Old Testament Type

The stories of the Old Testament are a type and shadow of the Last Days. First we see the higher covenant being given to Abraham. The covenant continues through Isaac and Jacob. However, we then see Joseph sold into Egypt. While in Egypt, Joseph serves to save the rest of the house of Israel from the famine. Safe in Egypt, it seems that Israel doesn't take long to fall into a period of apostasy. If Israel had remained faithful to the Lord, I am sure that God would have not suffered that His covenant poeple would fall into captivity. After a period of apostasy and captivity in Egypt, then we see the rise of Moses who leads Israel out of Egypt and promises to renew with them the coveants that God made with Abraham. However, the people rebell and are hard-hearted. Consequently, instead of renewing the higher Abrahamic Covenant, God gives Israel a preparatory Law of Moses which was to point them and prepare them to receive Jesus Christ who would later renew the Abrahamic Covenant to His people. lsrael would be required to wander in the wilderness in Sinai for 40 years, and then wait over one thousand more years for Christ's coming.

How does the Old Testament Story relate to the Last Days? In my mind, there is a clear parallel here. Abraham is a type of Christ. So, God's establishment of a higher covenant with Abraham is akin to God's establishment of the same higher covenant through His Son Jesus Christ. That covenant continues for a short time until the people quickly fall into apostasy. Hundreds of years later, God would raise up a Moses to save the people from spiritual bondage. In the Last Days, our Moses is Joseph Smith. However, like the Israelites at the time of Moses, the Latter-Day Saints needed some time to grow in faith and obedience. The Latter-Day Saints enjoy the blessings of the higher Abrahamic Covenant and the fullness of the gospel of Christ, but we were not strong enough to establish a perfect Zion society at the time of Joseph Smith. So, the Latter-Day Saints are wandering through a metaphorical wilderness awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ who will ushur in a thousand-year period of peace on the Earth. However, like Joseph in Egypt, we have and will continue to see the saving of the remnant of the House of Israel from spiritual famine by modern day Ephraim.

And, through the power of God and direct assistance of heaven, the LDS Church has been and will continue to lay the foundations of the Kingdom of God on the Earth. Isaiah likened Zion to a tent. His instructions for Israel to prepare for the coming of the Messiah was for Zion to "put on righteousness", "expand her boarders", and "strengthen her stakes." Modern spring-bar tents are set up by placing the poles first. However, when pitching a tent in ancient times, you started by driving in the stakes first before you placed the center pole. If you were to place the poles first in an ancient tent without first having placed the stakes, the center pole wouldn't have any opposing force to keep it standing and the the pole and tent would immediately fall. This is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints refer to groups of congregations as "Stake of Zion." Christ is the center pole, Zion or the Kingdom of God is the tent, and the LDS Church is rolling out and expanding the borders of the tent, and preparing and strengthening the stakes before the Second Coming of Christ when finally the Kingdom of God will be fully and gloriously realized.

Old Testament
Abraham
Egyptian Captivity
Moses
Law of Moses
Babylonian Captivity
Jesus Christ First Coming

New Testament
Jesus Christ
Great Apostacy
Joseph Smith
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
[Babylonian Captivity?]
Jesus Christ Second Coming

Kyiv Ukraine Temple Youth Celebration

Last year, an LDS Temple was dedicated in Kyiv, Ukraine. This temple will serve the youth and families of many Eastern European countries. This video shows excerpts from a cultural celebration by LDS youth from surrounding countries to commemorate the dedication of the Temple. I love how this short video captures a glimpse of their faith and testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.

Bible Pattern

The Bible presents an interesting pattern of prophets and apostasy. First we see God establishing His covenant with Adam who is the first man and the first prophet. Things go good for a while but before too long the people of the Earth fall away from the truth and turn to evil. The flood wipes out humanity and only Noah and his family are spared. God then re-established his covenant with Noah who becomes a new dispensation leader and prophet. Things go good again for a while but before long, the people again backslide at the time of the Tower of Babel. Then we read about Abraham who is born in Ur and recognizes that he is born into an apostate and idolatrous culture. God calls Abraham as a prophet and a dispensation leader. Again, things go well for a while for Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim until the House of Israel falls away yet again and falls into slavery. Then God called Moses who led Israel out of Egypt. The House of Israel is faithful for a while until they eventually fall away from the truth and are conquered by Assyria, then Babylon, and then finally Rome. Then God sends His Son Jesus Christ. The Jews had turned from the truth to such an extent most didn't recognize their own God that they were to be worshiping for the past 1000 years.

Jesus Christ established his church with 12 Apostles, Seventies, Bishops, Elders, and Deacons. But just as the Bible pattern describes, Paul told us in 2 Thessalonians, that Christ would not come again until there would be yet another falling away and apostasy. And Peter in Acts 2 tells us that the heavens would receive until the time of refreshing and "restitution of all things which has been spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began."

Just as all the holy prophets have prophesied and as the Bible has foretold and foreshadowed, the physical Church of Jesus Christ fell into apostasy and the priesthood authority and keys were lost from the Earth for a time leading into the Dark Ages. Then just as all the prophets have prophesied, the Lord God again, for the last time, in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times has called a prophet, restored his church, restored the keys of His Holy Priesthood, restored the temple, restored the exact doctrines of His gospel and re-established his covenant with man.

The prophet of this last and final dispensation before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and His Millennial Reign on the Earth is Joseph Smith. God called Joseph Smith in the same way that all prophets have been called. Joseph Smith didn't attend any divinity school, he didn't earn any degree in New Testament and Early Christian Studies. Joseph Smith wasn't a Pharisee or Sadducee. But God revealed himself to Joseph Smith and authorized him to bring to light additional scripture including the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, and empowered Joseph Smith to restore the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which is organized just as Christ's original Church with 12 Apostles, Seventies, Bishops (Eklectikos), Elders (Presbyters), and Deacons (Diaconos).


Dispensations and Apostasy
Adam ----------------> Flood
Noah ----------------> Drought, Tower of Babel
Abraham -------------> Slavery in Egypt
Moses ---------------> Military Conquest (Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome)
Jesus Christ --------> Dark Ages, Plague
Joseph Smith --------> Tribulation, Dispensation of the Fullness of Times

3 Paradigms on the Christian Church

When Jesus Christ lived upon the Earth and after his resurrection and prior to His ascension to heaven, the New Testaments says that He organized a religious organization or church with Apostles, Bishops, Elders and Deacons. When it comes to modern Christian religions, there are 3 main paradigms of belief with regard to the physical and spiritual reality of Christ's Church. These 3 paradigms are described by the lines in the picture in the top left of this post.

The branched lines in the middle example represent the paradigm of the Catholic and Protestant religions. After the martyrdom of Christ's Apostles and many of the Early Church Fathers, there were many isolated and independent Christian churches scattered throughout the Roman Empire. Desiring to better unify the Empire Constantine sought to unify Christianity under one belief and doctrine. Therefore, Emperor Constantine called together many Christian theologians in what are known as the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon, Lyon and Trent, etc. The decrees of these councils were strictly enforced and dissidents were labeled heretics and punished severely.

However, this strict enforcement of orthodoxy failed to preserve a lasting unity. In 1054 the Patriarch of Constantinople rejected the Bishop of Rome's position of primacy as the supreme head over the church. Consequently, this East-West Schism resulted in the division of the church into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Further division followed the Great Protestant Reformation from great reformers such as John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, and William Tyndale. Tyndale was declared a heretic for his English translation of the Bible and was strangled and then burned at the stake.

Many Catholics place a lot of importance in their belief that the Catholic Church has an unbroken line of priesthood authority through the Popes. On the other hand, most other Christians hold a different paradigm. Evangelical Christians do not generally view Christ's Church as a physical reality. As represented by the dotted line at the bottom of the diagram, this paradigm holds that no matter what denomination or non-denomination a person belongs, there have always been true believers which make up a figurative and spiritual body and Church of Christ. Depending on who you talk to, many Evangelicals may not believe that ordinances like baptism by immersion or partaking of the Lord's Supper are necessary.

