10 Common Mistakes Made When Reading the Bible Part 2

I'm prepared to engage Mormon missionaries would knock on your door. Perhaps the book Mormonism 101 will help Mormonism 101. Published by Baker at your favorite Christian bookstore .1 examines the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a perspective view .1 Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ with answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism. So glad you could be with us for this edition of viewpoint on Mormonism. I'm your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry and with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM we began looking yesterday at an article that Eric has written that can be found on our website@mrm.org.

What's the address for this article, Eric MRM.org/10 common mistakes with hyphens between each one and 10 is 10 and it is titled as he said 10 common mistakes Latter Day Saints make when reading the Bible. But as we mentioned in yesterday show. These are mistakes that even though well-meaning New Testament Christian can make as well. And if we are going to use the Bible to try and support our position as a Christian we certainly want to understand the Bible correctly. As it was intended by the author, and in yesterday show. We were talking about the importance of versus not being taken out of context but as we are going through your list. Eric you made the comment to me fear that really all of these 10 points can be traced back to the problem of taking a verse out of context so that is the number one important rule we should always follow, are we looking at this verse the way the author intended it to be looked at and not the way that the reader interprets it to be. As we've often said one of the worst things you can do is ask yourself what does this verse mean to me about folks. What did those words mean to the author and what is he trying to get across to me that's the question we need to be asking were looking at point number three today.

In point number three.

Eric you right thinking a particular verse or passage is alluding to the book of Mormon and the situation in ancient America. The example that you give is Ezekiel 37.

Which of course has been used by many Latter Day Saints to try to prove that the book of Mormon must be an authentic book because Ezekiel refers to it, not by name, but he certainly alludes to it in Ezekiel 37 that talks about the two sticks and how Ezekiel was to take these two sticks and join them one in his hand. Of course, Mormon leaders, and I should say Russell M. Nelson, the 17th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints loved quoting Ezekiel 37 as his proof text for the existence of the book of Mormon. Even though the word sticks in that passage is a word used for literal pieces of wood, not books, that would be a completely different word that Ezekiel would've used but it's important to show that Isaiah was not referring to either the book of Mormon, or even the Bible as many Latter Day Saints understand another verse that uses John 1016 and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them. Also I must bring, and that was a verse that was just use recently with me by a LDS leader, but let me just say that that when I can I go too deep into those two passages but if you go to our book, answering Mormons questions that was published by Kriegel back in 2013. We have an entire chapter.

Chapter 33. If the book of Mormon is just a novel, then why do Isaiah and Ezekiel predict is forthcoming.

The question of Mormon might ask, and I think that will have lots of answers for anybody who is interested in learning more about Ezekiel 37 John chapter 10 I have to ask this question, though. Eric if you can convince a Latter Day Saints that Ezekiel 37 is not talking about the book of Mormon at all with that put a dent in this whole theory that the Bible actually refers to it.

Now they can also use another passage out of Isaiah and I've heard them do that as well. But even that one is badly understood by most Latter Day Saints to see again folks it's important to go back to the context context is always important and when you don't do that you can make the mistake that you bring out Eric and point number three. Thinking that a particular passage is talking about something that it's really not talking about all there's another verse that is not written in the article that we were talking about and we like to talk about now. Isaiah chapter 2 verse two, and that says in shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and it goes on to say that in this Lord's house, the word of the Lord will be taught, but it says later in Isaiah 2 that the word of the Lord is going to come from Jerusalem, the city, Jerusalem, and yet the encyclopedia of Mormonism. Page 1255 says the LDS presence in the soul Valley was compared to a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy of the latter days, the city of God established in the top of the mountains were people from all nations could gather to the house of the Lord to learn his ways. I don't think a lot of people reading Isaiah would've assumed that that's talking about a place that's in the new world. What we don't hear maybe about this verse so much now, but it certainly has been a favorite with many different leaders. For instance, in April 1971. Apostle LeGrand Richards said this about Isaiah 210, which also is cited in second Nephi 12 to in the book of Mormon. He said how literally that has been fulfilled in my way of thinking in this very house of the God of Jacob. Right here on this block is referring to Temple Square there. This temple more than any other building of which we have any record has brought people from every land to learn of his ways and to walk in his path. Property held another apostle has talked about that a general conference. Gordon B. Hinckley has talked about this and used it to support this idea that this is referring to Salt Lake City and, in fact, in Isaiah scholar of the LDS church, Donald W. Perry.

