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LUKE 20:4-7 was it from heaven, or of men? “The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.” The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints A Brief Look at the Origin: –The extremely aggressive evangelistic efforts of Mormonism have not been without success and will likely lead to encounters with them and those they are trying to proselytize. Consider the following statistics (according to LDS published information): –Currently over 12 Million members. –Growth of between 800 and 1,000 thousand worldwide per day. –Current published growth rate would lead to around 250 million adherents within 80 years. –Over $30 billion in assets. –Mormon Church annual income of more than $6 billion would put it in the well up in the Fortune500

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints A Brief Look at the Origin: – Joseph Smith Jr. born in 1805 in Sharon, Vermont – At age 14 he claims that while praying in the woods near his home, he saw a vision – thick darkness enclosed him and two personages appeared. Jesus and God the Father. He learned from that vision that all of the churches are in error. – The angel Moroni allegedly appeared to Joseph Smith and told him of a book written on plates of gold – the Book of Mormon. The angel then revealed to him the location of the plates – Palmyra, New York. –1827- After waiting 4 years he was allowed to have the plates. Along with them were the Urim and Thummim, which he used to translate the “reformed Egyptian” writing on the plates.

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints

A Brief Look at the Origin: –1829 – Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery purportedly received the Aaronic priesthood from John the Baptist and then baptized one another in the Susquehanna River near Harmony, Pennsylvania. About one month later, they are said to have received the “Melchizedek” priesthood from Peter, James and John. – Five-thousand copies of the Book of Mormon were printed. On April 6th of that year, Joseph and five other men organized the Church of Jesus Christ. Joseph declared himself a “seer, prophet and apostle.” – Smith moved to Kirkland, Ohio and had around two-thousand converts within a few months. Building of the first Mormon temple was started at Kirtland. Joseph claimed a revelation that Independence, Missouri was the New Jerusalem. A temple site was dedicated.

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints

The church of the Latter Day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints Original 1830 Book of Mormon Page Numbers With Corresponding 1981 (current) Book of Mormon Verses –First Page = Entire Page Deleted –Preface Deleted The Book of Mormon claims to be the record of three groups of people who emigrated from the Old World to the New World long before Columbus. One group of Hebrews supposedly arrived about 600 BC. The scribe for this group wrote: "I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians" (Book of Mormon, Nephi 1:2). These records were supposedly maintained on gold plates, later buried in the Hill Cumorah (in upstate New York). An angel directed Joseph Smith to their location where he was permitted to unearth them. After Smith finished his translation the plates were returned to the angel. –How could these pages be deleted if it was part of the first Book Originally printed?

The church of the Latter Day Saints A Brief History of The LDS. –1833 – The Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of the Bible was completed. –1835 – Book of Commandments was revised and published as the Doctrine and Covenants. Twelve apostles and First Quorum of Seventy chosen. Smith purchased four Egyptian mummies and several scrolls of papyrus which he claimed to translate into the Book of Abraham (part of the Pearl of Great Price). The papyri were latter lost. Kirtland temple completed. –1837 – Martin Harris (one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon) was excommunicated. One thousand conversions reported in England After a scouting trip to Missouri resulted in Smith and company being driven out at gunpoint, they settled back in Illinois and founded a city named Nauvoo. Joseph was elected mayor and the city of Mormons quickly grew to thirty-thousand. At the time it was the one of the largest cities in Illinois. Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer (two of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon) were excommunicated.

The Church of the Latter Day Saints

The church of the Latter Day Saints A Brief History of The LDS. –1840 – Mormon converts from England began arriving in Illinois. –1841 – Doctrine of baptism for the dead is introduced. –1843 – Smith allegedly receives the revelation instructing plural marriage. – Joseph nominated for president of the United States. He and his Brother Hyrum were jailed in Carthage, Illinois for allegedly destroying an anti-Mormon press called the Nauvoo Expositor. The jail was stormed by a mob and Joseph and Hyrum were killed. It is generally accepted that Joseph was able to shoot and kill two of the attackers with a smuggled pistol. Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon struggled for the leadership. Young was eventually selected in a vote by the membership. –1847 – The majority of Mormons left Nauvoo with Brigham Young as their leader en route to Salt Lake City.

