices he may officiate in the office of bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, provid- ed he is called and set apart and ordained unto this power, under the hands of the First Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood”
15th LDS President Gordon B Hinckley
“We have more than 18,000 bishops in the Church. Every one is a man who has been called by the spirit of prophecy and revelation and set apart and ordained by the laying on of hands. Every one of them holds the keys of the presidency of his ward. Each is a high priest, the presiding high priest of his ward. Each carries tremen- dous responsibilities of stewardship. Each stands as a father to his people” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Shepherds of Israel,” Ensign (Conference Edition), November 2003, p. 60).
Biblically we see one high Priest, that person is Jesus, He carries that role forever like no one ever could. In Mormonism there are thousands of high Priests. An easy way to see the difference between a Mormon and a Christian is to ask who their high Priest is. The Mormon points to a man in their ward, the Christian points to Jesus.
In the great commission we see Jesus say this, watch as this is massively significant!
Matthew 28:18-19 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto ME in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Jesus said all power is given to ME therefore go! Do you want to know why you NEVER see a Priesthood blessing referenced in the New Testament? Its because its not the power or authority of the priesthood that the Church needs, but rather it is the power and authority of Jesus.
Hebrews 1:3 says Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
All things are upheld by His Word, by His word He calmed a storm (Mark 4:39), raised a dead man (John 11:43) forgave sin (Luke 5:20), healed the sick (Luke 5:24), and called Apostles (John 1:42) this Jesus word alone carried more power than any church governmental authority, He has all power and authority by vitrtue of His nature alone.
If you are in Jesus then all the power and authority you need is given unto you, because He has it, and has said GO. You are commissioned, equipped, and empowered by being in Christ.
Finally and most significantly, Salvation comes from His name and no other place. If you know and trust Christ your eternity is sealed in Him.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Do you know this Jesus? Has He saved you to the uttermost? Is His authority in you? Do you look to Him for all you need or is it found in an organization? The answer will affect your eternity.
Hey all, some of you may have noticed me linking to Russ Bale’s interview by Suzanne Witt the other day on why he reaches out to Mormons.
Yesterday I was also interviewed by Suzanne on why I do this, please see that interview above. I thought this would be helpful as this is a question I am often asked, and so often I think Mormons assume its out of some hatred on my part towards Mormons, of even the Mormon Church.
Please give this interview a listen and I hope you will see this is not the case. You may not agree with my conclusions, but I hope in the least you will see that my motivation is not in anyway a negative thing.
As ever I am open and looking forward to your comments.
Hey all. Just in the last week there has been a debate at the University of Utah in Salt lake City between Martin Tanner, Mormon Apologist and host of the Religion Today Show on KSL Radio in Utah, and Reverend Jason Wallace of Christ Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City and also host of The Ancient Paths on Utah Tv.
On this video they discuss the issue of whether Mormons are Christians. Things like this happen rarely and it is an excellent opportunity to see the kind of issues raised in these dialogues and can be helpful for our own.
This video was kindly provided by Russ Bales who runs the website Mormon Doctrine.Net, he also has a youtube channel with many other great videos here.
So on we go to Chapter 5 of this years LDS teaching manual. With regards to Lorenzo Snow this is likely to be the most interesting chapter by far.
This chapter as the title says is talking about the grand hope of those that are truly faithful to God. In Mormon terms this means those that are the most faithful to the Mormon gospel, those that lives out all of the laws and ordnances of the gospel, as the chapter itself says:
…This is the high destiny of the sons of God, they who overcome, who are obedient to His commandments, who purify themselves even as He is pure. They are to become like Him; they will see Him as He is; they will behold His face and reign with Him in His glory, becoming like unto Him in every particular. (p.86)
So what is this great destiny? Its perfectly summed up in the first page of this chapter in the phrase that this Prophet is most well known for.
“As man now is, God once was: “As God now is, man may be.”
This is very refreshing for me to see this so clearly stated in an up to date Official Mormon Manual. Last year I had an Evangelical Christian call my points in my article in the Baptist times “outdated and ill researched” because I used this quote to show the Mormon view in my article. You can see the background to that here. This was largely because this Christian is in contact with a Mormon that, at that time at least did not know, nor believe that this teaching was a teaching of the Mormon Church. I have also had many other Mormons tell me that I am wrong in claiming that this is a teaching of the Mormon Church.
On the other hand there are many Mormons I have been in touch with over the years who very strongly believe that this quote represents their beliefs on this issue well, and therefore will be shaking their head at this Christian and Mormon up to this point.
