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SOLVING THE MORMON PUZZLE: UNDERSTANDING AND EVANGELIZING MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (Part One)
By Cky J. Carrigan, Ph.D. (March 2000)
Solving the Puzzle of Mormon Identity
If Southern Baptists are serious about winning
There are presently about sixty thousand Mormon missionaries around the world3 and they help convert more than three hundred thousand people each year from other religions including thousands of Southern Baptists.4 Perhaps the most revealing indicator of worldwide Mormon growth and influence is the rapid expansion of their temple construction projects. There are a growing number of Mormon Temples springing up around the world. They had sixty-eight temples in operation at the beginning of A.D. 2000, and thirty-two more temples are scheduled for opening by the end of the year. These temples are coming on line in anticipation of a boom in Mormon growth. If the Mormon Church continues to grow at its average overall rate since its inception, then there will be about one hundred million Mormons forty years from now. But, if Mormonism continues to grow at its present rapid rate, there will be five hundred million Mormons by the year 2040.5 In other words, by the year 2040, there may be as many as half a billion Mormons in desperate need of the genuine Jesus and the genuine way of salvation. They will be in need of a genuine evangelist who has been equipped to solve the Mormon puzzle and share the genuine Jesus. In this session, we will seek to solve the puzzle of Mormon origins and the Mormon concept of God.In the next session, we will attempt to solve the puzzle of more Mormon beliefs, solve the puzzle of Mormon terminology and suggest some ways to use the Bible for witnessing to Mormons. As you work through this lesson, keep in mind that Mormon people are loved by God. Christ died a brutal death for them. And He charged us to make disciples among all peoples, yes . . . even Mormons.
Solving the Puzzle of Mormon Origins
From where did Mormons come? The beginning of Mormonism may be traced to the
reported first vision of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844) at the age of 14. Smith
claimed that this vision of the Heavenly Father and His Son came to him in what
is now referred to as the sacred grove behind his family home outside
Three years later, when Joseph was seventeen, he reportedly received his
second vision while seeking God in prayer one night in his upstairs bedroom at
home. Another personage,
Smith also claimed that in 1829, John the Baptist appeared physically to him
and conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon him and Oliver Cowdery. Smith and
Cowdery baptized each other by immersion for the remission of sins in a river
near Harmony
Smith officially organized and constituted his church with six men in April 1830. The original name of Smith's church was the Church of Christ.9 It was changed to the Church of Latter-day Saints in 1834, to the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1836, and finally to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1838.10
Joseph and his followers migrated from central
A predictable struggle for Mormon leadership followed Joseph's tragic death.
Brigham Young (1801-77), rallied support and conducted himself as the acting
president of the church until an official church declaration in December 1847 affirmed
his presidency. Young led the Mormon pioneers on a westward trek over the
Rockies, through
Challenging Mormon Origins
Effective Mormon evangelism almost always requires what I call preparing the soil of the soul. Most Mormons are fairly secure in Mormonism and see traditional Christianity as a flawed cousin of what they call their own restored gospel. One way we can prepare the soil of the soul is to create first a crisis of belief. The entire Mormon Church rests upon the foundation of its history. If Joseph Smith's first vision actually happened as he reported it, and if the Heavenly Father and His Son really appeared bodily to him and told him that all existing churches were wrong, their beliefs an abomination, and their membership corrupt, then perhaps Mormonism is superior to traditional Christianity. The rest of us need saving. But, on the other hand, if the first vision was a fabrication or merely a realistic deception by the Devil himself, then the entire system of Mormon beliefs and practices is fatally flawed and should be abandoned. A false prophet is no prophet at all. Even Mormon authorities concede this.13
The same kind of argument is useful for cross examining Smith's second vision together with his claims that he was appeared to physically by John the Baptist, Peter, James and John. Consider this example, if seventeen year old Joseph was not physically appeared to by Moroni, a person who reportedly died in an epic battle between two Native American peoples of Hebrew origin about sixteen hundred years ago in upstate New York, and if Joseph was not told the secret location of the golden tablets, then, there is no historical Book of Mormon. And if there is no historical Book of Mormon, then there is, of course, no Mormonism.
