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MORMONS
Book of Mormon
and
Doctrine and Covenants
Are They of God?
(This web page
compares Doctrine and Covenants and the Book of Mormon with each other
and with the Bible to see if they are in harmony. It does not represent
my personal views on the Bible. When defending what one believes, he or
she quotes the source of their belief, such as the Bible or Book of Mormon.
So the written word outweighs opinion. What we base our belief on
is the written word. Regardless of what we say we believe, it has
to be in harmony with the written word. And that is all this web
site does: It compares what is written in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine
and Covenants with the Bible. I do not add to what is said; I only quote
it.)
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
8.
BLACK
SKIN IS LOATHSOME
1.
MAN
IS SPIRIT, ANGELS ARE NOT
9.
JESUS
– THE FATHER AND THE SON
2.
GOSPEL
GIVEN THROUGH ANGELS
10.
THE
HOLY SPIRIT BECAME FLESH
3.
JOSEPH
SMITH GREATER THAN JESUS
11.
2ND
COMING WHEN JOSEPH SMITH WOULD BE 85
4.
FULLNESS
OF GOSPEL GIVEN BY JOSEPH SMITH
12.
GODS
ABOVE ALL THINGS
5.
ONE
GOD BUT ALSO MANY GODS
13.
JOSEPH
SMITH HEAD OF THE CHURCH
6.
JESUS
IS THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT
14.
JESUS
IS GOD ALMIGHTY
7.
"LINE
UPON LINE" A BLESSING AND A CURSE
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
(Back
to Top)
D&C 20:8,9,10,11
8 ...the Book of Mormon;
9 Which contains a record
of a fallen people, and the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ
to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;
10 Which was given by inspiration,
and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared
unto the world by them -
11 Proving to the world that
the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and
call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations
of old;
12 Thereby showing that he is
the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
Response: The
Book of Mormon claims to contain the fullness of the gospel. It is to prove
that it, being "the holy scriptures," is true. And by proving that the
BofM (Book of Mormon) is true, it is to prove that God does not change.
If God is the same God as he was yesterday in the Bible, then he is the
same God today in the BofM. Is the teaching of God in the BofM and D&C
consistent with the Bible? Are the BofM and D&C consistent with each
other? Let's find out.
Moses 3:5,7
5 For I, the
Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually,
before
they were naturally upon the face of the earth.
7 And I, the
Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first
flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless,
all
things were before created; but spiritually were they created
and made according to my word.
Response:
According
to D&C, God created "ALL things" spiritually before he
created them naturally.
1 Corinthians
15:46
46 The spiritual
did not come first, but the natural, and after that
the spiritual.
Response:
The
Bible says the spiritual did NOT come first; the natural came first and
THEN the spiritual. But D&C says God created "ALL
things" spiritually BEFORE he created the natural.
Moses 3:7 also
states that the "first flesh upon the earth" was man.
Verse 5 states, "and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither
in the water, neither in the air." So here, "flesh" refers to living
creatures, not just man. According to Moses 3, the first flesh was
man.
Genesis
1:20,24,26
20 And God
said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds
fly above the earth...'"
24 And God
said, 'Let the land produce living creatures according to their
kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild
animals...'"
26 Then God
said, 'Let us make man in our image...'"
Response:
The
LDS book says man was the first flesh created on earth before
any other flesh (including flesh upon the earth, in water and in the air).
But the Bible says animals were created before man. Animals were
created in verses 20 and 24; man was created later in verse 26. So D&C
clearly
contradicts the Bible.
D&C 3:2,3
2 For God doth not...vary
from that which he hath said...
3 Remember, remember that
it
is
not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of
men...
Response:
If God does not vary from what he said, why did he?
1 Nephi
13:40 (1830 first edition of Book of Mormon, pg. 32):
40 These last
records...shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the
Lamb
of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior...
1 Nephi
13:40 (1964 edition of the Book of Mormon):
40 These
last records...shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that
the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the
Savior...
1 Nephi
11:18 (1830 edition of BofM, pg. 85):
18 Behold,
the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after
the manner of the flesh.
1 Nephi
11:18 (new editions)
18 Behold,
the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God,
after the manner of the flesh.
Mosiah 21:28
(1830 edition, pg. 200):
28 king
Benjamin
had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such engravings ...
Mosiah 21:28
(new
editions)
28 king Mosiah
had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such engravings ...
Response:
The
introductin of the BofM in paragraph 6 states: "the Book of Mormon was
the
most correct book on earth." Was that referring to the 1830 edition, or
the new edition that has been corrected and changed? If God does not vary
from what he said, and if the BofM is the most correct book, why were changes
made? In D&C, The Articles of Faith states: "We believe the Bible
to be the word of God
as far as it is translated correctly."
Do they say the same for the BofM? The beginning of the BofM has
A Brief Explanation About The Book Of Mormon. The last paragraph
says, "About this edition: Some minor errors in the text have been
perpetuated
in past editions of the Book of Mormon." Is changing calling the
Lamb of God "the Eternal Father" to "the Son of the Eternal Father"
"minor errors"? Is changing calling the virgin "the mother of God"
to "the mother of the
Son of God" "minor errors"? That changes
the doctrine completely. (These are only some changes that have
been made. There are many more.)
1.
MAN IS SPIRIT, ANGELS ARE NOT
(Back
to Top)
D&C 93:33,38
33 For man is spirit.
38 ...spirit of
man...
Response: First
it says man IS spirit, then it says the spirit OF man. The Bible says God
formed "man" from the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7).
Since our spirit was not created from dust when God created "man," "man"
does not refer to spirit.
John 4:24
24 God
is
spirit...
Hosea 11:9
9 For I am
God, and not man...
Response:
What
IS spirit is not man; therefore, what IS man is not spirit.
Jesus said a spirit does not have flesh and bone (Luke 24:39). Meaning,
a spirit is not something physical. It is not flesh and cannot be
touched, for Jesus was showing his disciples in Luke 24:39 that he had
risen from the dead. And to prove it to them, he had them touch him
to show that since he could be touched, he was not spirit.
Therefore, what is spirit is not man (flesh/physical). If D&C says
"man IS spirit," then it's saying that "man" (flesh) is spirit (that
which is not flesh). The Bible does not say "man" IS spirit.
It speaks of "the spirit OF a man" (Prov. 20:27).
Isaiah 31:3
3 ...Egyptians are men
and
not God; their horses are flesh and not
spirit."
Response: "Man"
is not God. "Flesh" is not spirit. God IS spirit; God is NOT
man. So if "man" was created from dust, then "man" refers to flesh
and not spirit. Therefore it is impossible to conclude from the Bible
that "man" IS spirit. Man/flesh is not God/spirit.
D&C 131:7,8
7 All spirit is matter...
8 We cannot see it...
Response: Matter
(American Heritage Dictionary): "Something that occupies space, has weight,
and can be perceived by one or more senses; the substance of which
a
physical body is constituted. An entity displaying gravitation
and inertia when at rest as well as when in motion." Reader's Digest
Encyclopedia Dictionary says matter is "perceived by the senses,
as
distinguished from that which is...spiritual." If spirit
is matter, then our spirit is physical.
According to
D&C, our spirit occupies space, has weight and can be either heard,
felt, tasted or touched, but it cannot be seen. But Jesus had his
disciples touch him to prove he was not spirit but was flesh (Luke
24:39). That means we cannot touch spirit. However, we can
either smell, hear or taste spirit, since matter is "perceived by the senses."
Matter
is "the substance of which a physical body is constituted." Therefore,
according to D&C, our spirit is a physical substance inside our physical
body and is bound by gravity and inertia. So both body and spirit
are physical. Both are detected by the senses. Both are solid
objects. If "man IS spirit," then what is flesh is also spirit.
And that makes no sense.
D&C 129:1,2
1 There are two kinds of beings in
heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having
bodies of flesh and bones -
2 For instance, Jesus said, Handle
me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones,
as
ye see me have.
Response:
D&C says that angels, because they have flesh and bones, are not
spirits, "for a spirit hath not flesh and bones." And D&C 129:2
says Jesus could be touched; therefore he was not spirit.
A spirit does
not have flesh. And if angels are resurrected beings,
having flesh and bones, then they are not spirits. So according to D&C,
man IS spirit while angels are not.
D&C 130:22
22 …the Holy Ghost has not
a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.
Response: The
Holy Spirit does not have a body of flesh because he is
Spirit. So if something is spirit, it does not have flesh
and bones. And yet man, who is flesh, "is" spirit. It says because the
Holy Spirit IS spirit he cannot have flesh. But man who IS spirit
is also flesh. If the Holy Spirit "IS" spirit and NOT flesh,
then what IS spirit cannot be flesh, according to even their own books.
And so we see a contradiction.
And what does
the Bible say about angels? Are they spirits or resurrected beings with
flesh?
Hebrews 1:13,14
13 But to which of the angels
said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy
footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering
spirits,
sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Response: If
we take out the adjective "ministering," it would say about angels: "Are
they not all spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall
be heirs of salvation?" Angels are spirits, according to the Bible.
That would mean they do not have bodies of flesh and bone.
