Joseph Smith: Which Church is right?

Joseph Smith: When about fourteen years of age, I began to reflect upon the importance of being prepared for a future state, and upon enquiring the plan of salvation I found that there was a great clash in religious sentiment; if I went to one society, they referred me to one plan, and another to another; each one pointing to his own particular creed …considering that all could not be right, and that God could not be the author of so much confusion I determined to investigate the subject more fully, believing that if God had a church it would not be split up into factions, and that if he taught one society to worship one way, and administer in one set of ordinances, he would not teach another principles which were diametrically opposed. Believing the word of God, I had confidence in the declaration of James [1:5]; "If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who gives all men liberally and upbraided not and it shall be given him," I retired to a secret place in a grove and began to call upon the Lord, while fervently engaged in supplication my mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped in a heavenly vision and saw two glorious personages who exactly resembled each other in features, and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon-day. They told me that all religious denominations believed in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom. And I was expressly commanded to "go not after them," at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness of the gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.

The alleged encounter suggests that God sanctions denominationalism, and if this is true, then it would be a legitimate claim to say one belongs to the true church or that one denomination is Christian as opposed to another. If a Mormon is upset for not being acknowledged as Christian, then he needs to acknowledge that if Mormonism is Christian then all other denominations are not, according to Smith's revelation that all religious denominations believed in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom .

We can debate whether Smith was deceived, deluded, or an out-right-liar, or a combination of these things, but we can judge his claims and beliefs by that authority which God has given the Church, being the Scriptures--not the Church itself. The Mormon may say the Bible is accurate as long as it is accurately translated, but where is it inaccurately translated that supports the claim of the vision that none of them [Denominations] was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom?

If Smith needed to know which Church was true, then why did he not search the Scriptures? And if all other Churches were corrupt, in what ways were they corrupt? Where did Smith get the information to establish the true church? If God chose Smith to start a new church, because all others were corrupt, then why did he not use the New Testament as his guide? Why did Smith establish practices not found in the New Testament? (Such as the priesthoods of Aaron and Melchizedec, of which neither is taught in the New Testament as any type of office in the Church; and neither is it taught or consistent with the New Testament the practice of water baptism by proxy for those who have died for their salvation.) A Church is only as true to the degree it lines up with the New Testament. A Church is not the source of truth but an upholder of the truth, as the Apostle Paul writes: I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3.14-15)

The Scriptures focus on the local assembly. This is because the believer has a primary responsibility to those believers he can interact with. It is not God’s will for a believer to be a lone ranger, unless, of course, he is a missionary, but then, he should at least have contact with a home church. The apostle Paul is laying down rules for church members and their leaders. The Church is the pillar and the foundation of the truth: the local assembly upholds the truth by its witness through affirming it and living it. The Church is an assembly of believers with common beliefs for the building up of and unity in the Christian faith towards spiritual maturity, holiness, evangelism, and discipleship.

This right church issue has the implication that one must be part of a church organization that is receiving new Divine revelation to know and experience God and the way of salvation. Yet my salvation does not depend upon my ability to identify or be part of the right church. The gospel message has not changed: the same gospel that saved people during the time of Christ and the Apostles saves people today. There has not been any demonstration that the gospel message has not been translated properly. Scripture is properly translated concerning salvation being through Christ alone and faith alone. Paul to the Galatians: knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (2.16)

Mormon elders, when they come to visit, will ask the same question that Smith asked, "What Church is right?" They ask this because so many Churches exist. The short answer is that sin and free will are the cause. The only way we could all be in agreement would be if there was no sin or free will.

The Mormons like to believe their Church has a clean historical link to their beginnings without apostasy, unlike any Denomination or Church today, and such a record qualifies them as right and approved of God. Again, this gives a church organization more authority than Scripture when it comes to knowing the way of salvation or the will of God. And this goes against the revealed role of Scripture: All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3.16-17) It is an article of faith of the Mormon Church to believe the Bible is the word of God, Article (of faith) 8 says: We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. (Note: LDS use the King James Version of the Bible. The Book of Mormon is separate from the Bible and does not replace, add to or take away from it.) Again, there needs to be a demonstration as to where the bible has not been translated accurately, particularly with reference to salvation or knowing God's will, that requires one to align with the authority and teaching of the Mormon Church.