Consider the following evidence you may use to challenge Mormon confidence in the veracity of Joseph's first vision that consequently may create a crisis of belief.
1) Lack of Collaboration - There were no witnesses to Joseph's first vision. The Bible clearly teaches that all matters shall be clearly established by the testimony of two or three credible witnesses. There is no biblical precedence for such an uncollaborated bodily appearance of the Heavenly Father and His Son. Invite your Mormon friends to reflect upon the major events of the Bible. Suggest that they consider the Hebrew deliverance from Egypt, the giving of the Law and the birth of Christ. Ask them to consider the Transfiguration of Christ, and His death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Then ask them if there were multiple witnesses to these historic events. Follow-up by asking them if it doesn't it seem highly unlikely that God would orchestrate multiple witnesses for all these other historic events, but ask us to rely upon the sole testimony of a single witness to the bodily appearance of the Father and the Son in the sacred grove.
2) Unique Content - Joseph reportedly beheld in his first vision what no other person in the Bible or in all of recorded history has ever seen. He reportedly beheld visibly the faces of, and heard audibly the voices of, the Heavenly Father and His Son. There is no biblical precedence for this. Ask your Mormon friend if it doesn't seem strange that Joseph claimed to see and hear what no other credible person has ever seen and heard.
3) Joseph's Youth - Joseph was only fourteen years old at the time of the first vision and only seventeen at the time of the second. While the Bible records several divine manifestations of God, there is no biblical precedence for so much responsibility being placed on so young a prophet. Remember, the fourteen year old Joseph Smith, Jr. was charged with the responsibility of restoring the church which had been severely corrupted for fifteen hundred years. Invite your Mormon friends to visualize any fourteen year old boy they know. Then ask them if they would place the very lives, eternal futures and fortunes of everyone ever born upon the unprecedented, uncollaborated and highly unique testimony of this lone fourteen year old boy. Expect a negative answer if they will be honest. Then ask them why would they do so with young Joseph Smith.
A careful look at Mormon origins is very useful to anyone wishing to share the genuine Jesus with Mormons. This is particularly the case for Mormonism because so much of the credibility of the entire Mormon program is associated with its origins. Consider asking your Mormon friend about the four-time name change of the church or the unlawful destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor's press. Remember, if Joseph Smith or any subsequent president-prophet was of poor character, was a deceiver, or was just plain mistaken about any feature of their distinctive teachings, then they were by biblical definition false prophets. And a false prophet at any point is no prophet of God at all.
Solving the Puzzle of the Mormon God
But why try to evangelize Mormons anyway? Aren't they Christians already? Don't they believe in God, worship Jesus Christ, go to church and live a moral life? Aren't Mormons just another kind of Christian, like Methodists, or Lutherans, or Presbyterians? The answers to these questions will become self-evident upon a closer look at the Mormon system of beliefs, especially a closer look at the Mormon concept of God.
The Mormon God (Heavenly Father) is an exalted man named Elohim with a physical body of flesh and bone.14 Joseph Smith said that if God made himself visible to us we would see him as a man in form.15 He also said "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man. . . . and was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth."16 So, the Mormon Heavenly Father has a body consisting of all the parts usually associated with the male gender. He is the organizer of the matter of this world, but he did not create everything from nothing. His power is great but limited. His knowledge is great, but growing. Since he has a body, he necessarily is localized in space. He is also changing (from a man to a god) and he is a contingent being. His existence is derived from another greater being. And finally, while he is the chief god of this world, he is only one of many gods among many worlds.
Challenging the Mormon Concept of God
The Mormon concept of the Heavenly Father God as described above is very different from the concept of God as described by traditional, biblical Christianity. The Christian concept of God is a God who has no body and who is not localized in space. John 4:24 tells us that God is spirit. Luke 24:39 tells us that spirit does not have flesh and bones. And we all know that man has flesh and bones. Since God is spirit, and spirit does not have flesh and bones, then God is not and never has been a man. God also created everything that exists from nothing. His power is unlimited. His knowledge is complete. He is eternally God. He changes not. And God is the only necessary being that exists anywhere. He is the only God of the only world.17 In sum, the Christian concept of God is in direct conflict with the Mormon concept of God. Both concepts can not possibly be correct.
