Posted on 03/25/2009 9:42:38 AM PDT by Colofornian
Today, many people generally view Mormons as a people with strong family values and clean living, according to one pastor at McLean Bible Church. Some also believe they are just one of many Christian denominations.
But that view is the result of a multibillion dollar campaign over the last couple of decades by Mormons who have attempted to present themselves in such a way, according to Todd Phillips, teaching pastor at Frontline, the young adult ministry of McLean in Virginia.
Many Americans, including Christians, see Mormons as "just another branch of Christianity who talk about Jesus all the time and likely do a better job at adhering to family values than most Christian do in churches in America," Phillips told hundreds attending service and watching over the Internet on Sunday.
That perspective, however, is in stark contrast to just 50 years ago, when Mormons were seen as "conservative, countercultural religious zealots who didn't drink alcohol or coffee, or smoked cigarettes and lived in Utah with several wives," Phillips said.
"They were also marked by many as radical communalists and polygamists out to destroy even the concept of the traditional family."
They were perceived as a heretical Christian sect at best and a cult at worst, he noted.
As part of a seven-week sermon series, Phillips was attempting to answer the question of whether Mormonism and biblical Christianity are the same.
Over the last several weeks, Frontline has been tackling some of the most frequently asked religion questions from the pulpit in hopes of helping both Christians and non-Christians move closer to grasping truth.
"Destination Truth" is the current series being preached by Phillips and so far the series has touched on truth, tolerance, fairness (about Jesus being the only way), world religions and New Age spirituality – which is being promoted by such popular figures as Oprah Winfrey. Mormonism was the latest topic addressed.
"We're not here tonight to decide whether Mormons are nice people," Phillips clarified, noting that they are. "What we are trying to figure out here is if they adhere to true historic Christian faith."
After putting Mormonism – one of the fastest growing religions in the United States with nearly 6 million members – in historical context, the Frontline pastor cited Mormon doctrines and the Book of Mormon to illustrate that the religious sect does not align with historic Christianity. In fact, it preaches a false gospel, Phillips indicated.
Among the Mormon beliefs that are contrary to core Christian doctrines is the rejection of the validity and veracity of the Bible.
"Historic Christianity ... we believe that we have only one source for ultimate eternal truth and that is the holy Bible," Phillips stressed.
But Mormons "believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly," according to an article of faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the official name for the Mormon church.
That statement indicates that the Bible is impossible to be correctly translated because it is corrupted by corrupt churches, Phillips noted.
Mormons believe that the proper translation of what God wants believers to know is found in another source – the Book of Mormon.
Mormonism also denies the deity of Christ and "completely negates the biblical view of salvation through Christ alone," Phillips said.
According to Mormon doctrine, Jesus was not created by the virgin birth of Mary but by a sexual union between Mary and God. Moreover, the religion preaches a works-based salvation.
"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel," according to the Mormon Articles of Faith.
Those laws and ordinances include faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for emission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Additionally, the way to salvation includes joining the LDS church, believing in God, Jesus and Joseph Smith (LDS founder) as prophet and Brigham Young as successor.
Explaining what Christians believe, Phillips stated that the true gospel of the Bible proclaims that salvation comes by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone and by the grace of God alone.
"It's not Jesus plus anything," the pastor emphasized.
"Salvation is a free and unmerited gift from God," he added. "The Bible makes it very clear that we can't do enough good to get to heaven, that even one sin ... is enough to separate us from God for all eternity."
"That is why Jesus became sin for us and took it to the cross and killed it."
He concluded, "In a time where there's so much religious plurality, there's so much uncertainty about faith, there's so much biblical illiteracy, and the media does such a great job of giving us misinformation, in our times we must say without question that Mormonism is not Christianity."
"It is in fact actually another gospel that leads away from salvation that the Bible offers in Christ alone."
The Destination Truth series was launched last month and comes as the non-religious population in America is on the rise, according to the American Religious Identification Survey. The percentage of Americans claiming no religion has increased to 15 percent from 8.2 percent in 1990 while the percentage of Christians dropped from 86.2 percent in the 1990s to 76 percent.
Christians attending Frontline services were encouraged to invite their unchurched friends for the current series that addresses age-old questions about exclusivity, truth and other world religions.