The Mormon Church has not had such a clean record as to a unified Church. The Church split after the death of Joseph Smith. Though the Church in Utah is the largest and main denomination of Mormonism, there is the Mormon Church in Missouri. The two Churches were the result of differing views on who should lead the Church after Joseph Smith died, and there was the issue of polygamy, which Emma Smith, Joseph's wife opposed--this is quite evident in the biography of Emma Smith. The leadership debate created a schism just like in Islam after Mohammad died: who should lead? Which Church is right in the Mormon schism? Emma Smith's son Joseph Smith III eventually led the smaller group while Brigham Young led the larger group to Utah. The smaller group also called themselves the Latter Day Saints but "Reorganized." Now they go by the name of "Community of Christ." There are differences between these two groups, and the Reorganized LDS never accepted polygamy, but both groups accept the Book of Mormon and "Doctrine and Covenants."

A major doctrine of the Mormon church is that it believes in continual revelation. Article 9 of the statement says: We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Mormon Marnie Pehrson says, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is built upon the principle of continuing revelation. It is this claim that justifies the right to change doctrine, such as on polygamy or the role of black people in the Mormon Church or the authority of the book of Mormon.

Pehrson says, After Christ's death, all of his apostles were eventually hunted down, murdered or died. After a century or so, the Christianity of the day became combined with the philosophies of Plato, Helenism, and Greek Mythology. The diversity we now see in religious faiths is evidence of this mixture. For at least 1600 years there was no church on the face of the earth that could claim authority to speak in the name of God. There were people who were inspired by God like Martin Luther, Wesley, etc. But there were no prophets to speak in His name – to declare the word and will of the Lord as in the days of Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses, John the Baptist, or Peter, James & John. The authority was lost. There was a "falling away." This time period was foretold by the apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. There was a "famine of hearing the words of the Lord" as prophesied in Amos 8:11. This apostasy from the truth began in Paul's day. (See 1 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:4, James 4:4, 2 Peter 3:17, Jude 1:4). A restoration of the original teachings and principles of Jesus Christ was necessary. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claim that this restoration has occurred – that the Church of Jesus Christ as organized in former days has been restored – complete with prophets, apostles, and temples. Because the authority and truth were lost, the church could not simply be “reformed.” It had to be “restored” in its original state.

Pehrson also says, It is evident from the diversity of beliefs even among Christians that many plain and precious truths have been lost. Thus, as Acts 3:21 tells us, these truths must be restored and gathered together in one.

With the latter claim, it must be pointed out again that the Mormon Church itself has divisions. Diversity itself does not mean truth has been lost until new revelation can come.

What this all means is that the Bible can not be trusted or the Church has more authority than the Bible. What happened to using Scripture to restore the Church to the original teachings and principles of Jesus Christ? And in what way did Joseph Smith do this? Is the original state of the Church as revealed in the book of Acts seen in the Mormon Church today? What truth was lost? How can they say Luther and Wesley were inspired by God if they did not know the truth? What truth has been lost for 1600 years? Is all of Scripture improperly translated? These statements are contradictory and confusing. The bottom line is this: either Scripture is trustworthy and authoritative, or it is not. If it is, then 2 Timothy 3.16-17 is applicable, and all of Mormonism must fall under its discerning judgment.

*****

Some Failed Prophecies of Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith bore many titles in his lifetime, Elder, Seer, President, Mayor, even Lieutenant General, but he is probably best known as the Prophet. And prophesy he did, often with great passion, invoking the powers of heaven and the name of God. What follows are seven prophecies of Joseph Smith, notable for their specificity and appeal to divine authority. These are taken from official Mormon sources — either the Latter-day Saint scriptures or the History of the Church (HC), a seven volume history published under the authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). Each are given in context and cited directly from the original source. Where they are known, subsequent historical events relevant to the prophecy are noted.

The Coming of the Lord
President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord, which was nigh — even fifty six years should wind up the scene. (History of the Church, Vol. 2, page 182).
This prophecy was spoken by Joseph Smith in 1835, and recorded by Oliver Cowdery. The fifty-six years were passed by 1891.

The United States Government to be overthrown in a few years
I prophecy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children, and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished (History of the Church, Vol. 5, page 394).
Joseph Smith made this prophecy in May 6, 1843. However, the United States Government did not redress any of the wrongs committed against the Mormons in Missouri, and now over 150 years later, the U.S. Government still stands.

