Testing the words of LDS leaders with Biblical Truth:
February 2012
Preparing for Exaltation Teacher’s Manual
* This life is the time to prepare to meet God (page 23):
“God has given us a plan. He has sent us all to earth to obtain bodies and to gain experience and growth.”—President Spencer W. Kimball
Note to the teacher: With the many pressures of daily life, it is sometimes easy to lose sight of the significance of mortality. Earth life is a time to learn. We obtain our bodies, tabernacles for our spirits, and then learn to control them. Help class members understand that “this life is the time … to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32). [ 32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.]
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
LDS doctrine states that after death, we will be given more time to work out our salvation. But, because we wont have a physical body, it will be more difficult to overcome our sins.
God’s truth, the truth of the Bible, is this: At the moment of death, your fate is sealed. If you are found to be perfect, you will dwell forever with God in the highest degree of glory. If you are not found to be perfect, you will be sent to Hell, the same domain as Satan. You will remain in Hell for eternity.
“When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth./” Proverbs 11:7
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:27-28
“Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. 2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: 6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever” Psalm 146:1-6
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
Ecclesiastes 12:7-14
No picture of the finality of death is complete without looking at the story Jesus told, recorded in the 16th Chapter of Luke:
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:22-31
Moses and the Prophets is what the Jews called their scripture—the Old Testament. You have that same scripture to read and study. When you read it, it is as if God were speaking to you. Notice “they hear not Moses and the prophets”. Reading God’s Word is the same as hearing God’s voice. Please read it to test the words of LDS prophets. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31
To read more about God’s truth, go to this blog Post: “Are You Afraid of Death?” written May 20, 2009; or, Click here:
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* Life is like preparing for the Olympics. We receive the reward of exaltation by keeping the commandments—Enrichment Activity 4 (Page 27):
• How is life like the Olympics? (Answers may include that both require preparation and hard work for success or that both involve persistence in the face of failure.) Explain that like Olympic athletes, we are training to reach an important goal. The “gold medal” we are seeking is exaltation in the celestial kingdom, and we can receive this reward only after showing dedication and discipline in keeping the commandments and covenants God has given us.
Test these LDS Words with Biblical Truth:
When I was LDS I wondered how some Christians thought we could be saved by faith alone. I wondered how it could possibly be bad to try and keep God’s commands. The Lesson uses an illustration of preparing for the Olympics. Now, imagine that you are at the Olympics swim meet with Michael Phelps. You know that he is the closest thing to a perfect swimmer in the history of the world. But, you want to help him win his gold medal so you offer to swim the first lap for him, or even just five feet. What do you think will be the outcome? Would your effort help or hurt Phelps’ performance?
The same is true with the perfection Jesus accomplished. On your behalf, Jesus spent His entire life living for you. In your place he kept every command perfectly. He is your substitute for the perfection demanded by God. Jesus alone meets the requirement to be as perfect as Heavenly Father. Adding your “best effort” to His perfect score only makes your score imperfect! This is why we can only be saved through faith alone. “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).
There will be no reward given to those who believe that eternal life is gained by keeping the commandments because you cannot keep them perfectly. On Judgment Day, many will be surprised when they are turned away by Christ. All who point to their works as the reason they should be allowed into God’s kingdom will spend eternity in Hell with Satan:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Jesus told us what the will of the Father is:
“And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)
The same word in the Bible that defines eternal life, also defines an eternity in hell. To read more about eternity, go to this blog Post: “How Long Will Eternity Last?” written June 3, 2009; or, Click here:
To read a wonderful story about running a race, read “God Helps Those Who Cry Out for Help” by Clicking here:
Latter-day Saint Woman 
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