Garden of Eden in America
Doctrines of Salvation 3:74; “GARDEN OF EDEN AND CITY ZION SAME PLACE. In accord with the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we teach that the Garden of Eden was on the American continent located where the City Zion, or the New Jerusalem, will be built. When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, they eventually dwelt at a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman, situated in what is now Daviess County, Missouri. Three years before the death of Adam he called the righteous of his posterity at this place and blessed them, and it is at this place where Adam, or Michael, will sit as we read in the 7th chapter of Daniel.”
Gen. 2:8-15; “And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;
12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
Why do LDS scriptures contradict the Bible and itself? Even the book of Moses 3:10-16 says the Garden of Eden is in the Middle East and mentions nothing of Daviess County, Missouri.
We’re praying someone in the Church today picks up on the discrepancies and makes the brave decision to gain their freedom in the real Jesus!
I’ve been to Daviess Co. Missouri and while it’s pretty I’d have a hard time equating it to what the Bible says about the Garden of Eden.
Garden of Eden in Missouri
Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, pg. 277; “Words of Wilford Woodruff: President Young said, “Joseph the Prophet told me that the Garden of Eden was in Jackson Co., Missouri.” (Wilford Woodruff, Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 1833-1898, 9 vols. 7:129; standardized).
Footnote #2 – Report by Wilford Woodruff of a conversation in the Church historian’s office, 30 March 1873.”
Genesis 2:10-14; ”And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.”
Why didn’t these two men get up and declare Joseph Smith a false prophet?
Garden of Eden in Missouri
Harold B. Lee, The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams, p.35; “The Garden of Eden was located in the area of present-day Missouri. It is not difficult for me, as we travel from Adam-ondi-Ahman down to Independence and back and forth to Liberty and up to Kingston and to Far West, to think of this as the Garden of Eden. It is in truth today a beautiful and verdant place. It may not be known to you people, but to us it is the center place because it is here where the commencement of the inhabitation of human beings upon the earth began.”
2 Peter 3:16-17; “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.”
It’s as the apostle Peter said, they carry on to their own destruction. I’ve been to Independence, Missouri and it is pretty, but honestly people – Eden?
Garden of Eden on American Continent
Evidences and Reconciliations, pg 127; “Latter-day Saints know, through modern revelation, that the Garden of Eden was on the North American continent and that Adam and Eve began their conquest of the earth in the upper part of what is now the state of Missouri. It seems very probable that the children of our first earthly parents moved down along the fertile, pleasant lands of the Mississippi valley.” – John A. Widtsoe
Genesis 2:8, 10-11, 13-14; “And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 12 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.”
The three most important words in real estate is location, location, location. Those words also apply here! Mr. Widtsoe wrote these words in 1960 so it wasn’t like he wasn’t able to grab a map or a Bible for that matter to determine where God placed Adam and Eve’s dwelling.
I’ve been to Missouri and Illinois and I must say that while they’re pretty they certainly don’t qualify as the Garden of Eden!
And what’s up with his statement that Adam and Eve began their conquest of the earth? What battles were being fought? God deemed everything in the Garden as good. What was there to qualify as bad and the need for a conquest?
Garden of Gethsemane
Selected Writings of Daniel H. Ludlow: Gospel Scholars Series: pg. 243-244; “The Fifth and Sixth Days (Thursday and Friday)…The Savior’s statement “the hour is come” was soon followed by his leaving the upper room and proceeding to the Mount of Olives and to the Garden of Gethsemane, where occurred one of the most important and transcendent events in the history of the world. It was here that he atoned for the original transgressions of Adam and Eve, and it was here that he took upon himself the sins of all mankind upon the condition of repentance of their sins.”
John 18:11; “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”
The bible verse above says it all…
Garments
Letter of the First Presidency, 10 October 1988; “The promise of protection and blessings is conditioned upon worthiness and faithfulless in keeping the covenant. Members of the Church wear the garments as a reminder of the sacred covenants they have made with the Lord and also as a protection against temptation and evil. How it is worn is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.”
2 Corinthians 3:5-6; “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”
I’ve always said the Mormon god is an impotent god that can’t keep promises. In this teaching given just over two decades ago the “prophet” is telling the Mormon people their blessings are up to them based on their behavior.
If I parented my daughters this way their life would be a living hell. Honestly people.
Garments in 1916
Improvement Era 9:812, June 28, 1916; “The following is to be regarded as an established and imperative rule. The garments worn by those who receive endowments must be white and of the approved pattern; they must not be altered or mutilated, and are to be worn as intended, down to the wrist and ankles and around the neck. Admission to the temple will be refused to those who do not comply to these requirements.”
John 14:1; “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
Can you say Burqa? Wow, I wonder what they’d think of the garments today. Some of them are sleeveless! Yikes!
Garments in 1906
Messages of the First Presidency 5:110; “The Saints should know that the pattern of endowment garments was revealed from Heaven and that the blessings promised in connection with wearing them will not be realized if any unauthorized change is made in their form or in the manner of wearing them.” – President Joseph F. Smith; 28 June 1906.
1 Corinthian 2:14; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Another example of the Mormon god changing his mind.
Gates of Hell
D&C 21:4, 6; “Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.”
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.”
How can the gates of hell not prevail against you when you obey a manmade rule? Didn’t Jesus say that it was by His power the gates of hell wouldn’t prevail against His church?
Gates of Hell Against the Church
3 Nephi 11:39-40; “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. 40 And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.”
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.”
The “scripture” above is the Mormon version of truth. So very close that they’d believe a lie…
Genealogy – sacred responsibilities
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 538; “Genealogy is a record of lineage showing the descent of a person or family from an ancestor or ancestors. Searching for and compiling genealogical information are sacred responsibilities to Latter-day Saints. Therefore, extensive activity is conducted by the Church and by members to obtain and record vital statistical information, to compile family histories, and to strengthen family ties both on earth and in the hereafter.”
1 Timothy 1:4; “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”
They ought to check out the vital statistics of Utah. Suicide is often the leading cause of death.
General Authorities, the “Need For”
Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, Part A, pg. 77; “Our Need for General Authorities –
Throughout history Heavenly Father has revealed His will to men on the earth through His prophets. This is true whether we are talking about the time of Noah, Moses, or Joseph Smith. Conditions may change, but the truth does not. Because of our continuing need for God’s direction, He has given us a prophet and apostles and other General Authorities to guide us today.”
Romans 10:9; “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
We are commanded to confess our sins, confess that Jesus is God and believe God raised Jesus from the dead. We are encouraged to live our lives like we are saved being encouraged by other Christians (Heb. 10:24). It is only through Jesus and His word that we are guided today. Conditions have changed only in the technological sense. And the condition of how we are saved was already changed when He spilled His precious, holy blood upon the Cross of Calvary. We are still sinners and in need of Him only.
Gentile
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 541; “For Latter-day Saints, “Gentile” generally means “not Latter-day Saint,”.”
Eph. 3:6; “To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
Hmmm…the dictionary, encyclopedias and the Bible all say that Gentile means anyone who is not Jewish.
Gethsemane vs. the Cross
D&C 19:18-19; “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.””
John 18:11; “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”
If they’d only spend half the time in the Bible that they do in their false prophecies they’d see the prophecy in D&C couldn’t be true.
Gethsemane vs. Cross
Sermons & Writings of Bruce McConkie, pg. 208; “We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive, the full import of what Christ did in Gethsemane…We know that in some way, incomprehensible to us, his suffering satisfied the demands of justice, ransomed penitent souls from the pains and penalties of sin, and made mercy available to those who believe in his holy name…We know that an angel came from the courts of glory to strengthen him in his ordeal (Luke 22:43), and we suppose it was mighty Michael, who foremost fell that men might be.”
Luke 22:43-44; “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
To all Mormon teachers who propagate this abhorrent theology: Liar, liar face on fire…
Glory of God is Intelligence
Gospel Standards, pg. 160; “We, of course, seek after knowledge, light, and intelligence and to inform ourselves upon all matters of importance. The glory of God, we have been told by the Prophet Joseph, is intelligence; and we desire to gain knowledge and to become as intelligent as we possibly can…—Era, 24:866.” – Heber J. Grant
John 11:40; “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
“Glory” in the Greek is “doxa” #1391 in Strong’s Concordance. It means “glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literally or figuratively, objectively or subjectively):—dignity, glory (-ious), honour, praise, worship.”
How did Joseph Smith ever convince all these people that glory of God is intelligence? Pray for them!
Gnosticism
TPJS, pg. 297; “It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us; but that we should have a little at a time; then we can comprehend it…The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation. This principle can be comprehended by the faithful and diligent; and every one that does not obtain knowledge sufficient to be saved will be condemned. The principle of salvation is given us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.”
Isaiah 46:9-10; “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”
Okay, Smith said it’s not good to know everything at once.
We need to learn just a little bit at a time to understand it all.
The basics of knowledge are the basics of salvation.
This teaching can be understood by the true and faithful Mormons.
If you don’t get enough knowledge you’re damned.
The basics of salvation are received through what Jesus knows.
Huh?
How does your intellect save you?
Gnosticism
Abundant Life, pg. 35; “”It is religious zeal because education is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ as we understand and proclaim it. We believe that a man is saved in the kingdom of God no faster than he gets knowledge, that he cannot be saved in ignorance. We believe that the glory of God is intelligence and that every man’s glory will be determined by the quality and degree of his intelligence.”” – Apostle Hugh Brown
2 Corinthian 4:1-4; “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
The glory of God is NOT your intelligence! The glory of God is His presence, His righteousness, His justice. Our response is that of praise, adoration and honor.
God
Alma 11:44; “…every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.”
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 345; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves…”
Isaiah 3:9; “The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.”
My, what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive…didn’t Smith remember the words he “translated”15 years beforehand? So much for being the “most correct book on the face of the earth”.
God
2 Nephi 31:21; “And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.”
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 370; “I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have selected this text for that express purpose. I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations when I have preach on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached by the Elders for fifteen years. I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”
Isaiah 46:9; “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.”
Why couldn’t Joseph just make up his mind about this god that he proclaimed? Were there more than one god in the godhead or were there not?
God, According to Joseph Smith’s Vision
“Foundation upon Which Church is Built”, Ensign, May 1991, pg. 64; “Joseph Smith was not only a great man, but he was an inspired servant of the Lord, a prophet of God. His greatness consists in one thing—the truthfulness of his declaration that he saw the Father and the Son and that he responded to the reality of that divine revelation. . . .”For the first time in eighteen hundred years, God had revealed himself as a personal being. Furthermore, the Father and the Son demonstrated the undeniable truth that they are separate and distinct personages. Indeed, the relationship of the Father and the Son was reaffirmed by the divine introduction to the boy prophet, ‘This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him.’ (JS—H 1:17.) Those who were baptized into the Church on the sixth of April, 1830, believed in the existence of a personal God; they believed that his reality and the reality of his Son, Jesus Christ, constitute the eternal foundation upon which this Church is built.”Once we accept Christ as divine, it is easy to visualize his Father as being just as personal as he. Christ said, ‘He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.’ (John 14:9.) Faith in the existence of a divine and real and living personal God was the first element that contributed to the perpetuity of the Church of Jesus Christ in ancient times, and it is the everlasting foundation upon which The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is built today.” – Howard W. Hunter
1 Samuel 15:29; “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
The quote by Mr. Hunter is chock full of lies. Besides the fact that God is not a man Mr. Hunter was also wrong by proclaiming it was the “first time” in 1,800 years that “God had revealed himself as a personal being”…
The truth is that God had never proclaimed Himself to be a personal being! The god that presented himself to Smith was in fact a false god.
