Are Mormons True Christians if They Deny the Trinity?

Are Mormons true Christians if they deny the Trinity. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi, I'm Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. There's our phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 if you get our voicemail. Feel free to leave a message. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites and you can email us anytime with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Isabel calling in from Fresno, California.

Isabel what your question for atrial lot. My sister and thoughtful beak and stand there and there only think of the name prayer, so I am sorry that it says that God will come in glory to judge the living and dead, and so my question is what is mean okay I understand, and judge the living, but that dad like I thought that maybe when you die, you went to heaven. I'm confused about that but Isabel, first let me just extend my condolences to you and I'm sorry to hear about the death of your sister. I pray that the Lord comforts you in this time and yes we do have the language in prayers but also mean it's it's rooted in Scripture you see in first Peter chapter 4 verse five. Using Paul's letter to Timothy that God is going to judge the living and the dead and the dead. There just refer to the departed. Those who are, you know gone to be either with the Lord in paradise in heaven is referring to the time of the final judgment to the last day if you will. It is what Jesus spoke about in John chapter 5 verse 26 for as the father has life in himself, so he is granted the son also have life in himself, and he is given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs. That is the dead will hear his voice and come out.

Those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. So you have here that the language of the second judgment are actually the land was the last judgment. There's one judgment final judgment. It's been being referred to their now with regard to our loved ones who have died. We do have the hope that God gives us in his word to all those who have died in Christ. That is, that is the baptized that the faithful those who believe in Jesus are immediately brought into the presence of the Lord and their souls are perfected in holiness, so are our loved ones who have died in Christ are right now perfected in holiness in the presence of Jesus around the throne of God worshiping him in perfect peace. There's a picture of this in places like Hebrews chapter 12 where the author to the Hebrews and paints a picture of of heaven, if you will, and the worship is taking place in in heaven with the saints who were there. Those who have been perfected, the souls of the righteous made perfect. You have the Angels there is what the apostle Paul himself looked forward to when he thought about his death on Philippians chapter 1 he sitting I want to depart and be with Christ in second Corinthians. He said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And so for Christians who die for those who believe who died there immediately in the presence of the Lord waiting for the day of the final judgment, which for believers is can it be more of a vindication than anything else is not like there to be in heaven now than there to be condemned on the last day.

No there there in the presence of the Lord waiting for the resurrection of the body, the resurrection onto life is Jesus described their in John chapter 5 verse 29 and so is the best way to understand that language of of judging the living and the dead is it that all all humanity.

Those were still alive on earth and those with who have died, have departed over over the history of humanity are going to be judged again to hear the voice of Jesus summer can be raised to the resurrection of life, others to resurrection of condemnation there John or Jesus is echoing will though the words of the prophet Daniel at the end of Daniel in Daniel chapter 12 is about you and may God be with you and comfort you and your family in and give you the hope that is found in Jesus Christ and his conquering death for us and for all of our loved ones were in him.

I meant this score. Christianity, with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We have produced some great Bible studies here at the core and we have a new one to tell you about today. Yet the 10 week Bible study on the book of Ruth and is as we said before, you know, Ruth is one of those one of those books of the Old Testament that this kind of underestimated right is sort of it. Soda tucked away when we think about the Old Testament we tweeting about Genesis or the prophet Isaiah, Howard, the prophet Daniel who I just mentioned that we don't often talk about Ruth and will help you understand why Ruth is so important. I mean she's she's part of the lineage of King David of the Messiah himself and so this resource is going to help you trace the promise of the gospel throughout the Bible including in the book of Ruth and so we hope you get a hold of it. It's great for individual study or for groups that if you want to get together with a group of people in your church to study this wonderful book. The book of Ruth. This resource is yours for a donation of $20 or more. To learn more about that by going to core Christianity.com/studies by the way, these are available in bulk quantities as well.

So if your small group is looking for new study, or maybe you've got something planned for looking for some to plan for Sunday school class this coming fall. This would be a great want to get go to court, Christianity.com/studies let's go to Gail calling in from Iowa, Gail, what's your question for Israel hello Gail, I think your program for well over a year now and first of all I want to thank all your listeners all in with some absolutely incredible questions and of course every question spawned a whole slew of new questions. I don't know how you can keep up. So I also want to thank you for this wonderful ministry where people can get these kind of questions answered with just a simple phone call. So thank you very much. Thank you, Gail, what's your what's your question went back to Revelation jumped a little bit from 19 to 21.

Basically where the multitude is gathered for the great battle against Israel and then of course the appearance of the Lord.

The battle is over with one word and then all who are slaughtered in the blood up to the bridle of the hornets type thing but then we jump to 21 at the very end with the second judgment are the second death, judgment, all those people who were slaughtered because they were against God.

Are they then part of that judgment. At that time and what becomes of them. I it's not entirely clear. Thank you for that question. You part of the trouble. I think that the people often have with the book of revelations we just assume that it's just just chronological.

Are you beginning in chapter 1, you get to chapter 22 and then each chapter's are to build on the previous one you have the sort of linear timeline moving forward to the very end to the river of life, and in chapter 22.