This is what he said fascinating the prophecy ultimately refers to the Salt Lake Temple nestled in the hills and mountains as well as the future Temple of Jerusalem, which will be established in the mountains of Judeo, but he broadens the prophecy and he allows that quote Isaiah's prophecy of the mountain of the Lord is fulfilled. His temples are built throughout the world that he is admitting that this is referring to the future of Jerusalem, so he does have that in there but he says but ultimately is referring to the Salt Lake Temple but not just the Salt Lake Temple bill, but all the temples, even if they're not anywhere close to a mountain. It could be in Arizona or Texas because that is part of this mountain of the Lord fulfilled through Salt Lake City will I know Jerusalem itself is in the mountains. The biblical Jerusalem, but is the Salt Lake Temple really technically in the mountains isn't technically in the Salt Lake Valley. No Shirley there are mountains around the Salt Lake Valley but it seems odd that they would use this instrument ratchets meaning so far to try and include a building that they have put up and I still think Eric they need to explain clearly how they get around and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

I don't see Latter Day Saints ever referring really to Salt Lake City as Jerusalem.

Now I know there was a prophecy in early Mormonism about the new Jerusalem being established in Missouri, but am I wrong in assuming that usually Salt Lake and other places are more encompassed in what they call sign in, not necessarily the city called Jerusalem on this proof that you can make any verse out to be whatever you wanted to be mountain of the Lord that we live in an area that is surrounded by mountains here in Utah and so it's easy to say all lock mountain of the Lord. How can I apply that now to this religion and I think it's not a very good job of exegete in what Isaiah 22 is saying we have an article on her website. It's titled, is Salt Lake City Isaiah's mountain of the Lord a look at Isaiah 2 it was written by her good friend Ed Bilotta used to work with us years ago and did some really great research in this article, I think it help a lot of people better understand what Isaiah was trying to get across, but she mentions Hinckley's use of this verse and like Ed says, as I've mentioned also here that the prophecy refers to Jerusalem is obvious. In verse three it is obvious it's not giving you any type of indication that it could be just about anywhere in the world by giving it that title in looking at the context. Again, it appears that Isaiah is speaking to Jerusalem as it was understood at that time now. Certainly the temple would be destroyed and be rebuilt and as it brings out in his article he says in the midst of these words of censure and judgment. Isaiah looks ahead to the time of the Lord will speak again the author of the letter to the Hebrews recognize this when he wrote, quote God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past and to the fathers by the prophets half in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds and of course as I mentioned yesterday were quoting from the King James version of the Bible because that is the Bible version that Morgan's respect and since were exegete in those passages we want to give it in a format that we hope a Mormon will recognize and respect, but they can find that passage in Hebrews chapter 1 verse two and point number four very quickly.

Eric you right believing that a verse or passage is true. Just because it was stated this regarding who said it. This is what I write in the first paragraph quoting Satan Genesis 35 says quote for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" church leaders have uses first to support the doctrine of exultation in the celestial kingdom and show how people can become gods of their own right.

In this next state, with families being together forever as taught by LDS leaders in church manual, second Nephi 225 in the book of Mormon says that Adam did a positive thing. When he fell, allowing humans to leave the preexistence in their mortality and that's called a transgression and not a sin.

And that's an important point because they have turned the original sin of Adam into a positive thing. In fact, Charles B Carol a BYU professor writes in his book. This is my doctrine in LDS thought Adam and Eve's decision to transgress gradually came to be regarded even more favorably than an innocent error in judgment. It is now seen as a wise and righteous decision made with God's full commendation did Paul think that in Romans five when he is comparing what Adam did with what Jesus did what Adam did, because all people to send and what Jesus did, brought life and so I can't see how you can take Genesis 35 in turn that into a positive and you also mentioned in your article that Satan is called a liar and the father of lies lit be just caution you listeners that whenever you see a quote from Satan.

You might want to be careful as to whether he's telling you a truism or not you better very carefully analyze what's being said, lest you make one serious mistake thank you for listening. If you would like more information when guarding this research ministry. We encourage you to visit our website www.mrm.org you can request a free newsletter Mormonism research. We hope you will join us again as we look at another viewpoint is sharing your faith with the Latter Day Saints. It helps to know with her church as taught in several basic topics. For this reason Mormonism research ministry has provided its crash course Mormonism crash course, Mormonism includes concise articles highlighting what LDS leaders and church manuals have taught on issues that will probably come up in a typical conversation. You can find these informative articles and crash course Mormonism.com that's crash course Mormonism.com