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GOD | |
LDS Doctrine |
Biblical Christianity |
"This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven" [Gen 2:4].
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you." Exod 3:14
The word "God" comes from El or Elohim. Elohim is the plural form of El, but it is usually translated in the singular. Some scholars have held that the plural represents an intensified form for the supreme God; others believe it describes the supreme God and His heavenly court of created beings. Still others hold that the plural form refers to the triune God of
MOSAIC COMMAND OF YAHWEH ELOHIM
THE SHEMA
ISRAEL'S PROPHETS AGREE
ISRAEL'S WISDOM AND HYMN WRITERS AGREE
COMPOUND OLD TESTAMENT NAMES FOR GOD
GOD THE FATHER
ABBA FATHER
JESUS AFFIRMED THE OLD TESTAMENT SHEMA
W.E. Vine says, monos in the New Testament means "alone, solitary," is translated "only," e. g., in [Matt. 4:10; 12:4; 17:8; 1 Cor. 9:6; 14:36; Phil. 4:15; Col. 4:11; 2 John 1]; it is used as an attribute of God in [John 5:44; 17:3; Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; Jude 4,25; Rev. 15:4]. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words
PAUL TAUGHT MONOTHEISM
There are three Gods -- the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- who, though separate in personality, are united as one in purpose, in plan, and in all the attributes of perfection. Thus anything, in these fields, which is revealed with reference to any of them is equally true of each of the others; and hence no attempt need be made in these fields to distinguish between them.
By definition, God (generally meaning the Father) is the one supreme and absolute Being; the ultimate source of the universe; the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. Of him, when considering the object upon which faith rests, the Prophet observes "that God is the only supreme governor and independent Being in whom all fulness and perfection dwell; who is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; without beginning of days or end of life; and that in him every good gift and every good principle dwell; and that he is the Father of lights; in him the principle of faith dwells independently, and he is the object in whom the faith of all other rational and accountable beings centers for life and salvation." (Lectures on Faith, p. 9.)
"There is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them." (D. & C. 20:17.) He is not a progressive being in the sense that liberal religionists profess to believe; he was not created by man; and he was not a God of vengeance and war in Old Testament times and a God of love and mercy in a later New Testament era. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
God is known only by revelation; he stands revealed or remains forever unknown. He cannot be discovered in the laboratory, or by viewing all immensity through giant telescopes, or by cataloging all the laws of nature that do or have existed. A knowledge of his powers and the laws of nature which he has ordained does not reveal his personality and attributes to men in the true gospel sense. Certainly a knowledge of these laws and powers enables man to learn truths which are faith promoting and which help him to understand more about Deity; but saving knowledge of God comes only by revelation from the Holy Ghost as a consequence of obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
Man's purpose in life is to learn the nature and kind of being that God is, and then, by conformity to his laws and ordinances, to progress to that high state of exaltation wherein man becomes perfect as the Father is perfect. (Matt. 5:48; Teachings, pp. 342-362.)
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.318 GOD
Latter-day Saints declare, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost" (A of F 1). Joseph Smith offered the following clarification: "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" (D&C 130:22; see God the Father; Holy Ghost; Jesus Christ).
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct beings who constitute one Godhead. Generally speaking, the Father is the Creator, the Son is the Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost is the Comforter and Testifier (cf. MFP 5:26-34; TPJS, p. 190). Many scriptural passages illustrate the distinct character of the members of the Godhead. For example, at the baptism of Jesus, while he was in the water, the Father's voice was heard from heaven, and the Holy Ghost descended "like a dove" and rested upon the Son (Matt. 3:13-17; see Jesus Christ: Baptism). All three persons were manifested separately and simultaneously. Also, Jesus said, "My Father is greater than I" (John 14:28), and in another place declared, "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). Further, Jesus pointed to the Father and himself as two separate witnesses of the divinity of his work (John 5:32-37; 8:12-18). On the Mount of Transfiguration the heavenly Father identified the mortal Jesus to Peter, James, and John as "my beloved Son" (Matt. 17:5). Moreover, the Son often prayed to his Father. In Gethsemane he prayed to the Father while in deep anguish (Mark 14:32-39; cf. Luke 22:40-46; D&C 19:16-19), and on the cross he cried out to the Father, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34; cf. Ps. 22:1). All of these passages clearly show that the Father is a being distinct from the Son. Although they are one in mind and purpose, they are two separate individuals and bear testimony of one another (cf. 3 Ne. 11:7-11).
The way in which the Godhead is one is illustrated by Jesus' prayer that his disciples would be one, even as he and the Father are one (John 17:21-22; cf. 3 Ne. 11:27, 32-36; 28:10-11). Here he was praying for his disciples' unity of mind, purpose, and testimony, not for the merger of their identities into a single being. He prayed that they would be one in desire, purpose, and objective, exactly as he and his Father are (TPJS, p. 372; see Unity).
The Father, as God, is omnipotent, omniscient, and, through his spirit, omnipresent (see Light of Christ). He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness. His course is one eternal round. He is a God of truth and no respecter of persons. He personifies love.
Though Latter-day Saints extensively use the scriptures to learn about God, their fundamental knowledge concerning him is based upon the Prophet Joseph Smith's first vision, the Prophet's subsequent revelatory experiences, and individual personal revelation. While mankind may reason or speculate concerning the existence of God, and his nature, the principal way by which they can know about God is dependent upon his revealing himself to them (see Testimony of Jesus Christ).