Another way we can prepare the soil of the Mormon soul to accept the genuine Jesus is to create first a crisis of belief about either the Mormon concept of God or the Mormon confidence in the Book of Mormon. Mormons generally believe that the BOM is the perfect companion to the imperfect Bible because the Bible has been corrupted and mistranslated. They generally have a higher view of the BOM than the Bible. (The Mormon doctrine of revelation and authority will be covered more fully in the next session.) Many Mormons also generally affirm the Mormon concept of God described above, though there is some evidence that some Mormons are not aware that their church teaches this concept of God. You can, perhaps, create a crisis of belief by putting the Mormon on the horns of a dilemma here. You may put them the uncomfortable position of affirming one belief and necessarily denying the other.
First, ask your Mormon friends if they believe that the BOM is a perfect book that is designed to fill in the information gaps of an incomplete and corrupt Bible. Expect an affirmative response. Next, ask them if they think that the doctrine of the nature of God Himself is perhaps the key doctrine of any religious tradition. Expect an affirmative answer. Then ask them if they believe that the Heavenly Father is an exalted man. Expect another affirmative answer by most. Then ask them to show you where in the BOM you might find clear and convincing evidence to support the Mormon concept of God. Expect no response, because there is no evidence of any kind in the Book of Mormon to support the Mormon concept of God. Then ask them if they don't find it a very unsettling that the most perfect revelation known to mankind offers absolutely no evidence to support the distinctive Mormon concept of God, a key doctrine for every religious tradition.
There is another way to prepare the soil of the Mormon soul and create a crisis of belief about the Mormon concept of God. Don't be surprised if your Mormon friends do not believe you when you state the teachings of the Mormon Church on the nature of the Heavenly Father. Remember, there are thousands of converts every year among people from mainline Christian churches who are grounded in the Christian concept of God. Don't be surprised to discover that they have never heard any of these doctrines in their church. You will almost certainly have to prove this to them, and be ready to share the genuine Jesus with those Mormons who question the Mormon concept of God.
SOLVING THE MORMON PUZZLE: UNDERSTANDING AND EVANGELIZING MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (Part Two) By Cky J. Carrigan, March 2000
As stated before, if Southern Baptists are serious about winning North America to the Genuine Jesus, we will get more serious about doing interfaith evangelism. And if Southern Baptists are more serious about doing interfaith evangelism, we will get more serious about Solving the Mormon Puzzle. In this session we will attempt to solve the puzzle of Mormon beliefs and terminology, then we will show you how to use the Bible for evangelism in a Mormon context. As you work through this material, remember, Mormon people are not our enemy. On the contrary, they are precious creations of God who bear His image. They stand in need of truth spoken in love. And they stand in need of the genuine Jesus and the genuine way of salvation.
Solving the Puzzle of Mormon Beliefs (Part Two)
Some Christians ask, ""But why try to evangelize Mormons at all? Aren't they Christians already? Don't they basically believe what most Christians believe? Aren't Mormons just another kind of Christian, like Baptists, or Lutherans, or Presbyterians?" The answers to these questions will be self-evident upon a closer look at the Mormon system of beliefs, especially their beliefs about authority and revelation, their beliefs about Christ, their beliefs about salvation and their unique terminology.
Solving the Puzzle of the Mormon Doctrine of Authority and Revelation
There are four standard works that constitute the written authority for Mormon beliefs. These standard works include the King James Version of the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly," the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price. The BOM is reported to be an historically accurate work about a people of Jewish descent who lived in Central America from the sixth century B. C. to the fifth century A. D. The Doctrine and Covenants(D&C) is a collection of one hundred and thirty-eight direct revelations of God given to Joseph Smith, plus two official church declarations. The Pearl of Great Price (PGP) is a collection of five documents including Selections from the Book of Moses, The Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith--Matthew, Joseph Smith--History and The Articles of Faith. The Mormon Church also relies upon continuing revelation from God through its prophets and other General Authorities as additional authority for Mormon beliefs. There is a fair amount of disagreement among modern Mormons about what actually constitutes authoritative revelation by the prophets and other General Authorities, but there is certainly a general consensus that direct revelation from God continues through them.18
On the contrary, Biblical Christianity in the main has historically affirmed that the canon of revelation is closed. The Old and New Testaments are faithful documents and they are absolutely sufficient authorities for our beliefs. All other documents must me relegated at best to non-authoritative commentary. The Mormon contention that the present form of the Bible has been severely corrupted by scribes and translators has no basis in fact. Ask your Mormon friends to point out exactly where the Bible has been corrupted or poorly translated. Then ask them to present clear and convincing evidences to support their claims of corruption or poor translation. The vast majority of Mormons will not be able to field these questions. Asking these questions may help create a crisis of belief.