D&C 129, however, says that angels have bodies of flesh and
bone. So they cannot be spirit. But then D&C 76:88
says (see index, pg. 167 under "SPIRIT") angels ARE spirit. One says
angels are NOT spirit, the other says they ARE. If what D&C says
is compatible with the Bible (and they claim it is), then we have to conclude
that because angels ARE spirits, they DON'T have bodies of flesh
and bone, but DO have bodies of flesh and bone, since they are resurrected
beings who are NOT spirits. It is confusing and makes absolutely
no sense.
If what IS
spirit could mean having a body of flesh, then the Holy Spirit could also
have a body of flesh, even though he IS spirit. We either believe
D&C or we believe the Bible. But clearly we cannot believe both.
But how can we believe D&C when it contradicts not only the Bible but
also itself?
To sum this
up: The Bible teaches that God is spirit and is not a man. "Man" refers
to flesh. So "man" is not spirit. Spirit is not man. Angels
are spirit. Spirits do not have flesh and bone; therefore, angels
are spirit who do not have flesh and bone. Simple.
D&C teaches
that man IS spirit; a spirit does NOT have flesh and bones; angels ARE
spirit that have NO flesh and bones; angels are NOT spirit because they
DO have flesh and bone; spirit is matter (and so can be heard, smelt or
tasted, but not seen or felt), and the Holy Spirit IS spirit and so does
NOT have flesh and bone. And what IS spirit DOES have flesh and bone.
Do we see harmony
between the Bible and D&C? Do we even see harmony within D&C
itself? D&C is confusing and contradictory. There can be
no variation in doctrine, interpretation or what God literally said.
James 1:17 says, there is "no variation" in God. So as D&C 3:3
says, it is NOT the work of God that is frustrated but the work of men.
D&C 88:27,28
27 For notwithstanding they die,
they also shall rise again, a spiritual body.
28 They who are of a celestial spirit
shall receive the same body which was a natural body;
even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by
which your bodies are quickened.
Response: D&C
says the physical body of flesh and bones, when it is raised, becomes
the spiritual body. And the Bible agrees with this. However, if angels
are resurrected beings, as D&C says (and the Bible does not), that
means at one time angels had natural bodies of flesh and bone - earthly
bodies.
Genesis 2:7
and 1 Corinthians 15:47 say the body of flesh, which is "man," "was
of the dust of the earth." If angels have resurrected bodies, they were
first men (flesh) who lived on earth who died and then were raised. For
D&C 88 says we receive the same body when raised that was a
natural body on earth.
Therefore,
all angels were men who at one time had natural bodies that died, then
were raised to life. When did they have natural bodies? When and why did
they die? Where did they live before they died, since they were human?
Why doesn’t the Bible mention it, since this all had to happen after God
created the earth in Genesis 1 (for our bodies are from dust of the ground)?
If what D&C says is true, then there were no angels in heaven with
God until
after God created the earth. For they would first have
to have a natural body of dust from the ground, then die, then be raised
with a resurrected body.
According to
the Bible, angels do not have resurrected bodies of flesh because
Hebrews 1:14 clearly says angels are spirits. And what IS spirit
does not have flesh and bones. So D&C goes against the
Bible and does not even agree with itself.
2.
GOSPEL GIVEN THROUGH ANGELS
(Back
to Top)
D&C 20:9,10,11
9 …the Book of Mormon;
10 Which was given by
inspiration and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels,
and is declared unto the world by them –
11 Proving to the world that
the holy scriptures are true…
D&C 27:16
16 …the gospel of peace, which
I have sent mine angels to commit unto you;
D&C 27:5
5 ...Moroni, whom I have sent unto
you
to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fullness of my
everlasting
gospel...
D&C 128:20
20 Moroni, an angel
from heaven,
declaring the fulfillment of the prophets – the book
to be revealed.
Response: It
says the gospel was given through angels. And this gospel that was
given by angels was more teaching other than what is in the Bible.
But let’s compare that with the Bible.
Acts 7:53
53 …you who have received the law
put into effect by angels…
Galatians 3:19
19 The law was put into effect
through
angels by a mediator.
Response: In
Acts 10:22 it says an angel told Cornelius to send for Peter to preach
the gospel to him and his household. The angel did not preach the
gospel to Cornelius. Peter did. D&C says the gospel was announced
unto men by angels. But in the Bible the gospel was announced by Jesus.
In Revelation 14:6 it says an angel was flying in the heavens and had the
everlasting gospel to proclaim to "every nation, tribe, language and people."
First of all, the angel did not introduce the gospel or any new teachings.
Second, the angel did not go to any one continent or any one person.
He "said in a loud voice" to the whole world. The book of Hebrews
in the Bible compares the old covenant spoken by angels with the new covenant
given through Jesus.
Hebrews 2:2,3
2 For if the message spoken by
angels
was binding…
3 how shall we escape if we ignore
such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced
by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Response: The
"message spoken by angels" was the law. Meaning, the law was first
announced by angels. The gospel was first announced by Jesus Christ.
Then
it was confirmed by the apostles. The law was given through angels. The
new covenant was given through God’s Son. Hebrews 1-2 explains that because
Jesus is greater than angels, the covenant put into effect through him
is greater than the covenant put into effect by angels.
So God did
not give Joseph Smith the gospel through angels because the new covenant
was given through the Son, Jesus Christ. The law was given through
angels. An angel of God could not have given Joseph Smith any new teachings.
It is unbiblical. In fact, Galatians 1:8 says if "an angel from heaven
should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let
him be eternally condemned!" The angel in Revelation 14:6 did not
do that. And since angels gave Joseph Smith a gospel other than the
one the apostles preached, then he, and the angel he claims gave it to
him, are eternally condemned, according to the Bible.
3.
JOSEPH SMITH GREATER THAN JESUS
(Back
to Top)
D&C 135:3
3 Joseph Smith, the Prophet
and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the
salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever
lived in it."
He...has sealed his mission and
his works with his own blood.
D&C 136:39
39 (his death) was needful that he
should seal his testimony with his blood, that he might be honored...
D&C 135:1
1 To seal the testimony of this
book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph
Smith the Prophet...
Response: According
to D&C, Joseph Smith has done the greatest work for man’s salvation
– other than Jesus. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:21, "So then, no more
boasting about men!" And yet D&C 135:3 boasts in Joseph Smith.
Joseph Smith "sealed" his testimony and the testimony of the Book of Mormon
with his shed blood. The Bible says, "a will is in force only when somebody
has died" (Heb. 9:17). This refers to a covenant.
Hebrews 9:18,19,20
18 This is why even the first covenant
was not put into effect without blood.
19 When Moses had proclaimed every
commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood...
20 He said, 'This is the blood
of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.'
Response: So
after Moses gave the people God's commandments, blood "sealed" the covenant.
And Hebrews 9:12,15 says Jesus' blood is the new covenant. The first
and second covenants were put into effect first by giving God's commandments,
then by shed blood. Jesus gave us God's commandments (John 15:12), then
he shed his blood to seal the covenant (Mark 14:24).
Jesus bought
the church with his blood (Acts 20:28). And his signature was his blood
that sealed the testimony (the deed; the covenant). But D&C is saying
Joseph Smith sealed the testimony (and therefore a new covenant) with his
own
blood.
Exodus 25:22
calls the ark, "the ark of the Testimony." But Numbers 10:33 calls the
ark, "the ark of the covenant." The Ten Commandments were God's Testimony,
and they were covenant stipulations. So testimony = covenant. If
Joseph Smith received the testimony supposedly from God - the Book of Mormon
- then shed his blood to seal that testimony, that means Joseph Smith gave
us a new covenant other than the one Jesus gave and sealed with
his blood.
Meaning, Joseph
Smith did away with the covenant of Jesus and replaced it with his own.
For what other prophet or apostle received God's testimony then "sealed"
it with his own blood? Sealing it is no different than signing it, like
a will or covenant. Joseph Smith signed the testimony (sealed the covenant)
with his blood.
Jesus' apostles
died and shed their blood. However, they never gave "new" commandments
and teachings other than what Jesus gave and are found in the NT. And they
never claimed to "seal" their teachings and revelations from God by their
blood. But Joseph Smith gave more teachings other than what
is in the Bible, then sealed his new teachings with his blood. Therefore,
Joseph Smith has put into effect a new covenant after Jesus,
which would make Jesus' covenant obsolete. And by doing so, Joseph Smith
is claiming his covenant is better than the covenant Jesus put into
effect and sealed with his own blood.
4.
FULLNESS OF GOSPEL GIVEN BY JOSEPH SMITH
(Back
to Top)
D&C 27:5
5 ...Moroni, whom I have sent
unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness
of my everlasting gospel...
D&C 35:17
17 And I have sent forth the fulness
of my gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph...
D&C 21:2-5
2 Being inspired of the Holy Ghost
to lay the foundation thereof, and to build it up unto the most
holy faith.
3 Which church was organized and
established in the year of your Lord eighteen hundred and
thirty, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which
is called April.
4 Wherefore, meaning the church,
thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall
give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;
5 For his word ye shall receive,
as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
Response: The
church was given the full gospel through Joseph Smith. He
laid the foundation of this new church, which was established in the year
1830. Problem 1) In Colossians 1:25 Paul said God commissioned him,
Paul, to give us "the word of God in its fullness" (completeness).
Titus 1:3
3 ...and at his appointed season
he brought his word to light by the preaching entrusted to me by
the command of God our Savior...