Congress to be broken up as a government
While discussing the petition to Congress, I prophesied, by virtue of the holy Priesthood vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a government, and God shall damn them, and there shall be nothing left of them — not even a grease spot. (Millennial Star, Vol. 22, p. 455. See also History of the Church (HC), vol. 6, p. 116, though when this prediction was incorporated into the official history, Mormon Church leaders decided to leave out the "grease spot" part.)
The petition was not heard nor was protection granted (Deseret News, Vol. 1, p. 59). Yet, Congress was never broken up and continues to function to this day. It is interesting that the compilers of History of the Church, added an editorial note in an attempt to soften or explain this prophecy. They state that: "This prediction doubtless has reference to the party in power; to the ‘government’ considered as the administration;" (note, p. 116). According to the note in HC, this means the Democratic Party, which was in control at the time. However, the prediction is that "Congress shall be broken up as a government" and Congress is made up of representatives from both parties. The Saints were making an appeal to the General Government, not to the Democratic Party, a point made by a summary statement in the left margin beside this prophecy as it is recorded in HC.

Pestilence, Hail, Famine & Earthquake to Destroy the Wicked
And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country. The people of the Lord, those who have complied with the requirements of the new covenant, have already commenced gathering together to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri; therefore I declare unto you the warning which the Lord has commanded to declare unto this generation, remembering that the eyes of my Maker are upon me, and that to him I am accountable for every word I say, wishing nothing worse to my fellow-men than their eternal salvation; therefore, "Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come." Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the everlasting covenant and flee to Zion, before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled (History of the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 315-316).
Such a widespread destruction of the wicked of that generation never occurred.

Temple to be Built in Zion, Missouri
This prophecy comes directly from Doctrine & Covenants Section 84, the introduction of which states:
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832. HC 1:286-295.
1. A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high.
2. Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.
3. Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.
4. Verily, this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.
5. For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.
The Mormons were forced to flee Missouri due to persecution and a temple was never built on the "temple lot" in the lifetime of Joseph Smith or within the generation of his contemporaries.

The Mormon Church "Articles of Faith":
1. We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men and women will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgressions.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost (see Hebrews 6:1-2).
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof. (see 1 Timothy 4:14, Exodus 28:41, Numbers 27:23, Matthew 16:19, Mark 3:14, Luke 9:1, John 15:16, Acts 6:6, Titus 1:5, Hebrews 5:4)
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. (see Ephesians 4:11)
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues and so forth. (see 1 Corinthians 12)
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. (Note: LDS use the King James Version of the Bible. The Book of Mormon is separate from the Bible and does not replace, add to or take away from it.)
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. (see Amos 3:7, Hebrews 13:8)

The Mormons and their gods

Isaiah says there is only one God: 45.5 “I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.” [45.22]

When Scripture applies the designation “god” to people and Satan, it only signifies the comparative role in the world they have to other created beings. [see Ex 4.16; Ps 82.6; Jn 10.34; 2 Cor 4.4, cp. John 14.30]

Mormons believe in more than one God, contrary to the teachings of Monotheism and Trinitrianism. All Arian sects in Christianity believe in one God but reject Christ’s deity. Mormons, however, believe Christ is a separate god as is the Father.

Mormons also believe that “God himself was once as we are now and is an exalted man.” “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.”

Also Mormon: “Remember that God, our heavenly Father, was perhaps once a child, and mortal like ourselves, and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement; he moved forward and overcome, until He arrived at the point where He is now.”

“When our father Adam came in the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organized this world. … He is our Father and our GOD, and the only God with whom we have to do.” This is a quote by Brigham Young—this view now denied by Mormon authorities

“That Jesus, whom we also know as Jehovah, was the executive of the Father, Elohim, in the work of creation.” Apostle James Talmage

“The immateriality of God as asserted in these declarations of sectarian faith [the Nicene Creed] is entirely at variance with the Scriptures.” Talmage [cp John 4.24; Ex]

“In the heavens where our spirits were born, there are many Gods, each one of whom has his own wife or wives which were given to him previous to his redemption, while yet in his mortal state.” Apostle Orson Pratt [cp Matt 22.30]

Scripture uses anthropomorphic and metaphorical terms to show God’s concern and association with man:

Exodus 33.11: “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”

John 10.9: “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

Ps 91. 4 “He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge.”

You are gods

John 10.33: The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You , but for blasphemy, and because You , being a Man, make Yourself God." 34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, `I said, " You are gods " '? 35 "If He called them gods , to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 "do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ` You are blaspheming,' because I said, `I am the Son of God'? 37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 "but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father [is] in Me, and I in Him."

Whoever Jesus made himself out to be, if He does things that demonstrate He was sanctioned by God then they must accept who He claimed to be.

The argument Jesus gave came from Scripture which cannot be broken or annulled [Greek = luo]. Matthew 5.19: "Whoever therefore breaks [luo] one of the least of these commandment…”

The argument was that if God called men “gods” who were judges and rulers of the people, and this must be accepted because it is Scripture, then they must accept Jesus as the Son of God, as He claimed, because God has sanctioned Him as evidenced in His works. They understood and rejected the claim of Son of God because such made Jesus equal with God.

