MG-01 - Witnessing to Mormons Using Their Own Church History
Christina R Darlington
Have you ever considered sharing your Christian Faith with a Mormon friend, coworker or neighbor? For the first time in the History of the Mormon Church, authentic and realistic Mormon Doctrine and History are now available to you and the Mormon People on the Gospel Topics’ section of the Mormon Church’s official website.
These incredibly insightful documents now state as a Fact of Mormonism, that Joseph Smith repeatedly lied to his first wife Emma. That he, Joseph Smith had up to 40 wives to include 12 to 14 wives of other men, whom he secretly married behind Emma’s back. Many of these relationships the Mormon Church now admits included the “possibility” of sexual relationships.
Why does this information matter? Because it reveals the character of Joseph Smith, that he was NOT qualified to be called as one of God’s latter-day prophets.
The Bible proclaims that a Bishop or Elder in a Christian church “…must be blameless, the husband of one wife…” (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:5-6).
If you are a Mormon or you have friends and loved ones involved in Mormonism, We stand with you in reaching them with the Truth of Christ as proclaimed in the Bible.
MG-02 - Is Black Skin a Curse in the Book of Mormon?
Christina R Darlington
Have you ever read the Book of Mormon? Did you know that even the version of the Book of Mormon that is in print today, and given away by the Mormon Missionaries, is the most racist set of Scriptures of any religion in the world?
Hundreds of Mormons have never really read the Book of Mormon which is a bit strange, because the Book of Mormon claims to be the very foundation of the Mormon faith. The Book of Mormon clearly states, several times, that black skin is a curse from God. Yet the Bible teaches in John 3:16 that God so loved the world…not just the people with white skin.
The Book of Mormon tells of a violent struggle between two groups of people somewhere in South, Central or North America. In the Book of Mormon story, the good, hard-working people are white and the violent and lazy group are black.
2 Nephi 30:6, in the Book of Mormon, claims that if the bad black people repent, then they too will become white like the good people. The current Book of Mormon warns both groups of people that they should not “mix” their seed between the blacks and whites or God will curse them.
Since our ministry works with many former members of the Mormon Church, we know very well that most Mormons are not racist. Yet, in over 180 years of changing many other parts of the Book of Mormon, the Mormon leadership still prints and reprints 35 remarkably racist statements found in the current Book of Mormon. Past Mormon leaders have taught that the black race was permitted to come through the Great Flood and remain on earth to represent “the devil”.[1]
We have worked very closely with several black communities around the world, and we are just astonished, that any person of color would join the Mormon Church.
We are equally amazed and stunned that any white Mormon would continue to endorse, admire or much less teach from the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is wrong. Black skin is not now and never was a curse from God. The plague of racism and bigotry may be promoted within the Book of Mormon, but it is not found in the Bible.
[1] John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, vol. 22, pp. 303-304 (below).
MG-03 - Does Mormonism Teach that God was Once a Man?
Christina R Darlington
Mormons often wonder, “Why would anyone feel the need to question if Mormons are Christian? Even the name of the Church reflects the Mormon belief in Jesus Christ.” They are proud to be called a members of “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Yet fundamentally, the Mormon Church teaches a different Jesus Christ than the One proclaimed in the Bible. In Mormonism, Jesus Christ is called our Elder Brother and the Brother of Satan. Believing that He is literally the Son of God, they teach that He is the product of a physical relationship between “Heavenly Father” and one of his so-called “Heavenly Mother” goddess wives.
As a result of this teaching, Mormons deny the eternality of God the Father and claim that He earned his godhood by living upon an earth like us. Teaching that every human being has the opportunity to progress to become a god like God the Father, the Mormon Gospel Topics Essay entitled, “Becoming Like God,” quotes the Mormon Prophet Lorenzo Snow, as stating, “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.”
