THE RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL - Mormon.org States:
“In 1820, as He had done throughout history, Father in Heaven again chose a prophet to restore the gospel and the priesthood to the earth. He called a young man named Joseph Smith, and through him, the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth. …The Apostle Peter prophesied of the “restitution of all things” before Christ’s Second Coming (Acts 3:19–21). The Restoration of Christ’s Church on the earth has made available the opportunity for all to once again receive all of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
WHAT MORMON.ORG DOES NOT TELL YOU ABOUT THE RESTORED GOSPEL
The “Restored Gospel” = Another Gospel
Joseph Smith claimed that God restored the “gospel” through him by the appearance of the Father and the Son in his first vision, and later, the angel Moroni, who allegedly led him to the gold plates of the Book of Mormon buried in the Hill Cumorah in upstate New York. Mormons claim that this Book of Mormon is “another” testament of Jesus Christ, yet the Biblical Apostle Paul warned of this “another gospel”:
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” —Galatians 1:6-8;
What is the true Gospel? How is it different from the “restored gospel” of Mormonism? As we have already discussed, the true gospel was delivered “once” for all with no need for it to be redelivered to the church (Jude 3). The simple fact that that Mormonism claims to “restore” a lost gospel is an indication that its gospel is a counterfeit.
The true Gospel is the belief that Jesus Christ died to pay the full penalty that was due us for the crimes (sins) we have committed in disobeying God’s laws (1 Peter 2:24). To accept Christ’s pardon, we must first recognize that we are all sinners and are unworthy to stand in God’s presence (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Next, we must place our personal trust in the belief that Jesus Christ as God died to pay for our sins so that we can be forgiven of our sins and “perfected” by standing in Christ’s righteousness alone (Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 10:10, 14). The Biblical Apostle Paul explained:
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”—2 Corinthians 5:21
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” —Ephesians 2:8-9
The Mormon Church’s version of the “gospel” does not agree with the simple “gospel” of Jesus Christ given in the Bible because it requires obedience to “laws and ordinances” to make oneself worthy instead of trusting solely in Christ’s substitutionary righteousness. LDS Apostle Spencer W. Kimball explained:
“Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior, has given us our map – a code of laws and commandments whereby we might attain perfection and, eventually, godhood. This set of laws and ordinances is known as the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is the only plan which will exalt mankind.”—The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 6
When one reads the description of the “another gospel” that Paul warned the Galatians about in the following verses, one is able to see how Mormonism’s gospel falls into the same category of being a counterfeit gospel:
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth… Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? …But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith…”—Galatians 3:1-3, 11-12
The Christians in Galatia had fallen victim to the counterfeit “gospel” of a faith that required followers to perform “works of the law” to “perfect” themselves. Thus, we see that in the same way that the Galatians had fallen prey to a “another gospel,” so Mormons have fallen pray to the Mormon Church’s “another” gospel “code of laws” in an attempt to “perfect” themselves “by the flesh.” By adding personal worthiness requirements of obedience to the law, Mormonism has in essence proclaimed that Jesus Christ’s atonement was insufficient to cover sin. For if Mormons truly believed that the blood of Christ was sufficient, they wouldn’t need to add personal works of righteousness to their “gospel” of faith in Christ. Paul warned:
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”—Galatians 5:4
Eternal Marriage and The Gospel:
The key Mormon gospel requirement of “eternal marriage” (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20) is missing from the gospel described both in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. According to Mormonism, if a man aspires to gain a full salvation to “become a god” in the highest level of Mormonism, he is required by the Mormon “gospel” to be “married for time and eternity” in an LDS Temple. Yet, one will search in vain to find this “gospel” ordinance discussed in the Bible and it is even missing from the Book of Mormon that Mormons claim “contains… the “fulness of the everlasting gospel,” and Joseph Smith hailed is “the most correct of any book on earth… a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” 3. Far from marriage for eternity being taught in Scripture, we learn that Jesus Christ who is God Himself, was not married and He taught that all people would resurrect like the “angels” in heaven who are not married (Matthew 22:28-30). Also, the Apostle Paul encouraged believers of his day to remain unmarried for the work of the gospel (1 Corinthians 7). Even Jesus in the Book of Mormon states:
3 NEPHI 11:39-40: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine …and whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil…”
So, again we see that the LDS “restored gospel” really hasn’t been “restored” to the original gospel, but is rather, “another” gospel condemned by both the Biblical Scripture and the Book of Mormon.