I have found that most Christians who are are members of Protestant Churches like Baptists, Lutheran, Methodists, and Presbyterians, etc. share the Evangelical paradigm. Most denominational Christians like non-denominational Christians do not consider their membership in their respective church to have much significance. Therefore, it has become more common to see individuals and families attend a Methodist church in one town, a Presbyterian church in another town, and then a non-denominational church in another. For many Evangelicals, a church is a community of believers where they like the Pastor, find acceptance, and where they can enjoy fellowship with other believers.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints presents a 3rd paradigm of belief with regard to the physical and spiritual reality of Christ's Church. The LDS Church is the restored Church of Jesus Christ and not a Protestant Church. LDS understand the Bible to foretell that together with the death of Christ, and the destruction of the temple, that the original Church of Jesus Christ would fall into apostasy. As Christ said in Matt 24, in that generation the Sun would refuse to give its light, the moon would become as blood, and the stars would fall from the sky. In other words, in consequence of the martyrdom of the Apostles and Prophets, all sources of spiritual light would cease. And just as the temple was destroyed, doctrinally speaking, not one doctrinal stone of Christ's Church would be left upon another (2 Thes 2:3) (Amos 8:11-12).

The spiritual darkness during the Dark Ages persisted until the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Last Days (Acts 3:19-21). After decades of spiritual darkness, God called another prophet beginning with Joseph Smith and restored the truths of the gospel, ordinances, priesthood authority, church organization, as well as His temple.

While LDS understand the Bible to teach that the Church of Christ is both a spiritual and physical reality, we do not reject the Evangelical paradigm. LDS do accept that there have been true Christian believers throughout history. If it wasn't for the spark of true belief, the Bible would still only be written in Latin, and there would not have been the Protestant Reformation. All of these realities were essential in making the Restoration of Christ's Church and gospel possible through Joseph Smith. Had Joseph Smith lived in the 1500s like William Tyndale, the Restoration would never have survived as a religious movement.

Even after the Reformation and the promise of religious freedom in America, the LDS Church hardly survived during what is known as the Mormon War. All LDS members were forced out of Missouri by mobs led by a coalition of a Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian clergyman and an extermination order signed by Governor Lilburn Boggs. Joseph Smith was later imprisoned and killed by an angry mob dressed in black in 1844 and the age of 38. But, the Church of Christ and the truth of God flushed none the less. This time the Church of Christ has been promised never to be taken again from the Earth. In Daniel's vision of the Last Days, Daniel sees a small small stone cut out of the mountain without hands which rolls forth until it destroys the terrible image and becomes a mountain which fills the whole Earth (Dan 2:34).

Now that the true authority and Church of Jesus Christ has been restored, we invite all true believers to join, take part in it, and rejoice together.

Restitution of All Things

Q1. "Proof of scripture in New Testament where Mormon church was established?"
Q2. "Proof of the establishment of the doctrine?"
Q3. "Proof of the Prophet Joesph Smith in the bible?"
Q4. "Proof of where Mormons gave biblical authority to have bishops, a prophet, and apostles?"

Great questions. I will support my answers with the Bible but please understand that other churches and Pastors will likely disagree with my interpretation of both the meaning and context of these verses. I have friends of many different Christian denominations and non-denominations. Every one of us desire to accept the whole Bible and not to be picker-and-chooser. However, while we all love the Bible, we can disagree about Bible interpretation as well as Bible context. My friends of other faiths interpret the Bible relying on a background of their faith tradition and what clergy have said about the Bible. After many centuries, there is a lot to choose from. LDS benefit because we interpret the Bible through the lens of the restoration and modern Prophets and Apostles. Where many opinions on the Bible exist, the Prophet can go to God for clarification on context and meaning. And that is why in addition to studying the Bible, the Bible tells us to rely upon the Holy Spirit, which was the gift of comfort given by Jesus Christ which He promised would "guide us into all truth", and "testify of [Him]", Therefore, If we really want to know the truth, the Bible tells us to knock, seek, and to "ask of God" in prayer (James 1:5). Only God can prove it to you.

All 4 questions are really derivations of the same question. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restored church and not a branch off the Catholic church or a Protestant Church. Therefore, one way to address all these questions would be to show where the Bible demonstrates that the original Church of Jesus Christ fell into an Apostasy and therefore needed restoring. LDS interpret the following scriptures from the Bible to foretell that along with the crucifixion of Christ, and the destruction of the Jewish Temple, there would also be a rejection of true Christian authority.

1. Restitution of All Things. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the Bible foretells through allegory and prophetic pronouncement of a future falling away and restoration in the Last Days. After reviewing many of these prophecies of the apostasy and restoration from the time of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, down to Jesus Christ; Peter sums it all up when he commands all men to repent and be converted to Christ who would not return until after the apostasy and restoration or " times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." Peter says clearly Christs Second Coming will not occur until there is a "time of restitution of all things". Similarly, Paul says Christs Second Coming will not occur until there is a "falling away first". Why would Peter and Paul speak of a falling way and a restitution if the covenant and authority given by Christ would continue uninterrupted? It seems clear enough here that there would be no need of a future refreshing and restitution of all things, if there wasn't first an apostasy or falling away of all things.

Acts 3: 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when times the of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. . . 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

Just as Peter said, the Old and New Testaments contain many prophecies and allegories to a great future falling away or spiritual famine as well as an spiritual restoration before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The following paragraphs will attempt to highlight where the prophets in the Bible have foretold the Apostasy and Restoration just as Peter said. Take special note of key words like "prevail", "overcome", "flood", and "famine." as they are a clue that different scriptures are related.

2. Cain kills Able. One of the first stories of the Bible is the tragic story of the sorrow of Adam and Eve over Cain murdering his brother Able. But not long after, Adam and Eve rejoiced again with the birth of Seth. The death of Able and the birth of Seth serves as a type and allegory of the Great Apostasy following the Death of Christ and the Restoration before Christ's Second Coming. Like Cain and Able, Wickedness prevailed at first, but Righteousness was restored and will overcome in the end.
3. Noah and the Flood. God cleanses the Earth because of the wickedness of humanity and then re-established His covenant with Noah and his family. Again, wickedness prevailed at first, but righteousness was restored and would overcome in the end.
4. Abraham leaves Babylon. Abraham realizes that he was brought up in an apostate and idolatrous religion and leaves Babylon and is led to find the restored truth with Melchezidek, the High Priest and King of Salem.
5. Joseph is sold into Egypt. The older sons of Jacob lost out on the birthright and rights to the priesthood authority because of sin. Joseph, a younger brother received this birthright which made the other 11 brothers very jealous and resulted in their selling Joseph into Egypt. Many years later, the whole family of Jacob is forced to go to Egypt and are saved from the famine by Joseph. The House of Israel being saved by Joseph during a physical famine foreshadows the House of Israel in the Last Days being saved by another Joseph during a future spiritual famine.
6. Moses leaves Egypt. Moses is lead out of Egypt and is led to the tent of Jethro the High Priest of Midian where the truth of God was restored.
7. Moses and Aaron at Horeb. The Bible tells us an important story about Moses receiving that 10 commandments. God at that time wanted to give Israel the full gospel covenant, and God invited all the Elders of Israel up into the mountain. But the Elders refused, and told Moses "You go and speak for us". While Moses was away, the Elders became impatient and gave Aaron all their gold so that he could make them a false God to worship. Likewise, before the Second Coming, people will say Christ delayeth his return and some will give of their money to support false religion. False religion allows people to go through the motions of religion without expectations of repentance.
8. Eli and Samuel. Peter makes particular mention of this story. 1 Samuel 2-3 tells the story of Eli the High Priest of Israel. Eli's sons rejected the Lord due to being guilty of fornication. Consequently, the Lord withdrew the rights of the priesthood from the house of Eli and later bestowed the honor of High Priest and the blessings of the priesthood upon Samuel. However, for a time, the Bible says that the heavens were closed until the calling of Samuel who was just a young boy. Just like the days of Eli and Samuel, before the Last Days, there was a Great Apostasy were there was no "open visions" until God called another boy prophet by the name of Joseph Smith.

1 Sam 3:1 "And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision."

9. Elijah and the Famine. Elijah confronts king Ahab and Jezebel who promote the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth in Israel. Jezebel orders the killing of all Jewish Priests but Obadiah hides away 100 priests. Elijah calls down the a famine as punishment which lasts 3 1/2 years (Apostasy). During that time he is fed by the Widow of Zarephath. At the end of the drought Elijah calls down fire from heaven to consume the offering and convince the Israelites by a mightly manifestation of the power of God (Restoration).
10. Isaiah's Marvelous Work. Isaiah 29 speaks of a marvelous work and a wonder in the Last Days. Here, God says that he has covered or taken away prophets and seers from the people. All people are in a deep sleep or apostasy, but in the Last Days God will restore the truth through a book that will come out of the ground as voice out of the dust. That book is the Book of Mormon. Isaiah says that through the message of this book, those that erred in spirit will finally come to understand and learn true doctrine.