Polygamy was not the only revelation that Mormonism had to back-peddle on...

Africans were so colored as a curse from God. And the dark skin of Native Americans is a curse in the BOM.

A Former Mormon wrote:
Until 1978 it was the policy and practice of the Mormon church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) to bar those with black African ancestry (even partial) from admission to the Mormon priesthood, which otherwise was open to all (non-black) male members of the church. This ban also applied to keep black members of the church from participation in the sacred temple ceremonies which Mormon doctrine says are necessary for admission to the highest degrees of the Celestial Kingdom. In other words, blacks would never get as high a place as members of other races in Mormon heaven.
Mormon theologians justified this racial prejudice by claiming that the black race is descended from Cain, who was cursed and marked (supposedly with a black skin; Genesis 4:8-15). His descendants, through Ham, the son of Noah who was also cursed (Genesis 9:18-27), continued to bear the mark (black skin) and the curse, in the Mormon view. This ban was further justified by reference to the Mormon belief in a great War in Heaven before the creation of the world, when the forces of good overcame the forces of evil; Mormons believe that one's position at birth in this life is determined by one's valiance in that struggle. Those human beings who were born to privileged and prosperous white Mormons were obviously very valiant. Blacks were (just as obviously) less valiant.

These ideas were widely taught by Mormon prophets, from Brigham Young's day to the late 1970's.

Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie summarized the doctrine as follows:
"The Negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, ...but this inequality is not of man's origin. It is the Lord's doing, is based on his eternal laws of justice, and grows out of the lack of spiritual valiance of those concerned in their First Estate [the pre-existence]." Mormon Doctrine, p. 527 - 528, 1966 edition
Typifying the attitude of Mormon leaders was Mormon Apostle Mark E. Petersen, who said, in an address at Brigham Young University on "Race Problems as They Affect The Church" (August 27, 1954, as quoted in Jerald and Sandra Tanner's book The Changing World of Mormonism, p. 307):
"Now, we are generous with the Negro. We are willing that the Negro have the highest kind of education. I would be willing to let every Negro drive a Cadillac if they could afford it. I would be willing that they have all the advantages they can get out of life in the world. But let them enjoy these things among themselves."

In 1978, this policy and practice changed, and the Mormon leaders announced that, pursuant to revelation, black members of the church would have full equality: priesthood for worthy black men and temple privileges for all worthy black members. The change was incorporated into the Mormon book of scripture Doctrine and Covenants.

Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, fall, 2000.

In their book How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation, Craig Blomberg, a professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary, and Stephen Robinson, a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, have published a wide-ranging dialogue on the agreements and differences between Mormon and Evangelical doctrine.
At the outset, it should be noted that Blomberg has been taken to task by some conservative evangelical reviewers for basically “giving away the farm” theologically. Frankly, this writer finds it odd that the book’s conclusions have not been universally condemned in the evangelical community. Most galling are comments that seem to attack the attempts of Evangelicals to convert Mormons to a true faith in Jesus Christ. For example, in their joint conclusion, the authors write:
Might we look forward to the day when youth groups or adult Sunday school classes from Mormon and Evangelical churches in the same neighborhoods would gather periodically to share their beliefs with each other in love and for the sake of understanding, not proselytizing?…Surely the God who brought down the Berlin Wall in our generation is capable of such things.

That any evangelical would suggest such a thing, not to mention a highly respected teacher in a major evangelical seminary, is testament to the doctrinal vacuum in Evangelicalism today.
…Robinson seeks to paint himself, and Mormons, as being part of the evangelical mainstream. In doing so, he makes it abundantly clear with whom he is allied, and where basic distinctions lie in Mormon theology. He writes:
The real sticking point between LDS and Evangelicals is not whether we are saved by grace (both affirm this) but whether we are saved by grace alone, that is, without individual, personal involvement or participation. Latter-day Saints find “salvation by grace alone” to be unbiblical and, borrowing C. S. Lewis’s analogy, like cutting cloth with only half of the scissors. We would agree with Bonhoeffer and MacArthur that one cannot “have eternal life yet continue to live in rebellion against God.” I would judge the terms “being saved,” “coming to Christ,” “accepting the gospel,” “entering the covenant,” “making Christ Lord in my life” and “serving Christ” as being roughly equivalent. It follows, then, that saying “I have come to Christ, but I refuse to serve him” is self-contradictory. How does one accept Christ without accepting Christ as Lord? And to accept Christ as Lord is to accept myself as his vassal, and vassals do the will of their Lord, not their own will.