How should Christians view the Book of Mormon?
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Asked July 01 2013
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Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Michael Tinsley
Once again Michael, an excellent description of the LDS cult. I had LDS friends when I was in the Army and we would often have friendly arguments about true Christianity and the way Mormons believe.
Between speaking with them and some research on my own I'd like to add a couple of things they believe, one being the family stays intact in Heaven. The Bible doesn't say that although it does say we will be recognizable to each other, but worshiping the Lord will be our primary joy.
Added to that part is, the _man remains the head of the family and that he (and other males) can become perfect like Jesus and God and are then given permission by God to create their own universes.
That in itself is ridiculous and blasphemous, and how they sort the generations of males (once again) out I haven't found out yet. The man is the head of the house on Earth and all the family must obey him and someone like a block captain (in Neighborhood Watch) and the elders (all men). They have 'spies' that watch people's behavior and report it to the block captain if its not in keeping with their rules and laws.
Notice that I've emphasized men above because LDS women have none of the same opportunities in Heaven as the men do. Nor do they have much say-so here on Earth either.
Women in the Mormon church are second-rate and have to obey essentially all other Mormon men but especially their husbands and the elders.
When I learned the above I was very upset because my mother was a strong woman and a wonderful Christian and had as much to say and do about family matters, though her and my father's roles were different, and we all knew and accepted that. I couldn't picture my mother as a Mormon wife and she and I talked about that more than once.
I'm stressing women in my statement because their roles and input in Christianity are so different than the Mormons and I want the ladies who read this to know not to be fooled by LDS missionaries because they are well trained in deceiving us like Michael pointed out in his statement at the top of this discussion.
Jeffrey Johnson
The apostle Paul warns Christians in 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 2:2 not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us,
He also warns the Galatian Christians as follows in Galatians 1:8-9: "However, even if we or an angel from heaven were to declare to you something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed." 9 As we have said before, I now say again, Whoever is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him be accursed.
We know that many books written by men claim to be inspired by God, but as these two Bible verses highlight, we need to be cautious about what we believe.
The importance of holding fast to the Bible as the complete and accurate Word of God is essential.
Let us examine why this is the case.
Apart from what the Apostle Paul wrote, John, the last of the surviving apostles, said the following at 1 John 4:1, "Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired statement, but test the inspired statements to see whether they originate with God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
With good reason, then, John urged Christians to “test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God.” (1Jo 4:1-3; compare Re 22:6.) He then went on to show that God's authentic, inspired expressions were coming through the genuine Christian congregation, not through unchristian worldly sources. John's statement was, of course, inspired by God.
Paul also told Timothy the following in his second letter to Timothy, as recorded in 3:16-17. All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness,17 so that the man of God may be fully competent, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
This expression from Paul, which has a broad meaning, certainly encompasses the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures.
By saying that "all Scripture is inspired of God,” Paul reminds Timothy, as well as all Christians, to trust the wisdom of God's inspired Word and to rely on it in all that they do.
The phrase “inspired of God” translates the compound Greek word the·oʹpneu·stos, meaning, literally, “God-breathed" or "breathed by God.”
I was always encouraged to do the following:
Let Scripture answer Scripture.