Isa 29:10 For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. . . 14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. . . 24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

11. Book of Jeremiah. The whole Book of Jeremiah is about the Apostasy of the Jews at the time preceding the Babylonian Captivity, but it also describes and foretells the future Apostasy and spiritual captivity following the death of Christ and His Apostles. The literal apostasy and captivity of the Jews and Jerusalem becomes an allegory of the future spiritual captivity, falling away and apostasy of the Christian Church. Just as Jerusalem was completely destroyed and the Jews were scattered among many nations, so we see much of the Christian world scattered among various denominations and non-denominations. But God promises He will have compassion on His people and restore them again to the truth.

Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Jer 9: 4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: . . . they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth:. . . 16 I will scatter them also among the heathen ,
Jer 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard. . . 15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
Jer 16:16 Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

12. Stick of Joseph. Ezekiel is told that in the Last Days when all the 12 tribes of the House of Israel (not just Judah) are restored to their Promised Land, that the tribes will have 2 records of scripture called the "stick of Joseph" and the "stick of Judah". Ezekiel is told that prior to this Israel will be in great apostasy, but that through the unification of these records, the House of Israel which is the True Christian Church would finally be restored, sanctified, unified and purified. The "Stick of Judah" is the Bible, and the "Stick of Joseph" is the Book of Mormon.

Ezek. 37: 16, 19 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: . . .19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. (see Ezek 16-28).

13. The Beast. Daniel 7 and John in Revelation foretell of a terrible beast (Roman Empire), that would arise and persecute, overcome, prevail against, and kill the saints. Daniel says that this same kingdom would change the times and the laws of the true gospel and religion (Apostasy) but in the end all dominion would be given to the people of God (Restoration). The Beast would be given a mouth that would blaspheme God, His word (Christ), His tabernacle (Christ's Body, Physicality of God, Church, and Temple), and persecute the Saints. This story is the story of what is called the Abomination of Desolation. Scripture has multiple fulfillment so this likely also applies to End-Times and the Anti-Christ.

Dan 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; . . . 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time (= 3 1/2 year famine or Apostasy).

Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months (= 3 1/2 year apostasy). 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

14. Amos Foretells a Spiritual Famine. Amos says that before the Last Days a spiritual famine would come. But unlike the day of Abraham, and Moses who were led to the truth, this time, the truth would not be found anywhere on the Earth.

Amos 8: 11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

15. Destruction of the Temple. Christ foretells that the Sun would dim, the moon would turn red, and the stars would fall from the sky meaning that all sources of heavenly light, revelation, and knowledge would cease. Christ also said of the temple (His body, His church) ;that not one stone would be left upon another (Apostasy). While the individual stones remained there wasn't a fully put together Christian church during the time of the Dark Ages that contained the cohesive whole and fullness of the truth of Christ's Church built upon a foundation of prophets and apostles; Christ being the chief cornerstone. But in the end, Christ says destroy this body and I will raise it up again the 3rd Day (Restoration). Also, remember that Christ said all this would be fulfilled at least once in that generation.

Matt 24: 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet. . . 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: . . . 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

16. Church Built on the Rock. Matthew tells us a story about Peter's witness and testimony that Jesus is the Christ. We are taught that Peter received this witness by revelation and not scientific proof (flesh and blood). Jesus Christ promised that upon the rock of personal revelation and priesthood authority and keys, the gates of Hell would never prevail. Christ also promised to always be with His church. But, this promise doesn't mean that the people of the Church would alway stay with Christ. While Satan has no power against the church built upon revelation and Apostles and Prophets. Satan was able to prevail for a season when the people rejected revelation and the authority of the Apostles and Prophets.

Matt 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:

17. Jewish Exorcists Overcome. Later on in the Bible Luke tells the story in Acts that a son of Jewish priest attempted to invoke the name of Jesus to cast out evil spirits. But the evil spirits did not recognize the authority or faith of these Jews despite their using the name of Jesus. Consequently, Luke says that these Jews were overcome and Satan prevailed against them. If we reject the true Christian authority of Christ, then we will be left spiritually naked and wounded.

Acts 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

18. Priesthood Authority. The New Testament teaches us about how priesthood authority is transmitted. LDS accept the doctrine of a priesthood of all believers where all members can enjoy the blessings of the priesthood instead of just the birthright son or one tribe. However, LDS also accept that the priesthood still must be transmitted by being called by God and by receiving the laying on of hands by someone who has that authority. Being called by God means a person is appointed by a divinely appointed hierarchy instead of volunteering himself or being elected. When the Apostles and Prophets were killed, that authority was lost despite God calling others as Apostles like James the Brother of Jesus, Paul, Matthias, and Barnabas. After the authority was finally lost, the priesthood was restored again when Peter James and John appeared to Joseph Smith and laid their hands on his head. In the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there is the same Apostles, Prophets, Bishops, Elders, and Deacons as in the Original Christian Church.

Eph 4: 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
John 15: 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you,
Heb 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
1 Tim. 4: 14 Neglect not the giftt hat is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

19. Paul foretells the Falling Away. Paul warns that Christ Second Coming would not occur until there was a great falling away first. The word for falling away in Greek is "apostasia" or Apostasy.

2 Thes. 2: 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

20. Gainsaying of Korah. Paul speaks of apostasy and authority using several Old Testament examples in His letters to Jude and Titus. So, we shouldn't think that just because a story is in the OT it no longer applies. The story of Core or Korah is very interesting when it comes to authority. Korah was a Levite but was not a son of Aaron. Korah was jealous of Aaron and believed he could lead Israel as well as or better then Aaron. Korah rebelled against Moses and Aaron and in response, God caused the earth to opened and swallow Korah and his followers. Paul warns us in several places that there would be false priests and false prophets who will practice "gainsaying," "priestcraft", and "vain talking" for "filthy lucre". Priest craft or Gainsaying involves appointing yourself or being elected as a pastor, making it a career or "craft", and preaching for money. Conversely, local LDS leadership and teachers are always called from the top down and serve in Christ's Church as an unpaid volunteer.

Jude 1: 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Titus 1: 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

21. Woman fleeing into the wilderness. John tells the Early Saints a cryptic story that Satan would persecute and prevail against a woman (true church). However, John says the woman would be carried safely away into the wilderness during a period of spiritual famine until coming forth again to overcome at last. That coming forth would be accompanied by another angel who would delay the tribulation and bring the seal of God and restore the everlasting gospel of Christ. So, while the Beast is marking his people, God is sealing the elect in the forehead in preparation for the tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ. So, this restoration is not another gospel, but its the same gospel brought by another angel. This other angel is Moroni who revealed the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith. Moroni is the angel on top of the LDS temples.

Rev 12: 6 And the woman (true church) fled into the wilderness (apostasy), where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days (3 1/2 year famine).. . . 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman (Book of Mormon), and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev. 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev. 7: 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Some say it just isn't possible that God would allow His Church to fall into Apostasy. But. just as Christ allowed evil men to kill his body and he raised it from the dead on the third day; Jesus Christ allowed evil men to at first prevail against his church and temple. Now with the restoration of all things in this the dispensation of the fullness of times, God will overcome by restoring the plain and precious truths to the Bible with the Book of Mormon, and has restored his church with 12 Apostles and a prophet, and the proper priesthood keys and authority.

Now, the question remains, was there an Apostasy and was there a Restoration. The way God has given to know this is by the Book of Mormon. We are invited to read it, ponder its message (focus on what is it saying), and then pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ if it is true. If you pray with faith, believing in Christ, you are promised a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon by the Holy Spirit. There is no other way. Sure, It would be great to have smoking gun proof of the resurrection of Christ and of Nephites in America , but God has given that some questions can only be answered by prayer and learning to listen to the Holy Ghost. And that is done on purpose.

Missionary Letter

Dear Sis. Brosnahan,

I was out with the missionaries this morning driving them around
before work. It was tough to find people awake before noon. I know I
wouldn't be up. There is one lady we visited who was baptized baptist
last year and is interested in the missionaries message about the gift
of the Holy Ghost. She feels obligated to her church because they
helped her out financially and she really feels she has found an oasis
of solace after having gone through the dessert. Many Born-again
Christians really feel this way.

