Deuteronomy 13:1-5; “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. 5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.”
General Conference, ‘Joseph Smith: Prophet to Our Generation,’ October 1981; “Joseph Smith obtained this ancient record from a heavenly messenger, just as John prophesied. … Also, in harmony with the testimony of John, the book contains “the everlasting gospel.” It is now preached by our missionaries to the world. …A revealing characteristic of a true prophet is that he declares a message from God. …
The ultimate test of a true prophet is that when he speaks in the name of the Lord his words come to pass. That standard was explained by the Lord to Moses in these words:
“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously.” (Deut. 18:22.)
Many prophecies of Joseph Smith are recorded to which this test might be applied…
Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God, one of the greatest prophets that has ever lived on the earth. He was the instrument in God’s hand in ushering in the present gospel dispensation, the greatest of all, and the last of all in preparation for the second coming of the Master.” – Ezra Taft Benson
Deuteronomy 18:20-22; “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”
Wow, if there was ever a misinterpretation of scripture, this is it! Beware my friends, beware!
In order to get truth we need to go to its source, and that’s the word of God. We read in Acts 17:10-12 of when Paul was sent to Berea with Silas to preach the gospel and they received the teachings by first listening, and then study. The Bereans’ reaction to the gospel is a timeless example of the standards we must hold to when hearing anyone preach, even today.
They listened, took notes, and compared the teachings with what God’s word said before making a full determination. This is what’s desperately needed when reading over the words of Ezra Taft Benson. Oh, if only the Mormon people would’ve done the same thing the Bereans did in their day!
Mr. Benson made a huge mistake by stating the following –
‘The ultimate test of a true prophet is that when he speaks in the name of the Lord his words come to pass. That standard was explained by the Lord to Moses…’
First of all, this isn’t what Moses said. The test to determine if someone is a true prophet isn’t if the guy, or gal, delivers a prophecy that comes true. Anyone can do this. The test is when it doesn’t come to pass. When the prophecy proves to be false, then you know it’s not from God.
A prophet can deliver countless true prophecies, and still be a false prophet. When his prediction/prophecy contradicts the word of God, it’s a sign of a false prophet.
The other main problem in this discourse was the comment the ‘ancient record’ contained the ‘everlasting gospel’. This phrase is from Revelation 14:6 and refers to an angel flying in the heavens who will deliver the gospel.
Revelation 14:6; “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.”
Mormons erroneously believe and teach this is either Moroni, or sometimes it’s even Joseph Smith, depending on which Mormon prophet or teacher you’re reading. Additionally, they’re teaching that it already happened! No, no, no, no, no!!!! This is SO wrong!
Remember, some things in Revelation can be applied as life examples for us today, and some things in Revelation have indeed taken place. However, many of the events in Revelation are future events God showed to the apostle John.
When/if a Mormon tries to tell you this angel was Moroni, share this truth with them and ask how it could be Moroni if it didn’t happen yet!!
I seriously think that Deut.18: 20-22 conveys the Lord’s will and commandments regarding the test of the prophets, which will confront and debunk Mormon assertions about the legitimacy of Joseph Smith and his successors. The proof is in what the man presuming to be a prophet says and does in the name of the Lord God, and whether it comes to pass exactly as he has said it. Ezra Taft Benson was a 20th Mormon man claiming to be a prophet after the old school, 19th Century, qualifications and powers of a prophet, and apostles, to proclaim ex cathedra canon scripture, doctrine, and commandments. He said more than once, in speeches, sermons, and general conference addresses that what Joseph Smith had said verbally as proclaimed revelation from God, in the name of God, was to be accepted as canon scripture in addition to the Mormon Church’s four sets of standard canon scripture. This, of course, would include the 1835 “Lectures on Faith,” which were de-canonized in 1925, and the 1844 King Follett Discourse, which was reaffirmed and venerated in the 1984 “Lesson 21-Man May Become like God,” from the 1984 LDS Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide, “Search These Commandments,” which was proclaimed by Mormon Prophet Spencer W. Kimball as cannon scripture and commandments. The whole essence of Mormon canon scripture revolves around D&C 68:3-4,
“And this is the ensample unto them (speaking of the Mormon apostles and prophets) that they shall speak as they are moved by the Holy Ghost. And whatsoever they shall speak, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.”
Historically, this was the test of whether the words spoken by a Mormon apostle or prophet were to be accepted by the rank-and-file Mormon people as canon scripture. They were forbidden from voting on it. You see, the biblical test was not even regarded or considered by them. If a Mormon apostle or prophet said it in the name of God, regardless of whether it was a prediction of things to come or some new unbiblical doctrine, the people were required to accept it. It was Jim Jones sort of thing that tested the truly brainwashed Mormon. Of course, a lot of Mormons realized that what these 19th Century Mormon general authorities were saying was horse-pucky, and they left the Mormon Church. You, however, don’t ever hear about these renegade Mormons. You only read and hear about the Mormons who dumbly accepted the false prophecies and false teachings of the early Mormon leaders. Ezra Taft Benson actually still believed in the literal meaning of D&C 68: 3-4 in the late-1980s.
but really none of that matters if it goes against the word of God and every single doctrine of Mormonism does just that. They speak against ALL OF GOD’S WORD, not just Deut 18:20-22. It’s Deut 13:1-5 and every other scripture warning us against false prophets.
