Posted on 09/15/2009 8:21:31 AM PDT by Colofornian
“HI, we’d like to talk to you about Jesus Christ!”
Standing tall, two young and well-dressed American boys at my door broke the ice instantaneously. Happy to see them, I said that we were Christians too. What happened next, however, took me by surprise and left me scrambling for words. Stating that they were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they said they wanted to talk about a prophet and a book given to the prophet by God. Though a little shaken, I refused to hear their ideologies — they left only to return another day in a bid to coax me.
In today’s world, cults are very much a reality. Cults are widely prevalent in our country, in our city too. An unexpected encounter with cult members can leave us disturbed. As Jesus warned, during the last days, there will be many people proclaiming different ideologies in His name. It is our duty to be vigilant and strong in faith.
God’s Word says that many deceptive spirits will be on the loose, waiting to swallow the unaware. So do we know how to discern deceptions? We may know that their claims do not align with God’s Word, we may even understand that their belief is not the Truth – but how do we handle encounters with cult members? How do we prepare ourselves to face the challenges of the last days? One way is to be aware of the different cults and to understand their approach.
Take the case of Mormons. Mormonism and polygamy go hand in hand - an attractive proposition for today’s world. ‘Mormonism’ has a good number of followers in the US and several other parts of the world. But the Mormons have been in Chennai as well for nearly a decade now and have slowly yet steadily increased in numerical strength.
A conversation based on such beliefs can perturb anybody, especially if we are not prepared. THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER spoke to a cross-section of senior church leaders, who threw light on how we could tackle such encounters. Each of them shared valuable insights on how to be prepared always, how to answer cult members, and how to watch and pray.
Pastor P Vijayaraghavan of the Apostolic Church said, “I know that the Mormons have been around in Chennai for about 10 years. They’ve grown a lot and that wouldn’t be possible but for their polygamous behavior.” He agreed that as believers, we should know Christian truth well enough to be able to decipher cults.
“Cult groups have something novel to offer to people and especially exploit their gullible nature,” said he said.
Pastor Arthur Devadoss of Hosanna Ministries had an interesting anecdote to share.
“The Mormons gave me their book sometime ago and I didn’t even bother to read it. They came back for the book and fought with me,” he said.
However, Pastor Devadoss is worried about another new church group.
“There is a new group called the Indian Church of Christ that approaches people with visiting cards; they worry me the most. They speak the local language and lure youngsters to join them. They, too, propagate polygamy and immoral relationships,” he said.
He has briefed his congregation well about such cults and has asked them to stand up for their beliefs. In case they are unable to do so, he asks them to just invite the cult followers to their church or refer them to the pastor. “They’ll never trouble you again,” Devadoss affirmed.
Pastor Jayakaran Emmanuel of Power House Church echoes this view.
“It’s better for you not to entertain them. Since we know their beliefs are misleading and untrue, don’t encourage them and they won’t approach you further,” he said. Is there anything else that a believer needs to be aware of to tackle these cultists?
Rev. D.C. Premraj, Presbyter of St. George’s Cathedral, said: “There are just a few things that we should watch out for. First, we should be strong in our beliefs. We must make an effort to understand what we believe in. Second, as our faith and belief grow, we must be grounded Biblically. Our foundation must be clear and strong in God’s Word. Third, during any such encounters, check for Biblical context. Anyone can quote from the Bible, but we must know how relevant and contextual it is.”
Confirmation classes and Bible studies conducted by churches are aimed at making the believers’ steadfast in their faith, Rev. Premraj added.
Pastor Jagadeesan Kalyanakumar of Harvest Christian Assembly quoted Ephesians 4:16: “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” He added: “The rule of thumb is that if you know the original, you can identify the counterfeit. And the more familiar you are with God’s Word, the better you can discern and safeguard yourself from deceptive doctrines.”
In all this, the Bible is the final authority to check any doctrine. Sola Scriptura, meaning the Bible alone, is the key theme in the church’s reformation of the 16th century.
The Jehovah Witnesses, for instance, proclaim Jesus to be an angel with extraordinary powers. But the Bible very clearly says that He is the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God who revealed God and his love to humanity (John: 3:16). Another example, the Mormons’ scripture includes the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
As Christians, Pastor Joshua Jeyaseelan, Tamil Baptist Church, said: “We have one revealed Word of God which is the Holy Scripture (II Timothy 3:16). So any new doctrine or cult has to be analyzed and understood in the light of the Scripture.”
Pastor Vijayaraghavan said, “We must know how to identify a cult and that’s by knowing what they are. Cults are major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the Bible’s cardinal doctrines such as the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the second coming, millennial reign, and salvation by the grace of Jesus Christ.”
It is our responsibility to understand our beliefs, our stand. Just like the wise man that built his house on the Rock, if our foundation is strong and built on Jesus, it will not be shaken.
Today, it was I who met with the Mormons, tomorrow it could be you. Let us watch and pray for the salvation of cult members and for God to grant us the wisdom to stand strong in His Word.
I still didn't see the reference where it says no more than one. As a matter of fact if you take your deceased brother's wife in accordance with the Scripture and are already married, you have been directed to have more than one wife.
A Mitt Supporter. Facts are a waste.
Figures. A little envy at the numbers goin’ on there? Myth supporters on FR are fewer and fewer.
The ones that are left are holding their own though. Amazing.
The twooo believers. Are they still blasting JR?
It really is funny, they will call all those opposing Mitt idiots for not thinking he is a Conservative stalwart, or haters and bigots because the ONLY reason we can oppose the great Conservative is his faith (forget Romney Care, guns, abortions yada yada yada...) as if they are not saying that about the Boss as well...