I likened her experience to Nephi in the Book of Mormon. After having
traveled through the dessert and suffered starvation and fatigue they
finally arrived at the land Bountiful. This land on the sea shore was
flowing with milk and honey. I can understand why when God commanded
Nephi to build a ship and cross the ocean, many did not want to leave
Bountiful after what they had just been through. But Bountiful was a
stepping stone on the way to the Promised Land, and after traveling
trough an arid Arabian Dessert, God was still asking them to cross the
expansive ocean before arriving at an even better place.

After talking with this sister, we spoke to a great young couple. The
brother is training in the millitary for a few months. We showed them
the Restoration DVD. The wife really asked some great insightful
questions. She asked if the Joseph in the Bible was related to Joseph
Smith. i said they are different Joseph's but they are connected in
an interesting way.

Joseph in the Bible is one of 12 brothers and sons of Jacob (Israel).
Joseph's older brothers Ruben, Simeon, and Judah lost out on the
birthright because of some mistakes they made. So, the birthright
went to Joseph a younger brother instead of some of the older
brothers. Because of jealously, the older brothers sold Joseph into
slavery into Egypt and told their father Jacob Joseph had been eaten
alive by wild animals. Later, a great drought and famine came and the
family of Jacob and the 11 sons were starving and went to Egypt to
find food. Well it turned out that Joseph recognized his family and
served to save his family from the famine.

In a way, this story in the OT is an allegory that teaches us
something that will happen in the Last Days. Just as the Joseph in
the OT saved his family from the drought and famine then. The OT
foretells in Amos about a future famine, not of bread or of water, but
a spiritual famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Today, we like
the 11 brothers can turn to a modern Joseph Smith to help us escape
this modern spiritual famine.

I hope everything is going well for you. Our ward has a missionary
meeting twice a week on youth night and after church on Sunday which
the ward missionaries attend and arrange splits and new member
discussions. Furthermore, on youth night before scouts and YM/YW,
a representative from all the auxiliaries attends. During this meeting the
missionaries review all their investigators and we plan splits, fellowshipping,
phone calls, and rides to church for each investigator. These meeting have
resulted in a doubling of our baptisms.

Sincerely,
David B.

Arguments for Eternal Marriage

1. Adam and Eve given to each other in perfection in the presence of the the Father. This was on Earth, but Earth will become a part of Heaven.
2. Explanation that Jews will be as the angels and not married nor given in marriage doesn't apply to Christians who will be made "higher than the angels" (Heb 1, Gal 4).
3. Told to love our spouse as Christ loves the church, and tthe love of Christ does not end in death. (Eph. 5: 25-27)
4. Christ resurrection ended the sting and victory of death (1 Cor 15:55).
5. In heaven we will know as we are known, so why would the love for our spouse not be magnified instead of just diluted. If you love your spouse, you will want to be with them, and if that be the case, you would in effect be common law married anyways.

1 Cor. 13: 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

6. Paul's explanation that woman are free to remarry and its not adultery (1 Cor. 7: 39, Rom. 7: 2-3) suggests they had eternal marriage and felt committed still to their eternal spouse even after death. Ezek 44:22 proves the Jews had no problem with remarriage after death. Even priests could remarry the widows of other priests. So, Paul bringing the issue of remarriage up, doesn't make sense unless the circumstance of the Christian marriage was different than that of the Jews.

Ezekiel 44:22 They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.

7. Paul says that man is not without the woman neither women without the man in the Lord.

1 Cor 11:11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

8.The keys given to Peter say "what is bound on Earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matt 16:19).
9. The Bible says "What God hath joined, let no man put asunder" (Matt 19).
10. If this doctrine were clearly set forth in the Bible, there would be no need for the Restoration.

Justin Martyr: The Father and Son

Many Evangelical Christians say LDS are not Christian because we worship a different God and Christ. They say because we do not accept the Nicene Creed of the First Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church in the 3rd Century AD (which is the basis for the Trinity/Triune God Doctrine) that we worship a false Christ and a False God. LDS openly reject the Nicene Creed and and point out that our doctrine better reflects that of 1st Century Christianity than 3rd Century Christianity and tradition as reflected in the Creeds.

Back then when the debate raged over the Nicene Creed. Arians have been described as trying to deny the deity of Christ. While the denial of Jesus as God is wrong, the opponents of the Nicene Creed were correct in their objection to the word "homoousious" or "of the same substance" which is used in the Nicene Creed. While the whole of the Nicene Creed is an accurate description of the Godhead, the word "homoousious" is interpreted to describe a mysterious and incomprehensible relationship between the Father and the Son. Many feel that the mystery of how God can be 3 Persons but 1 Being is wrong because it is by definition incomprehensible. Instead, many felt the Nicene Creed should have said that God the Father and God the Son were not "homousious" or "of the same substance" but "of similar substance". To put it in other words, the Father and the Son could be said to both be composed of pure gold but separate and distinct gold bars. The Son was not divided off from the Father but as Justin Martyr would say, the Son stands next to the Father in the same way a fire can be kindled from another fire and stand separate from the first without diminishing from the first.

A major issue dealt with in Justin's argument with Trypho is that the Jews rejected the Christian's acceptance of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah because Jesus Christ and the Christians claimed that Christ was God. Before the Babylonian captivity the Jews had a serious problem with Baal and Ashtoreth worship. These idols are excavated in Israel today. But after the captivity, the pendulum swung too far the other way, and the Jews became hyper-monotheists to the point that they could not accept Christ as the Messiah because Christ also claimed he is the Son of God. Therefore, Justin takes care the argue that it was the pre-existent Jesus Christ who appeared in the Old Testament to Moses and Abraham. According to Justin, Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ of the New Testament.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter 56. God who appeared to Moses is distinguished from God the Father
Justin: Reverting to the Scriptures, I shall endeavour to persuade you, that He who is said to have appeared to Abraham, and to Jacob, and to Moses, and who is called God, is distinct from Him who made all things—numerically, I mean, not [distinct] in will. For I affirm that He has never at any time done anything which He who made the world—above whom there is no other God—has not wished Him both to do and to engage Himself with. . . . It is not on this ground solely that it must be admitted absolutely that some other one is called Lord by the Holy Spirit besides Him who is considered Maker of all things; . . . 'Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever. A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of Your kingdom: You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity: therefore God, even Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.' If, therefore, you assert that the Holy Spirit calls some other one God and Lord, besides the Father of all things and His Christ, answer me; for I undertake to prove to you from Scriptures themselves, that He whom the Scripture calls Lord is not one of the two angels that went to Sodom, but He who was with them, and is called God, that appeared to Abraham.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter LXI—Wisdom is begotten of the Father, as fire from fire.“
I shall give you another testimony, my friends,” said I, “from the Scriptures, that God begat before all creatures a Beginning,[who was] a certain rational power [proceeding] from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord, now the Son, again Wisdom, again an Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls Himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave (Nun). For He can be called by all those names, since He ministers to the Father’s will, and since He was begotten of the Father by an act of will; just as we see happening among ourselves: for when we give out some word, we beget the word; yet not by abscission, so as to lessen the word means both the thinking power or reason which produces ideas and the expression of these ideas. When we utter a thought, the utterance of it does not diminish the power of thought in us, though in one sense the thought has gone away from us. [which remains] in us, when we give it out: and just as we see also happening in the case of a fire, which is not lessened when it has kindled [another], but remains the same; and that which has been kindled by it likewise appears to exist by itself, not diminishing that from which it was kindled. The Word of Wisdom, who is Himself this God begotten of the Father of all things, and Word, and Wisdom, and Power, and the Glory of the Begetter.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter 59. God distinct from the Father conversed with Moses
Justin: Permit me, further, to show you from the book of Exodus how this same One, who is both Angel, and God, and Lord, and man, and who appeared in human form to Abraham and Isaac, appeared in a flame of fire from the bush, and conversed with Moses . . . . Have you perceived, sirs, that this very God whom Moses speaks of as an Angel that talked to him in the flame of fire, declares to Moses that He is the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob?

