All Things Denote There Is a God: But What Does He Look Like?

July 13, 2012 at 11:43 pm (God)
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Have you ever questioned the LDS belief that God’s “eternal spirit is housed in a tangible body of flesh and bones”? When I was LDS I never questioned this teaching—it seemed that the Bible clearly supported it. After becoming a Christian I discovered that this doctrine was unique to Mormonism. And the Christian churches I attended taught other things about the nature of God that didn’t make much sense to me. So I decided to dig into scripture to find out the truth. With my new-found faith I had a strong resolve to be like the Berean’s—to search the scriptures and make sure that whatever I was told agreed with God’s truth. (Acts 17:11)

This weeks Gospel Doctrine Lesson brings up what they claim is a false teaching of Zoramite: “God was, is, and always will be a spirit (Alma 31:15)” (The Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Lesson 27: All Things Denote There Is a God, p.123)

Underlying the LDS belief that God has a body of flesh and bones is the doctrine that God was once a sinful man, subservient to an earlier god: “Explain that since the restoration of the true Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days, Church members have known of their origin and destiny as children of God. A latter-day prophet, Lorenzo Snow, summarized this teaching clearly when he said, ‘As man is God once was; As God is, man may be.” (Aaronic Priesthood Manual 2, Lesson 1, page 1)

After searching the scriptures I quickly discovered that the words of this LDS prophet were false. Since the beginning of forever, there has always been only one God. The Prophet Isaiah wrote:

“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” (43:10, 44:6)

Learning that God could never have been a man still didn’t explain to me what God “was”. I wondered what He looked like. I had been taught that since I was created in God’s image, then God must look like me. I decided to read all the passages referenced in the LDS Topical Guide about the body of God to see if any had been miss-interpreted. To my surprise, they hadn’t. These passages clearly taught that God has the physical characteristics of a man. They attributed God as having a face, mouth, voice, fingers, hands and feet.

Wanting to learn more, I started doing word studies. When I found another passage saying that God had a hand as well as ears, I wondered why this passage hadn’t been listed in the LDS Topical Guide. Reading in context answered my question and led me to a surprising discovery! Not only did God have ears, He had wings and feathers:

“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” (Ps 17:6-8).

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” (Psalm 91:1-4)

From my study I learned that while scripture often attributes human characteristics to God, it also uses non-human characteristics to describe Him. (Not surprisingly, you won’t find any of these passages listed in the LDS Topical Guide.) Mormons can no more claim that God is a glorified man than someone could say He is an enormous bird.

My search led me to find where Jesus taught us the truth—God is a spirit: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) God is so powerful that He can take on any form He chooses. We see at Christ’s baptism that the Holy Ghost took on the physical form of a dove.

Scripture often uses word pictures to give us a glimpse of what God is like because He is so unlike humans: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16)

Scripture reveals that our Savior has always been God! He was not (as LDS prophets claim) “the first spirit born to our heavenly parents”—parents who began their lives as spirit children:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1, 14)

Jesus took on human flesh and became a man “to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:14-18). Even though He was God, He “took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

In the end, it is not the form of God that matters, it is what He accomplished. Death is a consequence of sin but Jesus had no sins of His own! He died on the cross because He chose to die—for you. It was His mission—His very purpose for coming to earth was to take your sins upon Himself, as if they were His own:

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Your sins have been covered and forgiven by Christ’s blood. Believe it and receive it, then trust in Him:

“How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.” Psalms 36:7

Click here for additional LDS quotes:

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An Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel: What Christ Taught—at “BeYePerfect.org”

July 7, 2012 at 5:43 pm (Perfection)
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I found it sad reading the Relief Society Lesson, chapter 12 of Teachings of Presidents of the Church. President George Albert Smith taught “There is a real famine in the world for the words of the Lord.” Then he had the audacity to claim what is being taught by Christian Ministers around the world. I wonder if he ever even attended a church service that wasn’t LDS. He certainly isn’t describing any Pastors’ messages that I have heard.

In speaking about Christian Ministers, he claims:

“These good men, not understanding the gospel and the necessity for the ordinances of the same, confine their teachings very largely to moral lessons and to reading the psalms to their congregations. Isolated passages of scripture are chosen as texts for addresses on virtue, honesty, etc., all of which are helpful and uplifting, but few sermons are preached explaining the requirements made of every soul before we can enter the kingdom of heaven. It is this information of which the world is most in need.

