361 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
361 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
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MORMONISM'S "SALVATION BY WORKS"
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vs.
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SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH CHRIST
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The entire BIBLE points in all directions to the cross. Upon it
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God's only begotten Son died that we might have eternal life from God.
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Only through Christ can this separation be bridged.
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On the other hand, MORMONISM points in all directions to the "Law
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of Eternal Progression". We have seen that Mormon doctrine states
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that God was once a man. He progressed to become God. The same law
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states that man may become God!
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Let's go to the authorities of the church and hear what they have
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said, first on the subject of man's pre-existence as a spirit in a
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"spirit world" prior to taking a body here on earth:
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DID WE PRE-EXIST?
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BRUCE R. McCONKIE (Apostle); MORMON DOCTRINE, page 589
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"Pre-existence is the term commonly used to describe the pre-mortal
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existence of the spirit children of God the Father ... All men and
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women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and we
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are literally the sons and daughters of Deity; as spirits they were
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the offspring of celestial parentage ... Unless God the father was a
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personal Being, He could not have begotten spirits in His image, and
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if there had been no self-existent spirit element, there would have
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been no substance from which those spirit bodies could have been
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organized."
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The basis of the Mormon law of progression in Mormonism is that
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"intelligences" are eternal. On the other hand, God is not! He
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started as a spirit child in another 'spirit world' long ago; entered
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a body on another earth as a man; apparently was able to follow the
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law of progression perfectly; after death He became God in the
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'celestial kingdom' of that other earth; brought (or was given) many
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wives; through sexual union in our spirit world had billions of spirit
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children : The first was Jesus, the second Lucifer, the third and on
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and on were to enter the earth as you and me.
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No organic difference in the parentage between us and Jesus and
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Lucifer! We all have the same literal "Heavenly Father". Note how
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those in Mormonism generally refer to Him as "Heavenly Father" -- they
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mean just that - LITERALLY!! Just remember that they could say also;
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"Heavenly GRANDFATHER", "Heavenly Great-Grandfather", and so on ...!
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MILTON R. HUNTER (1st Council of 70); GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES; pages
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127-129 (1958)
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"In the first stage, man was an eternally existent being termed an
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intelligence ... The next realm where man dwelt was the spirit
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world."
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According to Mormon concept eternally existing intelligences were
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clothed with spirit bodies in the mansion of their eternal Father...
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"numerous sons and daughters were begotten and born of heavenly
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parents into that eternal family in the spirit world ... There ...
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they were reared to maturity, becoming grown spirit men and women
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prior to coming upon this earth ... Following his stay in the spirit
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world, man comes to earth in a probationary state ... receives a
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physical body and undergoes the experiences of mortality ..
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Eventually; however, mortal death comes upon all. The eternal spirit
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goes to the spirit world to wait resurrection and judgement ... there
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they shall be assigned to the glory that they have merited ... Some
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will receive celestial glory; others terrestrial, while those who are
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recorded in the 'Lamb's Book of Life' will enter celestial glory.
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There some of them will become angels and others priests and kings,
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or, in other words, Gods."
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On page 12, Hunter states a basic "truth" of Mormonism, that God is
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subordinate to the law of eternal progression.: "Our Eternal Father
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has attained His position of exaltation and Godhood by obedience to
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the great law of progression."
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JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH; DOCTRINES OF SALVATION; Vol 1, pg 12
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"The intelligent part of man was never created but always existed.
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That is true of each of us as well as it is of God, yet we are born
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sons and daughters of God in the spirit and are destined to exist
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forever. Those who become like God will also be from eternity to
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eternity."
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The BIBLE states explicitly that there are no intelligences
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co-eternal or co-existent with God. Anything that exists, other than
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God, is a "thing". COLOSSIANS 1:16-17 and JOHN 1:1-3 state that ONLY
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Jesus is co-eternal with God as the "WORD WAS GOD" (John 1:1). He is
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before all "things" and created all "things". His creation did not
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pre-exist Him! God knows the beginning and end of all things before
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they exist. There are several scriptures stating HE "knew" us before
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we were born. They do not imply we existed before we were born.
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"The burden of the word of the Lord of Israel, saith the Lord,
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which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the
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earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him." (ZECHARIAH 12:1)
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SALVATION BY GRACE VERSUS WORKS
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The BIBLE states over and over that we do not merit salvation
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(eternal life in God's presence) by our own goodness and system of
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good works from or for any organization. You need only to study the
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Old Testament and see the hopelessness of a system whereby man was to
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live within God's laws with the system of prophets - temples - priests
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and ordinances. The purpose of Jesus coming to earth to die for us
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was to make provision for our own inability to bridge this separation
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of man from God and brought a new covenant. If you choose Mormonism
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as your plan of salvation, you have regressed to the old covenant of
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the prophet, temple and ordinance which produce only "dead works" in
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an attempt to obtain righteousness on your own. If you trust the LDS
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church and its prophets; here is what is said:
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MILTON R. HUNTER; THE GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES; pg 115 JOSEPH F.