I believe Elder Charles W. Penrose’s explanation of why the world needs revelation from prophets now:
“We are living upon the earth at a time when there are a great many creeds—a great many different doctrines, each professing to be the true faith—the Christian religion. There is a spirit of doubt and division in the world. Men are ever learning but not able to come to a knowledge of the truth. They indulge in a great many speculations. Some good people study the Scriptures and endeavor to find out what is divine truth, but their ideas are various; they do not come to the unity of the faith; and the great reason why this is so is because they do not seek to the fountain of light and truth with the expectation of receiving any reply. In olden times God used to speak to the people. He had servants upon the earth who spoke as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost; angels ministered to the sons of men, and truth was revealed in great plainness from the Father. But in these times, people have to put up with the ideas and notions that men hold in relation to these truths which were anciently revealed. There is now no voice from heaven, no prophet among the people; there are no inspired apostles; angels have ceased to minister, and to use the words of one of the great divines of the day, “The awful voice of prophecy is silenced forever.”
Of course in making use of these remarks I am speaking in relation to what is called the Christian world. The Latter-day Saints believe that God is the same yesterday, today and forever, and that if he is sought after today in the same way that he was sought after yesterday, he will answer in the same manner. We believe that it is just as possible for angels to come to earth in these times as in any former age of the world; we believe that the power of the Holy Ghost is the same today as it was thousands of years ago; that divine truth can be made manifest direct from God to the people now as it was in the days of Jesus, or in the days of the prophets who preceded him on the earth.” (Quote from Journal of Discourses 21:220-221).
I can’t speak for what you’ve been taught, but as a Mormon I was taught that (the Mormon) Heavenly Father is constantly moving forward and progressing in knowledge and power. I was told to imagine a never ending escalator, and all of us, along with Heavenly Father were on it. As we move up higher and higher, we progress further and further, and in doing so we move closer to the point he previously was.
So to say that Mormons believe God is the same yesterday, today and forever isn’t exactly untrue.
Of course God is fully engaged and active in the world, but when it comes to angels we need to be very careful, and use discernment. Satan has his “angels” as well, and he will do anything to lead people away from God.
If you believe as Mr. Penrose, that prophets are needed now, what do you do with Hebrews 1:1-5 which clearly states that while God previously spoke to us through His prophets, He now speaks to us through His Son? God’s prophets pointed to Jesus Christ, as the one who would come and save us from our sins.
Those who have repented of their sins and fully accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them to be their guide. They also have God’s word to correct them, and guide them on the path He has for them. So if we have the Holy Spirit and God’s word, why do we need prophets again? – Melissa Grimes
James Martineau speaks with forked-tongue! The Mormons do NOT officially believe that God is the same yesterday, and forever! That’s what Mormon missionaries tell their investigators to Mormonism, but “Lesson 21-Man May Become Like God,” refutes what those prevaricating missionaries hold before the eyes of struggling Christians in the Book of Mormon. “Lesson 21” contradicts the Book of Mormon and the “Lectures on Faith,” which, both, state that God never changes and has no beginning or end. The “Lectures on Faith” were the ‘doctrines’ of the LDS Church until around 1925, as they were included in the Doctrine and Covenants published by the Mormon Church as the doctrinal section of the very changeable book. The Mormon father-god, with a capital G, is a very changeable pagan god, that, according to the LDS emissary before the Harvard Divinity School, Robert Millet, is passible, changeable, not omnipotent, and who can change his mind.
Yet, Mormon apologists like Penrose, and the 20th Century Mormon Prophets, like E.T. Benson, and Spencer W. Kimball believed in a polytheistic theology contained in “Lesson 21-Man May Become Like God.” These men were, and the current Mormon apostles and their prophet are, walking and talking contradictions of the truth about genuine Mormon theology. The ones who are alive today, running the Mormon Church, fully believe in the right of Mormon prophets to produce ex cathedra changes to Mormon doctrine and theology without the approval of the rank-and-file Mormon vote (in accordance with D&C 68: 3-4; but even if they did vote and over half of the Mormon membership objected to the changes, the changes would be effected anyway, because the Mormon Church remains a dictatorial theocracy. A good example of this were the changes in the Mormon temple rite, which occurred in the 1990s. These changes to essential theological doctrine of the endowment, considered unchangeable by the Mormon Church just ten years before the changes were made, were unannounced and were effected without a vote of the church membership.
I don’t recall a James Martineau, in my associations with Mormon elders during my 30 active years in Mormonism, but I can assure the readers of this commentary that Martineau is just another Mormon apologist attempting to deceive Christians into believing that Mormonism is Christian.