367 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
367 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
MORMONISM'S "SALVATION BY WORKS"
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or
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SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH CHRIST?
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The entire BIBLE points in all direction to the cross. Upon it
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God's only begotten Son died that we might have eternal from God. Only
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through Christ can this separation be bridged.
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On the other hand, MORMONISM points in all directions to the "Law of
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Eternal Progression." We have seen that Mormon doctrine states that God
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was once a man. He progressed to become God. The same law states that
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man may become God! Let's go to the authorities of the church and hear
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what they have said, first on the subject of man's pre-existence as a
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spirit in a "spirit world" prior to taking a body here on earth:
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"Pre-existence is the term commonly used to describe the
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pre-mortal existence of the spirit children of God the Father ...
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All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father
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and Mother, and we are literally the sons and daughters of Deity;
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as spirits they were the offspring of celestial parentage ...
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Unless God the father was a personal Being, He could not have
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begotten spirits in His image, and if there had been no
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self-existent spirit element, there would have been no substance
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from which those spirit bodies could have been organized. The
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basis of the Mormon law of progression in Mormonism is that
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"intelligences" are eternal. On the other hand, God is not! He
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started as a spirit child in another 'spirit world' long ago;
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entered a body on another earth as a man; apparently was able to
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follow the law of progression perfectly; after death He became
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God in the 'celestial kingdom' of that other earth; brought (or
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was given) many wives; through sexual union in our spirit world
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had billions of spirit children : The first was Jesus, the second
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Lucifer, the third and on and on were to enter the earth as you
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and me. No organic difference in the parentage between us and
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Jesus and Lucifer! We all have the same literal "Heavenly
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Father." Note how those in Mormonism generally refer to Him as
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"Heavenly Father" -- they mean just that - LITERALLY!! Just
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remember that they could say also; "Heavenly GRANDFATHER",
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"Heavenly Great-Grandfather", and so on ...!
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DID WE PRE-EXIST? BRUCE R. McCONKIE (Apostle); MORMON DOCTRINE,
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page 589
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"In the first stage, man was an eternally existent being termed
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an intelligence ... The next realm where man dwelt was the spirit
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world. According to Mormon concept eternally existing
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intelligences were clothed with spirit bodies in the mansion of
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their eternal Father... numerous sons and daughters were begotten
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and born of heavenly parents into that eternal family in the
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spirit world ... There ... they were reared to maturity, becoming
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grown spirit men and women prior to coming upon this earth ...
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Following his stay in the spirit world, man comes to earth in a
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probationary state ... receives a physical body and undergoes the
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experiences of mortality .. Eventually; however, mortal death
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comes upon all. The eternal spirit goes to the spirit world to
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wait resurrection and judgement ... there they shall be assigned
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to the glory that they have merited ... Some will receive
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telestial glory; others terrestrial, while those who are recorded
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in the 'Lamb's Book of Life' will enter celestial glory. There
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some of them will become angels and others priest and kings, or,
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in other words, Gods."
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MILTON R. HUNTER (1st Council of 70);GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES;
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pages 127-129 (1958)
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On page 12, Hunter states a basic "truth" of Mormonism, that God is
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subordinate to the law of eternal progression.:
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"Our Eternal Father has attained His position of exaltation and
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Godhood by obedience to the great law of progression. The
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intelligent part of man was never created but always existed.
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That is true of each of us as well as it is of God, yet we are
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born sons and daughters of God in the spirit and are destined to
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exist forever. Those who become like God will also be from
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eternity to eternity."
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JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH; DOCTRINES OF SALVATION; Vol 1, pg 12
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The BIBLE states explicitly that there are no intelligences
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co-eternal or co-existent with God. Anything that exists, other than
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God, is a "thing." COLOSSIANS 1:16-17 and JOHN 1:1-3 state that ONLY
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Jesus is co-eternal with God as the "WORD WAS GOD" (John 1:1). He is
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before all "things" and created all "things." His creation did not
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pre-exist Him!
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God knows the beginning and end of all things before they exist.