Before A.D. 325, the date of the first Christian ecumenical council at Nicaea, the nature of God was debated by philosophers and people of faith. Since then, the concept of God has been the subject of ecumenical councils, philosophical discussions, and creeds. None of these is the source of the LDS understanding of God. To be sure, many classical arguments for the existence of God have been advanced, including the ontological arguments of Anselm, the five "proofs" of St. Thomas Aquinas, the teleological argument of Descartes, the ethical argument of Leibniz, and the postulates of practical reason of Kant. As impressive as any of these might be as achievements of the human intellect, none of them is the source of faith in God for Latter-day Saints, whose faith is based upon personal testimony grounded in personal experience (see Epistemology; Faith; Reason and Revelation).
The last chapter of the Book of Mormon records this promise: "And when ye shall receive these things [of God], 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. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" (Moro. 10:4-5). The personal witness that one receives in answer to prayer is called a testimony. Latter-day Saints teach that through this source a person can receive a sure witness that God lives, a confirmation regarding the various principles that the scriptures teach, and clarification where it is needed.
Belief in God, or a measure of faith in him, is essential to finding the reality of his existence. Inasmuch as God exists, and human beings are his children, it is important for men and women to know these facts because such knowledge is a component of eternal life (John 17:3). Individuals need to know that they are themselves eternal beings, that they are dependent upon God for their earthly existence (cf. Mosiah 2:21), and that their future condition depends on how they relate to God and keep his commandments (see Commandments; Obedience).
God loves his children and has provided the means for them to realize their divine potential (see Godhood). God has given humankind the program for his children as a whole (see Plan of Salvation), and through the gift of the Holy Ghost he gives special guidance to individuals as they seek it (see Inspiration). God revealed his will to prophets in ancient times and to apostles in the meridian of time, and he continues to reveal himself to living prophets and apostles in the latter days.
Learning of God's existence creates the desire to know him, and know what he would have one do or be. As one's faith and knowledge of God increase, one desires more and more to keep God's commandments and feel close to him (see Faith). The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that knowing the true character of God forms the basis for the faith that leads to salvation (Lectures on Faith 4:1; see Lectures on Faith). Jesus promised that the Comforter, or Holy Ghost, would be sent to one who keeps God's commandments (John 14:26). The ideal is to enjoy that influence continuously.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us: yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did" (TPJS, pp. 345-46). Further, "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,-I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form-like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another" (TPJS, p. 345).
Thus, all humans must learn from God who they are, where they came from, why they are on earth, where they are going, and what their eternal potential is, by studying the scriptures and receiving personal revelation. All things center in God.
Bibliography
"The Father and the Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by the First Presidency and the Twelve." MFP 5:26-34.
Kimball, Spencer W. The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball. Salt Lake City, 1982.
McConkie, Bruce R. A New Witness for the Articles of Faith. Salt Lake City, 1985.
Smith, Joseph Fielding. DS 1:1-55. Salt Lake City, 1954.
Talmage, James E. AF, pp. 29-51. Salt Lake City, 1965.
DAVID H. YARN, JR.
David H. Yarn, jr, God, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan, 1992), 546-547.
The Personal Proper Mormon Name for God ~ ELOHIM Biblical Names for God
Elohim
“Latter-day Saints use the name Elohim in a more restrictive sense as a proper name-title identifying the Father in Heaven (see God the Father). The First Presidency of the Church has written, "God the Eternal Father, whom we designate by the exalted name-title "Elohim,' is the literal Parent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and of the spirits of the human race." Keith H. Meservy, Elohim, Encyclopedia of Mormonism,1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan, 1992), 452. OLD TESTAMENT NAMES FOR GOD
The word "LORD" is in all caps because the Hebrew text here contains the proper name Yahweh. W.E. Vine says God chose Yahweh as the personal name by which He introduced himself and then related to his people. Yahweh expresses the fact that He is the infinite and original personal God who is behind everything and to whom everything must finally be traced. This name, "I am who I am," signals the truth that nothing else defines who God is but God Himself. Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary
In this context Yahweh Elohim introduced himself in a burning bush. His first command was for Moses to remove his shoes because of his holiness.
"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me" [Exod 20:5].
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!" [Deut 6:4].
Many centuries later we see Jesus quoting this passage in his affirmation of Biblical Monotheism [Mk. 12:29-32].
"You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me there was no God formed, and there will be none after me. "I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides me" [Isa 43:10-11].
"Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders." Ps 72:18
"Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His footstool; Holy is He." Ps 99:5
The following are other names in honor of the Lord in the Old Testament that stem from the basic name of Yahweh:
Jehovah-jireh-- This name is translated as "The-LORD-Will-Provide," commemorating the provision of the ram in place of Isaac for Abraham's sacrifice Gen. 22:14.
Jehovah-nissi-- This name means "The-LORD-Is-My-Banner," in honor of God's defeat of the Amalekites Ex. 17:15.
Jehovah-shalom-- This phrase means "The-LORD-Is-Peace," the name Gideon gave the altar which he built in Ophrah Judg. 6:24.
Jehovah-shammah-- This phrase expresses the truth that "The-LORD-Is-There," referring to the city which the prophet Ezekiel saw in his vision Ezek. 48:35.
Jehovah-tsebaoth-- This name, translated "The-LORD-of-hosts," was used in the days of David and the prophets, witnessing to God the Savior who is surrounded by His hosts of heavenly power 1 Sam. 1:3.