Response: Very
clearly, Paul gave us the fullness of the gospel. Problem 2) If the Book
of Mormon contains the "fullness" of the gospel, why did God (or how could
God) give any more of his word? "Fullness" simply means that it is complete,
no room for any more. It's full. And yet after the Book of Mormon,
God kept giving more of his commandments and teachings in the D&C.
That makes the statement in D&C 27:5 untrue.
Problem 3)
In D&C 21:2-5 it says Joseph Smith was inspired by the Holy Spirit
to lay the foundation of the church. Again this negates what Jesus did,
for he already laid the foundation for his church in the Bible.
1 Corinthians 3:11
11 For no one can lay any
foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Response: "No
one" (including Joseph Smith) could lay another foundation. The
foundation was already laid with Jesus almost 2,000 years ago. D&C
21:4 says Joseph Smith would give new commandments and words. And
in doing so he would lay a new foundation. So this completely negates
what Jesus did. If the BofM (Book of Mormon) is the fullness of the
gospel, then it even negates the Bible. For that statement means the BofM
in
itself is containing the full gospel. So all we need to
know of the gospel is in the BofM. It is full/complete
in itself
regarding Jesus' gospel. It does
not say it "completes" the
Bible. It says it, in itself,
contains the fullnessof
the gospel. That means we can throw away the Bible.
And, according
to D&C 21:2-5, Jesus started his church April 6, 1830. What church
did Jesus start 2,000 years ago? What happened to that church, since
a different one was started in 1830?
So all of this
means that Joseph Smith completely did away with the Bible, Jesus' sacrifice,
covenant, and church by bringing forth his own book of God's commandments,
his own sacrifice and blood that sealed a new covenant, starting his own
church, and laying a new foundation. That would make Joseph Smith greater
than the Son of God.
5.
ONE GOD BUT ALSO MANY GODS
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Joseph Smith - History 1:17
17 When the light rested upon me
I saw
two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all
description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto
me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other - This is
My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
Response: According
to Joseph Smith, he saw the Father and the Son, and they are two separate
beings.
1 Nephi 13:41
41 ...for there is one God...
2 Nephi 31:21
21 ...this is the doctrine of
Christ, and
the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is the
one
God, without end.
Mormon 7:7
7 ...unto the Father, and
unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one
God...
Response: They
(Father, Son and Holy Spirit together) = one God. So it denies
that they are many "Gods" by saying Father, Son and Holy
Spirit is one God.
Alma 11:28,29
28 Now Zeezrom
said: Is there more than one God?
29 And he answered,
No.
Abraham 4:26
26 And the Gods took
counsel among themselves and said: Let us go down and form man in our image,
after our likeness...
Response: Mormon
7 and Alma 11 say the Father, Son and Holy Spirit together are one
God. Is there MORE than one God? NO. And yet
many Gods made us. Contradiction. The Bible never
says "Gods" in reference to the only God. In fact, Isaiah 45:5 says,
"I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God."
Apart from Jehovah (the LORD) there is no Elohim (God). There is
one God, not many Gods. In Isaiah 45:21 Jehovah says, "And there
is no God apart from me." One God.
Moses 2:26,27
26 And I,
God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the
beginning: Let us make man in our image...
27 And I,
God, created in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten
created I him...
Response:
In
verses 3-11 "I, God" created the heavens and the earth alone.
It wasn't until verses 26 and 27 that "I,God" included the Son,
when he formed man. So "I,God" excludes the Son from being
God.
Moses 3:4,18
4 ...the day
that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and the earth...
18 And I,
the Lord God, said unto mine Only Begotten, that it was not
good for man to be alone; wherefore, I will make an help meet for him.
Response:
"I,God"
is not including the Son. In Moses 2:26,27 "mine Only Begotten"
was not included with "I,God," for he spoke of the Son apart
from "I,God." And in verse 18 "I, the Lord God" again excludes
the Son. So verse 4 means God the Father created the heaven and earth
alone apart from the Son.
Moses 3:7
7 And I,
the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life...
Response:
Because
"the Lord God" refers to the Father
apart from the Son, the Father
by
himself formed man from the dust of the ground. However, Genesis
2:7 (where Moses 3:7 is taken from) says it was "the LORD God" (Jehovah)
who formed man from the dust of the ground. In Moses 3:18 "The Lord
God" (the Father apart from the Son) said that it was not good for
man to be alone. But Genesis 2:18 it was Jehovah (whom LDS
say is the Son) who said, "It is not good for the man to be alone."
According to Moses, the Father created apart from the Son, while
Genesis says it was Jehovah (the Son, according to LDS). Jesus
is "the Only Begotten of the Father" (Moses 5:7). And because "I,
God" has "mine Only Begotten," "God" in Moses does NOT refer to Jesus but
ONLY to the Father of Jesus. And in Moses 1:6 it was the Father of
Jesus who said, "but there is NO GOD beside ME." That means Jesus
is not included as God with the Father. The Father is God
by
himself. If the Father is a separate being and is called "God"
apart
from the Son, then each individual of the Godhead would be a God apart
from the others - and therefore would be "God" on his own. The Father
is. Why not the Son? Why not the Spirit? That would make
them "Gods." And yet Mormon 7:7 say the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
together
are one God.
Abraham
4:3
3 And they
(the Gods) said: Let there be light...
Moses 2:3
3 And
I,
God, said: Let there be light...
Abraham
2:5
5 And the
Gods called the light day...
Moses 2:5
5 And I,
God, called the light day...
Abraham
4:26
26 And
the
Gods took counsel among themselves...
Response:
"I,God"
in Moses 2 refers to the Father apart from the Son.
But in Abraham "the Gods" refers to more than one God. Moses
says one God said, "Let there be light," while Abraham says "the
Gods" said "Let there be light." Moses 2 says it was the Father
alone
who called the light day, while Abraham says many Gods called the
light day. Moses 2 excludes the Son from saying "Let there
be light," but Abraham includes the Son in saying "Let there be
light." So it's clearly a contradiction. LDS are very confused
over who they believe God is.
Journal
of Discourses, Vol.6, pg. 3 (Joseph Smith speaking)
God
himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits
enthroned in yonder heavens.. if you were to see him today, you would see
him like a man in form.
Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.345
God himself
was once as we are now and is an exhalted man....We have imagined
and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute
that idea...
Response:
It
was Joseph Smith himself, who supposedly received direct revelation from
God, who said he refuted the idea that God was God from all eternity.
D&C
76:4
4 From
eternity to eternity he is the same...
Moses 1:3
3 And God
spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless
is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years;
and is that not endless?
Moses 6:67
67 ...him
who was without beginning of days or end of years, from
all eternity to all eternity.
Response:
LDS
books say God was always God from all eternity. From eternity
to
eternity "he is the same." As God always was, he always will
be. And yet Joseph Smith didn't believe it. If God is the same
"from eternity," then what he is now he was then. However, LDS do
not believe that.
Malachi
3:6
6 I, the LORD,
do not change.
Hebrews
13:8
8 Jesus Christ
is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Response:
Mormons believe Jesus is Jehovah, and Jehovah said he does not change.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. That means
what he is now, he was then. He does not change. If he is God
now - and he is - then he was God then. He was always God.
If he does not change, then he was God from all eternity.
Psalm 90:2
2 Before the
mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from
everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Response:
What
God was from all eternity, he
will be for all eternity -
the only God. LDS do not believe Jesus was always God. They
don't believe the Father was always God. And yet their books don't
agree with church leaders - or Joseph Smith. Or should I say, their church
leaders and Joseph Smith do not agree with LDS books. In fact, LDS
books do not agree with LDS books.
6.
JESUS IS THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT
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to Top)
Moroni 4:3
3 O God, the Eternal Father,
we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ...
1 Nephi 13:40
40 ...that the Lamb of God is the
Son
of the Eternal Father...
Alma 11:38,39
38 Now Zeezrom
saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal
Father?
39 And Amulek
said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal
Father of heaven and earth...
Response: Jesus
is the Son of "the" Eternal Father. But Jesus is
"the" Eternal Father.
Mosiah 15:4
4 And they are one
God, yea,
the very Eternal Father of heaven and
of earth.
Response: Jesus
is the Son of the Eternal Father of heaven and earth. And yet Jesus
is
the Eternal Father of heaven and earth. The Eternal Father is
separate
from the Son but also
includes the Son. Inconsistent.
D&C 93:21,23,26
21 I was in the beginning
with
the Father, and I am the Firstborn...
23 Ye were also in the beginning
with the Father; that which is Spirit, even
the
Spirit of truth..
26 I am the
Spirit of truth...
Response: Jesus
was "with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the (not
'a') Spirit of truth." So the Father is "the Spirit of truth."
But the one who was with the Father said, "I am the
Spirit of truth." The Spirit of truth refers to Jesus. When it says "the
Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth," it is saying
that the Father "is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth." And
yet Jesus said he, Jesus, was the Spirit of truth.
John 14:16,17,26
in the Bible says the "Counselor (is) the Spirit of truth"; but
the Counselor is "the Holy Spirit." The Spirit of truth is the Holy
Spirit. So according to this, the Father is the Spirit of truth and the
Son is the Spirit of truth, making both the Father and the Son the
Holy Spirit. It also means the Father "is Spirit." He does not
have a body of flesh, for the Holy Spirit does not have a body of flesh.
