Testing the words of LDS leaders with Biblical Truth:
February 2010
Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
* Are there truly many who live ALL the commandments? (page 34):
• What does Genesis 19:29 suggest was the reason Lot was spared when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed? (The Lord remembered the righteousness of Abraham.) How can our righteous behavior benefit others? President Spencer W. Kimball said: “Our world is now much the same as it was in the days of the Nephite prophet who said: ‘… if it were not for the prayers of the righteous … ye would even now be visited with utter destruction. …’ (Al. 10:22.) Of course, there are many many upright and faithful who live all the commandments and whose lives and prayers keep the world from destruction.”
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
There is not one single person on this earth that can live “all the commandments” of God. Remember the command to be “as perfect as our Father in Heaven”? (Matthew 5:48).
But, amazingly, there are many who are faithful and upright and do live all the commandments “in Gods sight”. The only reason they do is because, through faith, believers are credited with Christ’s perfect works. In God’s sight believers do not commit even one sin:
“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 4:5-8)
It is only through faith in the sacrifice of Christ’s body that we are found perfect in God’s sight:
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:10-14)
We see how this truth is in effect when we read about Zacharias and Elizabeth:
“And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” (Luke 1:6)
Place your hope for righteousness in Christ. Anyone who hopes in Jesus is as pure as Christ himself:
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)
You too can be blameless in God’s sight through faith. Believe what the Apostle Peter testified, that it is through belief in Jesus that all your sins have been forgiven. Believe it and receive it!
“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” (Act 10:43)
To read more about how to be perfect in God’s sight, go to this blog Post: “Is Jesus Your Substitute or Your Exemplar?” written February 27, 2009; or, Click here:
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* The sins that destroy us (page 35):
As suggested in Genesis 19:4–11 and in the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 19:9–15, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah engaged in grievous sexual sins. But these sins, while severe, were not the only sins for which the cities were destroyed. Have a class member read Ezekiel 16:49–50 aloud, and discuss with the class the other sins of which people in Sodom and Gomorrah were guilty. Help class members understand that we can be destroyed by seemingly small sins as well as by large ones.
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
It is true that you can be destroyed by all types of sin. However in God’s sight there is no such thing as “seemingly small sins.” A sin is a sin and each and every sin has the same exact consequence: Outer Darkness:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19
“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Matthew 5:22
When God flooded the earth during Noah’s time, we think He did so because they were committing “large” sins. Jesus claimed that it was also because they were distracted by “marrying and giving in marriage”. Anything that we place above our love for God can get in our way and we can forget about God. Jesus warns us:
“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:37-44)
Additional:
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” 1 John 4:20
“Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:6
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” Ephesians 4:31
“In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds” Colossians 3:7-9
“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:3
“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:23
To read more about how God views all sin, go to this blog Post: “The Death Penalty for Even One Sin?” written March 23, 2009; or, Click here:
Link to LDS Lesson: https://www.lds.org/manual/old-testament-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-8-living-righteously-in-a-wicked-world?lang=eng
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