Divine Truths in the Book of Mormon
Anyone ĸvisited ĸby ĸa ĸMormon Missionary has ĸheard ĸthe ĸElder's
testimony ĸconcerning the Book of Mormon: ĸThat he knows this book is
the ĸWord ĸof God and that the founder of the Mormon ĸChurch, ĸĸJoseph
Smith, ĸJr., translated it by the gift and power of God. Further, the
prospect is encouraged sincerely to study the Book of Mormon and ĸ"The
divine truths it contains."
The Book of Mormon indeed does contain a number of "divine truths",
first set forth in the Bible, the most important of which are:
1. GOD IS SPIRIT
Alma 18:28 (p. 242) - "Believest, thou that this Great Spirit, who
is God, created all things".
2. TRINITARIAN VIEW OF GOD
3 ĸNephi 11:27 (p. 422) - "Verily I say unto you, that the Father
and ĸthe Son and the Holy Ghost are one." ĸIn addition, ĸthree ĸclose
associates ĸof Joseph Smith who gave testimony of the authenticity ĸof
the Book of Mormon, close with words: "And the honor be to the Father,
and ĸto ĸthe ĸSon and to the Holy Ghost, ĸWHICH IS ĸONE ĸGOD. ĸĸAmen."
(emphasis added) This endorsement is found in the front of every Book
of ĸMormon and further documents the Book of Mormon's ĸacknowledgement
of the triune nature of God.
3. GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE
Moroni 8:18 (p. 517) - ĸ"For I know that God is not a partial God,
neither a changeable being; ĸbut he is unchangeable from all ĸeternity
to all eternity."
4. NO SALVATION AFTER DEATH
Mosiah 3:25 ĸ(p. 141) - "And if they be evil they are consigned to
an ĸawful view of their own guilt and abominations, ĸwhich doth ĸcause
them ĸto ĸshrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of ĸmisery
and endless torment, ĸfrom whence they can no more return; ĸĸtherefore
they have drunk damnation to their own souls."
5. ONLY TWO DESTINATIONS AFTER DEATH
Mosiah 16:11 ĸ(p. 166) - "If they be good, ĸto the resurrection of
endless life and happiness; ĸand if they be evil, ĸto the resurrection
of endless damnation."
6. SALVATION BY CHRIST"S WORK - NOT MAN'S
Helaman 5:9 (p. 369) - "...remember that there is no other way nor
means ĸwhereby ĸmen can be saved, ĸonly through the atoning ĸblood ĸof
Jesus Christ, ĸwho shall come, yea, ĸremember that he cometh to redeem
the world."
The Book of Mormon also emphasizes the need for spiritual rebirth.
For ĸexample ĸAlma 5:14 ĸstates "And now behold, ĸI ĸask of ĸyou, ĸĸmy
brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye
received ĸhis image in your countenances? ĸHave ye ĸexperienced ĸthis
mighty change in your hearts?"
Much ĸof ĸthe ĸmajor theology set forth in the Book of ĸMormon ĸis
indeed in harmony with orthodox Christianity. ĸHowever, ĸmany who are
visited by the LDS Missionaries are unaware that the present ĸtheology
of ĸthe Mormon Church is very different from their own Book of Mormon.
Further, ĸnot only are today's major doctrines different, ĸthey are in
total ĸopposition with this work of Joseph Smith, ĸJr., ĸfor which ĸhe
claimed divine inspiration.
Mormon ĸtheology is not contained in, ĸbut rather contradicted ĸby
the ĸBook ĸof ĸMormon. ĸThe members of the Mormon Church now turn ĸto
newer ĸpublications ĸand ĸrevelations for their ĸbeliefs. ĸĸA ĸĸbrief
examination of some of these will document the contradictions.
1. ĸĸMormonism today teaches "The Father has a body of flesh and bones
as tangible as man's" (Doctrine & Covenants 130:22).
2. ĸJoseph Smith, later in his life, flatly denied the Trinity: ĸ"Many
men say there is one God, ĸthe Father, ĸthe Son and the Holy Ghost are
one God! ĸI saw that is a strange God anyhow - three in one, ĸand one
in ĸthree!" ĸHe further concludes that the Father, ĸSon and the ĸHoly
Ghost ĸare not one God, ĸbut rather three Gods (History of the ĸChurch
6:474, 476).
