(Last Updated 1/15/2017)
My first conclusion was that the current LDS Church is in apostasy because its teachings contradict the BOM. Yep, the LDS Church does not follow fundamental teachings in the BOM. Further, other essential LDS Church doctrines are not contained in the BOM.
My first conclusion was that the current LDS Church is in apostasy because its teachings contradict the BOM. Yep, the LDS Church does not follow fundamental teachings in the BOM. Further, other essential LDS Church doctrines are not contained in the BOM.
The
Bible and the BOM are said to contain the “Fullness of the Gospel”:
“He [Moroni] said there was a book
deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former
inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also
said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as
delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants.”
“(8) And gave him [Joseph Smith] power
from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of
Mormon; (9) Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the
gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;”
“And again, the elders, priests and
teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in
the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.”
Book
of Mormon Introduction (1981):
“The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy
scripture comparable to the Bible. It is
a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and
contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.”
While
the Introduction is not part of the BOM text, it was written by Apostle Bruce
R. McConkie. The 1981 Edition of the Scriptures “were the product of years of
research and inspired direction.”[1]
The Scriptures Publication Committee (SPC) acted under the direction of the
First Presidency. The SPC included Apostle Thomas S. Monson (chairman), Apostles
Boyd K. Packer and Bruce R. McConkie, and Brother W. James Mortimer (executive
secretary).[2]
The phrase “as does the Bible” was deleted in the 2013 Edition of the BOM.[3]
The Fullness of the Gospel:
So
what is the fullness of the Gospel? That’s a good question because the LDS Apologists
get this wrong. First, let’s start with the LDS definitions of Salvation and Exaltation. Salvation is what you need to do to overcome death and
sin and return to God in the Celestial Kingdom. Exaltation, also called Eternal
Life, is the highest level (third level) in the Celestial Kingdom where husband
and wife(s) become gods and progress eternally (D&C 132:19-20 and D&C 131:1-3). Godhood is not possible the in lower two
levels of the Celestial Kingdom.
Apostle Russell M. Nelson:
"To be
saved—or to gain salvation—means to be saved from physical and spiritual death.
Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected and
saved from physical death. People may also be saved from individual spiritual
death through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, by their faith in Him, by living
in obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel, and by serving Him…
To be exalted—or
to gain exaltation—refers to the highest state of happiness and glory in the
celestial realm…
Eternal life, or
celestial glory or exaltation, is a conditional gift…Those qualifying
conditions include faith in the Lord, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy
Ghost, and remaining faithful to the ordinances and covenants of the temple.
No man in this
Church can obtain the highest degree of celestial glory without a worthy woman
who is sealed to him. This temple ordinance enables eventual exaltation for
both of them.”
The essential difference between salvation and exaltation
are the ordinances and covenants of the temple—the endowment and marriage.
Without the temple ordinances and covenants, a person (male or female) cannot
gain exaltation or godhood and progress eternally. So does the fullness of the
Gospel contain the requirements for exaltation? It must. The word “fullness” in
this case means entire or complete; thus, the fullness of the Gospel means the
complete or entire Gospel.
Apostle Bruce R. McConkie (bold added):
"The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan of
salvation. It embraces all of
the laws, principles, doctrines, rites, ordinances, acts, powers, authorities,
and keys necessary to save and exalt
men in the highest heaven hereafter…
The fulness of the gospel consists in those laws, doctrines,
ordinances, powers, and authorities needed to enable men to gain the fulness of
salvation. Those who
have the gospel fulness do not necessarily enjoy the fulness of gospel
knowledge or understand all of the doctrines of the plan of salvation. But they do have the fulness of the priesthood
and sealing power by which men can be sealed up unto eternal life. The
fulness of the gospel grows out of the fulness of the sealing power and not out
of the fulness of gospel knowledge.
(Bruce R. McConkie, “Gospel”, Mormon Doctrine,
2nd Edition, 1966, p. 237. While Mormon
Doctrine is not an official Church publication, it has been cited in many
Church magazines and manuals. It was a often used reference before the internet.)