Jehovah Elohe Israel-- This name means "LORD-God-of-Israel," and it appears in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Psalms. Other names similar to this are Netsah Israel, "The Strength of Israel" 1 Sam. 15:29; and Abir Yisrael "The Mighty One of Israel" Is. 1:24. Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary NEW TESTAMENT NAMES FOR GOD
John 1:1-2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
The word "God" comes from the Greek word "theos." Theos was used by the Greek world to refer to the polytheism of the Greeks, denoted "a god or deity," [Acts 14:11; 19:26; 28:6; 1 Cor. 8:5; Gal. 4:8]. When Jewish rabbis translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek they used theos everywhere to refer to both pagan gods and the One True God of Israel. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words
In the New Testament, these and all the other divine attributes are predicated of Him. To Him are ascribed, e. g., His unity, or monism, e. g., Mark 12:29; 1 Tim. 2:5; self-existence, John 5:26; immutability, Jas. 1:17; eternity, Rom. 1:20; universality, Matt. 10:29; Acts 17:26-28; almighty power Matt. 19:26; infinite knowledge, Acts 2:23; 15:18; Rom. 11:33, creative power, Rom. 11:36; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 3:9; Rev. 4:11; 10:6; absolute holiness, 1 Pet. 1:15; 1 John 1:5; righteousness, John 17:25; faithfulness, 1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 1 Thes. 5:24; 2 Thes. 3:3; 1 John 1:9; love, 1 John 4:8,16; mercy, Rom. 9:15,18; truthfulness, Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18. See GOOD, No. 1 (b). Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" [Matt 5:16].
The New Testament has more of an emphasis on God as God the Father [Matt. 5:16; 28:19].
And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will" [Mark 14:36].
"Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" [Gal 4:6].
"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" [Rom 8:15]. W.E. Vine says this about Abba, "abba is an Aramaic word, found in Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15 and Gal. 4:6. In the Gemara (a Rabbinical commentary on the Mishna, the traditional teaching of the Jews) it is stated that slaves were forbidden to address the head of the family by this title. It approximates to a personal name, in contrast to "Father," with which it is always joined in the NT. This is probably due to the fact that, abba having practically become a proper name, Greek-speaking Jews added the Greek word pater, "father," from the language they used. Abba is the word framed by the lips of infants, and betokens unreasoning trust; "father" expresses an intelligent apprehension of the relationship. The two together express the love and intelligent confidence of the child." Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words
NEW TESTAMENT AUTHORS LINK THEOS AND MONO
JESUS TAUGHT MONOTHEISM
Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, "YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY" [Matt 4:10 cf. Lk 4:8].
"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" [John 17:3].
"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the {one and} only God?" [John 5:44].
Jesus answered, "The foremost is, "HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;
AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is this, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; you have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM." [Mark 12:29-32].
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, {be} honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" [1 Tim 1:17].
"Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one" [1 Cor 8:4].
For there is one God, {and} one mediator also between God and men, {the} man Christ Jesus" [1 Tim 2:5]. 1966 MORMON DOCTRINE McCONKIE ~ GOD CHRISTIANITY See ALMIGHTY GOD, CHRIST, CONDESCENSION OF GOD, CREATOR, CREEDS, ELOHIM, ENDLESS, ETERNAL, EXALTATION, FALSE GODS, FATHER IN HEAVEN, FATHER OF LIGHTS, GOD AS A SPIRIT, GODHOOD; GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB; GOD OF BATTLES, GOD OF GODS, GOD OF ISRAEL, GOD OF NATURE, GOD OF SPIRITS, GOD OF THE WHOLE EARTH, GOD OF TRUTH, GRACE OF GOD, HIGHEST, HOLY FATHER, HOLY GHOST, IDOLATRY, LORD, MAN OF COUNSEL, MAN OF HOLINESS, MOST HIGH, MOTHER IN HEAVEN, OMNIPOTENCE, OMNIPRESENCE, OMNISCIENCE, ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, PERSONIFICATION, PLURALITY OF GODS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SALVATION, SON OF GOD, THEOPHANIES, UNKNOWN GOD. Biblical Response
1992 Encyclopdia on Mormonism ~ GOD Biblical Response Author, David H. Yarn, Jr. 4.23
| 1997 Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley ~ GOD | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| To me it is a significant and marvelous thing that in establishing and opening this dispensation our Father did so with a revelation of himself and of his Son Jesus Christ, as if to say to all the world that he was weary of the attempts of men, earnest though these attempts might have been, to define and describe him. Strange as it seems, we alone, among all the great organizations that worship God, have a true description and a true definition of him. The experience of Joseph Smith in a few moments in the grove on a spring day in 1820, brought more light and knowledge and understanding of the personality and reality and substance of God and his Beloved Son than men had arrived at during centuries of speculation. ("The Cornerstone," Improvement Era, June 1960, p. 425.) God is in form like a man. He is personal. He speaks, and has spoken to man. He is exalted, and by human standards he is all-wise and all-powerful. But he is merciful and kind. He is the father of the spirits of all men, and he has a father's consideration for and interest in his children. His work and his glory lie in their eternal welfare. (What of the Mormons? pamphlet, 1982, p. 6.) The gospel for me is not complex. It is a beautiful and simple pattern, a constant source of strength, a wellspring of faith. The keystone of that doctrine is that God is our Eternal Father and Jesus is the Christ, our living Redeemer. We are sons and daughters of God. He loves us and invites us to love him, showing that love through service to others of his children. His Beloved Son is our Savior, who gave his life on the cross of Calvary as a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of mankind. By the power of his divine Sonship he rose from the grave, becoming "the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20), assuring for all a resurrection from the dead and inviting each of us to partake of eternal life according to our obedience to his laws and commandments. They, that is, the Father and the Son, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in a most glorious and wonderful manifestation to open this, the dispensation of the fulness of times. (See D&C 112:30.) All of the elements of previous bestowals of divine teaching and authority are now brought together through restoration in a final and everlasting dispensation. ("Five Million Members—A Milestone and Not a Summit," Ensign, May 1982, pp. 44-45.) I believe without equivocation or reservation in God, the Eternal Father. He is my Father, the Father of my spirit, and the Father of the spirits of all men. He is the great Creator, the Ruler of the Universe. He directed the creation of this earth on which we live. In His image man was created. He is personal. He is real. He is individual. He has "a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's" (D&C 130:22). (The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, booklet [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], p. 4.) Each of us is a dual being of spiritual entity and physical entity. All know of the reality of physical death, when the body dies; and