Testing the words of LDS leaders with Biblical Truth:
January 2010
Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
* The Fall of Adam and Eve was a valiant and necessary act (page13):
In the Garden of Eden, God commanded Adam and Eve to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Moses 2:28). He also commanded them not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Moses 3:17). As long as they did not partake of the forbidden fruit, they would remain in the garden and would not die. But they also would not be able to obey the command to multiply (Moses 5:11; 2 Nephi 2:23). Heavenly Father gave them agency to choose between the two commands.
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
All Christianity declares that Adam and Eve’s sin was horrendous. Adam and Eve did NOT make a valiant choice! Do you notice that the references pointing to scriptures which support this teaching do not come from the Bible? Nowhere does the Bible state that God gave Adam and Eve two commands and they had to choose which one to obey. Believing so is calling God a liar and saying that He was tempting Adam and Eve. This doctrine differentiates the LDS Church from every Christian Church. Nowhere does the Bible state that Adam and Eve could not have children. When God told them to multiply and replenish the earth, there was nothing that restricted them from doing just that.
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” Numbers 23:19
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” James 1:13
To read more about our loving God who provided salvation for sinful man, go to this blog Post: “Did God Really Give You a “Plan” of Salvation?” written January 5, 2010; or, Click here:
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* Christ’s Atonement saves us from physical death. Spiritual death depends upon repentance—(LDS definition) (pages 14-15):
• How are we saved from physical death? (See 1 Corinthians 15:20–22; 2 Nephi 2:8; 9:6. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will be resurrected.)
• How can we be saved from spiritual death? (See Moses 5:14–15; 6:50–52, 59; Helaman 14:15–18; [18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.] D&C 19:15–19. Because of the Atonement, we can be made clean and worthy to dwell with God through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obedience to the commandments.)
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
No one can be made clean and worthy through their obedience to the commandments! Scripture is clear that man is so far gone that he isn’t even considered “good” in God’s sight!
Romans 3:10 “10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
Luke 18:19 “19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.”
Luke 18:9-14 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Romans 3:28 “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”
Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Galatians 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”
Romans 3:20 “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.”
Romans 9:30-33 “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”
Romans 4:4-8 “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
To read more about man’s inability to be made clean and worthy through his own obedience, read this blog Post: “Are Fathers Evil?” written November 13, 2009; or, Click here:
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* Partaking of the forbidden fruit was not a sin (pages 15-16):
To help explain that Adam and Eve did not sin when they partook of the forbidden fruit, read the following statement from Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. …
“… We celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall. … Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said: ‘I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin. … This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin.’ …
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
Every Christian Church believes what the Bible testifies—that Adam and Eve sinned! You will not find one single Bible passage that agrees with this false LDS belief. Instead, the Bible claims that through Adam and Eve’s sin, sin entered the world. Adam was created in the image of God, but he lost that image when he sinned. Now, each human is created in the sinful image of their father:
“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth”: Genesis 5:3
“Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? 2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” Psalm 58:1-3
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5 (Spoken by King David)
“Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.” Isaiah 48:8
Because of Adam’s sin, all mankind is subject to both physical and spiritual death:
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:12-21
The Bible is clear that the consequence of sin is eternal death. Jesus came to earth because man could not save himself through his obedience. To read more about the true mission of the Christ, go to this blog Post “Is Jesus Your Substitute or Your Exemplar?” written February 27, 2009; or, Click here:
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* Men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adams transgression (page 16):
“This suggested contrast between a sin and a transgression reminds us of the careful wording in the second article of faith: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (italics added). It also echoes a familiar distinction in the law. Some acts, like murder, are crimes because they are inherently wrong. Other acts, like operating without a license, are crimes only because they are legally prohibited. Under these distinctions, the act that produced the Fall was not a sin—inherently wrong—but a transgression—wrong because it was formally prohibited. These words are not always used to denote something different, but this distinction seems meaningful in the circumstances of the Fall. ”
2. Distinction between the consequences of and responsibility for the Fall
All of Adam and Eve’s posterity inherited the consequences of the Fall, including physical and spiritual death, but not the responsibility for the Fall. The second article of faith teaches that “men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.” See also Moroni 8:5–23.
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
In God’s sight “sins” and “transgressions” are exactly the same, and receive the same eternal consequence–living in the same domain as Satan. Transgressions are as serious as sins, if it were not true, then why did the Prophet Isaiah prophesy that Jesus would be wounded for our transgressions? Believe that Jesus was pierced for your sins, and He has made intercession for you–a transgressor!
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
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. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:4-12)
Since becoming a Christian I find the second article of faith interesting. Christians DO teach that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adams transgressions. The Bible clearly teaches that all humans will be punished for their own sins. It is LDS prophets that have changed God’s stated punishment and consequence for sin. To read more about God’s consequence for sin, go to this blog Post: “Have LDS Prophets Changed God’s Definition of Hell?” written May 29, 2009; or, Click here:
Link to Lesson: https://www.lds.org/manual/old-testament-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-4-because-of-my-transgression-my-eyes-are-opened?lang=eng
Latter-day Saint Woman 