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What About the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints?
We've all heard them sing, and, oh, those lovely TV
commercials. But have you ever stopped to consider
what the Mormons believe? It's something we need to
do. This is the religion of Joseph Smith and
Brigham Young. Smith a treasure hunter who believed
in using "peep" stones, founded the Mormons by
claiming to have found 'golden plates' in 1827,
which were supposedly written in a form of
hieroglyphics. Smith claimed a commission to
translate these "books" on the plates from the angel
Moroni. Now we ask what were the Mormons to teach
according to these revelations?
Mormonism is a religion of many gods. Smith's
original teaching was that our God has a body of
flesh and blood and was a child that went through
training to become god. In fact, having passed
through his training successfully, that is "through
obedience to Mormon teaching, death, and
resurrection, he proved himself worthy and was
elevated to godhood as his father before him" he was
allowed to come to earth with the council of gods.
Here they awarded him the planet earth. God brought
with Him one of his wives Eve, and giving up His
celestial body became mortal as we are. They still
hold tightly to the belief that God is a
resurrected, glorified man. In the book Mormon
Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie says God has a father
and that he had a father. The Mormons still hold to
the statement of Lorenzo Snow called the Law of
Eternal Progression, that is: As man is, God once
was: and as God is, man may become. "No one who
claims to be a Christian can hold any of these
beliefs. Paul writes in Galatians 3:20, "mediator is
not a mediator of one, but God is one." In Psalms
90:2 His unchanging nature is declared, From
everlasting to everlasting thou art God." The
commandment states, "I am the Lord your God, you
shall have no other gods before me." Quoting from
Isaiah 43:10,11, "Ye are my witnesses, saith the
Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that ye may
know there was no God before me, either shall there
be after me. I, even I, the Lord and beside me there
is no Savior."
In the Pearl of Great Price the Mormons contend that
we are spirit children born in the bonds of
celestial marriage to God and His marriage partner.
Yet, we know from the Bible in Genesis that in fact
God created Adam on the sixth day. In Mormon
doctrine they further state, "and you have got to
learn to become Gods yourselves, and to be kings and
priests to God, the same as call Gods have done
before you." It is illogical to believe that mortal,
created beings who receive the gift of eternal life
through Jesus are or can become gods. Again refer to
Isaiah 43:10, 11 and than go to 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." We must also include
the following verse here for many Mormons will state
that this refers to God and this world and is not
the same for he gods of the other worlds, from
Isaiah 45:12, "I have made the earth and created man
upon it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the
heavens; and all their host have I commanded." The
Idea that men may become gods originated with Satan
who preached this in the Garden of Eden so that Adam
and Eve would eat the fruit (see Genesis 3).
It should be included here that Mormons teach of a
celestial marriage that binds human beings together
for eternity so that when they become gods, they can
stay together and rule the same planet. This is not
Biblical. This is not true. In the Bible there are
three priesthoods we need to turn our attention to.
The Melchizedek, Aaronic and Levitical. The
Melchizedek, as established in Hebrews chapter 17,
is the highest order of the priesthoods. In verse 17
Jesus, by virtue of His Sacrifice on the cross, is
forever and ever head of His won priesthood of the
Melchizedek order. Because of Jesus' atonement (1
John2:2) for all of our sins, it is no longer
necessary for the priests to enter into the temple
on the day of atonement thus ending the role of the
Aaronic priest, and further establishing the
superiority of the Melchizedek priest. In the Mormon
faith, all males over the age of 12 receive the
Melchizedek priesthood, and claim the continuance of
the Aaronic order. It is interesting to note that
Black males did not receive priesthood until 1978
for they were considered living under a curse.
Hebrews 7:24 when literally translated says: "But he
continues forever, so his priesthood is
untransferable." The Aaronic priesthood is no more
for Jesus' sacrifice ended their role of atonement,
and the Melchizedek is untransferable, so the
Mormons claim for their male members is untrue.
Therefore no secret rites or special temples as
Mormons claim are needed for learning the Lord's
will. As Christians we are all commanded to witness,
and this can be done anywhere, any time. As Martin
Luther put it, the New Testament teaches a
"priesthood of believers."