"The way the church ...responds to other religions has become today the tolerance litmus test for our generation," Phillips acknowledged at the launch of the series last month. "Many people here tonight have come to hear what we Christians have to say about other religions and we have a responsibility then ... to think carefully and respond properly to this topic so as to remove one of the major barriers to the good news of Jesus Christ."
Phillips is challenging Christians to gain a greater understanding of the Bible and to be able to proclaim the truth in a religiously pluralistic society. He also cautioned believers to be motivated by love and not by religious arrogance.
"God has brought us together for such a time as this – to stand bold in the face of opposition, to stand bold in the face of false gospels ... and to proclaim the one true God who offered Jesus Christ to pay for our sins."
And...
"God has brought us together for such a time as this – to stand bold in the face of opposition, to stand bold in the face of false gospels ... and to proclaim the one true God who offered Jesus Christ to pay for our sins."
God has indeed united us "to stand bold in the face of opposition."
James 2:18 Even so Faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone.
Just leave out what is inconvenient
Do you know anyone who has been able to deny themselves of “all ungodliness”, other than Jesus Christ ? If someone did obtain that level of perfection, and “THEN his grace is sufficient”, was the atonement really necessary ? Who would be able to avail themselves of the Lord’s grace according to your canonized scripture ?
No one.
You can never work hard enough to DESERVE salvation. It is a gift. Good works are OUTWARD PROOF of an INNER CHANGE.
LDS + Mormons = Cult
Or just ignore that which is inconvenient
The appeal of James is clear and logical. We can’t “see” someone’s faith, but we can see their works. You can’t see faith without works, but you can demonstrate the reality of faith by works. Nor is James talking the works of the ritualistic law (or mormon ordinances), but are spontaneous acts of love that spring from the fruits of the Spirit.
Mormons
Christians (James and Paul)
I agree with that completely.
Good works are OUTWARD PROOF of an INNER CHANGE.
You cannot have one without the other.
You absolutely CAN have good works without an inner change. You can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and give comfort to the mourning for your own benefit. We see people doing this all the time.
God says these types of works are filty rags.
I think doing works like ordinances and taking oaths aren’t even “good” works - they are entirely self-serving, benefitting no one except the person who thinks he is earning some kind of future reward.
Faith in Christ has to come first, and THEN works. There’s no way to have eternal life with Him unless you have first trusted Him as your Saviour. THEN He has works that He ordained for you before the world was made. It doesn’t work if it’s only works.
ty for posting this. God bless.
I agree with that completely.
It is his contention that "faith alone" is all that is necessary, that is in error.
I guess those people that give their lives to Jesus and then die soon after...are doomed, eh?
Yes let's leave out what is inconvenient for YOU:
James 2:18 (your verse should have been 2:17) - Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
What does that mean? It means a true saving faith will always be accompanied by works. It does not mean that works by themselves apart from faith will ever save anyone. By all means let's leave out many verses which are inconvenient for YOU:
Romans 4:2 & 3 - For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith (not works), we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Galatians 2:16 - Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and
Galatians 2:21 - I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain
Ephesians 2:8-10 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
You most certainly can. Lots of people tithe, give to charities, etc. etc. thinking it earns them points with God. Totally self-serving self-centered people who give themselves pats on the back and keep my good deed for the day books. This is precisely why Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:9 - "Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Were man to earn salvation by his own deed apart from any sort of faith based upon God's mercy, eternity would be filled with arrogant self-serving pricks going around proclaiming, "LOOK WHAT I DID!"
I did not say faith was not necessary.
His Grace is necessary and essential. I only said that faith alone was not sufficient.
It is not my judgment that is important. It is His judgment that will determine for each of us.
Mormon Bashing is not "Good Works".
Works are for man to see. Faith is for God to see. Faith first.
The Bible warns of false teachers who promote "another Jesus whom we have not preached" (2 Corinthians 11:4)...
"There are those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints do not believe in the traditional Christ. No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak.” – LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley (LDS Church News, June 20, 1998)
Neither is the "Apostate" bashing engaged in by the LDS for 150 years. But I digress. Since Mormonism is a false doctrine and heresy it most definitely pleases God to refute it:
Galatians 1:9 - As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
2 John 9-11 - Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
I Timothy 5:20 - Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
II Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
Jude 1:3 - Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Revelation 2:2,6 - I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
If rebuking and correcting Mormon ERROR is bashing - so let it be written and so let it be done. I stand with the real Christ, not the Mormon counterfeit.
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