I. Historical facts about Mormonism and its infancy
1. Refer to the three points in appendix 1A
II. Mormonism and The Federal Government
Quote:
On Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Dr. D. James Kennedy receives a reply on a message preached earlier:
No matter how much they protest to the contrary, Mormons are not Christians.
I happened to make a passing reference in a sermon on television one time (fifteen years or so ago), and I mentioned a number of cults. I reeled off just the names of three or four of them, including Mormonism.
That week I got a call, believe it or not, from one of the members of the Cabinet of the United States of America. He was also a very, very highly placed person in the Mormon hierarchy.
He told me very emphatically that the Mormons were not a cult and that they were not to be referred to as a cult any further.
That is the kind of lengths to which they are going to represent themselves as just another church.
Note: Mormonism outside the state of Utah has little control over the government, but would like to take control of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Yet, within the confines of that state the Mormons not only have the power but sway the votes of Senate by placing one of their own church members as state senator as well as all higher offices in the state, local and city governments are overwhelmed by the presence of Mormonism.
III. Mormon’s and their beliefs and Biblical contradictions of them
1. God’s attributes and sovereignty
A. The Biblical view of the trinity is rejected and replaced with Polytheism or Tritheism
Note: Mormon theology lends the notion that there are multiply gods through the vastness of the universe and that there are many planets inhabited by them.
B. Hold the view that God (Elohim) was once a man and worked his way to godhood.
C. Every individual has the ability to achieve godhood
Biblical rejections of these teachings
1. Trinity clearly taught in scripture
Genesis 1:26
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Note: Also one can read but a few verses in scripture an see that Christ and the Holy Ghost are spoken of as the same with the Father, to reject the doctrine is to reject the scriptures
2. God eternal in nature
Psalm 18:15
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
Psalm 33:6-9
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
Note: Man comprehends time in measurements: minutes, hours, days weeks and Years; yet with Jehovah God times is irrelevant, at least in our understanding, because of his immutability. God did not have a starting point nor will he have an ending, therefore it’s concluded that He is eternal in nature and since He existed before the worlds were formed we magnify Him as creator God as does the Psalmist.
A. God in his eternality has never been a man and progressed to be a God.
God has always been God, never changing always immutable.
Mormonism’s view of Christology
1. Christ had a beginning
In this morbid view of Christ, we understand that Mormonism teaches that Christ was conceived of the Virgin Mary and Adam who progressed to be a god.
2. Jesus had married while on earth
3. Jesus was a polygamist
Biblical rejections of these views
1. Christ had no beginning
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Hebrews 1:5-13
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. 13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
A. Jesus was not a created being, such as the angels
B. Christ was not begotten in the understanding of the physical, for he has always been, but only begotten of the Father in the physical to die for sinners.
Hebrews 2:9
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
A. Jesus is the personification of God (hypo-static union)
All of God was personified in the personage of Jesus for the purpose of the cross. At no time was Jesus never the perfect personification of God.
2. Jesus never married while on earth or had he wives one or fifty.
Note: In the study of Christology it would be concluded that if Jesus had married and procreated in a physical sense he would have sinned thereby releasing him of his divinity. It would be poor theology to even consider such a notion, but it makes a Mormon hopeful for his self-indulged sinful practices.
Mormon’s delusional view of the Bible
1. The Bible is incorrect
2. Joseph smith is God’s true prophet
3. One needs the bible + The Book of Mormon + Doctrines and Covenants + The Pearl of Great Price to complete the whole council of God
The infallibility of Scripture
Sola Scriptura
Scripture Alone
Psalm 33:4
4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
1 Peter 1:10-12,25
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Note: scripture is complete, nothing missing, standing in error or in need of correction; God’s Word is all that is need for life, salvation, and eternity.
Mormon’s Soteriology of Works
Statement of Faith from the Mormon Church LDS
“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.”
1. Keeping the Laws
2. By Baptismal regeneration
3. Baptism for the dead
Note: All three of these articles of faith are rather familiar to the student of church history; they bring back thoughts of the heresies of the Roman Catholic Church.
Biblical Soteriology
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
1. The Law was only a schoolmaster to teach about sin and the coming righteousness of Christ
Galatians 3:21-25
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
A. Man was once under the dominion of the law
B. Man has been delivered from the law through Christ
C. Faith given as a gift to the believer is the only venue for biblical soteriology
2. Baptismal Regeneration refuted by scripture
Note: If salvation is a gift, how can you work for that which is free? Scripture doesn’t warrant a works + grace salvation, it is by grace alone, through the work of Christ alone.
3. Baptism for the dead
This area should not even be granted a response by any student of the word of God because of its ludicrously ridiculous statement. How can one be saved after death and furthermore how can one be saved through the work of a mortal man???
Hebrews 9:27
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Mormonism and Eschatology
According to the Doctrines and Covenants the Mormon parishioner can obtain godhood through the works of the church and some may not.
Heaven: Three levels for three types of people
1. Celestial heaven, the good Mormon will enter and become a god
2. Terrestrial heaven, were good people go that do not follow the teachings of the Mormon church
3. Telestial heaven: a place of abiding for the unclean
Hell: A place only reserved for the “sons of Perdition”
Biblical Eschatology
Note: Time doesn’t permit all that needed to discuss this topic in detail, I will say that the Mormon scholar is right on one aspect; there are three dispensations of heaven but not as they view them. In short they are listed thusly:
1. Paradise, The place of abiding for the saints of God before the Atonement of Christ; this is the place Jesus referred to as He spoke to the thief on the cross.
2. Heaven, The abiding place of Christ after His ascension; this is the place Paul spoke of when he stated, “to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord.”
3. The New heaven, this is yet to be fulfilled for it will not be until after the millennial rein of Christ; John spoke of this heaven in Revelation 21:1-2.
But to answer the debate: No one can achieve godhood and Satan used this very same tactic in Genesis:
Genesis 3:5
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
A. Heaven is a place that can only be obtained by salvation and its perimeters are fixed.
Hell: Is a place for the sons of perdition but also for all those who don’t know Jesus.
John 3:17-21
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
In Conclusion:
Biblical Soteriology is by grace alone through Christ alone and Biblical Eschatology is eternal in duration and inescapable once in one of two places. God may know the ending, but everything pertaining to eternity must be finished in this life.
Do you know Christ?
Has your preparations been made for eternity?