Few ministers have a message for their congregations that inspires in them the belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ and the necessity of partaking of the ordinances of the gospel prescribed by him.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, Chapter 12: An Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel, p. 125)

The Ministers at my church follow the example of Jesus Christ. He Preached a wonderful sermon called the Sermon on the Mount. Here, Jesus preached about many commands that God requires each of us to obey. His most difficult “requirement made of every soul before we can enter the kingdom of heaven” is to be as perfect as our Heavenly Father:

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

I belong to a church called “Cross of Christ”. Our “ministers have a message… that inspires in (us) the belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ.” That message is about our Substitute Savior Jesus Christ, Who was perfect for us–in our place! It is only through faith in Him that we meet God’s requirements for eternal life. It’s knowing all that our Savior God has done for us, which inspires us to live our lives for Him.

My church website explains the basic message that will be shared in each sermon:

“At Cross of Christ our messages reflect these basic truths:

1.) We have sinned against God and deserve his punishment. (To show how we have sinned, our Pastor teaches something that God requires of us in His law, which leads us to see that once again we have sinned.)

2.) God’s mercy is infinitely greater than our sin, and He has freely forgiven our sins by taking our punishment for us and crediting us with His holiness and perfection (through faith).

3.) As we Christians apply these first two truths to our lives, we are motivated to give thanks to God and love him in return for his love shown to us in Jesus. God teaches us very practical ways to live for Him every day. God also gives us incredible promises and special comforts to guide and bless us in our daily tasks.

All these points are shared each week in practical messages for all people.”

Despite what President Smith claimed, Christian ministers do teach what God requires of us. We must be as perfect as God Himself! Christians are taught every Sunday that that’s why they need a Savior: Because of what God truly requires of us, we know we have failed and are hopelessly lost. Christians are people who honestly look at themselves and know that they can never meet God’s demands. We sin all the time. That’s why we place our trust for eternal life solely in Christ. “He has freely forgiven our sins by taking our punishment for us and crediting us with His holiness and perfection through faith.”

Would you like to learn more about this topic? The Ministry that I volunteer with has just released a new website: BeYePerfect.org. It was written especially for you!

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I Teach With Power and Authority of God!

June 30, 2012 at 3:32 pm (Man, None good, Sins)
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Have you ever had a doctor give you a diagnosis, only to discover later that the doctor was wrong? Two years ago I was finally given the correct diagnosis for all the medical problems I had been having for several years. Unfortunately, the diagnosis was not a good one. I have a mitochondrial cytopothy; which is a very serious, humanly incurable and untreatable disease. One day while praying to God, I received a personal revelation from the Holy Ghost. My eyes were opened so I could see the similarities between this new disease and a spiritual disease that I used to have. Both are humanly incurable and untreatable.

Even though I am mostly bedridden, my Heavenly Father has called me as a Missionary! For several years now, I have taught with Power and Authority of God. Both God and my church have ordained me to share my faith with Mormons. Today the desire of my heart is to warn you that you have the same incurable and untreatable spiritual disease that I used to have.

If you’r scratching your head it’s probably because this is the first time you’ve heard of your illness. But the reason you don’t know you have this disease is because you trust the words of LDS prophets—not God’s prophets! The words I have to tell you are so important that your eternal life depends upon it. I beg you to read this Post so that like me, you can be miraculously cured.

The diagnosis of my physical disease came from a muscle biopsy over two years ago. When my doctor told me the results, he said: “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you aren’t crazy–you are very sick. The bad news is that you have a very serious, incurable and untreatable muscle disease.” It reduces the ability of the mitochondria in each cell to produce energy. This drastically affects my energy level. As well it causes constant muscle pain all over my body.

When my muscular dystrophy doctor found out that one of my other doctors had me going to a Physical Therapist to build up my strength, he said that was the worst thing I could possibly do. The reason is because whenever I do any kind of physical exercise, my muscles are permanently damaged. When I heard that, I thought about all the other doctors who had given me the wrong diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Because these doctors didn’t know what was really wrong with me, they gave me the worst prescription ever. They told me the best thing I could do was to exercise daily. Their treatment plan actually caused my body permanent damage!

So how does all of this information regarding my physical condition tie in with the spiritual disease you now have and that I once had? About 18 years ago, my Savior who is the “Great Physician”, gave me the diagnosis for all of the spiritual problems I had been suffering from for all my life. And, just like the physical diagnosis I now have, there was both good news and bad news.

First, let me tell you the bad news. I found out that I was completely evil, through and through. And so are you!

My physical doctor came up with his diagnosis by taking a sample of my muscle tissue. Heavenly Father came up with the diagnosis that we are all unrighteous in a similar way–by looking at a sampling of our efforts at being obedient to His commands. He calls our spiritual disease by many different names: “unrighteous, unworthy, sinful, evil, unclean…” But the disease all boils down to the same cause—–sin.