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter 75. It is proved that Jesus was the name of God in the book of Exodus
Justin: Moreover, in the book of Exodus we have also perceived that the name of God Himself which, He says, was not revealed to Abraham or to Jacob, was Jesus, and was declared mysteriously through Moses. Thus it is written: 'And the Lord spoke to Moses, Say to this people, Behold, I send My angel before your face, to keep you in the way, to bring you into the land which I have prepared for you. Give heed to Him, and obey Him; do not disobey Him. For He will not draw back from you; for My name is in Him.' Exodus 23:20-21 Now understand that He who led your fathers into the land is called by this name Jesus, and first called Auses Numbers 13:16. (Oshea). For if you shall understand this, you shall likewise perceive that the name of Him who said to Moses, 'for My name is in Him,' was Jesus.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter LXII.—The words “Let Us make man” agree with the testimony of Proverbs."
And the same sentiment was expressed, my friends, by the word of God [written] by Moses, when it indicated to us, with regard to Him whom it has pointed out, that God speaks in the creation of man with the very same design, in the following words: ‘Let Us make man after our image and likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heaven, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creeping things that creep on the earth. And God created man: after the image of God did He create him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and said, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and have power over it. And that you may not change the [force of the] words just quoted, and repeat what your teachers assert,—either that God said to Himself, ‘Let Us make,’ just as we, when about to do something, oftentimes say to ourselves, ‘Let us make;’ or that God spoke to the elements, to wit, the earth and other similar substances of which we believe man was formed, ‘Let Us make,’—I shall quote again the words narrated by Moses himself, from which we can indisputably learn that [God] conversed with some one who was numerically distinct from Himself, and also a rational Being. These are the words: ‘And God said, Behold, Adam has become as one of us, to know good and evil.’ In saying, therefore, ‘as one of us,’ [Moses] has declared that [there is a certain] number of persons associated with one another, and that they are at least two. For I would not say that the dogma of that heresy which is said to be among you is true, or that the teachers of it can prove that [God] spoke to angels, or that the human frame was the workmanship of angels. But this Offspring, which was truly brought forth from the Father, was with the Father before all the creatures, and the Father communed with Him; even as the Scripture by Solomon has made clear, that He whom Solomon calls Wisdom, was begotten as a Beginning before all His creatures and as Offspring by God,

Justin Maryr comments to Trypho Chapter Chapter 128 The Word is sent not as an inanimate power, but as a person begotten of the Father's substance
And do not suppose, sirs, that I am speaking superfluously when I repeat these words frequently: but it is because I know that some wish to anticipate these remarks, and to say that the power sent from the Father of all which appeared to Moses, or to Abraham, or to Jacob, is called an Angel because He came to men (for by Him the commands of the Father have been proclaimed to men); is called Glory, because He appears in a vision sometimes that cannot be borne; is called a Man, and a human being, because He appears arrayed in such forms as the Father pleases; and they call Him the Word, because He carries tidings from the Father to men: but maintain that this power is indivisible and inseparable from the Father, just as they say that the light of the sun on earth is indivisible and inseparable from the sun in the heavens; as when it sinks, the light sinks along with it; so the Father, when He chooses, say they, causes His power to spring forth, and when He chooses, He makes it return to Himself. In this way, they teach, He made the angels. But it is proved that there are angels who always exist, and are never reduced to that form out of which they sprang. And that this power which the prophetic word calls God, as has been also amply demonstrated, and Angel, is not numbered [as different] in name only like the light of the sun but is indeed something numerically distinct, I have discussed briefly in what has gone before; when I asserted that this power was begotten from the Father, by His power and will, but not by abscission, as if the essence of the Father were divided; as all other things partitioned and divided are not the same after as before they were divided: and, for the sake of example, I took the case of fires kindled from a fire, which we see to be distinct from it, and yet that from which many can be kindled is by no means made less, but remains the same.

While some say that Justin is making a point here about the Father and Son being one essence. What Justin is saying is that the Son is not a chip off the ol' block or a piece of the Father. The Father is complete and separate alone. Yet while the Son stands as a separate Being and Person and Personage and Individual of the Father, the Son did nothing of Himself, but came to do the will of the Father, speak the words of the Father, and manifest the full power of the Father in all things. Therefore, God the Son is one in purpose, unified will, and power with God the Father.

Justin Martyr discusses several other interesting doctrinal points such as Jewish scribes altering the Septuagint and the Old Testament and removing plain and precious portions. Justin also discusses the office and work of the Seventy. And Justin discusses why Christians worship on Sunday, the 8th day or first day of the week instead of the Jewish Sabbath.

Baptisms for the Dead by Vicarious Proxy

1 Cor. 15: 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

Mal 4: 5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

1 Peter 3: 18-19; 4: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; . . . For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.


LDS practice an ordinance referred to as baptism for the dead. This sacred ordinance is one of the ordinances done in LDS temples. LDS believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church on the Earth with authority to baptize in the name of Christ and the only church with the fullness of truth. For the LDS people, it is not enough to become baptized ourselves by God's priesthood authority which was restored to the Earth by angelic messengers after long years of apostasy and spiritual darkness. LDS understand the Bible to teach that true believers have responsibility to make this truth available to our kindred dead as well as every person who has ever lived on the face of the Earth.

Christ was very clear to Nicodemus that unless an accountable individual was baptized by water and the spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of heaven. However, during the dark ages and until the Restoration, the authority and sealing keys had been lost from the Earth. Consequently, there have lived and died millions of faithful Christians who God knows would have received the proper baptism by the proper priesthood authority had they had the opportunity.

Because God is faithful and just, Baptism for the dead performed by vicarious proxy is the way God has provided for those of us living to do for those who have died, something they could not do for themselves in life, and that they cannot do in death. According to the Bible, Christ promised to preach the gospel to the disembodied spirits in prison. Then the Bible says that Elijah would return and turn the hearts of the children towards our fathers. And then the Bible says that Christians would enter into baptism on behalf of the dead by vicarious proxy.

A friend of mine expressed the sentiment that, in his view, the idea of baptizing a faithful Catholic, or person of Jewish faith was disrespectful not only to them but to their other living relatives who may not be LDS. This friend claimed that baptizing in the name of a person who was of another faith would be like someone burning a Book of Mormon or an effigy of Joseph Smith. According to my friend, baptizing in the name of someone who was not already LDS was very rude and disrespectful to the memory of that person and what they stood for. In response to that sentiment, I had the following thoughts.

1. When an LDS member enters into baptism on behalf of someone who has died, it is done in a spirit of love, honor and respect. LDS believe that we enjoy the fullness of truth and consider baptism for the dead to be an expression of honor and respect to those who have gone before. Baptism for the Dead is also an expression of God's love and perfect justice and mercy. LDS understand that we stand on the shoulders of giants and without the faith and courage of those who have gone before, we would not be where we are today. So, it is important for others to understand that baptism for the dead is wholly meant to honor our forbearers and not disrespect them or their culture, faith, and beliefs.

2. When a member of the LDS faith is baptized on behalf of someone else who has died, that baptism does not make the person who has died LDS. This baptism only provides the ordinance to be accepted by that person if they so choose. Therefore, the act of the baptism really does nothing to the deceased other than invokes their name and memorializes them. If they wish to accept the ordinance, they are free to accept, decline, or ignore it altogether of their own freewill and choice.

3. On the other hand, if God has not yet revealed to you that the LDS church is His true Church on the Earth, and you do not believe that God restored His sealing power and priesthood keys necessary for baptism to Joseph Smith and modern prophets and Apostles, then our using that authority that you do not recognize shouldn't bother you. If there is no authority, our actions do nothing. Instead, you may do better expressing sorrow at what you consider an unfortunate waste of time in researching geological and family history records and in doing the ordinances.

4. There really isn't much of a difference between LDS Baptism for the Dead and the Christian belief that Jews will one day become Christian after Armageddon. Many Christians interpret the Bible to teach that in the Last Days, the nations of the Earth will gather to a great battle around the city of Jerusalem. According to mainstream Christian belief, right before the city of Jerusalem is completely destroyed, Jesus Christ will appear, divide the Mount of Olives, save the surviving Jews who will run to their Savior and then declare in wonderment, "what are these prints in your hands and in your side." In response, we are told Christ will say, "these are the wounds I received in the house of my friends." At that point, those Jews will be converted to Christ and become powerful witnesses who will convert Jews across the Earth to Christianity. This belief in the eventual conversion of the Jews to Christianity is taught by every major Christian denomination and non-denomination. And as you can guess, this kind of belief is very offensive to many Jews just as LDS Baptism for the Dead is also offensive to some for similar reasons.

5. Remember that all LDS beliefs involve both a spiritual and temporal aspect. This goes back to our belief in God who is both a physical and spiritual reality. Accordingly, Baptism for the dead is a physical or temporal representation of the LDS belief that the Bible prophecy will be fulfilled that one day "every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ."