The church of the Latter Day Saints Presidents

The church of the Latter Day Saints A Brief History of The LDS. –1851 – The Pearl of Great Price was published. Brigham Young appointed as governor of the Utah Territory by President Fillmore. –1860 – The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints set up in Amboy, Illinois with Joseph Smith III as the President and Prophet. LDS Church cited membership of 80,000. –1876 – Brigham Young University founded. –1890 – LDS President published a manifesto instructing Mormons to follow anti-polygamy laws. –1947 – LDS reported membership reached 1 million. –1967 – The Egyptian papyri that were the basis for the Book of Abraham found in the New York Metropolitan Museum. Egyptologists translated these papyri and determine that they bear no resemblance to the information in the Book of Abraham. –1978 – Revelation received allowing black men to serve in the priesthood –1982 – LDS reported membership reached 5 million –1997 – LDS reported membership reached 10 million

What Is Mormonism? What it says concerning itself: –Mormons claim that the North American Indians are the Lamanites of the book of Mormon...and that they sprang up from the people who migrated in the year 600 BC. –Further they claim that the book of Mormon is from these descendants of the Jews who settled here in America. –They further claim that the book of Mormon is the "stick of Ephraim" of Ezekiel's prophecy..chp. 37. and that it should be brought forth and combined with the Bible, thus making it one Book...I Nephi 13 ; II Nephi 29.

Answering these claims: These claims are based entirely upon assumption: –Assumption that "sticks" are books. For this there is no evidence. –Assumption that the "stick of Judah" is the Bible. –Assumption that the "stick of Ephraim" is the Book of Mormon.

Answering these claims: The teaching of the Bible refutes this: –Manasseh and Ephraim were two sons of Joseph. Manasseh was born first and therefore entitled to the blessings; but it was bestowed upon Ephraim ‑ he was to become the greater of the two ‑‑‑ Gen. 48:8 ‑ 22. –The capital of the Northern Tribes was within the territory of Ephraim. –Ephraim retained the supremacy from the division of the kingdom to the final captivity of the Northern tribes by Assyria. –The terms "Ephraim" and "Israel" became synonymous terms in the O.T. cf....Isa. 7:8 ‑ 9 ; 9:8 ‑ 9 ; Hos. 4:16 ‑ 17 ; 5:3 ; 9:3.

Answering These Claims Those who continued to rebel against God and His way and followed after the religion of Jereboam were called "Israel or Ephraim" Those who remained faithful to God and to Reheboam were called after "Judah". Regardless of the greatness of either Manassah or Ephraim, it remains a fact that out of Judah should come the blessings to ALL MEN......cf. Psa. 78:67 ‑ 68 Moreover the context of Ezekiel 37 is concerning the captivity of Judah. Ezekiel gives the two as being "nations" not "books" cf. vrs 17, 22 Note the Hebrew word "stick" is never translated "book" ---- `ets {ates}; from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks): -+ carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood."

The church of the Latter Day Saints Doctrines: Does Mormonism teach that God was once a man on another world and progressed to become God of this world? –Yes, Joseph Smith declared: "God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp ). Another one of their leaders coined the phrase: "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become" (The Gospel Through the Ages, Hunter, p ). Brigham Young preached: "It appears ridiculous to the world, under their darkened and erroneous traditions, that God has once been a finite being" (Deseret News, Nov. 16, 1859, p. 290). Does Mormonism teach that good Mormons can become Gods of their own worlds? –Yes, one of their leaders wrote: "…since mortal beings are the spirit children of Heavenly Parents, as pointed out in the last chapter, the ultimate possibility is for some of them to become exalted to Godhood." (The Gospel Through the Ages, Hunter, p.104) Brigham Young declared: "Intelligent beings are organized to become Gods, even the Sons of God, to dwell in the presence of the Gods" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p.245).