If you trust in what your church teaches, then you probably don’t know just how spiritually sick you are. Because LDS leaders give a false diagnosis of just how sinful we all are, they claim that you can be “worthy” through your obedience. In fact, this weeks Book of Mormon Lesson teaches that you can actually become like Christ:

“Referring to Alma 22:15, 18, President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Each of us must surrender our sins if we are to really know Christ. For we do not know Him until we become like Him.” (Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Lesson 25: They Taught with Power and Authority of God, p. 115)

LDS leaders testify that you can actually overcome your sin problem with hard work—by keeping God’s commands. But they are wrong! Just like the doctors who were wrong when they told me that I could help myself by working out everyday, you will permanently damage your spiritual life if you attempt to be worthy through your obedience. To believe this false prescription is to trust that your works can overcome your unrighteousness. But Heavenly Father has declared that no one can be righteous by keeping His commands—because no one can truly do what He asks of them.

Now that I’ve told you the bad news, as your missionary let me proclaim to you the Good News—the Gospel of Christ! Jesus came to this earth and died for you because He knew you could not be worthy through obedience to God’s laws! The Apostle Paul testified:

“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness came by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21)

Christ’s death was not in vain! Righteousness will never come by trying to be obedient to God’s commands. Every person who tries to be worthy through obedience is still unrighteous! Jesus claimed that no one but God is even “good”! (Matthew 19:17)

But miraculously, Jesus cured you of your spiritual disease by being worthy for you—in your place. He is your Substitute for the righteousness that God demands from you. The only way to be found righteous in God’s sight is through faith in what Jesus did for you!

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“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. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)

The Prophet Isaiah prophesied of your Substitute Savior, who would heal you with His stripes:

“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.” (53:5)

Believe it, and receive it. Then bask in your righteousness before God and devote your life to Him! Rejoice with both me and the Prophet Isaiah:

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness…”

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The True Gospel: How is the LDS Gospel Similar to White Bread?

June 16, 2012 at 8:51 am (Atonement, Gospel)
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My mother taught me that eating healthy grains was important; she made whole-grain bread every week. When I became a mother I did the same, and learned even more about the differences between white bread and whole grain. Over thirty very important nutrients are known to exist in the wheat kernel, but most of them are removed in the milling process. White bread has removed the life-giving qualities from the whole grain. This weeks Relief Society Lesson made me think about the similarities between white bread and the LDS gospel. Like white bread, the LDS gospel has removed all the life-giving qualities that are found in the true Gospel.

I grew up LDS and learned about the gospel, as defined in the LDS KJV Dictionary: “The word gospel means good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave and reward each individual according to his/her works.”

“The gospel teaches us all we need to know to return to live with our Father in Heaven… According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “Eternal life is not a name that has reference only to the unending duration of a future life; immortality is to live forever in the resurrected state, and by the grace of God all men will gain this unending continuance of life. But only those who obey the fulness of the gospel law will inherit eternal life.” (The Gospel of Jesus Christ, Elder L. Tom Perry, Ensign, April 2008)

It wasn’t until after I left the church that I dug into the Bible to find out what God would reveal to me. It was a wonderful experience learning the truth. I learned that Jesus had already done everything needed for us “to return to live with our Father in Heaven.” I found out that no one will gain eternal life by obeying God’s law: “…for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21b)

I discovered that the Gospel really is the Good News. But the Good News is so much more than what LDS leaders teach. The Good News is that Jesus Christ made a perfect atonement for mankind when He offered Himself as the final sacrifice for sin. At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world and in exchange, gave us His righteousness. He is our Substitute for the perfection that God requires. (Matthew 5:48) Now that we have been made perfect and righteous, we are reconciled to God and have eternal life through faith in Christ!

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,” (Colossians 1:20-23)

Jesus Himself taught that the Good News meant so much more than merely being resurrected from the grave. He revealed that because He was lifted up on the cross, all who believe in Him have eternal life:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:14-16)

The Apostle Paul recorded one of my favorite passages about the Gospel:

“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.” (Romans 1:16)

Notice what the power of God is? The gospel of Christ! And, that power is strong enough to grant salvation to all who believe.

In this weeks Relief Society Lesson, we see where the Prophet used this passage but changed God’s Word to make it fit into the false gospel of Mormonism:

“…but it is that the sons and daughters of God, wherever they may be, may hear this Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation to all those who believe and obey its precepts.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, Chapter 12: An Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel, p. 128)

If the Apostle Paul were around and read what President Smith wrote, he would have reprimanded him for adding works to the Gospel message. In Galatians the Apostle Paul reprimanded the Apostle Peter because he also was not walking according to the truth of the Gospel:

“13 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all…

14 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.

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:13-21) (Because of the length, I have only included passages pertinent to our discussion. It is all wonderful, so please read Galatians 2:11 through 3:26)

Even though LDS Prophets claim that Paul is speaking only of the law of Moses, this is not true. Paul is talking about any law from God. Simply read on into the next chapter in Galatians where Paul states:

“Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” (Galatians 3:21-22)

Which Gospel do you believe in? The one that claims: “only those who obey the fulness of the gospel law will inherit eternal life“?

