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“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” — Exodus 20:2 If little green men suddenly appeared on this planet and it was your job to teach them about the Lord, what might you tell them? My guess is that nine out of ten people would include “creator of the world” in their first sentence. That is, after all, arguably God’s most famous act. However the first time that God introduces Himself to the world at large, by revealing himself at Sinai and handing down the Ten Commandments, this is...

Elohim the Sinner It was fifth LDS President Lorenzo Snow who coined the expression, "As man is God once was, as God is, man may be" (Articles of Faith, pg. 430). If there was ever an area of proof to show that Mormonism and biblical Christianity is incompatible, this phrase would seem to erase all doubt. Mormon leaders have stated that Elohim (God the Father), as a mortal on some distant planet similar to Earth, went through the same struggles as present-day humans in order to obtain his Godhood. In the words of LDS Apostle Orson Hyde, "God our...

How to Teach Open Theism at Vacation Bible School: Three Ways the Evangelical Church Could Lose the Doctrine of God by Russell D. Moore Will the next generation of evangelicals believe in God? This seems like a ridiculous question. After all, our evangelistic tracts begin by announcing that God loves the sinner, and has a wonderful plan for his life. Our evangelistic programs train us to ask others what they would say to God should He ask them why He should allow them into His heaven. Our discipleship materials offer to help us in the task of "Experiencing God." Our...

Joseph Smith's King Follet Sermon(as printed in History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 302-317)  Chapter XIVCONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH, APRIL, 1844 (CONTINUED)—THE KING FOLLETT SERMON—THE CHARACTER OF GOD—RELIGIOUS FREEDOM—GOD AN EXALTED MAN—ETERNAL LIFE TO KNOW GOD AND JESUS CHRIST—EVERLASTING BURNINGS—MEANING OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES—A COUNCIL OF THE GODS—MEANING OF THE WORD CREATE—THE IMMORTAL INTELLIGENCE—THE RELATION OF MAN TO GOD—OUR GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY—THE UNPARDONABLE SIN—THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN—THE SECOND DEATH.Sunday, April 7, 1844.—[Conference Report Continued.]    At quarter past three, p.m., the President having arrived, the choir sang a hymn, Elder Amasa Lyman offered prayer.    President Joseph Smith delivered the following discourse before about...