Jesus according to the Mormons cannot be our way
into heaven. They state the blood of Christ cannot
atone for all of our sins. One must also adhere to
the teachings and laws of the Mormon church. 1 John
1:7, "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses
us from all sin," and Romans 5:9, "Much more then,
being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through Him," the Bible clearly and
absolutely states that Jesus is "the way, the truth,
and the light, no man can come unto the father but
by Him." The Mormons also teach that Jesus is not
God, but a spirit child of God (as we are) and
brother to Lucifer, who was chosen to come to earth
to give man a chance to chose between good and evil,
to decide if they wanted to become gods. Now in
Revelations 1:8 Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the beginning and the end." John 1:1
declares, "In the beginning was the Word and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God." We know
biblically that Jesus is God and has always existed
with God. He is not a created spirit being. He is
certainly not the brother spirit of Lucifer, who as
an angel is a created being of God.
The Mormon doctrine also teaches falsely the birth
of Jesus. They claim that there was an actual
physical relationship between Mary and God. Wrong.
The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit descended
upon Mary and through the power "of the Most High"
she conceived Jesus (Luke 1:35). God did not take
human form and have physical relations with Mary.
Mormonism also teaches its adherents to baptize the
dead. The rights of salvation and godhood they teach
to be retroactive. In Doctrine and Covenants, it
says "Baptism for the dead: the key to the holy
priesthood ordained so you may receive honor and
glory; for their salvation (the dead) is necessary
and essential to our salvation." The Bible says "He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" and,
of course, 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." Let's also include John 3:17,
"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world through Him might be
saved." First of all, salvation is through Jesus
alone, there is no other way; the baptism of the
dead does not forgive our sins and allow us to dwell
forever with the Father in heaven. Secondly, to be
baptized, you must be a living person. In the Bible,
the baptism by water by John was on the people
living at the time. The baptism by the Holy Spirit
when He descends upon us, is when we accept Jesus.
The acceptance of Jesus is a conscience decision of
the living. Nowhere in the Word of God are the dead
baptized.
Mormon teachings clearly do not follow Scripture.
They distort the Word of God and His teachings. We
Christians need to know and be aware of them as
'false prophets.'
When studying the history of the Mormon Church the
following information needs also to be considered.
Joseph Smith and six associates founded the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly
known as the Mormons, on April 6, 1830, in Fayette,
New York. In formulating his religion, Smith
combined elements of Judaism and Christianity with
several distinctive features of his own creation.
The organization that grew out of Smith's teachings
differs markedly from Christianity. The basic Mormon
scripture is the Book of Mormon, written by Smith.
The Book of Mormon is accepted as a supplement to
the Bible, rather than as a substitute for it. (Read
in your Bible Revelations 22:18-19 "I warn everyone
who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If
anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him
the plagues described in this book. And if anyone
takes words away from this book of prophecy, God
will take away from him his share in the tree of
life and in the holy city, which are described in
this book.") Smith did not finish his inspired
translation of the Bible, which incorporates
prophecies of his own coming and of the book of
Mormons. Other scriptures are his Pearl of Great
Price, Book of Abraham, and the Book of Moses.
Facsimiles published by Smith as part of the Book of
Abraham were later declared by experts to be parts
of common Egyptian funerary texts; an opinion
reinforced by examination of what were claimed to be
the original papyri, rediscovered in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, in 1966.
Smith's translation referred to gods (in the plural
, affirmed that the stars were peopled with spirits,
and held that persons with black skins were cursed
"as pertaining to the priesthood."
The Book of Mormon was first published in Palmyra,
NY in 1830. Mormons accept it as a divinely inspired
work revealed to Smith and translated by him. It
tells the story of a group of Hebrews who left
Jerusalem in about 600 BC and came to North America.
They eventually split into two factions, the Lamanites and the Nephites. The Lamanites forgot
their ancient Jewish religion and became the
ancestors of the American Indians. The Nephites
remained faithful and built a great civilization.
They were, however, destroyed by the Lamanites in
about 400 AD.
Prior to this time Jesus Christ had appeared on
Earth and given his teachings to the Nephites. A
prophet named Mormon recorded these on gold plates.
His son Moroni, an angel or resurrected being,
buried the plates. On September 21, 1823, Moroni
appeared to Smith three times, to inform him that he
had been chosen to restore God's church on earth.
Four years later on September 22, 1827, Smith
received the plates from Moroni, who, as last of the
ancient prophets, had buried them in a hill called
Cumorah (near Palmyra, NY) in 421 AD where they
remained buried for 1,400 years, until Moroni
returned in the form of a resurrected personage and
showed the plates to Joseph Smith. After Smith
translated them with a set of special stones (Seers)
set in silver bowls they were returned to Moroni on
May 2, 1838 and never seen again.