Or the Gospel of Christ: “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 God be the glory!

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More Than One Witness: Saw the Empty Tomb Which Proves You are No Longer in Your Sins!

June 14, 2012 at 6:55 pm (Book of Mormon, False Christ's, Purpose & Mission)
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After the Holy Spirit brought me to faith, it took awhile before I understood the differences between Christianity and Mormonism. For a short time, I didn’t realize that the LDS Church was not Christian. The Jesus I had been taught about while I was Mormon seemed to be the same Jesus that the Bible taught. It wasn’t until I did a thorough Bible study on Christ’s Atonement that I discovered that the Jesus taught by LDS leaders is a false Christ! He is not the Christ who saved us “in our sins“.

While Mormonism teaches some similar aspects about the “person” of Jesus found in the Bible, the falseness of this Christ becomes apparent when one looks at His stated purpose and mission. I have found numerous ways in which the LDS Jesus falls short of the true Jesus found in the pages of God’s Holy Word. Today, I focus on comparing the LDS Jesus who cannot save his people in their sins with the true Christ who has already taken away the sins of the world!

The Christ of Mormonism is a false Christ. We know this because LDS prophets testify that Christ cannot save his people “in their sins”! They make this claim because they believe and teach the words of a false prophet from the Book of Mormon. His words found in Alma 11:32–37, are taught in this weeks Gospel Doctrine class:

Amulek taught of a false Christ who did not have the authority to save his people “in their sins“. Amulek claims that the reason is because “no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.” (Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Lesson 23: “More Than One Witness” p. 105, Alma 11:32–37).

True to the Faith also explains this LDS teaching:

“Note that you cannot be saved in your sins; you cannot receive unconditional salvation simply by declaring your belief in Christ with the understanding that you will inevitably commit sins throughout the rest of your life (see Alma 11:36–37). Through the grace of God, you can be saved from your sins (see Helaman 5:10–11). To receive this blessing, you must exercise faith in Jesus Christ, strive to keep the commandments, forsake sin, and renew your repentance and cleansing through the ordinance of the sacrament.” (pages 151-152)

The false Christ taught in the Book of Mormon and the LDS church is not the true Christ who is the Son of God! This is made evident by comparing him with the Christ found on the pages of the Bible:

Christ’s mission was to take away ALL our sins, leaving us “no longer in our sins”! We learn this truth from John the Baptist, who testified that Christ’s mission was to take away the sins of the world! (John 1:29). The Apostle Paul also claimed that if Christ had not been raised from the dead, then their faith was in vain because they would still be in their sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17) The fact that Christ was raised from the dead meant that they were no longer in their sins!

Did Jesus fulfill His mission and return to His Father with honor? Did He take away the sins of the world? Yes!! The empty tomb, the fact that God the Father raised Him from the dead, proves that Christ’s body was accepted as full payment for taking away the sins of the world.

Because the tomb was empty on that first Easter morning, we can trust that we are no longer in our sins! Through the offering of Christ’s body-the Atonement, every sin was taken away from you. All who believe in Jesus can boldly enter into God’s presence because they are no longer in their sins! When Jesus took away the sins of the world, He reconciled man to God! You are no longer unclean because Christ’s blood has washed you clean!!!

No longer “in our sins” we are perfect, righteous, and pure. Through the offering of Christ’s body, “He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:10-14). Those whose hope is in the true Christ are as pure as Jesus Himself (1 John 3:3). Just like Abraham, you are declared righteous through faith (Romans 4:20-5:2).

Many of the Jewish leaders didn’t believe that Jesus was the Christ. They thought that Christ’s mission was to overthrow the Romans and set up an earthly kingdom. But this was a vision of a false Christ! Jesus warned the Jews who did not believe in Him: “ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24). The logic here is that if the Jews would just believe in the true Christ they would not die in their sins.

Similarly, if you trust in the words of your LDS prophets, you also believe in the vision of a false Christ. One who cannot, will not, save you in your sins. Just as Jesus warned the Jews, He gives you the same warning: “if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins”. Dying in your sins means Eternal Death and living eternally with Satan and his demons.

Do you love your family and wish to live with them eternally? Reject the false Christ of Mormonism and in faith turn to the true Christ who has given you eternal life. Then, teach your children about the true Jesus who has already saved them in their sins!

Link to Additional LDS and Bible References. Please read this page to learn more about how your Savior has removed your sins, comparing the Bible with the words of LDS leaders:

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LDS Leaders Testify that Being Born-Again is a Process. How Long Have You Been in Labor?