President Ezra Taft Benson:
"The Book of
Mormon contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ (D&C 20:9). That
does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine ever revealed. Rather,
it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines
required for our salvation. And they are taught plainly and simply so that even
children can learn the ways of salvation and exaltation."
(Ezra Taft Benson,
A Witness and a Warning, 1988, pgs. 18-19).
I would agree that
the BOM does not need to include ALL truths or teachings, but it should contain
those truths, doctrines, and ordinances necessary to “learn the ways of
salvation and exaltation.” President Benson did not say ONLY salvation but
salvation AND exaltation.
The “Plan of Redemption,” The Guide to the Scriptures (bold added):
“The
fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, designed to bring about man’s
immortality and eternal life. It includes the Creation, Fall, and Atonement,
along with all God-given laws, ordinances, and doctrines. This plan makes it
possible for all people to be exalted
and live forever with God (2 Ne. 2, 9). The scriptures also refer to this plan as the plan of
salvation, the plan of happiness, and the plan of mercy.
Doctrine and Covenants Instructor’s Guide:
"Point out that no one principle or
ordinance of the gospel stands alone. Temple marriage ([D&C 132 verse] 4) is a new and everlasting covenant, but
it is not the fulness of the gospel, and neither is baptism, priesthood
ordinations, the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, or the temple endowment. Each
of these is a part of, but not the whole of, the gospel in its fulness.”
("The Everlasting Covenant: The Fulness of
the Gospel Lesson 25: Sections 66-68",
Doctrine and Covenants Instructor’s Guide: Religion 324-325, 1981, pgs. 49–50.
This is the most current manual on LDS.org as of December 2016.)
A summary of the “fullness of the Gospel”
from the preceding quotes is:
·
Faith
(Nelson)
·
Repentance
(Nelson)
·
Baptism
(Nelson, D&C Instructor’s Guide)
·
Receiving
the Holy Ghost (Nelson)
·
The
Sacrament (D&C Instructor’s Guide)
·
Priesthood
Ordination (D&C Instructor’s Guide)
·
Temple
Endowment (Nelson, D&C Instructor’s Guide)
·
Temple
Marriage (Nelson, D&C Instructor’s Guide)
·
Enduring
to the End (Nelson)
·
Serving
God (Nelson)
Salvation
comes by faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit, service, and enduring
to the end. Exaltation comes by priesthood ordination, temple endowment, and temple
marriage. Salvation AND Exaltation are
the fullness of the Gospel.
The strange thing, though, is the BOM
does not contain the doctrines of exaltation—temple ordinances and marriage—only
the doctrines of salvation.
Try
to find the requirements for exaltation in the BOM. I challenge you. You won’t
find them. You might try to argue that the result of exaltation—godhood and
eternal progression—are in the BOM. No, they are not. Once again, try to find
them. You won’t because they’re not there.
Daniel
Peterson, BYU Professor and Prominent LDS Apologist said:[4]
"And it’s entirely correct that the
Book of Mormon contains no explicit discussion of the plurality of gods,
eternal progression, eternal marriage, baptism for the dead, the corporeality
or embodiment of God, the denial of creation from nothing, and the three
degrees of glory."
(Daniel Peterson, "Defending the Faith: Does the Book of
Mormon contain the 'fulness' of the gospel?", Deseret News, May 15, 2014)
Further,
Joseph Smith History 1:34 states Moroni told Joseph Smith “the fulness
of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it [gold plates], as delivered by the Savior to the ancient
inhabitants” (bold added). When Jesus Christ appears after his resurrection
to the Nephites, he states what his gospel is in 3 Ne 27:13-19:
(13) Behold I have given
unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I
came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.
(14) And my Father sent
me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted
up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been
lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before
me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
(15) And for this cause
have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will
draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.
(16) And it shall come
to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and
if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father
at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.
(17) And he that
endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into
the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the
Father.
(18) And this is the
word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth
the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.
(19) And no unclean
thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save
it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith,
and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.
Jesus
Christ does not speak of temple ordinances or temple marriage. There is no talk
of exaltation (godhood) or even something like different degrees of glory which
might suggest exaltation. Instead Jesus Christ speaks of faith, repentance,
baptism, the Holy Spirit (being “filled”), and enduring to the end. The reward
is not godhood, but to “enter into his [God’s] kingdom” and “into his [God’s]
rest.”
