Posted on 05/28/2009 5:33:11 AM PDT by svcw
How do you plan to spend your summer vacation?
I think of all people in history, Joseph Smith, Jr. ranked among the most ambitious grave-diggers who ever lived. When you review his "first vision" of unnamed personages visiting him (see Joseph Smith, History 1 in the lds "scriptures" Pearl of Great Price), he pronounced the number of properly available churches to join as "0" -- these "personages" told him ALL these churches were completely wrong.
To emphasize, that wasn't slightly wrong...
...somewhat wrong...
...but entirely wrong.
He boldly proclaimed their creedal score was also "0." He called ALL their/our creeds to be an "abomination." Smith said not a single creed passed his muster. (Yet, I dare any contemporary Mormon to tell me a single thing "wrong" or abominable with the Apostles Creed...keep in mind that "catholic" in that context meant ONLY "universal.")
Smith realized to be accepted he needed to dig the deepest grave ever. He needed an ambitious "scorched earth" visionary policy. He needed to portray every single Christian...
...church as "wrong",
...creed as "abominable,"
...denomination/sect as apostate,
...Christian professing believer as "corrupt"
...'Cause if he left a single church, creed, sect or believer intact, well, he would simply be unwarranted, redundant, superfluous. If the Christian church wasn't 100% apostate, why, no need for a "restoration" existed.
And so, with spade in hand, Joseph began digging.
About 40 years after revealing the above-mentioned vision, the next generation of Mormons took over the gravedigging exercise by placing this vision into Mormon "scripture."
And now, the generations since then have also placed spade in hand. Some, like Orson Card, do it by writing articles like these. Most Mormons, though, take spade in hand by their tithing and/or going on two-year mission trips. Their tithing allows Joseph Smith History 1 to be translated into dozens of languages and distributed world-wide. Their mission work allows the narrative of the 100% apostasy to be spread world-wide on millions of doorsteps and living rooms.
So the next time a Mormon tells you they don't go around "attacking" people of other faiths, ask them to read to you outloud Joseph Smith History 1 in the Pearl of Great Price. Ask them if their tithing $ goes for the printing, publishing, translating, and distribution of that narrative world-wide.
(Then thank them for personally calling you "corrupt" and an "apostate." 'Cause Jesus says we're to love those who oppose us -- including those who opposed Christianity before anyone knew of the word, "Mormon").
I like your tagline...
What's interesting is that between 1830 and almost mid-way through 1833, Joseph Smith largely stuck with trinitarian beliefs that he inserted into the...
...1830 Book of Mormon,
...1833 Book of Commandments
...and 1835 Doctrine & Covenants
-- although he was also a "modalist" at the time (the belief that the same divine personality reveals himself in 3 venues or "modes").
(I strongly encourage Lds "lurkers" to go back & study their own 1830-1833 "roots" as far as who God is):
Doctrine & Covenants:
As well as those who should come after, who should believe in the gifts and callings of God by the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and Son; which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God. (D&C 20:27-28, 1830)
And the Father and I are one. I am in the Father and the Father in me... (D&C 50:43...1831...Smith copied this from John 10; John 17)
And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one (D&C 93:3, 1833)
...even one in me [Jesus] as I am one in the Father, as the Father is one in me, that we may be one (D&C 35:2, 1831)
Book of Commandments, 1833 (the original D&C):
Lectures of Faith, Lecture 5, v. 2: And he [Jesus] being the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the Father--possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father and the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things: by whom all things were created and made; and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one: The Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fullness: Filling all in all--the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father--posessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father--a Mediator for man--being filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of the Father... [Note: This was removed from the 1835 D&C...Why?]
Book of Mormon:
Intro: Testimony of Three Witnesses: And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which IS [not ARE] one God.
And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which IS [not ARE] one God. (2 Nephi 31:21)
...the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one...the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one. (3 Nephi 11:27,36)
...every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which IS [not ARE] one eternal God... (Alma 11:44)
...given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end. (Mormon 7:7: Please note: the original 1830 Book of Mormon had the word "is" prior to one God...BoM editors then changed it to "are"...a "shaking-the-head" kind of thought given that they left other "testimony" untouched -- such as the 3 witnesses -- along with 2 Nephi 31:21 and Alma 11:44)
...there is a true and living God...Is there more than one God? And he answered, No (Alma 11:27-29)
...Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit...and all this, that this man might know that he was God... (Ether 3:17-18)
One more area to note
...Lds have you ever noted in the Book of Mormon that Jesus is directly worshiped? (Not indirectly -- like worshipping the Father in Jesus Name...but directly!)
Look @ Mormon 7:7 above.
Look also at these 4 other verses:
4 Nephi 4:37: 37 Therefore the true believers in Christ, and the true worshipers of Christ, (among whom were the three disciples of Jesus who should tarry) were called Nephites, and Jacobites, and Josephites, and Zoramites.
2 Nephi 25:29 29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.
3 Nephi 11:17 17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.
3 Nephi 17:10 10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him;
Jesus is worshipped at least 6 times in the book of Matthew; twice in John; other times the angels worship Him in Hebrews and Revelation. Oh, Latter-day Saint...
...do you worship Jesus directly? (And by doing so, how many "gods" then do you worship? Doesn't Ether 3 and Alma 11 say Jesus IS God and there's ONLY one God?)
Have you bowed down at his feet and openly worshiped Him?
Have you fallen at his feet and openly worshiped Him?
Have you worship[ed] him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul? (2 Nephi 25:29)
3 Nephi 19 repeatedly says "disciples" prayed directly to Jesus.
Oh, Latter-day Saint, do you also then pray directly to Jesus?
(They did. If you don't, why not?)
And what does that say of your leaders when your "scripture" tells you to directly and repeatedly worship & pray to Jesus...but they say, "No, don't do it?"
It's time to come out from under such leaders...and let Jesus, the Head of the Church, the Living Revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-2), and the Only True Prophet and High Priest (book of Hebrews) of the Church be your Leader! As the prophet Jeremiah says, trust not in the arm of flesh, for it will fail you!
Thanks! I have enjoyed having it. It just came to me one day about two weeks ago.