each of us also knows that the spirit lives on as an individual entity, and that at some time, under the divine plan made possible by the sacrifice of the Son of God, the spirit and the body will be reunited. Jesus' declaration that God is a spirit no more denies that he has a body than does the statement that I am a spirit while also having a body. I do not equate my body with His in its refinement, in its capacity, in its beauty and radiance. His is eternal. Mine is mortal. But that only increases my reverence for Him. I worship Him "in spirit and in truth." I look to Him as my strength. I pray to Him for wisdom beyond my own. I seek to love Him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. His wisdom is greater than the wisdom of all men. His power is greater than the power of nature, for He is the Creator Omnipotent. His love is greater than the love of any other, for His love encompasses all of His children, and it is His work and His glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His sons and daughters of all generations (see Moses 1:39). . . . This is the Almighty of whom I stand in awe and reverence. It is He to whom I look in fear and trembling. It is He whom I worship and unto whom I give honor and praise and glory. He is my Heavenly Father, who has invited me to come unto Him in prayer, to speak with Him, with the promised assurance that He will hear and respond. (The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, booklet [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], pp. 5-6.) God our Eternal Father lives. I know that. I don't understand the wonder of His majesty. I can't comprehend the glory of the Godhead, but I know that He is my Father, notwithstanding all that, and that I can speak with Him in prayer and that He will hear and listen. I know that. (Ketchikan Alaska Fireside, June 22, 1995.) I want to give you my testimony of this work and I want to say it in such a way that you can remember that I said it. I know this work is true. I know that God our Eternal Father lives. I am thankful for the knowledge that He loves us as His children. I am grateful that I feel in my heart a great love for Him. I know He lives, my Father in Heaven. I can scarcely comprehend the wonder of it all. He who is the Creator and Governor of the universe knows me, knows you, each of you. He loves you; He is concerned for you. (Promontory Utah Branch Sacrament Meeting, October 15, 1995.) Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997]. | April 13, 1997 Gordon B. Hinckley made the first of some controversial statements about the person of God. He did so in a public interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, later he repeated the theme for PBS, July 18, 1997 and for Time Magazine, on August 4, 1997.
Here is the first dialogue from San Francisco,
"Q. There are some significant differences in your beliefs. For instance, don't Mormons believe that God was once a man? Here is his statement on PBS,
"Q. The Bible says in the Book of John, Chapter 4, God is a spirit. But Mormons say that God is flesh and bone. You get a picture of God that is progressing. So you see that man is made of the same stuff, as it were, as God is; and that man is progressing toward deityhood, and God once was like man. So this is a very different picture of Christianity. Time Magazine quoted him this way,
"On whether his church still holds that God the Father was once a man, he sounded uncertain, "I don't know that we teach it. I don't know that we emphasize it... I understand the philosophical background behind it, but I don't know a lot about it, and I don't' think others know a lot about it." Because of this confusion Luke Wilson wrote President Hinckley's office for clarification and was told "The quotation you reference was taken out of context." Because the church responsed this way, Luke Wilson wrote to David Van Biema, the reporter who interviewed President Hinckley for Time and asked him to review their taped transcript.
David Van Biema's transcript reads,
" Q: Just another related question that comes up is the statements in the King Follet discourse by the Prophet. Souce material can be obtained from Luke Wilson's ministry at http://www.irr.org/mit/hinckley.html 9/27/02 8:04 AM
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| ETERNALITY OF THE MORMON GOD | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| Joseph Smith “First, God himself, who sits enthroned in yonder heavens, is a man like unto one of yourselves, that is the great secret ... I am going to tell you how God became God. We have imagined God was God from all eternity ... but God himself; the Father of us all dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did....” In contrast to Joseph Smith, the Bible clearly teaches that “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent....” Num 23:19 Biblical revelation is aware of the fact that it is human nature to try and “bring God down to man’s level.” “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the image made like to corruptible man....” Rom 1:22-23 [Joseph Smith, Times & Seasons, vol. 5, 613-615]. “Latter-day Saints perceive the Father as an exalted Man in the most literal, anthropomorphic terms. They do not view the language of Genesis as allegorical; human beings are created in the form and image of a God who has a physical form and image (Gen. 1:26)."
"The important points of the doctrine for Latter-day Saints are that Gods and humans are the same species of being, but at different stages of development in a divine continuum, and that the heavenly Father and Mother are the heavenly pattern, model, and example of what mortals can become through obedience to the gospel (see Mother in Heaven)." |
GOD IS ETERNALLY GOD More than any other aspect of deity, God’s eternality is what sets him apart from other religions. While Mormons agree that God lived in eternity past, they also see him there as at one time being a created being. They also see humans, angels and God all being of the same class of being. While they may agree God lived in eternity past - they believe we all lived in eternity past. The primary difference is in the substance of God as well as his person and works. The God of the Bible is infinitely eternal as being fully God in eternity past. When we study far enough into eternity past, we only see God. There, standing outside of time, space and matter, God created everything else [Gen. 1, John 1:1-3, Heb. 1:10]. World religions from the east [with Mormonism in agreement] see God as being part of the creation. The difference can not be negotiated away. Abraham called God Yahweh the everlasting God [Gen.. 21:33]. When God introduced himself to Moses he said even his name was eternal [Exod. 3:15]. His reign is eternal [Exod. 15:18]. Later in the second law in Deuteronomy God twice more referred to himself in those terms [Deu. 32:40, 33:27]. As the prophets and psalmists followed they continued to uphold the fact of God’s eternality [Neh. 9:5, 1 Chron. 16:36, Psalm 9:7, 41:13, 90:1-2, 93:2, Isa. 40:28, 41:4, 43:13, 44:6, Mic. 5:2, Hab. 1:12, 3:6]. We see New Testament authors like Paul in agreement [Rom. 1:20, 16:26, 1 Tim. 1:17]. We see agreement from the Pentateuch to John’s final revelation [Rev. 1:4, 6, 4:8-10, 10:6, 11:17, 15:7]. A simple reading of the Old Testament Law clears up any confusion about who God is. Jews and Christians both agree in saying “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent....” Num 23:19 The Ten Commandments forbid any form of polytheism [Ex. 20]. When we move into the New Testament, we see the Ten Commandments being brought into the New by Jesus and his apostolic authors. We see Paul for example writing to the Romans, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the image made like to corruptible man....” Rom 1:22-23 God does not want to be confused with man.
