Jesus Will Help You (pages 6-9)
This section begins by saying,
“Jesus Christ is your strength. He has done everything necessary for you to have joy in this life and forever.”
This statement sounds very contradictory to me. If Jesus “has done everything necessary” for them to have joy forever, why do they also encourage the youth to do baptisms for the dead? Having joy for eternity, at least to Christians, is knowing He is the reason we have eternal life and can be in the presence of God. How can you have joy in this life and the next if you believe your salvation is based on what you can do?
This section goes on to say,
“Because God loves you, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself your sins so you can repent and keep progressing.”
“Keep progressing” continues the thought that they must do all they can to achieve godhood. Again, I don’t see how they can say Jesus has done everything and then say they must keep progressing. Of course, we grow and learn all through our lives, but in terms of salvation, the work has already been done. Any good work that comes through us is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Promised Blessings
“Jesus Christ will forgive and heal you as you repent. He will replace your guilt with peace and joy. He will remember your sins no more. In His strength, your desire to keep His commandments will increase.”
I wish they would have offered a biblical explanation of this:
Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
They also said —
“He will change your heart and your life. Little by little, you will grow and become more like Him.”
Yes, Jesus does change your heart and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, grows you to become more like Him. His work of sanctification grows you into the man or woman God created you to be.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
This section goes on to say:
“Your covenant connection with Him will bring you greater access to His power.” (page 8)
I believe the “covenant connection” being referred to here is the covenant Mormons make to their god when they are baptized. As you know, words have meaning, so here is the definition of covenant from Easton’s Bible Dictionary.
Covenant – “A contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means “to cut,” and hence a covenant is a “cutting,” with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant.”
Where is the “cutting” in their baptism? Absolutely, you can make promises to God when you dedicate your life to Him, but that’s not a covenant.
The Greek word for power is dunamis. Strong’s Greek Dictionary #1411. I’m wondering how Mormons access this power. They don’t believe the Holy Spirit resides in them constantly, as Christians do.
1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
1 Corinthians 6:19 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
Question and Answer
On page 8, there is a question-and-answer section. We’d like to offer our biblical rebuttal to their answers.
“How do I know if God has forgiven me?
“God promises He will forgive those who repent. When you feel comfort from the Spirit, you can know that the Savior’s atoning power is working in your life. “
Below is a list of verses that talk about forgiveness:
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
In the Bible, God tells us He remembers our sin no more.
Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
God promises He will forgive those who repent.
Jeremiah 31:34 “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
God throws our sin in the depth of the sea
Micah 7:19 “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”
Also, on page 8 they said –
“When you feel comfort from the Spirit, you can know that the Savior’s atoning power is working in your life.”
Our biblical response –
Proverbs 28:26 “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”
Romans 1:17 “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
There is a biblical response to their comment on feelings.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
When do I need the help of the bishop to repent?
Their answer:
“Your bishop holds priesthood keys and spiritual gifts to help you repent. You can seek his help and counsel at any time. If you have made serious mistakes, such as breaking the law of chastity, meet with your bishop. He won’t condemn you. He is a representative of Jesus Christ and will help you know how to fully repent and receive the Savior’s healing and strengthening power.”
God’s answer:
Never! Jesus is our Great High Priest; He alone holds the priesthood.
Hebrews 4:14-16 “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. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
They go on to say –
“Your bishop holds priesthood keys and spiritual gifts to help you repent. You can seek his help and counsel at any time.”
False. No human being holds this power. Also, it’s the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us, as Paul said:
Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
“If you have made serious mistakes, such as breaking the law of chastity, meet with your bishop. He won’t condemn you. He is a representative of Jesus Christ and will help you know how to fully repent and receive the Savior’s healing and strengthening power.”
As we stated above, never go to the bishop. Christians can go to Jesus, not someone who is a sinful man. As for their “law of chastity” goes, we are no longer under the law. On this side of the cross we are under grace. We know this from God’s word.
Romans 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
I pray that, as we go through the topics in this book, our responses will be a blessing to someone and that they will come to know the real Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes
Resources –
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