June 9, 2012 at 7:36 pm (Alive spiritually, Born again, Faith)
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When I was expecting my first daughter, I started having difficulties during my fourth month. When my doctor examined me I was dilated three centimeters. After a short Hospital stay, I was confined to total bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. Unfortunately, during my sixth month my water broke and the contractions began.

After two and a half weeks in the Hospital with intravenous medicine trying to stop my labor, the doctor decided it was time for my baby to be born. Thankfully, the birthing process was very quick. When my daughter Jenifer was born, she was so tiny I could hardly believe it. She had to stay at the Hospital until she weighed four pounds, which took four months.

This weeks Gospel Doctrine Lesson spoke about conversion which reminded me of the similarities between a physical and a spiritual birth. God’s truth is that when a person is brought to faith spiritually (converted) it is an instantaneous event, similar to a physical birth.

The Gospel Doctrine Lesson teaches that “spiritual rebirth is a process” and not a single event:

“What does it mean to be converted? (See Mosiah 5:2; 27:24–26.) Is conversion a single event or a process? Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Except in … unusual circumstances, as with Alma (Mosiah 27), spiritual rebirth is a process. It does not occur instantaneously. It comes to pass by degrees. Repentant persons become alive to one spiritual reality after another, until they are wholly alive in Christ and are qualified to dwell in his presence forever.” (Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual Lesson 22: Have Ye Received His Image in Your Countenances? p. 99)

Jesus disagrees with this LDS teaching. He is the one who introduced the teaching of spiritual rebirth by using the words “born again”:

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:6-8)

He also testified that it happens in an instant, through the hearing of His Word:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

The Holy Spirit brings a person to faith in a miraculous birth called conversion. Just as a baby is born physically and does not contribute to its birth, when a person is brought to faith, they are “born of the Spirit” and have done nothing to make it happen. When a physical life is created, there are elements necessary to create this new life, so also with a spiritual birth. As Jesus explained above, the Holy Spirit works His miraculous birth using the very Word of God. It is the conduit which creates a new spiritual life. Peter also testifies:

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:23)

LDS leaders testify that “spiritual rebirth is a process. It does not occur instantaneously”. According to this teaching LDS members take many years in the spiritual birthing process, never to actually be “born again”. It’s like they are stuck in the labor process but never given birth. In LDS re-birth, one must first have “qualified to dwell in his presence forever.”

When someone hears or reads God’s Word and the Holy Spirit brings that person to faith, a new spiritual creature is born, one that did not exist before. At that instant, they are credited with righteousness through faith and can dwell in God’s presence. Every person with a living faith in Jesus, has been brought to faith (born again) in this way—by the Holy Spirit. Before conversion, they were spiritually dead. When they are born again–they are brought to spiritual life, literally “passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24c) Now they are able to do good works that please God.

Today, I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit worked on this miserable being and brought me to faith, opening my eyes and heart to the truth. Now that I know what a “living” faith is, I can clearly see the difference. Contrasting any other faith with a faith in Jesus exposes that all other faiths are “dead”. All who have a faith in Jesus have something that no other person has—a new spiritual creature that lives inside of them and has become a part of who they are.

When the Holy Spirit brought me to faith, I did not want to be a Christian. I had given up on religion and certainly didn’t understand all the things I am explaining to you now. In spite of the fact that I didn’t understand, I had been born-again. There was this new spiritual creature living inside of me that was crying out and acting in ways that I had never before experienced. First and foremost, it wanted to be fed. Just like my daughters who cried out when hungry, my new spirit craved spiritual food and sent me out to find it.

Even though I didn’t understand why at the time, I couldn’t stop myself from going to as many Church services as I possibly could. I would go to three different services on a Sunday and as many others as I could possibly find during the week. I was a thirty-six year old with a “born-again” spirit that needed to be fed voraciously. My hunger was satiated only where God’s Word was being shared—in Christian churches.

It was at one of these services that I heard a message that both my head and heart could understand. The speaker testified that gaining the forgiveness of my sins did not depend upon my works–because that work had already been done by Jesus! After I tested the speakers words with what the Bible taught, I was amazed to learn what my Savior had really done for me. I discovered that all my sins had been washed away with Christ’s blood, shed for me when He died on the cross! Then and there I gave my life to Jesus and my life has never been the same. Every breath I breathe is for my Savior—driven by the new spiritual life that was created in me by the Holy Spirit, and fed by God’s Word working through me.

I pray that the Holy Spirit has brought you to faith through the reading of God’s Word. If you find that what I write is beginning to make sense, then maybe your heart understands what your head has not yet accepted.

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Chapter 11: Revelation From God to His Children: God Speaks to Me Daily!