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| The Mormon Godhead | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
ENCYCLOPEDIA ON MORMONISM 1992 GODHEADPaul E. Dahl authored the Encyclopedia on Mormonism article titled “Godhead.”
MORMON BELIEFS IN 1966 ABOUT THE TRINITY
MODERN LDS REMARKS ON THE TRINITY “The major creeds, in large measure, deal with the Godhead; they describe the members of that holy trinity as being threeinone, incomprehensible, unknowable, uncreated, incorporeal, and without body, parts, or passions. Names of the members of the Godhead are applied to vague forces or essences that have little resemblance to the true Beings whom men are commanded to worship.” “In that early period of the Christian Era when pagan philosophies were being mingled with the doctrines of the gospel to form the apostate Christianity, attempts were made to harmonize these theories of men with the gospel concept of Christ being the Word of God. It was out of these attempts, and the consequent squabbling over the rank of the socalled Logos in the Trinity, that the early councils drafted the creeds which have since been the basis for the false sectarian notions about Deity.”
| SUMMARY BIBLICAL REFERENCES Passages describing the Trinity as a “mystery.” Col 2:2; 1 Tim 3:16; Eph 3:8-10 Passages revealing there is only one God. Isa 44:8; 45:5-6, 14, 18; 46:9; Mal 2:10 God’s contest against “other gods.” Isa 45:21-22; Passages commanding Monotheism. Ex 34:14-16; Deu 8:19; 11:28; Jer. 25:6; 1 Jn 5:21; Deu 6:4, 14-15; Jer. 10:10-12; Mk 12:28-34; Passages describing “communications” between the Persons of the Trinity. Gen 1:26; 3:22; Isa 6:8; Jn 10:15; Mt 11:27; Rom 8:27; 1 Cor 2:10; Messiah identified as the “Servant of Yahweh,” who is also presented as being distinct from the Holy Spirit. Isa 42:1 cf. v. 5 where He is identified as creator God. See Mt 12:18 where Jesus Himself quotes this Isaiah passage to identify Himself. Messiah identified as Lord God distinct from the Holy Spirit and as Redeemer God. Isa 48:16-17 Messiah identified as distinct from Yahweh and the Holy Spirit. Isa 61:1-3; cf. Lk 4:18 where Jesus Himself quotes this passage. Messiah identified as being distinct from Yahweh. Ps 2:2, 6; Ps 22:1, 15 All three Persons of the Trinity are called Yahweh, Elohim or Adonai. Son as El Isa 9:6; Son as Yahweh Ps 68:18; Isa 6:1-3; 45:21 Holy Spirit is called Yahweh Isa 11:2; Judg. 15:14; Spirit called Elohim Ex. 31:3 Yahweh as being linked as Savior God and Redeemer. Isa 63:7-10 Passages where all three Persons of the Trinity are revealed in unique manifestations. Mt 3:16-17, Lk 3:22, Jn 1:32-33; Jesus’ baptism; Lk 1:35 Jesus’ birth; Passages where all three Persons are revealed as being unique persons. Acts 2:33; 10:36-38; Rom 1:3-4; 8:9-11; 1 Cor 12:3-6; 2 Cor 1:21-22; 2 Cor 13:14; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Titus 3:4-6; Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:2; 3:18; Eph 4:4-6 Passages where the Father and Son are revealed in the same passage as being unique persons. 1 Cor 8:6; Gal 4:4; Col 2:2; 2 Thess. 2:16; 1 Cor 8:6; 1 Tim 3:5; Eph 1:3 Passages where the unity of the Father and the Son are revealed. Isa 9:6; Jn 1:1-2, 18; 10:30; 14:9, 20-23; 17:21; 1 Tim 3:16; Col 1:19, 2:9 Passages where Jesus teaches about diverse roles or works of each member of the Trinity. Mt 12:28; Jn 14:16-17, 26; Jn 16:13-15; Acts 1:4-5 Passages where the Holy Spirit and the Father are revealed as unique persons. Rom 8:26-27; 1 Cor 2:10-11; 6:19-20; 2 Cor 5:5; Gal 4:6 Passages where the Holy Spirit and the Son are revealed as unique persons. Acts 1:2; 1 Jn 5:6 Passages where the Holy Spirit and the Son are revealed in unity. 2 Cor 3:17 Passages where emotions are being shared between the Persons of the Trinity. Jn 3:35; 5:20; 15:9; 17:23, 26; Mt 3:17; 17:5; Jesus identifying all three Persons by singular “name.” Mt 28:19 Holy Spirit as God linked with Yahweh being called “Yahweh Ruwach.” Isa 11:2-3 The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father. Jn 14:26 The Holy Spirit is sent by both Jesus and the Father. Jn 15:26 The Holy Spirit is sent by Christ. Jn 14:16-17; Jn 16:7 The Greek words “mono” and “theos” are linked together teaching “monotheism.” Mt 4:10, Lk 4:8, 5:21, Jn 5:44, 17:3, Rom 16:27, 1 Tim 1:17, Jude 1:4, 25 Passages where the “pleroma” “fulness” of the Godhead is linked to Christ. Col 1:19, 2:9
CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO THE MORMON GODHEAD Mormons use the King James Version which uses capital letters LORD every time the personal proper name Yahweh or Jehovah is found. Hundreds of times we see LORD [Yahweh] and God [elohim] together in the same passage of their own Bible as meaning to represent the identically same person. As we study the Trinity, it will help Mormons to better recognize evidence for the Trinity if we remind them of this fact in our study. The Shema is an excellent example because Jesus himself quotes from it [Deu 6:4]. God told Isaiah, “I am Yahweh your Elohim the Holy One of Israel your Savior.” Isa 43:3 Sometimes Yahweh is linked with the Holy Spirit as Yahweh Ruwach. Isa 61:1; 1 Sam 16:14; Isa 11:2 Even though we never see the doctrine of the Trinity being explained in any one place in scripture we do see evidence for its reality everywhere in scripture. Following are some of the best evidences I could find to help in explaining these issues to Mormons or others who have a problem with the Trinity.