But there's a lot of repetition in the book of Revelation.

So it's almost like were looking at the same event over and over again. Through these different lenses or vantage points. This is something that you see in in an apocalyptic prophetic literature seed also in in Daniel for example, you you have the kingdoms of the world described as a great statue earlier in the book of Daniel from the from the perspective of man in this this great glorious statue made of precious metals, but from God's perspective, those same kingdoms are described again is as terrible beasts mislead you see this kind of thing.

It it sometimes what's called a recapitulation to serve over and over again the story recapitulating given these different visions that Daniel has of these events and so understanding that helps us to realize. Okay, it's not all just linear chronological sometimes are looking at the same event over and over again, and in particular here. When you have in Revelation chapter 19 of these two great feast the marriage supper of the Lamb. But then you have the, the, the feast of the birds if you will feasting on those who were judged in this in this last battle, if you will, and what what happens to them well. They all are judged again to go back to the lien of the language of the final judgment. Jesus judging the living and the dead that they're all standing before the Lord, you know at the great white throne in Revelation chapter 20 verse 11 then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which was the book of life and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done and it is really is all-encompassing.

He goes on to say in verse 13 the sea gave up the dead who were in it, death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them and they were judged, each one of them according to what they had done, and death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire so that becomes of those who reject the gospel the enemies of the Lord.

It's that final judgment standing before the judgment seat of Christ, if you will, and I take it that the that the those were described as judged in Revelation chapter 19.

Are there are a part of that judgment.

Again, I think the language is all-encompassing. All of the dead, great and small. John is being very careful here to make sure that you know he let us know there's anybody who's exempt from this final judgment and that that includes those in Revelation chapter 19 as well and so thank you again for your encouragement system. I'm grateful you been listening the program for you. I pray that he continues to bless you and encourage you to Gail thanks so much for being a regular core Christianity, listing realtor appreciate you. By the way it really wish you mentioned that part about the birds eating them because that was that was really a man. If this is what the Bible says and so yeah next to the word there you go. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Kim who's calling in from Cunningham Tennessee Kim what's your question for Israel on Christian Leviticus law on the about that. I think that great question. And you're right in Leviticus chapter 19 verse 28 talks about not cutting your body marking your body for the dead, specifically their this is God's call to Israel to be distinct from the pagan nations.

It probably was something that was associated with pagan idolatry. You don't prefer the Canaanites for these these nations that Israel was around and meet on the area where they were called to inhabit. And so Israel as God's people dislike us today.

They were called to be distinct to be holy, but I don't think that Leviticus 1928 prohibits tattoos just generally that is to say that if a Christian was to get a tattoo. It would be it would be sin. It is a wisdom issue and I think we have to ask ourselves what is was a reason for me doing this. Why, why do I want to get it to do what am I actually tattooing onto my body. I think there probably some things that people can tattoo on their bodies that are indeed not honoring to the Lord not pleasing to the Lord. In that case or that they just say no but didn't know if if somebody's saying why I write one of you know, get a tattoo of a sunset on my arm because I like sunsets I don't I don't think that's an issue sentences and it issue of wisdom and so that's that's what it calls for his wisdom individually. I think there's there's freedom of conscience here conscious here to to make a decision as a believer and asking yourself, you know, really, really thinking through you, what would what is the reason behind this decision, but is not something I would say that's prohibited by the Bible outright is as against God's law and I think that that is the Texan. Leviticus 1928 doesn't doesn't prohibited specifically for us as best believers. Thank you for your question. Your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by the way, if you have a question you can always email us at questions at core, Christianity.com John wrote in with this a question. He says which covenants in the Bible are still in effect is a great question which covenants in the Bible are still in effect. What you have, the covenant that is sometimes referred to as the noetic covenant in Genesis, which is the sort of God's promise to sustain the world I not to flood the world again leading all the way to the new creation if you will, in the final judgment. I would say that covenant sometimes referred to as a common grace covenant is still in effect. It's made with the entire world. All of creation in terms of covenants that are are no longer binding today.

I think specifically of the Mosaic covenant, the covenant was made with the children of Israel through Moses in places like Exodus chapter 20.

You can read about it. In fact, Paul says very clearly in the book of Galatians in Galatians chapter 3 that that covenant was given for a time. That is, it wasn't going to be binding forever, but it served a very specific purpose. He says in Galatians chapter 3 verse 19 he sees contrasting the Mosaic covenant with the promise that came through Abraham. He says why then the law and he says it was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary non-intermediary implies more than one but God is one, is the law then contrary to the promises of God. Last, certainly not for if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law, but Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then the law was our guardian until Christ came. That is, there was this term of the terminus. This and the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith is, we are no longer under a guardian that is to say, were no longer under the Mosaic law for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ Jesus put on Christ Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise and so the moat Mosaic covenant for the Christians is no longer binding were not under Moses were under Jesus. And so it's really important that we don't in our preaching in our teaching and the way that we live. Try to go back to the Mosaic covenant, sometimes of this is one of the errors that you see in the church today was the error that you saw in the book of Galatians. It compromises the gospel in terms of other covenants of the good of the new covenant we are we are under the new covenant as believers in Jesus Christ read about in Jeremiah 31 in Hebrews chapter 8 even here in the book of Galatians as well. Jesus ratified this covenant in his own body and blood.

