I began to recognize error immediately, starting with the introduction that makes reference to Mormon's son Moroni (who appeared to Joseph Smith) as now a "glorified, resurrected being..." What? Has that mortal man, if he even existed, already received his reward when the Bible clearly reveals the righteous, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the Prophets, are asleep and await the resurrection and inheritance God offers His people?
Hebrews 11
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises..39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Jesus clearly stated, "No man has ascended to Heaven" (John 3:13) and Peter testified that King David is still "dead and buried... David did not ascend into the heavens" (Acts 2:29, 34). Paul and John also reveal that we receive our crown and reward at the return of Jesus Christ and our resurrection:
2 Timothy
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Revelation 22
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
The birthmarks of fulfilled biblical prophecies include, as the Jerusalem-based Brit Am Israel organization teaches:
According to the Bible ten out of the twelve tribes of Israel split away (1 Kings 12:19), formed their own kingdom of "Israel" (1 Kings 12:20) and were exiled by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:18). They forget their identity (Hosea 1:9, 7:8; Isaiah 49:21) and became the Lost Ten Tribes. In the future they will re-unite with the Jews (Ezekiel 37; Isaiah 11:13; Jeremiah 3:18) of "Judah", but until then they have a role of their own to fulfill. They were destined to be situated at the continental extremities of the earth such as North America, the British Isles, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa (Deuteronomy 33:13; Isaiah 24:16, 26:15, 41:8-9, 49:6), to be the richest (Genesis 27:28, 49:25; Deuteronomy 33:13-16; Hosea 2:8), and most powerful (Numbers 24:8-7; Micah 5:7-9) nations on earth and to control major international strategic bases (Genesis 22:16-17, 24:60). All of these points together with numerous others show that descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes can only be found amongst Western Nations, especially the English-speaking ones.
Is the Book of Mormon greater than the 10 Commandments? God had Moses write them on stone tablets, not gold plates. And the hidden metal plates collection supposedly included the biblical lots, the Urim and the Thummim, that are strictly to be used only by a priest from the Tribe of Levi (Ezra 2:63) - not by any other tribe:
Exodus 28
30 And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.
Deuteronomy 33:8
And of Levi he said: “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, Whom You tested at Massah, And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah...
The Bible nowhere refers to the "Church of Jesus Christ," but it does make reference twelve times to the Church of God. Furthermore, it appears they consider Joseph Smith the Elijah who was to come.
As Jesus Christ plainly taught, "the meek shall inherit the Earth." Other Scriptures prove the New Jerusalem will be established on Earth.
Sounds like they're promoting the pagan trinity doctrine of demons, doesn't it?
"..all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state" - 1 Nephi 10:6.
Alma 3:26 teaches eternal happiness or misery; Alma 40:15 teaches a state of happiness and a state of misery (before the resurrection, when the Bible says the dead know nothing and the dead are asleep) and they promote the immortal soul lie of the serpent: "The soul could never die" (Alma 42:9), when Ezekiel says twice that "the soul that sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4, 20) and Jesus warned of both body and soul getting destroyed (Matt.10:28).
Born Again and Heaven and Hell
I did not read much of the Book of Mormon, but what I did read was enough to recognize that it contradicts the Word of God; what I did read was sufficient to see that it is not Scripture, that it is a lie, a book of the dead:
Isaiah 8:20
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Galatians 1
8...if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
My hope and prayer is that Mormons will burn their book, return to the basics, get back to the Faith once delivered to Jerusalem, and go by the Book - the Holy Bible.
Isaiah 55:7-9
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
21 comments:
You said, "the Bible clearly reveals the righteous, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the Prophets, are asleep and await the resurrection and inheritance God offers His people?"
I disagree. Matthew teaches us otherwise:
"And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matthew 27:52-53, emphasis added)
Yes, the Bible clearly reveals the righteous are asleep and await the resurrection and inheritance God offers His people.
The Scripture you used does not contradict it, as nowhere does it say who they were (other than saints), mentions many but not all went into the holy city of Jerusalem - not to Heaven - undoubtedly to testify of Jesus' resurrection and then returned to their graves.
Lazarus was resurrected for a purpose but later died and he is among those who presently sleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
Are not saints also righteous? Is not that the reason they are called saints?
Where does it say that these saints ever returned to their graves?
Lazarus was not resurrected for the very reason that he did die again. He was brought back to life - mortal life - by Christ. One who is resurrected does not die ever again. They are immortal. Resurrection is the complete and eternal vanquish over mortal death, where the physical body is changed and fashioned like unto Christ's in "glory" (1 Cor. 15:54-57; Philip. 3:21).