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| Mormon Omnipotence | Biblical Response |
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| Mormons are confused by the “infinitely” omnipotent God of the Bible. A recent general authority, Milton R. Hunter wrote, “We accept the fact that God is ... the most infinite power of any person within the realm of our understanding ... yet if we accept the great law of eternal progression, we must accept the fact that there was a time when Deity was much less powerful than He is today.” The Gospel Through The Ages, p. 114-117 LDS President, Spencer W. Kimball also wrote about an omnipotence that is not infinite but grown into over time, “God created man to live in mortality and endowed him with the potential to perpetuate the race, to subdue the earth, to perfect himself and to become as God, omniscient and omnipotent.”
| The word omnipotent means infinite power. All definitions for omnipotence include the word infinite which defines God’s power as being equal in eternity past as it is in the present and in eternity future. We see the earliest evidence in Genesis where Moses wrote, “Let there be light, and there was light.” The Psalmist wrote, “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the scepter of your kingdom is a right scepter.” Ps 45:6 This is a Biblical picture of God as we see it in Revelation, “... the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Rev 11:15 “ He rules by His power for ever.” Ps 66:7 “Before the mountains were born or you gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” Psalm 90:2
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| Mormon Omnipresence | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| Mormons are confused by the infinitely present God of the Bible. Not all Mormons are aware of every teaching of the LDS Church. Some try and juggle what they have been taught about their “anthropomorphic” “god” who can be measured in height, weight, time and influence with the Biblical God who is also omnipresent. Mormon apostle Bruce R. McConkie describes omnipresence in terms of rays Mormons call the “light of Christ” which flow out from the manlike body of their God into the immensity of space. When Joseph Smith declared the Father and the Son could not possibly indwell the human heart D&C 130:3 he presented the reasons for that limitation in verse 22 of the same “revelation.” “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. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.” Mormons do not use the term Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost interchangeably see the brief glossary at the end of this book.
| God is infinite in his relation to space. Some use the term “immensity” to describe the way God transcends all space to demonstrate that God is never limited by space. Because God is “infinitely” omnipresent this means God was equally omnipresent in eternity past as he is today and in eternity future. God, as unique from time, space and matter created all life and matter in the universe. God is revealed Biblically from Genesis to Revelation as being everywhere present. Jesus prayed stating the Father is in Heaven. Mt 6:9 Jesus said the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father. John 17:21 Together they indwell every believer simultaneously. Eph 4:6; Col 1:27; Rom 8:9
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| Mormon Omniscience | Biblical Response |
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| Mormons are confused by God’s infinite omniscience. The current president of the LDS church, Gordon B. Hinckley said, “God is in form like a man. He is personal. He speaks, and has spoken to man. He is exalted, and “by human standards” he is allwise and allpowerful.” Mormons struggle with this concept because they believe there was a time when God was not God and was being trained as a man living on an earth like this one. Lorenzo Snow wrote a poem that said, “First babes, then men - to gods they grew. As man now is, our God once was; As now God is, so man may be.” Brigham Young said, “He is our Father - the Father of our spirits, and was once a man in mortal flesh as we are, and is now an exalted being ... God has once been a finite being.” Brigham Young also taught that, “... I shall see the time with yourselves that we shall know how to prepare to organize an earth like this - know how to people that earth, how to redeem it, how to sanctify it, and how to glorify it, with those who live upon it.” He taught that “every earth has its redeemer, and every earth has its tempter.” Milton R. Hunter said, “We accept the fact that God has the greatest knowledge of any person within the realm of our understanding ... Yet if we accept the great law of eternal progression, we must accept the fact that there was a time when Deity was much less powerful than He is today.” The dilemma is brought home by Joseph Smith himself when he said, “... if it were not for the idea existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to exercise faith in him.”