6. Above, I stated how my friend likened Baptism to the Dead to Anti-Mormons demonstrating outside the Conference Center or at the Manti Pagent and burning Books of Mormon or effigies of Joesph Smith for LDS members to view. While an Anti-Mormon can claim he is showing disrespect for LDS beliefs our of a spirit of love and concern, the difference between this behavior and Baptism for the Dead is that LDS Baptism are done in private and Anti-Mormon demonstrations are done in public for LDS to see.

The publicness on the one hand, and the private nature of Baptism for the Dead really makes all the difference. We all believe in the God-given, self-evident freedom of speech and religious expression. But we also believe in the golden rule that we should not do unto others what we would not want them to do to us. Accordingly, I respect another persons freedom and right to burn all the Books of Mormon they want to and to throw as many darts at a picture of President Monson that they desire, so as they do it privately and not with the intent to do it in my sight so as to shock me or offend me. In the same way, I hope others would recognize our God-given right of religious expression. LDS Baptism for the Dead is done privately and unfortunately only made public by a few anti-Mormon adversaries who are really the ones guilty of creating the offense by making this ordinance not only public but casting it in-the-face of living non-LDS relatives.

Early Church Authority

Q: What is the Mormon position about the original church authority? Were the apostles the only real authority? Or were others allowed some? Who was authorized to baptize new believers? Who had the authority to make important decisions? Did everyone have some authority but others had more? Or did new believers have no authority and had to wait to be given it by others who already had it? This is important because (correct me if I'm wrong) the Mormon position is that all such authority was lost and thus in need of a restoration. Therefore, I am wondering what exactly that authority was.

__________________

A: To answer the question we need to differentiate between priesthood authority, priesthood keys, and priesthood power.

We know that the original church was organized with a chief apostles Peter at the head of 12 apostles (Eph. 4: 11). The church also had 7 evangelists or presidents and had seventy elders. On the local level we have individual bishops (episcopate) who had authority over elders (presbyter) and deacons (deaconos). We also get a clue from the Bible that Elders were authorized to do things deacons didn't do. When the Bible says who can bless and annoint, it says call upon the elders (James 5: 14).

Clement criticizes those in Corinth who removed their Bishop, and said Bishops were to be appointed by eminent men in the hierarchy and not voted in by the congregation. And then the appointment, Clement said, was to be presented before the church for a vote of consent and sustaining (1 Clem 41:1, 42:5, 44:1-5).

Ignacius tells the church to do nothing without the Bishop including baptisms, lords supper etc. So if there is a priesthood of all believers, there still is the issue of keys (Epistle of Ignatius to Hero: 3,Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans: 8). You should remember that while the sealing authority was given to all the Apostles In Matt 18, only Peter was given Keys (Matt 16:18-19).

Okay, so what's the difference:

Priesthood Authority
Priesthood authority is the authority to act in the name of God and perform an ordinance, sacrament, covenant marriage, Lords Supper that is valid in heaven in the eyes of God.

Priesthood Keys
Priesthood keys are not just the authority to administer an ordinance, but it is the the authority to authorize that a baptism, Lords Supper, or covenant marriage can be done. A person may have the authority to administer the ordinance, but keys are necessary to authorize that the ordinance be done. The concept of keys is genius because it prevents a person from receiving priesthood authority and then splitting off and thinking he can form his own authorized church. All authority is derived from the same keys. And only Peter and all the Apostles together held all the keys.

Priesthood Power
Even with priesthood keys and authority, there still is the issue of power. Just because someone has authority, a person must empower that authority. This empowerment of priesthood authority is based on the atonement of Jesus Christ, repentance, and personal righteousness. And the power of the Priesthood is the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost does not dwell in unholy temples (1 Cor. 3: 16). This is why the Apostles were unable to cast out devils on one occasion and Christ told them these did not come out but by prayer and fasting. There wasn't a problem with authority but empowerment (Matt. 17: 21).

So, after the death of the Apostles and many of the Early Church Fathers and Bishops, the keys of the Priesthood, which are passed down in succession by the laying on of hands (1 Tim. 4: 14), was lost to the Earth. While individual Bishops are given some keys to preside over a local congregation only the Chief Apostles, and the Twelve Apostles as a group hold and exercise all Priesthood keys. Another important aspect of the kingdom of God is its hierarchy. The Bible and the Early Church Fathers made it abundantly clear that church leadership was supposed to be appointed from the top down and not elected from the bottom up. Voting does not represent and does not always reflect the mind and will of God.

Mormon Ritual and Ancient Temples

The Following video was shown at the Open House to the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple. Latter-day temples are the most powerful signs of the restoration of God's kingdom on the Earth. Most Jews and Christians await the restoration of the temple at Jerusalem, but many forget that the everlasting covenant and the temple of the New Testament would be established to all Gentile nations before eventually being restored to the Jews at Jerusalem. While the pattern and covenant of the Old Testament temple was meant to bring Israel to the Son Jesus Christ, the purpose and pattern of the New Testament temple is to perfect, sanctify, and prepare us through Jesus Christ to enter into the presence of God the Father, As you will see by this video presentation, these buildings are truly worthy to bare the words HOLINESS TO THE LORD, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.

View Inside LDS Temples

Curitiba, Brazil Temple



Panama City, Panama Temple



Several LDS Temples

Communalism vs. Communism

The LDS Church in its beginning practiced a type of economic system called the United Order based on the example and teachings of Jesus Christ and the Early Christian Saints. What is the United Order? The United Order is a type of Communalism or communal living where members of the church live as the Early Christian Saints lived "with all things in common." This economic system should not be confused with Marxist Communism. There are important differences between Christian Communalism and Marxist Communism. It is also interesting to examine why the LDS Church and other Christians no longer attempt to observe communalism as the Early Christians did.

Remember that Paul said by the Levitical Priesthood is nothing made perfect. And remember that the rich young man asked Christ what he had to do to gain eternal life and after reciting the requirements of the law, he asked "what lack I yet?" Upon which Christ responded, "Sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and come and follow me." Christ was explaining the oath associated with the higher covenant. Giving our whole souls too God and all we possess is called the Law of Consecration and it is by accepting and committing oneself too this covenant that a person can become fully sanctified and perfected in Christ.

We see evidence in the NT that the early Saints also had received this higher oath and covenant as the Bible says they lived with "all things in common." Now what this term is referring to is not the Law of Consecration itself, but an economic system LDS refer to as the United Order. This economic system which is a type of communalism is not necessary for an individual to observe the law of the consecration, but it empowers a community as a whole to observe and keep the covenant.

If the Early Saints lived the Law of Consecration and Communalism or the United Order, why don't we live this way now as Christians? The reason is actually the story of Thanksgiving.

When John Bradford and the Puritans came to America, they desired to establish a Zion or perfect society. As part of this, they desired to institute communalism as their economic system as they believed the Early Christians practiced it. Accordingly, they assigned 1/3 of the settlers to grow and farm the food, 1/3 to watch out for Indians, and 1/3 to look for gold. Well, you can guess what happened. Everyone wanted to look for gold and no one wanted to farm the food. Consequently, the Bishops storehouse which was the common store of the people was empty. Therefore, Jamestown Colony and the Puritan settlers suffered greatly.

Now, the reason for their suffering is not because Communalism is evil but because what the puritans practiced was probably not exactly what and how the Early Christians instituted the United Order. Additionally, this higher law does not function well in a society mixed with good and evil people. Because everyone has equal claim on the Bishops storehouse, inevitably, there will be idlers who refuse to work for their own support and leach off the resources of the community without making any contribution themselves.

So, what happened in Jamestown with the Puritans? The Colony leadership got together about this issue and after making prayerful consideration, felt inspired that they needed to revoke the United Order and re-nstitute the lesser Law of Tithing. Accordingly, everyone was given a plot of land and told that after they have given 10% to the Bishop's storehouse, whatever they grow in excess of their own needs, they can keep. Well, you can imagine what happened? The Jamestown Colony experienced immediate success and were blessed with abundance. They were blessed so much that the Puritans dedicated a feast day to God to give thanks for His blessings. And as a gesture of peace, they invited their Indian neighbors to participate. And this was the first Thanksgiving and why we observe the Law of Tithing in America and do not institute communalism as was practiced by the Early Saints.