Contrary to Mormon claims, there is no clear and convincing archeological evidence to support the historical accuracy of the BOM. No BOM cities have been located. No BOM names have been found in New World writings. No Reformed Egyptian inscriptions have been discovered. No ancient copies of the BOM have been located. No BOM nations, peoples or places have been uncovered. And no BOM artifacts have been located. Ask your Mormon friend if they are not at least a little bit concerned that there is no clear and convincing physical evidence to support the Mormon claim for the historicity of the BOM, especially as compared to the thousands of pieces of evidences that have been located to verify other ancient documents.19
Solving the Puzzle of the Mormon Doctrine of Christ
The Mormon Church also has several very different beliefs about the Son of God. Jesus was the firstborn spiritual offspring of the Heavenly Father in the pre-mortal realm. The Heavenly Father was also the parent of everyone else in the pre-mortal realm. An official Mormon publication reads, "Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ, so he is literally our elder brother."20 Jesus was also the only begotten physical offspring of the Heavenly Father in the mortal realm. The Heavenly Father, endowed with a physical body of flesh and bones, sired Jesus Christ in virtually the same way all children are sired, or fathered, by their fathers. The thirteenth president-prophet of the Mormon Church, Ezra Taft Benson, wrote that the Son of God was "sired by that same Holy Being we worship as God, our Eternal Father. Jesus was not the son of Joseph, nor was He begotten by the Holy Ghost. He is the Son of the Eternal Father."21
The traditional Christian view of the origin and nature of the Son of God is vastly different. Jesus Christ is God incarnate, the eternal Son of God. He has existed always with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The incarnate Son of God is one person who possesses two natures--human and divine.22 Consult the great Christological passages of Scripture for biblical support for these doctrines. (John 1:1-18; 8:56-59; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:13-23 and Hebrews 1-2, 13:8). Ask your Mormon friends if they believe the Mormon Church teaching that Jesus was twice-sired by the Heavenly Father. Responses will vary. If they appear uncomfortable about this Mormon teaching, or, are reluctant to affirm it, then challenge them to consider the implications of disagreeing with the prophet of the church. If the prophet is wrong about something as important as the nature or origin of Christ, perhaps he is not a genuine prophet at all. Remember, the whole house of Mormonism rises and falls on the accuracy of its prophets.
Solving the Puzzle of the Mormon Doctrine of Salvation
In addition to different concept of God and different doctrines of revelation, authority and Christ, the Mormon Church also has a vastly different doctrine of salvation. In Mormonism, the atonement of Jesus occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane, on Calvary's cross and in the resurrection, but the role of the cross is usually de-emphasized.23 The atonement of Jesus provided immortality for all people without regard for their religious beliefs or practices, but the atonement does not provide for complete salvation in the sense salvation means eternal life with God.24 Every individual person is responsible for accruing enough merit to secure the fullest kind of salvation.25 The Mormon temple rites of endowments and baptism on behalf of the dead also may secure the fullest kind of salvation for those presently in the post-mortal world.26 The fullest kind of Mormon salvation is called exaltation (godhood). Exaltation is only available to obedient Mormons who faithfully keep a rigorous code of belief and conduct.27 There are three levels of heaven in Mormon doctrine. Only obedient, temple-worthy Mormons enter the Celestial Kingdom after the resurrection. The Terrestrial Kingdom and the Telestial Kingdom are reserved for just about everyone else. And only apostate Mormons and the extremely vile sinners inhabit Outer Darkness.28
Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, teaches that complete salvation is entirely the work of God in Christ. The Bible teaches that salvation is the work of God by grace through faith and not of human works. Everyone who wishes to enter eternal life must be born again, repent and believe. And every genuine believer must rely wholly upon the work of Christ for salvation, not their own works.29 Consult especially Ephesians 2:8-10 for a biblical defense of this concept. Ask your Mormon friend to demonstrate from the Bible clear and convincing evidence to support the Mormon doctrines of salvation stated above. Expect them to be prepared with a presentation from the Bible, but do not expect clear and convincing evidence. Gently show them the flaws of their presentation in light of the totality of the Bible. Emphasize the value of virtue and of doing works that are pleasing to God. Help them understand that biblical Christians do not generally believe that virtue and good works are unnecessary altogether, only for salvation itself.