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SMITH; TEACHINGS OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH; pg 348
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"Thus all men who ascend to the glorious status of Godhood can do
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so only by one method - by obedience to all the principals and
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ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (another way of saying
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"Mormonism")... Men are saved no faster than they gain knowledge.
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The Prophet Joseph described the process of going toward Godhood as
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follows: When you climb a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and
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ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with
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the principles of the Gospel - you must begin with the first, and go
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on until you learn all of the principles of exaltation. But it will
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be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you
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will have learned them."
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JAMES E. TALMAGE; ARTICLES OF FAITH; pg 480
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"The sectarian dogma of justification by faith alone has exercised
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an influence for evil."
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II NEPHI 25:23 (BOOK OF MORMON)
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"For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we
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can do."
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WHAT THE MORMONS THINK OF CHRIST
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LDS CHURCH TRACT; pg 32,46,47
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"Christians speak often of the blood of Christ and its cleansing
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power. Much that is believed and taught on this subject, however, is
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utter nonsense and so palpably false that to believe it is to lose
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one's salvation. Many go so far, for instance, as to pretend, at
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least, to believe that if we confess Christ with our lips and avow
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that we accept Him as our personal Savior, we are thereby saved ...
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And no man can pick the fruit of eternal life off the branches, as
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these are tied to the vine, without accepting both Christ and His
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prophets ... If it had not been for Joseph Smith, the Prophet, the
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perfect knowledge of Christ would not be had in the world in this day.
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If it had not been for him and his mission there would be no legal
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administrators now on earth to administer in the ordinances of
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salvation."
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BRUCE R. McCONKIE; MORMON DOCTRINE; pgs 84 & 745
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"The second birth begins when men are legally baptized in water by
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a legal administrator ... Those who receive the Gospel (Mormon
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Doctrine) and join the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints
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have power given them to become sons of God."
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(Compare to John 1:12 -- "But as many as received Him, to them gave
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He power to become sons of God..")
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BRUCE R. McCONKIE; MORMON DOCTRINE; pg 149
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"Those things which men are directed to do to attain peace in this
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life and gain eternal life in the world to come are collectively
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called the commandments."
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BRUCE R. McCONKIE; MORMON DOCTRINE; preface to 1966 Edition; pg 118
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"Man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge -- (See I
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Corinthians 1:17,20-23,2:1-5) -- To gain salvation after baptism it is
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necessary to keep the commandments of God and endure to the end ...
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The most important things that any member of the church of Jesus
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Christ of Latter day Saints ever does in this world are: 1. To marry
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the right person, in the right place, by the right authority (Mormon
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Temple marriage); and 2. to keep the covenant made in connection with
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this holy and perfect order of matrimony - thus assuring the obedient
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persons of an inheritance of exaltation in the celestial kingdom."
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CHURCH NEWS-EDITORIAL; November 8,1975; page 16
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"There is only one way to become sanctified and perfected, and thus
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prepared to live with God. That is by obedience to His laws. There
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is no other way ... When will we learn to obey him with all our
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heart, mind and strength?
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(Compare with Luke 10:27 - "Thou shalt love the Love the Lord thy
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God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
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strength, and with all thy mind....")
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MILTON R. HUNTER, GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES; pgs 118-120
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"If men and women obey all the other laws of the gospel except that
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of celestial marriage (Mormon Temple Marriage), they are appointed
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angels ...."
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BENNET; WHY I AM A MORMON; pg 170
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"Once we have been resurrected, it will be our own efforts, and not
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Christ's sacrifice, that will be the deciding factor ... A man can be
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saved only so fast as he gains knowledge of the laws of God." Prophets
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... temples ... Obedience to the Law ... Aaronic Priest ..
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Legalisms ... Dependent on our own efforts and good works ...
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Sound familiar? Old Testament in a new wrapping? Wrapped in
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Christian terminology? Mormonism calls the unsuspecting back under
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what amounts to the old covenant. If righteousness could be obtained,
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earned or gained by our own efforts to be perfect under the law, there
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would have been no need for a "NEW" covenant. If all Christ's death
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meant was to conquer death - to pay for Adam's sin as Mormonism
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teaches - why are the following among the great number of God's words
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declaring the TRUTH of the NEW COVENANT of salvation through Christ,
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by faith, not works of the law. Look up these scriptures and review
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their full context:
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THE LAW AND WORKS DO NOT SAVE
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JOHN 6:28,29,39,40 ... What must we do to be doing the works of God?
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This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.
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ROMANS 3:21,22 ... No one is justified by the works of the law.
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Now righteousness of God is manifested apart from the Law.
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ROMANS 4:13-16 ... If it is adherents of the Law that are to be
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heirs, then faith is NULL and the promise void.
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ROMANS 7:4-6 ... Died to the Law through the body of Christ.
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Discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that
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we serve not under the old written code but in new life of the Spirit.
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ROMANS 8:1-4 ... God has done what the law could not do!
