Posted on 06/21/2010 8:54:28 PM PDT by delacoert
INTRODUCTION
The provision provided by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most key and critical doctrine in the Bible. The death and resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the Biblical narrative and the heart of the gospel message It may come as a shock to Christians to be told that the Mormon church does not believe that the death of Christ provides for the salvation from sins as is taught in historic, traditional Christianity.
It must be remembered that Mormon doctrine is not based on the doctrines and teachings of the Bible. Almost every traditional doctrine that is taught in the Bible is denied or changed in Mormon teaching. What confuses many Christians and non-Christians alike, is that the Mormon church claims to be Christian and to believe and teach the "gospel" of Jesus Christ. The Mormon church calls itself "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" and it was originally called the "Church of Christ". It would seem that Jesus Christ is the central figure in Mormon belief, but that is not so. Mormon terminology is complete with all the words found in the Bible, and it would seem that the Mormon church believes and teaches everything that is found in Christian doctrine, but that is also not the case. Who is the "Jesus Christ" that is taught by the Mormon Church? He is not the Jesus Christ taught in the Bible, but a different person, defined and described in the Book of Mormon and in the other teachings of the Mormon church.
SAME WORDS - DIFFERENT MEANINGS
The Mormon religion is very subtle, because it uses the same words and terminology found in the Bible and in traditional Christian teaching, but the meanings of those words and terminology are completely different. The Christian can talk to a Mormon about being "saved", and the Mormon will say, "I believe in being saved; in fact I am saved". The Christian can talk to a Mormon about "believing in Christ", "salvation by grace" and being "forgiven"; and the Mormon will reply that all of those things are believed and taught in the Mormon church. The Christian may assume that both of them are talking about the same thing, but the definitions of, "being saved", "believing in Christ" and "salvation by grace" and "forgiven" are not the same in the Mormon mind as it is in the Christian. The words may be the same, but the meanings are radically different, even to the point of being irreconcilable. The Mormon church claims to believe in Jesus Christ, but he is not the same Jesus Christ that is revealed in the Bible. The name is the same, but the person of Jesus Christ and His work has been redefined in Mormon theology by removing the Biblical and traditional beliefs that are taught in the Bible.
The bottom line is this: the Mormon church, through Joseph Smith, subsequent prophets and apostles, defined a new religious belief and means of obtaining "salvation" and then assigned to that new belief names of persons and words from the Bible. Having done that, the Mormon church then claimed a "new revelation" and stated that the Biblical record was corrupt and had been changed by evil priests many years ago. This was all done through the self-proclaimed authority of the Mormon church. In the process, the Mormon church fails to tell its adherents and prospective followers that the names and terms, taken from the Bible and used in Mormon doctrine, are redefined, interpreted differently and applied to different circumstances than can be found in the Biblical record.
When the Christian, who believes in the historical and traditional doctrines taught in the Bible, tells a Mormon that they are not Christian, because of those differences, the Mormon becomes offended and defensive. They claim that they are Christians, because their church bears the name of Christ and they believe in Christ. But they believe in a Jesus Christ as defined by the Mormon church and not as defined by the Biblical record. They are not Biblical Christians, but are Mormon Christians, their Jesus Christ being defined by their own "revelation" and doctrines. Traditional Biblical teaching and Mormon teaching about Jesus Christ are mutually opposed and opposite to each other and cannot be reconciled together.
"Am I Also A Mormon?
What would happen if a Christian friend and I were to get two ten speed bicycles and put on white shirts, dark slacks, and ties and then began going door-to-door in Salt Lake City?
Let's say we made up a couple of black name badges and calling ourselves "Elder Walker" and "Elder Jones," proclaiming door-to-door that we believed in Joseph Smith.
But once in the home of the real Mormons, we say that we believe that Joseph Smith was a WOMAN, who was born in California in 1905.
Now any good Mormon should know that Joseph Smith was not a woman but a man, and he was born in 1805 not in 1905 - and it was inVermont not California.
Well, perhaps I would just be off on a few irrelevant historical details.
But what if I went on to say that Joseph Smith also never taught the "Law of Eternal Progression."
[Note: this is the Mormon belief that God was once a man, that we were once his spirit offspring in the pre-existence, and that if worthy we could one day become Gods ourselves. (History of the Church, Vol 6, p. 305-6).]
What would happen if I said that Joseph Smith, that is Miss Joseph Smith, taught the Law of Eternal REGRESSION - that we used to beGods in the pre-existence, now we have regressed to humans, and if we are worthy, we can one day be vegetables?
And even worse, what if hundreds - even millions of Mormons started believing us?
"Now wait just a minute," a Mormon might answer. That is not what Joseph Smith taught, and you're not a REAL Mormon missionary.
He is absolutely right!
I would be teaching a counterfeit Mormonism and a different Joseph Smith.
Rights and Responsibilities
Not only that - if even a few Mormon families were converted by us bogus Mormons, he, his Church leaders in Salt Lake City, and every other discerning Mormon have the right to warn their own followers and the general public of the difference between our Joseph Smith and the genuine article.
