A few weeks ago the Young Women were taught a lesson about “Appreciating the Bishop“. These young girls learned of the main role of their Bishop–“He is appointed as a judge in Israel for the ward members.” The Lesson explains:
“Your life here will be constantly weighed by him, for he is the judge of your worthiness … to receive higher ordinances, and to be worthy to go to the Temple. “If you are going to work in the Church system you will learn to be obedient to your bishop. If you get into trouble you will be wise if you seek his advice and counsel.
He has been designated by the Lord and appointed by the President of the Church to be responsible for you and to make sure you progress according to your worthiness and ability. …“… He will see you every year at tithing settlement. He will interview you. … If you go on a mission he will be the one who makes the first inquiry as to your fitness and ability to serve in this capacity”
I am ever so thankful that my eyes and heart have been opened to the truth! I know that this LDS teaching is false—the truth is that there is only one “Judge in Israel” and that is Jesus Himself. He alone determines who is worthy and guess what? Jesus has judged and determined that every single Bishop in the LDS Church is not worthy!
I am not really singling out Bishops The truth is that no one is worthy! In fact, Jesus testified that no one is even “good” (Matthew 19:17). God’s Word, the Bible, very clearly teaches that every person is unrighteous:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17: 9
“The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Psalm 14: 2-3
“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Ecclesiastes 7: 20
“And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.” Genesis 8: 21
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53: 6
“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” Proverbs 20:9
“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, 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. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” Romans 3: 9
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2: 2
“There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
It is truly a blessing to be a member of a Church where no sinful man determines who is and isn’t worthy. The LDS Church grades sins by determining that some sins are worse than others. This makes it easy for a man to judge others as somehow more sinful than he is.
Every single believer in Christ knows that in and of himself—he is completely sinful; and, that everyone else is just as unworthy! It truly is a blessing to know that you are not alone in your unworthiness.
It is even more amazing to know that through faith, you are credited with Christ’s righteousness! Even Abraham knew that his righteousness came only through his faith:
“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Romans 4:3-8
Through the offering of Christ’s body you have been perfected forever! (Hebrews 10:10-14). In God’s sight, you can be as worthy as Christ Himself because all your sins have been forgiven!
The Apostle Peter testified: “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:43
Believe it and receive it!
Because of all my Savior has done for me, along with the Psalmist, I sing:
“I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised” Psalm 18:1-3
Latter-day Saint Woman 
shematwater said,
April 12, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Christ is obviously not the only judge in Israel, as he states in Matthew 19: 28 that “ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” He says again in Luke 22: 29-30 that “I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
So, quite obviously, the original Twelve Apostles (except Judas) will be Judges in Israel.
latterdaysaintwoman said,
April 12, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Shem,
Neither of those passages speak about “judging” others in this life. Jesus would never have appointed someone to be the judge of determining if someone is or isn’t worthy in a Christian congregation. Jesus knew the truth, that no one is worthy! He believed as the Old Testament scriptures taught, that no one is even good:
Psalm 14: 2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Jesus knew this scripture (and many others) when He declared: “there is none good but one, that is, God” (Matthew 19:17). He declared: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Mt 7:1-2)
It is only by faith in Jesus that anyone can be found worthy in God’s sight. Shem, if you have faith enough to give up trying to be worthy through your own efforts, you will be found 100% righteous–in God’s sight:
“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Ro 3:20-4:8)
shematwater said,
April 13, 2010 at 11:37 am
LDSWOMAN
First, the Bishop does not determine if a person is worthy to be in the congregation, only if they are worthy to receive certain ordinances.
Very much like the priests in the Old Testiment would proclaim people clean or unclean and require sertain sacrifices to be made to cleanse them.
I will agree that the verse I give do not deal only with this Earth, but if they have no baring on this Earth than when will the twelve judge Israel? If it is not on this Earth than it is in Heaven, and thus they have an ever greater power, for they determine who is worthy to be with God in Heaven. So, if they ahve that power in Heaven, why not on Earth?