MORMONISM

BEGINNINGS

An Angel (Moroni) appears to Joseph Smith in 1823 letting him know about buried golden plates that contained the fullness of the everlasting Gospel

An Angel (Moroni) appears to Joseph Smith in 1823 letting him know about buried golden plates that contained the fulness of the everlasting Gospel

Joseph Smith eventually translated the golden plates from “Reformed Egyptian” into English

Smith had a history of treasure-hunting using divining rods, ritual magic, and other occultic practices

The Mormon church (the “One True Church”) was established by Smith and five others in Fayette, New York on April 6, 1830

The “One True Church” was forced to move while it grew due to public opposition from New York, to Missouri, and then to Illinois

Brigham Young took over the church and moved them to the Great Salt Lake in Utah in 1847

The fourth president of the Mormon Church, Wilford Woodruff “officially” ended polygamy in 1890 due to three main reasons:

1) The church’s top leaders were in jail or hiding 2) The U.S. government threatened to confiscate the church’s temples and other property 3) Utah had no chance of gaining statehood otherwise

BELIEFS

(1) Innumerable Gods Exist

Mormonism holds that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are separate Gods

Mormonism holds that the Father, Son, are separate Gods

Former president of the Mormon church, Spencer W. Kimball, was quoted as saying in a priesthood meeting, “Brethren, 225,000 of you are here tonight. I suppose 225,000 of you may become gods. There seems to be plenty of space out there in the universe”

Mormons take out of context verses they believe support human beings can become gods. says, “I said, you are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High”

However, there is no support for the polytheistic belief that men are gods in this verse. The word “gods” (elohim) can be used of God (), angels (), or human beings (as here)

In context this verse refers to a group of Israelite judges who, were loosely called “gods” in the sense that they stood in God’s place, making judgments on life and death matters

In , God himself says, “Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one”

says, “Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me”

(2) God Is An Exalted Man

Mormons are taught that God the Father was once a mortal man with a physical body who progressed to become a God or an exalted man

“God the Eternal Father was once a mortal man who passed through a school of earth life similar to that through which we are now passing. He became God - an exalted being - through obedience to the same eternal Gospel truths that we are given opportunity today to obey”

Mormons believe supports their teaching that God has a physical body

One of the most basic concepts when interpreting scripture is Scripture interprets Scripture

God is spirit () and spirit does not have flesh and blood ()

- God Himself declares, “I am God, and not man”

recites the living God as saying, “I the LORD do not change”

(3) Jesus Christ The Father’s Greatest Spirit-Son

Mormons teach Jesus was “begotten” as the first spirit child of the Father (Elohim) and one of his unnamed wives (“Heavenly Mother”)

Jesus is frequently called by the Mormons as “our elder brother,” as he is only one of many spirit children the Heavenly Father and Mother had together

As a spirit son, Jesus progressed by obedience and devotion to the truth in the spirit world until he became a God

Eventually, Jesus had a mortal birth on earth, as he was “begotten” through sexual relations between a flesh-and-bone Heavenly Father and Mary

Mormons use (“You are My Son, today I have begotten You”), to support their believe that Jesus was born as a spirit child of heavenly parents

However, the verse has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, but rather the resurrection of Christ ()

Jesus is as eternal as God the Father () and existed as the eternal “I AM” (cf. ) before Abraham (John 8:58)

Referring to Jesus, Paul wrote, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him ()

Referring to Jesus, Paul wrote, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him ()

Referring to Jesus, Paul wrote, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him ()

(4) Humans Are Preexistent Beings

According to Mormonism, all humans preexisted in spirit before residing on earth

Mormons misinterpret , “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations”

This was simply God setting apart and calling Jeremiah in the work he had prepared for him long before he was born

The Hebrew word for “know” (yada) speaks of a special relationship of commitment

(5) More Scriptures Than Just The Bible

Mormons consider the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price to be scripture

“The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book”

Mormons consider the Book of Mormon to be “another Testament of Jesus Christ,” God’s unblemished revelation to humanity, and the “fullness of the everlasting gospel”

reads, “For I am the LORD, I do not change: therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob”

Mormons argue that because God does not change, he will always reveal new revelation and Scripture with humanity

However, by context this verse is stating that the descendants of Jacob would not be eradicated because of God’s covenant promises to Israel

is a verse that deals with new and continuing revelation by instructing us to, “Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”

(6) The Bible Is Corrupted

Mormons consider the original manuscripts written by the original authors to be the Word of God

Mormon apostle Orson Pratt once said, “Who in his right mind, could, for one moment, suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide? Who knows that even one verse of the Bible has escaped pollution?”

Mormons use a Bible that is called the Inspired Version of the Bible translated by Joseph Smith

What is interesting is that it took almost 50 of the world’s brightest scholars, with knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, seven years to complete their work on the KJV

There have been more than 3,913 changes between the original version of the Book of Mormon released in 1830 and the ones reproduced through the mid 1970’s

There are obvious plagiarisms in the Book of Mormon

(7) They Are The “Restored” Church

Mormons insist the gospel has been lost from the Bible through “designing priests” removing its “plain and precious truths”

Mormons believe that since they have “prophets” and “apostles,” they must be the only true church

Mormons cite Paul, “God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” ()

However, says, the church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets”

However, says, the church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets”

The first-century apostles were in a unique situation: 1) They were handpicked by the Lord 2) Given divine authority 3) Provided exclusive revelation through God 4) Were eyewitnesses to the resurrected Christ

(8) Sin, Salvation, And Grace

Mormons

Mormons

Mormons have a very weak view of sin (a wrong, judgment, mistake, inadequacy, or imperfection)

To a Mormon, salvation (or “general salvation”) means resurrection for all people

Former Mormon President Spencer W. Kimball wrote, “One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and pronounced by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is need for salvation”

Mormons believe people must “work out” their salvation through their own efforts to attain godhead, citing , “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling”

reads, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin”

adds, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law”

Mormons use to justify salvation by works, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation”

However, John had earlier written, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” ()

Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8)