God and Man are Immortal
Times and Seasons, vol. 5, No. 15, August 15, 1844, p. 615; “The soul, the mind of man, the immortal spirit. All men say God created it in the beginning. The very idea lessens man in my estimation; I do not believe the doctrine, I know better…The mind of man is as immortal as God himself…God never did have power to create the spirit of man at all.” – Joseph Smith
Genesis 2:7; “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Also see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pgs 352-354.
The god Smith is preaching is obviously not the God of the Bible so why did this man use the Bible at all except to deceive?
God Became Flesh Because of Man’s Faith
Ether 3:9-17; “And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?”
Job 38:4; “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”
When has God ever needed mankind for anything? What kind of God would He be if He had to rely upon His creation for things to get done? Is this the kind of God you want to worship?
And really do you truly believe this scenario? “Did you see my finger – are you sure you didn’t see more than this?” Hmmm…it makes ya wonder about Mr. Smith…
God: Beholding God
Moses 1:11; “But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him.”
Joseph Smith Testimony 1:17; “It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”
Ask the next Mormon you see if Joseph beheld God with his natural or spiritual eyes.
If it was his natural eyes then how did he survive?
If it was with his spiritual eyes then why doesn’t his testimony reflect this?
God: Can God Lie?
Ether 3:12; “And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.”
2 Nephi 9:34; “Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.”
Abraham 2:22-25; “And it came to pass when I was come near to enter into Egypt, the Lord said unto me: Behold, Sarai, thy wife, is a very fair woman to look upon;23 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say—She is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise:24 Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.25 And it came to pass that I, Abraham, told Sarai, my wife, all that the Lord had said unto me—Therefore say unto them, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee.”
Numbers 23:19; “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
Genesis 20:2-3; “And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.”
Today’s dilemma is chock full of topics to explore, but we’re whittling our choices down to one.
Can God lie?
I’m going to just start out by asking the questions I usually do!
Why do Mormon scriptures contradict themselves?
Why do Mormon scriptures contradict the Bible as they do in Numbers and Genesis? God is not a man and His word tells us that He cannot lie.
Our passage in Genesis puts a screeching halt to any notion that God told Abraham to lie! In fact God was the one who alerted Abimelech about Abraham’s tricky ways. They’re the ones that lied, not God. Abraham and Sarah are the guilty party who tried to take care of things with their own understanding.
If God commands someone to lie where does that put your level of trust in Him? How would we ever know in the future if maybe this is the time He lied again?
If you’re LDS which scripture in your canon do you believe? The passage in 2nd Nephi says the liar is cast into hell. Does that verse apply to God as well?
What about the verse in Ether? It assures the reader that God can’t lie so why or rather how did God lie in the book of Abraham if Ether says it’s impossible for him to do so?
God Cannot be Seen
Answers to Gospel Questions 2:161; “Question: “How, as the Church claims, could Joseph Smith see God when the Bible clearly states in St. John 1:18, ‘No man hath seen God at any time,’ and in Exodus 33:20, ‘Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live?”…Answer: You quote from Exodus 33:20, “And he said, thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Yet in the same chapter, Verse 11, it reads thus: “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.”…It is to be hoped that you are aware that the Bible has come down to us through many translations and that it has been copied many times; moreover that there is no original manuscript of any of the books of the Bible. The scribes in the beginning and through the years had to write every word by hand. Moreover, the original manuscripts were not written as we write today with separate words but in uncials, that is to say, the words ran together in this fashion so that it became very difficult to discover the correct meaning, and errors crept in.”
Exodus 34:10; “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.” (See other phrases for “face” such as presence, glory and countenance which all have the same transliterations.)
That’s right, blame the messenger because of your unwillingness to bend the knee.
God Cannot Change
Mormon 9:19; “And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.”
Ps. 102:26; “They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”
I use the Mormon verse above to witness to the missionaries. I have them read it aloud and then explain to me how God was once a man.
God Changes Not
Mormon 9:9-10; “For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing? And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.”
Malachi 3:6; “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
This is another example of what I use to witness to the Mormon missionaries. If God cannot change how did he become a god after being a man?
God Changing god of Mormonism
The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 438; “Now, my brothers sisters, as you read of troubles in so many parts of the world, remember that the Lord knew these problems would come, and that even with these problems he has foreseen the growth of this Church and its people. Be of good cheer, for the Lord is guiding his Church.”
Hebrews 13:5; “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
It would be difficult at best to be cheerful following the god of Mormonism. Following that god entails a fair amount of trust in yourself to hold on and come up with a back-up plan in case things dramatically change as they’ve done in the past.
What do you suppose the early Mormons thought when it suddenly became illegal to have more than one wife? What were the inner thoughts and feelings of the children whose fathers were running from the law and hiding in the basements of their homes? Where is any comfort in such things?
If this church really was from God wouldn’t He have made provision ahead of time for members of the Church to be prepared before judgment upon polygamy fell in America? Families like mine when polygamy became illegal were suddenly on the wrong side of the law and certainly they’d never intended to be in such a compromising position before that time.
Where is God then?
The Bible gives us small glimpses of what it meant to always be faithful when following God. From Noah to the disciples we see a consistency with how God operates even when men change their minds and the laws of the land. The one thing that remains constant is Him.
When God changes His mind to whom do you turn to for comfort?
God Created the Earth vs. Organized
TPJS, pg. 350; “Meaning of the Word Create – You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing; and they will answer, “Doesn’t the Bible say He created the world?” And they infer, from the word create, that it must have been made out of nothing. Now, the word create came from the word baurau which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. fn Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos—chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time he had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end.”
Isaiah 40:12; “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?”
Joseph Smith’s pride comes shining forth from his sermon noted above. When I am in conversations with a Mormon about this I use dictionary.com and a Strong’s Concordance.
God Cursed the Waters
D&C 61:13-19; “And now, behold, for your good I gave unto you a commandment concerning these things; and I, the Lord, will reason with you as with men in days of old. 14 Behold, I, the Lord, in the beginning blessed the waters; but in the last days, by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters. 15 Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters. 16 And it shall be said in days to come that none is able to go up to the land of Zion upon the waters, but he that is upright in heart. 17 And, as I, the Lord, in the beginning cursed the land, even so in the last days have I blessed it, in its time, for the use of my saints, that they may partake the fatness thereof. 18 And now I give unto you a commandment that what I say unto one I say unto all, that you shall forewarn your brethren concerning these waters, that they come not in journeying upon them, lest their faith fail and they are caught in snares; 19 I, the Lord, have decreed, and the destroyer rideth upon the face thereof, and I revoke not the decree.”
Really?
God Didn’t Fight Their Battles for Them
Journal of Discourses 5:167; “Brother Heber has been prophesying. You know that I call him my Prophet, and he prophesies for me. And now I prophesy that, if this people will live their religion, the God of heaven will fight their battles, bring them off victorious over all their enemies, and give to them the kingdom. That is my prophecy. I said amen to all that brother Heber prophesied, for it is true; and he may say amen to all that I prophesy, for it is also true.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 30, 1857
God has not fought their battles for them. One of their most beloved doctrines (polygamy) was done away with in 1887.
God doesn’t Dwell in Hearts of Believers
D&C Section 130:3; “John 14:23—The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.”
John 14:23; “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
Sadly the Church has chosen one of the most beautiful and comforting verses in the Bible to denounce and degrade.
The English word abode means to tarry in the Greek. Tarry…it means to remain or stay, to sojourn, linger or wait.
What in that meaning of this verse is false?
What sectarian teaching makes this verse false?
Who said so and where is the proof?
What part of the Greek translates this verse into a personal appearance?
God Dwells in Eternal Fire
TPJS, pg. 367; “God Almighty Himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire.”Our God is a consuming fire.” When our flesh is quickened by the Spirit, there will be no blood in this tabernacle. Some dwell in higher glory than others.”
Psalm 123:1; “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.”
If flesh and blood can’t go to the eternal fire where the Mormon god dwells how can he be an exalted man?
God Dwells in Everlasting Burnings
TPJS, pg. 361; “…for God dwells in everlasting burnings, and some shall rise to the damnation of their own filthiness, which is as exquisite a torment as the lake of fire and brimstone.”
Psalm 9:11; “Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.”
I am utterly grateful to the depths of my soul I am not worshipping the god of Mormonism today.
God Dwells in Heart of Believers
Alma 34:36; “And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.”
John 14:16-17; “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
There are a couple of things worth looking into with this verse in the Book of Mormon.
Alma stated that God told them He doesn’t dwell in unholy temples.
1. This is a New Testament phrase (he dwelleth not in unholy temples but in the hearts of the righteous…) and Alma supposedly lived in BC 74. Also see Heb. 9:11, Acts 7:48 and
1 Cor. 3:16-17.
2. Mormons do not believe the Holy Ghost is omnipresent so it’d be impossible for Him to dwell in the hearts of believers (Doctrines of Salvation 1:40).
God, Fury of
Helaman 12:3; “And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.”
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.”
Did God create a bunch of idiots? Why wouldn’t His creation remember Him?
God Gives Man Heart to Know Him – (Knowledge of Christ restored)
Doctrines of Salvation 3:210; “KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST RESTORED IN BOOK OF MORMON. It was necessary in the restoration of all things that the people of this continent, who anciently had received the favor and blessing of the Almighty, should be brought to light through their history which contained the prophesying and commandments they received from God. Although it should be, as stated by one of their prophets, as a voice speaking from the dead, out of the dust of the ground, they were nevertheless to speak and bear witness for Christ.”
Jeremiah 24:7; “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.”
Listening to dead spirits from the earth isn’t how God relates to His people. He does things supernaturally in a holy, righteous manner, not through evil ones.
God, Glory of
D&C 93:43; “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.”
Romans 1:18-23; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”
Again, the glory of God is His mere presence, His righteousness, His justice, His holiness. The glory of God is also His omnipotence. Sadly, the Mormons don’t believe He is omnipresent so how can they believe His glory is intelligence?
God Had Sex with Mary
Doctrines of Salvation 1:102; “”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; and when he [Christ] took a tabernacle, it was begotten by his Father in heaven, after the same manner as the tabernacles of Cain, Abel, and the rest of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve….”
John 1:15, 18; “John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
Lord Forgive them, for they know not what they do…
God Has a Father
The Seer by Orson Pratt, pg. 132; “We were begotten by our Father in heaven; the person of our Father in Heaven was begotten on a previous heavenly world by His Father; and again, He was begotten by still a more ancient Father ….“
1 Corinthians 12:3; “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”
Like I’ve said before…Mormonism is based upon two things; sex and godhood.
God has No Blood
Matthias F. Cowley, Cowley’s Talks on Doctrine, pg. 73; “The Latter-day Saints regard our Heavenly Father as possessing an actual tabernacle of flesh and bones (not blood), and that in His image man is created. Our views respecting this important subject are based upon the revelations of God to man in ancient and modern times, and regarding which there is no contradiction in the testimony of the prophets. “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” (Gen. i: 26, 27.)”
1 Samuel 15:29; “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
The people making these types of statements either do not know Hebrew or they’re outright lying.