The
conclusion must be that the current LDS Church is in apostasy because it
teaches temple endowment and temple marriage. These doctrines are not part of
the fullness of the gospel as contained in the BOM.
Degrees of Glory:
The
BOM does not teach 3 degrees of glory: Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial.
Just try to find it. You won’t because it’s not there. Of course, I did not
expect to find the exact names of the glories in the BOM, but it should contain
at least one mention of multiple degrees of glory. I checked the LDS Guide to the Scriptures (GS) and Topical Guide (TG) and found no BOM
references to:
I
found no references to the degrees of glory in the BOM. Neither could Prominent
LDS Apologist Daniel Peterson (see page 15) find any references nor the LDS
Church as demonstrated by the lack of references in Guide to the Scriptures and Topical
Guide.
The
BOM, like the Bible, teaches a heaven and hell doctrine: the righteous go to
Heaven and the wicked go to Hell. Those who have faith in Jesus Christ, repent,
are baptized, and endure to the end are saved in the kingdom of God. Those who don’t
repent of their sins will go to hell.
“And he commandeth all men that they must
repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of
Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.”
“And no unclean thing
can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be
those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and
the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.”
2 Nephi Chapter 9 is very instructive for the heaven and
hell doctrine. Nephi teaches the grave delivers up the bodies then hell and
paradise deliver up the spirits and "all men become incorruptible, and
immortal...[with] a perfect knowledge of all our guilt...[and] appear before
the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel...[and] they who are righteous
shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still...[The
filthy] go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is
as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and
has no end…[The Righteous] inherit the kingdom of God.”
[The Atonement:]
(6) For as death hath
passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there
must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto
man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and
because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.
(7) Wherefore, it must
needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption
could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon
man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must
have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more…
(10) O how great the
goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this
awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the
body, and also the death of the spirit.
[Bodies and Spirits of the Wicked reunited:]
(11) And because of the
way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I
have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is
the grave.
(12) And this death of
which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead;
which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their
dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver
up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored
one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of
Israel.
[Bodies and Spirits of the Righteous reunited:]
(13) O how great the
plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the
spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous;
and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become
incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect
knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be
perfect.
[The Knowledge of the Wicked and Righteous:]
(14) Wherefore, we shall have a perfect
knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the
righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their
righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of
righteousness.
[The Judgment:]
(15) And it shall come
to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life,
insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the
judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then
must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.
[The Wicked go to everlasting torment:]
(16) And assuredly, as
the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word,
which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still,
and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy
are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire,
prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose
flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end.
(17) O the greatness and
the justice of our God! For he executeth all his words, and they have gone
forth out of his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled.
[The Righteous go to the Kingdom of God:]
(18) But, behold, the
righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the
Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and
despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was
prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full
forever.
(19) O the greatness of
the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saints from
that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and
brimstone, which is endless torment.
[Plan of Salvation Repeat and Summary:]
(20) O how great the
holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save
he knows it.
(21) And he cometh into
the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for
behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living
creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.
(22) And he suffereth
this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before
him at the great and judgment day.
(23) And he commandeth
all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect
faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.
(24) And if they will
not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to
the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has
spoken it.
No
mention of multiple degrees of glory, just one “kingdom of God” (heaven) and
“everlasting fire” (hell). Salvation requires faith, repentance, baptism, and
enduring to the end (see verses 24 & 24). The verses do not mention temple
ordinances.
(33) For behold, there is a wo pronounced
upon him who listeth to obey that [evil] spirit; for if he listeth to obey him,
and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own
soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having
transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge…
(38) Therefore if that man repenteth not,
and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do
awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause
him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with
guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame
ascendeth up forever and ever…
(41) And moreover, I would desire that ye
should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the
commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal
and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into
heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending
happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God
hath spoken it.
(21) …there is a space between death and
the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery
until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be
reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged
according to their works…
(25) And then shall the righteous shine
forth in the kingdom of God.