Solving the Puzzle of Mormon Terminology30
Sharing the genuine gospel with Mormons can be frustrating because they have many similar religious terms in their vocabulary, but the meaning of some of those terms is often different. Consider the following terms and their Mormon definitions compared with traditional Christian definitions. When witnessing to Mormons, make sure that you define your terms precisely and ask your Mormon friends to do the same.
Atonement: (Mormonism) The work of Christ from Gethsemane to the tomb that produces universal immortality for everyone, not complete salvation for anyone. (Christianity) The work of Christ on the cross that is sufficient to produce the complete salvation of all, but is particularly efficient for the complete salvation of everyone who repents and believes.
Baptism: (Mormonism) There is live baptism and baptism on behalf of the dead. Baptism is necessary to qualify for complete salvation and exaltation. And it must be performed by the Mormon priesthood. (Christianity) There is no biblical mandate for baptism for the dead. It is not a requirement for complete salvation. And the emphasis of baptism is on the participant, not the baptizing official.
Eternal Life: (Mormonism) Achieving the state of exaltation, or godhood, in the Celestial Kingdom. (Christianity) The state of all the redeemed in Christ in the very presence of God for all eternity.
Gospel: (Mormonism) The doctrines and commandments of the Mormon Church. The true gospel of Jesus Christ restored by Joseph Smith. (Christianity) The good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and His complete atonement for mankind's sins.
Heaven: (Mormonism) Divided into three kingdoms: Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial. (Christianity) No distinctions of divided segments or realms of heaven. All the redeemed go to heaven and all the unredeemed go to hell. The Bible does not suggest different locations for different kinds of redeemed people.
Heavenly Father: (Mormonism) Possesses a body of flesh and bones, and consequently is not present everywhere. Is the literal parent of all humanity and he twice-sired Jesus Christ. (Christianity) One person of the eternal trinity which is three in person and one in being or essence. He is essentially spirit and does not have a body. Lacking a body, He is incapable of siring children.
Holy Ghost: (Mormonism) A totally separate person of God from the Father and the Son. Not the same as the Holy Spirit. (Christianity) One Person of the eternal trinity which is three in person and one in being or essence. The Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are identical. These are merely two different English translations of a single Greek term.
Holy Spirit: (Mormonism) Not a person, but merely an attribute or influence of the Heavenly Father. (Christianity) Identical with the Holy Ghost. See Holy Ghost above.
Salvation: (Mormonism) Salvation by grace is identical with the universal resurrection of all mankind. In other words, in Christ, everyone has a kind of salvation. (Christianity) Salvation is not universal. But complete salvation is enjoyed by individuals who exercise repentance and faith.
Scripture: (Mormonism) Includes KJV Bible correctly translated, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. (Christianity) The Bible alone is Scripture.