And yet Jesus and the Father have bodies of flesh. However, they are the
Spirit of truth (Holy Spirit) who does not have a body of flesh.
Could there
be more than ONE Spirit of truth? "The Spirit of truth...goes out
from the Father" (John 15:26). The spirit of truth comes from God.
Ephesians 2:18; 4:4; 1 Corinthians 12:13 say there is only ONE Spirit of
God. Jesus said, "Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into truth" (John
16:13 - KJV). "He" is "the" Spirit of truth, who is the Holy Spirit,
according to the Bible. D&C and the Book of Mormon say the spirit
of truth is the Father and the Son. But the Bible says the
spirit of truth is the Holy Spirit alone. The problem is that LDS
say the Father, Son and Spirit are three separate beings but then say the
Father is the Spirit of truth and the Son is the Spirit of truth (whom
the Bible says is the Holy Spirit). If the Father and Son are the
Spirit of truth, then, according to the Bible, that would make them the
Holy Spirit. LDS books go against LDS teaching. So their books
are not in agreement with the Bible nor themselves.
Alma 22:9,10
9 And the king said: Is God
that Great Spirit that brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?
10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea,
he
is that Great Spirit...
D&C 130:22
22 The Father has a body of
flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy
Ghost
has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage
of
Spirit.
Luke 24:39
39 ...for a spirit hath
not flesh and bone...
Response: God
is the Great Spirit. Therefore, God is spirit. A spirit does
NOT have flesh and bone. The Father and Son both have bodies of flesh and
bone. The Holy Spirit does not have flesh and bone for he
is
Spirit. "God" includes the Father, Son AND Holy Spirit (Mormon 7:7).
So the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the one God who is the Great Spirit.
And since God is spirit, God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) does NOT have flesh
and bone, for a spirit does not have flesh and bone. D&C
93 agrees that the Father and the Son are "the" spirit of truth.
Again, it says they are spirit. And spirit does not have flesh
and bone. Why doesn't the Holy Spirit have flesh, according to D&C?
Because he IS spirit. But the Father and Son who are spirit
DO have bodies of flesh. Contradiction.
D&C 38:1,3
1 Thus saith the Lord your God,
even
Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and
all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made;
3 I am the same which spake,
and
the world was made, and all things came by me.
Response: Jesus
is the God who "spake" and the world was made.
Moses 2:1,5
1 I am the Beginning and the End,
the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these things;
yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, and the earth upon which thou
standest.
5 ...and it was done as I
spake...
Response: Jesus
is the beginning and the end who spoke and the world was created. And the
Father is the beginning and the end who spoke and the world was created.
So both of them are the beginning and the end who spoke and created
the world together.
Isaiah 44:24
24 I am the LORD, who has made all
things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out
the
earth by myself...
Response: D&C
says both the Father and the Son, who are two separate beings,
spoke and created the world together. But the Bible says the "LORD"
(Jehovah) created "alone...by myself." The book of Abraham says "Gods"
created; but other places in Mormon books say one God created. So
did "they" together create "by myself"?
Moses 1:6
6 ...and mine Only Begotten
is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but
there is no God beside me, and all things are
present with me, for I know them all.
Response: God
speaks of his "Only Begotten" – Jesus. Then God says, "but
there is no God beside me." This clearly says there is no
God other than the Father. And in saying this, the Father is claiming that
the Son is
not God, for he first mentions the Son, then he says
he, the Father, is the only God - "but...NO God beside me" (Jesus'
Father).
D&C 20:28
28 Which Father, Son and Holy
Ghost are
one God, infinite and eternal, without end. Amen.
Response: When
the "one God" said "there is no God beside me," was
he referring to the Father, Son and Spirit being the "one God"? Or was
it the Father by himself who said "there is no God beside
me"?
It had to have been the Father apart from the Son because first
he said, "and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is
full of grace and truth"; then he said, "but there
is no God beside me." The Father who first
spoke of his Son, the Only Begotten, apart from himself, said, "but
there is no God beside
me." He was denying that the Son or
the Holy Spirit were God. "Me" is singular. There is no God but "me," the
Father.
But Abraham
repeatedly says "the Gods said among themselves" (5:2); the "Gods"
said, "let us go down and form man in our image" (4:26); "And the Gods
said: We will bless them" (4:28). There "is no God beside
me,"
the Father said after he spoke of his Only Begotten. But in Abraham there
is more than one God who created man - "Gods." This denies D&C
20:28 that says the Father, Son and Spirit together are "one God."
It denies Isaiah that says Jehovah created "alone…by myself." Now,
according to Abraham, they are many "Gods" who created.
The one
God who created us is actually many Gods. They created together,
alone, "by myself." The Father and Son together are "one God, yea,
the
very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth" (Mosiah 15:4). So one book
separates them; another book makes them one person. One book says "they"
are "Gods," while another book says "they" are "one God." Another says
there is no God but the Father; another says Jesus is the Father and the
Son; another says the Father is the only God, denying that the Son is God.
Again we not only see contradiction and confusion in D&C and the BofM,
but they are not in harmony with the Bible.
Malachi 2:10
10 Have we not all one Father?
Did not one God create us?
Response: We
have ONE Father and ONE God who created us, not many Gods and Fathers.
Deuteronomy 32:6 says of Jehovah (whom D&C says is Jesus the Son):
"Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?" This
agrees with Malachi: We have ONE Father and ONE God who made us.
And it agrees with Isaiah: Jehovah, the ONE God, created "alone...by myself."
But these verses in the Bible do NOT agree with what D&C and the BofM
teach: that there is MORE than one God who created, and MORE than one Father
in heaven. LDS teach that Jehovah is one Father while God the Father
is another Father. But the OT never teaches that Jehovah has a Father.
The Bible never says we have two heavenly Fathers. In fact, it specifically
says the opposite. Jesus said, "you only have ONE Father, and he
is in heaven" (Matt. 23:9). We have ONE heavenly Father, not two.
Jesus' Father is our Father (John 20:17). ONE heavenly Father.
If LDS believe we have two, they would have to back it up in the Bible.
But they can't, since Jesus himself testified we have ONE Father in heaven.
ONE Father; ONE God.
Moses 2:26,27
26 And I, God, said unto mine
Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man
in our image, after our likeness; and it was
so.
27 And I, God, created man
in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten
created I him...
Response: The
Father created man in his, the Father’s own image. But it was in
the image of his Son. And we were created in the image of both the
Father and the Son.
Moses 6:9
9 In the image of his own body,
male and female, created he him...
Response: The
image of God is a physical body, since D&C says the Father and Son
have bodies of flesh and bone. So whether we were created in the Father’s
image or the Son’s image, that image was flesh. But the Father created
by himself. He also created with the Son. And the Father and the
Son are the Spirit of truth, who is the Holy Spirit who does not have a
body of flesh.
Abraham 4:26
26 And the Gods took counsel
among themselves and said: Let us go down and form man in our image,
after
our likeness...
Response: The
Father, who created by himself, made man in his own image and in
the image of his Son. But the Son also created, for both the Father
and the Son spoke to create. And Abraham says "Gods" created, not just
one. One place says there is "one God"; another place says there are many
"Gods." We are told there is no God but the Father; then we are
told the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the "one God." Then we are told
they are many "Gods."
God created
man in the image of both the Father and the Son. But when man was created,
the Son did not have a body of flesh. The Son "became flesh" (John 1:14).
So how could man be created in the image of both the Father and the Son
(speaking of the body) when the Father had a body of flesh and the Son
did not?
Ether 3:14-16
14 Behold, I am he who was prepared
from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus
Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all
mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my
name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
15 And never have I showed myself
unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed
in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine
own image? Yea, even
all men were created in the beginning after
mine
own image.
16 Behold, this body,
which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man
have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear
unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people
in
the flesh.
Response: Jesus
said we are created in his image - spirit. For Jesus said "and man have
I created after the body of my spirit, and even as I appear
unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people
in
the flesh." Jesus at that time was spirit but would appear
in the flesh. A spirit does not have flesh (Luke 24:39).
This means
that man was not created in God's image in the flesh - for God is claiming
he was not yet in the flesh but was spirit. Man was created in the
image of God's spirit body, not flesh, according to these verses. And it
says when God created man, God did not have a body of flesh. But "man"
refers to our flesh, not our spirit, according to the Bible.
Ether 3:17
confirms that "Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit."
So how were we created in the image of both the Father and the Son bodily
when the Father had a body of flesh and the Son did not?
Ether 3:15
says "all
men were created in the beginning after mine (God's) own
image." Ether is talking about "the body of (Christ's) spirit." So "men"
(man) are created in the image of Christ's spirit, not his flesh, for he
said he did not yet have flesh but would come in the flesh. And yet we
were created in the image of the Father’s body of flesh and bone.
Mosiah 7:27
27 And because he said unto them
that Christ was the God, the Father of all
things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man,
and it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning;
or in other words, he said that man was created after the image
of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and
take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the
earth.
Response: Jesus
is "the" God, "the" Father of all things. After Jesus rose
from the dead, he told Mary to tell his disciples he was returning "to
my
Father and your Father" (John 20:17). Jesus' Father is our
Father. And we only have ONE God and Father in heaven, according
to the Bible (Malachi 2:10). That would make Jesus his own Father and God,
which LDS say they do not believe. LDS books say one thing while
LDS teach another. And "the" God and Father, whom Mosiah 7 says is
Jesus, would take upon himself the image of man, being flesh and blood.
