Jesus taught that "the way" was narrow and that we should not assume that all who call Jesus "Lord" are really Christians (Matt. 5:20; 7:13-23).
Over the past year I have received a lot of letters regarding an article I wrote on this site about the Mormon godhead. Click here to read it. I don't want to appear to be just name calling, judgmental, making false accusations. or even an Anti-Mormon. That is why I use primary source material, Mormonism's own writings. If it shocks you as a Mormon, perhaps then you should leave the Mormon church and find a good Bible believing Christian church. It cannot possibly offend you as a Mormon, though it is sickening to me and any other Christian who may read this article. Everything I have quoted is from your own leaders mouths and pens, and is recognized as doctrine for your faithful. Though your leaders prefer not to discuss this to outsiders much. It is as accurate as I can research from all the material that is available to me, and discussions with Mormons. It pains me to write some of the stuff and clarify what Mormonism teaches about my Lord and Savior. I love Jesus and what he has done for me and my wife and my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I don't like what is written by Mormon authorities, and I feel spiritually defiled when I type in some of their quotes. But the truth of their beliefs must be exposed to stop more people being led into following a false christ, one that cannot save. 14/11/99 I have been recieving a lot of mail from Mormons who say the quotes here are all lies, rehashes of antimormon propaganda etc. Well please check out the sources, they are all listed. Mormon 'Prophets' actually taught and teach the heresies listed on this page. Calling me a liar before examining the truth is a sin, baring a false witness. Don't be so ready to condem and deny, check first. In this article I am answering a specific question which has been asked of me by a number of Mormons:
Why don't you call Mormons Christians, they believe in Jesus. Why his name is even in the name of their church "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints".
To answer this question, one needs to dig deep in Mormon writings. You see the Jesus of the Book of Mormon appears to be the same one of the Bible, even saying the same things. Carefully wording their phraseology, Mormon missionaries will try to convince you they believe in the same Jesus of the Bible. They will use the same terminology as Christians to say they believe He is eternal, He is God, He is part of the Trinity and so on. But it just takes a glance at their other scriptures to see the Jesus of Mormonism is indeed a very different Christ. The Mormon Jesus is a false Christ , a very different Christ that cannot save. I have this chart here to help the reader see and clearly understand why the Mormon Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible. Please do not forget to read the conclusions at the bottom. You will understand why these are about the only statements I agree with them on, by Elder Bernard P. Brockbank of the first Quorum of Seventy:
"It is true that many of the Christian churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshiped by the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For example from the Church of England’s Articles of Religion, article one, I quote: ‘There is but one living God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions.’ We cannot obtain salvation and eternal life by worshiping fake christs…. The belief that God has no body parts, and passions is not a doctrine of Jesus Christ or a doctrine of the holy scriptures but is a doctrine of men, and to worship such a God is in vain" ("The Living Christ," Ensign, May, 1977, pp. 26–7).
And more recently:
"In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ.' 'No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak.'" (LDS Church News, week ending June 20, 1998, p.7)
Mormon theologian Bruce R.McConkie accuses Christians of Prostrating and abasing "themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ" (Mormon Doctrine, pg.269).
Well there you have it, from the horses mouth so to speak. Yes, the Mormon church do indeed have a very different Christ, and the purpose of this article is to find out what type of Jesus the Mormon church do have. How different from the orthodox Christian concept of Christ, based entirely on the Bible is the Mormon Jesus?. Let us investigate. But first some quotes to encourage any Mormon readers of this article.
"Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it and see if it will stand the test" (Brigham Young, May 18, 1873, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16, page 46.)"If a faith will not bear to be investigated, if its preachers and professors are afraid to have it examined, the foundation must be very weak". (Mormon George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses, XIV, Liverpool: Albert Carrington, 1872, p. 216.)
The foundation of the Christian faith is Jesus. No other foundation can be laid. "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1Corinthians 3:11)
The Jesus of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) is indeed a very different foundation. Look at this chart and compare.
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Let us examine these claims in more detail first:
The Mormon doctrines of Jesus Christ require much definition, because Mormons make the claim their Jesus is God, the Savior and always was eternal. But this is a deliberate smokescreen which the father of all lies (the devil) has thrown up to separate them from understanding Biblical salvation. So when discussing with Mormons, make sure you define the terminology, because it sounds Christian, but is really pagan. President Gordon B.Hinkley in his speech quoted above about his Jesus being not the same as the Christian Jesus went on so far as to say:
"Am I Christian?. Of course I am. I believe in Christ. I talk of Christ. I pray through Christ. I’m trying to follow Him and live His gospel in my life" (LDS Church News, week ending June 20, 1998, p.7)
It sounds so 'Christian' doesn't it. but when we examine what he really means, it sounds very different. Mormon terminology needs to be defined to avoid confusion. Also according to Mormon doctrine, and in their organizational structure, an Apostle of the Mormon Church has the same authority as any Apostle of the Bible (see, e.g.. D&C 18:9; 1:38). Thus, when the Mormon Apostles speak - it is just as if the Apostle Paul or the Apostle John (of the Bible) have spoken. So there may be parts of their four books of Scriptures which contradict these statements. But it appears that the Mormons believe what the Mormon Apostles say first, above all else.