In this post I am going to look at 3 things.
1, The Mormon Church does teach that God was once a man and that we can become a god ourselves, or “as God is” which is the words used today for the same thing.
2, This is an unbiblical teaching and does in fact point people towards a God that by virtue of being unbiblical therefore does not exist.
3, That Christians should raise this issue again and again with Mormons.
So firstly.
The Mormon Church does teach that God was once a man and that we can become a god ourselves, or “as God is” which is the words used today for the same thing.
We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see.
These ideas are incomprehensible to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; and I will show it from the Bible.
Joseph Smith the founding Prophet of the Mormon Church clearly taught this very far on in his ministry, in fact just months before his death that God was once a man like us, and dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did.
This leads to different views within the Mormon Church. Some Mormons think God was a sinful finite man like us. This quote and the couplet very strongly lends itself to that. Some Mormons however emphasise the “Same as Jesus Christ did” part and therefore say that Heavenly Father was a Saviour on another world and went through His plan of Salvation like Jesus did, having never been a sinful man. Some others are simply unaware of this whole area of Mormon teaching.
Either way in Mormonism heavenly Father had to go through the same plan of eternal progression that we all have to go through and is the example of the great destiny that is available to all, if they are faithful like He was.
Brigham Young the 2nd Mormon Prophet said:
“It appears ridiculous to the world, under their darkened and erroneous traditions, that God has been once a finite being; and yet we are not in such close communion with him as many have supposed” (Brigham Young, October 8, 1859, Journal of Discourses 7:333).
4th Prophet Wilford Woodruff said: “GOD IS INCREASING IN KNOWLEDGE. If there was a point where man in his progression could not proceed any further, the very idea would throw a gloom over every intelligent and reflecting mind. God Himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p. 3).
This quote tends not to be believed by Mormons today but this is a teaching of one of their Prophets and shows the idea of this Eternal progression.
Interestingly the 10th Mormon Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Where has the Lord ever revealed to us that he is lacking in knowledge? That he is still learning new truth; discovering new laws that are unknown to him? I think this kind of doctrine is very dangerous. I don’t know where the Lord has ever declared such a thing. It is not contained in any revelation that I have read”(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:8).
(As a side note this has happened on a few occasions in that Mormon Prophets say something, then later on their teachings are dismissed or even called heresy. For a more interesting case study on this look up the Adam God Doctrine.)
We also see this from Joseph Fielding Smith.
“The Prophet taught that our Father had a Father and so on. Is not this a reasonable thought, especially when we remember that the promises are made to us that we may become like him?”(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:12).
He is likely reffering to this teaching from Joseph Smith
“If Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and John discovered that God the Father of Jesus Christ had a Father, you may suppose that He had a Father also. Where was there ever a son without a father? And where was there ever a father without first being a son? Whenever did a tree or anything spring into existence without a progenitor? And everything comes in this way. Paul says that which is earthly is in the likeness of that which is heavenly, Hence if Jesus had a Father, can we not believe that He had a Father also?” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 373.)
According to the Mormon teaching of eternal progression there is a limitless regression of Gods in existence going endlessly back in time and will go endlessly forward, Our Heavenly Father had a Father and His Father had a Father and His Father had a Father and His Father had a Father and I could do that for a thousand pages and still be nowhere near the beginning. This in and of itself proves Mormonism wrong in their claim to believe in an infinite regression of infinite’s, this is logically impossible, for more on this please check out here.
2nd Mormon Prophet Brigham Young also said:
“How many Gods there are, I do not know, But there never was a time when there were not Gods and worlds, and when men were not passing through the same ordeals that we are passing through. That course has been from all eternity, and it is and will be so to all eternity” (Brigham Young, October 8,1859, Journal of Discourses 7:333).
You may wonder why I keep quoting their prophets as oppose to maybe the Mormon scriptures. In Mormonism the words of their prophets are as significant and authoritative as their scriptures. They speak with the same authority as Isaiah, Jeremiah and any other Old Testament Prophets. This will become all the more relevant as this post goes on.
The 4th Mormon Prophet Wilfred Woodruff said this:
“I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty. (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p. 212-213. See also Doctrine and Covenants Official Declaration—1).
However Mormon Scripture does still very much support everything that is being said here.
“Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be; While the tares shall be bound in bundles, and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:65-66).