(26) But behold, an awful death cometh
upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of
righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the
kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits
of their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink the dregs
of a bitter cup.
Three
different BOM prophets (Nephi, King Benjamin, and Alma) and Jesus (see 3 Ne.
27:17-19 on page 15) teach a heaven and hell doctrine. The conclusion must be
that the current LDS Church is in apostasy because it teaches the 3 degree of
glory instead of the BOM doctrine of heaven and hell.
The
Nature of God:
The
LDS Church teaches that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are 3 distinct Beings or
Gods. They also teach the Father and Son have a physical body and the Holy
Spirit has a spirit body.
“The Father has a body of flesh and bones
as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh
and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could
not dwell in us.”
Joseph
Smith:
“I have always declared God to be a
distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the
Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and
these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”
(Joseph Smith, History of the Church 6:474 [June 16, 1844]. Quoted in Chapter 2: God the Eternal Father, Teachings
of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 2011)
Gospel
Topics:
“The Mormon view of the members of the
Godhead corresponds in a number of ways with the views of others in the
Christian world, but with significant differences…where Latter-day Saints differ
from other Christian religions is in their belief that God and Jesus Christ are
glorified, physical beings and that each member of the Godhead is a separate
being…
From the Prophet's account of the First
Vision [Joseph Smith—History 1:17] and from his other teachings, we know
that the members of the Godhead are three separate beings.
LDS
Church Godhead Summary: 3
separate Gods (monolatrism)[6]
The
Trinity is the common Christian belief of the Godhead. The Trinity has only one
God. In the one God are three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Sprit. Each is God
(The Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God) but not three Gods,
just one God. Further, The Father is not the Son; the Father is not the Holy
Spirit; the Son is not the Holy Spirit.
Trinity
Summary: Three persons
in only one God (exclusive monotheism)21
Modalism
is the belief in only one God. The one God is only one person who reveals
himself in three modes (or forms or aspects): Father, Son, and Holy Sprit. God
does not exist as Father, Son, and Holy Sprit at the same time. For example,
Jesus was God in the mode of the Son or the incarnate God.
Modalism
Summary: Three modes in only one God (exclusive monotheism)21
After
carefully studying the BOM, I’ve concluded it teaches modalism. It teaches only
one God. It teaches only one person in the modes of Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. The sameness (being the same person) of the Father and the Son is more
clearly expressed.
Thomas G. Alexander,[7]
BYU professor of history:
“The
Book of Mormon tended to define God as an absolute personage of spirit who,
clothed in flesh, revealed himself in Jesus Christ.”
(Thomas
G. Alexander, "The Reconstruction of Mormon Doctrine:
From Joseph Smith to Progressive Theology," Sunstone 5 (July/August 1980): 24-33)
One
God:
The BOM teaches there is only one God.
Alma 11:26-29 (bold added):
(26) And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest
there is a true and living God?
(27) And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and
living God.
(28) Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?
(29) And he [Amulek] answered, No.
In
verse 35, Zeezrom says “there is but one God” and disputes the Son
saving the people. Amulek does not correct the only “one God” and clarifies the
Son of God saving his people. In Alma 14:5, the people accuse Alma and Amulek of
saying there is “one God.”
Alma 11:44 (bold added):
“Now,
this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free,
both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall
not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored
to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and
God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged
according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.”
The
LDS Apologist will argue this verse refers to the unity (sameness of purpose,
etc.) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But a unity context is completely
missing from the passage. Instead we have a discussion of there being only one
God (verses 28-29 and 35), Zeezrom asking if the Son is the Eternal Father
(verses 38-39) and Amulek saying yes—more on the Eternal Father later—the
resurrection, and the judgment. The meaning from the context is there is only one
God and in the one Eternal God are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2 Nephi 31:21 (bold added):
“And now, behold, my beloved brethren,
this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven
whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the
doctrine of Christ, and the only and
true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is
one God, without end. Amen.”