Mormon teaching states that God had originally
evolved from mankind. Therefore present humanity
could become gods. Contrary to Christianity, Mormon
belief asserts that the three persons of the Godhead
(The Trinity) are three separate beings. Jesus
Christ appeared on Earth to save mankind, but each
person's salvation nevertheless depends on the
quality of his own life. A baptism by immersion is
practiced, and there is also a baptism on behalf of
the dead. Because Mormons believe it is possible for
dead ancestors to participate in salvation there is
great interest in genealogy tracing one's ancestry
among them.
Smith originally believed in a concept of heaven and
hell for the afterlife.
In 1833 Smith had a revelation of three
postresurrectional kingdoms:
The celestial
The terrestrial
And the telestial kingdom on another earth for the
unclean liars and adulterers. Faithful members of
the church would inherit eternal life as gods, and
even those who had rejected God's law would live in
glory.
Mormons call themselves Christian and share much of
Christian culture, even though Mormons consider
other Christian churches as being in error.
The Mormons have a well-defined doctrine and plan of
church government. The local unit is the ward,
presided over by a bishop and two counselors. Wards
are grouped into stakes. A president and two
counselors govern each stake. Lives of individual
Mormons are closely regulated by these two units.
The church is financed through a mandatory system of
tithing giving a percentage of one's income as an
annual contribution.
Mormons believe that the return of Christ to earth
will lead to the first resurrection and the
millennium, the main activity of which will be
"temple work," especially Baptism on behalf of the
dead. After the millennium and second resurrection,
the earth will become a celestial sphere and men
will be assigned to the eternal kingdoms. Mormons
regard the Christian churches as apostate; lacking
revelations, miracles, and Spirit gifts; and
maintaining corrupt rituals, priesthood's, and
teachings. Smith came to restore the institutions of
the church in God's law in society. Adult Baptism,
signifying repentance and obedience, has acquired
additional importance as a ritual that may be
undertaken by proxy for salvation of those who died
without knowledge of the truth. Mormons interest in
genealogy proceeds from concern to save dead
ancestors. Baptism for the dead, endowment and
sealing (which may also be undertaken by proxy for
the dead) are secret but essential ceremonies that
take place in the temple. At endowment, the person
is ritually washed, anointed with oil, and dressed
in temple garments (underwear that Good Mormons
continue to wear as protection against evil and as a
symbol of faithfulness). Initiates witness a
dramatic performance of the story of creation, learn
secret passwords and grips, and receive a secret
name. The sealing ceremony, which was of special
importance in the period when Mormons practiced
plural marriage, seals men and women in marriage for
time and eternity. Smith, who became a Mason in
1842, borrowed Masonic ritual for Mormon ceremonies,
(see TLEM tract; What About Masons) eliminating what
he regarded as corruptions of the original Hebrew
forms.
The standard works of the Mormon Church are the
Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants,
Pearl of Great Price. They say that these books
amplify but do not contradict each other.
The Mormon Church is built upon the idea that the
Christian church had fallen into total, complete
apostasy from the truth taught by Christ and His
Apostles, and the true church ceased to exist.
"Every church on earth is wrong; all their creeds
are an abomination in the right of God and all their
teachers are corrupt. (from the "Pearl of Great
Price" 2:19
This teaching is refuted by our Lord Jesus Christ
himself in his bold assertion; "And I tell you that
you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my
church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it
(Matt. 16:18).
The average Mormon does not have the faintest idea
as to what Biblical Christianity is all about or how
he come into a personnel relationship with the Lord
Jesus Christ. In fact Mormons are forbidden to have
an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
Is the Jesus of Mormonism the Jesus of the Bible?
The Mormon Jesus:
Is God the Fathers firstborn spirit child in heaven
Is the spirit brother of Lucifer (Satan)
Was begotten here on earth by God the Father by
natural means, just like any other man, and not by
the Holy Ghost.
"Sweat" his blood for our sins in the Garden of
Gethsemane, and His blood cannot cleanse us from all
sin
Is now one amongst many millions of other gods.
Is not to be worshipped
Was born in Jerusalem
Sources
The Bible: King James Version
Decker, Ed. What You Need Know About Mormons,
Harvest House Publishing, Oregon, 1990.
Martin, Walter, The Kingdom of the Cults, Bethany
House Publishers, Minnesota, 1985.
For Additional Information Contact
True Light Educational Ministry
P.O. Box 310
Shirley, NY 11967
Telephone (631) 395-4646
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TLEM