He gave us that the sign of the covenant baptism, the Lord's supper you think of him having that meal with his disciples there in the upper room sink. This is my body. This is the cup of the new covenant shed for the forgiveness of many take, eat, take, drink, and so that that covenant is still in effect right now for us as as Christians we are under the new covenant, and so few that I could mention there and it's helpful to have this discussion. A book that I often times recommend his book called sacred bond which is an introduction to covenant theology. A helpful resource you might want to check that out and appreciate your question. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners earlier this week.

This one is from John question by your new thought and I'm wondering if really nice people. I just don't know. I John, thanks for that question. Well yeah well I can agree with you that Mormons are very nice people, delightful people many Mormons that I've I've had the privilege of getting to know and befriend over the years. Of course we're not saved by our works not saved by how nice we are were saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ by the work of the triune God for us sinners. That is because a person is really nice or moral doesn't make them a Christian. Christianity is rooted in in the reality of what God is done for us in our reception of that by faith and if you reject the truth of the gospel, the God of Scripture who who he is, how he's revealed himself, or if if you have a totally different conception of who that God is who Jesus is, what he did for you, then you might have a sincere faith faith but that faith can be misplaced. It is the object of our faith that saves us is not a believe whatever you want to believe the lungs are sincere and it had a nice person. I know that's what a lot of people think today but that's that's not the truth. People can believe all sorts of things. Sincerely, lead them to hell that's that's the reality it's the object of our sincere faith in Jesus Christ and him crucified. The eat eternal son of God, the second person of the holy Trinity is knowing him and receiving him in his gospel by faith that that that's what saves us now. I think people can be really confused for years I had a dear friend who was raised in the Mormon church.

He died a few years back. He was in his 80s. I met him because I was doing just a street evangelism in in San Diego. He overheard me talking to an atheist and gave me his card that had had like to chat more. Come to find he's a Mormon. He's been a Mormon. As I said his whole life is great. To his great great grandfather was was converted by Joseph Smith himself is a business going way back and we would talk about the Bible and theology, we become in my house for Bible studies.

I at that time was hosting a Bible study at my house we have pizza and open up the Scriptures to getting on things he said to me was really interesting is that you don't do this in the Mormon church. We don't get together and open up the Scriptures and study them like this and ask questions and dig into the text and work through applications, you know. Doing theologies is not something that we do which really struck me as odd because it it's so much been a part of my own experience as a Christian, but I think he was attracted to that.

And he had all all these questions and so we would talk about Jesus, we would talk about the gospel and he would say okay I believe that… Share the gospel with him in a lifelong Mormon these.

I believe that I say will friend if if you really if you really believe that is that contradict with what the Mormon church teaches about who Jesus is about the gospel about even even that the church as an institution of a Mormon is when it started basically said all the other churches that are out there are heretical are false churches later.

The lights had been turned off. And that's why we have to recover another gospel of Jesus Christ adjusted to restore the truth of God's word because it was so bad as it if if you're a Mormons believe those things and how can you say you believe what I'm what I'm telling you, and he would always respond by saying you know, don't tell me what I believe is a Mormon, I've been a Mormon longer than you. He would say and so don't tell me we go back and forth and I don't know he died. We were having conversations I would share the gospel with him. I think he really felt tied down by his Mormonism, and one since you know this is just everything in his life, his family, how you raise his family and many work in the temple he would go and do baptisms will be baptized on behalf of the dead there.

I think every every week or every month or something like that. And as I I know it was it was a real tension that he felt because I think is as as we open up the Scriptures together. He could see problems with the Mormon church, but he was still wrapped up in it so so much. Is it possible for him to be semi-goody-goody really have exercised faith in the true God and Jesus Christ and been conflicted deeply convicted conflicted. I hope so. Now I hope that I'm in a see this guy in heaven.

But the fact of the matters if you believe what the Mormon church teaches about Jesus, about who he is about the church about salvation, about so many things that you don't have.

I would say biblical understanding of Christian understanding of the truth again love Mormons so many as as you said John wonderful nice people, sincere people, hard-working people, and we should commend those things.

But it's not our sincerity is not our niceness.

It's not how hard we work that saves us. It's Jesus he's our only hope. It's is the true Jesus of Scripture. It's knowing him. It's calling upon his name as he's revealed himself to us in his word and associate if you're a Mormon and you listen to this broadcast may we want it. We want to hear from you. We want to talk with you about this Jesus because there is nothing more important than knowing God truly than than answering the question correctly that Jesus asked his disciples, who do you say that I am not understanding who Jesus is not getting this question right is of eternal significance in the Mormon church does not get it right to say it very bluntly, the Mormon church does not get it right and so we need to return to the Scriptures and find in them the true Jesus was for us and for salvation for our forgiveness. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673.

That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together