It is the very nature and character of God that sets Mormonism apart from Christians. The God of the Bible says at Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord. I change not.” God also tells us in Isaiah 43:10, “…before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
Mormonism clearly does not agree with God’s Word in the Bible. He never progressed from a mortal man to become a God because He has always been God (Psalm 90:2). So, I do not see how the Mormon Church can claim that they are Christian when they have changed the very nature and character of God as spoken of by God Himself in the Bible.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
If the Mormon teaching were true that God was once a man “like” us, wouldn’t that make him once a sinner “like” us? Since Jesus was “without sin,” (Hebrew 4:15), how could He do something His Father couldn’t do? Mormonism perverts the nature of God and falls under the condemnation of Romans 1:22-23, which teaches that fools “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man.”
The Bible is clear that no gods were formed “before” or “after” the God of the Bible
(Isaiah 43:10). He alone is the “…Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” God, the “Almighty” at Revelation 22:13 and Revelation 1:8. Being the “Almighty” God, He can have no equal.
MG-04 - Do Mormons Believe They Can Become Gods?
Christina R Darlington
Are We in the Process of Becoming Gods?
Quite often when we speak about how Mormons aren’t Christians because they believe that they can become gods, people say, “I know a doctor, a dentist, a lawyer whose a Mormon. There is no way these smart people believe this about God.”
While it is true that not every Mormon knows these deeper doctrines of Mormonism, that doesn’t change the fact that this is still the official teaching of the Mormon Church. Mormons are taught that not only was our God just an exalted man, but that all men and women will have the opportunity to become Gods and Goddesses of their own Worlds.
This is still a core belief of Mormonism today. In fact, the Mormon Church has issued an official statement in their “Becoming Like God” Gospel Topic Essay on their Church website that describes how you can become a god.
Now ask, “How can Mormons be considered Christian when they believe they can become gods of their own worlds? Wouldn’t that make multiple gods?”
In Isaiah 44:6, God says, “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
In Isaiah 46:9 the LORD says, “I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.”
Paul warns at Galatians 1:7,9: “Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. … If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (NIV) With the teaching that you can become a god of your own world, Mormonism completely perverts the gospel of Christ and cannot be considered Christian.
MG-05 – Is the Book of Mormon Against Mormonism?
Christina R Darlington
Did you know the Book of Mormon which Joseph Smith claimed is the “most correct of any book on earth” and the “keystone” of the Mormon religion does not contain any of the unique doctrines of Mormonism?
Examples of key Mormon doctrines that are NOT taught in the Book of Mormon are:
1.) The Spirit World, Preexistence, or Premortal life (the Mormon idea that mankind existed as spirits before coming to earth)—
Not in the Book of Mormon.
2.) The 3 Kingdoms of Heaven: The Telestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom and the Celestial Kingdom—
Not in the Book of Mormon.
3.) The Plan of Salvation: Here is a key doctrine of the Mormon Church. They claim to know where you came from, why you are here and where you are going. This is—
Not in the Book of Mormon.
3.) Marriage for time and eternity—
Not in the Book of Mormon.
4.) Baptism for the dead, a second chance for salvation after death in the Spirit World—
Not in the Book of Mormon. In fact it teaches the opposite at Alma 34:32-35 when it claims that this life is the only life we have to repent and that there is no second chance after you die.
5.) God was once a man and men can become gods—
Not in the Book of Mormon. It teaches the opposite at Moroni 8:18 where it says: “For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.”
6.) The Father, the Son and Holy Ghost are three separate gods—
Not in the Book of Mormon. Here again it teaches clearly the Trinity at 2 Nephi 31:21: “…behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.”
If you get the character of God wrong, you get everything wrong.
MG-06 - Does Genesis Teach the Mormon Belief that God's Image is Human?
Christina R Darlington
If you’re a Mormon who considers yourself to be a Christian, we want you to seriously consider what you are teaching your children about God. Mormonism teaches that God is an exalted man like us, and that someday, all men and women on this earth will have the opportunity to become gods and goddesses of their own worlds. But where does this non-Christian doctrine come from?
The Mormon Church claims in their Gospel Topic Essay on “Becoming like God” that this doctrine is taught in the first chapter of Genesis where “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). But every Mormon needs to consider the irrationality of that argument. Who was the “us” that God was talking to when He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”? Was it not the Godhead, which is comprised of the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost? Is there a single Mormon today who believes that the Holy Ghost has a physical human body?
