Who are the Mormons? (1)
Joe R. Price

     The members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are commonly known as Mormons by those who are not members, and “saints” by those who are. The name “Mormon” is drawn from a supposed prophet of the same name who lived (according to Mormon teaching) somewhere in the Americas during the 4^th century A.D. This man is said to have written a record of an ancient civilization upon gold plates that was later translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. – the Book of Mormon.
     Perhaps you’ve had Mormon missionaries come to your door offering to share their faith with you. Maybe you have a neighbor who is a Mormon. Nothing will prepare you more to teach the gospel of Christ to these misguided souls than knowing your Bible (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17). You can effectively answer the Mormons when you understand the will of the Lord (Eph. 5:17; 3:3-5).
     Being familiar with who the Mormons are will also prepare you for your next discussion with them. Who do they claim to be? How did they originate? Who are the Mormons today?

Some Mormon Claims

     1. Mormons claim to be the church of Christ. When the Mormons organized and established their church on April 6, 1830 in Fayette, New York, it was called the “church of Christ” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:1-2, 61, 70). There is a fundamental problem with this claim. The church of Christ was established in the first century on the Day of Pentecost through the preaching of the gospel of Christ (Acts 2). Jesus said he would build his church upon the truth that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16-18). When that gospel was preached on Pentecost about 3,000 souls believed it and obeyed it, receiving the remission of their sins and being were “added together” (Acts 2:37-41). Ever since that day, the Lord continues to add to the church those who were being saved (Acts 2:47). The Mormon belief that the church of Christ began in 1830 is false doctrine.

     2. Mormons claim the gospel was corrupted and later restored through Joseph Smith, Jr. In fact, they believe a cycle of apostasy and restoration has occurred numerous times since the beginning of life on earth:

“Since the gospel was first given to Adam, each time it was thereafter lost by apostasy and then revealed to man again has been a restoration of the gospel. Our Lord in his personal ministry, for instance, restored the original gospel, the same plan of salvation which he had revealed to Adam in the beginning. But when men in this day speak of the restoration of the gospel, they mean the final great restoration which has now taken place as part of the restoration of all things. This dispensation is the age of restoration to which all the ancient prophets look forward.” (Mormon Doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie, 634-635)

No, my Mormon friend, the gospel plan of salvation was not revealed to Adam, Abraham or Moses (Eph. 3:3-5; 1 Pet. 1:10-12). “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jno. 1:18).

Nonetheless, Mormons believe the gospel was lost: “Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the lamb of God” (1 Nephi 13:28, Book of Mormon). On the other hand, the Bible clearly establishes that the first-century gospel is the incorruptible word of God that endures forever (1 Pet. 1:22-25). Undoubtedly, men and women have “departed from the faith” over the centuries, but the faith (the gospel) did not depart the earth (1 Tim. 4:1-3). The gospel is not subject to corruption – it is “incorruptible – and was therefore “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

3. Mormons claim the LDS Church is the only true church. There is no doubt that Jesus built only one church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4). Joseph Smith, Jr. said God appeared to him and told him all the churches were wrong and to join none of them. Believing he had seen God, the remedy Smith contrived was not from God. The answer was not to build a new church, as he did, but to repent of the false doctrines in the churches of men and return to the New Testament pattern of truth (Col. 3:17; 2 Tim. 1:13). The Mormon Church has a different authority, a different organization and a different worship from the church in the New Testament (Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 3:17; Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:2; Jno. 4:24; Acts 2:42; 20:7; Eph. 5:19). It is not the church of Christ.

4. Mormons claim to be Latter-day saints. They speak of Jesus living “in the meridian of time” and of this present time as the “last days” or “latter-days.” Mormons believe Joseph Smith, Jr. received a revelation from the Lord in 1838 in which he said,

“And also unto my faithful servants who are of the high council of my church in Zion, for thus it shall be called, and unto all the elders and people of my Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, scattered abroad in all the world; For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (D&C 115:3-4)

Yet, the apostle Peter identified the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 as among the “last days,” while the first century writer of the book of Hebrews noted that God speaks to us “in these last days…by His Son” (Acts 2:16-17; Heb. 1:1-2). The Mormons are not “Latter-day” saints, nor have they been “sanctified in Christ Jesus” to be called saints in the first place (1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11; Acts 18:8). They are still lost in their sins and not members of the church of Christ.

 (Continued next week)

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

Lost Religious Men

1.   Is your hope based upon the fact that you are religious? (cf. Jas. 1:26-27)
2. You can be religious and be lost!  To avoid this, learn from religious people who were lost, & then apply the remedies to be saved.