Now, Communialism and the United Order is not Communism, at least how the Early Christians and how Joseph Smith was taught it. According to Joseph Smith's version, LDS saints enjoyed private land ownership and leadership were to labor with their own hands for their own support, although this labor often involved the full time job of operating the Bishops Storehouse itself. In that case, they were free to rely on the storehouse for their needs. They were not paid for preaching sermons on Sunday.

D&C 64: 23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.

Thus in both implementation and ownership and management of property, the United Order preserves to men their God-given agency, while socialism deprives them of it. . . . Socialism takes: United Order gives. -Marion G Romney, General Conference, 1966

D&C 51: 3-6 Wherefore, let my servant Edward Partridge, and those whom he has chosen, in whom I am well pleased, appoint unto this people their portions, every man equal according to his family, according to his circumstances and his wants and needs. And let my servant Edward Partridge, when he shall appoint a man his portion, give unto him a writing that shall secure unto him his portion, that he shall hold it, even this right and this inheritance in the church, until he transgresses and is not accounted worthy by the voice of the church, according to the laws and covenants of the church, to belong to the church. And if he shall transgress and is not accounted worthy to belong to the church, he shall not have power to claim that portion which he has consecrated unto the bishop for the poor and needy of my church; therefore, he shall not retain the gift, but shall only have claim on that portion that is deeded unto him. And thus all things shall be made sure, according to the laws of the land.

The purpose of the United Order was to voluntarily humble the rich and bless and elevate the poor according to the pattern set out by the Early Christian Saints and according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. First and individual voluntarily gave away all their land, possessions and money of their own free will and choice without compulsion or coercion. In return they received a deeded stewardship and inheritance of land, possession and money according to their needs and righteous wants. The individual owned that stewardship and worked it and magnified it for the welfare of himself and his dependents. If there was any excess beyond the needs and righteous wants of him and his family, then that excess was returned to the bishops storehouse. But make no mistake, it was all voluntary and individuals had private property rights and could give their land to their heirs upon their death. That individual retained claim on the inheritance, even if they were excommunicated.

Mormon Response

1) The Book of Mormon is a fabrication of the questionable religious experience of Joseph Smith, whom I do not believe to have been a prophet.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God and is the stick of Joseph in the hand of Ephraim as spoken of by Ezekiel. The book chronicles the higher covenant God makes with Lehi, Nephi, and Jacob just like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

2) Because there are many accounts of the First Vision, it is unclear as to what message Joseph was trying to relay. The poor copout that the many versions mold together to make one big story is exactly what I said...a copout.

There are several versions of the First Vision. And Joseph Smith suited each version to the audience for which it was intended. In the first version, Joseph Smith wanted to create a parallel between his experience and that of Paul and therefore only mentions that he beheld Jesus Christ. In other version, he included more detail about the entire experience of seeing the Father and the Son as Stephen beheld Jesus Christ standing on the right hand of God.

The truth that God the Father and God the Son are 2 distinct persons and personages is not new with Joseph Smith. Justin Martyr to Trypho interprets "Let us make man in our image" and "Man has become as one of us" to prove that Christ is God and that there were at least 2 intelligent and distinct beings present. Justin Martyr specifically rejects the "Royal We" interpretation.

My favorite version contains the description of how Joseph Smith felt after the First Vision. Joseph Smith simply stated that after the vision "my heart was filled with love for days afterward."

3) On the part of the institutional church (in existence), the inability to maintain honest record of its history leads me to further believe that the LDS church is in fact a man made institution with great financial ploys and is more concerned with church wealth, blind obedience, and power than it is about preserving the TRUTH found in the body of Christ and His Gospel.

What other church has done a better job of keeping records and achieving everything any of our leadership has said and making it available to all to see. If we were hiding something we would keep things hidden and use the document shredders. Our church is a record keeping church because we have a duty to chronicle the restoration of the fullness of the gospel of Christ in this the dispensation of the fullness of times.

4) The Book of Abraham is a fabrication created to promote a monolatry or henotheism which are only disguises of polytheism.

The Kirtland Egyptian Papers contain descriptions of all the papyri that Joseph Smith had in his possession. Only a small fraction of the collection exists today and what Joseph Smith translated as the Book of Abraham is not in the existent papyri fragments.

5) I do not agree with the denigration of women. I see women more as equals than as mere child bearers.

Women enjoy great freedom, respect, and equality in the LDS faith. There is no "I am the priesthood holder so you have to do what i say" in the LDS faith. My wife and I make all decisions together in prayerful consultation with our Heavenly Father. I would never make a decision alone and have adversity arise and have my wife say, "This is all your fault, I never thought this was a good idea". In stead, because we are equally yoked, when adversity arises, because we have made a prayerful decision together, we can say, "we both know the Lord guided us in this direction, and therefore we should have faith, patience, and perseverance and hold to the more narrow path knowing the Lord will bless us and things will work out for our good because we have followed the Lords way"

6) It is a mockery of God's divine character by lying about His supposed 'exaltation'. He was not a man and never will be a man.

The Early Christian Fathers were the ones that taught "God became man so men could become gods." This is not about taking Gods place and God ceasing to be our Father. We will forever be His children and He our Father. This is about maturing to become like Him and being empowered to join in with Him in His work of creation and eternal parenting. How else would you really come to know the Father and enjoy fellowship with Him unless you were empowered to do the kind of work that God does. Are you going to circle the throne and honor God with your lips only, or are you going to be blessed to sit in His throne with Him and worship God in word and works, in spirit and in truth.

7) I'm a Trinitarian and I view the Godhead as such. God is Master. Christ is the bodily manifestation of God. The Spirit is His consciousness meant to guide and to help discern.

"bodily manifestation of God?" That is modalism and not trinitarianism. the Lutheran Hour speaker Rev. Ken Klaus a month ago was explaining the trinity and was stressing the 3-ness of the Godhead and reviewed all the places in which Christ referred to the Father as separate from Himself and came to the conclusion that the Father and Son are not only 2 separate persons but also 2 separate "individuals".

8) I will agree with Bruce McConkie in stating that the Adam-God theory is a deadly heresy.

Adam-God is a misunderstanding of what Brigham Young was trying to say. I have read many recorded diary accounts of Brigham Young speaking on this subject and it is clear that some LDS misunderstood what was being taught. But if you have been to an LDS temple you know that Adam-God cannot be because Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael are all clearly depicted.

Brigham Young was not teaching that Adam is the Father Elohim. Adam is the Father of Jesus Christs body only by way of Mary the Mother, and Adam is the only God with whom we have to do meaning that Adam has entered into his exaltation and since we are his physical offspring, physically-speaking, Adam is our father and our god, and the only god, physically-speaking, with whom we have to do.

9) No plans to go to the temple within this lifetime or any for that matter. The commonalities that are shared between Masonic ritual and Mormon temple worship are too close. Joseph Smith knew this and so he copied the rituals. Not a good move. I am planning to buy a book from Lighthouse Ministries (the Tanners) in SLC about the changes in the endowment ceremony over the years. I'm not so much worried about exaltation and my 'calling and election' so much as I am about salvation by grace.

If the temple is a pure copy of the Masonic, then you have to explain why the temple covenant is taught over and over again in the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. The Tree of Life vision, that is Lehi and Neph's endowment. King Benjamin's Sermon, that is a mass endowment session. Jesus Christ at the temple in Bountiful is also a mass endowment session. Moses 1 is Moses personal endowment. Yes, the parable and pattern may very, but the message and mysteries being taught are the same.

Joseph Smith clearly confessed that he was impressed with the way that the Masonic ritual was able to teach uneducated and illiterate farmers and labors together with the most sophisticated and learned. Therefore, he used the same format and ritual symbolism of the masonic ritual to teach the LDS endowment.

The parallels you see between the two are like watching a power-point presentation on Physics and a power-point presentation on art history and claiming that one was a complete copy of the other. Yes, the organization of the room is the same, same laser pointer, same projector, screen, monotone lecturer, etc, etc, but the subject being taught is completely different.

Works do not deny grace. Christ empowers us to receive the works and ordinances. This is why Cornelius had to receive the Holy Ghost before he was water baptized. And make no mistake, Cornelius was water baptized as was the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And if you think that water baptism is optional after God has commanded that you receive it, and you openly refuse it, I don't think you can bank on grace to cover you when you all this time you have rejected Gods grace that would have empowered you to receive it. Today is the day of your repentance and salvation.

Bible Apostacy Allegories

God foretold the Apostasy or falling away again and again in the Bible:

Adam and Eve had Able and Cain. Cain slew Able (Apostasy), Eve gave birth to another righteous son named Seth (Restoration).