3. The LDS Church no longer adheres to the unchangeable nature of God,
but ĸrather ĸstates: ĸ"God himself was once as we are now and ĸis ĸan
exalted man... We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all
eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you
may see". (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345).
4. ĸĸBruce ĸR. ĸMcConkie announces on page 73 ĸof his ĸwork, ĸĸ'Mormon
Doctrine': ĸĸ"The Lord has ordained baptism for the dead as the means
whereby ĸall ĸhis ĸworthy children of all ages ĸcan ĸbecome ĸheirs ĸof
salvation in his kingdom."
5. ĸĸMormonism today informs its members that all mankind will ĸoccupy
one of three heavenly kingdoms. ĸThe highest is the Celestial Kingdom
(which itself contains various levels). ĸThis kingdom is reserved for
all ĸfaithful Mormons and could lead to Godhood for the ĸmale ĸmembers
there. ĸThe middle Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, is for those who
did ĸnot ĸaccept the gospel according to Mormonism, ĸbut who lived ĸan
honorable ĸlife. ĸĸThe ĸlowest or Telestial ĸKingdom ĸstill ĸcontains
murderers, ĸĸadulterers, ĸliars and thieves. ĸ(Doctrine ĸ& ĸCovenants
section ĸ76). ĸĸHell ĸin Mormonism is usually thought to ĸbe ĸonly ĸa
temporary ĸstate of suffering, ĸwhich can be terminated through ĸself-
atonement. ĸĸIn ĸsummary, ĸall will be resurrected and ĸreceive ĸsome
degree of glory, according to Mormonism.
6. Mormons believe not in the infinite atonement of Christ, but rather
that ĸ"redemption ĸfrom ĸpersonal sins can only ĸbe ĸobtained ĸthrough
obedience ĸto ĸthe ĸrequirements of the Gospel, ĸAND A ĸLIFE ĸOF ĸGOOD
WORKS." (emphasis added) (Talmage, Articles of Faith pgs. 478-479)
These ĸchanges ĸand contradictions contained within ĸthese ĸeasily
available ĸLDS ĸScriptures leave no doubt as to the human, ĸĸman ĸmade
origin of Mormonism.
While ĸMormons regard the Bible as the Word of God, ĸthe Bible ĸis
actually placed lower and superseded by their other Scriptures, ĸwhich
in addition to the Book of Mormon include the Doctrine & Covenants and
the ĸPearl ĸof Great Price. ĸThis devaluation of the Bible ĸis ĸfound
within the LDS Articles of Faith, ĸin the Pearl of Great Price, ĸwhere
it ĸis ĸstated ĸthat Mormons "believe the Bible in so ĸfar ĸas ĸit ĸis
correctly translated."
God's ĸword, ĸĸthe Bible, ĸhas definitely stood the test of ĸtime,
whereas in its short existence the Book of Mormon has not. The Bible,
has been used by and confirmed by archeology, - the Book of Mormon has
not. ĸThe Bible, ĸhas through recent ancient manuscript ĸdiscoveries,
been ĸdemonstrated to have been transmitted and translated accurately,
where the Book of Mormon contains nearly 4000 textual changes from the
first ĸedition ĸin 1830 ĸto the present editions used today, ĸand ĸhas
received further changes in the new 1981 "Triple Combination" edition.
The ĸpresence ĸof ĸ"Divine Truths" ĸwithin the Book of ĸMormon ĸis
merely a result of Joseph Smith, ĸJr. ĸincorporating much of the Bible
into his work. (see 'The use of the Bible in the Book of Mormon by H.
Michael ĸMarquardt). ĸĸThus, ĸthe Book of Mormon must be regarded ĸas
fiction, not as inspired Scripture.
Changes within Mormonism and the Book of Mormon make it clear that
Mormonism is not from God. ĸGod's word does not change. Jesus Christ
is the same yesterday, ĸtoday and forever (Hebrews 13:8) ĸand His Word
shall never pass away (Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35). The Jesus Christ
who ĸshed his blood on Calvary's cross to save you is not the Jesus of
present-day ĸMormonism. ĸĸJesus ĸinvites all people to ĸexperience ĸa
spiritual ĸrebirth ĸand to receive the free gift of ĸeternal ĸlife ĸby
trusting in him alone for salvation.
Write ĸto us and let us share with you more information concerning
our Risen Saviour Jesus Christ and how you can receive Him.
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