May the Holy Spirit use your ‘missionary’ efforts to great rewards!!
| ADAM | LDS - Father of physical mankind. Adam is also known as Michael the archangel, the ancient of days, (D&C 116). | The name Adam is given to the first man of the human family on this earth as cited in the account of the creation in the books of Genesis, Moses, and Abraham, and in many instances in the New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants. From these scriptures we learn that Adam is the father and patriarch of the human race on the earth. The aggregate of the scriptures certifies that his transgression in the garden of Eden, although designated as a "fall," was necessary to the advancement and spiritual progress of humanity on this earth, and Adam rightly should be honored, not denigrated. Adam is the Ancient of Days and is also known as Michael. He is the archangel and will come again to the earth in power and glory as the patriarch of the human family, preparatory to the second coming of Jesus Christ (Dan. 7: 9-14; D&C 116; HC 3: 385-387; HC 4: 207-8). From latter-day revelation we learn that Adam had a pure and perfect language that was both written and spoken (Moses 6: 5-6); that he was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ (Moses 6: 51-63); that he was baptized in water and received the Holy Ghost (Moses 6: 64-68); and that he was visited personally by the Lord (D&C 107: 55-56). Other references to Adam include Luke 3: 38; Rom. 5: 12-21; 1 Cor. 11: 9; 1 Cor. 15: 20-22, 45-49; 1 Tim. 2: 13; 2 Ne. 2: 20-26; Mosiah 3: 11, 16; D&C 29: 34-44; D&C 107: 41-57; Moses 2 - 6. |
| ATONEMENT
|
LDS - The sacrifice of Christ that made resurrection possible along with the possibility of our earning forgiveness of sins. | The word describes the setting "at one" of those who have been estranged, and denotes the reconciliation of man to God. Sin is the cause of the estrangement, and therefore the purpose of atonement is to correct or overcome the consequences of sin. From the time of Adam to the death of Jesus Christ, true believers were instructed to offer animal sacrifices to the Lord. These sacrifices were symbolic of the forthcoming death of Jesus Christ, and were done by faith in him (Moses 5: 5-8). Jesus Christ, as the Only Begotten Son of God and the only sinless person to live on this earth, was the only one capable of making an atonement for mankind. By his selection and foreordination in the Grand Council before the world was formed, his divine Sonship, his sinless life, the shedding of his blood in the garden of Gethsemane, his death on the cross and subsequent bodily resurrection from the grave, he made a perfect atonement for all mankind. All are covered unconditionally as pertaining to the fall of Adam. Hence, all shall rise from the dead with immortal bodies, because of Jesus’ atonement. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15: 22), and all little children are innocent at birth. The atonement is conditional, however, so far as each person’s individual sins are concerned, and touches every one to the degree that he has faith in Jesus Christ, repents of his sins, and obeys the gospel. The services of the Day of Atonement foreshadowed the atoning work of Christ (Lev. 4; Lev. 23: 26-32; Heb. 9). The scriptures point out that no law, ordinance, or sacrifice would be satisfactory if it were not for the atonement of Jesus Christ (Heb. 10: 1-9; 2 Ne. 9: 5-24; Mosiah 13: 27-32).
Sin is lawlessness (1 Jn. 3: 4); it is a refusal on men’s part to submit to the law of God (Rom. 8: 7). By transgression man loses control over his own will and becomes the slave of sin (Rom. 7: 14), and so incurs the penalty of spiritual death, which is alienation from God (Rom. 6: 23). The atonement of Jesus Christ redeems all mankind from the fall of Adam and causes all to be answerable for their own manner of life. This means of atonement is provided by the Father (John 3: 16-17), and is offered in the life and person of his Son, Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5: 19). |
| AARONIC PRIESTHOOD |
LDS - A lesser priesthood in the LDS church. It is still used in LDS church practices and is held by the very young, (D&C 107:1, 6, 10). | As a result of the failure of the Israelites to observe the gospel law administered by Moses under the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord gave an additional law of performances and ordinances and "confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations" (D&C 84: 18) to administer it. This priesthood was of lesser power and authority than the priesthood of Melchizedek, and was used to administer the outward ordinances, particularly as characterized by the ceremonies of the law of Moses. The terms Aaronic and Levitical are sometimes used synonymously (D&C 107: 1, 6, 10), although there are some specific differences in the offices existing within the Levitical Priesthood. For example, the lesser priesthood was conferred only upon men of the tribe of Levi. However, within the tribe, only Aaron and his sons could hold the office of priest. And, still further, from the firstborn of Aaron’s sons (after Aaron) was selected the high priest (or president of the priests). Thus Aaron and his sons after him had greater offices in the Levitical Priesthood than did the other Levites. The privileges of the priests were greater than those who functioned in the other Levitical offices, and a distinction between the two is evident when the scripture speaks of them as "the priests and the Levites" (1 Kgs. 8: 4; Ezra 2: 70; John 1: 19). The priests could offer sacrifices for the people, burn incense on the altar, and teach the law, whereas the other Levites were employed in more menial tasks, such as the housekeeping of the tabernacle, keeping oil in the lamps, transporting the Ark of the Covenant, taking down and setting up the tabernacle when moving, and related tasks in assisting the priests (Num. 3: 5-10; Num. 18: 1-7; 1 Chr. 23: 27-32). The account of Korah’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron delineates some of the differences between the duties of the priests and those of the Levites. It also shows the error of aspiring to offices in the priesthood. Levite companions sought for the high priesthood, but as they were unworthy, the Lord destroyed them (Num. 16 - 18).
The Aaronic (or Levitical) Priesthood thus functioned only within the tribe of Levi, and the right to have it conferred upon one was determined by lineage and worthiness. As part of his rationale that the law of Moses was fulfilled, Paul makes a point of the contrast between the lineal requirement of the lesser priesthood and the nonlineal Melchizedek Priesthood, which was not confined to those of one tribe (see JST Heb. 7: 3; Heb. 7: 11-14). The lineal restrictions of that Aaronic (Levitical) Priesthood were lifted when the law of Moses was fulfilled, and thereafter the offices of the priesthood were conferred upon worthy men without limitation to the tribe of Levi. This appears to be the case in the Church as recorded in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon (where there were no Levites), and is presently operative in the Church as it has been restored in the latter days.
The Aaronic Priesthood continued "with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel" from Aaron until John the Baptist, who was a priest in the Aaronic order (D&C 84: 26-27), and by this authority he prepared the way for and baptized Jesus. Nineteen centuries later this same John was sent from heaven as a resurrected being to confer the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. This was done on May 15, 1829, near Harmony, Pennsylvania, along the banks of the Susquehanna River. At that time John outlined some of the duties, privileges, and limitations of the priesthood, specifying that the Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the ministry of angels and can perform baptisms by water, but has not the authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Aaronic Priesthood functions under the direction of the Melchizedek Priesthood (D&C 13; JS-H 1: 68-72).