The
context is NOT about the unity (sameness of purpose) of the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. The Context of Chapter 31 is repentance, baptism, the “baptism of
fire” (Holy Spirit), and enduring to the end. This is the same salvation
doctrine Jesus taught after his resurrection (see 3 Ne 27:13-19). The meaning from the context is there
is only one God and in the one God are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Mormon 7:7 (bold added):
“And he hath brought to pass the
redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the
judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his
kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are
one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.”
The
context is NOT about the unity (sameness of purpose) of the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. The Context of Chapter 7 is Mormon’s exhortation to the later-day
Lamanites to believe in Christ, repent, lay down their “weapons of war” so that
at the Judgment they may “dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom.” The
meaning from the context is there is only one God and in the one God are the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Eternal God, Eternal
Father, Lord, and Lord God:
I
would like to review a few of the names and titles of God that appear in the
BOM: Eternal God, Eternal Father, Lord, and Lord God. It’s
very instructive to pair them with the Son.
Eternal
God:
“…JESUS is the CHRIST, the Eternal
God, manifesting himself unto all nations…”
“And as I spake concerning the convincing
of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles
be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;”
Jesus
is the Eternal God. No passage is the BOM refers to God the Father as the
Eternal God. Now let’s look at who devised the Plan of Salvation.
Alma 34:8-9 (bold added):
“(8)…I do know that Christ shall come
among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people,
and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken
it.
(9) For it is expedient that an atonement
should be made; for according to the
great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all
mankind must unavoidably perish…”
2 Nephi 9:5-6 (bold added):
“(5)…for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the
flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him.
(6) For as death hath passed upon all
men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the
great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the
resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall…”
The
“great Creator” is only used of Jesus in the BOM. The Plan, the Plan of
Salvation (see Plan of Redemption, pg. 15), is from the “Eternal God” or the
“great Creator.” According to the BOM, the Plan of Salvation is from Jesus. The
LDS Church teaches God the Father prepared the Plan.[8]
In
2 Nephi 9:8 we learn that the devil was cast out of the
presence of Jesus, Eternal God (“that angel who fell from before the presence
of the Eternal God, and became the devil”). However, LDS Church teaches the
devil was cast out by God the Father.[9]
Holy
One of Israel:
“…I say unto you that the right way is to
believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel;”
“…he [the Lord] also has shown unto me
that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in
the flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge him and
crucify him…
“…I would that ye should come unto
Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel…”
Jesus
is the Holy One of Israel. Also see 1 Nephi 20:17, 3 Nephi 22:5, 2 Nephi 9:41, 2 Nephi 30:2, and 2 Nephi 1:10.
Lord
God:
“…the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after he should manifest
himself they should scourge him and crucify him…
“…for the Lord God, the Holy One of
Israel, has spoken it.”
“But behold, thus saith the Lord God:
When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ…”
Lord:
“And they shall know that the Lord
is God, the Holy One of Israel.”
“And thus saith the Lord, thy
Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel;”
“,,,they shall know that the Lord is
their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.”
“…and all flesh shall know that I the
Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
“Listen to the words of Christ, your
Redeemer, your Lord and your God.”
Jesus
is the Lord. Also see 1 Nephi 21:7, Alma 28:8, 1 Nephi 19:23, 1 Nephi 10:14, and 1 Nephi 21:26 (Jesus as Redeemer: 2 Nephi 1:10 and 3 Nephi 5:26).
Eternal
Father:
“Teach them that redemption cometh
through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen”
“(38) Now Zeezrom saith again unto him:
Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?
(39) And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is
the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them
are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last;”
“And the angel said unto me: Behold the
Lamb of God, yea, even [the Son of][10]
the Eternal Father!”
“…and shall make known to all kindreds,
tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the [Son of the]25
Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto
him, or they cannot be saved.”
The
Father and the Son are the Same Person:
Mormon 9:12 (bold added):
“Behold,
he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of
man came Jesus Christ, even the Father
and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.”
Ether 3:14 (bold added):
“Behold,
I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people.
Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the
Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally,
even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my
daughters.”
Ether 4:12 (bold added):
“And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to
do good is of me [Jesus Christ; verse 8]; for good cometh of none save it be of
me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my
words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not
believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I [Jesus Christ] am the
Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.