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There are several scriptures stating HE "knew" us before we were born.
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They do not imply we existed before we were born.
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"The burden of the word of the Lord of Israel, saith the Lord,
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which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of
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the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him." (Zechariah
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12:1)
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Note that the spirit is formed by God within man -- not 15 deals
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with the body of man and the resurrection. Mormons will use verses 40
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and 41 to substantiate their belief in three heavens, where it is clear
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that Paul is talking about degrees of glory in heavenly bodies (stars,
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moon and sun) as a description of the body before and after the
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resurrection (Vs 42). Verses 43-49 refutes any "pre-existence" of man in
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that Adam and all following (all of us - you and I) are from the earth -
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first with a natural state -- not spiritual -- followed by a spiritual
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state (vs 46). Jesus, alone, pre- existed and came from heaven to earth.
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(See Philippians 2:6-10)
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SALVATION BY GRACE VERSUS WORKS
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The BIBLE states over and over that we do not merit salvation
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(eternal life in God's presence) by our own goodness and system of good
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works from or for any organization. You need only to study the Old
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Testament and see the hopelessness of a system whereby man was to live
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within God's laws with the system of prophets - temples - priests and
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ordinances. The purpose of Jesus coming to earth to die for us was to
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make provision for our own inability to bridge this separation of man
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from God and brought a new covenant. If you choose Mormonism as your
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plan of salvation, you have regressed to the old covenant of the prophet,
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temple and ordinance which produce only "dead works" in an attempt to
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obtain righteousness on your own. If you trust the LDS church and its
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prophets; here is what is said:
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"Thus all men who ascend to the glorious status of Godhood can do
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so only by one method - by obedience to all the principals and
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ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (another way of saying
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"Mormonism")... Men are saved no faster than they gain knowledge.
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The Prophet Joseph described the process of going toward Godhood
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as follows: When you climb a ladder, you must begin at the
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bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and
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so it is with the principles of the Gospel - you must begin with
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the first, and go on until you learn all of the principles of
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exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed
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through the veil before you will have learned them"
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MILTON R. HUNTER;THE GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES;pg 115
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JOSEPH F. SMITH;TEACHINGS OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH, pg 348
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"The sectarian dogma of justification by faith alone has
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exercised an influence for evil"
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JAMES E. TALMAGE;ARTICLES OF FAITH;pg 480
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"For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we
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can do"
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II NEPHI 25:23 (BOOK OF MORMON)
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"Christians speak often of the blood of Christ and its cleansing
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power. Much that is believed and taught on this subject, however,
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is utter nonsense and so palpably false that to believe it is to
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lose one's salvation. Many go so far, for instance, as to
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pretend, at least, to believe that if we confess Christ with our
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lips and avow that we accept Him as our personal Savior, we are
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thereby saved ... And no man can pick the fruit of eternal life
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off the branches, as these are tied to the vine, without
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accepting both Christ and His prophets ... If it had not been for
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Joseph Smith, the Prophet, the perfect knowledge of Christ would
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not be had in the world in this day. If it had not been for him
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and his mission there would be no legal administrators now on
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earth to administer in the ordinances of salvation."
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WHAT THE MORMONS THINK OF CHRIST;Official LDS Church Tract;pg
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32,46,47
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"The second birth begins when men are legally baptized in water
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by a legal administrator ... Those who receive the Gospel (Mormon
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Doctrine) and join the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day
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Saints have power given them to become sons of God" (Compare to
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John 1:12.
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BRUCE R. McCONKIE;MORMON DOCTRINE;pgs 84 & 745
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(Compare to John 1:12. "But as many as received Him, to
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them gave He power to become sons of God..")
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"Those things which men are directed to do to attain peace in
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this life and gain eternal life in the world to come are
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collectively called the commandments".