20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from aeverlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be bgods, because they have call power, and the angels are subject unto them. (Doctrine and Covenants 132:20)
The Mormon Church claims to be the one Church on the face of the earth that has a Prophet that actually hears directly from God, and therefore teaches with the authority that one would have in this position.
This chapter of the manual also says:
Through a continual course of progression our Heavenly Father has received exaltation and glory and he points us out the same path and, inasmuch as he is clothed with power, authority and glory, he says, “walk ye up and come in possession of the same glory and happiness that I possess.” (p.85)
So Mormonism at its core teaches this:
“As man now is, God once was: “As God now is, man may be.”
Second Point
This is an unbiblical teaching and does in fact point people towards a God that by virtue of being unbiblical therefore does not exist.
(see bottom of page for references)
The God of the Bible.
The Heavenly Father of the Bible is so amazing and outside of human understanding that His actions and judgements alone are beyond us (1). He does as He pleases (2), He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or imagine (3). He has from everlasting to everlasting been God (4). He is so glorious that when He shows mercy on His people, the mercy is primarily to display His own namesake and praise even before it is for the good of the receiver of the mercy (5). Our Father in heaven draws people to Himself so that they might praise and glorify (6) the God most high (7) the only God that exists (8) the one who knows everything (9) and yet does not know of any other Gods that exist whatsoever. (10) This God exists for Himself and has made us so that we may find no greater joy than what we find in communion with Him (11). It is the fool that says that this God does not exist (12) and He needs nothing from anyone, no one ever taught Him a thing, (13) yet He is able to keep us from falling (25) He does not know and He owes no one anything that He should repay them (14) . This God is the source of everything that is (13) and exists by virtue of His being (15), that is far above any other being that Has been and ever will be(10).
While we are at it the Jesus of the Bible was equal with His Father before His incarnation (16), He created everything that exists and all of those things exist for Him (17). Being God and being equal with His Father means that He is worthy of worship and also exists for His glory and receives it in abundance from the Father (18), this is so much the case that in honouring Jesus we are honouring the Father at the same time (19). Yet God will not share His glory with another (20). Through this we see that Jesus eternally has been and always will be God in the fullest sense.
He stepped down sacrificing His glorious form to take the form of us (16), sinful people in the flesh. He took the full punishment for the sins of those that would trust Him (21), saving them to the uttermost(22). He built a Church that hell would not be able to overcome (23) that He forever intercedes for(22), and will present to Himself glorious (24) , a people who will forever know where the real success of the Church came from. This Jesus is so glorious that the highest goal and promise to His people is that they might spend eternity with Him(26).
The Holy Ghost of the Bible dwells everywhere(27), and leads people into all truth (28)allowing them through communion with Him to know the truth of Gods word(29). He carries the title of God (30) and therefore is as all sufficient and worthy of all glory and honour as the Father and Son, yet in His submission to the divine economy of the Trinity seeks to point our attention to Christ (31) as Christ is also subject to the Father.
The Gods of Mormonism
Heavenly Father in Mormonism is subject to the eternal law of eternal progression that all of the other gods are(32). He gives the same laws and ordnances to His people that all other gods do (33) and is unable to create anything out of nothing(34). He was once a man, a finite being (35) and His glory is based on our progression(36). He gives us laws and ordnances to carry out if we are faithful we might become a god like He did(37). He is has a heavenly Father who has a heavenly Father with the cycle infinity occurring (38) He is by no means the only God but rather just our God (38). Our ultimate joy is found in spending eternity with our families(39). He was once just like any other finite being (40) and some Mormon prophets have said He is still learning now(41). This God is unable or unwilling to keep His people from falling and exists due to the process of eternal progression that pre-dates His deity(39). This God is not the God of the Bible and does not exist.
The Jesus of Mormonism being the first born of our Heavenly parents had a status of being a god before coming to the earth (42) but needed to faithfully live out His plan of salvation to receive His exaltation as all of the rest of us do(43), therefore this was not truly a sacrifice for Him but rather a tough promotion process. Jesus as our elder brother is not to be worshipped(44) and is a separate being to His Father and had to earn His status as fully exalted and fully a God like we all do(43).
For Him coming to the earth and receiving a body was a step up rather than down as this was necessary to further His progression(43). He takes partial punishment for our sins so that we can be raised after the resurrection but what happens after that depends on our works for Him(45). He was unable to keep a Church together but thankfully Joseph Smith came and did what He could not do, and kept a Church together(46). This Jesus is who people who don’t make the celestial kingdom can expect to get visits from Jesus in the Terrestrial Kingdom(47). Those that progressed further get to spend eternity with their family, which is a bigger blessing than spending it with Jesus(48). This Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible and does not exist.
