Christmas Book Citations Joseph Smith Part 4

Point is in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints viewpoint when 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 to be with us for this edition of viewpoint on Mormonism. I'm your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM we continue looking at books that were given as Christmas gifts by the first presidency during the years 1981 to 2017 and as we mentioned many times in the series.

The reason why we feel that that's important to look at these boxes because obviously you would think that the man who gave these books as a Christmas gift believed what was written inside of these books and would also want the people receiving the books as a gift to believe what's inside of them as well. We continue looking at a book that was given away as a Christmas gift in the year 1991 and its teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith, and we can begin by looking at a subject pertaining to this exclusivity of Mormonism that was actually denied by James Talmage was a Mormon apostle in the book, articles of faith. On page 468 where he makes it very clear that Mormonism is not exclusive, but in light of that comment that Eric is about to read you answer that question for yourself is that some little exclusive or overinclusive. Page 192 it says many objections are urged against the Latter Day Saints for not admitting the validity of sectarian baptism and for withholding fellowship from sectarian churches.

It's that last portion of that sentence that I'm referring to folks where it says that the objections against the LDS church not only for not recognizing baptism from another group as they say the sectarian baptism but it's the withholding fellowship from second Terrien churches.

This goes back to the idea that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth, and this is found in section 1, verse 30 of the doctrine and covenants, but they certainly do exclude everyone else from that kind of a description they would say that all other churches besides their own are in a state of apostasy and the way you can know that for sure is if you're a Christian and you tell a latter-day St., that you have been baptized, and ask if that's efficient that they'll have to say no because you have to be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, so it starts right from the very beginning another citation. This has to do with the issue of hell bill on page 316 of teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I see no faults in the church and, therefore, let me be resurrected with the saints, whether I ascend to heaven or just send a hell or go to any other place, and if we go to hell.

We will turn the devils out of doors and make a heaven of it. And if we go to hell. We will turn the devils out of doors and make a heaven of it. I don't think I can say anything more to just how incredibly arrogant that statement is another quote given in the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 162 being born again comes by the spirit of God through ordinances. What this is basically telling us is that the process is the process of being born again. It was Bruce McConkie who kind of elaborated on this in his book Mormon doctrine, page 101, where he describes being born again as something you must do in this case it's water baptism. Now certainly as New Testament Christians, we see no no definitive teaching on this whatsoever, but certainly this is the case in Mormonism. One of the things that Joseph Smith likes to do is speculate and so he's going to speculate on what Paul look like on page 180. He says description of Paul given by the prophet Joseph January 5, 1841 at the organization of the school of instruction quote he is talking about Paul, about 5 feet high, very dark hair, dark complexion, dark skin, larger Roman nose, sharp face, small black eyes penetrating as eternity, round shoulders, a whining voice except when elevated and then it almost resembled the roaring of a lion. He was a good or rater active and diligent, always employing himself and doing good to his fellow man about when I've had this quote originally I had asked myself, how does he think that he knew anything about Paul because we have no video. We have nothing to help us understand what he looked like. Certainly the idea that he was shorter but I mean even to have a larger Roman nose. That's a great question.

I think the answer to that question is as well. Once you've accepted Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. All those type of questions are no longer relevant or actually seen as a challenge to his authority. So most Latter Day Saints probably wouldn't even try to question him on that matter. You just accepted at face value. I don't think probably many Latter Day Saints have ever heard of that quote before I hadn't and in just understanding what he saying that he has the knowledge to be able to explain the description of Paul is is beyond me a quote on repentance. This is on page 148 it's also quoted in the history of the church, volume 3, page 379 and Joseph Smith said, repentance is a thing that cannot be trifled with. Every day, daily transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the sight of God. You know I don't really have a problem with this statement as he is given it here. The problem I have is when you have a lot of Latter Day Saints tell you that you have to keep all the commandments in order to be approved by God in order to achieve celestial exultation. If you're going to be keeping all the commandments that it would seem that you would not have to repent at all, but yet those same Latter Day Saints while insisting they're supposed to keep all the commandments don't seem to see an inconsistency in saying that they repent on a regular basis. I think what Joseph Smith is saying here is consistent in the context of Mormonism. Because if commandment keeping is a requirement. In other words, keeping the commandments continually as it teaches in the doctrine and covenants section 25 verse 15 then daily transgression and daily repentance would be pleasing in the sight of God. You shouldn't be doing that on a regular basis. If you're keeping the commandments regularly as you're supposed to do. You would not have a need for this type of daily repentance that Joseph Smith is talking about doctrine and covenants section 5842 and 43 says this, behold, he who has repented of his sins. The same is forgiven and I the Lord remember them no more. By this he may know, if a man repented of his sins, behold, he will confess them and forsake them.