| Scholars say omniscience defines infinite knowledge, and it takes omniscience to even understand omniscience. Oxford and Webster define omniscience as an “infinite” knowledge. This means God’s knowledge is equally omniscient in eternity past as in the present or in eternity future. “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” Ps 147:5 God’s omniscience is a great encouragement for believers who take comfort in knowing God intimately knows them and every condition they face. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are mature toward Him.” 2 Chron. 16:9 God in His “infinite” mind “... has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heaven by His understanding.” Jer. 51:15 Man’s knowledge has a beginning and his days are filled with training, but “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” Ps 33:11 God’s infinite understanding includes the thought life of humanity, “For I know their works and their thoughts...” Isa 66:18 “... For I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.” Ezek. 11:5 Jesus said, “Your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him. Mt 6:4, 8, 32 Paul said God’s omniscience is “past our finding out.” Rom 11:33
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| Changing God of Mormonism | Biblical Response |
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| An important modern LDS leader and author Milton R. Hunter said, “aeons ago God undoubtedly took advantage of every opportunity to learn the laws of truth and as He became acquainted with each new verity He righteously obeyed it ... His understanding of the universal laws continued to become more complete.” Milton R. Hunter had reference to the Mormon Doctrine called “eternal progression” which teaches man will never cease to progress even after he becomes a “god.”
| The Bible from Genesis to Revelation teaches that God is unchangeable in His person. The Bible declares, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 From the oldest book in the Bible Job we see, “But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desires, even that he does.” Job 23:13 Moses wrote “God is not a man that He should change His mind...” Num 23:19 God told Malachi in the last book of the Old Testament, “For I am the LORD, I change not...” Mal 3:6 Paul taught that “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” Rom 11:29 The author of Hebrews said, “...God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath...” Heb 6:17
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GOD THE FATHER
| The "Fatherhood" of the Mormon God | Biblical Response |
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MORMON USE OF THE TERM “GOD THE FATHER”
Stephen E. Robinson, the co-author of How Wide the Divide, wrote the article titled “God the Father” for the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Robinson is professor of New Testament at BYU.
| LIMITING OURSELVES TO THE BIBLICAL RECORD "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" [Gen 1:26-27]. "Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" [Gen 2:7]. In the chapter one we see man as the climax of creation, with man having dominion. But in chapter two we see man becoming central. We also see the foundation of the theme of God being the Potter with man the clay. But we see man as being very special clay after God in-breathes His breath creating His image internally.
W.E. Vine says the word create comes from bara' "to create, make." This verb is of profound theological significance, since it has only God as its subject. Only God can "create" in the sense implied by bara'. The verb expresses creation out of nothing. Objects of the verb include the heavens and earth
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JESUS CHRIST
LDS Doctrine
Biblical Christianity
| 1992 Encyclopdia on Mormonism | Biblical Response |
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| JEHOVAH is the personal, proper name for Jesus Christ.
| OLD TESTAMENT NAMES FOR CHRIST "The Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus in the New Testament. NEW TESTAMENT NAMES FOR CHRIST Christ could not die on the cross without being fully human. Jesus is called "God our Savior" "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus" [Luke 1:31].
"JESUS: "Jesus" Iesous is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Joshua" yehoshua`, meaning "Yahweh is salvation." It stands therefore in the Septuagint and Apocrypha for "Joshua," and in
"Very frequently the term is associated with "Lord" (kurios)-- "the (or "our") Lord Jesus Christ" ( John called Jesus Logos or Word. "The Personal Word, a title of the Son of God; this identification is substantiated by the statements of doctrine in John 1:1-18, declaring in verses 1 and 2 (1) His distinct and superfinite Personality, (2) His relation in the Godhead (pros, "with," not mere company, but the most intimate communion), (3) His deity; in Jesus Himself used “I Am” statements in the New Testament in ways that his audience linked with the God of the Old Testament. “Have you not read what that which was spoken to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” [Matt 22:31-32]. “I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I am!” [John 8:58]. |
| 1992 Encyclopdia on Mormonism | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| PREMORTAL JESUS In the premortal life, Jesus Christ, whose main title was Jehovah, was the firstborn spirit child of God the Father and thus the eldest brother and preeminent above all other spirit children of God. In that first estate, he came to be more intelligent than all other spirits, one "like unto God" (Abr. 3:19, 24), and served as the representative of the Father in the creation of "worlds without number" (Heb. 1:1-3; D&C 76:24; Moses 1:33; 7:30). LDS leaders have declared that all revelation since the Fall of Adam has been by, and through, Jehovah (Jesus Christ) and that whenever the Father has appeared unto man, it has been to introduce and bear record of the Son (JST John 1:19; DS 1:27). He was known to Adam, and the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah worshiped him in humble reverence. He was the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God-Lawgiver on Sinai, the Holy One of Israel. Scriptural records affirm that all the prophets from the beginning spoke or wrote of the time when Jehovah would come to earth in the form of man, in the role of a messiah. Peter said, "to him give all the prophets witness" (Acts 2:25-31; 10:43). Jacob taught that "none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ" (Jacob 7:11; cf. Mosiah 3:5-10; 13:33; 3 Ne. 20:24). Robert L. Millet, Jesus Christ, Encyclopedia on Mormonism. President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote, "Our Father in heaven according to the Prophet, had a Father, and since there has been a condition of this kind through all eternity, each Father had a Father" (Doctrines of Salvation 2:47)...President Joseph F. Smith taught: "I know that God is a being with body, parts and passions...Man was born of woman; Christ, the Savior, was born of woman; and God, the Father was born of woman" (Church News, 19 Sept, 1936, p.2). (Search These Commandments, Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide, Copyright 1984 by Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, page 152)" |
The Bible Declares Christ Had a Unique Birth. "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel" [Isa 7:14]. Joseph was not His physical father. His virgin birth was a sign meant to evidence He was Messiah. When he was born they learned his name meant God with us [Mt 1:23]. "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace" [Isa 9:6].
FULLY GOD AND HUMAN
Jesus Himself declared He was the only man to ever descend from heaven,
"No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man" [John 3:13]. It is a theme that Jesus was "sent" from heaven by the Father to accomplish our salvation [John 3:16-17]. We see Jesus praying this reality with the Father [Jn 17:3-5].
