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by whew4 on January 27th, 2009

whew4

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Should we consider mormons to be christians just because they claim to believe in Christ?

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  • by k on December 1st, 2010

    k

    What is it that makes a person a Christian and Saint in these Latter days? Is it only a belief in someone called Jesus Christ?

    Actually there is more to it than that. We seem to have several definitions for what or who is a Christian Latter-day Saint. Mormons have their own definitions of what makes a Latter-day Saint.

    We Christians, do not qualify, nor do we wish to be known as Latter-day Saints by their definitions. We do however know ourselves to be Latter-day Saints according to the Bible definition.

    The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, explained the qualifications for becoming a Saint, or member of Christ's Church.This is found in Ephesians 1:1 ESV "'The saints which are at Ephesus and the faithful in Christ Jesus." The Prophet Hosea, in his account of the people of Israel, explained the qualifications for knowing when we are in the Latter days. This is found in Hosea 3:5 ESV "Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days."

    These steps and times were devised by God. And there is no other way set forth to become a member of Christ's church in these Latter days. Step #1. Be faithful (believe in, consecrated to, belong to) in Christ Jesus of the Bible alone.

    According to the Mormon church, in 1835 Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery made a claim that in 1829 they were visited by John the Baptist and later Peter, James, and John who supposably in turn laid their hands on their heads and bestowed a Priesthood. John the Baptist giving them the authority to baptize, and Peter James and John giving them the Melchizedek Priesthood, along with the Keys of the Priesthood. Biblically, no authority is required to baptize, and the Melchizedek priesthood and keys were never the Apostles' to give. For Christian Latter-day Saints, the only Priesthood that is bestowed upon them is the Priesthood of all believers spoken of in 1 Peter 2:9 ESV "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

    Mormons claim authority, but they do not have the Priesthood of believers, which gives authority. This authority was taken away when False Apostles invaded the Church and led them away, though most of them had been elect (see Matthew 24:23-28 ESV). Therefore, Mormons cannot qualify as Saints according to the Bible.

    And so, we Christians do not recognize Mormons as Christians or Saints in these Latter days because they worship a Christ (not THE Christ) in their own way and try to follow that god's teachings as they understand them. The Body of Christ (Biblically orthodox Christians) is the only Church today who can qualify as Latter-day Saint, as set forth by the Bible.

    So as I said, just believing you are a Christian or Latter-day Saint is not enough, we must have faithfulness in the Christ Jesus of the Bible alone, and know that we are in the Latter days. In this way Latter-day Saints are strictly scripturally Biblical in every respect.

    In answer to the original question, "Should we consider Mormons to be Christian just because they claim to believe in Jesus?" my answer is no. A Christian Latter-day Saint, is one who is faithful in Christ Jesus of the Bible alone. Mormons are faithful to a Christ Jesus testified of in the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Bible in so far as the Bible is translated correctly. And this was substantiated by their last Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, President Hinckley.

    "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. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the
    Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages.'" (LDS Church News Week ending June 20, 1998, p. 7).
    http://carm.org/religious-movements/mormonism/hinckley-says-mormons-believe-different-jesus

    For information on why all Christians are Saints see:
    http://christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions_of_holy_scripture_ephesians_peter/saints_and_faithful.htm

    For information on Mormon priesthood claims see:
    http://www.frontiernet.net/~bcmmin/priestod2.htm

    For information on false prophets and Apostles in these Latter days see:
    http://esv.scripturetext.com/matthew/24.htm

    For information on what scriptures the Salt Lake City Mormon church embraces see:
    http://lds.org/general-conference/2006/10/holy-scriptures-the-power-of-god-unto-our-salvation?lang=eng

    Comments

    • So it would appear that based on the Biblical criteria, not only are Latter-day Saints not Christians, they're not even Latter Day Saints as the Bible defines what constitutes a "Latter Day Saint".

      That's very interesting isn't it?

      Well said and nicely done! Thank you.

      Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here

      by Mister IT is trying to Liahona outta here on December 2nd, 2010

    • Thanks!

      I did find it very interesting.

      I believe, after much studying of scripture and prayer about it, true Latter Day Saints are fully Biblically scriptural. We know that the Bible is the only complete, inerrant, and perfect God breathed word on Earth. We hold to the truth expressed in the Bible that it will make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

      "and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15, ESV

      Christians are Saints in these Latter days, and we need to embrace that and stand firm in the truth that God has given us in his only scripture (the Bible).

      k

      by k on December 2nd, 2010

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