That image is after which man was originally created in the beginning.
The image "man" (that which is flesh) was created in the beginning was
"after the image of God." However, God was now going to become flesh
in
our image. So in who's image were we created in the beginning?
If we were already created in God's image in the flesh, why was he
now going to be in our image in the flesh?
But there is
a conflict over God's image. One says it is flesh, the other says it is
spirit. God was going to come down in the flesh to take upon himself the
image of man - flesh - the image in which we were created that was in God's
image "in the beginning." But "in the beginning" we were created after
the body of Jesus' spirit. And this also says Jesus is both the Father
and the Son. He is "the" Father of all things. He is "the" God. And if
"the" God (Father, Son and Spirit - the "one God") didn't have flesh until
Christ became flesh, then the Father does not have a body of flesh. And
yet he does.
D&C 130:22
22 The Father has a body of
flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost
has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of
Spirit.
Response: If
we were created in the image of both the Father and the Son, being made
in their likeness, one had a body and the other didn't. And yet we were
created in the Son's image who did not have a body of flesh, and the Father's
image, who supposedly does have a body of flesh. But Jesus is both the
Father and the Son. The Father and the Son together are "the
Eternal Father." Does that Eternal Father (Father and Son
together) have a body of flesh? Another book has Jesus admitting
he is the (not "a") Spirit of truth, which John 14 says is
the Holy Spirit. But D&C 130:22 says the Holy Spirit does not have
flesh. Jesus is the Father who has flesh. Jesus is the Son who did not
have flesh when man was created but does now.
Jesus is the
Holy Spirit who does not have a body of flesh. It says we were created
in the image of Christ, the Father's Only Begotten. But Jesus didn't have
a body of flesh in the beginning when we were created. And yet Jesus is
both the Father of all things and the Son. But they are supposed
to be two separate beings. And then Abraham calls them "Gods." However,
"God" is the Father, Son and Spirit. God is not a God of confusion,
and yet Mormon books are very confusing.
D&C 20:21
21 Wherefore, the Almighty God
gave
his Only Begotten Son, as it is written in those scriptures
which have been given of him.
Moses 1:3,6
3 And God spake unto Moses,
saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is
my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not
this endless?
6 And I have a work for thee, Moses,
my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and
mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace
and truth;
but there is no God beside me...
Response: The
Lord God Almighty (Almighty God) is the Father of "mine Only Begotten"
(referring to Jesus). And there is no God other than the Lord God
Almighty. The name of the only God, the Lord God Almighty, is "Endless."
D&C 19:1,4,10,24
1 I AM Alpha and Omega, Christ
the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer
of the world.
4 And surely every man must repent
or suffer, for I, God, am endless.
10 For, behold, the mystery of godliness,
how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is
given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my
name.
24 I am Jesus Christ;
I came by the will of the Father, and I do his will.
Response: The
Father's name is Endless. Jesus' name is Endless. The God whose name is
"Endless" has a Son, "mine Only Begotten." But the God whose name is "Endless"
is
the
Son. So if Joseph Smith saw two Personages, one being the Father and the
other being the Son, which one was named "Endless"? And the God whose
name is "Endless" said, "there is no God beside me." There
is no God other than the Father (apart from the Son) whose name is Endless.
And yet Jesus is "the" God whose name is Endless. They are separate
beings and separate Gods; and yet they are one and the same being and the
same God.
Moses 2:1
1 And it came to pass that the Lord
spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven,
and this earth; write the words which I speak. I am the Beginning and the
End,
the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these
things; yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, and the earth upon
which thou standest.
Response:
The Almighty God has "mine Only Begotten." He is the beginning and the
end.
Abraham 1:15,16
15 And as they lifted up their hands
upon me, that they might offer me up and take away my life, behold, I lifted
up my voice unto the Lord my God, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and
he filled me with the vision of the Almighty, and the angel of his
presence stood by me, and immediately unloosed my bands;
16 And his voice was unto me: Abraham,
Abraham, behold, my name is Jehovah...
Response: The
name of the Almighty God is Jehovah. And Moses 2 says the Almighty has
a Son, his Only Begotten. Again we see that LDS books do not agree with
LDS teaching. It is not a matter of interpretation. It is a
matter of believing what one reads. If someone were to say Jesus
is NOT the Son of God, we would prove them wrong by quoting the Bible that
says Jesus IS the Son of God. It is not a matter of interpretation
but of belief. It's the same with LDS books. If their books
say the Almighty God HAS a Son but then says the Son IS the Almighty God,
it's not an interpretation. We base our belief on what is written.
And what is written in LDS books is inconsistent.
D&C 109:4,22,42,77
4 And now we ask thee, Holy Father,
in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of thy bosom...
22 And we ask thee, Holy
Father...
34 O Jehovah, have mercy upon
this people...
42 But deliver thou, O Jehovah,
we beseech thee...
77 O Lord God Almighty, hear
us in these our petitions...
Response:
D&C
109 is a prayer of dedication for the temple. It is speaking to the Holy
Father, the Lord God Almighty, who is Jehovah. And the name of the Son
of the Holy Father, the Lord God Almighty (Jehovah) is Jesus Christ.
D&C 110:3,4
3 ...his voice was as the sound of
the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:
4 I am the first and the last; I
am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with
the Father.
Response: He
heard the voice of Jehovah, and it was Jesus. Jesus is Jehovah. So in D&C
109 when they prayed to the Holy Father, Jehovah, the Lord God Almighty
whose Son is Jesus Christ, they were actually praying to the Son Jesus.
One says Jehovah is the Holy Father, the Lord God Almighty whose Son is
Jesus. The other says Jehovah is the Son Jesus. LDS believe Jehovah
is Jesus the Son and that Elohim ("God") is the Father of Jehovah.
However, the Bible never says Elohim is the Father of Jehovah. In
fact, Isaiah 45:5 says, "I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from
me there is no God." In Hebrew, "LORD" is YHWH (Jehovah) and "God"
is Elohim. So Jehovah said apart from him, Jehovah, "there
is no Elohim." Genesis 2:7,15,18,19 say "the LORD God" - i.e., Jehovah
Elohim, referring to one person. Exodus 3:18; 5:3 says, "the LORD
our God" (Jehovah our Elohim). Jesus said his Father is our Father (John
20:17). Our Father is Jehovah (Deut. 32:6). Therefore, Jesus'
Father is Jehovah, whom LDS say is Jesus.
Jesus said
to the Father: "that they may know you, the ONLY true God"
(John 17:3). And 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10 says they "turned to God
from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his
Son from heaven." John 17 and 1 Thessalonians 1 say Jesus' Father
is the "true God." However, Jeremiah 10:10 says "But the LORD
is the true God; he is the living God." Who is the
ONLY true God? Jehovah. Jesus said the ONLY true God is his
Father. And 1 Thessalonians says we are waiting for the Son of the
ONLY true God. Therefore, Jehovah is the only true God who is Jesus'
Father.
Luke 8:28 and
Mark 5:7 say Jesus is the "Son of the most high God." But
Genesis 14:22 and Psalm 83:17 say "thou, whose name is JEHOVAH, art the
most high over all the earth"; and "the LORD, the most high God,
the possessor of heaven and earth." Jehovah, whom LDS say
is the Son Jesus, is the most high God, and Jesus is the Son
of the most high God, according to the Bible. In order for LDS to maintain
their belief, they have no choice but to reject the Bible, for it does
not agree with their teaching. There is only one God - Jehovah Elohim.
And Jesus is the Son of God. LDS reject what the Bible says.
The Bible says Jesus is the Son of the most high God and that Jehovah is
the most high God. The Bible says Jesus is the Son of the ONLY true
God and Jehovah is the true God. And yet LDS will not accept that
because it goes against what they are taught.
If we were
to accept LDS teachings, we would have to believe that there are many Gods
who created together but only one God who created "alone...by myself."
The Father and Son are two separate beings but the same being. Jehovah
is Jesus. But Jehovah is the Father of Jesus. Jesus is the Father
AND the Son. There is no God but the Father of Jesus. Jesus and the
Father together are "the...Eternal Father." There is
only ONE Father. But the "Eternal Father" is the Father OF Jesus.
The Father does but does not have a body of flesh and bone
because he is spirit but is not spirit because he is
flesh. "In the beginning" our bodies were created in the Son's image, who
was not flesh, and also in the Father's image, who is flesh.
They are one God, and we were created in that one God's image. But
they are many Gods - one having flesh and the other not having flesh.
More confusion.
7.
"LINE UPON LINE" A BLESSING AND A CURSE
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2 Nephi 28:29
29 Wo be unto him that shall say:
We have received the word of God, and we have need no more of the word
of God, for we have enough!
Response:
The
very next verse says God "will give unto the children of men line upon
line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed
are those who harken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my councel,
for they shall learn wisdom..."
Those who receive
"more" of God's word will learn "line upon line" and will learn wisdom
and will be "blessed."
Isaiah 28:7-13
says God's people did not want God's rest, so he gave them, "line upon
line." And because Israel did not want God's rest, it says, "So then, the
word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule,
rule on rule; a little here, a little there - so that they will
go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured" - vs. 13.
