Have you ever heard that Latter-day Saints are not Christians? I have heard this over the years from others that said they were a Christian. They obviously were not familiar with our teachings.
On what basis do some make these claims? Some don't like the idea that Joseph Smith is called a prophet and that there is a living prophet on the earth today? Why do believers in Christ not have an interest in another testament of Jesus Christ? That is what the Book of Mormon is.
On what basis do some make these claims? Some don't like the idea that Joseph Smith is called a prophet and that there is a living prophet on the earth today? Why do believers in Christ not have an interest in another testament of Jesus Christ? That is what the Book of Mormon is.
I am a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. During my high school days about 45 years ago I investigated the church. Over these years I have continuously studied the doctrines we teach and attended other churches and studied their doctrines to better understand them.
There was a time when I used to think they were just like other churches. I had heard some sound bite notions that were floating around about how they had some strange beliefs.
At a point, I went from being close-minded and mocking and decided to listen, study their teachings and attend church. There was nothing strange about Members of the church or their beliefs. They were completely in harmony with what the Bible teaches. More so than so-called "biblical Christianity".
The Fall of Adam and Eve
One of the better-known stories in the Bible is a good place to compare theology. The Book of Mormon gives doctrinal clarity to it and demonstrates Joseph Smith's calling as a witness for Jesus Christ.
Does Christianity exist because of the fall or the fall because of Christianity? Did the principles of Christianity exist before that event occurred? Not according to mainstream Christian theologians and Bible scholars. These scholars teach that the Trinity made up the whole concept of religion starting about 6000 years ago beginning with the book of Genesis.
The fall of Adam and Eve is a doctrine that gets discussed on a superficial level when people speak of it. Skeptics and agnostics mock and make jokes about it and Bible scholars and teachers have been leading believers to a conclusion that is not correct.
If a Bible reader doesn't understand what happened in Genesis, how are they to understand the rest of the Bible?
Almost all Christians agree that Adam and Eve did something that God told them not to do. Sin and death were the results of their choice. What are the differences as to how this event in Genesis is understood?
Trinitarian or mainstream scholars teach that God had never created a person and his plan was for Adam and Eve to dwell in the Garden of Eden forever with him. They say that the fall was a negative event.
The garden setting was intended to be temporary, it was a staging event for a greater one. It was necessary in order for the most important events in human history to come forth which included the birth, sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Orthodox theologians tell us that the fall was not part of God's original objective when creating mankind and the earth. They teach that mankind was supposed to live in the Garden of Eden forever. If so why then did God establish the means for the fall, for sin, and death and for the man and woman to be cast out of the garden?
The obvious answer is that if there hadn't been a fall there wouldn't be a Christ. In fact, there wouldn't be any Christians at all or a Bible for that matter? How this is not plain to any logical thinking, Bible reading person.
If the fall was a bad thing, or that it was not God's plan, this would actually be a non-Christian perspective? Joseph Smith corrected this gross misunderstanding by making it clear that the fall was necessary and was a part of God's plan.
Because orthodox professors of theology are interpreting scripture from a philosophical viewpoint using their own wisdom they miss this essential concept.
Who caused the fall, Satan or God? Trinitarians would have you believe that Satan was responsible. Wasn't it God who gave Adam and Eve a choice and allowed Satan to be there to tempt them?
When Adam and Eve partook from the "tree of Knowledge", the Gods said that man had become like one of them, to know good and evil. The ground was cursed, but it was cursed for their sake, to bless them and teach them to work. It is especially important to notice that God did not say that man had become evil like the devil because of what they had done.
The commandment to not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge no longer exists on this planet. It was there for one reason only and specific to them. It was God’s way of making the fall Adam's choice and not being forced upon him or Eve. It was the means for implementing moral agency not just for the salvation of God's children but for their exaltation. The opposition that we experience in life is necessary for us to have the agency to make choices.
Eve did what God planned for her to do, that was to open the door to a greater more abundant life. This included the opportunity for family life and a future ressurrection. Adam recognized this and followed Eve. God's eternal plan was for mortality and agency, death and a resurrection to a glorified incorruptible body. Only Jesus Christ could provide this through his atonement. Adam and Eve did not have access to the full measure of their full potential until after the fall.
The life they enjoyed in the Garden was a static, limited life with no growth or increase. They knew no real joy because they had no sorrow. The immortal body that Adam and Eve had in the Garden was obviously corruptible as death was able to come upon them. The new body after the resurrection would not be corruptible and could never die again. Who then would doubt that God wanted the fall to happen or that Adam and Ever were this world's first Christians?
Latter-Day Saints believe that God created the world because he loved us first. We are literal children, offspring of the Most High God. We lived with our eternal parents in a pre-earth period.