The Beginning:
Let us start with eternity, the beginning. Here is how they believe their Jesus is eternal. I will attempt to clarify each difficult quote as best as I can. Mormon theologian Bruce McConkie says:
Spirit entities as such, in their organized form as the offspring of Deity, have not existed as long as God has, for he is their Father, and he begat them as spirits. Thus, there are two principals:1) That "man was also in the beginning with God," meaning that the spirits of men were created, begotten and organized, they came into being as spirits at the time of their spirit birth; and
2) That "intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be" (Doctrine & covenants, 93:29), meaning that spirit element, "the intelligence of spirits, 'the substance from which they were created as entities, has always existed and is as eternal as God himself.' " (Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R.McConkie Pg.77)
This helps us to understand where Mormons believe life and everything come from. You see they don't believe in the Biblical account of how God could create something out of nothing (ex nihilo). Brigham Young taught:
"God never made something out of nothing; it is not in the economy or law by which the worlds were, are, or will exist." ( May 14, 1871 Journal of Discourses 14:116)
Joseph Smith the founder of the Mormons taught,
"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. 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 reorganized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pgs. 350–2).
And:
"The organization of the spiritual and heavenly worlds, and of spiritual and heavenly beings, was agreeable to the most perfect order and harmony: their limits and bounds were fixed irrevocably, and voluntarily subscribed to in their heavenly estate by themselves" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 325).
So their idea is that there was (and still is) at first a formless, nebulous kind of 'eternal intelligence',as well as other gods. Brigham Young second Mormon president said:
"How many Gods there are, I do not know, But there never was a time when there were not Gods and worlds, and when men were not passing through the same ordeals that we are passing through. That course has been from all eternity, and it is and will be so to all eternity" (Journal of Discourses 7:333)
Mormons believe at some point some undefined god mystically remolds through sexual intercourse with one of his god-wives the 'eternal intelligence' into a spirit baby. Joseph Smith founder of Mormonism said:
I might with boldness proclaim from the housetops that God never had the power to create the spirit of man at all, God himself could not create himself" (Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 354)
This intelligence now molded into a spirit baby then goes through a period of probation, schooling and progression. However they do in this period determines how they will live when they are born on earth (or whatever planet they will be born on). Then if they are good Mormons they will achieve god hood, on the celestial plane, the highest of the three Mormon heavens. This means they become a god with their own planet and wives to populate their own planet though sexual intercourse, and it goes on eternally in this cycle. Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt explains:
"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" (The Seer, p. 37)
This isn't just on old doctrine that isn't believed anymore. This was quoted as recently as 1996:
"Knowing what we know concerning God our Father -- that he is a personal being; that he has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as our own; that he is an exalted and glorified being; that he was once a man and dwelt on an earth - and knowing that this knowledge was had by many of the ancients, should we be surprised to find legends and myths throughout the cultures of the earth concerning gods who have divine power but human attributes and passions?" Robert L. Millet Ensign magazine, July 1996, pg. 53
The answer of many is "Yes, but it's better known as paganism or Baalism!". Further, according to the Sixth Mormon president Joseph Fielding Smith,
"We are not the only people that the Lord has created. We have brothers and sisters on other earths. They look like us because they, too, are the children of God and were created in his image, for they are also his offspring" (Doctrines of Salvation 1:62).
How does this apply to the Mormon Jesus? you might ask. Well we just have to set the scene first, otherwise confusion abounds. It is all relevant, be patient and just read on!. According to Mormonism, Jesus was just like all the other spirit offspring. He was part of the formless 'eternal intelligence', just as we were supposedly too. He got a spirit body through God (Elohim) having sex with one of his wives. In an article in the 'The Seer' (a Mormon publication) by the Mormon author Orson Pratt
"We have now clearly shown that God, the Father had a plurality of wives, one or more being in eternity, by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His First Born... We have also proved most clearly that the Son followed the example of his Father, and became the great Bridegroom to whom kings' daughters and many honorable Wives to be married. (The Seer p.172)
The bit about the bridegroom we can discuss later in this study. LeGrand Richards a modern day Mormon Apostle is quoted in the Mormon monthly magazine Ensign of July 1973 p.79
In the 143rd General Conference, Apostle LeGrand Richards recounted an incident which had occurred earlier in his career. After speaking to a group of ministers from other churches, one of them raised a question. "He said, `We have heard it said that you believe that God has a wife. Would you explain that to us?' I think he thought he had me in trouble, and so I rather facetiously said, `I don't see how in the world he could have a son without a wife, do you?'" (Ensign, July 1973, p. 79).
Even God {Elohim} was at one stage a man born through sexual relations of his heavenly father and mother, then through fleshly sexual relations of his fleshly mother and father too. Mormon Apostle James Talmage wrote:
"We believe in a God who is Himself progressive, whose majesty is intelligence; whose perfection consists in eternal advancement -- a Being who has attained His exalted state by a path which now His children are permitted to follow, whose glory it is their heritage to share" (The Articles of Faith, p. 430).
Based on this belief it was fifth LDS President Lorenzo Snow who coined the expression, "As man is God once was, as God is, man may be" (Articles of Faith, pg. 430). In the words of Mormon Apostle Orson Hyde,:
"God our Heavenly Father was perhaps once a child, and mortal like we are, 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" (Journal of Discourses 1:123)
And again:
"Mormonism teaches that God was once just like ourselves; that the eternal part of Him was enshrined in mortal flesh, subject to mortal ills and earthly pains and toils. I do not now refer to the experience of the Savior in the meridian of time. I mean that in the far away aeons of the past God once dwelt upon an earth like this, and that through its trials and vicissitudes and the experience they afforded He became a more intelligent being than before, ascending finally by obedience to certain principles, ennobling and exalting in their nature, to the plane which He now occupies. These truths, forming the ladder up which He climbed to celestial heights, up which we too are expected to climb from earth to heaven, from mortality to immortality, from a world where grief and sorrow reign, to a better and brighter sphere where sorrow and suffering are unknown--these truths are self-existent and eternal." Orson F. Whitney, May 6, 1892 Collected Discourses, Vol.3
Bruce McConkie wrote further:
"The Father is a glorified, perfected resurrected, exalted man who worked out his own salvation by obedience to the same laws he has given to us so that we may do the same" (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pg. 64).