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BRUCE R. McCONKIE;MORMON DOCTRINE;pg 149
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"Man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge -- (See I
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Corinthians 1:17,20-23,2:1-5) ---- To gain salvation after
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baptism it is necessary to keep the commandments of God and
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endure to the end.... The most important things that any member
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of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints ever does in
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this world are: 1. To marry the right person, in the right place,
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by the right authority (Mormon Temple marriage); and 2. to keep
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the covenant made in connection with this holy and perfect order
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of matrimony - thus assuring the obedient persons of an
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inheritance of exaltation in the celestial kingdom."
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BRUCE R. McCONKIE;MORMON DOCTRINE;preface to 1966 Edition;pg 118
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We are praying that this comparative report will show you
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the TRUTH of the BIBLE and the False Gospel and False Jesus being
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expounded by the Mormon Church.
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"There is only one way to become sanctified and perfected, and
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thus prepared to live with God. That is by obedience to His laws.
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There is no other way ... When will we learn to obey him with all
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our heart, mind and strength?
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CHURCH NEWS-EDITORIAL;November 8,1975; page 16
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(Compare with Luke 10:27. "Thou shalt love the Love the
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Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
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all thy strength, and with all thy mind....")
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"If men and women obey all the other laws of the gospel except
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that of celestial marriage (Mormon Temple Marriage), They are
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appointed angels ...."
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MILTON R. HUNTER, GOSPEL THROUGH THE AGES;pgs 118-120
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"Once we have been resurrected, it will be our own efforts, and
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not Christ's sacrifice, that will be the deciding factor ... A
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man can be saved only so fast as he gains knowledge of the laws
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of God." Prophets ... temples ... Obedience to the Law ...
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Aaronic Priest .. Legalisms ... Dependent on our own efforts and
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good works ...
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BENNET; WHY I AM A MORMON;pg 170
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Sound familiar? Old Testament in a new wrapping? Wrapped in
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Christian terminology? Mormonism calls the unsuspecting back under what
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amounts to the old covenant. If righteousness could be obtained, earned
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or gained by our own efforts to be perfect under the law, there would
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have been no need for a "NEW" covenant. If all Christ's death meant was
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to conquer death - to pay for Adam's sin as Mormonism teaches - why are
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the following among the great number of God's words declaring the TRUTH
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of the NEW COVENANT of salvation through Christ, by faith, not works of
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the law. Look up these scriptures and review their full context as
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revelations from God.
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THE LAW AND WORKS DO NOT SAVE
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What must we do to be doing the works of God? This is the work of
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God that you believe in Him whom He sent. (John 6:28,29,39,40)
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No one is justified by the works of the law. Now righteousness of
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God is manifested apart from the Law. (Romans 3:21-22)
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If it is adherents of the Law that are to be heirs, then faith is
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NULL and the promise void. (Romans 4:13-16)
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Died to the Law through the body of Christ. Discharged from the
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law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the
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old written code but in new life of the Spirit. (Romans 7:4-6)
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God has done what the law could not do! (Romans 8:1-4)
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Israel who pursued righteousness based on the law did not
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succeed. WHY? They did not pursue it through faith, but as if it were
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based on works. (Romans 9:30-32)
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A zeal for God - but not enlightened. Seeking to establish their
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own righteousness. (Romans 10:1-4)
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Christ is the end of the law. Romans 14:1-23 and Colossians 3:8-23
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are clear refutations of the point made by Joseph Smith in "Words of
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Wisdom" to not drink and eat certain things is nothing more than MAN'S
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regulation and NOT from God. Read and see what God said through the
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Apostle Paul!
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Man is not justified by works of the law but is through faith!
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(Galatians 2:16)
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Died to the law, that I might live to God. I do not nullify the
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Grace of God; for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ is
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dead in vain. (Galatians 2:19-21)
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As many as are under the works of the law are under the curse!
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(Galatians 3:10)
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Before faith came, we were under the law - our schoolmaster
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(Custodian) until Christ came. Now that faith is come, we are no longer
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under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 3:23-28)
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If led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18)
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Who saved us, not according to our works, but according to His own
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purpose and grace. (II Timothy 1:8-10)
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He saved us, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
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according to His mercy. Being justified by grace. (Titus 3:3-9) NOTE:
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Titus 3:9 and 1st Timothy 1:4 clearly spell out what God says about the
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Mormon obsession with genealogies for the dead works of "baptism for the
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dead."