The church of the Latter Day Saints Most Mormons hold the following basic belief's regarding God: –He is not the only God –God has a physical body –He was once a man, but has progressed to Godhood –He did not create the universe from nothing, but rather from eternally existent matter Position documented “If we should take a million worlds like this and number their particles, we should find that there are more gods than particles of matter in those worlds.” -- Orson Pratt (Apostle), Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, p.345 Proof texts Pslams 82 – The use of elohim, translated gods in this passage is taken to be proof that there are in fact other gods. Jesus' application of this passage to those whom He is addressing then means that men can become gods as well. Whatever conclusions may be drawn from this passage, they will have to be reconciled with the clear teaching of Isa. 44:6-8. From the context and Jesus' application (John 10:34) it should be clear that elohim here is referring to Israel's judges. Notice that they are being exhorted to judge righteously among the people. Note also that these judges (gods) will die just like other men. The expression 'god' here seems to be used accommodatively as in Exodus 4:16 “...you shall be to him as God.”

The Scriptures Teaching Genesis 11:7 – Use of the plural 'us' is understood by Mormons to be proof of multiple Gods. Even though we may explain that just as at the creation, Jehovah, the Word and the Spirit of God are acting together here, Mormons still see this as proof of their doctrine, since they believe that these Three are separate Gods. But Deuteronomy 6:4 and other passages exclude this as a possibility. Jehovah, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one in purpose, righteousness and in deity. Matthew 3:16-17 – Since all three of members of the Godhead are present in different capacities, Mormons use this passage to show that there are actually three distinct Gods. Again, the scripture could not be more clear, although it may be hard for man to grasp, and though each person of the Godhead is distinct, there is only one God. Acts 7:55-56 – Essentially the same arguments are used here as in the above two passages.

The Scriptures Teaching I Corinthians 8:5 – This passage states, “...there are many gods...” Surely this proves their doctrine to be true? But notice verse 4 - “...there is no other God but one.” Mormons like to counter by using the expression in verse 6, “...for us there is one God...” to show that although there are many gods, we only have one god with whom we have to do. Again the context shows that the 'many gods' of verse 5 are the idols (see verse 7) worshiped by those who are spiritually ignorant. So then, this passage also teaches that there is only one God who can in any true sense of the word, can claim to be such. Isaiah 43:10 – States that there have been and will be no other Gods brought into existence. This passages is not implying that there could be the potential of such, but rather that this is simply beyond possibility. Of course this deals a serious blow to the Mormon idea that man may become a God. We will deal with this subject a bit more later.

The church of the Latter Day Saints Doctrines: –God Was Once A Man Position documented “It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another and that He was once a man like us; yea that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did...” Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345 Doctrine Refuted –Hosea 11:9 Is not a man –Malachi 3:6 Does not change –Psalms 90:2 He has always been God

The church of the Latter Day Saints The Apostasy’s Effect on the Bible –In the LDS Articles of Faith we find that Mormons believe “the Bible in so far as it is correctly translated.” While on the surface this seems reasonable, this is not actually what most Mormons believe regarding the veracity of the Bible. The Book of Mormon states their stand more correctly, “Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book...” I Nephi 13:28 “Satan guided his servant in taking many plain and precious things, and many covenants of the Lord from the Bible, so that men would stumble and fall and lose their souls.” Bruce McConkie (Apostle), The Millennial Messiah, p “Add all this imperfection to the uncertainty of translation, and who, in his right mind, could for one moment suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide. Who knows that even one verse of the whole Bible has escaped pollution, so as to convey the same sense now that it did in the original. Orson Pratt (Apostle), The Bible and Insufficient Guide, p.47