Although the Aaronic Priesthood is conferred in the Church today without restriction to the lineage of Aaron, the keys of this priesthood rightly belong to the firstborn of the seed of Aaron, and in the restoration of all things the office of bishop (president of the priests) will once again be conferred on one of that lineage, as it is designated by revelation to the president of the Church (D&C 84: 14-21; D&C 107: 13-17). |
| BAPTISM | LDS - A necessary ordinance for salvation in the Mormon church. By it sins are washed away. | From a Greek word meaning to dip or immerse. Baptism in water is the introductory ordinance of the gospel, and must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order to be complete. As one of the ordinances of the gospel, it is associated with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and the laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Baptism has always been practiced whenever the gospel of Jesus Christ has been on the earth and has been taught by men holding the holy priesthood who could administer the ordinances. Although there is some obscurity in the Bible as to the antiquity of baptism before the time of Jesus, from latter-day revelation it is clear that Adam was baptized (Moses 6: 64-68) and that the patriarchs and prophets since his time have taught the gospel and administered the ordinances that pertain to the gospel. This includes both water baptism and the laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost (Moses 8: 23-24). The Book of Mormon shows also that baptism was taught and practiced long before the coming of Jesus Christ (2 Ne. 31; Mosiah 18: 8-17). In the N.T. Paul speaks of the children of Israel being baptized by Moses "in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Cor. 10: 1-4). Noah and Abraham are spoken of as "preachers of righteousness," which means they taught the gospel and administered its ordinances (Gal. 3: 8; Heb. 4: 1-2; 2 Pet. 2: 5; cf. Moses 8: 23-24). Baptism symbolizes death, burial, and resurrection, and can only be done by immersion. It is clear that John the Baptist and Philip baptized in that manner (Matt. 3: 16; Acts 8: 37-39; Rom. 6: 1-6; Col. 2: 12; D&C 20: 72-74; D&C 128: 12-13). Any other method is not baptism.
We learn from latter-day revelation, which confirms the teaching in the Bible, that the Aaronic Priesthood has authority to baptize with water, whereas the Melchizedek Priesthood has power to baptize not only with water but also to confer the Holy Ghost (D&C 13; JS-H 1: 68-72). We note also that John the Baptist, who had the Aaronic Priesthood, recognized this distinction and used it to illustrate one of the differences between his mission and the mission of Jesus, who had the priesthood of Melchizedek (Matt. 3: 11; Mark 1: 8; Luke 3: 15-16; John 1: 25-33; cf. Acts 8: 5-25).
Baptism is not optional if one wishes the fullness of salvation. Jesus said a person must be born of water and of the Spirit (John 3: 3-5). When he sent the twelve apostles forth to teach the gospel he told them that whosoever believed and was baptized would be saved; and whosoever did not believe would be damned (Mark 16: 16). Jesus himself was baptized "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3: 15; 2 Ne. 31: 4-11). But the Pharisees, being unwilling to accept the gospel "rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized" (Luke 7: 30).
Baptism in water has several purposes. It is for the remission of sins, for membership in the Church, and for entrance into the celestial kingdom; it is also the doorway to personal sanctification when followed by the reception of the Holy Ghost.
The age at which baptism should be administered is not specified in the Bible, although it is evident that candidates were to be old enough to be capable of belief and have some understanding. In latter-day revelation we learn that the Lord has set the age at eight years as the time when a person begins to become accountable and can be baptized (D&C 20: 71; D&C 68: 25-28). This was also the age given in O.T. times (JST Gen. 17: 11).
Baptism is a most sacred ordinance, which a person, having received it, can remember throughout life as a reminder of the personal commitment to Jesus Christ. Its symbolism is beautiful, and its consequences ever so desirable. John the Baptist had the signal honor among all men to take the Son of God into the water and baptize him, after which he saw the Holy Ghost descend upon Jesus. By being baptized Jesus obeyed the law himself, and set the example for all mankind. |
| BIBLE | LDS - The Bible is correct only as far as it is correctly translated. It is basically trustworthy. It is the only one of the four standard works (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price) that is not considered infallible. The KJV is the official Bible of the LDS church. | By the Bible we mean the collection of writings that contain the records of divine revelation. The word itself is of Greek origin, being derived from ta biblia, "the books." In course of time "biblia," a neuter plural, was regarded as a feminine singular, and in that way "the books" came to be spoken of as "the book." By the word Bible therefore we must understand not a single book, but a divine library. The Bible is the work of many prophets and inspired writers acting under the influence of the same Holy Spirit; but at the same time it came into being "in many parts and in many modes," by a gradual growth extending over many centuries, and we can see in the books themselves evidence of the varied conditions of time and place and thought under which they were composed.
In the New Testament we find the Jewish sacred books described as "the scriptures" e.g., Matt. 22: 29; John 5: 39; "the holy scriptures" Rom. 1: 2; 2 Tim. 3: 15; cf. Rom. 15: 4.
Structure of the Bible. The Christian Bible has two great divisions, familiarly known as the Old and New Testaments. The O.T. consists of the canon of scriptures current among the Jews of Palestine in our Lord’s time, and received on that account in its entirety by the Christian Church. The N.T. contains writings belonging to the Apostolic age, selected by the Church and regarded as having the same sanctity and authority as the Jewish scriptures. (For an account of the way in which these two collections of sacred writings were gradually made, see Canon.) The books of the O.T. are drawn from a national literature extending over many centuries and were written almost entirely in Hebrew, while the books of the N.T. are the work of a single generation and were written in Greek (with the possible exception of the Gospels of Matthew and John, which were probably written originally in Aramaic).
With regard to the word testament, the Greek word diatheke, of which testament is a translation, meant in classical Greek an arrangement, and therefore sometimes a will or testament, as in an arrangement for disposal of a person’s property after his death. In the O.T. the word testament represents a Hebrew word meaning covenant. The Old Covenant is the law that was given to Moses. The New Covenant is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The title Old Testament is a misnomer since all the prophets, beginning with Adam, had the fullness of the gospel of Christ, with its ordinances and blessings. However, a lesser law was given to Moses for the children of Israel (see Law of Moses). When the Savior came in the meridian of time, he restored the gospel to the Jews in Palestine. Since they had strayed, even from the law of Moses, it was a new covenant to them. Thus we have the record called the Old and the New Testaments.
In the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) the books were divided into three groups: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings (or Hagiographa). See Luke 24: 44. This arrangement was according to the Jews’ evaluation of the importance of the books based on the identity of the author. The Bible used by the Christian world is based on a different arrangement of the Old Testament books and was set up by a Greek translation called Septuagint. In this case the books are classified according to subject matter, such as historical, poetical, and prophetical.
The books of the New Testament have varied in sequence somewhat through the centuries but are generally in this order: the four Gospels and Acts, being primarily historical; the epistles of Paul (arranged according to length, except Hebrews); the general epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude; and the Apocalypse or Revelation of John.