June 8, 2012 at 3:49 pm (Revelation, Scripture)
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I was amazed to learn that Christians believe God still speaks to them today! When I was LDS I had been told that only the LDS Church believed in personal revelation and that other Christians believed the heavens were closed. This weeks Relief Society/Priesthood Lesson teaches this:

“The thousands, yes, the millions, of our Father’s children who live in the earth are but repeating the history of the past when they deny that God has revealed again his will to the children of men, and say that they have no need of any further revelation. We do not believe that the heavens are sealed over our heads, but that the same Father who loved and cherished the children of Israel loves and cherishes us. We believe that we are as much in need of the assistance of our Heavenly Father in the directing of our lives as they were.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, Chapter 11: Revelation from God to His Children, p.115)

Christians certainly don’t believe the heavens are closed! God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost all live inside the hearts of every person with a living faith in Jesus! “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Eph 3:10-19) Having this kind of personal relationship with the God of love is worth more than life itself.

I have a very personal relationship with my Heavenly Father. I get to talk to Him through prayer and He speaks to me personally when I read His Words in scripture. We read of this truth when Jesus rebuked the Jews for not knowing scripture or the power of God. He told them that God literally spoke divine truths to them when they read scripture! “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Mathew 22:31-32). God spoke to the Jews through scripture telling them the divine truth that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were living prophets, not dead ones.

When I was LDS I didn’t know this truth, that God speaks to us personally through scripture. That’s because I didn’t understand the important truth that God’s Word is alive–it’s living and active! Now, I know it is the “sword of the Spirit” and is so powerful it can literally pierce the soul and spirit of man. It also can discern the thoughts and intents of a person’s heart (Ephesians 6:17/Hebrews 4: 12). The Holy Spirit actively works through the hearing or reading of God’s Word; this is actually how He works the miracle of faith in an unbeliever. Jesus claimed His Word was so powerful that a person is immediately granted everlasting life through hearing it and believing: “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

The Holy Ghost is actually the author of scripture; those who wrote scripture didn’t use their own words to write it. They were inspired about what to say when the Holy Ghost moved them to write Words given to them. In fact, the inspiration of scripture was the mission of the Holy Ghost. Scripture is “able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Peter 1:20-21/2 Timothy 3: 15-17).

Because I believe and trust in God’s Word I do not stumble in darkness! I boldly proclaim that God’s “word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). One of my favorite Psalms tells the importance of meditating on God’s Word: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psalm 1).

Scripture written several hundred years earlier still “spoke” to Jesus and His Apostles, and they were guided by it daily. We read one example in the book of Romans where Paul talks about the Prophet Abraham. Paul reminds his readers of the scripture from Genesis saying that Abraham was imputed with righteousness because of his faith. Paul then says “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” (Romans 4: 20-25).

These scriptures were also written for you! If you “believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” you also will be imputed with righteousness through faith!!! Just like Abraham was.  And yes, every other person whose trust is solely in Christ and all that has already done for them—-even me!

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LDS Leaders Have Re-Written God’s Holy Word

June 2, 2012 at 7:54 pm (LDS Prophets, Lowered Standards, Scripture, Test prophets words)
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In reading the Sunday School Lesson for 12 & 13 year olds I was shocked that an LDS Apostle would change the very words of Christ! Next I read the Aaronic Priesthood Lesson and found that the LDS Manual itself had changed the words that James had written. When looking at both of these official LDS re-writings of God’s Word; I could see how LDS leaders have been able to deceive millions of people, even your children. I understood better why I used to believe I could gain eternal life by keeping the commandments.

Today, lets simply look at these two examples where God’s Word has been re-written by LDS leaders. In doing so, I pray you will understand why you need a Savior who is your Substitute—instead of one who is merely your Exemplar.

First, lets look at what was written in the Preparing for Exaltation Lesson:

“Testify that Heavenly Father loved us enough to send his Son to atone for our sins. Share the following statement by Elder Melvin J. Ballard, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, to show how the sacrament reminds us of that love and to show why we should remember the Savior’s Atonement when we partake of the sacrament:

“It is written in the scriptures that God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son to die for the world, that whosoever believeth on him … and keepeth his commandments, shall be saved. But this [sacrifice] did not cost us very much—freely given are all these glorious privileges.” (Preparing for Exaltation Teacher’s Manual, Lesson 21: In Remembrance, p. 117)

Elder Ballard claims that these words were written in scripture but in truth, he has added a few words. While his words do teach LDS doctrine, they are not what Jesus said! Here are the exact words spoken by our Lord and Savior:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Christ testified that all who believe in Him have eternal life! LDS leaders insert a few words into Christ’s mouth and add “and keepeth his commandments” to His free and unconditional gift.

