Have LDS Prophets Changed God’s Definition of Hell?

May 29, 2009 at 2:17 pm (Consequence of, Eternity, False, Kingdom of, LDS Prophets, Lessened Consequences, Outer Darkness, Overcometh, Sins)
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I remember reading a story about a man that was in one of the Towers when the plane crashed into the World Trade Center. On the 27th floor he had ample time to get out, but instead he decided to stay in the building to answer the phones. His co-workers made it to safety but he lost his life. Obviously this man didn’t recognize the true danger he was in. He died because he didn’t feel the urgency to leave a building which he believed had a solid foundation.

This is the way LDS members feel about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They believe that their Church is the only Church that can guide them to eternal life. But the truth is that one day Mormonism will collapse because its teachings are not “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” and “Jesus Christ”. And the tragedy is that anyone who places their trust in these false teachings will spend eternity in Hell.

God has declared that there are only two eternal destinations—Heaven and Hell. Hell is a very real and horrible place of suffering. The Bible uses many different words to describe Hell: Outer Darkness, the Second Death, a Lake of Fire and Brimstone, a Furnace of Fire, Eternal Fire, Everlasting Punishment, Everlasting Fire, Everlasting Destruction, Damnation and Where their Worm Dieth Not.

All these words and more describe a horrible place of suffering that does not end at Judgment Day. Hell lasts forever! Satan and his demons will spend eternity in Hell; so will many people (Matthew 7:13-14). Heavenly Father tells us that sin is the reason a person will be cast into Hell. God is so offended by sin, that on Judgment Day, any sin will produce the verdict of “guilty”.

LDS prophets have taken God’s stated truths found in the Bible and have omitted, altered and twisted His Words to mean something totally different. What makes me angry about the false LDS teachings regarding Hell is that because of it—Mormons are completely unaware of the danger they are in. LDS believe that as long as they don’t deny the Holy Spirit they will be OK. They trust that the worst kingdom they could spend eternity is in a world far better than earth.

Referring to the lowest Kingdom of Heaven, Joseph Smith taught that it’s glory surpasses all understanding: “And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding. And no man knows it except him to whom God has revealed it.” (D & C 76: 89-90)

Those who supposedly go to this “Kingdom of Glory” are those who:

“did not receive the gospel or the testimony of Jesus either on earth or in the spirit world. They will suffer for their own sins in hell until after the Millennium, when they will be resurrected. “These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.” These people are as numerous as the stars in heaven and the sand on the seashore. They will be visited by the Holy Ghost but not by the Father or the Son. (See D&C 76:81–86, 103–6.)” (Gospel Principles, page 298).

Comparing these words to God’s Truth proves they are false!! Jesus Himself told us about those who will be sent to Outer Darkness, and here are His reasons:

Showing up for God’s feast without a wedding garment (Matthew 22:13) an unprofitable servant who was so afraid of God that he hid his talent in the earth instead of using it (Matthew 25:30) and, Israelites who didn’t have faith (Matthew 8:12). People who simply don’t know God and those who don’t obey the Gospel will be sent to Everlasting Destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

Our Savior testified that everlasting Fire and Punishment describe the eternal destination of those who merely commit sins of omission!! He also tells us that on Judgment Day, those who didn’t “feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, visit those who were sick or those in prison” will be cast out to spend eternity in the very same place as “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41-46).

The Apostle John taught that the devil’s eternal destination is the “Lake of Fire and Brimstone”. But did you know it will also be the eternal home of “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars” (Revelation 20:10 & 21:7-8).

Look closely back at those words—all liars will spend eternity with Satan and his demons, the very same place same as murderers and whoremongers! This is because God does not grade sins. Every sin receives the same consequence—eternal torment in Hell.

But despite these words of God, take heart—there is hope!! If you believe that Jesus’ blood covers over every one of your sins, then it does!! You are completely sin-less—right now!! John the Beloved tells us that those who overcome are God’s children who will inherit all things: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” (Revelation 21: 7).

This Apostle whom Jesus loved also tells us who overcomes and why: “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-54).

Link to Additional Bible References:

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Are You Afraid of Death?

May 20, 2009 at 6:29 pm (Death seals man's fate, Eternity, Hell, Justice of, LDS Prophets, Lessened Consequences, Redeem dead?, Scripture)
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I got a call recently from one of my dearest friends, telling me she has an aggressive and terminal cancer. It was amazing how calm and peaceful she was. In fact, she’s actually excited to die so she can finally be with her Savior Jesus. She teased me that she will get to be with Him before I do. My friend Linda and I are very similar in that we both love Jesus with all our hearts and souls. Our entire purpose in life is to praise our Savior and serve Him by bringing as many people to heaven with us as possible. Linda has worked for several years at a nursing home where her love for Jesus has shown brightly through her many acts of love. Many people, including some of her patients, have heard from her the wonderful message of free and full forgiveness through Jesus.

The only concern Linda has is for her daughter, whom she asked me to watch over for her after she dies. Speaking with her and hearing her concern for her daughter reminded me of a story found in Luke chapter sixteen. Here Jesus tells about a man who, like my friend Linda, was also concerned about the eternal destination of family members. The main difference between my friend Linda and the man in Jesus’ story is that this man did not believe in Jesus. He had died in his sins and was suffering the consequence of eternal torment in hell.

