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To: MadRepublican; Osage Orange; ejonesie22
As a Mormon, I can affirm that I am on the right road—and that road leads to Christ.

Christ doesn't only wait for us as a Destination. He is the Way (John 14:6). He is the Door (John 10). And He came to us.

In sharp contrast, Marion G. Romney, Mitt's father's cousin. Marion Romney...
...one of the top three hierarchical leaders in the Mormon church in the 60s (member of the First Presidency
...counselor to a few Mormon "prophets"),
...likewise usurped Jesus' own words in John 14:6 when he said:

"This Church is the ensign on the mountain spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. It is the way, the truth, and the life" (Conference Report, April, 1961, p. 119)]

Utter idolatry! Jesus Christ alone qualifies as "I am the Way, the truth, and the life. NO man comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

The Lds church, thru its teachings by the likes of...
Marion Romney,
Brigham Young (blood atonement)
and statements made by people like current Lds "apostle" Elder Holland,
has and is engaging in open idolatry in erecting substitutes in favor of the blood of Christ as the Living Way.

MadRepublican, we're not called to be your judge as to your relationship with Jesus Christ. But we can be called before the bar as witnesses as to answer how all "people of faith" in our generation presented Jesus Christ to the nations. I think the quotes will clearly show that the "jesus christ" Mormon leaders have presented through the generations is not the Christ of the Bible.

Mormons on the spiritual origins of Christ:
Q.. In what ways was Jesus distinctive from other pre-mortal spirits?
A. The Mormon "Christ" is a pre-existent spirit, they say, like you or me...whose difference is...
(a) mere spiritual birth order--having been first;
(b) was twice made a son of God via Mary;
and (c) died for Adam's sin so folks could be resurrected (his role as Savior).
Other than that, the lds jesus is not the Son of God from eternity past. He worked his way up to godhood status. He's not an exalted God-become-man, but an exalted man-become-God. He was an elder spirit bro of Lucipher. Had you or your brother been "first" in that pre-existent spirit world birth order, he could have been Christ!!!

Mormons on the divinity of Christ from eternity past:
Q. Has the Mormon jesus always been divine?
A. No: "Christ ATTAINED Godhood while yet in pre-existence" (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p. 323)
Q. Does this match up with the Jesus of the Bible?
A. This "jesus" is foreign to the Bible. The Messiah of the Bible shared the glory with the Father in the beginning (John 17:5). This Jesus is THE Son of God, not just a son of God. And THE Son of God did not consider equality with His Father something he couldn't let go of while becoming a man (see Philippians 2). Phil. 2 makes it clear He was already divine, not just a "wannabe" God like Dear Ole Dad.

Mormons on the physical origins of Christ:
Q. Where did Jesus then originate physically, per Mormonism?
A. "Christ not begotten of Holy Ghost...Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was God." (Lds "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith, 10th President, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 18)

Effect upon the Son of God of taking a physical body:
Q. How did Jesus taking on a body effect Him?
A. "...we have a correct idea of the character of the Son from the writings of the apostles, so far as they learned it. But while he was tabernacling in the flesh, he was more or less contaminated with fallen nature." (Lds "prophet" Brigham Young, JoD vol. 6, pp. 95)

Q. What was a key purpose Mormon leaders have assigned to Jesus to come to earth?
A. The Mormon christ is but a "saved being"--a mere creature like dear ole Dad: "Christ is a saved being” (lds apostle McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, p 257) “Modern revelation speaks of our Lord as he that ‘ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth‘ (D&C 88:6). Christ's rise to the throne of exaltation was preceded by his descent below all things. Only by submitting to the powers of demons and death and hell could he, in the resurrection, serve as our exemplar of a saved being... (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 234) (Please also see McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 238 where he said the Mormon "jesus" "Needs salvation...Came to earth to work out His own salvation”)

Q. What do Mormons mean by Jesus being a "saved being" who "Need[ed] salvation...Came to earth to work out His own salvation"?
A. The 6th Lds president, Joseph F. Smith, said: "Even Christ himself was not perfect at first; he received not a fulness at first, but he received grace for grace, and he continued to receive more and more until he received a fulness" (Joseph F. Smith, 6th Lds president, Gospel Doctrine, 1986, p. 68)

Mormons on the divine hierarchy of Christ among the gods:
Q. Can you tell us about how Mormons see the divine uniqueness of Jesus?
A. Well, that's one of the problems. The Mormon "jesus" upon spirit birth was not unique other than his spirit birth order. He's just one god among perhaps millions of Mormon "gods." (Lds "prophet" Spencer W. Kimball not all that long ago told 225,000 gathered that perhaps "225,000 gods" were among them then!!!)