Noah and the Flood. Only 8 lives were saved on the ark. During the apostasy, there are 8 prophets who were preserved until the Second Coming of Christ: Moses, Elijah, John, 3 Nephites, Alma, and Moroni.

Joseph was sold into Egypt (America). Joseph in Egypt (LDS) became the means of saving the house of Israel during the famine (Apostasy and Restoration).

Elijiah confronts king Ahab and Jezebel who promote the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth in Israel. Jezebel orders the killing of all Jewish Priests but Obadiah hides away 100 priests. Elijah calls down the a famine as punishment which lasts 3 1/2 years (Apostasy). During that time he is fed by the Widow of Zarephath and raises her son from the dead (Christ). At the end of the drought Elijah calls down fire from heaven to consume the offering and convince the Israelites of the power of God (Restoration).

Daniel 7 and John in Revelation fortell of a terrible beast (Roman Empire), that would arise and persecute, overcome, prevail against, and kill the saints. Daniel says that this same kingdom would change the times and the laws of the true gospel and religion (Apostasy) but in the end all dominion would be given to the people of God (Restoration). The Beast would be given a mouth that would blaspheme God, His word (Christ), His tabernacle (Christ's Body, Physicality of God, Church, and Temple), and persecute the Saints.

Christ foretells that the Sun would dim, the moon would turn red, and the stars would fall from the sky meaning that all sources of heavenly light, revelation, and knowledge would cease. Christ also said of the temple (His body, His church) that not one stone would be left upon another (Apostasy). While the individual stones remained during the Apostasy, doctrinally speaking, there wasn't a Christian church during the time of the Dark Ages until the Restoration that contained the cohesive whole and fullness of the truth of Christ's Church built upon a foundation of prophets and apostles, Christ being the chief cornerstone. But in the end, Christ says destroy this body and I will raise it up again the 3rd Day (Restoration).

And just as Christ allowed evil men to kill his body and he raised it from the dead on the third day. Jesus Christ allowed evil men to remove plain and precious truth from the Bible, as well as overcome and destroy his church and temple. Now with the restoration of all things in this the dispensation of the fullness of times, God has restored the plain and precious truths to the Bible with the Book of Mormon, and has restored his church with 12 Apostles and a prophet, and restored His temple.

Amos 8: 11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
2 Thes. 2: 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Chastening: A Sign of the True Church

One sign of the true church of Christ is that the church disciplines its members for serious sin before those sins become a public scandal. Paul says that there should be grounds for righteous judgement resulting in partial disfellowshiping or excommunication. I wonder when it was the last time an Evangelical church disciplined its members for committing fornication, abortion, or adultery.

1 Cor 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1 Cor 11: 31-32 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Does your church have mechanisms to receive confession and discipline its membership before a person's sins become a threat to the public and the membership. While a church should never shield and protect lawbreakers, a church is am important instrument and institution of self- government which has a duty to protect the public. Therefore, it should have active systems in place to discipline its membership and prevent sin and not only react when there is a public scandal and embarrassment. Does your church protect and enable sin, simply react to sin after the fact, or actively seek to prevent sin?

1 Cor 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1Tim5: 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses .20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

Titus 3: 10 A man that is an heretik after the first and second admonition reject;

Heb. 12: 7, 10-11 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Rev. 3: 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

i Cor 6:2-5 (Luke 22:30) Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

John 7 :24 (1 Cor 11:31) Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment

see also 1 Cor 11:26-34, Titus 1:10-16, James 5: 16, 1 Jn 1:9

Most sins don't require confession to the bishop but to God only. But there are certain sins regarding morality, substance abuse, physical abuse, abortion, criminal law, heresy that are serious and require assistance. They are serious because they generally affect other people, are difficult to repent of, and manifest a longstanding pattern of sinful thought and behavior leading up to the serious sin. In other words, there has been a lot of water that has gone under the bridge. This is to not say that stealing candy bars is less sin than homosexuality. Both must be repented of and paid for by the blood of Christ. The reason certain sins get marked as needing discipline by Paul is the difficulty of repentance.

Depending in the seriousness of the act, and the repentant nature of the sinner, the bishop may counsel the person, withdraw rights in the church to partake of the sacrament or have certain callings for a time. If the seriousness of the seriousness of the sin requires possible excommunication, a church disciplinary council may be called so that disciple is not given without sufficient witnesses. The purpose of discipline is not vengeance but correction out of love for the sinner. Discipline is a wake-up call to the sinner, to inspire "godly sorrow" which worketh repentance, and to communicate to the sinner that certain sins cannot be tolerated in heaven or in the church and if the person really accepted Christ and His Spirit they would never have been guilty of them. Again, discipline is for the purpose of inspiring self-examination, godly sorrow, repentance, and faith in Christ.

2 Cor. 7: 9-11 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Discipline and "godly sorrow" is not about inspiring guilt and shame, or a holier-than-thou attitude. Some Evangelicals I fear confuse the Spirit with a vain justification for sins. Evangelicals generally sin and vainly tell themselves "isn't God great and merciful that he justifies me in committing sin". Isn't God great who "tolerates sin and the sinner in his presence".God chastens those who he loves. God chastens and disciplines his children. God empowers his children to repentance and to forsake sin by giving us "godly sorrow". However, those who have experienced Gods chastening should not feel "holier-than-thou" but feel empathetic and sympathetic to others who are also suffering from sin and "godly sorrow". And true believers should seek to bare one another's burdens and not heap more burden upon them.

Many people know that LDS enjoy the blessings of the restored temple of God. Many people also know that not everyone can enter these temples unless that person meets minimum worthiness requirements. Many of these same people scoff and mock at the idea that anyone need be "worthy" to go anywhere. For an LDS member, a temple recommend is our ticket to admission to the temple and signifies we are members in full fellowship and standing in our church. And to get a temple recommend requires that we pass a worthiness interview with our spiritual leadership. And it turns out that in addition to confessing to our leaders our devotion and faith in Jesus Christ as our savior, the requirements of the interview are exactly the same worthiness requirements that Paul details in the Bible. Therefore, the temple recommend interview turns out to be one of our most important disciplinary mechanisms in the LDS church. And as I said before, it comes right out of the Bible.

1 Cor 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Paul specifically says that if those among us who enjoy our fellowship at church are fornicators, covetous, idolaters, railers, drunkards, or extortioners, they should receive some type of church discipline. Here is how the temple questions in the temple recommend interview correspond to the direction of Paul in the Bible.

1. Fornication involves sexual sin. Therefore LDS members in a temple interview are asked about and invited to confess any issues and sin with regard to their sexual morality.
2. Covetous involves greed and the love of money over God. LDS members are required to pay a full 10% tithing to God and are asked to declare that they are a full tithe payer. Tithing is a demonstration that God comes first before money in the life of a believer.
3. Idolatry involves belief in and support of heretical groups and/or ideologies. LDS members are asked to confess if they have sympathies and/associations with any heretical groups.
4. Railing involves verbal and physical abuse of wife and family. LDS are specifically asked to confess any behavior related to physical, emotional or sexual abuse of wife and children.
5. Drunkenness involves abusing mind altering substances for the purposes of intoxication. The LDS have a wonderful and inspired law of health known as the Word of Wisdom that prohibits the consumption of alcohol, tobacco products, tea and coffee, and other harmful substances. LDS are specifically asked to confess that they are living Gods law of health.
6. Extortion involves issues of honesty, cheating, and fraud. Accordingly, LDS are asked to confess that they are honest in all their dealings with their fellow men.

In addition to being asked if we believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and the only way to salvation we are asked specific questions about each one of these important issues that Paul specifies. If we do confess to sin, depending on the severity, and our repentant attitude, we may well be denied a temple recommend, and we will receive inspired discipline and instruction from our Bishops on what steps we must take to repent. The LDS temple recommend interview is not about stone throwing and exacting vengeance. These questions are part of church disciple that allows the person to confess and repent, to protect the public and the congregation, to judge righteously within as Paul says say so we wont be judged without.

In addition to authorizing and administering the gifts, sacrifices, sacraments, and ordinances of the church, receiving confession and determining ritual purity is the main job of an LDS bishop. LDS bishops are not "preachers." LDS membership preach the sermons and give the Sunday School lessons among ourselves. The LDS Bishop should be apt to teach, but one primary responsibility is to determine ritual purity just as priests in the Old Testament. But under the New Covenant, the Bishop is concerned with inward purity and not external purity.