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by J. Hornok 1. MORMONISM DOES NOT TEACH THAT THE BIBLE IS As Christians we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to the the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Matt 5:18). 2. MORMONISM TEACHES THAT GOD IS AN EXALTED MAN The Bible says, "God is not a man..." (Num. 23:19). "God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). "A spirit hath not flesh and bones..." (Lk.24:39). 3. MORMONISM TEACHES THAT CHRIST AND THE DEVIL ARE BROTHERS. "...that Lucifer, the son of morning, is our elder brother and the brother of Jesus Christ" (Mormon Doctrine by Bruce McConkie, pp. 163-4). The Bible says that the devil is a created being, created by God. "thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee" (Ezekiel 28:15). 4. MORMONISM TEACHES THAT JESUS WAS MARRIED "We say it was Jesus Christ who was married at Cana of Galilee" (Journal of Discourses, Vol 2, p. 80). Mormonism teaches that Jesus was the natural child of Adam and Mary. "When the Virgin Mary conceived the Child Jesus....He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is his Father? He is the first of the human family" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, pp. 50-51). The Bible says, "In the beginning was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;...The
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:1, 14). g 5. MORMONISM TEACHES THAT THE TRUE CHURCH CEASED TO EXIST UNTIL IT The church (LDS) was restored April 6,1830 by Joseph Smith (Doc. & Cov., 20:1). Jesus Christ said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). "for other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor.3:11). "...And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone" (Eph.2:20). g 6. MORMONISM TEACHES The gospel to Mormonism is: "Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Holy Spirit by laying on of hands, Morality, Loyalty, Tithing, Word of Wisdom, Duty Celestial Marriage (for eternity)" (LDS chart of FREE AGENCY and Articles of Faith, No. 4). The Bible says, "Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:1, 3-4). "if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:9). g 7. MORMONISM TEACHES SALVATION FOR THE THE DEAD This doctrine is based on one misunderstood Scripture: "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" (1 Cor. 15:29). Paul did not practice baptism for the dead. He excluded himself by using the pronoun "they" rather than "we" or
"ye". He is asking a question rather than making a statement. g 8. MORMONISM TEACHES GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH FOR THE DEAD. "Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worth of all acceptation" (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 128:24). The Bible says, "Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies" (1 Tim. 1:4). g 9. MORMONISM TEACHES THAT THERE ARE Mormonism claims that Joseph Smith received the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist. The Melchizedek Priesthood and Apostleship was restored by Peter, James and John shortly afterwards in 1829 (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 13). The Bible says, "God...hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds" (Heb. 1:1-2). g 10. MORMONISM TEACHES "No man who rejects the testimony of Joseph Smith can enter the kingdom of God" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1 pg. 190). "Men have work to do it they would obtain salvation" (Doctrines of Salvation. vol. 3, pg 91). The Bible teaches that salvation is provided by Jesus Christ alone, "for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:10-12). "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). |