What Mormons Believe--according to a Former BYU Professor

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Prayer Warrior

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Some people believe there is power in the names of God the Father and God the Son.
Some people believe that there is power in the sound of their names.
What happens to the Bible when those names are removed?
Who would want those names removed?

There is power in the name of Jesus--according to Acts 4.

Acts 4:8-12-- Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man — by what means he was healed — let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene — whom you crucified and whom God raised from the deadby Him this man is standing here before you healthy. This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”
 
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Giuliano

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The Holy Spirit guides me into all truth as I read and study His Word, as I hear sermons based on His Word....
So the Holy Spirit can't guide you without a book?
So, what are you saying? That Christians don't need the Bible??
.
If they ever attained completely pure hearts, they would not.
 

Prayer Warrior

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Was the law harsh? It may look that way to you if you adopt a naive legalistic view; but that was always the wrong way to look at it. That is why they had courts and not mob justice.

It is not harsh when properly understood.

Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets


Saying it was harsh means you don't understand the "love" behind the various commandments and why they were given.

I understand the love behind all that our loving God does. Do you not think that God can be harsh??
 

Prayer Warrior

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So the Holy Spirit can't guide you without a book?
If they ever attained completely pure hearts, they would not.
The Bible--God's Word--is NOT just a "book." It is truth. God saw fit to direct men and inspire them to write what he wanted them to write. He did this for us because He loves us and wants us to know Him. He has revealed Himself in the Bible. It's His doing. I trust that He knows what he's doing!

Well, then, Christians will always need the Bible while we're in this skin, won't we? You're treading on dangerous ground.
 
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Grailhunter

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There is power in the name of Jesus--according to Acts 4.

Acts 4:8-12-- Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man — by what means he was healed — let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene — whom you crucified and whom God raised from the deadby Him this man is standing here before you healthy. This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”

Again....What happens when those names are removed from the Bible?
And who would want that?
 

Prayer Warrior

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Again....What happens when those names are removed from the Bible?
And who would want that?
The name by which people are saved is there! That's the one I'm interested in.

1 Cor 2:2--For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
 

Grailhunter

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The name by which people are saved is there! That's the one I'm interested in.

1 Cor 2:2--For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

The word Jesus does not appear in the actual scriptures. In the 1600's it was a none word. Yeshua is a common Jewish name. The funny thing is that preachers will tell you that Jesus was a common name in the OT and NT....that is wrong. Yeshua was a common name in the OT and the NT. Everything else got changed from Y's to J's but Christ they targeted with a no name...why? You can find Jeshua in your Bible, if you look in the OT, but you cannot find the word Jesus.
 

Giuliano

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The Bible--God's Word--is not just a "book." It is truth. God saw fit to direct men and inspire them to write what he wanted them to write. He did this for us because He loves us and wants us to know Him. He has revealed Himself in the Bible. It's His doing. I trust that He knows what he's doing!

Well, then, Christians will always need the Bible while we're in this skin, won't we? You're treading on dangerous ground.
We have written books because we have hard hearts which do not want to hear the Voice of God. If people like Abraham could live without a book before Jesus came, why would anyone suppose that people need a book after Jesus came? Something is wrong with that picture.
I understand the love behind all that our loving God does. Do you not think that God can be harsh??
If God looks harsh to us, we should look at ourselves to see what may be wrong with us because God is Love.
 
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Prayer Warrior

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We have written books because we have hard hearts which do not want to hear the Voice of God. If people like Abraham could live without a book before Jesus came, why would anyone suppose that people need a book after Jesus came? Something is wrong with that picture.

I do hear the voice of God. Do you? Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice. And what I hear I always compare to His written Word because God doesn't contradict Himself. This is one way that I know what I'm hearing is from Him. And this is one reason He has given us His written Word, the Bible.

Again, this is God's doing. He saw fit to give us His written Word for a reason.

You're kind of being hypocritical about this. On one hand, you base arguments on the Bible; on the other hand, you say we don't really need the Bible. Which is it??
.
 

Prayer Warrior

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If God looks harsh to us, we should look at ourselves to see what may be wrong with us because God is Love.
I didn't say that God looks harsh. He can be harsh in His love. I'm sure you've read the whole Bible and have seen this in the OT and the NT. I could give many examples. The problem is that we think we're more compassionate than God when we question His harsh treatment of people.
 
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Prayer Warrior

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We have written books because we have hard hearts which do not want to hear the Voice of God. If people like Abraham could live without a book before Jesus came, why would anyone suppose that people need a book after Jesus came? Something is wrong with that picture.
If God looks harsh to us, we should look at ourselves to see what may be wrong with us because God is Love.

