First of all, Mormon theology recognizes that Elijah never died. They also believe the apostle John also has never died. They also believe a few Nephite disciples never died. Now tell me again with all these supposed enduring disciples around with plenty of authority why God had to rely upon a 14 yr old kid?
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Moses never died and Elijah was taken up into Heaven, as is recorded in the Old Testament. Yet, successors were selected and carried on. With Moses, it was Joshua. It is clear in the New Testament that John was granted his request to remain on earth until the Lord’s second coming. And yes, within LDS theology, there are 3 Nephites who were given the same request as John. Does this mean that the Gospel in its fullness remained on the earth? No, the fullness of the Gospel was taken. And when that happened, they were withdrawn from leading Christ’s church.
The restoration you are asking about was done through God’s messengers. This began with Moroni teaching Joseph Smith about the Gold Plates. There was more than one visit by the way. When it came to be given authority to act in the name of God, which authority is in Christ, first John the Baptist visited Joseph and one of his adherents. John the Baptist restored the priesthood held by Aaron, which allowed baptisms to be performed. Next, Peter, James, and John visited Joseph and the same adherent and restored the priesthood that Christ gave Peter, James and John. Other visitations occurred.
Thus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claims direct authority from Christ to serve Him and organize the Church in His name. It is this reason that it comes down between the Catholics or the Mormons: All Protestant faiths derive from the Catholic Church while the LDS Church asserts it is the restored Church of Christ that existed during the time of the apostles.
The LDS worship God and no other. Thus, your wondering about a god before god, ad infinitum, is irrelevant. I will admit there is speculation, but as far as LDS doctrine, there is but one god, no gods before gods.
“The LDS worship God and no other. Thus, your wondering about a god before god, ad infinitum, is irrelevant...”
So you deny the belief that you will become a god after your earthly death?
[Deuteronomy 34:7] And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
[John 3:13] And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
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HUH???
OK, now you're really confusing me.
You are back to where you started with post 199, when you said: Further, for the record, the LDS doctrine is that one worships God the Father, through his Son, Jesus Christ, and no one else...
Now you're telling me (again) you worship one God.
In post 329, you said: I will only add that in worshiping Christ, it is not in alternative of worshiping His Father. The focus is still on God the Father...
So here you 'fessed up to worshipping two gods.
You reinforced this in post 361: ...yes, in worshiping God and Jesus, who is God’s son, you can say the LDS worship more than one god...
And again in post 628: You asked previously if the LDS worship Jesus Christ and I gave you conflicting answers, but corrected myself as hopefully you previously saw. My confusion is that our emphasis is always on the Father and all our actions are to the Father as He has commanded, through His Son. Still, we worship Christ as our Savior, God’s only Begotten and our Eldest Brother.
And yet again in post 629: We both worship God the Father and His Son, the Christ, but since you morph the two together as the same essence and we claim they are separate beings, you say we are polytheists, which is technically true, but our worship is still the same: We both worship God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
So for four consecutive posts to me, you said you worship two Gods. But the "bread" of this sandwich--the first and the last, you said you worship the Father & no one else and that you worship God and no one else.
You wanna tell me again how it is you worship God and no one else if God and His Son are two separate beings? And why is it you keep providing conflicting responses?
Umm...Have you ever read 1 Corinthians 12:3? "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." [Context was that in a society where you are persecuted for your faith, this won't just be a line fed to you by your church...easy believism]
I guess I didn't know that the Catholic Church was my "Holy Spirit."
Have you ever read John 12:32? "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men to myself."
Hebrews also talks about Jesus who is the "author" of our faith.
So, the Holy Spirit is our confessor of "Jesus as Lord" based upon Jesus who draws us and scripts our very faith life. No churchianity there, right?
If you think that the true source of salvation is in a religious structure or a prophet, then no wonder the LDS church treats crosses like they are vampires. The apostle Paul said: "May I never boast except in the cross of our LORd Jesus Christ..." (Gal. 6:14)
the fullness of the Gospel was taken. And when that happened, they were withdrawn from leading Christ’s church.
Have you ever seen these quotes from LDS "prophets"?
Joseph Fielding Smith said: [There is] "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190).
Brigham Young stated: "no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith...every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.289).
This personality cult devotion to Smith counters Christ's own words: "...I [Jesus Christ, not some "organizer" named Joe Smith] will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt 16:18)
Whatever church Jesus Christ said he was building there, it wasn't going to be a shabby structure, which the LDS directly accuse Jesus of building. It wasn't going to "go to pot" in 300+ or 1800 years, like the LDS commonly accuse Jesus of doing. In fact, the force of the future tense from this passage depicts a mighty, strong church--and one so sustained by an Almighty, strong Christ. In fact, Rev. 20:8-9 says this Church will never be overthrown.
Furthermore, LDS label Paul as a false prophet when Paul told the Ephesians: "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.." (Eph. 3:21)
Any Lds here care to point out exactly how it is that Paul falsely prophesied by mentioning which "age" that the church failed to bring glory to God? How can there "be glory in the church...throughout all ages" if it's a total apostasy? Exactly what glory was brought to God by the church in the years 400 to 1800 if the current writers defaming the entire Christian church are right?
Furthermore, LDS label the Holy Spirit a liar when the Spirit prophesied that the apostasy would be partial: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, thaqt in the latter times some shall depart from the faith..." (1 Tim. 4:1)
Why is that the Holy Spirit speaks so "expressly" about this matter, yet LDS are so hostile to what He has to say?
Do you want to explain why you and all other true believing Mormons continue to publicly demean Jesus to be a false prophet (for not keeping His words of Matt 16:18); demean apostle Paul as a false prophet (claiming that Eph. 3:21 was a lie); and label the Holy Spirit a liar by pointing to a total apostasy when the Holy Spirit said it would be partial?
I warn you in the eyes of God to be careful how you respond here, for our words reverberate throughout eternity. Please, go back even in the JST version and re-read Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 3:21; and 1 Timothy 4:1. And let the authority of the Bible which you and other LDS say so strongly that you believe and adhere to, and then ask yourself, who is more authoritative: The Author of the Bible, or mere men who popped up upon the scene as Johnny-come-latelies 1800 years after the fact.