The founder of Mormonism Joseph Smith taught,
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man … I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute the idea.… What did Jesus do? Why; I do the things I saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into existence. My Father worked out his kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my Father.… He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted myself" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345–48)
Think this through. God the Father lived as a normal sinful man (how else could he have overcome?), had to get saved by 'working out his salvation' and then died (if he didn't, then how was he resurrected?). Mind blowing!. Don't be fooled when a Mormon says they believe God is Eternal. Remember Mormonism redefines many Christian terms to make them sound Christian. Here's what they really mean as defined by Bruce R.McConkie:
"One of the names of God is Eternal; to Enoch the Lord said, 'Eternal is my name' (Moses 7:35, Book of Mormon), using this designation as a noun and not as an adjective. "The Lord uses his name Eternal to teach with specific accurateness certain great principles of revealed truth. Thus the kind of life he lives, (which, of course, is God's life) is called eternal life (meaning exaltation); and the kind of punishment which is dealt out to transgressors by him is called eternal punishment, a name having reference to the type and not duration of the penalty imposed" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 233).
Finally just to add weight and clarify I will quote from a book that is given to new converts 'Gospel Principals'. It says on page 6:
"Our Father In Heaven, God is a glorified and perfected man, a personage of flesh and bones"
So without going on and on, we have established that God the Father, according to Mormonism, is nothing more than a glorified man, with one of his names 'eternal', and who has flesh and bones, and many god-wives. How different this Mormon revelation is from the God of the Bible that Jesus revealed to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:24
Orson Pratt another leading Mormon wrote in 'The Seer' p.158 about the spiritual and physical birth of Jesus:
"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: we use the term lawful Wife, because it would be blasphemous in the highest degree to say that He overshadowed her or begat the Savior unlawfully,"
So here we have Jesus not being a conceived by the Holy Spirit, but a glorified man of flesh and bones, not even born of a virgin either. To make matters worse, remember Mary was supposed to be an offspring of this same polygamous 'glorified man-god'. So she had sex with her heavenly father, and got married to him, as well as marrying Joseph, making Jesus' mother a bigamist and not a virgin, and his father incestuous. Is this Christian or Pagan? This doctrine is not just something one person thought up, but is repeated throughout Mormonism's theology. See here also:
"[Christmas] points attention to the fact that the Great Almighty, an Exalted, Glorified, Perfected, and Resurrected God, joined with a mortal woman and bore a Son, in the language of the angel Nephi, 'after the manner of the flesh.'" Mark McConkie, The Mormon Trail, 12/1/87
Well there's a different way of looking at Christmas!. Note the date, 1987, not some old now defunct doctrine. Further this belief goes throughout Mormonism:
"Implicit in the Christian verity that all men are the spirit children of the Eternal Father is the usually unspoken truth that they are also the offspring of an Eternal Mother. An exalted and glorified Man of Holiness could not be a Father unless a Woman of like glory, perfection, and holiness was associated with him as a Mother. It is the begetting of children that makes a man a father and a woman a mother whether we are dealing with man in his mortal or immortal state. This doctrine that there is a Mother in Heaven was affirmed in plainness by the First Presidency. . . they said that 'man, as a spirit was begotten and born of heavenly parents. . ." (Mormon Doctrine. Bruce R.McConkie, pg. 516).
The previous (late) prophet of the LDS Church, Ezra Taft Benson proclaimed,
"I testify that Christ was born into mortality with Mary as His mother and our Heavenly Father as His Father" (Ensign, Nov. 1988, p. 86).
Mormon President Heber J. Grant, said
"We believe absolutely that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, begotten of God, the first-born in the spirit and the only begotten in the flesh; that He is the Son of God just as much as you and I are the sons of our fathers (Millennial Star, p. 2)
Notice well the words " begotten in the flesh ", not conceived by the Holy Spirit. Brigham Young the second President of the Mormon church taught:
"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" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 50).
In direct violation of what the Bible says at Matthew 1:20, Brigham Young says "He was NOT begotten by the Holy Ghost" The Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt taught,
"…It was the personage of the Father who begat the body of Jesus; and for this reason Jesus is called 'the Only Begotten of the Father;' that is, the only one in this world whose fleshly body was begotten by the Father.… 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.…God having created all men and women, had the most perfect right to do with His own creation, according to His holy will and pleasure: 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. It was also lawful in Him, after having thus dealt with Mary, to give her to Joseph her espoused husband. Whether God the Father gave Mary to Joseph for time only, or for time and eternity, we are not informed. Inasmuch as God was the first husband to her, it may be that He only gave her to be the wife of Joseph while in this mortal state, and that He intended after the resurrection to again take her as one of His own wives to raise up immortal spirits in eternity" (The Seer, p. 158).
Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie wrote some wonderful 'double-talk' which seems to allow flesh and blood deities to have sex with virgins, and not affect their virginity (bear in mind that the Mormon belief is God {Elohim}has a body of flesh and bones like a normal person).
