September 25, 2007 by Pastor Matt.

“John [the Baptist] answered them saying, ‘I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.  It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am unworthy to untie.”

Wow.  The man whose own birth was miraculous (see Luke 1:6-25,57-66).  The man who was designated by God to prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah.  He did not consider himself worthy enough for the job of a slave.

Questions to ask yourself for devotions:

1.  How could someone of such high stature (in our eyes) be so humble?

2.  Is it even possible for me to be that humble? 

3.  What MUST change in my life in order for me to become more humble before the Lord?

“But He gives a greater grace.  Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble…Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” - James 4:6,10

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September 14, 2007 by Pastor Matt.

It is important that we covered that the LDS church believes in a different God and a different Jesus before we covered salvation. 

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9

If i believed that Jesus was a murderer, adulterer, liar, and cheater, and i called on that Jesus’ name, would I be saved?  NO!!!  Why not?  Because i am not believing the Jesus of the Bible.  I’m sure there are many people in the world today that have the name Jesus (pronounced, hey-zuse).  So is it just the name that saves?  If so, if anyone were to say “Jesus” at any point in their life would be saved.

Mormon people might say to you, “I believe that Jesus died for my sins, so I’m going to heaven.  I’ve called on the name of Jesus.”  But if you read in the last post, the Mormon teaches a DIFFERENT Jesus, who did DIFFERENT things.  So again, if you call on a DIFFERENT Jesus will you be saved?  No.

Here are some things that the LDS Church teaches about Salvation that you might not hear from your LDS Friends (either because they do not know what their church teaches or they are trying to hide it in order to sound more Christian).

LDS DOCTRINE ON SALVATION

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and IF ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, THEN is his grace sufficient for you…” (Moroni 10:32) IF you become perfect, THEN the grace of God is enough. 

“…for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, AFTER all we can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23) We must work before we are saved.

“And I say unto you again that he (Jesus) cannot save them in their sins…Therefore ye cannot be saved in your sins.” (Alma 11:37) Their Jesus is not powerful enough to save you where you are at.

“And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.  And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.” (3 Nephi 11:33-34) Baptism is necessary for salvation. 

BIBLE’S DOCTRINE ON SALVATION

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) There is no works involved so that we do not receive any glory for ourselves.  Notice what the LDS Church ADDED & SUBTRACTED from this passage in 2 Nephi 25:23.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) This Jesus is powerful enough to save us in our sins.

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16) Notice how the emphasis is on believing.  Notice also what the LDS Church ADDED to this passage in 3 Nephi 11:33-34.

LDS DOCTRINE OF SALVATION you must 1) believe 2) be baptized 3) fulfill the whole law (which will lead to…) 4) be out of your sins (perfect)

BIBLE’S DOCTRINE OF SALVATION you must 1) believe in Jesus Christ 2) there cannot be a #2.

Salvation is by grace ALONE through faith ALONE in Jesus Christ ALONE.  NO “and’s” are allowed.

Are they the same?  NO.  So that means, one is right and one is wrong.  You must pick between the Bible and The Book of Mormon/Doctrine & Covenants, because they obviously do not line up.

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September 4, 2007 by Pastor Matt.

 It is important to understand who Jesus is.  If one believes Jesus to be a liar, just a teacher or just a good person, and they call upon the name of that Jesus to save them, it is useless.  That Jesus would not be able to save you in your sins.  You have to believe the Jesus of the Bible in order to be saved.

Don’t let Mormons fool you.  President Hinckley and Joseph Fielding Smith are prophets who speak for God.  They are the utmost authority on Mormonism.  In places that the Mormons disagree or where the prophets contradict the Word of God, the Mormons will tell you that these prophets were speaking on their own opinion.  Remind them of what their own church printed, “You can ALWAYS trust the living prophets.  Their teachings reflect the will of the Lord…” (True to the Faith, p.129).  Ask them if they dare to disagree with their prophets.  Milton R. Hunter was on the First Council of the Seventy and was sustained as a prophet of God.

Who is Jesus to Mormons?

NOT THE SAME JESUS AS CHRISTIANS - “In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints ‘do not believe in the traditional Christ.’ ‘No, I don’t. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak.”  (LDS Church News, June 20, 1998, p. 7)

NOT ALWAYS GOD - Jesus, like all other gods before Him, had to become a God. He is the literal Son of God like we are children of God, but He’s without sin (Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 346-7 [pre-2002 edition]).

BROTHER OF LUCIFER - “The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. Haughty, ambitious, and covetous of power and glory, this sprit-filled brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind.” (Milton R. Hunter, Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15)

NOT BORN OF A VIRGIN - “Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers.” (Mormon Doctrine p. 547)

THE TRUTH

ALWAYS GOD - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God.” (John 1:1)  (The Word = Jesus)

CREATOR OF LUCIFER - “All things were made by him [Jesus]; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3)

BORN OF A VIRGIN - “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost…Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son…” (Matthew 1:18,23)

Can you see the distinct differences?  I hope they are obvious to you.  If you call on the name of the Jesus of the Latter Day Saints, you will not be saved.  I know that sounds harsh, but this is written out of love, so that all might come to know the Jesus of the Bible. 

To sum up, their Jesus cannot save you in your sins (Alma 11:37).  He is no different than us.  He had to work his way in becoming a god and so do we.  The Jesus of the Bible has all the power to save us in our sins (Romans 5:8).    Trusting in grace alone, in the work of Christ alone, their is forgiveness of sins. 

If you have any questions please email us at answers@youthteam.org.

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