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...they are following a false jesus and a false gospel, who is not the same as the Jesus of the Bible and historic Christian faith....

To answer your earlier question, Ephesians210: No, I am not LDS. (If I have to "label " myself, consider me RC.)

You seem to suggest that, by God's saying "by their fruits shall ye know them," by these words alone, God instantly endues human beings with powers of infallible discernment. Fat chance, kiddo.

I am not a student of LDS scripture and can't say I'm intimately familiar with its theology. But if we want to use that "by their fruits" criterion, WRT to LDS, here is what I personally observe: Strong, loving families and communities; law abiding citizens who love their country; and -- the piece de resistance -- strong, loving, beautiful children, who are raised to the standards of such virtues as personal responsibility, self-restraint, hard work, respect for parents and elders, prudence, temperance, generosity towards others.

On that basis, the tree looks to be pretty sound to me.

In fact, the fruits do tell you the soundness of the tree. Perhaps we can apply this maxim to non-LDS families as well, just judging by the children they produce.

Please forgive me, but I must decline further doctrinal dispute. I just don't see what purpose it serves at all.

God bless you and yours in all things!

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts.

As we know, salvation as treated in the Word is about a relationship with God in Christ (i.e., whether that relationship exists or not on His terms, in His view, a thoroughly authoritative and sufficent yet general and limited depiction of His view for each of us being conveyed to us in His Scriptures, no part of which contradicts His actual, consistent view for each of us).

Here's what I'm thinking.

I believe we'll find many in Heaven who have grasped what is necessary of the saving doctrine of Christ, despite what they were taught in "church," in order to let the True Seed of Jesus the Word grow their utterly critical relationship with God. I suspect these will include people presently resting their feet in churches low and high, and in all valences between utter congruence and utter apostacy.

We judge all things yet we are judged by no one but Christ. That being the case, we judge no one, though we may need to determine how we must treat and even regard them by the fruit of their words and deeds.

Personally, I've felt compelled at one time, to step into a matter of testimony of a "prophet" behaving very falsely. (Frankly, this leader and group began to act much like 19th Century Mormons, in my view.) People involved had to make judgments about this. But even if there were a means to cast this person out of church fellowship, this would be as Paul said in 1 Cor. 5, in order to apply our hope for his salvation.

In fear and trembling,
Arlen

Betty , I do not mean to be rude, but there are alot of very nice atheists , and followers of witchcraft or Buddhists and so on .

There are many folks that will be thrown into the fire that neighbors thought were so wonderful.

That is because the fruit is only as good as the vine it is attached to.

The bible tells us what is not of faith is sin. That means that the "good" things men do is sin to God, unless it flows out of our salvation .So even a man running into a burning building to save a child is considered a sin if it does not come from our faith

Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.

Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The work of the saved has been designed and ordered by God. We are to be faithful to be diligent in whatever it is He has planned for us

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are not saved by good works we are saved by Grace .

Any fruit that comes from a tree that has shallow roots is of no value except the applause or recognition of men

God condemned those that believed in a plurality of Gods. I do not think He has changed His mind..but that is a part of the doctrine you are discussing. The roots of my tree is one God and Father ,three beings in one God..A God that is the God of all creation , The one and only God..that is a life giving vine

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Hello betty & AG,

A quick comment regarding fruit if it's not to forward of me.

We are yoked to the Creator of the universe, only so that we can be close enough to watch him do His beautiful work.

1. Cain - Crop by his labor (not fruit)
2. Abel - Lamb (fruit)
3. Ishmael - Abraham's and Sarah's solution(not fruit)
4. Isaac - God's solution(fruit)
5. Rightous Lot - drunk and seduced by his daughters - Ruth the Moabite (Line of Jesus)(fruit)
6. Jacob - prosperity of his goats over Laban's. (fruit)
7. Joseph - sold by brothers into slavery. (fruit)
8. Judah - "knows" widowed daughter-in-law Tamar. (Line of Jesus)(fruit)
9. Moses - neglects circumcising his son. Causes Moses' wife to honor God and circumcise her son. (fruit)
10. Esther - engages in pagan beauty pageant. Becomes queen that saves Jews. (fruit)
11. Rahab - Harlot (Line of Jesus) (fruit)
12. Gideon - Barney Fife of Bible characters (fruit)
13. Jonah - Reluctant, disgruntled prophet. Nineveh repents. (fruit)

It is all about God and nothing about us. One thing is consistent regarding fruit, the less we have to do with it the better, for then God rightly gets the glory. God provides the motivation and strength, we provide a willingness to respond.

It's not what we do, it's who we know. What Jesus has done and is doing through us. The "despite us" fruit is the real deal. The peace that surpasses understanding comes when we realize the pressure is off us. Study the Word of God so we will know who we are loving, and what He would have us do with that security.

Matt 5:3
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Re:I am not a student of LDS scripture and can't say I'm intimately familiar with its theology.

Then how can you make a judgment that Joseph Smith and Mormons are children of God when that right is reserved for the true believers in Christ Jesus, and them only?

I would suggest that you first study the LDS religion before making that judgment.

Re:On that basis, the tree looks to be pretty sound to me.

You have judged by mere appearances, which Jesus prohibits. "Fruits" are not just the things you mentioned, which when you look deeper, past the appearance, what you find is lots of problems in Mormonism, terrible sexism and racism, terrible treatment of widows and orphans, pedophilia, just to name a few, but "fruit", also is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not a jesus of human invention, who had a prior existence on a planet, having been the product of the Mormon god and one of his celestial wives having celestial sex, creating jesus as a spirit being, along with his brother Lucifer.

By judging according to appearance, you do the Mormons a disservice, by not witnessing the truth of the Gospel.