The Bible used by most non-Catholic churches today has 66 books - 39 in the O.T. and 27 in the N.T. The books called Apocrypha have generally not been printed in the non-Catholic Bibles in the past century, although in recent years these books have been gaining in popularity. (See Apocrypha.)
Preservation of the Text of the O.T. The original language of most of the O.T. is Hebrew, but a few portions (Dan. 2: 4 - 7: 28; Ezra 4: 8 - 6: 18; Ezra 7: 12-26; Jer. 10: 11) were written in what is popularly called Chaldee, but more correctly Aramaic. The direct evidence for the text of the O.T. is of three kinds: Hebrew mss., ancient versions, and quotations in the Talmud and other ancient Jewish writings. The mss. are of two kinds
synagogue rolls, about which the Talmud gives elaborate rules as to the nature of the skins and fastenings, the number of columns in each, the size of each column and title; these were written without vowel points or accents;
mss. for private use, in book form of various sizes, the vowel points being inserted, and a commentary generally provided in the margin.
If we had only Hebrew mss. we might conclude that the text of the O.T. has been the same always and everywhere. But the existence of the Greek Version called the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch (see Samaritans) proves that this is by no means the case. They differ materially from the Masoretic text, and in some cases have no doubt preserved older and truer readings; but it is most difficult in many cases to decide to which reading the preference should be given. The close agreement among the different Hebrew mss. (other than the Samaritan Pentateuch) is accounted for by the fact that soon after the destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) much labor was bestowed upon the Hebrew text by the scholars who formed the Jewish School at Tiberias. One form of text was agreed upon, afterwards called the Masoretic text. Mss. that differed materially from this were destroyed, and the utmost care was taken to prevent any other readings from obtaining currency. The English KJV follows the Masoretic text except in a very few passages.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, some of which are believed to be as early as the 2nd century B.C., give evidence that the O.T. text was corrupted at least by that time.
Preservation of the Text of the N.T. In trying to decide what were the actual words written by the apostles and other writers we have the evidence of1 Greek mss.,2 translations made from Greek into other languages;3 quotations by early Church writers.
A Greek ms. is called an Uncial if it is written entirely in capital letters, and a Cursive if written in smaller letters and a running hand. Uncials are denoted for purposes of reference by capital letters and are relatively few in number, there being less than 70 known Uncial mss., only 21 of which are at all complete. Cursive mss. are very numerous, being in the thousands, and are denoted by numbers. These are of later date than the Uncials and are of less importance as evidence of the original text.
The most important of the early versions of the N.T. are (a) the Latin, including the Old Latin which belongs to the 2nd century, and the Vulgate, which was a Revised Latin text made by Jerome in the 4th century; (b) the Syriac, of which there are three important forms: the Old Syriac, the Peshitto, and the Philoxenian; (c) the Egyptian or Coptic, including the Memphitic or Boheiric, the Sahidic or Thebaic, and the Bashmuric or Fayumic, these three versions being made in Lower, Upper, and Middle Egypt respectively.
Quotations by early Christian writers are sometimes of much value as indicating the text of the N.T., which they were accustomed to use; but this evidence requires using carefully, for authors do not always take pains to quote correctly.
Such are the biblical materials at one’s disposal for the purpose of deciding what was the original sense of the text of the Old and New Testaments. However, latter-day revelation, in the form of the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and also the teachings of Joseph Smith (through his translation of the Bible and otherwise), offer much evidence and many helpful suggestions about biblical interpretation and original content. These latter-day sources are indispensable to the student who wishes to obtain the clearest and most complete understanding of what the ancient prophets and apostles have written.
With the discovery of more ancient mss. not available to the King James translators, many translations of the Bible have been produced since 1900 by Bible scholars. However, based on the doctrinal clarity of latter-day revelation given to Joseph Smith, the Church has held to the King James Version as being doctrinally more accurate than these recent versions. The newer versions are in many instances easier to read, but are in some passages doctrinally weaker in their presentation of the gospel. Therefore, the King James Version remains the principal Bible of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The position of the Church regarding the Bible is that it contains the word of God as far as it is translated correctly (A of F 8). Joseph Smith taught that "many important points touching the salvation of men, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled." He also said that the Bible was correct as "it came from the pen of the original writers," but that "ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors." (HC 1: 245; 6: 57.) The Church reveres and respects the Bible, but recognizes that it is not a complete nor entirely accurate record, and affirms also that the Lord has given additional revelation through his prophets in the last days that sustains, supports, and verifies the biblical account of God’s dealings with mankind. |
| BISHOP | LDS - an office in the Melchizedek Priesthood of the LDS church. D&C 20:67), | Greek episkopos, meaning "overseer," an office or position of responsibility. Hence, Jesus is called the "Bishop of your souls" (1 Pet. 2: 21-25). Judas is also spoken of as having a "bishoprick," reflecting the fact that the Twelve are overseers (Acts 1: 20; D&C 114: 1-2). Bishop is also an ordained office in the Aaronic Priesthood (D&C 20: 67), and a bishop is a common judge in Israel (D&C 107: 74). The desirable qualifications of a bishop are listed in 1 Tim. 3: 1-7; Titus 1: 7-9. |
| CELESTIAL HEAVEN |
LDS - The highest of the three levels of heaven where faithful Mormons are exalted to Godhood. | (See Heaven) |
| CHURCH | LDS - The LDS church with its organizational structure, laws, and proper name. | From the Greek, Ecclesia, meaning "an assembly called together." The church is the organized body of believers who have taken upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ by baptism and confirmation. To be the true church it must be the Lord’s church, and must have his laws, his name, and be governed by him through representatives whom he has appointed (3 Ne. 27: 1-12; D&C 115: 4). In this sense, the church began with the days of Adam, and has been on the earth among mankind whenever there were a group of believers who had the priesthood and revelations of heaven. The word church is used only twice in the four Gospels (Matt. 16: 18; Matt. 18: 17) but is frequently mentioned in Acts, the epistles, and Revelation. The O.T. uses the term congregation for church. The word kingdom is often used in the scriptures to mean the church, since the church is literally the kingdom of God on the earth. The Book of Mormon, as it speaks of O.T. events, uses the word church (1 Ne. 4: 26), and the Doctrine and Covenants speaks of the church in O.T. times (D&C 107: 4). Principal offices in the church are spoken of by Paul in Eph. 4: 11-16, in which it is pointed out that the church is a means by which the saints (or members) become edified and progress toward the full measure of the stature of Christ. That belonging to the Lord’s church is important is emphasized in Acts 2: 47, where we find that "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." In the church there should be unity and oneness, and Paul was greatly concerned that there were divisions in the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 1: 10-13). He repeatedly explained that all the offices and functions of the church are necessary (Rom. 12: 4-5; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4: 1-16), the whole body being fitly joined together. The scriptures contain the prophecies that the church which Jesus established would fall into apostasy. This occurred soon after the death of the Twelve. Consequently, the church, with the same organization, doctrines, and authority, has in the last days been restored to the earth, preparatory to the second coming of Jesus Christ (2 Thes. 2: 1-9; D&C 20: 1-4; cf. Acts 3: 19-21; A of F 6). |