Acts 3:19-21 and the “restitution of all things”
The Mormon Church’s use of the Biblical Scripture of Acts 3:19-21 as a proof-text for its claim that a restoration of the gospel was prophesied in Scripture is taken completely out of context.
ACTS 3:19-21: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
If Acts 3:19-21 speaks of Mormonism’s restoration of the gospel, where is Jesus Christ today? Why isn’t He here ruling upon the earth for the 1,000-year millennium that is prophesied to be the time in which Christ will restore creation to perfection as it was prior to the curse in Genesis? The Apostle Paul explained that at the “glorious appearing” of Jesus Christ, Jesus will “redeem” and purify His people — the sons and daughters of God (Titus 2:13-14). Then, when these children of God are manifested at Christ’s “glorious appearing” (His second coming), all of creation “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption” due to the curse (Romans 8:19-22). Thus, the context of Acts 3:19-21 has nothing to do with a “restitution” of the “gospel”, but rather, it is talking about the prophesied “restitution of all things” in creation when it will be delivered from the curse “when… he shall send Jesus Christ” (Acts 3:20) back to earth for His 1,000-year reign (Revelation 19-22):
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” —Romans 8:19-22
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity…” —Titus 2:13-14
http://www.4mormon.org/mormon-org.php#s1
THE RESTORATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD – Mormon.org states:
“Throughout time, God has given His servants, the prophets, the authority to act in His name. This authority is called the priesthood… John the Baptist appeared and conferred upon Joseph Smith and his associate Oliver Cowdery the Aaronic Priesthood... Later, Peter, James, and John… conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, restoring the same authority given to Christ’s Apostles anciently.”
WHAT MORMON.ORG DOES NOT TELL YOU ABOUT PRIESTHOOD AUTHORITY
The Aaronic Priesthood, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith
Jesus Christ could not hold the Aaronic Priesthood because He was not of the Levitical lineage of Aaron, so neither could Joseph Smith receive this priesthood. Joseph Fielding Smith claimed that: “…the Prophet Joseph Smith… was of the lineage of Joseph through the loins of Ephraim.” 4. Since Smith was not of the tribe of Aaron, it would have been impossible for him to be ordained to the Biblical Aaronic priesthood. Hebrews 7 explains:
“And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham… For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.”—Hebrews 7:5, 14
The Aaronic Priesthood authority nullified.
The Aaronic Priesthood authority was nullified by the greater Melchizedek Priesthood. According to the Bible, only one priesthood authority exists in power at one time. When Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, the Aaronic Priesthood didn’t exist. Then, when the Aaronic Priesthood came into power, one no longer heard about the Melchizedek Priesthood until Jesus came to spiritual power and operated under the authority of this Melchizedek Priesthood. Because Jesus lives forever (Hebrews 7:24), the Aaronic Priesthood authority has been forever been done nullified!
“If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” —Hebrews 7:11-12
The non-transferable Melchizedek Priesthood
The Melchizedek Priesthood is non-transferable because Jesus Christ is the ONLY one who fulfills the qualifications to hold this Priesthood. There is only one High Priest who can exist at one time (see Numbers 35:25, 28 and 2 Kings 12:10; 23:4). Thus, when Jesus became the Christians’ High Priest as One who holds the power of an endless life, He demonstrated that He alone fulfills the Melchizedek Priesthood Authority’s qualifications. He as God existing from eternity (having neither beginning of days, nor end of life) and is the only one who is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” As our only High Priest, He holds an “unchangeable” (non-transferable) Priesthood Authority.
“Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils… But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”—Hebrews 7:3-4, 24-26
The Priesthood authority of all Christian believers
The non-Aaronic and non-Melchizedek priesthood authority of all Christian believers is available to ALL who call upon the name of Jesus for salvation. This authority is not limited by race, citizenship, nor gender:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power [authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” —John 1:12
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. …But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”—1 Peter 2:5, 9
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” —Galatians 3:28
As we have seen above, neither Joseph Smith, nor current Mormon leaders fulfill the Biblical qualifications to hold the discontinued Aaronic Priesthood Authority, nor do they currently hold the occupied Melchizedek Priesthood. Therefore, we must ask: What do you call men who claim to be “Apostles,” but who do not have the proper Authority? You call them a “false apostles!”
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” —2 Corinthians 11:13
http://www.4mormon.org/mormon-org.php#s1