Trinitarians mainstream scholars teach that humans are a new kind of creature that never existed before and only metaphorical children.
These same scholars reason that Satan was the instigator of the fall and that Jesus was apparently a plan B by God to deal with some unintended consequence. Was the fall an intended consequence or not?
Christian apologists teach that God knew they would fall, which he must if he is all knowing, however, the idea that the fall was a bad thing is a contradictory position to redemption by Jesus Christ. Teaching that the fall was a mistake or a bad thing or a rebellion that wasn't planned is an anti-Christian position.
Without the fall there would be no need for an atonement or payment for sin and therefore no suffering on the cross or in the Garden. We would not have Jesus's teachings and acts of healing if there had been no fall.
Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus was always the plan to save mankind and give us eternal life. He always was and is the main plan for our redemption.
The fall hinges on the concept of moral agency and so does accepting Jesus as our Savior. Trinitarian scholars say that God gave man free will so he wouldn’t be a robot. According to them, free will is a type of artificial intelligence and something that God gave to man. They say God is the "first cause" of all things. Does this mean he could say a word and forgive sin?
If God is the first cause of man’s will then he is also the cause of man's choices. This is the logic of Christian scholar-theologians. They use the analogy of a robot or a pawn. They teach it like this. A robot was created, it was given free will or artificial intelligence and now it is not a robot because it has a will and can choose to love or disobey God? This imputed will can now bring about the condemnation of the soul of the individual that did not exist before. Is this somehow a gift from God?
Biblical apologists in defense of God not being the cause of evil created the free will argument, yet they subscribe to the first cause argument and absolute sovereignty of God. These are incongruent positions with conflicting logic.
The doctrine of moral agency in Latter-day Saint theology is different from free will and does away with these contradictions. We are eternal beings, with our own will. God did not create it. His intelligence is eternal and so is ours. Our spirit is here in a mortal body as part of a learning process that God governs over with his powers of creation. It is God's will that we are here in a mortal state to learn to subject our will to his will. This is a time of preparation for a glorious eternal life with our families.
Latter-Day Saints believe that Jesus’ atonement was eternal and infinite and extends through all of creation. It was the only way to satisfy the demands of eternal justice. The church doesn't criticize any of the acts of faith of Christian believers but invites all to hear the message of the Living Christ.
The Bible teaches that Satan was a liar from the beginning. He was and is the father of lies and fought against Christ. In the book of John, we understand that Jesus was with God in the beginning and he was God. It should give pause and cause one to ask why lies and misinformation are used to discredit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as a Christian church.
The Bible doesn’t say God created Satan and gave him free will so he could become evil. Philosophers imputed this idea to cover the theological contradictions of the goodness of a sovereign God and the existence of evil, injustice, and suffering.
Evil is an inherent possibility existing eternally along with the good otherwise God would be its creator. There would be no good if there were no evil and there would be no evil if there were no eternally existing laws through which God is sovereign.
We teach that Jesus was the only way to God, that he did have to die and Jesus agreed to do it before the world was ever created. Adam and Eve too were chosen before to be our first parents. This was the only way the Father could save us and offer a glorious opportunity of exaltation to his children, those willing to follow Christ and make eternal covenants. It is based on eternal principles and laws.
The mainstream philosopher-theologians claim that the Trinity made up the laws, thus forcing people to suffer on earth, made up the punishments and created hell for these creatures that it created out of nothing of which most will suffer forever in hell.
The reason for creation was to let us have a learning experience and to have the means to be liberated from the negative consequences of our sins and death because of our mistakes. Jesus overcame death and sin so we could rise with him.
When we accept him his mercy becomes available to us and we won’t have to suffer the full consequences of our sins and we can become free beings in eternity. By living his gospel we also find joy in the journey of life, understanding our divine purpose for living, and the nature of our relationship to God.
The reason Jesus could satisfy the demands of eternal justice is that he lived a perfect life. He was not subject to the laws by which sin results because of his perfect obedience. This does not refer to the law of Moses but to eternal laws.
Mormons teach that Jesus was foreordained to be the Savior of the world. The Father knew he could undergo the suffering required to pay the penalty for our sins. He would suffer and die a gruesome death that satisfied the demands of eternal justice. His Godhood allowed him to give up his life. It was not taken from him. The condition of his mercy is that is we that repent of our sins. Faith in him is what causes us to do this.
For you to think that I don’t believe in the Jesus of the Bible, that he is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, my Savior and Redeemer, and who is also the living resurrected Christ is from a source other than me. That source whatever it may be is a faulty one.
Prophets of God have been called again to preside over the Savior's church. They are the shepherds that lead the flock of Christ. They are chosen by him and have His authority and receive divine guidance for His Church. I invite you to learn more and to know that you are literally a child of God your Eternal Father.
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