| DAMNATION | LDS - Basically, anything lesser than exaltation: becoming a God. | As used in the KJV this word has a wider meaning than is at once apparent from modern usage. Damnation is the opposite of salvation, and exists in varying degrees. All who do not obtain the fulness of celestial exaltation will to some degree be limited in their progress and privileges, and hence be damned to that extent. See Matt. 23: 14, 33; Mark 3: 29; Mark 16: 16; John 5: 29; Rom. 13: 2; 1 Cor. 11: 29; 2 Ne. 9: 24; 3 Ne. 18: 28-29; D&C 58: 26-29; D&C 84: 74; D&C 112: 29; D&C 132: 4, 6, 27. |
| DEVIL | LDS - See Satan. | See SATAN |
| ELOHIM | LDS - The name of God the Father. |
See GOD
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| ETERNAL LIFE |
LDS - Exaltation (exaltation to a Mormon means obtaining Godhood) in the Celestial Kingdom. | Eternal life - not found |
| EXALTATION | LDS - The state of becoming a god in the celestial heaven. | Exaltation - not found |
| FALL OF MANKIND |
LDS - A blessing (Mosiah 3: 11-16). A necessary step in the progression of humanity to the level of Godhood. | The process by which mankind became mortal on this earth. The event is recorded in Gen. 2, 3, 4; and Moses 3, 4. The fall of Adam is one of the most important occurrences in the history of man. Before the fall, Adam and Eve had physical bodies but no blood. There was no sin, no death, and no children among any of the earthly creations. With the eating of the "forbidden fruit," Adam and Eve became mortal, sin entered, blood formed in their bodies, and death became a part of life. Adam became the "first flesh" upon the earth (Moses 3: 7), meaning that he and Eve were the first to become mortal. After Adam fell, the whole creation fell and became mortal. Adam’s fall brought both physical and spiritual death into the world upon all mankind (Hel. 14: 16-17).
The fall was no surprise to the Lord. It was a necessary step in the progress of man, and provisions for a Savior had been made even before the fall had occurred. Jesus Christ came to atone for the fall of Adam and also for man’s individual sins.
Latter-day revelation supports the biblical account of the fall, showing that it was a historical event that literally occurred in the history of man. Many points in latter-day revelation are also clarified that are not discernible from the Bible. Among other things it makes clear that the fall is a blessing, and that Adam and Eve should be honored in their station as the first parents of the earth. Significant references are 2 Ne. 2: 15-16; 2 Ne. 9: 6-21; Mosiah 3: 11-16; Alma 22: 12-14; Alma 42: 2-15; D&C 29: 34-44; Moses 5: 9-13. |
| GOD | LDS - One of countless gods in existence. An exalted man from another world who created the earth who's name is "Elohim." He became a god by following the laws and ordinances of his god on the other world. He has a body of flesh and bones. D&C 130: 22-23. | The supreme Governor of the universe and the Father of mankind. We learn from the revelations that have been given that there are three separate persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. From latter-day revelation we learn that the Father and the Son have tangible bodies of flesh and bone, and that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit without flesh and bone (D&C 130: 22-23). When one speaks of God, it is generally the Father who is referred to; that is, Elohim. All mankind are his children. The personage known as Jehovah in Old Testament times, and who is usually identified in the Old Testament as LORD (in capital letters), is the Son, known as Jesus Christ, and who is also a God. Jesus works under the direction of the Father and is in complete harmony with him. All mankind are his brethren and sisters, he being the eldest of the spirit children of Elohim. Many of the things that the scripture says were done were actually done by the LORD (Jesus). Thus the scripture says that "God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1: 1), but we know that it was actually the LORD (Jesus) who was the creator (John 1: 3, 10), or as Paul said, God created all things by Christ Jesus (Eph. 3: 9). The Holy Ghost is also a God and is variously called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit of God, etc.
Although God created all things and is the ruler of the universe, being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent (through his Spirit), mankind has a special relationship to him that differentiates man from all other created things: man is literally God’s offspring, made in his image, whereas all other things are but the work of his hands (cf. Acts 17: 28-29).
The God of the scriptures is a holy being. Man is commanded to be holy because God is holy (Lev. 11: 44-45; Lev. 19: 2). God can be known only by revelation. He must be revealed, or remain forever unknown (cf. Mosiah 4: 9). God first revealed himself to Adam (Moses 5; 6) and has repeatedly made himself known by revelation to chosen patriarchs and prophets since that time. The present translation of John 1: 18 and 1 Jn. 4: 12 is misleading, for these say that no man has ever seen God. However, the scriptures state that there have been many who have seen him. The JST corrects these items to show that no sinful man has ever seen God, and also that Jesus Christ is the only Way to God. God the Father and his Son have been manifested by voice, sight, or otherwise at various times, as at the baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3: 16-17); the Transfiguration (Matt. 17: 1-8); to Stephen (Acts 7: 55-56); and to the Nephites (3 Ne. 11: 7). The Father and the Son personally visited Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove, in the spring of 1820, near Manchester, New York, in the opening of the dispensation of the fulness of times (JS-H 1: 11-20).
Latter-day revelation confirms the biblical account of God as the literal father of the human family; as a being who is concerned for the welfare of mankind, and a Personage who hears and answers prayers.
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| GODHEAD | LDS - An office held by three separate Gods: the Father who is a god; Jesus who is a god; and the Holy Ghost who is a god. | Godhead - not found |
| GOSPEL | LDS - The laws and ordinances of the Mormon church. | The word gospel means good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave and reward each individual according to his/her works. This atonement was begun by his appointment in the premortal world but was worked out by Jesus during his mortal sojourn. Therefore, the records of his mortal life and the events pertaining to his ministry are called the Gospels; the four that are contained in our Bible are presented under the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The four Gospels are not so much biographies as they are testimonies. They do not reveal a day-by-day story of the life of Jesus; rather, they tell who Jesus was, what he said, what he did, and why it was important. The records of Matthew, Mark, and Luke present a somewhat similar collection of materials and have considerable phraseology in common, as well as similar main points, and thus are sometimes labeled as the "Synoptic Gospels" (Meaning "see-alike"). Even so, each is unique and has much detail that is not shared by the others. John’s record is quite different from the other three in vocabulary, phraseology, and presentation of events.