It is consistent with all the Scriptures to understand those saints who were temporarily resurrected and went into the holy city served a purpose and went back to sleep - it does not say all the saints were resurrected or that they went to Heaven. And why only some and not all? To testify about Jesus.
Doesn't Paul know what he's talking about when he speaks of those who are asleep in the Lord? Those saints who were resurrected were not resurrected to glory, they are not yet immortal, because Paul taught immortality for saints only occurs at the return of Christ and First Resurrection - not a second before.
Don't you believe Jesus that "the meek shall inherit the Earth" and the author of Hebrews who speaks of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and other righteous men and women, saints, who yet await their reward? Same goes for David who is dead and buried and has not ascended into Heaven.
Lazarus was not resurrected for the very reason that he did die again. He was brought back to life - mortal life - by Christ. One who is resurrected does not die ever again.
What is the resurrection but being raised from the dead? Lazarus was resurrected, he was raised from the dead, however, Lazarus was resurrected for a temporary time before the "end of time." Our resurrection to glory, to immortality, to divinity, isn't until the last trumpet, at the last day, the return of the King - the First Resurrection of the collective body of saints who are now asleep and await it, not having received their reward yet.
John 11
20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
1 Corinthians 15
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming... [they're asleep until then, not in Heaven or anywhere else]
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 [when?] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. [talk about a wake up call!] For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “ O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
Resurrection is not a temporary event. When someone is resurrected, as was Christ, it is a permanent condition, for eternity. One cannot die after being resurrected, or that would confound the whole point of resurrection. Resurrection vanquishes death, forever. Lazarus was brought back to mortal life, he was not resurrected, or else he would have had a perfected body and shone with the glory of the Son of God as when he was resurrected (Philip. 3:21).
Does it all boil down to semantics? Resurrection, raised from the dead, restored to life? The only difference is that the resurrection to glory is the First Resurrection that consists of believers who will never die again, who are resurrected exactly as I have shown and you've ignored or failed to address - at the sound of the last trump, in the end, at the return of the King and not a second before.
However, God has shown He is able to restore to physical life folks throughout history, not to glory, and let them die after their purpose was fulfilled.
"And the graves were opened; and many [not all] bodies of the saints which slept AROSE, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matthew 27:52-53, emphasis added)
Following your line of reasoning that resurrection is only to glory (although the Bible teaches otherwise), nowhere does that Scripture state those select saints were resurrected! Nowhere does it say they went to Heaven! That would be inconsistent with the overwhelming evidence of Scriptures that prove the saints are dead and buried, have not received their reward yet, are asleep until the wake up call comes at the return of Jesus Christ.
THE resurrection that you're actually referring to, that Martha said happens at the "last day" (John 11:24), that Paul referred to as the time when the saints are transformed, is FUTURE:
John 5
28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour [specific timing required] is coming [still future] in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life [being transformed], and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation [being destroyed].
The rewards and punishments have not been given YET.
Acts 24:15
I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust [still future].
2 Timothy 2:18
who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
Revelation 20
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Daniel 12
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time [the Great Tribulation/Time of Jacob's Trouble].
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.
"I did not read much of the Book of Mormon, but what I did read was enough to recognize that it contradicts the Word of God..."
David, you are certainly entitled to your opinions and conclusions. However, they seem to be done in great haste. You admitted to not investing much time with the Book of Mormon (in fact, it looks as if you may have only read the preface) Although I think it is very admirable that you have made the important step of opening its cover and reading the first pages, a true investigation and earnest study of this mighty book is necessary to fully appreciate its significance and pass a final judgement.
Here are just a few points for you and your readers to ponder.
1. Joseph Smith had less than a 3rd grade education. Although the Prophet would polish his skills over the years, his wife Emma acknowledged that Joseph possessed only rudimentary literacy at the time he translated the gold plates. She stated:
“Joseph Smith … could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter; let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, it is marvelous to me, ‘a marvel and a wonder,’ as much so as to any one else.”