Paul speaks of this in more detail in his letter to the Philippians, As we examine both the Old and New Testament we see Christ being fully God before Bethlehem. Then we see him adding humanity to his deity [Jn 1:14].
CHRIST OF THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM IS DIFFERENT
JESUS IS FULLY CREATOR GOD
Paul agreed, "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" [Col 1:16-17 cf. Heb. 1:2-3, 10-12].
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| The Mormon Christ Who Can Not Dwell in Hearts | Biblical Response |
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| On October 1843 Joseph Smith caught one of his apostles Orson Hyde teaching the Father and Son indwell human hearts. Smith corrected him publicly. Orson Hyde was teaching exactly what Smith himself had previously revealed in 1833. Hyde taught that Christ is in the Father and the Father is in Christ as one complex God [Doctrine and Covenants 93:2-3]. Hyde’s text was John 14:23. To correct Hyde Smith revealed, “the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man's heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.” 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 person Spirit Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us” [D&C 130:3, 22]. | Jesus Himself made this invitation, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me" [Rev 3:20]. Jesus taught this indwelling relationship earlier, "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?" 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 14:21-23]. Paul taught the same thing, "to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" [Col 1:27]. This became a theme in the New Testament. It is really the fabric of what makes the Good News of the Gospel good. "As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life" [I Jn 2:24-25]. "As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him" [I Jn 2:27]. "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" [I Jn 4:4]. This teaching was so common that Paul used it as a test, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates" [2 Cor 13:5-6]. Despite such an important teaching in the New Testament, Joseph Smith began to drift away from this provision of the Gospel after 1842 when he began teaching God and Christ were both physical beings. This is a problem. When we externalize Jesus Christ we become the Church of Jesus Christ without Jesus Christ and join ourselves historically with Christless Christianity. |
| Did the Mormon Christ Visit Pre-Columbian America? | Biblical Response |
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| Mormons and Christians are in agreement about the bulk of the content of Jesus ministry in Palestine. However they do have some important differences. Mormons believe in A.D. 34, after his resurrection, that Christ appeared to Christians somewhere in the Americas. The Book of Mormon says he first arrived at a place identified as the City of Bountiful at its temple. This account was written in 3 Nephi. When I turn to page 396 of my Book of Mormon they have inserted artwork painted by Arnold Friberg depicting Christ’s return. The temple is in view in the artwork. It appears to be a stepped temple similar to those found in Southern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. In 3 Nephi 11 we see the voice of the Father announcing the appearance of the Son who then stays and organizes his church and starts a civilization that remains peaceful for the next two centuries across both continents [3 Nephi 11- 4 Nephi]. | The main problem with this teaching is that no evidence of Christians have ever been found in pre-Columbian America. While the Book of Mormon declares a huge Christian civilization for two hundred years not even one artifact has been found let alone the evidence for an entire civilization. There were large civilizations there at that time. The Maya were the most literate. Many cultures used advanced calendars that scholars can now read. While the Book of Mormon evidences a civilization from Israel it can not be found. Scientists researching caves, graves, burial grounds, temples, and ruined cities from both continents using biological evidence in the form of DNA agree that most of the first Americans came from an identifiable valley in Siberia. Linguists evidence after years of study have come to the same conclusion. There is no reason to accept the Book of Mormon additions about Christ. DID "HE" WALK THE AMERICAS? LINGUISTIC EVIDENCE AND THE BOOK OF MORMON
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| 1992 Encyclopedia on Mormonism | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| “Latter-day Saints believe in God the Father; his Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost (A of F 1). These three Gods form the Godhead, which holds the keys of power over the universe. Each member of the Godhead is an independent personage, separate and distinct from the other two, the three being in perfect unity and harmony with each other (AF, chap. 2).Paul E. Dahl, Godhead, Encyclopedia on Mormonism
| To be a qualified "offering" Christ had to meet some criteria. First to die he had to be fully human. Second to be an offering for someone elses sin would require that, unlike the priests, he would have to be completely free from sin. Third, he would need to be acceptable to the Father. As we examine the Biblical record we see Christ is in fact shown to be fully human. Secon, we see many who knew him testify that he was without sin. Third, Christ was affirmed as being acceptable by the Father three times.
PROBLEM WITH THE MORMON JESUS BEING A SINNER Christ had come to fulfill the law as Israel’s sacrificial lamb. One of the requirements of a sacrificial lamb in the Old Testament was that it must be without spot indicating a type for the way Christ would later come without sin. If he were a sinner he could not have died for us on the cross. If Christ had presented himself as Israel’s second God he would have violated the Decalogue and as a sinner be disqualified as our savior. Both John and Paul agreed Jesus had never sinned. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" [2 Cor 5:21]. "You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin" [I Jn 3:5]. Yet, when the 1992 Encyclopedia on Mormonism describes Christ they do so in ways that define a three God "Godhead." This clearly places the Mormon Jesus into polytheism which is forbidden in the Ten Commandments [Exo 20:1-5].
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| 1998 Gordon B. Hinckley on Christ | Biblical Response |
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| Gordon B. Hinckley, said in Paris France, June 4, 1998. In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ,
President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints ‘do not believe in the traditional Christ. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages. (Church News, week ending June 20, 1998, page 7)" | "But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not {so} in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made {this} evident to you in all things" [2 Cor 11:3-6].
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| 1992 Encyclopdia on Mormonism | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| 4.11 | 4.23 |
| 1992 Encyclopdia on Mormonism | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| 4.11 | 4.23 |
| 1992 Encyclopdia on Mormonism | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| 4.11 | 4.23 |