The
Father and the Son are the same person. There are other secondary passages (3
Nephi 11:27, 3 Nephi 11:36, 3 Nephi 19:23, 3 Nephi 20:35, and 3 Nephi 28:9-10) that say the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit “are one” (as
distinguished from “are one God”). These passages show the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit are the same person. LDS Apologists assert these secondary passages
speak of the unity of purpose of the Father and the Son. However, the context
of the passages do not support the LDS Apologist assertions.
Putting It All Together:
The
beginning of Mosiah Chapter 15 puzzled me for years, probably over 25
years. The explanations from LDS
Apologists were confusing, and I just went on my way thinking it will make
sense someday. I even recall the Sunday in
2016 in Gospel Doctrine when this Mosiah chapter would have been covered. I
thought, “maybe it will finally make sense,” but the teacher skipped right over
the passage. While disappointed, I thought maybe the teacher didn’t have a good
explanation either.
With
our new understanding that the BOM teaches Modalism (One God who is one person
expressed in three modes: Father, Son, Holy Spirit), we can finally understand
confusing like Mosiah Chapter 15.
1 Nephi 11:6 (bold added):
“And when I had spoken these words, the
Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even
above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of
the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast
desired.”
We
know that the Lord is Jesus. So how could he be the “most high God,” a term
that refers to God the Father in the LDS Church.[11]
In the BOM, the “most high God” is equated with the “Lord God Almighty” (3 Nephi 4:32), and the “Lord God Almighty” in the BOM
refers to Jesus (1 Nephi 1:14; Lehi exclaiming to the “Lord”). This
also makes sense from a modalist view: the Father and the Son are the same
person, so using the title, “most high
God,” that seems to refer Father for the Son is perfectly fine since they are
the same person.
“And
he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother [of the Son][12]
of God, after the manner of the flesh.”
The
original text makes sense given the Modalistic view of God in the BOM—Mary is
the mother of Jesus who is a mode of the only God. To the current LDS Church,
the original text conflicts with the Godhead of 3 separate Gods—Mary is not the
mother of God the Father (“God”) but of Jesus (“Son of God”).
“(1) And now Abinadi
said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come
down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
(2) And because he
dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the
flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—
(3) The Father, because
he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus
becoming the Father and Son—
(4) And they are one
God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.
(5) And thus the flesh
becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God,
suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself
to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.
(6) And after all this,
after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led,
yea, even as Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened
not his mouth.
(7) Yea, even so he
shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death,
the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.
(8) And thus God
breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the
Son power to make intercession for the children of men—
(9) Having ascended into
heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the
children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of
death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having
redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.”
If
you read this passage from the current LDS Church view of God, it does not make
sense. From the LDS view: “God” in verse 1 must refer to Jesus because he came
down to “redeem his people.” In verse 2, Jesus is called the “Son of God” because
he dwells in the flesh. Wasn’t he already the Son of God in the premortal life?
Wasn’t the mission of Jesus to come to earth to redeem mankind part of the Plan
of Salvation? Next, Jesus submits his will to the Father, making him the
“Father and the Son.” What? Oh wait the explanation follows.
In
verse 3, Jesus is called the Father because he was “conceived by the power of
God.” I thought Jesus was called the Son because he is the son of God the
Father. And Jesus is called the Son
because of the flesh. This makes Jesus “the Father and Son.” All this is not in
line with LDS Church teachings.
Verse
4 says “they [Father and Son] are one God.” Up to this point an LDS member
could have thought that the reference to the Father was some sort of
perspective or perhaps title. But how do perspectives or titles become “one
God” and this is not supported by verse 5. The “one God” is called “the very
Eternal Father of heaven and of earth” which is a reference to Jesus (see Mosiah 3:8, Alma 11:38-39, Helaman 14:12, Helaman 16:18, and Ether 4:7)
In
verse 5, the flesh is again equated the Son and the Spirit is equated to the
Father: “the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father.”
Then the key phrase: “Son to the Father, being one God.” How is an LDS member
to explain this? How can Jesus’ spirit, as a separate God, be equated to the
Father? And how to explain the Father and Son as one God or the flesh and
spirit as one God. Using current LDS theology it’s not possible to explain
these verses.