No. Mormons don’t believe the Holy Ghost has a human body.
And what about Jesus Christ? Did He possess a physical human body at that time when God created Adam and Eve?
No. Not a single Mormon believes that Jesus had a physical human body before He was born on the earth.
So how can the Mormon Church claim that the “image” and “likeness” of God that the Godhead gave to Adam and Eve at creation was a physical human body when neither the Son nor the Holy Ghost possessed a human body at that time? Not only does Genesis not support the Mormon belief in “becoming like God” it argues against this very doctrine at Genesis 3, where we read that it was Satan’s idea that by eating the forbidden fruit, men would become “like” God. Mormonism distorts the very character of God. If you get the character of God wrong, you get everything wrong.
MG-07-Did Jesus Teach That Men Can Become Gods
Christina R Darlington
Did Jesus teach the Mormon doctrine that men can become “Gods” of their own universe?
In the Mormon Church Gospel Topic Essay on “Becoming like God” they claim that Jesus taught that humans are in the process of becoming gods when he quoted Psalm 82:6 at John 10:34 saying, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”
As with most Scriptures the Mormon Church quotes to support their blasphemous doctrine of men becoming gods, they fail to consider the context of these statements. Let’s start with Psalm 82, which forms the basis of Jesus’ reference about being “gods” at John 10:34.
Here the Psalmist says, “How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? …I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”
Rather than complimenting these wicked judges for their attempt to be “gods,” the true God of the Bible is actually mocking them because these wicked judges were convicting the innocent while acquitting the guilty. In other words, these wicked judges were doing exactly what the Pharisees were doing to Jesus when they picked up stones to condemn Him, the true God, to death.
In Psalm 82, it is as if the true God is saying to these wicked judges, “You think you’re gods but you will die like the men that you truly are!”
And in quoting Psalms 82 at John 10, Jesus was reminding the Pharisees of the serious consequences of their judgment of Him, showing that what these Pharisees thought they were in trying to act as gods in condemning Him, when He was, in reality, the one true God, they would incur the same wrath as those wicked judges.
In reducing God to a man so that men can become gods, Mormonism distorts the nature of God and perverts the gospel of Christ.
MG-08 – By Grace Alone
Christina R Darlington
“Sola Gratia” which is Latin for “By Grace Alone,” is one of the Five Solas, or five essential doctrines, of the Historic Christian faith that is completely distorted within Mormonism.
The Bible says at Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
The Grace that we receive for salvation is a “gift of God – not by works.” The Bible goes on to explain at Romans 11:6 “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.”
In other words, there is a clear distinction between salvation by works and salvation by grace. Either you are trusting your works, or you are trusting in Grace Alone to save you. You cannot have it both ways.
When the Mormon Church adds works to Grace for salvation, they change the very definition of Grace. In fact, their Bible Dictionary, actually says under the heading “Grace” that “This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.” (LDS Bible Dictionary, page 697)
“After they have expended their own best efforts”? How does that definition fit with the Biblical definition of Grace: “…if by grace, then is it no more of works?” Not only does Mormonism distort the meaning of Grace but Joseph Smith, changed it in his own Bible translation of Romans 4:5 where we read that God “justifieth the ungodly.” Instead, Joseph Smith wrote, God “justifieth not the ungodly.”
But if God does not justify the ungodly, how can anyone be saved? By changing the very definition of Grace, Mormonism distorts the Gospel of Christ and cannot be considered Christian.
MG-09 - By Faith Alone
Christina R Darlington
“Sola Fide” (Sola Fe-day), “By Faith Alone” is one of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith that cannot be found within the Mormon Church. To a Christian, “By Faith Alone” means that you are saved by your belief in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ Alone, excluding any works of your own for your salvation.
True Christians trust in the Bible when it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Yet Mormonism teaches a grace plus works doctrine. In the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 25:23 it says, “for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” AFTER ALL WE CAN DO? This is definitely NOT a Christian Belief!