It appears from the internal evidence of each record that Matthew was written to persuade the Jews that Jesus is the promised Messiah. To do so he cites several O.T. prophecies and speaks repeatedly of Jesus as the Son of David, thus emphasizing his royal lineage. Mark appeals to a gentile audience and is fast moving, emphasizing the doings more than the sayings of the Lord. He occasionally gives geographical and cultural explanations - necessary procedure for non-Jewish readers (see Mark 2: 26; Mark 5: 41; Mark 7: 2-13, 34). Luke offers his readers a polished literary account of the ministry of Jesus, presenting Jesus as the universal Savior of both Jews and gentiles. He dwells extensively on Jesus’ teachings and his doings. Luke is favorable toward the gentiles and also gives more stories involving women than do the other records. John’s account does not contain much of the fundamental information that the other records contain, and it is evident that he was writing to members of the Church who already had basic information about the Lord. His primary purpose was to emphasize the divine nature of Jesus as the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. |
| HEAVEN | LDS - Divided into three Kingdoms: Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial. The Celestial is for perfect Mormons, the Terrestrial is for moral people and lukewarm LDS, and the Telestial Kingdom is for everyone else. | This term has several meanings in the scriptures. It is first of all the place where God lives and the future home of the saints (Gen. 28: 12; Ps. 11: 4; Matt. 6: 9). It also means the expanse around the earth, as the heavens (Gen. 1: 1, 17; Ex. 24: 10). It is usually thought of as being "up," or above the earth (cf. Alma 18: 30-32). In the sense of being God’s home and the ultimate place for the faithful, it is clearly distinguished from paradise, which is the temporary abode of the faithful spirits of persons who have lived and died on this earth. Jesus visited paradise after his death on the cross, but on the third day thereafter, he informed Mary that he had not yet been to the Father (see Luke 23: 39-44; John 20: 17). |
| HELL | LDS - The temporary abode in the spirit world between death and resurrection for those awaiting telestial glory, (D&C 76: 84-85, 106). Hell will come to an end. | An English translation of the Hebrew word Shoel, hell signifies an abode of departed spirits and corresponds to the Greek Hades. In common speech it generally denotes the place of torment for the wicked, although it has been often held, both in the Jewish and the Christian churches, that Hades (meaning broadly the place of all departed spirits) consists of two parts, paradise and Gehenna, one the abode of the righteous and the other of the disobedient. "Gehenna," or "Gehenna of fire," is the Greek equivalent of the "valley of Hinnom," a deep glen of Jerusalem where the idolatrous Jews offered their children to Moloch (2 Chr. 28: 3; 2 Chr. 33: 6; Jer. 7: 31; Jer. 19: 2-6). It was afterwards used as a place for burning the refuse of the city (2 Kgs. 23: 10), and in that way became symbolical of the place of torment (Matt. 5: 22, 29-30; Matt. 10: 28; Matt. 18: 9; Matt. 23: 15, 33; Mark 9: 43, 45, 47; Luke 12: 5; James 3: 6). Expressions about "hell-fire" are probably due to the impression produced on men’s minds by the sight of this ceaseless burning, and are figurative of the torment of those who willfully disobey God. In latter-day revelation hell is spoken of in at least two senses. One is the temporary abode in the spirit world of those who were disobedient in this mortal life. It is between death and the resurrection, and persons who receive the telestial glory will abide there until the last resurrection (D&C 76: 84-85, 106), at which time they will go to the telestial glory. In this sense the Book of Mormon speaks of spiritual death as hell (2 Ne. 9: 10-12). Hell, as thus defined, will have an end, when all the captive spirits have paid the price of their sins and enter into a degree of glory after their resurrection. Statements about an everlasting hell (Hel. 6: 28; Moro. 8: 13) must be interpreted in their proper context in the light of D&C 19: 4-12, which defines eternal and endless punishment.
On the other hand, the devil and his angels, including the sons of perdition, are assigned to a place spoken of as a lake of fire - a figure of eternal anguish. This condition is sometimes called hell in the scriptures (2 Pet. 2: 4; D&C 29: 38; D&C 88: 113). This kind of hell, which is after the resurrection and judgment, is exclusively for the devil and his angels, and is not the same as that consisting only of the period between death and resurrection. The one group are redeemed from hell and inherit some degree of glory. The other receive no glory. They continue in spiritual darkness. For them the conditions of hell remain. |
| HOLY GHOST |
LDS - "A spirit man. He can only be at one place at one time... " (Mormon Doctrine by Bruce McConkie, p. 359.) The Holy Ghost is contrasted with the Spirit of God which is the influence of the Godhead that fills the immensity of space which enables God to know what is going on. It is likened to electricity." D&C 130: 22-23. | The third member of the Godhead and, as the name implies, a personage of Spirit, not possessing a body of flesh and bones (D&C 130: 21-22). The Holy Ghost is manifested in every dispensation of the gospel since the beginning, being first made known to Adam (1 Ne. 10: 17-22; Moses 6: 51-68). The Holy Ghost is manifested to men on the earth both as the power of the Holy Ghost and as the gift of the Holy Ghost. The power can come upon one before baptism, and is the convincing witness that the gospel is true. It gives one a testimony of Jesus Christ and of his work and the work of his servants upon the earth. The gift can come only after proper and authorized baptism, and is conferred by the laying on of hands, as in Acts 8: 12-25 and Moroni 2: 1-3. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the right to have, whenever one is worthy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost. More powerful than that which is available before baptism, it acts as a cleansing agent to purify a person and sanctify him from all sin. Thus it is often spoken of as "fire" (Matt. 3: 11; 2 Ne. 31: 17; D&C 19: 31). The manifestation on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) was the gift of the Holy Ghost that came upon the Twelve, without which they were not ready for their ministries to the world.
For some reason not fully explained in the scriptures, the Holy Ghost did not operate in the fulness among the Jews during the years of Jesus’ mortal sojourn (John 7: 39; John 16: 7). Statements to the effect that the Holy Ghost did not come until after Jesus was resurrected must of necessity refer to that particular dispensation only, for it is abundantly clear that the Holy Ghost was operative in earlier dispensations. Furthermore, it has reference only to the gift of the Holy Ghost not being present, since the power of the Holy Ghost was operative during the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus; otherwise no one would have received a testimony of the truths that these men taught (cf. Matt. 16: 16-17; 1 Cor. 12: 3). When a person speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost that same power carries a conviction of the truth into the heart of the hearer (2 Ne. 33: 1). The Holy Ghost knows all things (D&C 35: 19) and can lead one to know of future events (2 Pet. 1: 21).
