Today we’re beginning a two part series on how vitally important Joseph Smith is to the corporation of the LDS Church, and the necessity of having him as the focus of everyday life for each member. Without Joseph Smith, members would have no means of gaining true salvation, and without Joseph Smith, the Church as a corporation would have no foundational basis to stand on.
The reason we’re doing this stems from the numerous articles they’ve published as of late. While perusing their many media portals, magazines and websites for example, we couldn’t help but notice their heavy emphasis on commemorating Smith’s birth (December 23, 1805), while merely giving Jesus an honorable mention on occasion; when, or if needed.
Today’s example serves as a culmination of sorts, for all the many adjectives they believe Smith fulfilled by just being born. Before we look at the many ways Smith fulfilled most of the promises in the Bible, let’s step back and look at what God has to say about Himself.
(Note: image above is from the original Deseret News office building)
Exodus 20:3-5; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything 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”.
Right off the bat, we see God wants our worship reserved for Him only and no one else.
We’re wondering how Mormons answer to this when they’ve systematically replaced God with one of His created beings.
We discovered the following news article from the Mormon owned Deseret News that categorically denounced everything God told us in His word. At the same time, you’ll notice how they’ve tried to erase history by retro-engineering the meaning of key words, and/or phrases, defining who we are, and what God has done.
Oftentimes, Mormons will try and dismiss our use of citing references like this, however, this is a good example of what they’ve passed on down for almost two centuries now.
Let’s see what they had to say about ol’ Joe and you decide. They’re going to claim they don’t worship him, but how could this not be worship?
Deseret News, ‘The Man of the Century,’ December 23, 1880, p. 760;
(From Thursday’s Daily, December 23.)
THE MAN OF THE CENTURY.
SEVENTY-FIVE years ago to-day one of the most remarkable characters of the age was born at Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont. He was a child of destiny. Raised up by Divine Providence for a needful work, he came into the world shortly after the opening of this wonderful nineteenth century.
- Who, or what, is the ‘divine providence’?
- Since when did God need help from something He created?
Descended from the ancient Seers, he bore in his body qualities needful for the great work required of him.
- What ancient Seers is this guy talking about?
- The only genealogy that matters is Jesus’ – not ours!
Pre-ordained to be a Prophet to the latter-day dispensation, he was the man for the times, the central figure around which were grouped other strong souls born to be laborers in the vineyard at the eleventh hour, the star whose rays were shed forth in the midst of the spiritual darkness that prevailed for centuries, and whose light was to herald the speedy coming of the glorious Sun of Righteousness.
- Why isn’t Jesus the central figure?
- Implying Smith was born just in the nick of time at the eleventh hour, denotes God’s plan almost failed.
- They’ve denounced Jesus’ promise in Matthew 16:18 when He told Peter the gates of hell wouldn’t prevail against His power. The only darkness people could encounter here on earth is when they reject God’s Son who brings light to the nations.
Joseph Smith, son of Joseph, and of the lineage of that ancient Joseph who was sold into Egypt but became the ruler of the land, was one of the greatest revelators who ever dwelt on this fallen planet.
- Again, lineage in the NT era has no meaning, and besides all that, it’s virtually impossible to track your lineage more than 400, or so years.
He communed with angels; he translated sacred records written in forgotten languages; he was susceptbile to the seer-stone and could read by Urim and Thummim;
- Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us God speaks to us now through His Son, and not through the means of what He did in OT times.
he restored lost divine things of the past; he perceived and declared important events of the future;
- Smith declared many things all right, most of which were false prophecies. See article 120+ False Prophecies of Joseph Smith.
he gazed into the glories of the eternal worlds; he held converse with the Father and the Son; he received the keys of the last dispensation and to him came those who stood at the head of all former dispensations, back to Michael, or Adam, the first of all and chief of all, who conferred upon him the spirit and power of their several callings;
- Joseph Smith didn’t speak to the God and Son of the Bible. Smith denounced the Trinitarian teachings of God in His word.
- Why isn’t Jesus the head of ‘this dispensation’? Christians never put anyone in charge except for Christ Jesus and Him crucified!
- Adam is NOT God.
- Smith is NOT the culmination of all powers of past prophets.
he laid the foundation of the mightiest kingdom that this world has ever seen;
- Jesus – and only Jesus – laid the foundation of the mightiest Kingdom. There’s only 2 kingdoms. God’s Kingdom and Satan’s kingdom. God laid the foundation of His and He allowed Satan to have his kingdom now, but it’s only temporary and only for those who denounce God.
he established the sacred order of the everlasting priesthood and defined its powers and limits, its prerogatives and duties, its offices and callings, in all their detail and beauty and harmony;
- God established the priesthood and did so for the benefit of man. When Jesus was resurrected, He took it with Him into heaven. The true priesthood is nontransferable and held by a party of One. Hebrews 7.
he grappled with the powers of darkness;
- This is actually true! Smith indeed ‘grappled’ with powers of darkness.
he opened the gospel to the living and the way of redemption for the dead; he was spoken of for good or evil in all the nations on the globe; he sealed his testimony with his blood, and his name is recorded in the list of the martyrs, for whom shines the kingly crown in the midst of the majesty on high.
- This is a lie. Smith didn’t open the gospel to anyone. Jesus did. And His gospel is for the living because He’s the God of the living, not a god of the dead. There’s no such thing as a gospel for the dead. Mark 12:27
We honor and revere his memory. But we do not worship him, as some people declare. He was but a man with human failings and human affections.
- Placing Smith on the pedestal they have, qualifies as worship whether they want to publicly admit that or not.
But he was one of the mighty, and he has left an impress on the century that will not perish while time shall last.
- According to God, we’re all just a vapor in time. James 4:14
The spirit of his personality remains on this side of the vail although he ministers beyond, and wherever the restored gospel is sounded among the tribes and tongues of men, he will be proclaimed as the instrument in God’s hand of linking together the heavens and the earth, and of bringing to the sons and daughters of men the blessings of the plan of salvation.
- There are no missionaries in heaven. Once we die, that’s it. Hebrews 9:27
Thousands upon thousands have received in their souls a divine witness of his prophetic mission. And the people gathered from the ends of the earth who now inherit these fruitful vallies, and whose union, and force, and peculiarities and faith, have attracted the attention of all nations, have been brought here by the power and influence of the religion which he taught and the spirit that he administered.
- You only receive one of two spirits to guide you in life. It’s either from God, or Satan. If you’ve chosen to allow anything but God’s Holy Spirit to reside in you, you’re following evil. 1 John 4:15
And when the great work which he founded is finished, and the fullness of the Gentiles is come in, and Israel and Judah, restored to their former dominion possess the lands bestowed upon them by patriarchal blessings, and the power of the wicked is broken, and Satan and his hosts are banished and bound, and the kingdoms of this world are the kingdom of God and His Christ, among the mighty ones who stand next the throne and join in the government of the regenerated earth will be Joseph Smith, once the Green Mountain boy and the derided of the proud, the scoffer and the worldly-wise, but now the heaven-crowned ruler over many things, and the honored associate of the immortal and Eternal Rulers of a universe redeemed. (Retrieved 12/27/2015)
- That last one was a lot of hullabaloo holding no meaning. Jesus already won! He already declared ‘It is Finished’ in John 19:30! How could it not be done yet?
Remember my friends, Satan is the father of lies and today we’ve seen our fair share of those. Pray for those who are caught in this nightmare won’t you?
Tomorrow we’re looking at some of the other things Joe said about himself, and what others thought of him.
With Love in Christ;
Michelle
1 Cor. 1:18
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