From hell he could actually see into heaven where he saw the beggar Lazarus who used to sit at his gates begging for crumbs from his table. He saw that while he was being tormented in hell; Lazarus was being comforted by the Prophet Abraham. In misery, he asked Abraham: “send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame”. Abraham told him that what he asked was impossible! His reason was because: “between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which could pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”

These words of God are in complete disagreement with LDS teachings! Mormon prophets claim that after death all people go to a temporary place, either spirit prison or spirit paradise. Those who were not righteous will be given more time to repent and meet God’s demands for perfection. These false prophets testify that righteous Mormons who have gone to paradise will travel to spirit prison to preach the LDS gospel to the unrighteous. They claim that once these wicked people have repented and been baptized in proxy by someone on earth, they will be allowed into paradise.

In defining hell, they claim:
“First, it is another name for spirit prison, a place in the postmortal spirit world for those who have “died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets” (D&C 138:32). This is a temporary state in which spirits will be taught the gospel and have the opportunity to repent and accept ordinances of salvation that are performed for them in temples (see D & C 138:30–35)” (True to the Faith, page 81).

But from Jesus’ story we read the important truth that at the moment of death, your fate is sealed! Your “time of grace” ends. You don’t have a second chance to come to faith; or a longer period of time to meet God’s demands for righteousness. The Holy Spirit revealed in scripture that: “When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth” (Proverbs 11:7). The moment we die our spirits come into the very presence of God: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). No unclean person can dwell in the presence of God (Ephesians 5:5).

Talking about death and what happens to those who aren’t worthy to dwell in God’s presence is not easy, but it is necessary. My friend Linda is not the only one who will die soon. I warn you that you also have a terminal cancer. That cancer is sin. God is Merciful, but He is also Just. While He offers His mercy to all people, He extends His mercy ONLY to those who believe His Son’s blood covers their every sin. This Mercy is a full pardon, complete forgiveness, the bestowal of the perfect righteousness of His Son. And this Mercy is only offered to you during your time on earth. All who reject the Mercy God offers them through His Son will spend eternity in Hell with Satan.

You never know what day you will die, or when someone you love will die. I beg you to turn to these truths found in the Bible before it is too late. The man in hell was concerned for his brothers and asked Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them “that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment“. The Prophet Abraham’s reply shows how important scripture study is; if you don’t believe God’s Words found in the Bible, you will not “be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

If you are reading this you are alive and your hope has not yet perished! Trust that all your sins have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus! (Revelation 1:5) If you believe Jesus is the Christ that has removed your sin, you will no longer be in your sins (John 8:24). All who have faith in Christ’s Atonement for sins “have been perfected forever” (Hebrews 10:10-14).

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Can You Be Saved by Faith and Works?

May 8, 2009 at 5:58 pm (Faith alone saves, Faith and works, Gaining, LDS Prophets, Lowered Standards, None good, Through faith)
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The Epistle to the Romans is my very favorite book in the Bible. The essence of the book of Romans is this: by God’s grace, eternal life is granted through faith in Christ, and only through faith in Christ.

A commenter recently asked the question “Why is it that if I believe in works I cannot believe in faith, or the grace of God? Why must these things remain separate?” I responded by taking him to the eleventh chapter of Romans where the Apostle Paul boldly testifies: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

In response, the commenter has written: “IF you care to examine the entire chapter of Roman’s 11 you will notice that Paul is not talking about salvation or eternal life. He is talking about being born into the covenant line of Israel, or the church. This is a blessing given by the grace of God that we have done nothing in this life to earn. It is by grace, and not by works.”

To examine the eleventh chapter of Romans we must first examine the tenth chapter, and all those before it. When someone writes a letter it is expected that whoever reads it will start at the beginning and read it through to the end. By the time Paul gets to chapter eleven, he has already stated multiple times that salvation is a freely offered gift granted ONLY to those who believe. In fact, through the entire Epistle, Paul has never stopped talking about salvation and eternal life. He hasn’t changed his message or theme: by God’s grace, eternal life is granted through faith in Christ, and only through faith in Christ. Because Paul is so sure of this grace, he tells his readers not to give up on the unbelieving Israelite’s. He gives the example of the remnant saved by grace during Elijah’s time, as it was also true for Christian Jews during Paul’s time. All people are saved the same way–only through God’s grace and not through works.

Paul begins his testimony in chapter one: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (verse 16). The salvation he speaks of is eternal life: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (6:23).

The reason salvation is granted solely through faith is because that is the only way a person can meet God’s requirement to be righteous!! One must be perfect to enter into God’s presence. Jesus came to earth and was perfect for us, in our place. It is only through faith in Him, as our substitute, that we are declared righteous!! This was true for Abraham and as well as for us: “And therefore it [faith] was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;” (4:21-24).

It is impossible to gain eternal life by being obedient to God’s law, or by trying to add your works to your faith. Paul explains, using Old Testament scripture: “There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one ” (3:11-12). no one will be declared righteous by trying to follow God’s law: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (verse 20). Notice the important words “in his sight”. Heavenly Father has demanded we be as perfect as Him (Matthew 5:48). In HIS sight, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (verse 23).

The unbelieving Jews were sincere, but they were sincerely wrong! They earnestly sought righteousness, but they tried to acquire it in the wrong way. They thought they had to gain eternal life through obedience. They believed they could be righteous through their own works. They had a zeal for God, but they were ignorant of the truth! (9:30-10:4)

What is God’s truth? Eternal life is purely a gift of God, received by faith, without any works!!! In fact, if you bring works into the picture you ruin God’s free gift and you loose His favor!! That’s what Paul meant when he wrote: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Turn to your Savior who grants you His righteousness through faith: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (10:9-10).

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