The church of the Latter Day Saints Apostasy Required “The Restoration” by Joseph Smith –Position documented “Nothing less than the complete apostasy from the Christian religion would warrant the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.” B.H. Roberts (Seventy), History of the Church, volume 1, p.40 “Therefore, in order that there might be a “restitution of all things, which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (see Acts 3:21), it was necessary that these two priesthoods be restored again to men upon this earth.” LeGrand Richards (Apostle), A Marvelous Work And A Wonder, p. 82

The church of the Latter Day Saints Inconsistencies in the Mormon Version of the Apostasy –John and the Three Nephites –“I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desire of me. Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; III Nephi 28:6-7 –Per the verses above and the Doctrine and Covenants section 7, Mormons maintain that John and three Nephite men never died and remain on the earth until this day. What have they been doing? –“And these men that have never tasted death – the three Nephites and the Apostle John -are busy working to bring to pass righteousness and carry out the purposes of God.” Franklin Dewey Richard (Apostle), Collected Discourses, vol.3 So how could there have been a complete apostasy if these four men have been faithfully attending to the work of the Lord and bringing to pass righteousness?

THE TRUTHFULNESS OF JOSEPH SMITH, Jr Claims of Joseph Smith: –"That he is a descendent from Abraham:"...cf. II Nephi 3:1 ‑ 15,24 a ; Jacob 2:25 ; Doct. and Cov. 132:30 –Yet Note a Letter from the Bureau of Information, dated April 14th, 1925, signed by Benjamin Goddard. –"The prophet Joseph Smith was born in Vermont from good Puritan stock of course the family has descended from English ancestry. “ Joseph Smith was the only one to receive revelations, Doct. & Cov. 28:2,3...."with Authority". –But the Scripture says, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth"...this is Christ speaking....cf Matt. 28:18.

Claims of Joseph Smith # 2 Joseph Smith to be head of the church....Doc. & Cov. 28:6. –But the Scriptures say, "That Christ is the Head of the church.... cf Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22 ‑ 23". Is the Apostle Paul a liar??? Joseph Smith to possess the keys of the mysteries.... D&C 90:2-4 –But scripture says,"The keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were given to the apostles....Matt. 16:19. The mystery of God was made known by the apostles....Rom.16:25 ‑ 26 ; Eph. 3:1 ‑ 11". –a) NOTE: there is no such thing as the "keys of the mysteries" in the Bible.

Claims of Joseph Smith # 3 Joseph Smith could not tell the wicked from the righteous.... Doc. & Cov. 10:37. –But scripture says. “that those who exercise themselves unto righteousness could so discern”.... cf Heb. 5:14 Joseph Smith ---- “All to be blessed through His seed.” ---- Doc. & Cov. 124:58. –All blessing were to come through Abraham's seed - Gen. 12:3 and this was Jesus Christ --- Gal 3:16, not Joseph Smith.

CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BOOK OF MORMON Portions of the Book were to be delivered to the learned, who when told that the book was sealed, should reply:.... “Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it.”....cf II Nephi 27:15 ‑ 18. –Yet Smith says he copied some of the characters that were on the plates and Martin Harris took them to Prof. Anthon. –Note this reading..."The translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct."..cf Pearl of Great Price "JS" 1:64.

Changes in the Text of Mormons

The church of the LDS Strange Messages The Book of Ether Chapter 2 verses16] And the Lord said: Go to work and build, after the manner of barges which ye have hitherto built. And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did go to work, and also his brethren, and built barges after the manner which they had built, according to the instructions of the Lord. And they were small, and they were light upon the water, even like unto the lightness of a fowl upon the water. [17] And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish ; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish. [18] And it came to pass that the brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me. [19] And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish. [20] And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.

The church of the Latter Day Saints

In Conclusion… The church of Jesus Christ of the Latter day saints is a human denomination/cult… –It has the wrong starting date. –It has the wrong starting place. –It has the wrong founder. –It is a false prophet. –It holds to a number of unbiblical doctrines. Do not be deceived by the Mormon Elders when they knock on your door, thinking they are Christian Missionaries.

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