Mormon leaders have even gone so far as to claim that this doctrine of “faith alone” was “originated by Satan” Himself! For example, Apostle Spencer W. Kimball (who later became 12th Prophet) said in his book, The Miracle of Forgiveness, page 206: “One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation.” And the Mormon Church cited this statement in their LDS Church manual entitled, “Book of Mormon Student Manual Religion 121 and 122,” 1989 edition, p. 36.
Now ask yourself, how can the Mormon Church be considered Christian when they teach that man is not saved by the doctrine of faith alone? This doctrine forms the very foundation of the Biblical Gospel. To deny salvation by faith alone is to reject the full sufficiency of Christ’s atonement.
By teaching that faith alone is not enough, Mormons claim you must work your way to the highest level of Heaven by being Temple-worthy & obeying certain laws & ordinances set up by the Mormon Church. These include tithing a full 10% of your income and being baptized by a man holding the Mormon Melchezideck Priesthood.
Yet, the Bible says Romans 10:9: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
We want you to know that belief in Jesus Christ ALONE is sufficient for your salvation. You are saved by faith… not by your works, so that no one can boast!
MG-10 - In Christ Alone
Christina R Darlington
“Solus Christus,” which is Latin for “In Christ Alone,” is another essential doctrine of the Christian faith that is completely rejected by the Mormon Church. “In Christ Alone” means that Christians trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and do not put faith in any other person to stand between them and God.
The Bible teaches at 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” But the Mormon Church rejects this truth when they add their prophet Joseph Smith to the redemption plan of Christ.
Instead of trusting in Jesus Christ alone, the Mormon Church stated in their June 1994, Ensign article entitled, “Joseph Smith among the Prophets” that “…the life of Joseph Smith was in some degree patterned after that of his Master, Jesus Christ. Like his Master, Joseph Smith also shed his blood in order that the final testament, the reestablishment of the new covenant, might be in full effect.”[1]
Now, you may be thinking, “Wait a minute! Does the Mormon Church really teach that the blood of Joseph Smith was necessary for the full ‘reestablishment of the new covenant’?”
Absolutely, it does! In this article they also quote their prophet Brigham Young who taught, “No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith… every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are.”
If that’s not blasphemy, I don’t know what is! By adding Joseph Smith to the redemption plan of Christ, Mormonism distorts the gospel of Christ and cannot be considered Christian.
MG-11 - By Scripture Alone
Christina R Darlington
“Sola Scriptura” which is Latin for “Scripture alone” is a fundamental doctrine of the historic Christian faith that is completely rejected by the Mormon Church. “Scripture Alone” means that Christians regard the teachings of the Bible as the final authority for determining the doctrines and practices of the Christian faith. The Bible says at 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine… for instruction in righteousness.” But the Book of Mormon rejects this truth when it mocks Christians who trust in the Bible Alone, saying at 2 Nephi 29:6: “Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible.”
Not only does the Mormonism reject “Scripture alone,” but it claims that “…there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 13:28) and their 8th Article of Faith says: “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly… ”
By questioning the accuracy and transmission of the Biblical text, Mormonism rejects the promise of Christ who said at Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”. Not only is the preservation of the Biblical text defended by the very promise of Christ, but it has been verified by the archaeological discoveries of ancient manuscripts that when compared with the Biblical text, all agree with 99% accuracy. By teaching that Jesus failed to preserve His Word in the Bible, Mormonism distorts the doctrines of Christ and cannot be considered Christian.
MG-12 - To The Glory of God Alone
Christina R Darlington
“Soli Deo Gloria” which is Latin for “To the Glory of God Alone” is an essential teaching of the Christian faith that Mormonism distorts. Christians live for the glory of God alone, and not for building themselves up or exalting their own kingdoms as Mormonism teaches. The Apostle Paul said at Galatians 6:14: “…may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…”
Yet, Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, boasted that he did more than Jesus. Joseph Smith said: “I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together… Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.” (History of the Church, May 26, 1844, Vol. 6, pp. 408-409)
Not only did Joseph Smith boast in himself over Christ, he told his Mormon followers in his King Follett Sermon that “God…was once a man like us” and that the goal of eternal life is “to learn how to be gods yourselves… by going… from exaltation to exaltation, until you… sit in glory…”
Given the blasphemous teachings of Mormonism that reduce God to man in order to exalt man to the position of God, is it any wonder that Mormons “laud” Joseph Smith by singing a hymn entitled: “Praise to the Man” which “hails” him as “the Prophet [who] ascended to heaven [and is] Mingling with Gods”?