"For our present purposes, suffice it to say that our Lord was born of a virgin, which is fitting and proper, and also natural, since the Father of the Child was an immortal Being ... He is the Son of God in the same sense and way that we are the sons of mortal fathers. It is just that simple" (The Promised Messiah, pp. 466, 468)
To simplify the terms the Apostle Bruce R. McConkie repeats himself and explains:
"And Christ was born into the world as the literal Son of this Holy Being; he was born in the same personal, real, and literal sense that any mortal son is born to a mortal father. There is nothing figurative about his paternity; he was begotten, conceived and born in the normal and natural course of events, for he is the Son of God, and that designation means what it says" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 742).
To summarize, Jesus was an eternal intelligence, as are everyone ever born. Then he was spiritually born first by sexual procreation of a glorified man and one of his wives. Then born on earth by this same flesh and bones glorified figure having sex with his mother, Mary. If this isn't the basest form of blasphemous heresy, then tell me what isn't?. Mormons seem to believe that god having sex with human women doesn't make them lose their virginity!. Even though the Mormon god has flesh and bones and is a glorified man!. The Bible specifically claims again and again that Mary, a Virgin conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20 & 21 specifically says:
(NB: Notice verse 21 says He will save His people from their sins and not just Adam's 'transgression' as the Mormons claim.) So Mormonism's Jesus differs greatly from the Jesus of the Bible even before He is born!. But if you thought that was heretical, read on.
We too were supposedly with him in a preexistent state. According to Mormonism we dwelt on a planet near the star kolob in a previous spiritual existence as brothers and sisters of Jesus. Sixth LDS President Joseph F. Smith stated:
"Among the spirit children of Elohim, the first-born was and is Jehovah, or Jesus Christ, to whom all others are juniors" (Gospel Doctrine, p.70)
So He is Jehovah, the eldest son of Elohim, first born son among many billions of spirit children.
"Jesus Christ is not the Father of the spirits who have taken or yet shall take bodies upon this earth, for He is one of them. He is The Son, as they are sons and daughters of Elohim." (Vol.4, Appendix 4)
Spencer W. Kimball, twelfth LDS prophet testifies:
"I testify that we are the spirit offspring of a loving God, our Heavenly Father" (Ensign, Nov. 1988, p. 86)
So Jesus is the eldest of Elohim's millions of children. But he's special because he excelled in all that he did in his previous spirit life. The Mormon theologian McConkie said:
"He is the Firstborn of the Father. By obedience and devotion to the truth he attained that pinnacle of intelligence which ranked him as a God, as the Lord Omnipotent, while yet in his preexistent state" (Mormon Doctrine, 1966, pg. 129)
So he is as such a god, or God, as Mormons claim. This pauses another problem for Mormons as it clearly states in Doctrine & Covenants Book of Abraham 3:25 that having a body of flesh and bones is a prerequisite to obtaining exaltation (god hood), and the Mormon Jesus was a god before he came to earth to take on flesh and bones!. Jesus for Mormons is just one god among many. Even the Trinity is broken up by the founder Joseph Smith:
"I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods" ( Smith, Joseph F. The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith P.370 )
He has brothers and sisters, (that's us!), who shall become gods if we are good Mormons!. Joseph Smith taught,
"… You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you … " (Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 348)
As if to prove this point the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 2. even says He is the brother of the Holy Ghost.
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the Holy Ghost is a spirit man, a spirit son of God the Father."
He is even the brother of Lucifer, the devil according to Mormon beliefs (see Journal of Discourses, Volume 13, page 282 & Milton R. Hunter. The Gospel Through the Ages. p. 15 ). Twelfth President Spencer W. Kimball wrote:
"Long before you were born a program was developed by your creators ... The principal personalities in this great drama were a Father Elohim, perfect in wisdom, judgment, and person, and two sons, Lucifer and Jehovah." (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 32-33).
These spirit offspring (that's us!) lived on a planet near the star Kolob (Book of Abraham). One day the council of gods came together to discuss putting the Earth together, and decide how they could make their spirit children earn their salvation. Because this life is somewhat of a trial where we must overcome sin (and participate in many clandestine Mormon ceremonies) in order to become gods. Therefore we needed Jesus, our big brother to be an example. Second LDS President Brigham Young made this clear when he said:
"Sin is upon every earth that ever was created, and if it was not so, I would like some philosophers to let us know how people can be exalted to become sons of God, and enjoy a fullness of glory with the Redeemer. Consequently every earth has its redeemer, and every earth has its tempter; and every earth, and the people thereof, in their turn and time, receive all that we receive, and pass through all the ordeals that we are passing through" (Journal of Discourses 14:71-72).
Lucifer and Jehovah (Mormon Jesus) both came forward with their plans to Elohim. Lucifer's plan was rejected and Jehovah's (Jesus') accepted. Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of the Seventy wrote about this:
"The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. Haughty, ambitious, and covetous of power and glory, this spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind" (Gospel Through The Ages, p. 15).
The Incarnation
So the Mormon Jesus was born through God having sex with Mary, and He grew up as all children do to become a fine adult. He worked out his salvation as good Mormons do the usual way. One of the laws governing salvation in Mormonism is the necessity of marriage. So he had a nice polygamous wedding at Cana (what you didn't know he was married and believed the Bible where he is said to be also an invited guest{John 2:2?!}). Mormon Apostle Orson Hyde said:
"It will be borne in mind that once on a time, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and on a careful reading of that transaction, it will be discovered that no less a person than Jesus Christ was married on that occasion. If he was never married, his intimacy with Mary and Martha, and the other Mary also whom Jesus loved, must have been highly unbecoming and improper to say the best of it." (Journal of Discourses, Vol.4, p.259).