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ROMANS 9:30-32 ... Israel who pursued righteousness based on the law
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did not succeed. WHY? They did not pursue it through faith, but as if
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it were based on works.
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ROMANS 10:1-4 ... A zeal for God - but not enlightened. Seeking to
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establish their own righteousness. Christ is the end of the law.
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Romans 14:1-23 and Colossians 3:8-23 are clear refutations of the
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point made by Joseph Smith in "Words of Wisdom" to not drink and eat
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certain things is nothing more than MAN'S regulation and NOT from God.
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Read and see what God said through the Apostle Paul!
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GALATIANS 2:16 ... Man is not justified by works of the law but is
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through faith!
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GALATIANS 2:19-21 ... Died to the law, that I might live to God. I do
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not nullify the Grace of God; for if righteousness were through the
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law, then Christ is dead in vain.
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GALATIANS 3:10 ... As many as are under the works of the law are
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under the curse!
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GALATIANS 3:23-28 ... Before faith came, we were under the law - our
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schoolmaster (Custodian) until Christ came. Now that faith is come,
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we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
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GALATIANS 5:18 ... If led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
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II TIMOTHY 1:8-10 ... Who saved us, not according to our works, but
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according to His own purpose and grace.
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TITUS 3:3-9 ... He saved us, not by works of righteousness which we
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have done, but according to His mercy. Being justified by grace.
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HOW IS MAN (or WE ) SAVED ?
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If salvation is not by works of our own under the law and
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ordinances, HOW IS MAN SAVED? Just a few of the scriptures God has
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given us are:
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JOHN 3:1-18 ... YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN! In context Jesus, Himself,
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explains that, not only do we have a natural birth (Flesh) but a
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spiritual birth! "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have
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everlasting life (ETERNAL)!
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ROMANS 5:1-11 ... Christ died for us, sinners, who are now justified
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by His blood. We are reconciled through Him.
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ROMANS 5:15-17 ... The free gift of righteousness by the grace of
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God.
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ROMANS 10:9-17 ... Confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe
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in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
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GALATIANS 2:16-21 ... We are justified by faith. Our old nature is
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crucified with Christ; Christ now lives in us; we live by faith ---
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not the law!
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EPHESIANS 2:8-10 ... "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
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that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
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man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
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unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
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them."
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Works have nothing to do with our justifying eternal life. The
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Mormon will be quick to point out James 2:17 - "Even so faith, if it
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hath not works, is dead, being alone." AMEN! That is not denying
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salvation by faith. What it is saying is this: "You say you are
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saved? Saving faith will naturally flow into a life that will show
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evidence of it. Your 'works' will testify of your faith. If none,
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there is reason to question whether there really was a saving faith to
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start with." To quote Ed Decker in his tract "To Moroni with Love";
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You do not bark to become a dog nor "baa" to become a sheep. You bark
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because you are a dog or "baa" because you are a sheep! Christians,
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when born-again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, have a never ending
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desire to follow the Lord Jesus in their daily life behavior. "Works"
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is not an appropriate name as it suggests payment after the work has
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been done. Christ made the payment IN FULL for our sins by His blood
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for us; if only we REPENT of our sins and ACCEPT Him by faith. It is
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available only through God's grace for an eternal life.
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I JOHN 1:7 ... Blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin.
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HEBREW 9:23-28,10:10-18 ... Jesus was the sacrifice, once, to perfect
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forever those who are sanctified.
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ROMANS 5:6-11 ... We are reconciled by His blood.
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ISAIAH 53:6-11 & I CORINTHIANS 5:17-21 ... Our iniquity was laid on
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Jesus; to die for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God
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in Him.
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I PETER 2:24 ... "Who his own self bare our sins in His own body on
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the tree, that we, being dead to sins should live unto righteousness:
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By whose stripes ye are healed."
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You will never (Well, We won't say never because God may have His
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plan for their salvation that We are not aware of at this moment) see
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a cross on a Mormon structure. They will say call it a "graven
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image"; yet "Moroni" stands on top of their temples. Moroni didn't
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die for them. Joseph Smith, Jr. didn't die for them. The church
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didn't die for them. JESUS DIED FOR THEM, if they would only cling to
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His cross and reach out to claim His blood for their sins. They're
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told they can earn their own righteousness based on the law of the
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church which is based on "prophets, seers and revelators" proven -TIME
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AND AGAIN- to be false. Wouldn't you rather lay your eternal life in
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the hands of the ETERNAL GOD; the SON who, personally, died for you -
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than, say, a "prophet" in Salt Lake City?
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Our prayer is that this comparison of the Bible vs: the LDS Mormon
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church will show you the LIGHT of CHRIST.
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Computers For Christ - San Jose
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For more information see below:
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This file has been brought to you by the ministry of the;
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Southern Maryland Christian Information Service BBS, (SMCIS)
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(301) 862-3160 HST
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P.O. Box 463
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California, MD 20619
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Sysop: Buggs Bugnon
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