2. Joseph began translating on Tuesday, April 7, 1829, with Oliver Cowdery as scribe. The manuscript was completed eighty-five days later, on June 30 of that year. Of course, not all of that time was spent working on the translation. The Prophet and his scribes also took time to eat, to sleep, to seek employment, to receive the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, to make at least one (and possibly two) trips to Colesville thirty miles away, to receive and record thirteen revelations that are now sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, to move from Harmony to Fayette, to acquire the Book of Mormon copyright, and to begin making arrangements for the publication of the Book of Mormon. Conservatively estimated, this left sixty-five or fewer working days on which the prophet and his scribes translated this book which contains 531 pages in its current edition. Holding this marvel in your hands is the first witness of its divinity. It would be a nearly impossible literary achievement for even a well-educated man to compose this text in the 1800s on his own as a fabrication, "hoax" or "spoof". It would be completely impossible for an uneducated farm boy (see point #1).
2. Linguistic scholars have found that the book is written in a modified Hebraic syntax, as well as full of semitic chiasmus. Dr. Sami Hanna, who was born in Egypt, is a scholar with special expertise in Semitic languages. As a linguistic exercise, he translated the Book of Mormon from English into Arabic, and back again. The exercise converted him to the divinity of the Book of Mormon. He, among with many other scholars verify that Joseph Smith could never have known of these linguistic details (see point #1).
4. The Book of Mormon stands as a second testament along with the Bible which fortifies the fact that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He was indeed Resurrected, as the Bible testifies. He appeared to His disciples, and then ascended into heaven. Prior to his acencion he stated that he had others to visit. The Book of Mormon affirms that the people in the Western Hemisphere were among those “other sheep” to whom Jesus had referred. (See John 10:16; and 3 Ne. 15:17, 21.).
There are many more points I could list. However, these are a good starting point for those embarking on an honest study of the text. Much more can be found by going to lds.org and typing "Treasured Testament", "Mounting Evidence of the Book of Mormon" or just "Book of Mormon" into the search field.
The power of this book and the message that it brings will transform the life of every person who sincerely reads its precious pages.
I love this book. It is precious to me. I have personally studied it for over 40 years of my life, and it has brought nothing but enlightenment and peace to me. It is a perfect companion to the Bible. I believe it is divine scripture. It has brought me closer to God, changed my life completely, and made me a better person. It is my invitation to you, and to all the world to embrace it. This book is a gift from God to the world. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we eagerly and freely share it.
Best wishes on your spiritual journey
I don't doubt Joseph Smith had his supernatural encounter, but I'm convinced it was a DEMON, a fallen angel, and frankly I couldn't care less about Smith's level of education - that isn't important. After all, Jesus chose fishermen to relay His message from God.
What is important is Joseph's Smith "revelation" contradicts the Word of God and is therefore to be rejected an unclean by Bible-believing Christians, as spurious, as a counterfeit from Satan the devil. That's the plain truth.
I hope and pray folks burn the Book of Mormon, rather than get destroyed themselves in the Lake of Fire.
"After all, Jesus chose fishermen to relay His message from God."
That's the point. Joseph Smith was as uneducated as the fishermen of Galilee, yet God chose him to do a mighty work today, just as he did those fishermen of old, and to bring forth another testament of Jesus Christ. And that is precisely what the book is, another testament of the sacrifice, atonement, mission, love, redemption, justice, mercy, resurrection, and gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who abide by its precepts will draw nearer to God and his Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
Just because Jesus' fishermen and JP were both lacking formal education doesn't put them in the same boat. You're comparing apples and oranges, creating a strawman, when you attempt to compare Jesus' fishermen to JS.
Unlike the false prophet JS, the fishermen who followed Jesus and shared His message were completely consistent with the revelation God had already given to His People.
Joseph Smith is an uneducated and false prophet, plain and simple, who contradicts the Word of God. Why remain in denial?
You believe in the Biblical prophets, right?
Do you also believe that God is unchanging and Eternal?
Then why would you believe that God has now ceased all communication with his children?
You can pray all you want for me to burn the Book of Mormon, but the truth is that I would burn at the stake before ever renouncing something so sacred and so precious.
Why? Because I have full confidence and powerful assurance in the truthfulness of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and in my standing before God. I can't possibly deny the testimony of the Spirit to my heart concerning the matter. Ever.
Anyone writing a review of a movie would be required to watch the whole thing. Likewise, anyone writing a review of a book is expected to read every page.
Finally, please be more considerate in your correspondence with those in disagreement with your opinions. Bluntly and cruelly attacking someone's deeply held religious beliefs isn't going to change any minds or make any friends.
I don't think your tact has persuaded any of us.
Christine, God does continue to communicate with His children and He does it through the Bible.
The demonic book of Mormon contradicts the revelation we've already received and so those who are truly God's Children reject it as spurious, as Satan disguising himself as an angel of light.
It's not necessary to read every last word of every Tom, Dick and Harry's "revelation" - especially once one has honestly read enough to see it is not of the law and the prophets and amounts to darkness.