Brigham Young taught:
"No man can be perfect without the woman, so no woman can be perfect without a man to lead her. I tell you the truth as it is in the bosom of eternity. If he wishes to be saved, he cannot be saved without a woman by his side" (as quoted by Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 215). {See also Improvement Era, Vol. 2 1, Dec. 1917, pp. 105-106, as well as Joseph F. Smith. Gospel Doctrine, p. 272.}
He also taught that Jesus had children:
"This same truth is borne out by the Savior. Said he, when talking to his disciples:`He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;' and, `I and my Father are one.' The Scripture says that He, the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with His train; I do not know who they were, unless His wives and children" (Journal of Discourses Vol.13 P.309)
and so did Jedediah M. Grant, October 6, 1854
"Gentlemen, that is as plain as the translators, or different councils over this Scripture, are allow it to go to the world, but the thing is there; it is told; Jesus was the bridegroom at the marriage of Cana of Galilee, and he told them what to do... Now there was actually a marriage; and if Jesus was not the bridegroom on that occasion, please tell who was. If any man can show this, and prove that it was not the Savior of the world, then I will acknowledge I am in error. We say it was Jesus Christ who was married, to be brought into the relation whereby he could see his seed, before he was crucified." (Journal of Discourses 2:82)
Anyone claiming to be an actual physical descendant of this Mormon Jesus?. Jewish folks thought it very very important to keep genealogies, so maybe they could let us know who his kids were, and if he has any actual descendants?! I'm sure TV chat shows would be very interested in interviewing you!. Mormon Apostle Orson Hyde further went on to say in the Journal of Discourses 2:210, March 18, 1855
"I discover that some of the Eastern papers represent me as a great blasphemer, because I said, in my lecture on Marriage, at our last Conference, that Jesus Christ was married at Cana of Galilee, that Mary, Martha, and others were his wives, and that he begat children. All that I have to say in reply to that charge is this — they worship a Savior that is too pure and holy to fulfill the commands of his Father. I worship one that is just pure and holy enough 'to fulfill all righteousness;" not only the righteous law of baptism, but the still more righteous and important law "to multiply and replenish the earth.' Startle not at this! for even the Father himself honored that law by coming down to Mary, without a natural body, and begetting a son; and if Jesus begat children, he only 'did that which he had seen his Father do.'"
When Mormon leader Joseph Fielding Smith was asked if this meant that Christ had children, Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
"Yes! But do not preach it! The Lord advised us not to cast pearls before swine!" (Letter to J. Ricks Smith, dated March 17, 1963)
In his book The Seer, Orson Pratt says on page 172
"We have now clearly shown that God, the Father had a plurality of wives, one or more being in eternity, by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His First Born... We have also proved most clearly that the Son followed the example of his Father, and became the great Bridegroom to whom kings' daughters and many honorable Wives to be married."
In his journal, which many Mormons were happy to keep in the Mormon church for posterity, Wilford Woodruff comments on a speech by Joseph F Smith, an early leader of the Mormons.
"Evening Meeting. Prayer By E Stephenson. Joseph F Smith spoke One hour & 25 M. He spoke upon the Marriage in Cana at Galilee. He thought Jesus was the Bridegroom and Mary & Martha the brides. He also referred to Luke 10 ch. 38 to 42 verse, Also John 11 ch. 2 & 5 vers John 12 Ch 3rd vers, John 20 8 to 18. Joseph Smith spoke upon these passages to show that Mary & Martha manifested much Closer relationship than Merely A Believer which looks Consistent. He did not think that Jesus who descended through Polygamous families from Abraham down & who fulfilled all the Law even baptism by immersion would have lived and died without being married." 8:187, July 22, 1883
So the Mormon Jesus was married three times on earth at the same time, and has many wives on his planet, and had earthly children. This was to fulfill the Mormon's beliefs that a man cannot be exalted (reach the third and highest heaven) unless he is married and sealed in a temple to his wife (or wives) for 'time and eternity'. So Jesus fulfilled the laws of the Mormon church by being baptized, and married polygamously.
Why did he come?. According to the Bible, He came to do the will of the Father: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38). How different this is from the Book of Mormon Jesus who came to do his own will , and the fathers:
Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfill all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son--of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given. (3 Nephi 1:14)
Why did this Mormon Jesus need to do his own will?. Maybe this next quote will clear it up, you see, the Mormon Jesus that came needed to be saved too!. According to Bruce McConkie:
"Jesus kept the commandments of his Father and thereby worked out his own salvation, and also set an example as to the way and the means whereby all men may be saved" (The Mortal Messiah, Vol.4, p.434).
Why would Jesus need salvation from sin?, he never sinned (well the one in the Bible, the Jesus of Christianity didn't). But Mormonism believes he did, and that it was necessary to have wives at his side in order to be saved. Truly Mormons have another Jesus, one who cannot save them.
In the Gospel of John chapter 6 from verse 53 to 66 an amazing thing happens. Many disciples leave Jesus because they cannot understand what He is saying. Joseph Smith capitalizes on this with his statement putting himself above Jesus:
I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet" (History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 408-409)
Such humility, and so glorifying to Jesus Christ too!. It was shortly after making this boast that Joseph Smith was killed in a gun battle after he had killed two others with his own gun. It is said of Joseph Smith in the Mormon Scripture Doctrine & Covenants 135:3
"Joseph Smith the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of man in this world than any other man who lived in it."
But back to Jesus now, maybe another time I will compile an article on the true history and false prophecies of Joseph Smith which Mormon leaders have attempted to suppress and hide.