Using the Bible for Evangelism in a Mormon Context31
Most Mormons will have a fair amount of respect for the Bible, but the level of confidence in the Bible varies in the Mormon population. When using the Bible to witness to Mormons, you should first evaluate their confidence in it. A few will have a lot of confidence in it and will not employ the "translated correctly" clause of The Articles of Faith whenever you present clear and convincing biblical evidence to support genuine Christian doctrine. But most Mormons will profess a high regard for the Bible until they are presented with biblical evidence that refutes some feature of Mormonism. Then they will often retreat to the "translated correctly" clause I referred to above. To preempt this predictable retreat, try asking your Mormon friends at the beginning of the encounter to state their view on the Bible. Ask them to identify exactly where and how the Bible is corrupt or poorly translated. Ask them for evidence to support their claims. They will probably not present any particular claims about corruption, they have been taught only to offer a general objection. Tell them that you wish to establish what they believe the reliable parts of the Bible to be before anyone begins to present biblical evidences. Offer not to use biblical evidences from what they indicate are corrupted passages. You do not want them to have the option of employing the "translated correctly" clause only after you offer some apparently compelling biblical evidence that challenges Mormon doctrine.
It is also critical to establish the superiority of the Bible as a more reliable guide to truth than subjective feelings. Attempt to persuade your Mormon friend to admit the danger of relying on feelings as a test for truth. Ask them if they think feelings or the Bible is a more trustworthy guide when searching for truth. Expect them to concede eventually that the Bible is superior to feelings. Then ask them which they intend to follow with feelings and the Bible disagree. Without an understanding that the Bible is reliable and that the Bible trumps feelings, it will be difficult to use the Bible to win your Mormon friend to the genuine Jesus.
You may use the Bible to demonstrate that Christ introduced a new era that concluded the Old Testament prophetic era. This will challenge the Mormon insistence that prophets are necessary in every era. Consult Luke 16:16 and Matthew 11:13 for evidence that Jesus spoke of John the Baptist as the last prophet. Indicate that the prophets spoken of in the New Testament were not sources for new truth or revelation but they were communicators and explainers of truth revealed in the Law and Prophets and in the teachings of Christ. Consult also Hebrews 1:1-2 and Acts 2:18 to make this point.
The Bible may be used to repel the Mormon claim that the Book of Mormon is the stick of Ephraim mentioned in Ezekiel 37:15-20. Mormons claim that the stick of Judah is the Bible written by Judah's descendants and the BOM is the stick of Ephraim written by the Nephites who were descendants of Ephraim. The lack of historical evidence for the authenticity of the BOM notwithstanding, there are many problems with this interpretation of Ezekiel 37. The most compelling criticism of the Mormon interpretation of this passage is the brute fact that the text indicates that Ezekiel was told to write upon two sticks (v. 16). Ask your Mormon friend if it is his claim that Ezekiel wrote the BOM. They will probably concede that Ezekiel did not write the BOM. Then state that whatever both sticks may be, they must both have been authored by Ezekiel. Since Ezekiel did not author the BOM, the stick of Ephriam can not be identical to the BOM.
You may also employ the Bible to refute the Mormon claim that the Mormon Church is the restored church of Christ after fifteen hundred years of complete apostasy. Mormons claim that 2 Thessalonians 2:3 refers to a complete and total apostasy or falling away of the church. Ask your Mormon friends to show you evidence that 2 Thessalonians 1-12 says anything about complete apostacy. A falling away does not necessarily mean a complete falling away. And 1Timothy 4:1 clarifies 2 Thessalonians by stating that "some" not all "will depart from the faith."
The Bible may be used to demonstrate that the Mormon view of the Aaronic priesthood is not biblical either. Mormons claim that they alone have restored the Aaronic priesthood to the earth, a priesthood that has been lost for centuries until the restoration by Joseph Smith. They routinely ordain Mormon boys at about 12 years of age. But, the Bible presents a solid challenge to this practice. Mormons consider themselves to be Israelites, more specifically of the tribe of Ephraim. But according to Exodus 38:21, and Numbers 3 and 8, God appointed Aaron's descendants as priests and Aaron was of the tribe of Levi. Ask your Mormon friends how an Ephraimite can hold the Aaronic-Levitical priesthood. Also ask them why the Mormon Church ordains Aaronic priests at the age of twelve when God set the age at twenty-five in Numbers 8:23-25.