God has No Origin
He wasn’t created and wasn’t on a council of other gods. He doesn’t have to act a certain way so that He doesn’t upset the sensibilities of others. He’s self existent and operates independently of everything!
God, If God Didn’t Exist…
Lowell Bennion, Unknown Testament, pg. 30; “Even if God did not exist, our human life would be rich with good and loving things; but those things would be overshadowed by the ultimate futility that would come with the inevitable end of life. The Old Testament is reassuring about God’s existence and about the purposefulness of human experience. It affirms God’s nature and being as one that thoughtful, sensitive human beings can worship with confidence and with fervor. It is those attributes, as revealed by the Old Testament, that succeeding chapters will explore.”
2 Timothy 2:16; “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”
WHAT?????????? What makes you think you’d even be in existence? To even mouth the words “if God didn’t exist” is blasphemous. His words are from an unknown testament uttered from an unknown god.
God Incarnate on Earth
2 Nephi 25:12; “But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks.”
Luke 4:12; “And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
Why would they be talking like this in 500 BC? And why would Smith put this in the Book of Mormon when they don’t believe it?
God is “a” Spirit
Are Mormons Christians, pgs. 80-81; “Actually John 4:24 should be translated “God is Spirit” rather than “God is a Spirit,” for there is no indefinite article (a, an) in the Greek language, and it is always a matter of subjective judgment as to when the translator should add one… Like first-century Jewish Christians, the Latter-day Saints do not understand the categories of “spirit” and “element” to be mutually exclusive. According to Joseph Smith, “there is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes” (D&C 131:7). Thus Latter-day Saints understand the term spiritual to mean “infused with spirit,” whereas Hellenized Christianity would under- stand it to mean “incorporeal.””
John 4:24; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
Spirit is not matter. John 4:24 is inspired by God Almighty and who are you to say what it should have said?
God is a White Man?
Juvenile Instructor, Vol. 3, No. 20, p. 157; “We understand that when God made man in his own image and pronounced him very good, that he made him white.” – George Q. Cannon, October 15, 1868
Gal. 3:28; “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Well since Adam’s name means red and he was made from the earth I would venture to say he probably wasn’t white…all things are possible with God but confusion isn’t one of them.
Furthermore, when the Bible states that God made man in His own image this doesn’t mean God is a man. This phrase is an allegory. The verse in the Bible says; “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” – Gem 1:27
Since Jesus told us in John 4:24 that God is a spirit we know that God isn’t a man so the phrase in Genesis isn’t talking about physical attributes.
God is Giant or Monster
TPJS, pg. 372; “Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God. I say that is a strange God anyhow—three in one, and one in three! It is a curious organization. “Father, I pray not for the world, but I pray for them which thou hast given me.” “Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are.” All are to be crammed into one God, according to sectarianism. It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God—he would be a giant or a monster.”
Psalm 111:2-4; “The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.”
Shame on you Joseph Smith.
God is Immutable
Moroni 8:18; “For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.”
James 1:17; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
So which is it? Is the Mormon god an exalted man or not?
God, is Omnipotent
Ensign, May 1973, pg. 3; “In section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants, which directed the Prophet Joseph Smith to organize the Church again in this dispensation, we have a revealed summary of some of the basic doctrines of salvation. As to Diety the revelation says: “… there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them.” (D&C 20:17.)… God is our Father; he is the being in whose image man is created. He has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s (D&C 130:22), and he is the literal and personal father of the spirits of all men. He is omnipotent and omniscient; he has all power and all wisdom; and his perfections consist in the possession of all knowledge, all faith or power, all justice, all judgment, all mercy, all truth, and the fullness of all godly attributes.” – Joseph Field Smith
Psalm 139:7-10; “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”
Indeed God knows everything and is everywhere present! How comforting it is to know He is our consummate Provider! I am so grateful I know the One True God of the Bible as opposed to the god I used to worship in Mormonism.
As you will see in the entry below about the nature of God the Mormons have contradicted themselves once again. If God is omnipotent and omniscient as they claim in the Ensign article noted above, wouldn’t it stand to reason that He is also omnipresent?
God is not Omnipresent
Journal of Discourses 2:345; “Every one knows that it is absurd to believe in a personage being present in two places at once.”But,” says one, nothing is impossible with God.” But I beg to differ with such persons, and inform them, that if the Scripture be true, there are things which are impossible with God; for it is said that it is impossible for Him to lie; and if so, it would be impossible for Him to act inconsistent with truth; He could not place His body in Europe and America at the same time, for that would be inconsistent with the simplest principles of truth.” – Orson Pratt, February 15, 1855, Salt Lake City
Mark 3:29; “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.”
Here we go again. How can God be omnipotent if he’s not omnipresent?
God is Our Literal Father, Brigham Makes Scripture…
We all know how it is with Mormonism. After studying it for any length of time the shock value wears itself thin and then every once in awhile something I’ve not seen before comes slithering across my desk – such is the case with the speech given here by Mr. Brigham Young.
Every couple of days or so we’ll look at some excerpts from this all important speech which further solidified core doctrinal teachings of the Church.
The Essential Brigham Young, “I Propose to Speak Upon a Subject that does not Immediately Concern Yours or My Welfare” A Sermon Delivered on 8 October 1854, pgs 89-90; “I feel prepared to take my text; it is the words of Jesus Christ, but where they are in the Bible I cannot tell you now, for I have not taken pains to look at them. I have had so much to do, that I have not read the Bible for many years. I used to be a Bible student; I used to read and study it, but did not understand the spirit and meaning of it…My clerks know how much time I have to read, it is difficult for me to snatch time enough even to eat my breakfast and supper, to say nothing of reading.”
It sounds like Mr. Young had his priorities out of sync. While there are indeed more responsibilities when you’re in a leadership position – the first thing you must do is read His word and be on your knees.
His words are rather telling…he’s a prophet of God yet he hadn’t read the Bible in many years?
“I tell you my text is in the Bible and reads as follows. “And this is Life Eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.””
Well that verse is from Jesus’ own mouth in the Lord’s Prayer. He prayed this prayer for the disciples after taking communion and partaking of the Passover supper.
John 17:3; “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
“I will now put another text with this and then offer a few remarks, it is one of the sayings of the Apostle Paul. “For though there be that are called gods, whether in Heaven, or in Earth (as there be gods many and lords many) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
The scripture he quotes here is from Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians to abstain from the vanity of idols.
1 Corinthians 8:5-6; “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
We must remember the Ten Commandments at all times. Living in the age of grace doesn’t exclude us from being obedient to His word!
Exodus 20:3; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
While the Mormons may tell you they only worship the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4 is a good verse to point out), the whole idea they believe another god existed before the One and Only God of the Bible is indeed breaking the 2nd Commandment!
In Paul’s exhortation he wanted to make it clear that God doesn’t want us to worship any other thing or god other than Him. He’s invited us into His spiritual presence to partake of His blessings and goodness. Working to become a god yourself is turning your back on Him.
We’re called to come into His presence through the workings of the Holy Spirit. How can God impart His Spirit to us when we’re busy working to build our own kingdoms for a future event? Our focus is then shifted from Him to us (me).
Remember Mark 12:29 – Hear O Israel our God is One!
“This God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of our spirits. I feel inclined here to make a little scripture. (Were I under the necessity of making scripture extensively I should get Brother Heber C. Kimball to make it, and then I would quote it. I have seen him do this when any of the Elders have been pressed by their opponents, and were a little at a loss…”
Wow – alarm bells, red flags and blow horns should all be going off in your head at about this point!
He’s going to make a little scripture? And when he doesn’t do this then Kimball does? Did God tell them to write more scripture? If Young hadn’t read the Bible in years and didn’t know the location of the scripture he was quoting how would he know if the scripture he’s coming up with is from the Lord?
“This God is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ precisely as He is our Father varying from mortality to immortality, from corruptible to incorruptible, and that is all the difference. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, both body and spirit; and He is the Father of our spirits, and the Father of our flesh in the beginning.”
Again the red flags, blow horns and loud screeching noises should be going off all around you!!!
How exactly is God the father of our flesh?
“You will not dispute the words of the Apostle, that He is actually the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father of our spirits[.] You may add these words to it, or let it alone, it is all the same to me, that He is not only the Father of our spirits, but also of our flesh, He being the founder of that natural machinery through which we have all obtained our bodies.”
And this is scripture? What machinery is he talking about?
God is the Father of our spirits through adoption as Paul told us in Romans 8:14-16; “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”
If we’re children through the physical act of man then what did the Apostle John mean in his gospel when he was explaining the nature of Jesus’ existence before His birth? John 1:12-13?
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
“Do you wish me to simplify it?”
Oh dear…
“Could you have a father without having a grandfather; or a grandfather without having a great grandfather? I never heard of [but] one circumstance that varied from this rule, and that was a son of the Emerald Isle who said he was born of one of his aunts.”
Let’s forego the whole Emerald Isle thing and look at what he’s implying here since he told us this is now scripture.
So God must’ve come here to earth to impregnate a female to get the whole human family off and running. This teaching is alluding to the false teaching of Adam being God. By this time Young had already introduced this teaching two years prior (See Journal of Discourses 1:51). Today the Church denounces this theory and has cautioned members from believing the teachings of Young in regards to this.
“Does this unlock to your understandings how the Lord Almighty is our natural Father; He set the great machine to working. If you cannot see this truth now, you will if you are faithful, and patient.”
What is clear now is that Mr. Young is a false prophet and because of that we aren’t to trust anything he has to say – ever.
God is Physical Man
TPJS, pg. 345; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another.”
Hosea 11:9; “I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.”
What happened to Moroni 8:18?
God is Progressing
Journal of Discourses 6:120; “God himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end. It is just so with us.” – Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, December 6, 1857
Hebrews 13:8; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
Where in the Bible does it say God progresses or that there’s more than one god? While some of us humans do increase in knowledge there’s a fair amount of us that somehow don’t. Ah-hem.
God is Sovereign
TPJS, pg. 345; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man…”
Exodus 18:11; “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.”
What happened to Moroni 8:18 and Mormon 9:9-10?
God; Man Created God in his Own Image
Discourses of Brigham Young, pg 471; “Brother Kimball quoted a saying of Joseph the Prophet, that he would not worship a God who had not a Father; and I do not know that he would if he had not a mother; the one would be as absurd as the other. If he had a Father, he was made in his likeness. And if he is our Father we are made after his image and likeness. He once possessed a body, as we now do; and our bodies are as much to us, as his body to him. Every iota of this organization is necessary to secure for us an exaltation with the Gods.”
Genesis 1:27; “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Mormons and atheists have something in common. They both need to prove God doesn’t exist as the Bible states. Atheists need to prove He doesn’t exist at all and Mormons need to prove He exists in a familial setting. Neither scenario is biblical.
God, Mary Were Married
The Seer, pg. 158; “If none but Gods will be permitted to multiply immortal children, it follows that each God must have one or more wives.…The fleshly body of Jesus required a Mother as well as a Father. Therefore, the Father and Mother of Jesus, according to the flesh, must have been associated together in the capacity of Husband and Wife; hence the Virgin Mary must have been, for the time being, the lawful wife of God the Father.…He had a lawful right to overshadow the Virgin Mary in the capacity of a husband, and beget a Son, although she was espoused to another; for the law which He gave to govern men and women was not intended to govern Himself, or to prescribe rules for his own conduct.”— Orson Pratt
Revelation 2:9; “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”
What a miserable existence to live and have to worship a god like the one portrayed by Orson Pratt.