Far from giving glory to God Alone, Mormonism exalts man in its worship services and cannot be considered Christian.
MG-13 - No Need for a Prophet Today
Christina R Darlington
Have you ever wondered why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that is, the Mormon Church, has a living prophet leading their church while Bible-believing Christian churches do not? Quoting the Bible at Amos 3:7 which says: “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets,” leaders of the Mormon Church teach that “the Lord keeps a channel of communication open to His children through” their living prophet and that by “sustaining” their church leaders, “the Lord will never” allow their church members “to be led astray.” (See October 1994, General Conference talk, Heed the Prophet’s Voice at http://lds.org)
Is it true that without the revelations of a modern-day prophet, God’s people would be led astray? No! The Bible says in Hebrews chapter one “God… spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” Likewise, Luke 16:16 states: “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”
What these Scriptures are teaching is that up until the time of Christ, God used prophets to speak to His people, but now through Christ, every Christian, has direct access to personal revelation from God through His Holy Spirit. At John 14:26: Jesus promised: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
By following the revelations of modern-day prophets instead of the divine revelations of Christ’s Holy Spirit and the Bible, Mormonism distorts the Gospel and cannot be considered Christian.
MG-14 - No Need for a Restored Gospel
Christina R Darlington
What is the Gospel or Good News? 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says that the Gospel consists of belief in Jesus Christ’s death for our sins, His burial and His Resurrection. But did you know that most Mormons today think that this simple Gospel taught in the Bible is incomplete? The Mormon Church claims that when the first-century Christian Apostles died, many “plain and most precious” truths of the gospel were lost and that Joseph Smith was called by God to “restore” what was missing in the Christian Gospel. So what exactly makes the Mormon “restored” gospel different from the Biblical Gospel?
Mormon Priesthood Authority: The Mormon Church teaches that Christians outside of the Mormon Church who are not ordained to the Mormon Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods do not have the authority to operate with the power of God.
Temple Ordinances are another difference: Mormons believe that they have to perform special temple rituals, such as receiving endowments and being married for time and eternity, before they can go to the highest kingdom of heaven.
But are these additions to the Gospel a true “restoration” of the first-century Gospel? No! Not a single wedding was ever performed in the Biblical temple and neither Jesus nor His Apostles held the Aaronic Priesthood because they were not Levites. So how can the Mormon gospel be a true restoration? It can not be a restoration. Instead Mormonism is a counterfeit gospel and falls under the condemnation of Galatians 1:9: “If any man preach any other gospel unto you… let him be accursed.”
MG-15 - No Need for a Restoration of Gospel Authority
Christina R Darlington
By what authority do you or your Christian pastor perform gospel ordinances, such as baptizing new believers or laying hands on someone to receive the Holy Spirit? Mormons often challenge Christians with this question because they believe that gospel “authority” was lost when the apostles died and that it had to be “restored” through their Prophet Joseph Smith. But what does the Bible say?
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus told His followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… . And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)
Because Jesus holds “All authority” and has promised to be “with” Christians “always, to the very end,” how could gospel priesthood authority be lost from the earth for eighteen centuries until Joseph Smith “restored” it?
Not only was authority not lost with the death of the apostles, it had been transferred to thousands of new believers in Acts, who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost the moment that they first believed. This priesthood authority of all believers, or “power” as it is also called, has allowed Christians of all centuries to carry the message of Christ to “the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
This is why the “authority” to carry out gospel ordinances that Jesus transferred directly to the apostles, was no longer limited to them, and as a result, that authority was never lost when they died. Indeed, we can be confident that Jesus fulfilled His promise to us when he said that He would build His church and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