Next, lets look at our second example. In looking at this Lesson we see one reason why Mormons believe they can gain eternal life by keeping the commandments. The Aaronic Priesthood teacher is instructed to have the young men do an activity from James chapter 3. From this, we will see how the Manual re-writes verses 7-8:

“Bible Exercise: Use James 3:2–13 to assist you in filling in the following blanks:

5. Man has been able to tame animals of all kinds, but the thing he has the hardest time taming is his own tongue. (verses 7–8)” (Aaronic Priesthood Manual 1, Lesson 21: Pure Thoughts: Clean Language, p. 74)

Here are the two Bible passages the Manual references:

“For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:7-8)

James testifies that no man can tame the tongue! But thats not what your children are being taught. Instead, the Manual claims it is something that is merely hard to do. There is a big difference between impossible and hard. If it’s hard to do you should pull up your bootstraps and do it yourself. If it’s impossible to do, your hope is to find a Substitute who can do it for you.

Why are these examples important? Because they expose the foundation of false LDS teachings. In spite of what Jesus revealed, you are told that you must add obedience to your faith to obtain eternal life. Because LDS leaders have changed God’s holy and written Word, you are given hope that you can keep the commandments—-when you really can’t

The truth is that Jesus is your Substitute–He has already kept the commandments for you, in your place. That is why He testified that all who believe in Him already have eternal life!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, without the added words)

All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus. He alone is worthy!

Link to Aaronic Priesthood Lesson:

Link to Preparing for Exaltation LDS Lesson:

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My Soul Is Pained No More: Is Every Member of the Kingdom Unworthy and Wayward?

May 26, 2012 at 5:20 pm (All sin against God, Grading, Sins, Worthy)
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It wasn’t until after I left the LDS church that I received forgiveness of all my sins. As Alma testified, it is an amazing feeling of exquisite and exceeding joy and my soul was pained no more. My guilt was gone and I felt at peace for the first time in my life. For awhile I felt pretty good about myself because I wasn’t committing any serious sins. Or at least I thought. Once I started digging into the Bible I discovered that God doesn’t grade sins. As a Mormon I had been taught that not all sins are equal in nature, and some sins carry a greater penalty than others. Only major sins make you unworthy and sexual sins are next to murder in seriousness. But I discovered God’s Word proved this LDS teaching false:

“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Because the LDS Church grades sins, some Mormons are considered worthy while others aren’t. Only those who commit sins which the Church considers “serious” are declared unworthy and “wayward“. We see this in this weeks Gospel Doctrine Lesson:

“Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: “Alma serves as a pattern. The horror for sin that engulfed him should be felt by every wayward member of the kingdom; then repentance would be forthcoming, as it was with our Nephite friend” (Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Lesson 20: My Soul Is Pained No More p. 92)

The truth is that everyone is wayward! Every person sins and so everyone is equally unworthy and wayward. The horror for sin should be felt by every member every time you sin. Even though we humans like to “grade” sins and think that some aren’t as important as others, God doesn’t do this. No matter how small a sin appears to us, when we sin we are still rebelling against our Majestic God. The greatness of our guilt can be measured by only one yardstick and that is the infinite Majesty of our God whom we have sinned against.

Let me give an illustration using a story about my “little” brother. One day, when we were in High School, this kid said something very rude to me. My brother Ralph heard about it during lunch hour and proceeded to teach him a lesson. Ralph hit the kid a few times and then grabbed his arm and brought him to me. When I heard a loud commotion, I looked and saw a huge crowd all following my brother as he was dragging the kid behind him. Then Ralph threw him down in front of me and forced him to apologize to me. After doing so, the kid ran away crying. Then a teacher took Ralph to the Principal’s office. He was suspended from school for three days, but he says he has always felt like he did the right thing. I certainly never had to worry about being bothered by that kid again (or anyone else for that matter).

But, what if a policeman had said something rude to me and Ralph had done the same thing to the policeman? The consequences would have been much worse than merely being suspended from school. And, if we took that one step further, what if the President of the United States had insulted me and Ralph took a swing at the President? His transgression would have been much more serious.

In a similar way, this is why any sin is serious—because of whom we have sinned against. Every time we sin we break the greatest commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Every sin justifies the eternal death sentence. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This is why James testified: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10)

It’s not just the blatant sinner who has a big problem. Jesus testified that at the Final Judgment people who simply did not help those who were “hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto” them would be sent “away into everlasting punishment“:

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matthew 25:41-46)

The Bible clearly shows the same consequence for all sin—an eternity with Satan and his demons! While the Proverbs passages shows there are specific sins that God hates; each and every sin has the same consequence: eternal separation from Heavenly Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost.

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Think of this balloon as your hope for eternal life. Think of this pin as one “minor” sin. Prick the balloon (commit the sin) just once and your dream is destroyed.

Except for Jesus, no one has or will live a life good enough to qualify for God’s pardon. Logic tells us we have no hope. But again God’s revealed truth defies logic: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). Because Jesus lived perfectly for us, fulfilling every demand of Justice; Heavenly Father can offer us a full pardon. Only through unbelief do we reject His undeserved and completely free gift.