I. PAUL:  A LOST RELIGIOUS ZEALOT, Acts 22:3-4; Gal. 1:13-14.

  A. Religious Zeal without Knowledge will not Save You, 22:3; Gal. 1:14; Rom. 10:1-3.
  B. A Good Conscience does not Save, Acts 23:1; 26:9; 1 Tim. 1:13.
  C. Remedy: Apply Zeal in the Right Direction, Acts 22:16; Phil. 3:4-8.

II. CORNELIUS: A MORAL MAN LOST IN SIN, Acts 10:1-2, 22; 11:14.

  A. His Outstanding Moral Character did not Remove his Sins; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; Eph. 5:3-11; 1 Pet. 2:11-12.
  B. Remedy: Combine Obedience with Moral Life, Acts 10:43, 33-35, 48; 11:14, 18.

III. RICH YOUNG RULER: LACKED COMPLETE DEVOTION TO JESUS, Matt. 19:16-22.

  A. He had Mastered the Doing, but not the “Being” of His Religion, Matt. 19:16, 2-22. Heb. 5:8-9 (Gal. 2:20).
  B. Remedy:  Put Jesus First & Obey His Commands, Matt. 19:21; Lk. 9:23; 14:33.

IV. PHARISEES: DECEIVED IN SELF-RIGHTEOUS HYPOCRISY, Lk. 18:9-14.

  A. A Graphic Warning against Self-Righteousness & Hypocrisy, Matt. 23:3-12.
  B. Remedy:  Humility, 23:12 (Jas. 4:6-10).

Conclusion

1. We can be religious and be lost!
2. To be saved, we must have: Zeal, morality & full obedience coupled with humility (Acts 4:12; Rev. 3:19; 2:10).

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

Marriage Roles and Responses (2)

1. Review Part 1: Husband’s role: Head of wife (Eph. 5:23) – Servant leader; Wife’s response: Submission, Eph. 5:22-24 (1 Pet. 3:1-2, 5-6). Love-Respect, Eph. 5:33.
2. Wife has a core role in marriage; Husband has a core response.

I. GOD’S CORE ROLE FOR THE WIFE:  HELPER--HOMEMAKER.

  A. You are a Suitable Helper, Gen. 2:18. (Help meet, counterpart)
     -You complete, not compete against, husband, Prov. 31:11-12; cf. 19:13; 21:9, 19.
  B. You are a Homemaker, Titus 2:3-5.
    1. Lit., a house guard; “caring for the house,” “the (watch or) keeper of the house,” “domestic.” Guard house (family).
    2. Manage the house, 1 Tim. 5:14.  Guide the house (family); Prov. 31:12, 15, 27.
  C. Warning: That the Word of God may not be Blasphemed, Tit. 2:5.

II. GOD’S CORE RESPONSE OF THE HUSBAND TO HIS WIFE’S ROLE: PRAISE & HONOR, 1 Pet. 3:7; Prov. 31:28-29 (30); Eph. 5:28-29.

  A. Praise & Honor are the Masculine Counterpart to Submission, cf. Col. 3:19.
   B.  Dwell with Understanding, 1 Pet. 5:7.

Conclusion

1. Although the husband is called to lead & provide for the home, the wife’s special role is to make it a home.
2. Husband’s challenge is to respond with praise & honor for his wife (acknowledge her, understand her).
3. Husbands & wives are joint-heirs of life’s favor & blessings, 1 Pet. 3:7.

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A Vital Truth (by Alexander Campbell, with comments)
 

No man ever achieved any great good to mankind who did not fight for it with courage and perseverance, and who did not, in the conflict, sacrifice either his name or his life. JOHN lost his head. The SAVIOUR was crucified. The ANCIENT CONFESSORS were slain. The REFORMERS were excommunicated. If I am not slandered and misrepresented I shall be a most unworthy advocate of the cause which has always provoked the resentment of those who, fattened upon the ignorance and stupidity of the masses, will not try to think and learn. –Alexander Campbell

Some observations:

   1. Moral courage and perseverance of marks of a vital, productive faith (2 Pet. 1:5-8). Without these we will not “stand in the evil day” faced by all people of faith (Eph. 6:10-13).

   2. “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). We must not be a Christian in name only, we must resolve (be determined) to live godly (see Tit. 2:12). Being a faithful Christian brings conflict with the world (Jno. 15:18). Choices will have to be made to serve Christ first. Do not think it is strange when evil people think evil of you because you live your faith; think it strange when they do not (1 Pet. 4:4; Lk. 6:26). Do not be hindered in your faithfulness.

   3. Persecution, per se, does not mean one is in the faith. Wrongdoers suffer, too (1 Pet. 2:20; 4:15). “Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Pet. 4:16). Suffering is not proof you are right with God, but when you are right with God, you will suffer.

   4. Learning God’s word prevents us from being lost in sin (read Hosea 4:6). Study to be approved to God (2 Tim. 2:15); He will judge you, not man.  Joe

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