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HOW IS MAN SAVED?
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If salvation is not by works of our own under the law and
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ordinances, HOW IS MAN SAVED? Just a few of the scriptures God has given
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us are:
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YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN! (John 3:1-18)
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In context Jesus, Himself, explains that, not only do we have a
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natural birth (Flesh) but a spiritual birth! "Whosoever believeth in Him
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shall not perish but have everlasting life (ETERNAL)!" Gnosticism was a
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movement that vigorously contended with Orthodox Christianity for
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supremacy. Writings by the early Church Fathers show how widespread and
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influential Gnosticism justifies him who has faith in Jesus, without the
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deeds of the law.
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Christ died for us, sinners, who are now justified by His blood. We
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are reconciled through Him. (Romans 5:1-11)
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The free gift of righteousness by the grace of God. (Romans 5:15-17)
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Confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart God
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raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9-17)
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We are justified by faith. Our old nature is crucified with Christ;
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Christ now lives in us; we live by faith --- not the law! (Galatians
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2:16-21)
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"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
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yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should
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boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good
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works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them"
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(Ephesians 2:8-10). Works have nothing to do with our justifying eternal
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life. The Mormon will be quick to point out James 2:17 - "Even so faith,
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if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." AMEN! That is not denying
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salvation by faith. What it is saying is this: "You say you are saved?
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Saving faith will naturally flow into a life that will show evidence of
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it. Your 'works' will testify of your faith. If none, there is reason
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to question whether there really was a saving faith to start with."
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To quote Ed Decker in his tract "To Moroni with Love"; You do not
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bark to become a dog nor "baa" to become a sheep. You bark because you
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are a dog or "baa" because you are a sheep! Christians, when born-again
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and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, have a never ending desire to follow the
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Lord Jesus in their daily life behavior. "Works" is not an appropriate
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name as it suggest payment after the work has been done. Christ made the
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payment IN FULL for our sins by His blood for us; if only we REPENT of
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our sins and ACCEPT Him by faith. It is available only through God's
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grace for an eternal life.
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Blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin. (I John 1:7)
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Jesus was the sacrifice, once, to perfect forever those who are
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sanctified. (Hebrews 9:23-28, 10:10-18)
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We are reconciled by His blood. (Romans 5:6-11)
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Our iniquity was laid on Jesus; to die for us; that we might be made
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the righteousness of God in Him. (Isaiah 53:6-11 and I Corinthians 5:17-
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21)
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I PETER 2:24
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"Who his own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that
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we, being dead to sins should live unto righteousness: By whose stripes
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ye are healed" (I Peter 2:24). You will never (Well, We won't say never
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because God may have His plan for their salvation that We are not aware
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of at this moment) see a cross on a Mormon structure. They will say call
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it a "graven image"; yet "Moroni" stands on top of their temples. Moroni
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didn't die for them. Joseph Smith, Jr. didn't die for them. The church
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didn't die for them. JESUS DIED FOR THEM, if they would only cling to
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His cross and reach out to claim His blood for their sins. They're told
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they can earn their own righteousness based on the law of the church
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which is based on "prophets, seers and revelators" proven -TIME AND
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AGAIN- to be false. Wouldn't you rather lay your eternal life in the
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hands of the ETERNAL GOD; the SON who, personally, died for you - than,
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say, a "prophet" in Salt Lake City?
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Our prayer is that this comparison of the Bible vs: the
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LDS Mormon church will show you the LIGHT of CHRIST.
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Computers For Christ - San Jose, CA
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For more information see below:
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This file has been brought to you by the ministry of the;
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Southern Maryland Christian Information Service BBS, (SMCIS)
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(301) 862-3160 HST
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P.O. Box 463
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California, MD 20619
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Sysop: Buggs Bugnon
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