115 lines
6.2 KiB
Plaintext
115 lines
6.2 KiB
Plaintext
The truth of Mormonism stands or falls on two things. The first is the
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authority of the Book of Mormon. Ted Lapoint has raised a question or
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two concerning the verity of the BOM, questions that must be answered.
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Unless the BOM can show the same truth in REALITY as the Bible can show,
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serious doubts about it's authority in the life of >anyone< remain.
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The second basis for the truth claims of Mormonism is the authority of
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Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. Some incredible claims are made by
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the Mormon church for their founder, Joseph Smith... "Joseph Smith, the
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Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the
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salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in
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it." (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3). Bruce McConkie in MORMON DOCTRINE
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says "So great was his assigned mission, with reference to the
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'restitution of all things' (Acts 3:21), that holy prophets spoke of
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him, by name, thousands of years before his mortal birth. (2 Ne. 3.) And
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as to the mighty work to be started by him-there are as many prophecies
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foretelling it as there are about any other single subject, not even
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excepting the host of prophetic utterances about our Lord and his
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redemptive sacrifice." A careful reading of Acts 3, by the way, will
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show that it is not Joseph Smith but Jesus Christ that is the subject of
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that passage, and it is not the so-called 'restored' gospel that is in
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view but rather the millenial reign of Jesus Christ. But the
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interpretation of Acts 3 is not my main concern here, but rather to see
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if Joseph Smith was indeed the great prophet he claimed himself to be,
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and that the Mormon church of today esteems him as.
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The Bible gives the tests for a true prophet of God in two places,
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Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and Deuteronomy 18:20-22. When the prophet speaks in
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the name of the Lord, it WILL come to pass. If the thing prophecied
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does not, then that prophet is a FALSE prophet, he is NOT from God.
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I'll leave it to you to determine what the Bible says should be done
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about that, but following a false prophet is not an option!
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Let's look at Joseph Smith as a prophet. Consider the following, taken
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from Doctrine and Covenants 84
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D&C 84:0 Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet,
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at Kirtland, Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832. During the month of
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September, Elders had begun to return from their missions in the
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eastern States, and to make reports of their labors. It was while
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they were together in this season of joy that the following
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communication was received. The Prophet designates it a Revelation on
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Priesthood. See History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 286. --A Temple to
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be built in the land of Zion during this generation-The line of the
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Holy Priesthood from Moses back to Adam--Relation between the Holy
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Priesthood and the Lesser Priesthood--Bearers of these two Priesthoods
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called the sons of Moses and of Aaron respectively--Blessings and
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privileges of those who attain to these Priesthoods--The bondage of
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sin--The new and everlasting covenant--Gifts of the spirit
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specified--The Lord calls his servants, friends--Missionary service
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imperative--Plagues impending because of wickedness.
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D&C 84:1 A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph
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Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted
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their voices on high.
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D&C 84:2 Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church,
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established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he
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has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his
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saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New
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Jerusalem.
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D&C 84:3 Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple
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lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western
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boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of
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Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well ple ased.
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D&C 84:4 Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city
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New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning
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at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be
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reared in this generation.
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D&C 84:5 For verily this generation shall not all pass away
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until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest
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upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall
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fill the house.
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The prophecy here, made in 1832 in the name of the Lord (D&C 84:2), is
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that a temple would be built in Independence, Missouri before that
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generation passed away, and it would be dedicated by the hand of Joseph
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Smith. Simply stated, and simply verified. There was NO temple
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constructed and dedicated by Joseph Smith in Independence. The hand of
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the Lord was NOT on Joseph Smith when he made this prophecy in His name,
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because this prophecy DID NOT COME TO PASS!
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As shown in another posting, the Book of Mormon has no authority because
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the record it contains is a fiction. And as shown in this posting,
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Joseph Smith has no authority as a prophet, because his prophecies did
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not come to pass. Mormonism therefore fails on the very points it
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claims for its foundation. It is a false religion.
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The gift of eternal life was purchased for us by the real death on the
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cross nearly 2000 years ago, in the real city of Jerusalem, by the real
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person of Jesus Christ. This was foretold in holy scripture and did
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actually come to pass. He arose from the dead on the third day as He
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promised, the proof of what He proclaimed, and the proof to us that He
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is Who He says He is, the Living God who alone can forgive our sins and
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make us new creations. This is His gift of grace to us, received by
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faith in Him and His sacrifice for us, and marked by our turning from
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sin in repentance and obedience to His will. This is a personal
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relationship with the God of all creation, not blind obedience to some
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church or man or religion. I do not invite you to pray ABOUT the truth
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of this or any other word written by men... I invite you to pray TO the
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True God, acknowledging your sins and ask Him for forgiveness and the
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gift of Life in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ. You will not be
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saved by any other than Jesus, and it is my prayer that you will meet
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Him today!
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God bless you!
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Bill
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