Witnessing to Mormons
Lesson 3
Jeff Bixby
March 12, 2001
Scripture: 2Timothy 2:15 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."
A question that you may be asking yourself right now is, how can mormons believe in those things in lesson 2 if they use the Bible? Well, mormons twist and distort the Bible to mean what they want it to, or simply just becuase a prophet/president said so. The context of scripture is not used. New meanings to words are created for a mormonism purpose. In this lesson we will look at contradictions in mormonism according to Gods word. Mormon leaders contradict what Gods word says. Below are some examples of that. Mormons will believe a mormon prophet or leader and what ever he says.
Gates of Hell Prevailed
(Pamphlets by Apostle Orson Pratt 112) The gates of hell have prevailed and will continue to prevail over the Catholic Mother of Harlots, and over all her Protestant Daughters. Orson Pratt an mormon leader clearly states that he believes that hell has victory, but the Bible says otherwise. (Matthew 16:18) "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
Righteousness through Polygamy
(Doctrine and Covenants) Abraham recieved concubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. The thought that polygamy will bring righteousness is of all things not biblicial. Abraham was not justified by having many wives. (Romans 4:5) For what does scripture say? "Abraham believed God and it was cridited to him as righteousness." Having faith in the Lord brings righteousness not having more than one wife.
Justification/Saved by works
(McConkie, Doctrinal New Testement Commentary. 3:260) Man is justified by works. The Bible is says that we are not justified by anything we do. (Romans 3:28) For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. (Romans 3:20) By the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight. (Ephesians 2:8-9) For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves lest any man should boast.
Hatred of enemies
In Missouri we were taught to "pray for our enemies, that God would damn them, and give us power to kill them"(Letter BF Johnson, 1903 cited in the book Changing world of Mormonism by Tanners) Jesus himself taught us that we should love our enemies and pray for them, Early Mormons did not think this way. "You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."(Matthew 5:43-44)
Mankind has always been Good
(Brigham Young Journal of Discourses 9:305) It is however universally recieved by professors of religion as a scriptural doctrine that man is naturally opposed to God. This is not so. Paul says in his Epistle to the Corinthians, "But the natural man recieveth not the things of God" But I say it is the unnatural "man receiveth not the things of God."... The natural man is of God. Brigham Young is who brought the mormons to Utah. See how he just sort of over rides the word of God. Scripture tells us that we all were born of sin and unrighteousness. (1Corinthians 2:14) But a natural man does not accept the things of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, becuase they are spiritually appraised.(John Taylor 3rd Mormon President Journal of Discourses 10:50)It is not natural for men to be evil. (Romans 3:10-12) As it is written:"There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together became worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one"
No original sin
In the true gospel of Jesus Christ there is no original sin.(John Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, 195 in Cowan 75) Mormons have no biblical basis for any doctrine that they hold to, it is truly the doctrine of men. The Bible is clear on men and women being born with sin becuase of Adams trangression. (Romans 5:18) One trespass was condemnation for all men.
Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ Denied by Mormons
Mormon doctrine denies Jesus always was God. Jesus became a Godd... through consistent effort(M.R. Hunter, Gospel Through the Ages, Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1945, 51, in McElveen, 154) Once agian the Bible shows us differently. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever(John 1:1) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever(Hebrews13:8)
God Dwells in our hearts
The idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old secterian notion, and is false. (Doctrine and Covenants 130:3) Jesus Answered and said to him "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him."(John 14:23)
Adam God Doctrine
The Adam God Doctrine is a doctrine that Adam was a God at one time and is now, of another planet or was a spirit child of Elohim God the Father. This doctrine currently has been put on the back burner and is not "offical" church doctrine but was taught as such as little as 10 years ago. (Brigham Young Journal of Discourses 1:50) Adam is our Father and our God. (Genesis 3:17,19) Then to Adam he said,"... you are dust, and to dust you shall return"
Salvation through Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints membership
(Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 670) There is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. True christians do not believe that a particular church or doctrine is going to get you to heaven, just that a person who accepts christ should attend a good Christ teaching church. Membership in a church does not grant you anything in heaven. (John 3:36) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.
Holy Spirit and Baptism
Mormons put much in being baptized. Baptism is not essential to salvation or to recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit. Cornelius... could not recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized(Joseph Smith, Teachings, 199) (Acts 10:43-48) Cornelius recieved "the gift of the Holy Spirit" before he was baptized.
The Creation
There really was no beginning because God and matter are eternal.(Wallace, Can Mormonism Be Proven Experimentally? pg163) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.(Genesis 1:1)
Prophecy in Mormonism
A very vital area to mormons is the ability to have a living prophet. Without this very important prophet the church would essential fail. Many false prophecies have been documented by mormons that mormons, even Joseph Smith, had prophesied. Prophets also called President of the Church, have the supposed ability to recieve revelations from God on anything. Mormons heed to each ones every word in a magazines printed by the church, Ensign, Journal of Discourse etc. And a current prophet can and will often over-ride a prior prophets teachings, so now the current prophets teachings are doctrine. Some of the false prophecies are as follows: D&C 84:1-5 D&C 101:17-21 These are passages that go to a prophecy of a temple that was supposed to be built in Zion(Independence MO) during Joseph Smith’s life time. As a matter of fact in July of 1833 as he gave a revelation that stated Zion would not or could not be removed, mormons in Missouri had agreed to leave due to "persecution". Many prophets and leaders try to explain away this prophesy as to why it has not come to pass, but the fact remains that in over 170 years it hasnt been built. It’s not even in the Church’s possesion another LDS organization refuses to sell it. Another among many others was the Second coming of Jesus prophecy. Just like Jehova’s Witness’s and 7th Day Adventist’s Joseph Smith predicted that Jesus would return in 1890 or 1891. The date was changed on many occasions. He declared that at one point he would be 85 and then the Lord will return. Many mormons are not even aware of these false prophecies, the church explains them away, an example is.... if you examine the D&C student manual, a 500 page commentary on the D&C one would find that these false prophecies are either ignored or reinterepreted. This is just one example of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints not being honest about histroy. Some early teachings on the creation story have been deleted from current books printed by the LDS church. The Book of Mormon in its current edition has over 3,000 changes! And any mormon will testify that its the most correct book on earth, more so than the Bible. Later in Lesson 6 you will be shown a few examples