God: Mormon god Keeps Changing His Mind
Alma 46:21; “…or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression…”
Romans 3:13; “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.”
I’ve discovered dozens of verses in the Book of Mormon with this scenario of the Mormon god changing his mind. Of course there’s a fail proof verse in the Book of Mormon that also says if there are errors it’s the errors of man, not God. Yeah…right…
God: Name of God
The next time you have an opportunity to share with your Mormon friends and loved ones ask them about their Heavenly Father’s family.
What is the name of the Mormon’s Heavenly Father’s dad?
Did they go through all the endowments & ordinances?
Did they have temples like the Mormon temples we see today?
Why isn’t this talked about in Mormon scripture?
The Mormon Heavenly Father has the name of “Elohim”. This god is an exalted man of flesh and bones (D&C 130:22) who also had a father, who had a father, who had a father….
If all these resurrected exalted men serve as the example of what Mormons are aspiring to why aren’t their names in the annals of Mormon history?
God; Nature of
D&C 130:22; “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”
1 Tim. 6:16; “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”
Here we have the basics of Mormonism that says it all.
God Needs Our Permission
Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 65; “The eternal laws by which he [“God”] and all others exist in the eternities of the Gods decree that the consent of the creature must be obtained before the Creator can rule perfectly. 15:134.”
1 Corinthians 2:14; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
How could you ever believe that Almighty God who created us would need the stupid opinion or permission of man?
God Needs Satan/Dualism
Encyclopedia of Mormonism pg. 380; “What Satan did not realize in Eden was that what he did in attempting to destroy the Father’s work was actually the very thing needed to fulfill the Father’s plan (Moses 4:6). People could not demonstrate their love of God and their willingness to do the work of righteousness sufficiently to qualify them for exaltation unless they were subject to, and able to overcome, evil and devil adversaries, such as Satan and his hosts (2 Ne. 2:11-22).”
Rev. 20:10; “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
This is so utterly disgusting. God doesn’t need anything much less evil from a fallen angel.
God of Christianity vs god of Islam
Journal of Discourses 3:39; “…instead of saying that Mahometanism prevailed against Christianity, and that Christianity was in danger of being done away by its prevalence, we would rather say, that where Mahometanism prevailed, it taught and established one truth at least, viz., the true and living God, and so far as this went, it did preserve people from worshipping idols. And had the crescent waved on the tower of London, or on the church of St. Paul, instead of the cross, and had the Mahometan religion been enforced instead of the Roman religion that was enforced for a series of generations, and had tradition riveted what the sword enforced, then that nation and the surrounding nations would have been worshippers of one true God instead of idols; they would have recognized it in theory at least, whether they would have worshipped Him in spirit and in truth or not. But now [Christians] do not recognize Him in theory, for they acknowledge as their god an imaginary being without body, parts, or passions.” – Apostle Parley P. Pratt
Genesis 21:10; “Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.”
Romans 9:7; “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.”
John 4:24; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
Colossians 1:14-16; “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 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.”
If Islam is worshipping the one true God then why aren’t Mormons Muslim? What is it about the God of the Bible that was so horrible?
Why couldn’t the Church accept Him then and why do they continue to reject Him today?
It seems the seer stones of witchcraft, the hieroglyphics of Egypt, the sword of Islam and yes, even the god of Masonry is always more acceptable to Mormonism before our dear Lord, Christ Jesus. May He have mercy on my people.
God: Mormon god’s Word Doesn’t Last Forever
Alma 37:21, 24; “And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them…and that ye preserve these interpreters. 24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled…”
1 John 1:5-7; “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Alma 37:21, 24 has been changed. It used to read directors, not interpreters.
God Names Himself, I AM
In Exodus 3:14 God told Moses to tell people “I AM has sent me to you”. I AM. This name, I AM, is God’s name, Jehovah or Adonai. It literally means the unchanging, eternal, self-existent God.
God certainly isn’t dependent upon the gratitude or good behavior of creation! He created everything in spite of itself, just as Jesus hung on the cross at Calvary. He hung there regardless of whether or not you’d accept Him as the perfect sacrifice because this act is what God deemed necessary, not us!
If God existed or acted on things in this manner He’d be no God at all. He’d be like the power of Asherah the Israelites would depend on. Her influence was known in the days of before Christ, but who knows of her now? Practically no one. We read about her in history books and that’s the extent of her. The same can be said of Mulek. He was a very popular god in the days of the Ammonites but that has passed as well. These gods were but a vapor in the scheme of things, yet the Great I AM is still here, He’s still existing just as He did in the days of Moses!
God of This World
Journal of Discourses 4:1; “I have learned by experience that there is but one God that pertains to this people, and He is the God that pertains to this earth—the first man. That first man sent his own Son to redeem the world, to redeem his brethren; his life was taken, his blood shed, that our sins might be remitted.” – Spencer W. Kimball – Salt Lake City, June 29, 1856
2 Corinthians 4:3-4; “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
It’s always amazed me how the very words used by Mormon leaders are the same words in the Bible that condemns their teachings.
God: Omnipotence of God
D&C 19:3; “Retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment, which I shall pass upon the inhabitants thereof, judging every man according to his works and the deeds which he hath done.”
Isaiah 40:28; “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”
If God is omnipotent as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants then why does he need a body like we do? The human body consists of a system that filters bad things from entering it and when it receives fuel it has strength to perform daily tasks and expels things no longer needed.
Why would God need this type of system if he’s omnipotent?
God; One God in Book of Mormon
Alma 11:27-29, 44; “And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. 28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God? 29 And he answered, No. 44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.”
God or Man – Who Came First?
Gospel Through the Ages, pg 104; “Mormon prophets have continuously taught the sublime truth that God the Eternal Father was once a mortal man who passed through a school of earth life similar to that through which we are now passing. He became God—an exalted being—through obedience to the same eternal Gospel truths that we are given opportunity today to obey.”
Genesis 21:33; “And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.”
How could God be eternal if he was once a mortal man?
How did he become a god and who came first…was it another god or was it man?
Our example from the Bible is just one verse where God is referred to as everlasting or eternal.
Furthermore, there are NO verses in the Bible stating God was once a man, on the contrary, we have countless verses emphatically teaching us that God is not a man and there are no other gods before, beside or after Him (Isaiah 43:10-11).
God Reproduces after His Own Kind
Adam, Who Is He, pg. 54; “The Almighty, in creating various forms of life, commanded all to reproduce after their own kind. Man also was commanded to reproduce himself. He could bring forth only after his kind according to the law of God, and he was “after the kind” or order of his Eternal Father in heaven. No lower forms were involved… This is interesting in view of the previous scripture in which all life was commanded to reproduce only after its own kind. Now he says that all forms of life remained in the sphere in which he created them. There was no transfer from one species to another.” – Mark Petersen
Galatians 3:26; “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
I often wonder what the leaders of Mormonism think when they die and see God face to face. Talk about scary.
God Revealed All Truth on Earth through LDS
Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 2; “Embraces All Truth—Our religion measures, weighs, and circumscribes all the wisdom in the world—all that God has ever revealed to man. God has revealed all the truth that is now in the possession of the world, whether it be scientific or religious. The whole world are under obligation to him for what they know and enjoy; they are indebted to him for it all, and I acknowledge him in all things. 8:162.”
Romans 16:24-26; “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.”
If this statement by Brigham Young was true then why were there still diseases around and no technology in his day?
God, Rising to the Station of a
Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, pg. 95; “Although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before. . . .”
Isaiah 45:5-6; “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.”
1. You will never become a god.
2. Why would you want to be separated from God? He doesn’t live in everlasting burnings.
God: Self-Existent God of the Universe
The First 2000 Years, p. 355; “The universe is filled with vast numbers of intelligences, and we further learn that Elohim is God simply because all of these intelligences honor and sustain him as such…if He should ever do anything to violate the confidence or “sense of justice” of these intelligences, they would promptly withdraw their support, and the “power” of God would disintegrate. He would cease to be God.” – W. Cleon Skousen, Former BYU Professor
Isaiah 44:24; “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.”
Romans 11:33-36; “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! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his ounselor? 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 forever. Amen.”
God, Strange Acts of
D&C 95:4; “For the preparation wherewith I design to prepare mine apostles to prune my vineyard for the last time, that I may bring to pass my strange act, that I may pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.”
2 Cor. 3:12-17; “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
1. The Holy Spirit had already arrived.
2. Why would pouring out the Holy Spirit be listed as a “strange act”?
God; Teaching Mormon Youth about the Godhead
The LDS Church has instituted a month long program on teaching Mormon youth about the Mormon godhead.
What I found interesting was a one paragraph synopsis of what young men will learn about their “divine heritage” by discovering the nature of their god.
“In learning about the nature and roles of each member of the Godhead, young men can better understand their identity and divine heritage…”
As a created human being our heritage includes our sin nature. There’s nothing divine about sin and nothing divine in us. To believe otherwise is nothing short of prideful heresy. Those being taught these things can’t be held accountable, but those teaching it and subsequently believing the lies place us on a road that separates us from the One True God.
Pray for all those who sit in these classes this month. The young men aren’t the only people affected. These things are being taught to females as well.
And to make matters even worse the Church has chosen to highlight a brother and sister from Ghana in a video about this teaching series. Their shameless behavior knows no bounds. Not only are they lying to the young folks there about the nature of God, they’re lying to them about being accepted by the Church while being black. Shame. These people live in a 3rd world country, typically destitute, and the Church is exploiting their circumstances because accepting people of all races is the politically correct thing to do nowadays. Where was the Church 40-50 years ago?
Also pray for the many people leaving the Church and getting saved in Kenya! We’ve planted another chapter of Life After Ministries in Northern Kenya just last week and looking forward to seeing the fruits God will produce in setting His people free!
God the “Great” Spirit
Alma 22:9-11; “And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem? 10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he created all things both in heaven and in earth. Believest thou this? 11 And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these things, and I will believe thy words.”
Why does Alma disagree with Joseph Smith?
History of the Church 6:305; “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!”
In the book of Abraham we encounter another problem. Here we find “ancient” teachings from Egypt proclaiming the gods organized the earth.
Abraham 4:25; “And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.”
Also see 18:24-28 & 19:25 which says God is a Spirit as well.
So we went from God being a “Great” Spirit to an exalted man to the idea there are many gods.
If you’re LDS do you believe God is a spirit? Do you believe He created all things?
The term “Great Spirit” is similar to the way Native Americans refer to God so why is this in the Book of Mormon and is it the way you as a Latter-day Saint refer to God?
Which story do you believe in and hang your hat on at the end of the day?
The Bible tells us that God created the earth – Genesis 1:1 and that God is Sprit – John 4:24.
God vs. Council of gods
Abraham 4:25; “And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.”
Isaiah 40:13-14; “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?”
The book of Abraham sounds so creepy. Why would you believe in a pantheon of gods?
God was a Sinner Like Us
Discourses of Brigham Young, pg 24; “It must be that God knows something about temporal things, and has had a body and been on an earth. Were it not so, he would not know how to judge men righteously, according to the temptations and sin they have had to contend with. 4:271.”
Hebrews 4:14-15; “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Well God has been on earth – His name is Jesus! Sadly the Mormons won’t accept this because it’s not good enough and they believe His word has been translated incorrectly. Even sadder is how they either won’t divulge or don’t know what scriptures have been mistranslated so they disregard all of them when it doesn’t align with Smith’s unfounded revelations.