I recall an awful lot of people in the Old Testament having multiple wives. I believe that it was encouraged by God - “Be fruitful and multiply”.
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Got scripture for that amazing comment ???
Well, never you mind little Grasshopper...Nana has...
Who was God speaking to ???
Well let’s read the Bible, shall we ???
Yes, we shall...
Gen 1:26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:26-28
OK so God made male and female...and told them to “be fruitful and multiply”..
But how many of each was he talking to ???
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Gen 2:8 ¶ And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Genesis 2:7, 8
OK that was ONE man...
Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This [is] now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Gennesis 2:20-23
And that was ONE woman..
ONE man and ONE woman that God told to be fruitful and multiply...
ONE man and ONE woman... the set number in a marriage...
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his WIFE: and they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:24
And He never told anyone to take more than one wife and then “Be fruitful and multiply”....
However He did say “Thou shalt not commit adaultry” Exodus 20:14
OK that was Bible 101...
Now for Biology 101....
To be fruitful and multiply takes one man and one woman...Every time...
If a man has 2 or more wives he will not multiply any faster than if those women all had their own husbands...
One man, ten “wives” = 10 babies (OK 11, one set of twins)
Ten men ten wives (one each) = ten babies (11, one set of twins..
Only a mormon would attempt to say more children will be produced by one old senile man hogging all the young girls while nine young fertile men go without...
I'm still not convinced.....most farmers I know only have one bull and bunches of cows.
[As an anti-mormon you continue to be obsessed with all things LDS. I am continually surprised that this website which is conservative and freedom loving continues to promote thru loose moderation attacks on any religion.]
Except my opposition is as much political as it is also religious, having come from experience here in Nevada. Besides Harry Reid I also follow corrupt Mormons like Lance Malone and Dario Herrera. That certainly doesn’t mean other religions have no corrupt politicians, only that in this petri dish some of the signs point in well defined directions. Romney and Gibbons and Hatch are similar.
Taking your brother's wife as a wife (caretaking could be another matter) was intended for widowers.
How do we know this? These injunctions from Lev. 18:18 and 20:21:
Do NOT take your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living. (Lev. 18:18)
If a man marries his brother's wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. (Lev. 20:21)
Can that be any clearer for you?
I still didn't see the reference where it says no more than one
OK, let's go back to basic Biblical math. Let's say you lived as a young single man in an African culture without a Bible translation in your language -- a culture that had some polygamy in its heritage. And let's say you had a village mentor -- an almost father-like figure -- who had seen a Bible in another language at one time, and read parts of it.
You approach him and ask him for marital advice. And he says to you: "The sacred book said, 'a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.' And the god-man also said, 'Haven't you read that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one."
And you say, "So I become 'one flesh' with the wife I marry, right?" (And the mentor says "Yes, that is my counsel.")
And you then say, "But the book doesn't say non-leaders can't have two wives, does it?"
And the village counselor says, "I told you the book's math. I never said anything about the 3 becoming 1 flesh. I never said anything about the 3 now to be regarded as 1. And I only talked about husband, singular, wife, singular. So why do you ask about a limited plural that the sacred book never talked about? The sacred book knows of no such thing of one wife becoming one flesh with a sister wife. Elsewise, on what grounds would the Americans ever oppose lesbian 'marriages?'"
Citations above: Gen. 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6
Bottom line: There's a certain "slyness" in your question. And what is that slyness? It implies that we only need to legalistically obey that which God tells us NOT to do -- and since God didn't specifically tell us NOT to take a second simultaneous wife (unless you're a church leader), then it "must be OK."
We need to reverse our obedience mindset. Instead of saying to ourselves, "Well, if there's no specific rule in this Bible rulebook, I guess I can do it" -- we need to see God as a Father to be honored -- and if he told us to take a wife (singular) in Gen. 2:24 -- that's our prescription.
And if Jesus His Son repeated that prescription in Matthew 19 just so that we're clear about it, then that's that.
Elsewise, we get into the mindset that if we were to find something obviously immoral that's NOT specifically mentioned in Scripture, then it's OK to do an "end-run" around God's original intentions.
The Bible was never intended to be a "don't list" of everything we're not to do. But it is a prescription for life and living -- both earthly and eternally.
“Mormonism and polygamy go hand in hand “
Oh, for God’s sake! What nonsense! This is 2009 last time I checked. It has been a hundred years since plural marriage was practiced by Mormons. Not to mention the lie about the LDS Church being a cult.
Stinks to High Heaven.
P.S. Jesus died for me, too. I’m a Mormon.
“The article has an intemperate tone.”
That would be a huge understatement but thanks for noticing.
The missionaries probably stopped going to your house because you don’t make any sense.
I watched Joel Osteen’s program the other night. It was very uplifting and spiritual. I like him a lot!
“Jesus said ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one cometh unto the Father except by Me’ and it is clearly stated in Scripture that the Name of Jesus Christ ‘Is above every other name’ and that He is King of kings, Lord of lords and it is by His precious Blood shed for the redemption of our sins, that we are saved and reconciled to Almighty God.”
Amen! Jesus Christ is my Savior, too. (I’m LDS.)
www.mormon.org
Has D&C Section 132 been repealed yet. . . . didn't think so.
No, both sets of missionaries told me they knew exactly what I was talking about and wanted me to see their Elders. They expected me to contact their Elders and that was the last I heard of them.
” . . .they will sure be amongst the first to help out others, unlike most of the main stream religions.”
Thank you. Mormons make service a habit and it is a documented fact.
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