You seem to be trying to lead me away from God's Word. First, it won't happen because God will not let it happen. But if you were to lead one of God's children away from His written Word, what then?? What do you think you have accomplished?
 

Jane_Doe22

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Will you defend these blatantly unbiblical doctrines? Will you defend the requirement for Mormons to tithe in order to get a temple recommend and participate in the endowment ceremonies, which are blatantly unbiblical?? Will you defend the crushing burden that is placed on the backs of Mormons to perform in order to becomes gods/Gods, which is all a blatant lie?? Will you defend these lies??
We've already talked about how it's 100% Biblical that Christ asks for *everything* that we have/are. Example: Him asking the young rich man. This is not a heavy burden, but rather a person denys themself to follow Him.

Prayer Warrior, I acknowledge that you don't agree with LDS Christian beliefs. But that doesn't mean a LDS Christian isn't a disciple of Christ, giving all to Him, and doing their best to follow scripture.
 
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Prayer Warrior

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We've already talked about how it's 100% Biblical that Christ asks for *everything* that we have/are. Example: Him asking the young rich man. This is not a heavy burden, but rather a person denys themself to follow Him.

Prayer Warrior, I acknowledge that you don't agree with LDS Christian beliefs. But that doesn't mean a LDS Christian isn't a disciple of Christ, giving all to Him, and doing their best to follow scripture.

Jesus does not demand that we tithe in order to enjoy Him and our Heavenly Father in heaven forever.
 

Jane_Doe22

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Jesus does not demand that we tithe in order to enjoy Him and our Heavenly Father in heaven forever.
Did Jesus not tell the young rich man to sell what he had and follow Him?
A story not recorded once in the Bible, but three times?
Does the Bible not warn about those whom shall rob God?
How many warnings does it have to those whom treasure the riches of the earth more than Heaven?

I don't care if you don't agree with it, but it can't be said that such LDS Christian beliefs are contradictory to scripture.
 
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Giuliano

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You seem to be trying to lead me away from God's Word. First, it won't happen because God will not let it happen. But if you were to lead one of God's children away from His written Word, what then?? What do you think you have accomplished?
I have to go to work now; but I hope to have the time to answer you when I get back home. My answer will bring us back to a discussion of Joseph Smith, by the way. I think my answer will show you how I view the Bible. You may even agree with me. :)
 

Prayer Warrior

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Did Jesus not tell the young rich man to sell what he had and follow Him?
A story not recorded once in the Bible, but three times?
Does the Bible not warn about those whom shall rob God?

The rich young ruler was not born again. He had not entered the Kingdom of God.

As believers, we are seated with Christ in the heavens. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Ephesians 2:6--And [God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 3:1--If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
 

Prayer Warrior

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I have to go to work now; but I hope to have the time to answer you when I get back home. My answer will bring us back to a discussion of Joseph Smith, by the way. I think my answer will show you how I view the Bible. You may even agree with me. :)
Sounds good. I look forward to it. :)
 

Jane_Doe22

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The rich young ruler was not born again. He had not entered the Kingdom of God.

As believers, we are seated with Christ in the heavens. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Ephesians 2:6--And [God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 3:1--If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Salvation is not a ticket for anyone to sin or idolize things of this world! We are His, bought with a price, and are STILL charged to follow Christ and His commandments, giving everything we have/are to Him.
 
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Prayer Warrior

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Salvation is not a ticket for anyone to sin or idolize things of this world! We are His, bought with a price, and are STILL charged to follow Christ and His commandments, giving everything we have/are to Him.
Yes, I understand salvation (as much as anyone understands it :)), and it's true that we must submit ourselves to Jesus as our Lord.

The point is that believers are positioned IN CHRIST right now. We don't have to perform in order to be with Him and our Heavenly Father in heaven. I don't completely understand this either, but it's what His Word says.
 

Jane_Doe22

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Yes, I understand salvation (as much as anyone understands it :)), and it's true that we must submit ourselves to Jesus as our Lord.

The point is that believers are positioned IN CHRIST right now. We don't have to perform in order to be with Him and our Heavenly Father in heaven. I don't completely understand this either, but it's what His Word says.
The #1 most common misconception LDS Christian have of Evangelicals is that Evangelicals believe in cheap grace, a misconception propagated by comments like the above.

Salvation isn't a license to sin. God's grace isn't something cheap or that we should treat cheaply with shallow/insincere conversion. We don't buy/work or way to Heaven, but a disciple of Christ should indeed give 100% of themselves to Him.