Jesus did many wondrous things in His 3 year ministry. These signs or miracles were to point His followers to the fact that He was God incarnate. But the greatest miracle of all still takes place today, that is the forgiveness of sins. Jesus made this possible through taking the sins of all mankind on himself and paying the price for man's sin by His sacrificial death on the cross. This is called the Atonement by Christians. To all of those who repent of their sins and accept by faith what Jesus has done for them, their sins are forgiven. In putting or committing their lives to the Lord believers are born again, and have the perfect assurance of eternal life.
But the Jesus of the Mormons cannot save. He wasn't even God when He died according to Mormon president Joseph F. Smith:
The Savior did not have a fullness [of deity] at first, but after he received his body and the resurrection all power was given unto him both in heaven and on earth Although he was a God, even the Son of God, with power and authority to create this earth and other earths, yet there were some things lacking in which he did not receive until after his resurrection. In other words, he had not received the fullness until he got a resurrected body. (Doctrines of the Gospel: Student Manual . Texts for Religion 1986 pp.231-232)
Like all cults they reject Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on the cross for their sins, and instead try to work out their own salvation, which is in complete contradiction to the Scriptures. Salvation to a Mormon means resurrection after death, that's all!. It says in the Book of Mormon:
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 2 Nephi 25:23
In an official periodical of the LDS Church, Joseph Fielding Smith, tenth prophet, said:
"Our Eternal Father would have every soul saved if that were feasible. Salvation, however, is based on merit and obedience to divine law and therefore is only obtained through compliance with divine commandments" (Improvement Era Nov. 1965, p. 962).
And yet the Bible clearly states at Ephesians 2:8-9:
The Mormon church believes that their Jesus only made immortality possible through his sacrifice. They differentiate between immortality and eternal life. Immortality was achieved for all by their Jesus' sacrifice paying the price for Adam's transgression.
"Immortality connotes life without end. Eternal life, on the other hand, connotes quality of life — exaltation, the highest type of immortality, the kind of life enjoyed by God himself. It is in the attainment of eternal life, which man must earn in mortality, that he reaches his full potentiality" (Marion G. Romney, of the First Presidency, at General Conference, October 1978, Ensign, November, 1978, p. 14)"Man's immortality and eternal life are God's goals. (Moses 1:39.) Immortality has been accomplished by the Savior's sacrifice. Eternal life hangs in the balance awaiting the works of men. This progress toward eternal life is a matter of achieving perfection. Living all the commandments guarantees total forgiveness of sins and assures one of exaltation through that perfection which comes by complying with the formula the Lord gave us.… " (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 208–10)
Mormon theologian James E. Talmage wrote:
"We believe that through the sufferings, death and atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind, without one exception, are to be completely and full redeemed [of] Adam's transgression" (Articles of Faith, p. 477)
So like the Jehovah's Witnesses (another heretical cult), they believe that Jesus sacrifice was just the start of a process, which they must continue with, even after they die!. They have no assurance of salvation this side of the grave unlike Biblical Christians who has that blessed assurance. The cross is central to Biblical Christianity, and without it there is no salvation. on the other hand, Mormons reject the cross and avoid it like Jehovah's Witnesses and Vampires!. Bruce R.McConkie said:
"Our Lord's sufferings -- the pain, torture, crown of thorns, scourging, and final crucifixion -- which he endured between the night of the Last Supper and his death on the cross are collectively spoken of as the Passion of Christ. The sectarian world falsely suppose that the climax of his torture and suffering was on the cross — a view which they keep ever before them by the constant use of the cross as a religious symbol. The fact is that intense and severe as the suffering was on the cross, yet the great pains were endured in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was there that he trembled because of pain, bled at every pore, and suffered both in body and in spirit, and would that he 'might not drink the bitter cup.' It was there he underwent his greatest suffering for men, taking upon himself, as he did, their sins on conditions of repentance" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 555)
Yes, Mormons actually believe that Jesus paid the price in the garden of Gethsemane., and not the cross!. I include more quotes to show that this isn't just one man's opinion as some Mormons will claim. In the 'Temple Preparation Seminar Discussion' booklet, which is published by the LDS Church, it states clearly:
"Jesus' greatest suffering in making the atonement for mankind occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane., when he took upon himself our sins, which caused him to bleed at every pore. His suffering at that point was even more intense than when he was put to death on the cross" (p. 18).
Bruce R. McConkie wrote,
"And as he came out of the Garden, delivering himself voluntarily into the hands of wicked men, the victory had been won. There remained yet the shame and the pain of his attest, his trials, and his cross. But all these were overshadowed by the agonies and sufferings in Gethsemane. It was on the cross that he 'suffered death in the flesh,' even as many have suffered agonizing deaths, but it was in Gethsemane. that" he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him." (The Mortal Messiah p.127-8)
Ezra Taft Benson said:
"It was in Gethsemane. that Jesus took on Himself the sins of the world, in Gethsemane. that His pain was equivalent to the cumulative burden of all men, in Gethsemane. that He descended below all things so that all could repent and come to Him" (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pg.15).
Again Bruce R. McConkie said:
"Forgiveness is available because Christ the Lord sweat great drops of blood in Gethsemane. as he bore the incalculable weight of the sins of all who ever had or ever would repent.… The atonement is … written for all to read in the wracked body and the spilt blood of the one perfect man who bowed in agony alone, in a garden outside Jerusalem's walls" (The Promised Messiah, pp. 337–8).