Unbelievers are lost because they think their sins aren’t so bad. They choose to wear their own robe of righteousness, which is like filthy rags in God’s eyes (Isaiah 63:6). Those with faith in Jesus know how sinful they are. They wear Christs’ protective garment — His robe of righteousness and will spend eternity in the loving arms of their majestic God!

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)

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The Scriptures, the Most Valuable Library in the World: Follow Christ’s Example & Study

May 17, 2012 at 7:50 pm (Book of Mormon, Scripture, Test prophets words)
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When I was LDS I never understood why so many “anti-Mormons” tried to prove the Book of Mormon was false. Now, as a Christian I still don’t understand the majority of arguments used as evidence against it. When asking the question “Is the Book of Mormon true?” one needs to clarify “in what way?” Is it a “true” historical account of peoples who lived in the Americas; or are the beliefs expressed in it “true” to God’s Word?

It’s apparent that some apologetics are merely trying to prove that the Book of Mormon is a false historical account. They claim the Book of Mormon can’t be true because horses or steel weren’t supposed to have yet arrived in the Americas during the time the Book of Mormon peoples lived. Or they claim that DNA testing of Native Americans is proof that the Book of Mormon is false. But even if one could prove that the Book of Mormon is a true historical account, this proof doesn’t verify that the beliefs expressed in it are God’s inspired Word.

In the Bible God promised that there would be false Christ’s, false prophets and apostles, and false spirits. We have been warned about such deceivers many times by the Prophets of the Old Testament as well as by Jesus and His Apostles. Thankfully, God told us how to determine if a prophet, spirit, or in this case a book; is truly from God. We are told to “test” their fruits. The “fruit” of anyone (or any book) claiming to speak for God is their words. The “test” is to compare their words with already revealed scripture. Do their teachings agree with it?

I was thrilled to read this same thought in the Relief Society Lesson:

“We talk about the philosophies of men and hold them up sometimes as a pretty picture, but when they conflict with the teachings of our Heavenly Father as contained in Holy Writ, they are valueless. They will never lead anybody into eternal happiness, nor help him to find a place in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, Chapter 10: The Scriptures, the Most Valuable Library in the World, p.105)

Anything a false prophet taught would be man-made philosophy and be in conflict with God’s Word. Even if an angel appears to us and preaches another gospel than the one taught by Christ’s Apostles, we are not to believe him:

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9).

God wants us to use revealed scripture to test any new words. Jesus is a shining example of using scripture to test if words are true or false. Here are just a few examples:

In the dessert Satan tried to tempt Him by twisting scripture. Jesus used scripture to test Satan’s words by saying “It is written…”. He used the same words with the false money changers who bought and sold in the Temple. When the Pharisees accused His disciples of breaking the Sabbath, Jesus said “Have ye not read…” to prove them wrong. He also used these words with them when they tested Him about divorce. When the Sadducees asked him a doctrinal question about marriage in Heaven, Jesus said “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures…”

There is another shining example of using scripture to test a person’s words in the book of Acts. Luke tells us that the Bereans used scripture to test if Paul and Silas’ words were true. He claims that they— “were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

I am sure that during the time following Christ’s death many Israelites would have “tested” the words of the Apostles to see if they were true. Today, every Christian should use this “test” on anyone claiming to speak God’s Word, even their church leaders.

Is the Book of Mormon truly God’s holy scripture inspried by the Holy Ghost? Using Christ’s method of testing, we find that it fails the test! One simple example can be found using the topic of Salvation. In the Book of Mormon we read:

“for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23b)

Compare this with already revealed scripture found in the New Testament:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Both books claim that a person is saved by grace. But the Book of Mormon declares a person is saved by grace, plus works. The Third Article of Faith summarizes this LDS doctrine: “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

Comparing this Book of Mormon verse with already revealed scripture, we find that it fails the test! God’s truth claims that a person is saved by grace, through faith, and not works. Scripture also explains that you can’t add your “works” to God’s “grace”:

“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.” (Romans 11:6)

You won’t hear me say this very often, but I ask you to follow this advice given in your Relief Society Lesson:

“Now, I want to say, my brothers and sisters, that the advice of Jesus Christ, is still in force with us wherein he said, “Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.” [John 5:39.] Do not neglect the old family Bible; do not put it away upon the shelf and forget it. Find out, if you do not already know, what it says, and if you have read it before, read it again often to your children and to your children’s children.” (p. 108)

Follow Jesus’ advice and His example! Test the Book of Mormon with God’s already revealed scripture—the Bible. When you do you will find that the Book of Mormon fails the test–it is not God’s inspired Word!

“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:103-105)

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