The god Mr. Young is referring to is their heavenly father, Elohim. eõloòhòym of the Bible has never been man as the word tells us, rather the God of the Bible is spirit – John 4:24 – came to earth in the form of a man – John 1:1, 14 – and dwells inside each believer – John 14:16-26.
The God of the Bible knows only too well what suffering we go through with our sin! Proof of His understanding is found in the sacrifice of His Son so we don’t have to wallow in our former selves!
God was Resurrected
Doctrines of Salvation 1:76; “Now what is a spiritual body? It is one that is quickened by spirit and not by blood. Our Father in heaven and our Savior and all those who have passed through the resurrection have physical bodies of flesh and bones, but their bodies are quickened by spirit and not by blood, hence they are spiritual bodies and not blood bodies.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11; “He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”
Ecclesiastes 11:5; “As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.”
Where do these men get their ideas from? Yikes!
1. God has never been resurrected. God is Spirit – John 4:24 and God is not created.
2. First our bodies were created and then our spirits – 1 Cor 15:44-47.
3. God clearly tells us no one knows the exact time our spirits enter our bodies.
4. Where in their teachings are they glorifying God or point to an exact place in the Bible where their teachings can be found?
God Will Destroy the Temple of God: You
D&C 93:35; “The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple.”
John 14:16-18; “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
Again, there is absolutely no hint of mercy following this type of god so why would you?
God without Body Parts is Nothing
TPJS, pg. 181; “”That which is without body, parts and passions is nothing. There is no other God in heaven but that God who has flesh and bones. John 5:26. As the Father hath life in himself, even so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. God the Father took life unto himself precisely as Jesus did.””
Deuteronomy 4:15; “Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.”
This God of the Bible may be nothing to the Mormon, but for those of us who believe He is EVERYTHING!
God; Who is God?
Alma 31:15; “Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.”
John 4:24; “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
My heart is saddened when I read verses from the Book of Mormon like the one here today. What Mormon believes God is a spirit? If the Mormon god is a spirit then who is the exalted man who begat all the spirit babies in the pre-existence? Oh my what a tangled web we weave…
God: Who is the Mormon god?
3 Nephi 11:14; “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”
Alma 20:28; “And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?”
D&C 20:19; “And gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom they should worship.”
Abraham 4:1; “And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.”
The Mormon people are given so many conflicting messages about their god it’s no wonder there’s confusion in the minds of its members.
In 3rd Nephi they’re told Jesus is God.
Alma said the Great Spirit is god and created everything in heaven and earth.
In Doctrine and Covenants their Heavenly Father is the only god.
In Abraham there are countless gods.
If they’re to believe in the one and only true god (heavenly father) ask them which one of the gods their heavenly father worships and if they’re worshipping Jesus as their god or their heavenly father.
God’s Appearance in America circa BC 2,200
Ether 12:20-21; “And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his finger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith. 21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil.”
Mark 2:16-17; “And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Smith wasn’t content with the grandiose story of Jesus showing up in America just after the resurrection, he’s taken it to new heights (or is that lows) with the story in Ether.
The Jardites who supposedly lived during the Tower of Babel fiasco built a ship after being scattered. They sailed to the American continent, settled in and saw many wars just like their counterparts in the Book of Mormon Nephite people.
The Jaredites, named after their leader Jared, also had God visiting them, but with a twist. This time around only the nameless brother of Jared saw God “with an eye of faith” as the Mormons would say…and he alone got to see the finger God showed to him.
God’s Love: Conditional or Not?
Ensign, Dec. 1971; “To love completely with a wholeness even as Christ loved, to manifest a mature and unconditional love in all human relations, would minimize many fears.” First Presidency Message: “With an Eye Single to His Glory” – Editorial, Elder Ronald E. Poelman
Ensign, Feb. 2003, p. 20; “Understanding that divine love and blessings are not truly ‘unconditional’ can defend us against common fallacies such as these: ‘Since God’s love is unconditional, He will love me regardless…’; or ‘Since ‘God is love,’ He will love me unconditionally, regardless…’ These arguments are used by anti-Christs to woo people with deception.
The full flower of divine love and our greatest blessings from that love are conditional – predicated upon our obedience to eternal law.” – Russell Nelson, “Divine Love”
Romans 8:38-39; “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Why would the Lord who’s put so much time, effort and energy into giving us life not love us unconditionally?
If you’re a parent you can appreciate unconditional love and how it works. Parents love their children regardless of their actions. The amount of love I have for my daughters isn’t determined on their behavior. And if we’re like this how much more is God’s love for us?
God’s Love for Us
Helaman 12:7; “O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.”
Romans 3:21-23; “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Do you honestly believe God looks at His creation of mankind as being less than the dust of the earth? Who would want for their child to die for something less than dirt?
The god of the Book of Mormon is so very fickle. God’s righteousness isn’t dependent upon man’s behavior, yet the Book of Mormon’s theme say otherwise.
God’s Omniscience
Moroni 7:22; “For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.”
Journal of Discourses 1:124; “Remember that God, our heavenly Father, was perhaps once a child, and mortal like we ourselves, and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement; has moved forward and overcome, until He has arrived at the point where He now is.” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City, October 6, 1853
Psalm 147:5; “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”
If you’re LDS which God or god do you believe in? The God of the Bible is an uncreated God and has always been God. There never was a beginning or an end for God.
The Book of Mormon god was a “Great Spirit” and a triune type of god that kind of resembled the God of the Bible. As we saw earlier this week though, he isn’t the God of the Bible.
How can this god be everlasting and know everything yet at the same time had to grow in knowledge?
God’s Plan Failed/Better for One Man to Die than a Nation
1 Nephi 4:13; “Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.”
James 4:2; “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”
Now this story from the book of Nephi is when Nephi went to Laban’s home, found him passed out drunk and summarily decapitated the guy after feeling the Spirit of God told him to kill. Had this Nephi fellow gone to the God of Israel this probably wouldn’t have happened.
The problems in Joseph Smith’s narrative are many; suffice it to say this passage prophesies that Laban had to be killed so the nation of Israel would live. However, the problem is that every single member of the righteous Israelites turned Nephites died. Every single one.
Why did Laban have to die if all the Nephites died in the end? Wouldn’t God have known they were all going to die off?
God’s Plan for You
Neal Maxwell, That Ye May Believe, pg. 10; “If we criticize God or are unduly miffed over sufferings and tribulation, we are really criticizing the Planner for implementing the very plan we once approved, premortally (see Job 38:4, 7). Granted, we don’t now remember the actual approval. But not remembering is actually part of the plan!”
Jeremiah 29:11-12; “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.”
Oh how convenient we “wouldn’t remember”…ugh…lies from the pit of hell is all this is.
God’s Power
Discourses of Brigham Young, pg 18; “God is the source, the fountain of all intelligence, no matter who possesses it, whether man upon the earth, the spirits in the spirit-world, the angels that dwell in the eternities of the Gods, or the most inferior intelligence among the devils in hell. All have derived what intelligence, light, power, and existence they have from God—from the same source from which we have received ours. 8:205.”
Proverbs 25:26; “A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.”
Why the obsession of talking about evil spirits in hell? Early Mormon leaders tended to talk about this subject quite often and compared them with their religion or the body of Christ. Why isn’t the focus upon the good things our Lord has created? The Bible tells us to test the spirits to see if they’re from God so why is this man saying otherwise? 1 John 4:1.
Not all power comes from the Lord – evil ideas and power can come from Satan himself – 2 Cor 11:14.
Demonic spirits are ruled by evil in their every thought and action – clearly this is not from our Lord. Jesus even told the people that He wasn’t casting out demons with the power of Beelzebub so His power isn’t being used by those from beneath. Luke 11:14-23.
The other problem in this teaching is the talk of gods. Where in the Bible does it mention there’s an eternity of gods?
God’s Residence
D&C 130:8-9; “The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. 9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s.”
Isaiah 66:1; “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?”
The Bible says nothing about the earth being a giant crystal. This comes from the mind of a crystal gazer and those participating in witchcraft.
Godhood?
“You Matter to Him”, Liahona and Ensign, November 2011; “”This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.”” —Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Proverbs 14:5; “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.”
We will not become a god and it’s not God’s job to help us try and become a god. Liar, liar, face of fire as my kids used to say.
Godhood
The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, pg. 1; “As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.”
Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”
To the Mormon who teaches this false doctrine: liar, liar pants on fire!
Godhood and Propagating Spirit Babies
Journal of Discourses 6:275; “After men have got their exaltations and their crowns—have become Gods, even the sons of God—are made Kings of kings and Lords of lords, they have the power then of propagating their species in spirit; and that is the first of their operations with regard to organizing a world.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 28, 1852
2 Thessalonians 3:6; “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”
Again, this is not biblical. There is nothing we’ve learned from God that this is part of our salvation or why we call ourselves Christians. To believe the teachings of Mormonism you will have to completely disregard the Bible and live a life separated from God and Jesus.
Godhood; Becoming a god Like Jesus
Life of Heber C. Kimball, pg 513; “A man may become a God as Jesus Christ did. For this he must prepare himself while in the flesh, that he may be enthroned as a judge is enthroned. I have a desire that my children be crowned, and if I be enthroned I want to have the privilege of wafting myself by the power of God, to visit my children. Everything we see here is typical of what will be hereafter.”
Exodus 20:4-5; “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”
Psalm 135:4; “For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.”
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.”
If God wouldn’t give up His glory to any other god why would it be okay to become a god and have your spirit children give you glory and honor?
God loves us and is jealous over us. It’s not the type of jealousy you and I know here on earth. God’s jealousy isn’t because of envy, but because of His zealous love for us. The word jealous in the Hebrew means just that – zealous. God can’t sin and jealousy for God isn’t the sinful jealousy we feel as men.
God wants our undivided love and devotion to Him because He has chosen us.
We’re not going to be gods and we’re not going to have polygamous forever families in heaven.
Godhood: Becoming gods
PBS “The Mormons”; “The other bold idea of Mormonism is the idea that man can become God. What does that mean?
It is bold, bold doctrine. It is easy to see why, cavalierly said … that it would be deeply offensive. There is nothing in this that is intended to offend. Where this starts with us is we take literally the fact that we’re children of God … and if children, then heirs, heirs of the Lord Jesus Christ. …
It does not mean any displacing of God. I think that’s one of the first great offenses is that this looks like God is replaceable or removable. There is no teaching of that. Our God will always be our God forever and forever and forever. And Christ will always be Christ forever and forever and forever. But then we would say that we’re divine, at least in spiritual heritage. That’s why we call him our Father in Heaven. And we believe that we have a destiny with him in his company … given growth, the idea of progression and development eternally. … How much time that takes, how much effort is required to achieve that, I do not know and wouldn’t presume to know. … It’s to hope that people will see the divinity in women and men and achieve that — pursue it, live for it, act like it, want it. That’s as much as I know to say about that part of destiny.” – Jeffrey Holland
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.”
What is there in Isaiah’s words that might be misinterpreted? It’s very clear. Very concise and to the point. Nice word placement and proper adjectives have been employed. What is it about this or the myriad of other verses where God describes Himself that’s confusing?
There is no other god than the King of Israel! Nada. Nil. No other god. Why must they teach and believe these lies? Oh, Satan is a deceiver and clever indeed! He tricks the minds of even the elect and uses catch phrases that makes us feel all good inside to rule out logic and most importantly God Himself. I wouldn’t be nearly as worried about offending mankind as I would be about offending my Maker.