The Holy Ghost of Mormonism is less known and talked about personally. However He has been selected for the role of the Holy Ghost and one day will have to get a physical body and come to earth for His progression like everyone else(49). He cannot be everywhere at once(50) and in fact leaves whenever contention and sin are present(51). He has the status of God but is not as great as the Father until He one day faithfully lives out His plan of salvation(52). This is not the Holy Ghost of the Bible and does not exist.
Third Point
That Christians should raise this issue again and again with Mormons.
If you have ever tried talking about this issue with Mormon Missionaries you will often get told, “We don’t usually talk about this at this stage”. They are told to give the milk before the meat. The meat very much being the LDS view of the nature of God as this is so foreign to what Christians believe that they know they will get very few converts if this is shared.
However Jesus said in John 8:24 that “unless you believe I AM HE (referring to Gods name for Himself in Exodus 3:14) you will die in your sins.” The issue of who Christ is, is vital to our salvation and as we understand the greatness of the Father we see how great Christ is in that He had equality with the Father before He came to the earth therefore what He went through was truly a sacrifice. We need to show this vital truth to Mormons so that they can know that Jesus atonement was truly the greatest miracle that has ever occurred and that they can be saved to the uttermost by trusting in this Christ and finally being able to say with Paul:
Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
If you know this Jesus you are saved and righteous in the sight of God by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, not based on works but on Him who calls (Romans 9:12) in knowing the greatness of Christ we can truly know the greatness of salvation. I always say that Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are actually very consistent as if they believe in a lesser Christ they must believe in a lesser atonement and therefore believe in a lesser salvation where the sacrifice of Christ alone does not by faith save us, but rather by works, which is no salvation.
This short video on a lighter note paints this picture well.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Do you have this grace?
Thanks for reading, as ever please leave comments below.
References.
1,Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
2,Romans 11:33 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
3,Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
4,Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
5,Isaiah 48:9-119 For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.
6,Jeremiah 13:11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
7,Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all
8,Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
9,1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
10,Isaiah 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
11,Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
12,Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
13,Romans 11:34-3634 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
14, Romans 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
15,John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
16,Philippians 2:5-115 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
17,Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
18,John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
19,John 5:23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
20,Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
21,John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
22,Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
23,Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
24,Ephesians 5:25-2725 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
25,Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
26,Philippians 1:21-2321 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Also1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
27,Psalm 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
28,John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
29,John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
30,Acts 5:3-43 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
31,John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
32,Brigham Young, July 10, 1870, Journal of Discourses 14:71-72 “How many earths are there? I observed this morning that you may take the particles of matter composing this earth, and if they could be enumerated they would only be a beginning to the number of the creations of God; and they are continually coming into existence, and undergoing changes and passing through the same experience that we are passing through. Sin is upon every earth that ever was created, and if it was not so, I would like some philosophers to let us know how people can be exalted to become sons of God, and enjoy a fulness of glory with the Redeemer. Consequently every earth has its redeemer, and every earth has its tempter; and every earth, and the people thereof, in their turn and time, receive all that we receive, and pass through all the ordeals that we are passing through” .
33,Alonzo L. Gaskill, Odds Are, You’re Going to be Exalted, p. 8 “The laws and ordinances by which men and women are exalted in the celestial kingdom of our God are eternal and do not change – and because they are eternal, they predate God. Yes, they have always existed and have ever been in operation. And no, they are not negotiable. All beings are saved on the same principles – by the same laws and ordinances – in all dispensations, on every earth created by the God who ‘upholds all worlds and all things by his power’”.
34 Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 48 “Man and Matter Eternal – Mankind are organized of element designed to endure to all eternity; it never had a beginning and never can have an end. There never was a time when this matter, of which you and I are composed, was not in existence, and there never can be a time when it will pass out of existence; it cannot be annihilated. It is brought together, organized, and capacitated to receive knowledge and intelligence, to be enthroned in glory, to be made angels, Gods-beings who will hold control over the elements, and have power by their word to command the creation and redemption of worlds, or to extinguish suns by their breath, and disorganize worlds, hurling them back into their chaotic state. This is what you and I are created for”.
35,Joseph Smith, King Follet Discourse. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity.I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see.
These ideas are incomprehensible to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; and I will show it from the Bible.
37,Lorenzo Snow “As man now is, God once was:
“As God now is, man may be.”