If you don't want to burn your cursed copy of the Mormon Book of the Dead, you don't have to - but those who refuse to repent of Mormon heresies will end up getting burnt up in the Lake of Fire - and there's no pretty way to put it, so I continue to share the tough love of the plain truth: believe it or not.
David, do you know why we believe the Book of Mormon is the word of God? Do you know how we know that? Because we have asked God, in prayers, if it is His word, and He has answered in the affirmative by the witness of the Holy Ghost. For millions of people, God has answered their many prayers on this matter. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. It testifies of his atonement, his sacrifice, his gospel, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and his love and redemption which he has prepared for all that love Him. I can't reject the Book of Mormon, for doing such would be denying God Himself.
Bryce, you can ask God all you want if the Mormon Book of the Dead is of Him but unless you're of the same noble spirit as the Bereans to confirm or deny everything based upon the Word of God, expressing a willingness to submit to the revelation already given, you'll continue to fall for another Jesus, a different gospel, an unholy spirit of deception.
The truth will set those free who prove they love the Word of God more than the traditions of men, who are ready and willing to walk in the light of God's Word and not revert to traditional darkness.
May the plain truth of the Bible - energized by the Holy Spirit - rebuke the spiritual darkness Joseph Smith was lost in, the heresies he shamefully spread, the BIG LIE of the Mormon Book of the Dead - that folks may turn from their religious sins and be forgiven and live.
Are you saying that we can't receive answers to our prayers?
Here's what I said:
You can ask God all you want if the Mormon Book of the Dead is of Him but unless you're of the same noble spirit as the Bereans to confirm or deny everything based upon the Word of God, expressing a willingness to submit to the revelation already given, you'll continue to fall for another Jesus, a different gospel, an unholy spirit of deception.
The truth will set those free who prove they love the Word of God more than the traditions of men, who are ready and willing to walk in the light of God's Word and not revert to traditional darkness.
May the plain truth of the Bible - energized by the Holy Spirit - rebuke the spiritual darkness Joseph Smith was lost in, the heresies he shamefully spread, the BIG LIE of the Mormon Book of the Dead - that folks may turn from their religious sins and be forgiven and live.
The Mormons don't submit to the revelation God has already given us, the holy Bible, or they would no longer be Mormons.
Mormons have chosen spurious scriptures over the Word of God, Mormons have chosen idolatrous traditions over the commandments of God.
You can't be a Bible-believer and a Mormon. Please read the original article again with a prayerful mind and open Bible and let the plain truth set you free - or remain enslaved to the BIG LIE of the Mormon Book of the Dead. Your choice. But I encourage you to choose life.
David, what makes you the authority on the Bible and what can or cannot be used in conjunction with it? Or better yet, how did you come to find the Bible to be the word of God? The ONLY way to really know if something is the word of God is to go to him humbly with a broken heart and contrite spirit and pray about it. Otherwise, it's your logic, against my logic, against Tom, Dick, and Harry's logic. Why do you think there are so many groups of people who claim to be authorities on what the Bible says? Also, one of the things that I do recall reading in the Bible is "judge not lest ye be judged". Telling a Mormon they are going to burn in Hell seems to fit that passage pretty nicely, don't you think?
Eric,
The authority true Bible-believers go by, and are to base all beliefs upon, is the Bible. Everything must be in agreement, in alignment with the Word of God, or it is rejected as impure, unclean, adulterated.
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
The accursed and demonic book of Mormon contradicts the black and white of Scriptures; the Mormon Book of the Dead is unclean and unfit for Children of God: the Light of God's Word exposes its darkness, and those who are of God COME OUT OF THE BABYLON OF MORMONISM when presented with the plain truth, while the rest continue to wander in their darkness and will suffer their shame, as they've been warned.
Should Christians Judge?
All judgment must be tempered with mercy. Jesus clearly taught that we can see others imperfections (the "mote" in their eye) and help to remove it once we have first gotten the "beam" out of our own eye. The purpose is to help and not hurt: constructive criticism, not self-righteousness or sinister motivations.
I've never told a Mormon they are going to "Hell," especially as I don't believe in the traditional religious lies about hell (which are pagan in origin), but in the plain truth of the Bible.
Born Again and Heaven and Hell
Wow, this whole discussion just confirms how confused christianity really is.
You all oppose "adding" things to scripture, yet each of you are relying on huge assumptions that frankly aren't backed up by the bible.
Without present day revelation you are simply walking in the dark.
Good Luck
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