More than the right, they would have the responsibility to help their members avoid the trap of these "mock Mormon Missionaries."
Hopefully, they would go beyond warning their members of our error. Perhaps they would even sit down with us in love and explain, from their scriptures and history why, even though "we believe in Joseph, too," we were actually teaching an imitation Joseph Smith.
In this issue of the Expositor, we present just some of the reasons that we believe the Jesus of the Mormons is not the same Jesus that's worshipped by Christians.
It is our hope that our Mormon friends will realize that ours is not an unprovoked attack.
Instead, we are exercising our God-given right and moral responsibility to inform our fellow believers about differences between the real Jesus and the ones taught by their leaders, which we see as a counterfeit.
Perhaps they will even accept our invitation to sit down and to explore the scriptures and discuss our fundamental differences.
And let us explain in love why we see theirs as "another Jesus, another Spirit, and another Gospel," (II Cor. 11:4)."
---- Watchman Fellowship, http://watchman.org
Although Mormons claim the Bible as one of four sources of their Scripture, it has been relegated to the fourth source. The Bible, from the founding of the Mormon church, has been considered to be incorrectly translated, missing large parts that have been removed and had other parts added that were not part of the original. These alleged changes were done, in the second century A.D. by corrupt priests in the Catholic church. The claims are absolutely false, and are refuted by current scholarship and history, but the Mormon church still adheres to the teaching in order to denigrate the teachings in the Bible that contradict current Mormon teachings. With this in mind, it is not difficult to understand that Mormon doctrine and traditional Christian doctrine are in opposition to each other.
… EXERPT - follow link to complete article …
I’ve known for decades that such a perspective was inherent in the LDS theology.
It is basically a doctrine of Salvation by works, like all cults and NONCHRISTIAN religions.
I have great respect for Mormons. Their belief in their religion, the way they take care of their own, etc. But I have studied the writings of Joseph Smith, and there seems to be a great deal of plagiarism in them. I don't want to create a war here. But I just don't think that things add up. Just my opinion. That's all..
“The Death Of Jesus Christ Is Not Adequate To Provide For The Forgiveness Of Sin: Mormon Teaching”
Shoot, there are some “Christian” organizations that appear to believe that.
They are not Biblical Christians, but are Mormon Christians,
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AH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Mormons are not any kind of Christians at all...
Your instinct is correct.The sacrifice of Jesus is the only thing that ever has or ever will pay for the sins of any human.
Those that came before had their faith in the Messiah accounted to them as righteousness.
Jesus was the one full human ( Son of God sent to earth as a human) who did not sin, despite a lifetime of temptation.
Hence, He is the one true Lamb, who taketh away the sins of the world.
Any other interpretation is blasphemy.
Flame on, people; I’ll go to my grave knowing this truth.
A quick click on the Group which authored this article shows their distain for the following:
• ARMINIANISM - The doctrine of Jacobus Arminius, Dutch theologian, 1560 - 1609 AD.
• ARMSTRONG, GARNER TED - Son of Herbert Armstrong, Worldwide Church of God.
• ARMSTRONG, HERBERT - Founder, Worldwide Church of God, Pasadena, California.
• BRITISH-ISRAELISM - The belief that Great Britain is the nation of Israel.
• CERULLO, MORRIS - TV and mass audience ministry.
• CHRISTADELPHIANS - founded by John Thomas.
• CHRISTIAN SCIENCE - CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST - founded by Mary Baker Eddy.
• CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST - CHRISTIAN SCIENCE - founded by Mary Baker Eddy.
• COPELAND, KENNETH - TV ministry “Believer’s Voice of Victory”.
• CROUCH, PAUL - Founder and president of Trinity Broadcasting Network.
• DUPLANTIS, JESSE - TV ministry, “Jesse Duplantis Ministries”.
• EDDY, MARY BAKER - founder, Church of Christ, Scientist - Christian Science
• FOUR SQUARE GOSPEL - Aimee Semple McPherson founder, Foursquare Gospel Tabernacle.
• GIVING and RECEIVING - The doctrine stating more money will be returned to the giver than was given,
also known as the doctrine of “Seed Faith”.
• GODWIN, RICK - Pastor and Founder of the Eagle’s Nest Christian Fellowship in San Antonio, Texas.
• GOSPEL OF INCLUSION - Everyone is going to heaven according to Bishop Carlton Pearson.
• GRAHAM, BILLY - Evangelist, Hour of Decision.
• HICKEY, MARILYN - TV and audience evangelist, 1976 - present, “Marilyn Hickey Ministries”
• HINN, BENNY - TV and audience evangelist, 1980 - current.
• JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES - WATCHTOWER - Church organization founded by Charles Taze Russell.
• LARSON, BOB - Radio, TV ministry, “Bob Larson Ministries”, “Talk Back”.
• MacARTHUR, JOHN F., Jr. - Pastor of Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California,
Radio teacher on “Grace To You”. President of The Master’s College, Newhall, California,
President of The Master’s Seminary, Sun Valley, California.
