10 Reasons why We Cannot Fellowship with the Mormon Church Part 2

Answering questions by Bill McKeever Gary Johnson deals with 36 commonly asked questions by your LDS friends and neighbors. It's a great resource for Christians want to share their faith with friends and loved ones. Be sure to pick up your copy today at your favorite Christian bookstore viewpoint on Mormonism program that examines the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a biblical perspective viewpoint on 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 welcome to this additional viewpoint on Mormonism on your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry and with me today is Aaron shuffle all of my colleague at MRM yesterday, we introduced Erin's research into missions work in the state of Utah and when you say error, and that probably many Christians look at evangelism in the state of Utah is probably something that's more recent, rather than what goes back to the founding of the state of Utah even before when it was a territory of the United States.

I think the person that people have on the radar that's it's of chapter 1 in their thinking about the history of engaging Mormonism's entertainer. Maybe Walter Martin, but before that. It's like I will I know my mentors were art and that the varsity started the Utah Christian tract Society back in the 1950s they had produced a lot of these blue ink white steeple tracks those tracks went all over the place and art was a very prolific researcher and writer and covered a number of subjects know many of those tracks are outdated now because the church has done some course corrections and changing the pages and some of the things, but still he put out a lot of good material and was a huge influence in my life. They help me immensely. When it came to my study of Mormonism, but were talking this week about a statement and I think we need to be careful how we describe it we chose to go with the word statement because it was no doubt printed in a booklet form or pamphlet form, but it was a statement that was agreed upon by a number of the Christians in the state of Utah, just prior to the turn of the 20th century and so this statement was no doubt reprinted in many formats and as we mentioned yesterday. It was even reprinted in the desert retinues, which was owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints back then as it is now and it was reprinted in the desert retinues of Salt Lake City on July 8, 1921 and there was a response by the church through DH Roberts Brigham, Henry Roberts, who was kind of like the go to apologist, you might say at that time so she response to it in a sermon in the tabernacle, and that was on July 10, 1921. So were talking about. Two days later there responding already for this statement to get the attention of the church and get a response that quickly. I think they felt like they were stunned by this statement what your opinion on. I think Roberts was confused about why we were bringing to 20 something-year-old document what why we were resurfacing this where we could get public visibility. There are some things that yesterday. I think wanted to wane from the consciousness of the people, and this was bringing them back and I want to go back to a statement that I read yesterday because I think this is very important when you talk about fellowship as opposed to friendship. There's a big difference between the two folks I want to restate what it says in this 10 reason statement. It is not the Christians entertain ill will toward Mormons as neighbors and citizens, nor are they averse to cooperating with them in the work of moral and social reform and in the promotion of temperance. On the contrary, Christians of every name most earnestly desire to unite with the Mormon people and all feasible plans that have as their and the social, political and moral advancement of our Commonwealth.

In other words, this is purely a disagreement when it comes to theological issues and that's what they're going to stick to. Now, as we mentioned yesterday. Some of these theological issues are no longer relevant.

For instance, the plural marriage issue is not really relevant although the church is really not abandoned plural marriage in its entirety. In principle they do have a doctrine that's known as eternal polygamy and they believe that plural marriage will go on in the next life, but it is not something that the church will tolerate. If you have two living wives at the same time we need to make that very clear were not saying don't be friends with your LDS neighbor. That's silly. Of course you should be friends with your LDS neighbor there great people. They just need to be challenged on some of the doctrines that we find very troublesome and is a part of their theology.

Let's look at the 10 reasons let's start with the first reason the first statement has to do with on church. He now that's kind of an interesting word and encouraging, but this is how it's explained the Mormon church on churches all Christians. It recognizes itself alone as the church from its beginning to the present. It has insisted from press and platform that all Christian churches of whatever name nation or century since apostolic times are not only apostate from the truth but propagator's of air and false doctrine without authority to teach, preach, or administer the sacraments that salvation and exultation are found alone in the church organized by Joseph Smith the Aaron as I read that I don't find anything that's incorrect in that statement seems to describe what anything faith completely accurately. They have listed with the statement some proofs as they call it proof number one the Mormon church is quote the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth reference doctrine and covenants section 1, verse 30 that stands today. If you were to look at a modern copy of the doctrine and covenants. That's what it says second proof, behold, I the Lord that is say unto you, that all old covenants that say Christian churches have I caused to be done away in this thing and this is a new and everlasting covenant. That's from doctrine and covenants section 22 verse one.