Godhood: Earning Godhood & Father Adam
Journal of Discourses 6:275-276; “This is a key for you. The faithful will become Gods, even the sons of God; but this does not overthrow the idea that we have a father. Adam is my father; (this I will explain to you at some future time;) but it does not prove that he is not my father, if I become a God: it does not prove that I have not a father.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, August 28, 1852
Proverbs 25:26; “A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.”
And so go those in Mormonism. They were worshipping the God of the Bible in their homelands across the ocean and believed they’d find new truths of the same God here in the States.
Whether they didn’t dare leave or decided they liked the idea of becoming gods themselves is something only the Lord knows.
Either way they forfeited their place with Him in eternity for a false message coming from a false prophet.
Godhood for Keeping Whole Law
Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ, pg 19; “Those who keep the whole law of the whole gospel finally, in celestial exaltation, know God in full. They then think as he thinks, say what he says, do what he does, and experience what he experiences. They are Gods and they have eternal life, which is the name of the kind of life he lives.” – Bruce McConkie
Galatians 2:16; “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Did you get that? No one. No one is justified by the works of the Law.
And don’t forget what James said! If you live by the Law and fail in just one, you’re guilty of them all. Is this how you want to live your life?
If so then why call yourself a Christian?
James 2:10; “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
Furthermore, you, me, your neighbor, nor your bishop will ever become a god! There is only ONE God!
Godhood is Man’s Inheritance
Mormon Doctrine of Deity, pg 257-258; “Thus perfected, the whole family will possess the material universe—that is, the earth and all the other planets and worlds, as an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. They will also continue to organize people and redeem and perfect other systems which are now in the womb of chaos, and thus go on increasing their several dominions, till the weakest child of God which now exists upon earth will possess more dominions, more property, more subjects and more power and glory than is possessed (presently) by Jesus Christ or by his Father; while at the same time Jesus Christ and his Father will have their dominions, kingdoms and subjects increased in proportion.
With these hopes and prospects before us, we say to the Christian world, who hold to immateriality, that they are welcome to their God—their life—their heaven, and their all.
They claim nothing but that which we throw away, and we claim nothing but that which they throw away. Therefore, there is no ground for quarrel, or contention between us.” – BH Roberts
Psalm 103:19; “The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.”
If God’s throne is established in the heavens and His kingdom rules where are these other so-called kingdoms going to be?
The arrogance of this philosophy is mind-boggling. Have mercy on those who’ve been deceived!
Godhood Means Salvation
Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg. 153; “Each command we obey sends us another rung up the ladder to perfected manhood and toward godhood; and every law disobeyed is a sliding toward the bottom where man merges into the brute world.”
Every single thing a Mormon does in his/her life is because they feel they’re working their way to becoming a god or goddess someday. Without this achievement there is no true salvation for the Mormon. Sadly they don’t trust anything from the Bible unless their inspired leaders have given them the okay to believe little passages here and there. And they typically don’t trust information from any outsiders.
Imagine isolating yourself and then believing that if you’re not perfect you keep sliding down to hell.
Living a righteous life is admirable, but living righteously apart from God and believing you’re going to heaven is fooling yourself.
Godhood: Mormonism & Godhood
Journal of Discourses 10:251; “…it [Mormonism] embraces all truth, wherever found, in all the works of God and man that are visible or invisible to mortal eye. It is the only system of religion known in heaven or on earth that can exalt a man to the Godhead, and this it will do to all those who embrace its laws and faithfully observe its precepts.” – Brigham Young, October 6, 1863, Salt Lake City
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.”
Brigham Young’s astute observation should be an indicator to those seeking to know and please the One and Only God there is something wrong with the LDS theory of who God is!
First of all there’s the issue of lying on the part of Brigham Young. Mormonism isn’t and wasn’t even in the days of ol’ Brigham, the only religious system that afforded godhood to its followers. Spiritualists and the Native Americans held tight to a polytheistic view of the divine.
Secondly, why would you want your “religion” to embrace anything manmade?
Thirdly, appreciating and desiring the position of being exalted to a “godhead” isn’t indicative of having a humble spirit or heart. It’s rather difficult to truly worship and/or honor God fully when you believe you can become just like He is. That’s what got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden of Eden!
Last and most importantly, if Mormonism embraced all truth, they wouldn’t have lied about their participation in polygamy, Joseph Smith wouldn’t have committed arson by burning down the Nauvoo Expositor, and its leaders wouldn’t continue to lie to its adherents about the Bible!
Godhood, Work Towards
Church News, July 4, 2009; “We are charged with the responsibility of getting people out of their ruts and routines, out of their problems and their pain, out of their earthly little arguments and ignorance and sins, and take them to the Gods — to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost — ultimately we are to take them toward their own Godhood.” – Jeffery R. Holland
Deuteronomy 4:35; “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.”
People getting out of the ruts and routines, their problems and pains have the awesome blessing of having the Holy Spirit to help them with these things – not your agenda or programs set up to keep them so busy they don’t have time to sit and think about them.
Gods, Becoming
David O. McKay, Pathways to Happiness, pg. 240; “The great secret of human happiness lies in progression. Stagnation means death. With man’s attitude toward service to his fellow men, with his heart compassioned and free from selfish endeavor, he will march on to the goal that is his—to become master, creator, God…this is the mainspring of the actions of the people, embracing all the powers necessary in performing the duties of life. Discourses of Brigham Young – 133-34.”
1 Kings 18:21; “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
Polytheist: “One who believes in a plurality of gods.” (See www.dictionary.com)
Gods, Born to become
Eternal Man, pg. 41; “To the degree that Christendom denies the genuine fatherhood of God and the genuine sonship of man’s spirit (and both Christendom and the major world religions do deny them) they have lost the image of man’s real origin and therefore the image of his real destiny. They deny the “power of godliness.”All the rapturous things that are said about the love or agape of God who sent His Only Begotten in the flesh are hollow when coupled with the dogma that He did not so love us that He distinguished us from the rest of creation by implanting in us the potential of His own likeness. The dogma “lessens man.” But, as any reference to a contemporary book on theology will show, it also lessens God, even while claiming to dignify Him. Shall we reject the shining truth because it is so shining?” – Truman Madsen
Genesis 3:5; “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
If everyone in the whole Christian world believes one thing and you (the Mormon) are the only one that believes otherwise doesn’t this cause you to pause.
Gods, Council of
TPJS, pg. 348; “I will transpose and simplify it in the English language. Oh, ye lawyers, ye doctors, and ye priests, who have persecuted me, I want to let you know that the Holy Ghost knows something as well as you do. The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand councilors sat at the head in yonder heavens and contemplated the creation of the worlds which were created at the time.”
Romans 11:33-36; “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! 34 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.”
Please, stop and think.
Are these the words of a humble follower of the Lord?
This was part of the “King Follett Discourse” given just a few months before the death of Joseph Smith. Many experts on Mormonism believe he was certifiably insane by this point. The vocabulary he employed shows a man almost desperate with anger in wanting people to believe his theories.
Gods form Worlds of Spirit Children
Orson Pratt, The Seer, pg. 37; “Each God, through his wife or wives, raises up a numerous family of sons and daughters; indeed, there will be no end to the increase of his own children: for each father and mother will be in a condition to multiply forever and ever. As soon as each God has begotten many millions of male and female spirits, and his Heavenly inheritance becomes too small, to comfortably accommodate his great family, he, in connection with his sons, organizes a new world, after a similar order to the one which we now inhabit, where he sends both the male and female spirits to inhabit tabernacles of flesh and bones. Thus each God forms a world for the accommodation of his own sons and daughters who are sent forth in their times and seasons, and generations to be born into the same. The inhabitants of each world are required to reverence, adore, and worship their own personal father who dwells in the Heaven which they formerly inhabited.”
Isaiah 45:5-6; “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.”
Again, this is a classic example of polytheism.
Gods; Each god has Millions of Children
Orson Pratt, The Seer, pg. 37; “As soon as each God has begotten many millions of male and female spirits and his Heavenly in heritance becomes too small, to comfortably accommodate his great family, he, in connection with his son, organizes a new world after a similar order to the one which we now inhabit, where he sends both the male and female spirits to inhabit tabernacles of flesh and bones.”
Hosea 10:12-13; “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.”
Oh my goodness, can you just imagine such a scenario?
Gods, Each World has Their Own
Journal of Discourses 2:346; “One world has a personal God or Father, and the inhabitants thereof worship the attributes of that God, another world has another, and they worship His attributes, and besides Him there is no other; and when they worship Him they are at the same time worshipping the same attributes that dwell in all the personal Gods who fill immensity.” – Orson Pratt, February 18, 1855, Salt Lake City
Isaiah 47:12-14; “Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. 13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. 14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.”
Unbelievable. How? Why? Where is your mind?
Gods in Embryo
Miracle/Forgiveness, pg. 3; “…Through him God has abundantly confirmed that man is the supreme creation, made in the image and similitude of God and his Son, Jesus Christ; that man is the offspring of God; that for man, and man alone, was the earth created, organized, planted and made ready for human habitation; and that, having within him the seeds of godhood and thus being a god in embryo, man has unlimited potential for progress and attainment.”
Easton’s Bible Dictionary, “Idols”; “Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or of heroes.”
After reading things from Kimball, Smith, Young and Pratt why is it I feel like I need to shower?
Gods Formed Before the Only True God
Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 105; “As early as February 16, 1832, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith the sublime truth that “men may become gods.” Among many other important truths revealed to Joseph and Sidney Rigdon that day, God showed them a vision of the three degrees of glory and explained to them who should be assigned to each degree.” (Also see JST Is. 43:10-11)
1 Kings 18:21; “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
Yeah, Smith’s thoughts were sublime all right.
Gods, Galaxies
Answers to Gospel Questions 2:143; “In the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith the idea throughout the world in relation to the universe was exceedingly vague. Great discoveries were made during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The knowledge is now revealed that there are throughout the universe millions, in fact, innumerable galaxies—island universes—of stars…Evidently each of these great systems is governed by divine law; with divine presiding Gods, for it would be unreasonable to assume that each was not so governed. As the discoveries increase—and we have learned but a few of the principles concerning them—more and more knowledge may be imparted, but the fulness will never come to mortal minds restricted to mundane things. The time will eventually come, when time and mortality are changed and immortality comes, that all things will be made known to those who have obtained the exaltation.”
Isaiah 44:24-25; “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish.”
So who are all these gods?
Gods, How to Become
Journal of Discourses 6:275; “I expect, if I am faithful with yourselves, that I shall see the time with yourselves that we shall know how to prepare to organize an earth like this—know how to people that earth, how to redeem it, how to sanctify it, and how to glorify it, with those who live upon it who hearken to our counsels. The Father and the Son have attained to this point already; I am on the way, and so are you, and every faithful servant of God. One of the greatest queries on the minds of the Saints is to understand the nature, the principle of the foundation of our existence.” – Brigham Young, August 28, 1852
Psalm 16:4; “Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.”
The sorrows of Brigham Young that the Bible speaks of have unfortunately been passed on down to the ninth generation now.
Gods; Knowing Your Egyptian Gods
Abraham 1:9; “And it came to pass that the priest made an offering unto the god of Pharaoh, and also unto the god of Shagreel, even after the manner of the Egyptians. Now the god of Shagreel was the sun.”