KJV verse 10 says, "For precept must be upon perecept." But
the words "must be" are not in the Hebrew. Those words were added
by the translators of the KJV Bible.
While the Book
of Mormon says line upon line (or "rule upon rule") will bring blessing
and wisdom, the Bible says line upon line will cause Israel to be cursed
- to be captured, snared and fall backward. And God gave it to them
not
as a blessing but because they didn't want God's rest. So line upon
line was not a good thing in Isaiah 28. But in 2 Nephi 29 it
was
a good thing to be taught line upon line.
The Mormon
book says we will receive wisdom, while the Bible says we will be snared,
captured and will fall backward - i.e., be cursed. 2 Nephi 29:9 says
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. D&C 3:2 says God does
NOT vary from that which he said. And yet he said one thing one time
then completely changed the meaning another time. Is that consistent? Is
that being the same? Is that NOT varying from what God originally said?
So the Book
of Mormon does not agree with the Bible. In fact, the Book of Mormon
only breeds confusion. And that is not of God.
8.
BLACK SKIN IS LOATHSOME
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Moses 7:8,22
8 For behold, the Lord shall curse
the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever;
and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan,
that they were despised among all people.
22 And Enoch also beheld the residue
of the people which were the sons of Adam; and they were a mixture of all
the seed of Adam save it was the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain
were
black, and had not place among them.
Response: "Blackness"
came upon the children of Canaan so "they were despised among all
people." It is not saying they were "despised" because of sin. It
is saying God caused them to be "despised" for the color of their skin.
"Blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that THEY were despised."
And it says "the seed of Cain were black." Why were the seed
of Cain black? Does Genesis actually say this or support it?
No. If the Bible doesn't say it, it's not biblical and not true.
2 Nehpi 5:21-24
21 And he had caused the cursing
to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity.
For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become
like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly
fair
and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto
my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to
come upon them.
22 And thus saith the Lord God: I
will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people,
save they shall repent of their iniquities.
23 And cursed shall be the seed
of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed
even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it, and it was done.
24 And because of their cursing which
was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety,
and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.
Response: Because
of their sin, they would be cursed and would have "a skin
of blackness" (vs. 21) so they would not be "enticing" (vs. 21) but "loathsome"
to God's people (vs. 22). They would no longer be "white" and "delightsome."
Whomever mixes with this people of black skin would also be "cursed with
the SAME cursing"(vs. 23). Meaning, whoever mixes with black people
will be cursed with black skin as well, and therefore become loathsome.
And these black people who were cursed were "idle people, full of mischief
and subtlety" (vs. 24).
So according
to the Book of Mormon, being white is "delightsome," while being
black is "loathsome" and is to be "despised." And God gave
them black skin so they would not be "enticing" - i.e., so they would not
be attractive. It makes no difference who the people were, for it is saying
the color of their skin, which was black, was what caused them to be "despised"
and "loathsome." And they were made black because of sin. But it was not
the sin that was loathsome or despised; it was their skin color.
Alma 3:6-15
6 And the skins of the
Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their
fathers,
which was a curse upon them because of their transgression
and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob,
and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men.
7 And their brethren sought to destroy
them, therefore they were cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them,
yea, upon Laman and Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish
women.
8 And this was done that their
seed might be distinguished from the seed of their brethren, that thereby
the
Lord God might preserve his people, that they might not mix
and believe in incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction.
9 And it came to pass that whosoever
did mingle his seed with that of the Lamanites did bring the same curse
upon his seed.
10 Therefore, whosoever suffered
himself to be led away by the Lamanites was called under that head, and
there was a mark set upon him.
11 And it came to pass that whosoever
would not believe in the tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those
records which were brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the
tradition of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the commandments
of God and kept them, were called the Nephites, or the people of Nephi,
from that time forth-
12 And it is they who have kept the
records which are true of their people, and also of the people of the Lamanites.
13 Now we will return again to the
Amlicites,
for they also had a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves,
yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads.
14 Thus the word of God is fulfilled,
for these are the words which he said to Nephi: Behold, the Lamanites have
I cursed, and I will set a mark on them that they and their seed may
be separated from thee and thy seed, from this time henceforth and
forever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me that I may
have mercy upon them.
15 And again: I will set a mark upon
him that mingleth his seed with thy brethren, that they may be cursed also.
Response: The
skin of the Lamanites was dark according to the mark God placed on their
fathers, "which was a curse upon them because of their transgression" (vs
6). And this was done in order to distinguish - or separate - their seed
from others "that thereby the Lord God might preserve his people."
This is saying God wanted to preserve his people, the "white" and
"delightsome" people. The mark upon the Amlicites was "red."
So the mark resulted in a color. For the Lamanites, that color was
black skin, which was a curse.
To put it simply,
God made people black because of their sin, which is a curse from God.
And God made them black to separate them from his people in order to "preserve"
God's people (those who are "white" and "delightsome"). This means that
God's people are "white" and "delightsome," while "black" people are "loathsome"
and "despised." But why did sin cause only some people’s skin to
become black? Did God show favoritism by making the skin of some who sinned
black while not others? Adam and Eve sinned. Why didn't God make
their skin black and loathsome? Why only some and not all? Moses 7:22 says
the seed of Cain were black. The Bible does not teach that sin literally
caused people's skin to become black in order to be despised.
Genesis
4:15
15 Then the
LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
Response:
The
mark on Cain was "so that" anyone who found Cain would not kill him.
If the mark referred to black skin, that would mean people with black skin
could not be killed.
1 Nephi
13:15
15 And I beheld
the Spirit of the Lord, and it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper
and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were
white,
and exceedingly fair and beautiful...
Jacob 3:5,8
5 Behold, the
Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the
cursing
which hath come upon their skins...
8 O my brethren,
I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins
will be whiter than yours...
Response:
The
curse was upon the Lamanites' "skin" (referring to their black skin).
The Spirit of the Lord was upon the "white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful"
people so "they did prosper." And in Jacob 3 in speaking to the "pure
in heart" (vs 2), it says if they did not repent of their sins, the skins
of the Lamanites, who were black, would have skins "whiter than yours."
Meaning, if the pure in heart did not repent, their skins would literally
turn black from sin. In 2 Nephi 5:21 it says "as they were white,
and exceedingly fair and delightsome," God gave them a "skin
of blackness." That means their white skin literally turned black
from sin.
3 Nephi
2:14-16
14 And it
came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were
numbered among the Nephites;
15 And their
curse
was taken from them, and their skin became white
like unto the Nephites;
16 And their
young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair...
Response:
The
Lamanties, who were black, "converted unto the Lord" (vs. 12). And after
converting to the Lord, "their curse was taken from them, and their
skin
became white." 1 Nephi 13:15 says that "white" is "exceedingly
fair and beautiful." So after the Lamanites repented, their curse
was lifted, and they became white again, causing their sons and daughters
to "became exceedingly fair" and beautiful. They were no longer black
and "loathsome" and "despised."
According to
Mormonism, black skin is a curse for sin. And when black people repent,
they turn white again, and their sons and daughters become "exceedingly
fair and beautiful," no longer "loathsome" and "despised." That means
there should not be any black people in the LDS church. For having
turned to the Lord, their skins should have turned white and exceedingly
fair and beautiful.
9.
JESUS – THE FATHER AND THE SON
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D&C 20:28
28 Which Father, Son and Holy Ghost
are
one God, infinite and eternal, without end. Amen.
Articles Of Faith
1 We believe in God, the Eternal
Father,
and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy
Ghost.
Response: D&C
20 says the Father, Son and Holy Spirit together
are one God. But Articles of Faith separates God the Eternal Father
from the Son and Holy Ghost, for it says LDS believe in God the
Eternal Father and the Son and the Spirit.
Mosiah 15:1-5
1 And now Abinadi said unto them:
I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down
among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
2 And because he dwelleth in flesh
he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh
to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son-
3 The Father, because he was conceived
by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the
Father and Son-
4 And they are one
God, yea,
the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.
Response: "God
himself" will come down, and "because he (God) dwelleth in the flesh he
shall be called the Son of God." Very clearly, because "God himself" became
flesh, "he" (God) is the "Son of God." This statement says God himself
is his own Son when he became flesh.
And it says
the "Son of God" having subjected his flesh to the Father's will, "being
the Father
and the Son." Jesus is the Son only because of
his flesh. The Father and Son are not two separate beings but are the same
person. And verse 4 says, "And they are one God, yea, the
very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth." Who is the Eternal
Father? God (including the Son).
Verse 5: "And
thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the
Father, being one God."
The flesh (Son)
was subject to the Spirit (Father). Meaning, the "flesh" = the Son; the
"Spirit" = the Father. When God become flesh, then he became the
Son. That would mean apart from the flesh, he is God the Father, making
God one person. The Father is Spirit, not flesh (verse 5 says the flesh
submitted to the Spirit - i.e., the Son submitted to the Father. This means
the Son is flesh and the Father is Spirit, not flesh). Regardless of what
Mormons say they believe, their books teach that God the Father
is NOT spirit (because he has flesh and bone) but IS spirit (and
spirit does not have flesh and bone). And when he, being spirit,
became flesh, then he became his own Son.
1 Nephi 11:21
21 And the angel said unto me: Behold
the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!