The Mormon teaching that the Heavenly Father has a body of flesh and bones may also be handily refuted by the Bible. Mormons generally rely upon Exodus 33:11 to prove that the Heavenly Father has a body. "So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face." Mormons have an embarrassing problem when they use this text as a proof text. The title, "the LORD" is a title that refers only to the Son of God, not the Heavenly Father, in the Mormon program. Another problem is that Deuteronomy 4:12-5: 4 shows that the LORD spoke to the people at Sinai, but the people saw no form of God even though the LORD spoke to the people "face to face." Mormons are forced to rely upon revelations outside the Bible and the BOM to support their belief about the bodily form of the Heavenly Father.
You may also show that the Bible does not teach baptism for the dead. Mormons use 1 Corinthians 15:29 as the primary source for this teaching. The context of 1 Corinthians 15 and even verse 29 itself is the resurrection of the dead not the baptism of the dead. Also notice that Paul uses "I," "we" and "you" everywhere else in this chapter. But, he uses "they" in verse 29. This strongly suggests that Paul excludes himself and his audience from those who practice baptism for the dead. Ask your Mormon friends to consider that Jesus never mentioned baptism for the dead, nor is it mentioned anywhere else in the Old or New Testament, nor is it described as efficacious for salvation in either the Bible or the BOM. Ask them if it doesn't seem strange to them that a doctrine so key and crucial to the entire Mormon way of salvation and temple works would have so little evidence for it in the two most important works of Mormonism--the Bible and the BOM?"
It is highly unlikely that active Mormons will set aside their beliefs in favor of the truth because you have pointed out one or two severe problems in the Mormon system. Do not be surprised, however, if the total weight of all these strategies is not effective over time. The most important caution for anyone wishing to do Mormon evangelism using a strategy of creating a crisis of belief, is not to forget to suggest genuine Christianity all along the way. There are hundreds of ex-Mormons swimming in the sea of uncertainty having rejected Mormonism. Remember, the eternal consequences of hell will be virtually the same for a Mormon and an unbelieving ex-Mormon.
EVANGELISM TIPS
Six General Principles For Witnessing to Mormons32
1. Get a clear understanding of basic biblical doctrines.
A. On the nature of God.
B. On the Trinity.
C. On the Person and Work of Christ.
D. On Revelation and Authority.
E. On Salvation.
2. Get a clear understanding of basic Mormon history and doctrine.
A. On the nature of God.
B. On the Person and Work of Christ.
C. On Revelation and Authority.
D. On Smith's First Vision.
E. On the names of the Church
3. During an encounter, keep the initiative. Ask the Mormon to make notes for a later discussion if they raise objections or wish to consult other biblical passages.
4. Be very patient. Mormons are rarely won to Christ in one or two encounters. It will probably be necessary to maintain an ongoing discussion forum. It will also be very important to build sincere, friendly relationships.
5. Define your own terms clearly and ask Mormons to define theirs. Mormons use similar terms but ascribe very different meanings to them. It is often the case that Christians and Mormons talk past one another during discussions.
6. Rely heavily upon the Holy Spirit to lead you and to change them. Remember, our goal is not to win an argument, but to win a brother, to change a heart. Lead with prayer.
MORE EVANGELISM TIPS
Six More General Principles For Witnessing to Mormons33
1. Use the King James Version of the Bible. This is the only authorized version of the Bible recognized by the Mormon Church. There is no point to raising translation issues unnecessarily.
2. Know how to present the basic plan of salvation. Generally expect a Mormon to object to your arguments and pose their own to convince you of the superiority of Mormonism. But, if the Mormon offers no serious objections or rebuttals, then immediately present the biblical plan of salvation as you would to a non-Mormon.
3. Determine the level of commitment to Mormonism. As it is in Baptist life, not all Mormons are thoroughly committed Mormons. As a general rule, the less active a Mormon is, the more likely they are to set aside Mormonism in favor of Genuine Christianity.
A. Determine if they were converts to Mormonism or born into a Mormon family.
B. Determine if they take the sacraments weekly in the ward house.
C. Determine, if male, if they have received the Melchizedek priesthood.
D. Determine if they are a Temple Mormon. One who is qualified to enter the Temple.
4. Determine the level of faithful adherence to Mormon doctrines. Faithful Mormons generally affirm strongly the following six unbiblical propositions. If your Mormon friends deny or question any of them, they may not be fully convinced of all Mormon truth claims.