Marion Romney, a member of the LDS First Presidency, stated,
"Jesus then went into the Garden of Gethsemane. There he suffered most. He suffered greatly on the cross, of course, but other men had died by crucifixion; in fact, a man hung on either side of him as he died on the cross. But no man, nor set of men, nor all men put together, ever suffered what the Redeemer suffered in the garden. He went there to pray and suffer'" (Conference Report, October 1953, Pg.35)
So Jesus' death on the cross is made little of, and also so is the Blood of Jesus Christ, which according to the Bible 'cleanses us from ALL sin' 1John 1:7. In the publication 'What the Mormons Think of Christ' on page 22 it reads,
"Christians speak often of the blood of Christ and its cleansing power. Much that is believed and taught on this subject, however, is such utter nonsense and so palpably false that to believe it is to lose one's salvation. Many go so far, for instance, as to pretend, at least, to believe that if we confess Christ with our lips and avow that we accept Him as our personal Savior, we are thereby saved. His blood, without other act than mere belief, they say, makes us clean."
Brigham Young preached:
"There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it; and the judgments of the Almighty will come, sooner or later, and every man and woman will have to atone for breaking their covenants” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 385).
Joseph Fielding Smith said:
"But man may commit certain grievous sins - according to his light and knowledge - that will place him beyond the reach of the atoning blood of Christ. If then he would be saved he must make sacrifice of his own life to atone - so far as in his power lies - for that sin, for the blood of Christ alone under certain circumstances will not avail. Do you believe this doctrine? If not, then I do say you do not believe in the true doctrine of the atonement of Christ!" (Doctrines of Salvation Vol.1, Pg.134)
Some Mormons will claim the 'Blood Atonement' doctrine which caused many to be slaughtered in the early years of Mormon history is now done away with. But in a publication still printed today and is the standard textbook for Mormon Doctrine the late Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie wrote,
"But under certain circumstances there are some serious sins for which the cleansing of Christ does not operate, and the law of God is that men must have their own blood shed to atone for their sins" (Mormon Doctrine, P. 92).
So let it be understood by all who read this that the Mormon church believe that the blood of the worst sinners can pay for their sins, something the pure unblemished blood of Jesus Christ cannot do. Why then does the Bible constantly reminds us of the necessity of the blood of Jesus Christ ?, for instance see these passages in the scriptures: 1Peter 1:18-19 / Hebrews 9:22-28 / Hebrews 9:13-14 / Revelation 12:11 / Ephesians 2:13-16 / Romans 3:23-25 / Romans 5:9 / Hebrews 10:29 / John 6:53-57 / 1John 1:7 (very important scripture).
According to the Book of Mormon at the time of Jesus' death (Crucified in Bethlehem), there were terrible disasters in which thousands perished (3 Nephi 8:6-23; 9:3-10). How different it was to the real death of Christ which brought life not fear and dread.
Jesus Christ in modern times.
To Christians, the fact that they have Jesus, a living savior who mediates on their behalf, before the throne of God in the capacity of a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, is not only a comfort, but also a blessing. Knowing they have the forgiveness of sins and salvation through His blood and His death on the cross is a matter of rejoicing . Jesus saves lives every day, forgives sins every day when the believer truly repents of them.
Pity the poor Mormon who has no assurance of salvation, just a book of laws and his (or her) own efforts to merit salvation. But this is because Joseph Smith believed what he thought was Jesus Christ appearing to him. If in fact his accounts can be believed as there is evidence of at least seven different versions of the incident written in his own hand. Joseph Smith claimed he had seen both God the Father and Jesus Christ. another account has many other 'spirit personages' appearing too, yet another version has an angel!. In the official version the church uses it says
"When he asked these personages which church he should join, he was told to join none of them, "for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight" (Joseph Smith History 1:19)."
Therefore according to the Mormon Jesus, every church that calls itself Christian is an abomination. One might wonder if this Jesus and God the father he saw wasn't just a couple of angels of light which according to the Scriptures, deceive.
So Joseph Smith started the Mormon church,and the rest is history.
Some beliefs of the Mormon church:
According to the Mormon church, there is no salvation outside of it.
There is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Bruce R.McConkie, Mormon Doctrine p. 670)
And from Orson Hyde:
All other churches are entirely destitute of all authority from God; and any person who receives baptism or the Lord's Supper from their hands will highly offend God; for He looks upon them as most corrupt of all people. Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the whore of Babylon." (The Seer, p. 255)
Like every cult they throw in the doctrine that they alone are the true church, ignoring the Biblical fact that is it not which church you go to that saves you, but faith in Jesus Christ. Because if going to a certain church could save you, then the whole life and death of Jesus Christ would have been pointless. Jesus could have just appeared and pointed out which church could save you, then left the rest up to you to make the decision to go or not!. Well it seems like you don't really need Jesus in the Mormon church either, just confess Joseph Smith:
As Brigham Young taught:
"No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p. 289)
And again, a distortion of Romans 10:9-10 from Brigham Young:
"All those who believe in their hearts and confess with their mouths that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet, at the same time trying with their might to live the holy principles Joseph the Prophet has revealed, are in possession of the Holy Spirit of God and are entitled to a fullness." Journal of Discourses, Vol. 9, p.312
So Jesus has been put aside, Joseph Smith is the one who makes the final decision as to who gets in or doesn't!. But don't worry, since the Bible has been dispensed with almost entirely by the Mormon church, according to Bruce R.McConkie:
"Ignorant translators, careless subscribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors--many plain and precious things were deleted, in consequence of which error and falsehood poured into the various churches. One of the greatest heresies of modern Christendom is the unfounded assumption that the bible contains all the inspired teachings now extant among men." (Mormon Doctrine p. 82, 83)
So you don't have to worry about scriptures anymore, especially passages like Hebrews 9:27 which tell us that we die once then face judgment. Instead, we can be saved after death by living Mormons. Baptism for the dead and marriage to dead people ceremonies take place daily in Mormon temples to save dead relatives. So salvation can take place after death in Mormonism, without Jesus. According to BYU Professor Stephen E. Robinson:
"In the LDS view the fullness of the gospel is ultimately necessary to salvation, but not necessarily in this life. I personally have many, many non-LDS friends, some of whom dislike my faith very much, with whom I fully expect to sit down along with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven." How Wide the Divide, pp. 72-73
And Joseph Feilding Smith wrote:
In conformity with this pattern of vicarious service, the gospel law enables worthy members of the Church to act on behalf of their dead ancestors in the performance of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation. Baptism is essential to salvation in the celestial kingdom, endowments and sealings to an exaltation therein. The living saints, acting on a proxy basis, perform these ordinances for and in behalf of those who have died and who did not have an opportunity while in this life to receive the ordinances personally. (D. & C. 128; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, pp. 129-180.)