The Egyptian sun god was Ra not Shagreel, whatever that is.
Gods; Lots and lots and lots of gods in Mormonism
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 370; “I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have selected this text for that express purpose. I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations when I have preach [sic] on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached by the Elders for fifteen years. I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”
1 Timothy 2:5; “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
So how many gods are there in Mormonism; one or three? And technically aren’t there more than three when you believe the Mormon god had a father who had a father who had a father…?
In reality and what you won’t hear much talk of lately is that Mormons believer there are billions upon billions of gods, not just one and not just three.
Who’s telling the truth? Is it Alma or Joseph Smith?
Gods Make up the Godhead
Mormon Doctrine, pg. 576; “Three separate personages — Father, Son, and Holy Ghost — comprise the Godhead. As each of these persons is a God, it is evident, from this standpoint alone, that a plurality of Gods exists. To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three are the only Gods we worship.” – Bruce McConkie
Exodus 20:3; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Technically this is called polytheism. If you believe more than one god exists you are a polytheist.
Gods: Personality of Your god
Journal of Discourses 2:346; “One world has a personal God or Father, and the inhabitants thereof worship the attributes of that God, another world has another, and they worship His attributes, and besides Him there is no other; and when they worship Him they are at the same time worshipping the same attributes that dwell in all the personal Gods who fill immensity.” – Orson Pratt, February 18, 1855, Salt Lake City
Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”
While Isaiah sounds pretty clear and direct, to the Mormon it means there are no other gods or saviors for this world/earth.
Gods; Plural Gods of Mormonism
Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:31-32; “All the times of their revolutions, all the appointed days, months, and years, and all the days of their days, months, and years, and all their glories, laws, and set times, shall be revealed in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times—32 According to that which was ordained in the midst of the Council of the Eternal God of all other gods before this world was, that should be reserved unto the finishing and the end thereof, when every man shall enter into his eternal presence and into his immortal rest.”
2 Samuel 7:22; “Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”
How does the Mormon go throughout their lives believing in Mormonism and reading scriptures like this in the Bible?
I know for me personally I couldn’t reconcile the discrepancies in my heart or mind. My heart goes out to those who feel trapped and see no way out.
Pray for those who are in that kind of life. Pray the Lord gives them strength to do what they know they must do and pray for their protection.
Gods; Plural Gods of Mormonism – again
D&C 132:19-20; “…and if ye abide in my covenant… 20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.”
1 Cor. 6:9-10; “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
Joseph Smith qualified himself to be in the categories of over half the descriptions in those two verses from Paul.
I’ve always wondered…if you’re going to be a god someday to whom does the worship go to when you have your own planet with people? Mormons say that God won’t lose any worship when this happens, but how can this be if others are worshipping you and not him?
Gods: Redeemed Gods
The Seer, pg 23-24; “The Gods who dwell in the Heaven from which our spirits came, are beings who have been redeemed from the grave in a world which existed before the foundations of this earth were laid…These Gods, being redeemed from the grave with their wives are immortal and eternal and will die no more. But they and their wives will be supremely happy. All the endearing ties of conjugal love which existed in the bosoms, when terrestrial and fallen beings, are now greatly increased and perfected which serve to swell their souls with feelings of rapturous delight, and unbounded love towards each other, and with joys that are everlasting.” – Orson Pratt
Isaiah 43:10-11; “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”
This is my absolute favorite passage of scripture where God definitively expresses Himself to us and repudiates the notion of godhood status!
As a Mormon I’d never seen this before so you can imagine my surprise – I’m sure it’s like that for all ex-Mormons!
There is no god before God.
There is no god beside or alongside God.
There is no god after God.
God alone is God, He always has been and always will be! PTL!!!
Gods: The gods Organized the Earth
Abraham 4:1; “And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.”
Jeremiah10:11; “Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.”
While doing my Bible study the other day I came across this verse in Jeremiah that I hadn’t noticed before and immediately thought about the book of Abraham and Mormonism.
What ever will they do when confronted by the Lord about their gods that didn’t organize or create the earth?
My heart hurts for those who believe the lies. Everything they believe in is refuted by none other than God and He’s made it pretty simple for us to see and know what to expect.
Gods; Ye are gods
LDS Hymns #301, I am a Child of God;
“I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here.
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him some day.
I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words
Before it grows too late.
I am a child of God,
Rich blessings are in store;
If I but learn to do his will
I’ll live with him once more.”
Note: The Biblical Reference cited at end of this hymn was Psalm 82:6.
Psalm 82:5-7; “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”
The sad part of this song isn’t only that it’s blasphemous but that they have ingrained these words into each and every little child in their midst.
Gods; Ye Shall be
D&C 132:20-21; “Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them. 21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.”
John 10:34; “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”
Like I’ve said before; Mormonism is nothing but a belief in sex and godhood and you can’t get one without the other.
Gods, You May Become
Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual, p. 358; “Bretheren, 225,000 of you are here tonight. I suppose 225,000 of you may become gods. There seems to be plenty of space out there in the universe.” – President Spencer W. Kimball
John 1:1; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
I wonder how many of those missionaries ended up leaving the Church. History tells us that more than 50% will leave the Church when they return home.
Gold and Silver Grow
Journal of Discourses 1:219-220; “Gold and silver grow, and so does every other kind of metal, the same as the hair upon my head, or the wheat in the field; they do not grow as fast, but they are all the time composing or decomposing.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 9, 1852
Revelation 21:8; “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
False prophecy. Leave him alone; don’t believe a single word that came out of that man’s mouth.
Golden Plates
History of the Church 1:16; “Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crosswise of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them.”
Matthew 6:24; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Smith was fixated with treasures in the earth. Interestingly enough he recorded he went back to the same place on the same day every year for four years. The day was the Autumnal Equinox – a sacred day for witches who worship in groves.
Gold Plates: Were the Golden Plates Real?
D&C 17:1-4; “Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea. 2 And it is by your faith that you shall obtain a view of them, even by that faith which was had by the prophets of old. 3 And after that you have obtained faith, and have seen them with your eyes, you shall testify of them, by the power of God; 4 And this you shall do that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., may not be destroyed, that I may bring about my righteous purposes unto the children of men in this work.”
Proverbs 14:12; “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
If the golden plates of Mormonism were real, why would they need faith to see them? I don’t need faith when I see my husband or kids to know they’re my family!
Why was it necessary for the witnesses to testify of them in order for Joseph not to be destroyed?
What word were they to rely upon to see the plates? I thought they just needed to have faith to see the plates. This says they must rely on God’s word and have faith they’d see the plates.
Gold Plates; Where are the Golden Plates?
Mormon Doctrine, pg. 327; “Moroni deposited the plates in the Hill Cumorah in about 421 A.D., and then as a resurrected being revealed the hiding place to the Prophet on September 22, 1823. Four years later the Prophet was permitted to obtain possession of them, but the actual translation of the portion we now have as the Book of Mormon did not take place until between April 7 and June 11, 1829. Thereafter the plates were returned to the custody of Moroni. (Jos. Smith 2:27-65; D. & C. 27:5; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, pp. 215-226.)”
Jeremiah 31:33; “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Psalm 40:8; “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
This God of the Bible – (our God!) – has done so much for us! From the time of the Law to the last word penned by the Apostle John, the Lord provided direction for everything and in the bargain gave us assurance of our salvation.
What is there to gain in anything else but God’s word? Where is the eternal promise of God in a gospel with continuing revelations?
If there’s anything tangible in this new revelation from God then where is it and why can’t we see it? While original texts from the Bible are no longer extant we have enough available to verify what the Bible says – not to mention the findings of the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls showing us that 99% of our Bible is textually pure. See more info on this in our Mentoring Handbook here.
God doesn’t just have people write things down and then demand they be given back to some mysterious angel.
Where is Hill Cumorah or the cave these golden plates were originally buried in?
Why didn’t anyone ever physically handle, touch or see the plates but Joseph Smith?
Why won’t any credible non-LDS Egyptologist substantiate that Reformed Egyptian is a verifiable language of Ancient Egypt?
And finally, why wasn’t the Bible good enough for Joseph Smith? What proof did he have our Bible wasn’t translated correctly and showing us that God is unreliable?
His word tells us that it’s trustworthy. Paul told the Corinthians to hold onto the gospel that he preached. The Bible reminds us to continue in the faith that we learned and knew as children – 2 Timothy 3:14-15. Isaiah told us His word endures forever – Isaiah 40:8.
And of course we can’t forget Jeremiah. It’s here when God told His children that He’d write His law on our hearts and make a new covenant with the Israelites. This happened with the advent of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.
Why would God just out of the blue introduce this evolving gospel on golden plates that no one can verify? And why would He change the game plan after giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins?
Golden Plates: Where are They?
Mormon Doctrine, pg. 327; “Moroni deposited the plates in the Hill Cumorah in about 421 A.D., and then as a resurrected being revealed the hiding place to the Prophet on September 22, 1823. Four years later the Prophet was permitted to obtain possession of them, but the actual translation of the portion we now have as the Book of Mormon did not take place until between April 7 and June 11, 1829. Thereafter the plates were returned to the custody of Moroni. (Jos. Smith 2:27-65; D. & C. 27:5; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, pp. 215-226.”
Deuteronomy 18:10-12; “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”
How convenient there is no evidence. With the Bible we have ample evidence to prove the writings are authentic.
Good Friday
Answers to Gospel Questions 5:155; “Question: “Can you please tell me why members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not observe Good Friday as other Christians do?”
Answer: The reason why we do not observe Good Friday should be clear enough. Easter is taken from a pagan spring holiday, that was governed by the moon. The Roman Catholic Church connected the birth of the Savior with this pagan ceremony. As you know, Easter is governed by the moon, and this spring pagan festival was celebrated according to the moon, any time in March and the end of April. THE RESURRECTION DATE DID NOT VARY.
Now as you well know that the resurrection did not vary and it is foolish to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord at the end of March or the first of April, or middle of April or near the first of May, and put Good Friday the Friday before the Easter Sunday. I think you are wise enough to see the foolishness of it. The resurrection of the Savior does not vary year by year but it is a constant thing. Why should we follow the silly custom rather than to have one day for the resurrection?”
1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 23-24; “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
It makes my heart sick to read the response given in the LDS reference. May we always remember to pray diligently for my people and as the song goes, “May we follow God’s own fool, believe the unbelievable, and come be a fool as well…” (© Michael Card).
Amy Carmichael once said; “If I covet anything but the dust at the foot of the Cross then I know nothing of Calvary Love”.
Gospel
Ensign, November 2008, pg. 34; “All the knowledge of the gospel which is meaningful for our salvation can be summarized in a few points of doctrine, principles, and essential commandments.” – Gérald Caussé
Romans 5:8; “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Shema. Salvation is found in Jesus and obeying the two things He commanded us to do. Love God and your neighbor.
Gospel
The Life and Teachings of Jesus & His Apostles, p. 351; “But the Lord, through his grace, appeared to man, gave him the gospel or eternal plan whereby he might rise above the carnal and selfish things of life and obtain spiritual perfection. But he must rise by his own efforts and he must walk by faith.”
Romans 6:22-23; “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
How do you raise yourself up when there is no hope? Jesus is the lifter of our heads. If it were by our own merits that we should walk then no one would be worthy.