Other names that sometimes refer to the Holy Ghost are Holy Spirit, Spirit of god, Spirit of the Lord, Comforter, and Spirit. |
| HOLY SPIRIT |
LDS - The presence of God as distinguished from the Holy Ghost who is a god in the mormon trinity. | See Holy Ghost |
| JEHOVAH | LDS - The name of Jesus in the Old Testament. | The covenant or proper name of the God of Israel. It denotes the "Unchangeable One," "the eternal I AM" (Ex. 6: 3; Ps. 83: 18; Isa. 12: 2; Isa. 26: 4). The original pronunciation of this name has possibly been lost, as the Jews, in reading, never mentioned it, but substituted one of the other names of God, usually Adonai. Probably it was pronounced Jahveh, or Yahveh. In the KJV, the Jewish custom has been followed, and the name is generally denoted by LORD or GOD, printed in small capitals.
Jehovah is the premortal Jesus Christ and came to earth being born of Mary (see Mosiah 13: 28; Mosiah 15: 1; 3 Ne. 15: 1-5; D&C 110: 1-10). Although Ex. 6: 3 states that the God of Israel was not known by the name Jehovah before Moses’ time, latter-day revelation tells us otherwise (Abr. 1: 16; Abr. 2: 8; cf. JST Ex. 6: 3); see also Gen. 22: 14). |
| JESUS | LDS - Literal offspring of God the father. Spirit brother of Satan. A god in the Godhead. He is Jehovah of the O.T. compared to Elohim being the Father. He was the first spirit child to be born to the Father and Mother gods. Ordained as the Christ in the pre-existent Grand Council before coming to earth. | Jesus1 The Greek form of the name Joshua or Jeshua, God is help or Savior. Joshua son of Nun is so spoken of in Acts 7: 45 and Heb. 4: 8. It is also the name of a Roman Christian mentioned by Paul (Col. 4: 11).
Jesus2
The name given by Joseph to the Savior of the world at his circumcision (Matt. 1: 25; Luke 2: 21), in accordance with the direction of the angel Gabriel (Luke 1: 31; cf. Matt. 1: 21). The name was not an uncommon one among the Jews; see above. An outline of the chief events of his earthly life will be found in the Harmony printed under Gospels. A list of references bearing on the doctrine of his person is given under the heading Christ.
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| KINGDOM OF GOD |
LDS - Celestial heaven. The kingdom of God on earth is the LDS church. | These terms are used in various combinations and with varying meanings. Generally speaking, the kingdom of God on the earth is the Church. It is a preparation for the greater kingdom - the celestial or kingdom of heaven. This is the manner in which these terms are used in D&C 65. However, kingdom of heaven is sometimes used in scripture to mean the Church (as in Matt. 3: 2; Matt. 4: 17; Matt. 13; and Matt. 25: 1-13), meaning that the true church on the earth is the path of heaven, and is the kingdom of heaven on earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on the earth, but is at the present limited to an ecclesiastical kingdom. During the millennial era, the kingdom of God will be both political and ecclesiastical (see Dan. 7: 18, 22, 27; Rev. 11: 15; JST Rev. 12: 1-3, 7; D&C 65), and will have worldwide jurisdiction in political realms when the Lord has made "a full end of all nations" (D&C 87: 6). |
| MARRIAGE | LDS - An eternal bonding of husband and wife that continues into the afterlife. These couples will continue to have children. (D&C 132:15-20). | Among the Israelites, marriage was usually preceded by a formal act of betrothal, such a contract, when once entered on, being regarded as absolutely binding. On the marriage day, the bride was escorted to her husband’s home by a procession consisting of her own companions and the "friends of the bridegroom," or "children of the bride-chamber," some carrying torches, and others myrtle branches and chaplets of flowers. When she reached the house, words such as "Take her according to the law of Moses and of Israel" were spoken, the pair were crowned with garlands, and a marriage deed was signed. After the prescribed washing of hands and benediction, the marriage supper was held. For a year after marriage a man was released from all military service. The gospel law of marriage is partially given in Matt. 19: 4-9; Mark 10: 2-12; Rom. 7: 2; 1 Cor. 7. Its meaning, as symbolizing the union between Christ and the Church, is explained in Eph. 5: 22-32. Latter-day revelation tells us that marriage under the law of the gospel and the holy priesthood is for eternity, and that men and women thus sealed in marriage continue to have children throughout eternity. Although this concept of marriage is not fully presented in our present Bible, traces of it are found in Matt. 16: 16-19; Matt. 19: 3-8; Matt. 22: 23-30; and Moses 4: 18. However, the fullest explanation is found in D&C 132. |
| MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD |
LDS - A greater priesthood in the LDS church held by elders, (D&C 107), | The higher or greater priesthood, as compared with the lesser or Aaronic priesthood. The reason for the name is given in D&C 107: 1-3. The Melchizedek Priesthood is mentioned in Ps. 110: 4; Heb. 2: 17-18; Heb. 3: 1; Heb. 5: 6, 10; Heb. 6: 20; Heb. 7: 11, 15, 17, 21; but the Bible does not give many particulars concerning the functions of that priesthood, except that Christ was a high priest after that order. From latter-day revelation we learn that within the Melchizedek Priesthood are the offices of elder, seventy, high priest, patriarch, apostle, and president (D&C 107), and that this priesthood must be present and functional whenever the kingdom of God is upon the earth in its fulness. The Melchizedek Priesthood was first made known to Adam, and the patriarchs and prophets in every dispensation had this authority (D&C 84: 6-17; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 180-81.) When the children of Israel failed to live up to the privileges and covenants of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord took away the higher law and gave them a lesser priesthood and a lesser law. These were called the Aaronic Priesthood and the law of Moses. The Aaronic Priesthood is not a different priesthood; rather, it is the lesser portion of the priesthood, dealing with the introductory ordinances and the preparatory commandments (D&C 84: 18-28). When Jesus came, he restored the Melchizedek Priesthood to the Jews and began to build up the Church among them. However, it was lost again by apostasy, and was taken from the earth.