That just about covers all the research for this article. It is about time now that we looked at what real Biblical Christianity (or Orthodox Christianity, not to be confused with the Orthodox church)
CHRISTIAN
In the light of what you have read above, it's time to look at the true Biblical view of Jesus Christ and Salvation.
1. Jesus Christ is not created, but is eternal, and has always been God. (See Timothy 1: 16: John 1: 1-3; Micah 5:2 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:8; Matt. 1:23). Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary as “Emmanuel”, “God with us.” (See Matt. 1:23 ) Jesus was conceived in the Virgin Mary’s womb when the Holy Spirit came upon her.) See Matt. 1 :20)
2. The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that there is only one True and Living God and apart from Him there are no other Gods (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10,11; 44:6,8; 45:21,22; 46:9; Mk. 12:29-34).
3. The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that God is Spirit (John 4:24; 1Tim. 6:15,16), He is not a man (Num. 23:19; Hosea 11:9; Rom. 1:22, 23), and has always (eternally) existed as God — omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient (Psalm 90:2; 139:7-10; Rev. 19:6; Mal. 3:6)
4. The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that Jesus is the unique Son of God; he has always existed as God, and is co-eternal and coequal with the Father (John 1:1, 14; 10:30; Col. 2:9). While never less than God, at the appointed time He laid aside the glory He shared with the Father (John 17:4,5; Phil. 2:6-11) and was made flesh for our salvation; His incarnation was accomplished through being conceived supernaturally by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-35).
5. The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that the atoning work of Christ is first and foremost a solution for humankind’s sin problem. By taking the personal sins of all people — past, present, and future — in His own body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), Christ, as the spotless Lamb of God, fully met the demands of Divine justice for us, so that all who embrace him in heartfelt faith are forgiven and made righteous before God (2 Cor. 5:21)
6. The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that we are saved by grace alone, apart from our own self-righteous works (Eph. 2:8-9). The moral law (Ten Commandments) was given to make us aware of our total inability to meet the demands of God’s holiness (Rom. 3:20; 5:20; 7:7-8; Gal. 3:19), and the ceremonial law (sacrifices) was given to point to the gracious provision of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29; Heb. 9:11-14; 10:1-14). There is nothing we can do to merit salvation and eternal life because apart from Christ we are spiritually "dead in our sins" (Eph. 2:1,5); a new heart which desires to obey God’s laws is rather the result of salvation. (However, it is certainly true that without the evidence of changed conduct, a person’s testimony of faith in Christ must be questioned; salvation by grace alone through faith, does not mean we can live as we please — Rom. 6:1ff.)
The difference is so great that the two cannot be reconciled by any twisting of words or theological reasoning. The Mormon church has a god, it calls his son Jesus. It is unfortunate that they call Him this, as he bears absolutely no resemblance to the Biblical Jesus Christ. It would be easier if they called him Suc'coth-be'noth (2Kings 17:30) and his father Marduk if they really want Biblical names for their deities (the attributes are exactly the same!).
If you are a Mormon reading this:
Now that you know the truth..... Joh 8:32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Now that you know that the Mormon conception of Jesus is not the true Jesus of the Bible, but a pagan ideology, you must make a decision. Here are the facts of Biblical Christianity:
1. God loves you.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2. All are sinners, even you and I
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, [even] to those who believe in His name
1Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
The Apostle Paul wrote a strong letter to the Corinthian church to warn them because of their pride, arrogance, false prophets and various other sinful things. The letter caused grief and great repentance in the church there. That is true repentance, not "oops! sorry, I've been caught" type Bill Clinton saving your skin repentance. True repentance brings sorrow which leads to salvation. The part I quote below could almost also apply to this article. Like Paul, I didn't like writing it, but it was necessary. If you are a Mormon and have been 'cut to the heart' because of your paganistic beliefs, occult ceremonies, self righteousness and general deception towards outsiders, then you know you have been wrong, and must repent of it.
3. We cannot save ourselves with our good works or abiding by laws or covenants
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Isaiah 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
4. All may be saved now
Romans 10:13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
At this point I would advise you to pray a prayer of faith. You can use your own words, but you must pray believing that God hears you, and pray sincerely. You could pray a simple prayer like this:
5. Assurance as a new believer
John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
1John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life
John 20:31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
You cannot decide to turn to the true and living savior, Jesus Christ, and remain in the Mormon Church. Come away from her and all her abominations. Seek a good Christian church in your area. If you don't know of any, contact me at my e-mail address
© Shaun Aisbitt October - November 1998, Sint Niklaas, Belgium
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