AlsoThomas Monson, “An Invitation to Exaltation,” Ensign (Conference Edition), May 1988, p. 56).“It is the celestial glory which we seek. It is in the presence of God we desire to dwell. It is a forever family in which we want membership. Such blessings must be earned”
38, Orson Hyde, The Words of Joseph Smith, p. 299 “There are Lords many, and Gods many, for they are called Gods to whom the word of God comes, and the word of God comes to all these kings and priests. But to our branch of the kingdom there is but one God, to whom we all owe the most perfect submission and loyalty; yet our God is just as subject to still higher intelligences, as we should be to him”.
39, James E. Faust, “Eternity Lies before Us,” Ensign (Conference Edition), May 1997, p. 19“The Savior’s supernal gift to mankind gave us the opportunity for eternal life, but eternal life without our loved ones would be bleak”.
Also “The family is central to the Creator’s plan,” Ensign, December 2004, p. 51 “‘The fullness of eternal salvation is a family affair,’ said Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. ‘The gospel plan originated in the council of an eternal family, it is implemented through our earthly families, and has its destiny in our eternal families’”.
40,Brigham Young, October 8, 1859, Journal of Discourses 7:333 “It appears ridiculous to the world, under their darkened and erroneous traditions, that God has been once a finite being; and yet we are not in such close communion with him as many have supposed”.
41, The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p.3. “GOD IS INCREASING IN KNOWLEDGE. If there was a point where man in his progression could not proceed any further, the very idea would throw a gloom over every intelligent and reflecting mind. God Himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end”
Also Brigham Young, Deseret News, June 18, 1873, p. 309. See also Eugene England, “Perfection and Progression: Two Complimentary ways to talk about God,” BYU Studies, Summer 1989, pg.37 “Now do not lariat the God that I serve and say that he can not learn any more; I do not believe in such a character”.
42,Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p. 323 “Christ attained Godhood while yet in pre-existence, he too stood as a God to the other spirits, but this relationship was not the same one of personal parenthood that prevailed between the Father and his offspring”.
43Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:33 “CHRIST GAINED FULNESS AFTER RESURRECTION. The Savior did not have a fulness at first, but after he received his body and the resurrection all power was given unto him both in heaven and in earth. Although he was a God, even the Son of God, with power and authority to create this earth and other earths, yet there were some things lacking which he did not receive until after his resurrection. In other words he had not received the fulness until he got a resurrected body, and the same is true with those who through faithfulness become sons of God. Our bodies are essential to the fulness and the continuation of the seeds forever”.
44,Bruce Mcconkie, Our relationship with the Lord1. We worship the Father and him only and no one else.We do not worship the Son, and we do not worship the Holy Ghost. I know perfectly well what the scriptures say about worshipping Christ and Jehovah, but they are speaking in an entirely different sense—the sense of standing in awe and being reverentially grateful to him who has redeemed us. Worship in the true and saving sense is reserved for God the first, the Creator.
45,Boyd K. Packer, “The Mediator,” Ensign (Conference Edition), May 1977, pp. 54-55. “Let me tell you a story—a parable. There once was a man who wanted something very much. It seemed more important than anything else in his life. In order for him to have his desire, he incurred a great debt. He had been warned about going into that much debt, and particularly about his creditor. But it seemed so important for him to do what he wanted to do and to have what he wanted right now. He was sure he could pay for it later. So he signed a contract. He would pay it off some time along the way. He didn’t worry too much about it, for the due date seemed such a long time away. He had what he wanted now, and that was what seemed important. The creditor was always somewhere in the back of his mind, and he made token payments now and again, thinking somehow that the day of reckoning really would never come. But as it always does, the day came, and the contract fell due. The debt had not been fully paid. His creditor appeared and demanded payment in full. Only then did he realize that his creditor not only had the power to repossess all that he owned, but the power to cast him into prison as well. ‘I cannot pay you, for I have not the power to do so,’ he confessed. ‘Then,’ said the creditor, ‘we will exercise the contract, take your possessions, and you shall go to prison. You agreed to that. It was your choice. You signed the contract, and now it must be enforced.’ ‘Can you not extend the time or forgive the debt?’ the debtor begged. ‘Arrange some way for me to keep what I have and not go to prison. Surely you believe in mercy? Will you not show mercy?’ The creditor replied, ‘Mercy is always so one-sided. It would serve only you. If I show mercy to you, it will leave me unpaid. It is justice I demand. Do you believe in justice?’ ‘I believed in justice when I signed the contract,’ the debtor said. ‘It was on my side then, for I thought it would protect me. I did not need mercy then, nor think I should need it ever. Justice, I thought, would serve both of us equally as well.’ ‘It is justice that demands that you pay the contract or suffer the penalty,’ the creditor replied. ‘That is the law. You have agreed to it and that is the way it must be. Mercy cannot rob justice.’ There they were: One meting out justice, the other pleading for mercy. Neither could prevail except at the expense of the other. ‘If you do not forgive the debt there will be no mercy,’ the debtor pleaded. ‘If I do, there will be no justice,’ was the reply. Both laws, it seemed, could not be served. They are two eternal ideals that appear to contradict one another. Is there no way for justice to be fully served, and mercy also? There is a way! The law of justice can be fully satisfied and mercy can be fully extended—but it takes someone else. And so it happened this time. The debtor had a friend. He came to help. He knew the debtor well. He knew him to be shortsighted. He thought him foolish to have gotten himself into such a predicament. Nevertheless, he wanted to help because he loved him. He stepped between them, faced the creditor, and made this offer. ‘I will pay the debt if you will free the debtor from his contract so that he may keep his possessions and not go to prison.’ As the creditor was pondering the offer, the mediator added, ‘You demanded justice. Though he cannot pay you, I will do so. You will have been justly dealt with and can ask no more. It would not be just.’ And so the creditor agreed. The mediator turned then to the debtor. ‘If I pay your debt, will you accept me as your creditor?’ ‘Oh yes, yes,’ cried the debtor. ‘You save me from prison and show mercy to me.’ ‘Then,’ said the benefactor, ‘you will pay the debt to me and I will set the terms. It will not be easy, but it will be possible. I will provide a way. You need not go to prison.’ And so it was that the creditor was paid in full. He had been justly dealt with. No contract had been broken. The debtor, in turn, had been extended mercy. Both laws stood fulfilled. Because there was a mediator, justice had claimed its full share, and mercy was fully satisfied.”
46,Joseph Smith, History of the Church 6:408-409“I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet”.
47,Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions 1:81 “Those who were honorable men who will be permitted to go to the terrestrial kingdom will be blessed with ministrations from the celestial kingdom. They will be privileged with visitations from Jesus Christ but will be denied the presence of the Father. Thus we learn that our Eternal Father will do all that he can for the inhabitants of the earth according to their works. The inhabitants of the telestial and terrestrial kingdoms will be given a measure of salvation, but not the fulness. They will be redeemed from the power of Satan after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions and have learned to be obedient to divine law”.
48,“The family is central to the Creator’s plan,” Ensign, December 2004, p. 51 “‘The fullness of eternal salvation is a family affair,’ said Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. ‘The gospel plan originated in the council of an eternal family, it is implemented through our earthly families, and has its destiny in our eternal families’”.
49, Joseph Smith, Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, edited by Larry E. Dahl and Donald Q. Cannon (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997)“The Holy Ghost is yet a spiritual body and is waiting to take to himself a body, as the Savior did.”
50,Joseph F. Smith, Discourses on the Holy Ghost, N.B. Lundwall, ed., p. 53 “The Holy Ghost as a personage of Spirit can no more be omnipresent in person than can the Father or the Son, but by his intelligence, his knowledge, his power and influence, over and through the laws of nature, he is and can be omnipresent throughout all the works of God”.
51, LDS.org If we argue and quarrel, the Holy Ghost leaves. Although arguing with a husband, a child, or a brother or sister may not be a serious sin, it does drive the Holy Ghost away.
52,Joseph Smith, The Words of Joseph Smith, p. 245; Sabbath address, Nauvoo, 27 August 1843. Reported by Franklin D. Richards. “The Holy Ghost is now in a state of probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has.”
Henry B Eyring states, “You have felt happiness as you have kept the commandments of God. That is the promised fruit of living the gospel (see Mosiah 2:41)” The first presidency message (p4) mentions happiness no fewer than 13 times in an article just 656 words long. Happiness is the great theme of Mormonism, the gift Mormons bring their neighbours, but where does the Bible say Christ died to educate us in the art of happiness?
The first thing to realise is that different generations join a different Mormon Church. The Mormons of the 19th century were prepared to go to prison, even to die rather than relinquish their practice of polygamy. Even into the early 20th century Mormon leaders died on the run from the law. A whole package of doctrine supported this faith that polygamy was the order of heaven and no earthly power was going to stop it.
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