A. Mormonism is based on the Bible or agrees with it.
B. The Book of Mormon is another witness to the Bible.
C. The Mormon Church is the Restored Church founded by Christ.
D. The Mormon Church is the only church with a valid priesthood.
E. God was once a man and presently has a body of flesh and bone.
F. Baptism for the dead must be performed.
5. Emphasize the objective method of discovering truth. Remind Mormons that a claim for truth is not the same as evidence for truth. Remind them that a testimony to something does not necessarily make it so. Mormons characteristically offer their private subjective religious experiences as a measure to confirm their doctrine.
6. Offer a Bible-laced testimony of your own. Make sure your own testimony of salvation is laced with objective Bible truths about sin, redemption and the person and work of Christ. Make sure that the essential gospel content of the life, death and resurrection of Christ is present.
____________
End Notes:
1 See "Key Facts and Figures" Global Media Guide; available at http://lds.org/med_inf/glo_med_gui/12K-ey_Facts_and_Figures.html; accessed January 3, 2000.
2 See Amy Frazier, "Mormon Church Flourishes in the South," Associated Press (November 21, 1999); available at http://www1.standard.net/stories/relinews/11-1999/FTP0126@relinews@21lds@Ogden.asp; accessed March 2, 2000.
3 "LDS Missionaries Number 60,000" Salt Lake Tribune (January 15, 2000); available at http://www.sltrib.com/2000/jan/01152000/religion/17795.htm; accessed January 21, 2000.
4 Walter R. Martin, edited by Hank Hanegraaff, The Kingdom of the Cults, revised (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1997), 180.
5 See "Media Gallery/Charts/Projection of Church Membership," Infobases Collector's Library CD-ROM (Bookcraft, 1998).
6 Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 1:1-20.
7 Ibid., 1:27-54.
8 Ibid., 1:66-75. See also Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) 13; 27:8, 12-13; 84:18; Moses 6:67-8.
9 D&C 20:1.
10 Ibid., 115:4. See also Susan Easton Black, "Name of the Church" in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Ludlow, Daniel H., ed. (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1992), compiled in Infobases Collector's Library CD-ROM (Bookcraft, 1998).
11 See "History of the Church" in Encyclopedia of Mormonism compiled in Infobases CD-ROM.
12 Ibid.
13 Joseph Fielding Smith (10th Mormon President-Prophet) wrote, "Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. If Joseph Smith was a deceiver ... then he should be exposed ... for the doctrines of an impostor cannot be made to harmonize in all particulars with divine truth." Doctrines of Salvation, I, 188, 322.
14 See D&C 130:22.
15 See Joseph Smith, "King Follet Funeral Sermon," History of the Church, 6:305. See also Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 345.
16 Joseph Smith, "King Follet Funeral Sermon," History of the Church, 6:305. See also Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 345.
17 This summary description of the Christian concept of God and the summary description above of the Mormon concept of God are both adapted from Francis J. Beckwith, "Philosophical Problems with the Mormon Concept of God," Christian Research Journal (Spring 1992).
18 See Articles of Faith 8-9, in Pearl of Great Price.
19 See Hal Hougey, "Archeology and the Book of Mormon." Available from Utah Lighthouse Ministry.
20 Gospel Principles, 11.
21 Ezra Taft Benson, Come Unto Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1983), 4. See also Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), 546-7, 743.
22 See Baptist Faith and Message, II:B.
23 See Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual: Religion 231-323 (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1986), 22.
24 See GP, 71-8.
25 See GP, 117-223.
26 See GP, 255-7.
27 See GP, 301-5.
28 See GP, 294-9.
29 See Baptist Faith and Message, IV.
30 Adapted from Sandra Tanner "Terminology Differences" (Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry).
31 Adapted from Latter-day Saints Interfaith Witness Resource Packet, North American Mission Board.
32 Adapted from Latter-day Saints Interfaith Witness Resource Packet, North American Mission Board.
33 Adapted from Latter-day Saints Interfaith Witness Resource Packet, North American Mission Board.
Copyright 2000 by Cky J. Carrigan. All Rights Reserved.
***The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the North American Mission Board, the Southern Baptist Convention, or any other Southern Baptist Church or Agency***