The Melchizedek Priesthood was restored to the earth in these last days by the ministry of Peter, James, and John, who literally came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the spring of 1829 and conferred this power and authority upon them (D&C 27: 12-13). Later, Moses, Elias, and Elijah gave them further keys by which these brethren could use the Melchizedek Priesthood in additional ways (D&C 110). The president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the president of the high or Melchizedek priesthood, and by virtue of this position, he holds all the keys that pertain to the kingdom of God on the earth. This office or calling is held by only one man at a time, and he is the only person on the earth at that time in whom all the powers and keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood are functional. |
| PRE-EXISTENCE | LDS - We existed in heaven with God our (literal) Father and mother before we became human. | Pre-existance - not found |
| SALVATION | LDS - Two fold meaning: Simple bodily resurrection of all people. Also, forgiveness of sins. | Salvation - not found |
| SATAN | LDS - The opposer of God, literal son of God, brother of Jesus and all people begotten in the pre-existent spirit world. | The English word devil in the KJV is used to represent several different words in Greek, i.e., slanderer, demon, and adversary, and Hebrew, i.e., spoiler. The devil is the enemy of righteousness and of those who seek to do the will of God. Literally a spirit son of God, he was at one time "an angel" in authority in the presence of God; however, he rebelled in the premortal life, at which time he persuaded a third of the spirit children of the Father to rebel with him, in opposition to the plan of salvation championed by Jehovah (Jesus Christ). "Thus came the devil and his angels" (D&C 29: 37). They were cast out of heaven, and were denied the experience of mortal bodies and earth life (Isa. 14: 12-15; Rev. 14: 4-9; 2 Ne. 2: 17; 2 Ne. 9: 8; D&C 29: 36-38; D&C 76: 25-26; D&C 93: 25; Moses 4: 1-4; Abr. 3: 27-28). Latter-day revelation confirms the biblical teaching that the devil is a reality and that he does strive to lead men and women from the work of God. One of the major techniques of the devil is to cause human beings to think they are following God’s ways, when in reality they are deceived by the devil to follow other paths.
Since the devil and his premortal angels have no physical body of flesh and bones, they often seek to possess the bodies of mortal beings. There are many such instances recorded in scripture (Matt. 9: 32; Matt. 12: 22; Mark 1: 24; Mark 5: 7; Luke 8: 30; Acts 19: 15; cf. Mosiah 3: 6). Such can be evicted by the power of faith in Jesus Christ and the exercise of the holy priesthood. Jesus gave this power to his disciples (Matt. 10: 1; Mark 16: 17; Luke 10: 17; Acts 5: 16; D&C 84: 67).
The devil is called the prince of this world (John 12: 31; John 14: 30; John 16: 11); the adversary (1 Pet. 5: 8); Beelzebub, meaning the prince of the devils (Mark 3: 22); the wicked one (Matt. 13: 38); the enemy (Matt. 13: 39); Lucifer (Isa. 14: 12; D&C 76: 26); Satan (Rev. 12: 9); prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2: 2-3); Perdition (D&C 76: 26); son of the morning (D&C 76: 26-27); that old serpent (Rev. 12: 9; D&C 76: 28); the great dragon (Rev. 12: 7-9); a murderer from the beginning (John 8: 44); a liar from the beginning (D&C 93: 25); and the accuser (Rev. 12: 10).
He is miserable in his situation, and "stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness" (2 Ne. 9: 9). He tries to imitate the work of God by transforming himself nigh unto an angel of light (2 Cor. 11: 12-15; 2 Ne. 9: 9; D&C 128: 20). He is also a worker of miracles, by which he deceives many upon the earth (Rev. 13: 1-15). In fact, the scripture says he deceives the whole world (Rev. 12: 9). He can cite scripture to make his point seem plausible (Matt. 4: 1-11). All of this is his scheme to make man miserable like himself. Protection against the influence of the devil is found by obedience to the commandments and laws of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The message of all the prophets and apostles is that truth, righteousness, and peace shall in the end prevail over error, sin, and war; the faithful shall triumph over all their afflictions and enemies, and shall triumph over the devil. There shall be a complete and lasting victory of righteousness over wickedness on this earth, which will be done by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| SCRIPTURE | LDS - Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price. | The word scripture means a writing, and is used to denote a writing recognized by the Church as sacred and inspired. It is so applied to the books of the O.T. by the writers of the N.T. (Matt. 22: 29; John 5: 39; 2 Tim. 3: 15). For an account of the process by which the books of the O.T. and N.T. came to be recognized as scripture, see Canon. Latter-day revelation identifies scripture as that which is spoken under the influence of the Holy Ghost (D&C 68: 1-4).
Although the decisions were made in the past as to which writings are authoritative, that does not mean that the canon of scripture is complete and that no more can be added. True prophets and apostles will continue to receive new revelation, and from time to time the legal authorities of the Church will see fit to formally add to the collection of scripture. |
| TEMPLE | LDS - A present day temple used to practice the ordinances and ceremonies of the gospel of the LDS church on behalf of the living as well as the dead. | A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness. Whenever the Lord has had a people on the earth who will obey his word, they have been commanded to build temples in which the ordinances of the gospel and other spiritual manifestations that pertain to exaltation and eternal life may be administered. In cases of extreme poverty or emergency, these ordinances may sometimes be done on a mountaintop (see D&C 124: 37-55). This may be the case with Mount Sinai and the Mount of Transfiguration. The tabernacle erected by Moses was a type of portable temple, since the Israelites were traveling in the wilderness.
From Adam to the time of Jesus, ordinances were performed in temples for the living only. After Jesus opened the way for the gospel to be preached in the world of spirits, ceremonial work for the dead, as well as for the living, has been done in temples on the earth by faithful members of the Church. Building and properly using a temple is one of the marks of the true Church in any dispensation, and is especially so in the present day.
The best known temple mentioned in the Bible is that which was built in Jerusalem in the days of Solomon. This was later partially destroyed in 600 B.C., and restored by Zerubbabel almost a hundred years later. This structure was partially burned in 37 B.C., and was subsequently partially rebuilt by Herod the Great, although the rebuilding continued until A.D. 64. It was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.
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| TRINITY |
LDS- Three gods: a god called the Father; a god called the son; a god called the Holy Ghost.
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See GOD |
18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
I only read a couple, but the first one really struck me. I’m pretty sure Adam is dead.
Me too!
When we'll we begin to see some intellectually honest Mormons who concede up front they have a three-god system?
LOL!!
It only annoys the Protestants and Catholics (Eastern, Coptic, and Roman alike) because they understand the events of the first Council of Nicaea well enough to know that Bishop Arius and his followers were pronounced heretics for true, correct and valid reasons, and therefore, the alleged “Great Apostasy” never in fact occurred.
At least not on the all-encompassing and worldwide scale they ignorantly and blithely allege...
There is no ‘approach’ for them that will NOT annoy Protestants and Catholics, except:
“We’re sorry - we were wrong all the time. Joey Smith WAS a false prophet, a womanizer, and a charlatan; Brigham Young was a scoundrel andworse, and the whole BOM is a crock of spit. We’re coming over to real Christianity, and uhhh - by the way did we mention we’re REALLY sorry?!”
AAC
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