Response: Articles
of Faith says LDS believe in the "Eternal Father" and in
his Son Jesus. But Mosiah 15:4 says Jesus and the Father are "one God...the...Eternal
Father." However, 1 Nephi 11 says Jesus is the Son of the Eternal
Father. Mosiah 15 says when God became flesh he became the Son. It says
Jesus "being the Father and the Son." And "they are one God, yea,
the
very Eternal Father."
Therefore,
Jesus and the Father together are the Eternal Father. Jesus'
Father
alone
is the Eternal Father. Jesus is the Son
of the Eternal Father. The Eternal Father alone is God.
Jesus is "the" God. Jesus is Jehovah. Jehovah is the Holy Father
whose Son is Jesus. Jesus is the Father and the Son. The Father
is spirit, but when he became flesh he became the Son (his own Son).
The Father IS spirit, "the" spirit of truth. "The" spirit of truth
is the Holy Spirit. Jesus is "the" spirit of truth. So the
Father and the Son are "the" spirit of truth, who is the Holy Spirit.
But God is flesh and bone and not spirit. The Father, Son
and Holy Spirit are ONE God. But they are many "Gods." What
is spirit does not have flesh and bone. The Holy Spirit IS spirit,
and therefore is not flesh and bone. "Man" (flesh and bone) Is spirit.
Spirit is matter, and so can be detected by the senses, has weight and
is a physical body. And God (the Father and the Son) created together
"by myself."
There is no
harmony between the BofM and D&C. Nor do they agree with the
Bible.
10.
THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAME FLESH
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D&C 93:3,4
3 And that I am in the Father, and
the Father in me, and the Father and I are one -
4 The Father because he gave me of
his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle,
and dwelt among the sons of men.
Response: If
the Father had a body of flesh apart from Jesus, how could the Father be
in
Jesus? Jesus is the Son "because (he) was in the world and made flesh (his)
tabernacle." So what was he before he became flesh? If he was not
the Son until he made flesh his tabernacle, who was he before he
became the Son? And again, if becoming flesh made him the Son, and if the
Father had a body of flesh, then he too would become the Son because of
his flesh. For it says becoming flesh makes God the Son of God (his own
Son).
D&C 93:11
11 And I, John, bear record that
I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came
and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
Response:
"The" Spirit of truth is the Holy Spirit. So if the Spirit of truth
"came and dwelt in the flesh," then the Son of God was the Holy Spirit
who became flesh. And yet Mormon teaching states that the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit are three separate beings.
The Bible says
Jesus will send "another Counselor to be with you forever - the
Spirit of truth" (John 14:17). The Counselor is "the" Spirit of
truth. John 14:26 says, "the Counselor, the Holy Spirit."
So the Counselor is the spirit of truth who is the Holy Spirit ("Holy Ghost"
- KJV). So according to D&C 93, Jesus is the Holy Spirit (the
Spirit of truth) who became flesh. This also teaches that there are not
three persons in the Godhead but one. If the Father is the spirit
of truth who is the Holy Spirit, and if the Son is the spirit of truth
who is the Holy Spirit, then the Father and Son are the Holy Spirit (one
person). But LDS do not agree with this, even though that's what
their books literally say.
D&C 93:26
26 The Spirit of truth is of God.
I
am
the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying:
He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;
Response: Here,
Jesus claims he is the Spirit of truth. But according to
the Bible, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. Mosiah 15 says
the Spirit in the flesh (God the Father) became the Son. And the Spirit
is both the Father and the Son - "one God," the "Eternal Father." The Spirit
of truth (the Holy Spirit) is the one God. And when he (the Holy Spirit)
became flesh, he became the Father and the Son. This teaches that God the
Father is Spirit and not flesh. And it teaches that God is one person.
Although Mormons say this is not what they believe, this is, however, what
the BofM and D&C clearly teach.
11.
2ND COMING WHEN JOSEPH SMITH WOULD BE 85
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D&C 130:14,15,16
14 I was once praying very earnestly
to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a
voice repeat the following:
15 Joseph, my son, if thou livest
until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see
the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble
me no more on this matter.
16 I was left thus, without being
able to decide whether this coming referred to he beginning of the millennium
or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his
face.
Response: Joseph
Smith asked a specific question: When is the 2nd coming? And he was
given a specific answer: If you're alive at 85, you will see. The
interpretation is very clear. Joseph Smith was praying as to the "time"
of Jesus’ 2nd coming. He was told if he livest (if he was alive)
at 85 years old, he would see Jesus’ face. The time of Jesus’ coming
would be the year Joseph Smith would have been 85 years old. This could
not
refer to his death, for he was told if he "livest" until
85 he would "see" Jesus’ face. In verse 16 Joseph Smith said he could not
"decide" the meaning, as if it was his choice what God meant. Why
would he have to decide? He asked a specific question and received
a specific answer. Do LDS believe if they ask God for something that
the Lord will NOT answer? Joseph Smith asked: What is the TIME of
the 2nd coming? And God told him: If you're ALIVE at 85, you
will see. See what? What Jospeh Smith asked: the TME of the
2nd coming.
And certainly
the 2nd coming of Jesus was not dependent upon whether one man was
alive or not. That would mean Jesus was ready to come back until Joseph
Smith died and spoiled the 2nd coming of Jesus for the rest of the world.
The truth is, Joseph Smith was a false prophet who lied.
12.
GODS ABOVE ALL THINGS
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D&C 132:20
20 Then shall they be gods, because
they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting
to everlasting, because they continue; then they shall be above all,
because all things are subject to them. Then shall they be
gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject
to them.
Response: Mormons
who attain exaltation through marriage will become gods who will be "above
all,
because all things are subject to them." This does not
exclude God Almighty, so it includes him. Mormons quote Revelations
21:7 that says we will inherit "all things." And they take it literally
– that will will inherit ALL things. So the same must be true of D&C
132:20: They are gods above ALL and ALL things are subject to them, including
God Almighty.
It also says
that in being gods, "shall they be from everlasting to everlasting."
This is what Psalm 90:2 says of God. He is "from everlasting to
everlasting." But "from everlasting" means to have no beginning. So how
could man, who has a beginning, now have no beginning? We will have no
end, having eternal life. But we had a beginning. So man, who has
a beginning, will now have no beginning. This makes them as
great, if not greater, than God Almighty, for they will have "ALL power."
13.
JOSEPH SMITH HEAD OF THE CHURCH
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D&C 28:6,7
6 And thou shalt not command him
who is at thy head, and at the head of the church;
7 For I have given him the keys of
the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint
unto them another in his stead.
Response: Oliver
Cowdery could not command Joseph Smith "who is at thy head, and at the
head of the church." Colossians 1:18 says of Jesus: "And he
is the head of the body, the church." But Joseph Smith is the head of the
church he started. This either means that the church Joseph Smith
started is a different one than the one Jesus started, or Joseph
Smith took over Jesus' position as head of Jesus' church. If Joseph
Smith started a different church than the one Jesus started, then
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a false church
and NOT the one started by Jesus. If Joseph Smith claims to have
the same church as the one Jesus started, then Joseph Smith has
placed himself as head of Jesus' church, making himself greater
than the Son of God. Either way it's wrong, for Joseph Smith has
placed himself as the head over his church. However,
Jesus is the head of the true church.
14.
JESUS IS GOD ALMIGHTY
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D&C 20:21
21 Wherefore, the Almighty God
gave
his only Begotten Son…
Response: The
Almighty God's Son is Jesus. D&C 110:3,4 says Jesus is Jehovah. And
LDS say the Father and the Son are two separate beings. If the Almighty
God's Son is Jehovah (Jesus), then the Almighty God cannot be Jehovah.
Genesis 17:1 (KJV)
1 …the LORD appeared to Abram, and said
unto him, I am the Almighty God…
Exodus 6:2,3 (KJV)
2 And God spake unto Moses, and
said
unto him, I am the LORD:
3 And I appeared unto Abraham,
unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by
my
name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Response: Jehovah
("the LORD") is God Almighty. As in Genesis 17, Jehovah (LORD) is "the
Almighty God." And the Almighty God is Jehovah. So again we see that D&C
does not agree with the Bible. D&C says the Almighty God is the
Father
of Jesus, who is Jehovah. But the Bible says Jehovah is the Almighty
God. D&C and the BofM teach that the Almighty God and Jehovah
are two separate beings. But the Bible teaches that the Almighty
God and Jehovah are the same person, the same God. And so we see yet again
that the BofM and D&C do not agree with the Bible.
CONCLUSION
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D&C 21:5 (God speaking of
Joseph Smith)
5 For his word ye shall receive,
as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
Response: If
we were to believe that, we would have to also believe God is very confused
over who he, God, is. D&C 3:2 said God does not vary from that
which he said. But time and time again we see that D&C and the
BofM are confusing and contradictory, varying from what God said in the
Bible. D&C and the BofM even vary from one another.
Introduction to the Book of Mormon
paragraph 6 ...the Prophet Joseph
Smith said: 'I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the
most correct book on earth, and is the keystone of our religion, and
that
a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts,
than any other book.'