Would you have any problems with that statement seems like a fair reading of the text. Number three says it.

Speaking of Mormonism quote is entirely unlike all plans or systems ever invented by human authority. It has no alliance connection or fellowship with any of them.

It speaks with divine authority, and all nations without an exception are required to obey. He that receives the message and endures to the end will be saved. He that rejects it will be damned.

And in that statement they are citing the works of Orson Pratt who was a Mormon apostle in the next we have a quote by DH Roberts himself, which says these claims in behalf of Mormonism presupposes the destruction of the primitive Christian church a complete apostasy from the Christian religion, and that is from his work. New witness for God. It's in the preface on page 1 and then also we have a statement from the pearl of great price. I was answered that I must join none of them. This is Joseph Smith speaking in the first vision account where he is told by the two personages that appear to him when he was confused as to which church he should join these personages tell him that he should join none of the churches, for they were all wrong now. They don't include the whole statement they just include the part that says, for they were all wrong. Actually the complete accusation was that there were all wrong. Their creeds are an abomination in the professors are corrupt, so that actually be in kind. I would probably say him that statement by not quoting it in its entirety. Now we go on to point number two, and that has to do with Scripture, and that is an issue that we find a lot of times with Latter Day Saints.

Well, you think that were not a true church because we just have added Scripture, such as the book of Mormon and the doctrine and covenants well this is brought up in point number two having to do a Scripture, the Mormon church places the book of Mormon and the book of doctrine and covenants on a par with the Bible and requires subscription to the inspiration and authority of those books as a condition of acceptance with God and of fellowship with these people there so called revelations of the present are put on the same level with the Bible. I think there be in generous in that statement and the reason I say that is because they say officially that we believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. Now we know the scholars say that that word translated is not really be inaccurate really means that it was not transmitted accurately down through the centuries, but when it says that these books the book of Mormon doctrine and covenants are on a par with the Bible practice.

They treat their added Scriptures as more authoritative in the Bible I think you're right. If many Latter Day Saints were challenge between the statement that's found in the Bible and the statement that may contradict it by one of their living prophets.

They would run to the prophet every time I I find that to be the case whenever I bring up some of these kind of issues as well.

So the proofs that they had to support that accusation made against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints proof number one has God given many revelations to men answer yes, a great number where have we any account of his doing so answer in the Bible, the book of Mormon doctrine and covenants, and other publications of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and their siding from the catechism chapter 111 question one and two. The next quote we have is from doctrine and covenants section 84, verse 57 and they that is the children of Zion shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant. Even the book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, which is incredible because it's saying that this whole body. People can't become legitimately in God's favor and under that the new covenant until they receive the book of Mormon as of God.

The next one is a statement by Joseph Smith is found in the history of Joseph Smith that was in the millennial Star volume 18, page 790 I spent the day in counsel with the 12 apostles. I told the brethren that the book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of our religion in a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.

Now there's no doubt that Joseph Smith said that but I don't even think most modern Latter Day Saints would agree with that and I've challenge Latter Day Saints on that very statement. That's not that they don't think that the book of Mormon is a correct book, maybe even the most correct of any book on earth but is the book of Mormon. Really, the keystone of the Mormon religion. When I asked that question. I mean it in the context of are the doctrines found in the book of Mormon first and foremost in the life of a Latter Day Saints. I would challenge that because when Smith brings forth the book of Mormon. It's very early on in the history of his movement and we know that he's going to go through a huge evolution theologically to her by the time he dies in 1844 a lot of the things that he is teaching at that time tend to contradict or at least ignore a lot of what is stated in the book of Mormon.

So when he says that a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts. The book of Mormon precepts than by any other book. I think that's an erroneous statement, at least as it was by the time Joseph Smith died. Certainly today, the last reference we have is from John Taylor. He said, quote Wilford Woodruff is the prophet and seer of this church.

Joseph Smith was a prophet Brigham Young was a prophet. Wilford Woodruff is a prophet and I know that he has a great many prophets around. He can make Scriptures as good as those in the Bible tomorrow were going to continue looking at the 10 reasons why Christians cannot fellowship the Mormon church and were given begin with the criticism regarding Joseph Smith himself. Thank you for listening you would like more information regarding his research ministry.

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