So this idea that you should not brag about repenting on a regular basis because if you're truly repenting, then you're supposed to.

As D&C 5843 says forsake them. I think that something a lot of Latter Day Saints don't understand and miss use what the meaning of repentance is all about. They may understand it, they just can't live up to that standard that could possibly be the case. Now what about this quote on page 157 in the book teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith regarding priesthood and Adam. He says the priesthood was first given to Adam he obtained the first presidency and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it in the creation before the world was formed as in Genesis chapter 1 verses 26 or 28. He had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel spoken of in the Scriptures. There's a lot of questions that come to my mind when I read this portion the priesthood was first given to Adam he obtained the first presidency. The first presidency as it's understood in modern Mormonism. Today wasn't even a part of the LDS church in the very early years, but if Adam was obtained the first presidency who belong to this first presidency. Today you have three men who make up the first presidency, the prophet and his two counselors so I'm kinda curious as to who would been the two counselors to Adam if he in fact was the head of the first presidency, which would not have also made him the prophet as it is a Mormonism right now. Well, you have can enable perhaps you could put Cain and Abel and and then when one of them dies then you put in Seth. I mean, I don't know you would have to make some things up to make him part of the first presidency. If our understanding first presidency the same way that Latter Day Saints understand first presidency today will use another portion of the sentence.

That is a bit confusing mentions Genesis 1 2627 and 28. Adam obtained this priesthood before the world was formed and then those verses are given as proof text, there's no mention in those verses of anything like priesthood, especially the way Mormons understand it today. I don't understand why those verses are even put there because are completely irrelevant to the topic of the priesthood. But then it says that he had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel.

Now here's what strikes me this is on page 157 of the book teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. But yet if you go down the page on page 157 you find another description of Adam under the subheading Adam the oldest man and it says this Daniel in his seventh chapter speaks of the ancient of days, he means the oldest man, our father Adam Michael. He will call his children together and hold the Council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man. So is not only Michael the Archangel is also the ancient of days now. This becomes problematic because Bible scholars would tell us that the ancient of days mentioned in the book of Daniel is a reference to God the father. So how can it be both Michael the Archangel, and God the father at the same time it seems like that would be a contradiction, but I've always wondered is that maybe where Brigham Young got the notion that Adam is God. Because of this statement made by Joseph Smith where he refers to Adam being the ancient of days did Brigham Young understand the ancient of days as being a title for God in the book of Daniel and equate Adam with God. I can't prove it but I think that's a theory worth investigating. It could have been built we've been going through the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith this week. It's a book that was given away in 1991 by the first presidency to general authorities as well as employees of the church. Would you recommend Latter Day Saints today picking up this book and reading through it.

You think that would be instructional for them. I think it would be instructional for them only because of the respect that they have for Joseph Smith but I think if they were to examine carefully. Some of the strange things that Joseph Smith said there probably going to find a huge difficulty in justifying what he said with what the Bible has to say the same time because as we said many times, not only in the series but on the show. Joseph Smith can get away with just about anything because Mormons are not really even allowed to question the things that he teaches. And as we've also pointed out in this series. According to Joseph Smith. There were no errors in any of the revelations that he taught.

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