Response: How
could a person get nearer to God by abiding by the precepts of the Book
of Mormon when it is totally confused over who God is? The Book of
Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants do not agree with each other and certainly
not with the Bible, God’s true word. Mormons claim that their books are
not to be taken literally. However, Articles of Faith states: "We
believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration
of the Ten Tribes." And they believe in the literal temple on earth
(D&C 57:3; 59 intro), and the new Jerusalem being a literal city on
earth (D&C 84:4,5).
Moroni 10:4
4 And when
ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God,
the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true;
and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith
in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the
Holy Ghost.
Response:
LDS
believe this is backed up with James 1:5: "If any on you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and
it will be given to him." They believe if we ask God if the BofM
is true, God will tell us apart from comparing its teachings with the Bible.
But let's look at what James is referring to.
1) The people
in James were already born again through the word (James 1:18).
2) The word
was planted in them (1:21).
3) They were
hearers of the word only, not doers (1:22-25).
They had heard
the gospel and had believed, but they were not obeying it. So James
told them faith requires obedience (James 2:14-26). If they wanted
wisdom, all they needed to do was ask God with faith. However, faith
means we obey.
John 15:7
7 If you remain
in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be
given you.
Response:
If
Jesus' words remain in us to where we obey,
then we can ask and
receive.
Proverbs
1:1,2
1 The proverbs
of Solomon...
2 ...for attaining
wisdom...
Proverbs
2:1-6,10
1 My son, if
you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
2 turning
your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
3 and if you
call
out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you
look
for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then
you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the
LORD gives wisdom...
10 For wisdom
will enter your heart...
Response:
If
we store up God's teachings in our heart, asking for wisdom and understanding,
then
we will "understand the fear of the LORD." And "The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10). In order to receive
wisdom, we have to store up God's teachings in our heart and obey, asking
for wisdom. That's what James referred to. They were not remaining
in the word nor obeying, so they were not receiving wisdom.
In Acts 17:10-12
when Paul preached the gospel to the Bereans, it says they "examined the
Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Why didn't
they just ask God if these things were true? Because the "Scriptures...are
able to make (us) wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2
Timothy 3:15). Through the Scriptures we gain wisdom by the Spirit
of God. If we want to know if what we hear is true, we are to examine
the Scriptures - the Bible. We compare all things with the Scriptures
Jesus and the apostles used (Luke 24:27,44,45). And the NT is what
they taught from the OT.
Acts 19:8
(KJV)
8 And he went
into the synogogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing
and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
1 Timothy
1:3 (KJV)
3 ...that
thou
mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine...
2 Timothy
3:16 (KJV)
16 All Scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
Acts 17:2
2 ...he reasoned
with them from the Scriptures...
Response: The apostles debated those who
taught false doctrine. And they used "the Scriptures" to prove
they were right and false teachers were wrong. As Paul said to Timothy,
he was to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine other than
what Paul and the apostles taught. Do we have all of gospel in the
NT? Paul said when he presented the gospel he had received from Jesus
to the other apostles, "those men added nothing to my message" (Gal.
2:6). And Peter said Paul "writes the same way in all
his letters" (2 Peter 3:16). That means whatever letters we do not
possess that Paul wrote, they would contain no other doctrine other than
what we have in the NT. For Paul also said the other apostles "added
NOTHING to my message." So if the other apostles wrote letters we
do not have, they would say NOTHING beyond what Paul said in the NT.
Therefore, what we have in the NT is the fulness of the gospel that Jesus
gave his disciples to give to the church. What one apostle taught,
the others could not add to, for they all had the exact same gospel.
And because Paul wrote the same way in ALL his letters, no lost letter
of Paul's would change what the NT says. And we are to charge others
to "teach no other doctrine," using the Scriptures
"for reproof (and) for correction."
Acts 18:28 says about Paul: "For he vigorously
refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus
was the Christ." Because the Jews were in error concerning the gospel,
Paul and the other apostles debated them, proving from the Scriptures
that what the apostles taught was right, and therefore, what the Jews believed
was wrong. As Jesus said, "you are in error because you do not know
the Scriptures" (Matt. 22:29).
2 Nephi 12:1-3 plagerizes Isaiah 2:1-3 that says,
"for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem" (KJV). When Jesus rose from the dead, he taught his disciples
about himself from the OT (Luke 24:27,44,45).
Luke 24:47 (KJV)
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Response: The
gospel would be preached "among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
The gospel that "ALL nations" would receive would be the gospel
that began "at Jerusalem." Isaiah 2:3 foretold this, which
2 Nephi 12:3 admitted. The word of the Lord would go out from
Jerusalem. And Jesus not only prayed for his disciples, he prayed
"for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John
17:20). The gospel his disciples preached in the NT would be the
same
gospel that would go out from Jerusalem to "ALL nations."
It does
not say "another word" would go out from America.
And Paul said he spoke "none other things than those which the prophets
and Moses did say should come" (Acts 26:22). Because the OT did not foretell
the gospel going forth out of America, then no gospel sent by Jesus came
out of America. The word of the Lord came out of Jerusalem,
fulfilled in Acts, and is sent unto "ALL nations." For Jesus
prayed for those who would believe on him through the apostles'
message in the NT (that's us who believe in the gospel found only in the
Bible).
John 10:16
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep
pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice...
Response: LDS
use this passage to try and prove that Jesus was referring to Jews (sheep)
in America. LDS believe that a lost tribe of Israel came to America
and, after Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus came to America to preach to
them. This other tribe of Israel in America was called "Nephites."
However, Nephites are not in the Bible. Even in Revelation 7:4-8 when it
mentions "all the tribes of Israel" in the last days, Nephites
are not mentioned. LDS believe Jesus was speaking literally when he said
his sheep hear his voice. So in order for his sheep (Israel) to literally
hear Jesus' voice, he had to come to America to a lost tribe and preach
to them.
However, he told the Jews, "you do not believe
because you are not my sheep" (John 10:26). He said, "My sheep
listen to my voice" (vs. 27). And in John 8 Jesus again told the
Jews, "you are unable to hear what I have to say" (vs. 43); and,
"He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not
hear is that you do not belong to God" (vs. 47).
So we see that the Jews Jesus was speaking to
did not hear God's voice and did not belong to God. They literally
heard his voice, but they did not "hear" (understand) what he was saying.
Therefore, Jesus was not referring to literal Jews when he said he had
other sheep. He was speaking of Gentiles as being the other sheep
(Isaiah 49:22; Ephesians 2:11-19; Romans 15:8-12). If literal Jews
did not hear his voice and were not his sheep, then Jesus was not speaking
literally.
LDS also quote Matthew 10:5,6: "Do not go among
the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the
lost
sheep of Israel." They believe that because of this passage,
"lost sheep" does not refer to Gentiles but only to Israel. In Luke
15:1-7 "lost sheep" refers to sinners. And in Luke 15:11-32 it teaches
about the prodigal son. He "was dead and is alive again; he
was lost and is found" (vs. 32). So again, "lost" refers to
dead in sin. As Jesus said, "For I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners" (Matt. 9:13). He came to the lost sheep of Israel -
sinners.
Galatians 3:7-9
7 Understand, then, that those who believe are
children of Abraham.
8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify
the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham:
'All nations will be blessed through you.'
9 So those who have faith are blessed along with
Abraham, the man of faith.
Response: The
OT foretold that Gentiles would be children of Abraham. They would
be God's sheep too. As Ephesians 3:6 says, "through the gospel the
Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body."
Abraham would be the father of MANY nations - Gentile as well as Jew.
And this is what Jesus meant when he told Jews that they - Jews - were
not his only sheep. Gentiles would be his sheep too. It was
foretold in the OT - even to Abraham - and fulfilled in the NT. While
alive Jesus said he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. But
after he rose from he dead he told his disciples to preach to "ALL nations"
(Matt. 28:19). In Acts 10 Peter was sent to preach to Gentiles.
The Bible does not teach that there was a lost tribe of Israel that came
to America. So LDS add to the Scriptures and are incorrect.
LDS also use Ezekiel 37:15-17 to try and prove
that the Bible foretold the coming of the Book of Mormon. They claim
the two "sticks" refer to the Bible and the BofM. But again, let's
look at it in context. In verses 18-22 God gave the interpretation
of the two sticks.
Ezekiel 37:22
22 I will make them one nation in
the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over
all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided
into two kingdoms.
Response: They
(Judah and Ephraim) will no longer be two nations; they will become "one
nation."
Hosea 1:11 also supports this. Judah and Ephraim will no longer be
two nations (two sticks); they will become one nation (one stick). LDS
also say people used to write on sticks in those days. But in Habakkuk
2:2 they wrote on tablets. And in Ezekiel 3:2 it spoke of a scroll.
In fact, the Bible mentions tablets and scrolls that people wrote on, but
never "sticks." In Ezekiel 37 it was symbolic, just as most of Ezekiel
is symbolic, not literal.
LDS will say that the word "Trinity" is not in
the Bible as an excuse as to why the teaching is not biblical. However,
they will turn around and believe MANY things that are not in the Bible
(e.g., Nephites, Lehi, God living on the planet Kolob, etc.). They add
words that are not in the Bible and will say the Bible is translated wrong,
all in an attempt to try to get out of the clear fact that the Bible does
not support their beliefs. The BofM and D&C are not in harmony
with the Bible. They are not the word of God but the word
of man.
(Please write "LDS" in Subject line
of e-mail. Thanks.)
E-mail: Greg
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