Gospel
Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 1; “The Gospel of the Son of God that has been revealed is a plan or system of laws and ordinances, by strict obedience to which the people who inhabit this earth are assured that they may return again into the presence of the Father and the Son. 13:233.”
Romans 10:9; “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
1. The gospel means the “good news”. What is the good news in finding out you still won’t be worthy without a lifetime of works?
2. We’ve never lived with God in heaven.
Gospel in BC Era
Gospel Through the Ages pg. 86; “The Nephites came from Jerusalem and brought with them the practices of the Law of Moses; yet it seems that their religious life was governed during the first 600 years by a combination of the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Prov. 1:24-28; “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.”
Common sense tells us this is nothing but a fabrication in an imaginary world.
Gospel Always the Same
TPJS, pg. 264; “Now taking it for granted that the scriptures say what they mean, and mean what they say, we have sufficient grounds to go on and prove from the Bible that the gospel has always been the same, and the officers to officiate, the same; the ordinances to fulfill its requirements, the same, and the signs and fruits resulting from the promises, the same…”
1 Peter 1:25; “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
The meaning of the word “gospel” is “good news”. The good news is that we are saved by grace through faith and not works.
Gospel; Any Other Gospel
History of the Church 6:365; “…I beseech you to go forward, go forward and make your calling and your election sure; and if any man preach any other Gospel than that which I have preached, he shall be cursed…”
Galatians 1:6-8; “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Well there are a few things to look at in this passage of Mormon history.
1. Why is he quoting the Bible if he doesn’t trust it?
2. He left out the part of Paul’s warning about an angel delivering another gospel – hmmm…I wonder why.
3. Would the prophets of Mormonism today be accursed? The gospel of Joseph Smith’s day is not the gospel of 21st century Mormonism. No polygamy, no restrictions on people’s color, temple ordinance changes have been made and Mormon sentiments towards Christianity (at least publicly) have all changed drastically over the years.
Gospel Cannot Change
Church News, pg 16 (June 5, 1965); “When the Lord commands us to become like Him, He really intends that we shall do so. But since He never changes, and since human nature is always the same, identical conditions are required to bring that human nature into harmony with the unchangeable God. “For that reason, the Gospel must always be the same in all its parts.” To say that the Gospel may be changed is to say that either God has changed, or that human nature is no longer human nature.” It is obvious, therefore that no one change the Gospel, and that if they attempt to do so, they only set up a man-made system which is not the Gospel, but is merely a reflection of their own views. And since only God can save, only His Gospel can save, and if se substitute “any other Gospel,” there is no salvation in it.”
Matthew 7:15; “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
1. The Mormon god is always changing. He once was man, now is a god, therefore, he can’t be unchanging.
2. The Mormon gospel is always changing. They’ve done away with polygamy, the ban on blacks, and the temple oaths change…
3. The Mormon plan of salvation doesn’t include “by grace ye are saved”. It is through works of man that man is saved.
4. The Mormon gospel is a new gospel introduced by an angel of light, Moroni, to an uneducated teenage boy in upstate New York.
Their news almost sounds okay, but as Jesus said, “inside they’re ravening wolves”!
Gospel Free to Everyone
Journal of Discourses 20:267; “Again, we are told to go and preach the Gospel to every creature; and there is a great deal of pains being taken to do this. What is it? The Gospel of life and salvation. Is it free to all? Yes, free as the streams that pass your city, and all are invited. Some do not like it. What of that? We cannot help that; we are going to perform the work that God has set us at, and we will treat all men right.” – John Taylor, Ogden, Utah, March 2, 1879
Romans 6:23; “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The Mormon gospel of salvation is as free as the Gulf of Mexico is free of oil right now. You can see them both clearly but they’ll never mix well together.
Gospel: Man is Self-existent and Can Advance
TPJS, pg. 354-355; “The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge…This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the principles of eternal life, and so can you. They are given to my by the revelations of Jesus Christ; and I know that when I tell you these words of eternal life as they are given to me, you taste them, and I know that you believe them.”
Matthew 5:3; “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
How can you be self-existent and be with God This makes it sounds like God just woke up after a drunken stupor one day and found himself surrounded by a bunch of people. How pathetically sad.
Gospels, Men with Other; the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 574-575 and Faith, pg. 2; “Martin Harris (1783-1875), a New York farmer, was one of the Three Witnesses to the divine origin of the Book of Mormon…In June 1829, Martin Harris, along with Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, prayed and received no answer. Harris blamed himself for the failure and withdrew. The Prophet, Cowdery, and Whitmer prayed again and were shown the gold plates of the Book of Mormon by the angel Moroni. Subsequently, the angel appeared to Harris and Joseph Smith. In this vision, Harris heard the voice of God say that Joseph’s translation was correct, and Jesus Christ commanded Harris to testify of what he had seen and heard. The testimony of the Three Witnesses is printed in the Book of Mormon (see Book of Mormon Witnesses).”
“In the early days of the restoration of the Church, Sidney Rigdon did not retain his membership in the kingdom even though he had, with Joseph Smith, witnessed marvelous signs. Had he not participated in the great vision, and had he not been the recipient of many revelations? Yet despite all these manifestations from our Heavenly Father, he did not remain in the kingdom…Oliver Cowdery saw many signs. He handled the sacred plates; saw John the Baptist; received the higher priesthood from Peter, James, and John; and was the recipient of many great miracles; and yet they could not hold him to the faith.”
Ezekiel 13:2-4; “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; 3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.”
After reading the accounts of those grown men having visions out in a forest somewhere, why would you believe a word they had to say?
Gospel Message is Timeless
Church News, March 31, 1990; “The Church was barely 20 years old when Apostle Parley P. Pratt spoke those words in general conference on Friday, Sept. 6, 1850… The concerns then seem to be largely the concerns now. And while the Church’s circumstances since have changed vastly, the message of the gospel proves timeless, adapting readily from words spoken before a shaded pulpit to today’s satellite-beamed signals.”
1 Corinthians 2:4-5; “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
For the Mormon, the gospel was first spread by Adam. Be careful of what they say and read between the lines.
Gospel of Mormonism, Meaning of the
3 Nephi 27:14; “Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil”
2 Timothy 1:9; “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
1. The Mormons do not believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins.
2. Why would you have to stand before Jesus to be judged if you’re a believer? You’re only judged by your works if you don’t live under grace.
Gospel Ordinance
Mormon Doctrine, pg. 548; “Most of these rites and ceremonies, as illustrated by baptism and celestial marriage, are essential to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God; some of them, such as the blessing of children and the dedication of graves, are not ordinances of salvation, but are performed for the comfort, consolation, and encouragement of the saints.”
Hebrews 10:10-14; “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
In an earlier entry the Mormon teachings claimed the gospel life is free.
Gospel Ordinances
Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 1032; “One is fully accepted of God and is “of God” if, and only if, she or “he obey mine ordinances” (D&C 52:14-19).”
Luke 9:33; “And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.”
Like Peter the Mormons don’t know what they’re saying.
Grace
Ensign, April 1981, pg. 17; “While all of us were born into a situation where we are separated from God because of Adam (this we shall recognize as a form of spiritual death), we (only those who are accountable, of course) remain in that state because of our own personal fall which results from our own sins. The Doctrine and Covenants clearly points out, however, that we could enter back into God’s presence in this life if we would but purify ourselves from sin—or, in the terms we are using, overcome the effects of our own personal fall. (See D&C 67:10, D&C 88:68; D&C 93:1; see also Ether 3:13.) This purification from sin strongly involves the role of works—works of repentance and obedience are indispensable to the achievement of such a high and holy privilege.” – Gerald N. Lund
Titus 3:5; “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.”
Told you so – it’s all about works if you’re a Mormon. Their religion is a works based salvation religion which means NO GRACE!
Grace is a Lie
Miracle of Forgiveness, pg 206; “One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation. Along with all the other works necessary for man’s exaltation in the kingdom of God this could rule out the need for repentance. It could give license for sin and, since it does not require man to work out his salvation, could accept instead lip service, death-bed “repentance,” and shallow, meaningless confession of sin.” – Spencer W. Kimball
Well I really don’t know how he’d explain this one to the Lord. Funny thing about this is how non-believers hold to the same philosophy this man did.
All of the Old Testament points to the crowning events in history that Jesus would die on the cross for the sins of man and be resurrected. All of the New Testament focuses upon these two events as well.
What more could God do for mankind than what He’s already done? Why isn’t the cross enough and why aren’t God’s promises held in the Bible enough to sedate man’s inquiries regarding their purpose in life and eventual destination?
Graven Images: Seagulls, Joseph, Brigham & Hyrum
Mosiah 12:36; “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.”
Exodus 20:4; “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.”
Why are there statues in Salt Lake City of seagulls, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young?
Moreover, why are there statues in Carthage, Illinois of Joseph and Hyrum?
Why are there engraved images of stars, moons and the sun on Nauvoo and Salt Lake Temples?
If you’re LDS do you understand or have you studied what the graven images mean on the outside walls of the Salt Lake or Nauvoo temples?
Grease Spot Prophecy
Millennial Star, Vol. 22, No. 29, (July 21, 1860), pg. 455; “I prophesied by virtue of the holy Priesthood vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a government and God shall damn them, and there shall be nothing left of them – not even a grease spot!“.
2 Timothy 2:25-26; “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
That prophecy was actually made in December of 1843. It has been 167 years since he made that claim and here we still are in 2010 putzin’ right along.
Great Apostasy
Restored Church, pgs. xxiii-xxiv; “It was the leadership of great Jews, men like Peter, James, John, and Paul, who, during the first century, by sheer weight of personality, and the fervor of their testimony, held the churches in some semblance of order. When these great Jewish leaders were silenced by death there were none to replace them. The Jewish nation had rejected the Gospel, and the Greek and Roman converts though often exceedingly brilliant and capable, nevertheless lacked the fundamental foundations in tradition and training to comprehend the spiritual Kingdom established by Jesus Christ.” – William E. Berrett
Acts 7:51; “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”
What about Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Digellius Saturninus, Speratur, Donata, Perpetua, Origen, Fabian, St. Lawrence, Cassian…? These are but a few of the martyrs that went to their death confessing Christ Jesus as Lord and God. All of the examples here lived and breathed their very lives proclaiming Jesus. Cassian lived circa 298 AD. To get an exhaustive list of how Christianity grew and thrived click here.
Greatest Responsibility of Mormons
Missionary service
Preach My Gospel, pg. 13; “Surely taking the gospel to every kindred, tongue, and people is the single greatest responsibility we have in mortality…” – Howard W. Hunter
Seeking after the dead
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 356; “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead.”
So which is it? Necromancy in the temples or missionary service to bring in more converts? This is the problem with not telling the truth, things get confusing after awhile.
Groves
From the website www.josephsmith.net; “”On the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring” of 1820, young Joseph went into these woods to pray, to a place where he “had previously designed to go.” Here, God the Father and His resurrected Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith to commence the Restoration of the gospel in the latter days.
Joseph Smith’s family moved away from this farm in 1830. The Church acquired the land in the early 1900s. The exact location of Joseph Smith’s First Vision is unknown, but it occurred somewhere within a 10-acre forest on the western boundaries of the farm. This forest has been referred to as the Sacred Grove since 1906.”
1. Joseph Smith—History 1:14.
2. Joseph Smith—History 1:15.
Deut. 16:21-22; “Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. 22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.”
Note: You can read the entire account of Smith’s experience in Joseph Smith’s History located in the Pearl of Great Price.
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