• McPHERSON, AIMEE SEMPLE - Founder Foursquare Gospel Church, Foursquare Gospel Tabernacle.
• MORMONS - The Church of Jesus Christ, Latter-day Saints, founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith.
• OPEN THEISM - Doctrine stating that God has limited abilities and cannot know the future.
• PEARSON, CARLTON - Originator of The Gospel of Inclusion,
Pastor of the Higher Dimensions Family Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma,
Higher Dimensions Ministries - founder and president
• PELAGIANISM - The doctrine and teaching of Pelagius, 5th century Catholic monk.
• PRAYER OF AGREEMENT - The false claims regarding Matthew 18:19
• ROBERTS, ORAL - TV ministry, “Something Good Is Going To Happen To You”,
Founder of Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• ROBERTS, RICHARD - Former president of Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma
President, Something Good Tonight, The Hour of Healing, TV ministry
• SCHULLER, ROBERT - Pastor of The Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California
The Hour Of Power, TV ministry - founder
• SEED FAITH - The doctrine stating more money will be returned to the giver than was given,
also known as the doctrine of “Giving and Receiving”.
• SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS - Church organization founded by Ellen G. White.
• SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST - 20th century.
• TBN - Trinity Broadcasting Network, founded by Paul Crouch.
• THOMAS, JOHN - founder of the Christadelphians.
• TORONTO BLESSING - Toronto, Canada, emerged January 1994.
• VINYARD FELLOWSHIP - Church organization founded by John Wimber.
• WATCHTOWER - JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES - Church organization founded by Charles Taze Russell.
• WIDER MERCY DOCTRINE - Salvation without Jesus Christ.
• WIMBER, JOHN - Founder of the Vinyard Fellowship.
• WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD - 1 - Herbert Armstrong, Garner Ted Armstrong, Pasadena,
California.
• WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD - 2 - Current reformed organization, Pasadena, California.
For Heaven’s Sake, these people have problems with anyone who doesn’t think just exactly as they do. They can’t look for allies, they have to tear others down. What a pity.
Should we ping the usual mormonism apologists to the thread? ... They are so sensitive to this issue don’tchaknow.
No heat from me.
Works only impress the Lord ( heavenly rewards?) if He sees you through the blood of Christ. ( I know you know this, but I’m wittnessing to LDS lurkers I suppose). LDS and JW’s are some very works-oriented, clean-living confused people.
I’ll be satisfied with a shack by the tracks. But I will go to my death defending the truth of Christ.
Go to Ondoctrine.com, the author of this article and see what they do to Billy Graham:
“During an interview with Robert Schuller, Billy Graham made statements in a conversation that would indicate that he does not necessarily believe in the singular means by which salvation is granted and the relationship that salvation has to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the gospel that He has preached.”
It looks like the only people that ondoctrine accepts are Muslims. No complaints about Islam on the ondoctrine website.
bfl
WOW.
What a hodge podge of a laundry list!
They sure are mixing apples, oranges, cacti and whale snot all together as though THAT made sense! Sheesh.
Thx.
Yeah, it’s good to see a Christian site upholding a high standard for doctrine.
see what they do to Billy Graham:
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It cant be any worse than what the mormons say about him...
But I’m more concerned about what the mormons refuse to acknowledge and say about the LORD Jesus Christ... God come in the flesh...
who shed His Blood on the Coss and died on the Coss and arose again the 3rd day to save us.;..
What the heck is “historic, traditional Christianity”? For many centuries, the Roman Catholic Church taught that a whole laundry list of ritual sacraments, which could only be performed by a Roman Church-ordained priest, were absolutely essential to punch one’s ticket to Heaven. Heck, different brands of Christians used to slaughter each other in disputes over the correct way to calculate the date of Easter. They’ve lightened up a good deal, but it’s quite a stretch to assert that any brand of “historic, traditional Christianity” taught that Jesus dying (plus presumably believing that) was all that was needed for complete forgiveness of sins and the ultimate carrot, a ticket to pass through the gate in Heaven. In fact, it’s revisionist history. It’s a subset of contemporary Christians, whose belief system is actually quite modern, claiming that their version of the “truth” is what’s always, “historically”, “traditionally” been mainstream Christian doctrine.
The contemporary evangelical Christian claims about Christianity are no more “historical” than the Mormon claims that their temple rituals, etc, date back to the beginnings of Christianity and are the “real” Christianity. Christianity is constantly be reinvented to suit ever-changing human societies, and that’s probably how it’s supposed to be. After all, if God has really always had a good clue about the big picture, then he surely knew that no single, narrow version of religion would work for various human societies across the millennia.
I would not put my trust in many of those on that list. I have never heard of some but those give and get rich people are fake.
Here we go again, demonizing the Mormons.
People should get real and STOP ATTACKING fellow Christians.
ISLAM is our enemy, not the LDS church.
This is just stupid.
Sorry it was a Bump for later because I was at work and in a quick jam and I wanted to read your story.
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