The other day I came upon an article on ldsliving.org titled “How the Gospel Is Like a Real-Life Fairy Tale”. It’s funny they think of the Mormon gospel as a fairytale, I always thought of it as science fiction drama. I can see the introduction going something like “In a galaxy far, far away on a planet next to the star Kolob…………” (Book of Abraham 3:2-3)
Seriously friends, they’re comparing the gospel to a fairytale? It’s unbelievable, but after the initial shock and bemusement I felt after reading the title, and knowing the gospel of Mormonism as I do, I can see how it would be hard for them to tell the difference.
The author of the article asks (paraphrasing) – ‘why are people drawn to tales of princesses and princes, that include evil villains, and a daring rescue?’ She answers her own question by suggesting the reason people seem to enjoy these types of stories is because the pattern in them is real, and is happening to us now.
The Mormon fairytale begins a long time ago, in what’s called the preexistence where all of us, including Jesus and Satan lived together as spirit children of Heavenly Father and (one or more of his wives, also known as Heavenly Mother). We started off as royalty there, as President Dieter F. Uchtdorf states-
“You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your ‘once upon a time’ is now” (Ensign, May 2010).
Doctrine and Covenants 76:92 tells us that Mormons believe God sits on his throne, making him a king, thereby making all of us, his spirit children, royalty as well.
“And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever”
The villain in the Mormon fairytale is Satan, the one who tries to lead us away from the (Mormon) gospel, who tempts us, and desires for us to follow him. Then of course, there’s the hero of the Mormon tale, Jesus, their elder spirit brother. They believe he may be inclined to save them if, as the 3rd Article of Faith states, they would obey the laws and ordinances of Mormonism.
“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” (3rd Article of Faith)
Sadly, Mormons have no idea what the gospel is truly all about. The gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t something you should take so lightly to the point of comparing it to child’s bedtime story. If I could talk to Mormons face to face, this is what I’d like to help them understand about the true, biblical gospel of Jesus Christ:
The word ‘gospel’ means good news. Jesus came to die upon a cross, so that we could have forgiveness of our sins, and enjoy the blessing of eternal life with Him.
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.
All of us have broken God’s law and sinned against Him, none of us are good (Rom 3:10). We needed a Savior to rescue us from the bondage of our sins, and the consequences of our disobedience. God loved us enough to allow His Son, Jesus Christ, to be a sacrifice for our sins, thereby creating a new covenant with all those who repent and accept Him as their Savior.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The true gospel is Jesus Christ can’t be compared to a fairytale, it’s much deeper, richer and life affirming, than any story ever written. We don’t have to try to clean ourselves up before coming to Him, nor do we have to do something to continue to have His presence in our lives.
Jesus paid the price of our sins so we wouldn’t have to, He paid it all! He didn’t create a religion that we must covert to, to have eternal life. He doesn’t want converts to a religion, He wants people who desire to be reborn in Him. People who desire a relationship with Him, and not a religion.
I pray Mormons will study the gospel of Jesus Christ and to see it as it is, and not a fictional fairytale. The gospel is real, we just need to decide if we’re going to allow it to be an active part of our lives, or ignore it.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes
Reference:
Reblogged this on Compendium of Christian Blogs and commented:
Shocking that LDS makes this comparison. Very well-written article!
I searched ldsliving.org and ldsliving.com but was not able to find any article with the title mentioned above.
If you click on LDSLiving.org under “references” it takes you right to the article James, but I posted a link below that will get you to where you want to go.
http://www.ldsliving.com/How-the-Gospel-Is-Like-a-Real-Life-Fairy-Tale/s/81241
The Ancient Christian church testified to the scriptural truth in the Bible. An example was in the 4th century AD. (I quote from the Appendix to the book noted at the end.)
It’s interesting to note that the Ancient Christians had a deep understanding of the two natures of Christ. Unlike the false doctrine of the LDS, early Christians rooted their faith in the Bible. They did not take Gospel lightly and testified to this.
If you are serious about the Gospel and want to know how the early Christians felt, you can research this.
Sue
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“From Scripture and the orthodox Ancient Church that show what Scripture and the Early Church taught about the person of Christ and the Divine Majesty of His human nature, who is exalted to God’s omnipotent right hand…
“The Council of Ephesus
Canon 4: If anyone divides the words of Scripture that speak about the two persons, or hypostases, of Christ and apply some of them to Him as a man in such a way that the Word is separated from God, or without the Word of the Father, or takes other statements from Scripture and says they apply only to Him as God, that is the Word from God the Father, let him be accursed.
Canon 5: If anyone dares to say that the man Christ is the Bearer of God, and instead of saying that He is God, truly the Son of God by nature, the “Word made flesh,” who was made a partaker of flesh and blood precisely like us, let him be accursed.
Canon 6: If anyone does not confess that Christ is, at the same time, God and man, because, according to the Scriptures, the Word was made flesh, let him be accursed.
Canon 12: If anyone does not confess that the Word of God suffered in the flesh, was crucified in the flesh, and tasted death in the flesh, becoming the firstborn from the dead, although as God He is life and gives life, let him be accursed. (Denzinger, 255– 57, 263)”
Paul Timothy McCain. Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions: Second Edition (Kindle Locations 13041-13043). Concordia Publishing House. Kindle Edition.