The true Messiah was born in Bethlehem as the Bible foretold and affirmed post-birth--not like the Mormon jesus of Mormon "scriptures" supposedly born in Jerusalem.

Other than that, the lds jesus is not the Son of God from eternity past. He worked his way up to godhood status. He's not an exalted God-become-man, but an exalted man-become-God. He was an elder spirit bro of Lucipher. Had you or your brother been "first" in that pre-existent spirit world birth order, he could have been Christ!!!

This "jesus" is foreign to the Bible. The Messiah of the Bible shared the glory with the Father in the beginning (John 17:5). This Jesus is THE Son of God, not just a son of God. And THE Son of God did not consider equality with His Father something he couldn't let go of while becoming a man (see Philippians 2). Phil. 2 makes it clear He was already divine, not just a "wannabe" God like Dear Ole Dad.

Conclusion:

The True Jesus Christ: Savior, not a Saved Being

I'm sorry, MadRepublican. The real Christ did not need to "work out His own salvation" as Lds apostles teach; in fact, He is THE Savior of the world: And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be THE Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14; cf. John 4:42).

The Mormon "jesus" really didn't die for our personal sins or our rebellious nature...cause if we get to Mormon heaven we discover the Mormon doctrine of men are subject to punishment for their own sins--not Jesus as our Substitute [LDS second article of faith: "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression."

Jesus of Nazareth is our only Savior...

In contrast, the Mormon christ is one savior among many:

"...we are the only people that know how to save our progenitors, how to save ourselves, and how to save our posterity in the celestial kingdom of God;...we in fact are the saviours of the world..." (lds "prophet" John Taylor; Journal of Discourses, vol.6, p.163).

No, "saviors of the world" are NOT plentiful (1 John 4:14; John 4:42).

I worship this Messiah, just like God told the angels to do in Hebrews 1:6. And I challenge grassroots Mormons to defy their leaders when they tell them NOT to directly worship Jesus (see Mormon 7:7; 2 Nephi 25:29; 4 Nephi 4:37; 3 Nephi 11:17; 3 Nephi 17:10).

I directly pray to this Jesus as Stephen did in Acts (7:59) -- and even as the supposed Book of Mormon disciple characters DIRECTLY and repeatedly did to Jesus in 3 Nephi 19: 6-26...again -- a Mormon "scripture" de-emphasized & ignored by Mormon leaders).

Thomas calls Jesus his God in John 20:28; even the Nephite disciples likewise called Jesus “their Lord and God” (3 Nephi 19:18). D&C says Jesus is God (19:4; 62:1; etc.) Since there’s only one true God in the bible and in the LDS scriptures (for example, Pearl of Great Price says "no God besides me" (1:6), either Jesus is a false god or the one true God. As Jesus Christ is a God to Thomas (John 20:28) -- so Thomas has two gods?

Jesus Christ is my Lord, my Savior, my God! He is the Only Lord, the Only Savior, the Only True God!

Book of Mormon verses calling upon Mormons to worship Jesus:

4 Nephi 4:37: 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: 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: 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: And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him;

Mormon 7:7: And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it 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.

146 posted on 10/16/2010 5:30:04 AM PDT by Colofornian
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To: Colofornian

Hi Colofornian,

When I pray, I pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, but I don’t see any problem with anyone saying they worship Jesus Christ. He is the Saviour of all mankind, so he is absolutely worthy of worship.

Regards,

Normandy


251 posted on 10/16/2010 12:55:53 PM PDT by Normandy
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