However,
using a Modalist concept of God, which the BOM teaches, these verses are easily
explained. In fact, these verses are an explanation of Modalism: The only God
is going to come down to redeem his people (verse 1). When God is in the flesh
he is called the Son of God, but God is "the Father and the Son"
(verse 2). This concept is also found in 3 Nephi 1:14.
“Behold, I [The Lord; verse 12] come unto
my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men
from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of
the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And
behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.
We
can see in 3 Nephi 1:14 that the Lord (Jesus) before his birth (see verse 13) is
going to do the will of the Father and the will of the Son. The Father’s will
“because of me” the premortal Jesus or the Father. The Son’s will “because of
my flesh.”
Back
to Mosiah Chapter 15. In verse 3, we have another affirmation that the only God
is both the Father and the Son, and God is call the Son because of the flesh.
The "because of the flesh" definition for the Son of God really
doesn't fit into LDS theology, but "the flesh" definition fits
perfect with modalism.
In
verse 4 and 5, the Father and the Son are twice called "one God."
After both explanations of the Father and the Son, Abinadi states the Father
and the Son are one God. This fits Modalism but not current LDS Church
teachings.
The
Joseph Smith Translation (JST):
Between
June 1830 and July 1833, Joseph Smith went through the Bible making changes
because “many important points touching the salvation of men, had been taken
from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled.”[13]
Critics will claim Joseph Smith restored the original text of the Bible, but I
agree with the LDS Apologists that Joseph Smith made “inspired” emendations.
Over
half of the Joseph Smith’s emendations occur in the Book of Genesis. Most of
Genesis’ emendations occur in the first 24 chapters, and they are generally long
additions about Moses’ vision, Enoch, and Melchizedek. The Pearl of Great Price
(PGP) contains the 8-chapter Book of Moses, which are the JST for Genesis 1 to
6, and the JST for Matthew Chapter 24. Further, the LDS edition of the Bible
contains over 600 footnotes with JST excerpts.
The
JST is clearly a reliable Biblical translation source if it is contained in the
PGP and used in many footnotes. LDS Apologist will distance themselves from it
saying it is unreliable and was not completed. President Joseph Fielding Smith
stated:
“From June 1830, until March 7, 1831, the
Brethren labored with the revision of the early chapters of Genesis. However,
on the latter date they were instructed to begin a translation of the New
Testament also (D&C 45:60-61). This they began the next day, March 8. The work
continued through both Old and New Testaments until July 2, 1833, when the
Prophet finished the work as far as the Lord required of him at that time. In
the remaining eleven years of his life, the Prophet further revised some
passages and attempted to prepare the manuscript for publication. However,
because of persecution and the lack of financial means, this was not
accomplished before his death. The original manuscripts came into the hands of
his widow, Emma Smith, who refused to give them to the [LDS] Church, although a
request was made to her for them. The manuscripts subsequently came into the
possession of the Reorganized Church and were used for the publication of the
“Inspired Version” of the Bible in 1867.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
1976, footnote pgs. 10-11)
So
the claim that Joseph Smith did not finish the work is incorrect because he prepared
a manuscript for publication. The LDS Church probably does not use the JST because
it became the property of the Reorganized Church (RLDS) and they have the
copyright. The LDS Church, however, makes use of the JST through the PGP and
extensive Bible footnotes.
So
is the JST by the RLDS Church an accurate printing of the manuscripts? Yes. Robert
Matthews, BYU Professor of Ancient Scripture, compared the complete JST by the
RLDS Church to the original manuscripts. He stated:
“I have closely examined the original
manuscripts and compared them with the printed editions of the Inspired Version
[JST] and have concluded that the printed work accurately represents the
information on the manuscripts.
There are a few passages in which the
printed Inspired Version fails to present the corrections found in the
Prophet’s manuscripts, but these are passages of minor importance and are
relatively insignificant. This is not to imply that the Reorganized Church has
substituted its own revisions in place of the Prophet’s, but rather, in these
instances, the wording of the King James Version has been retained."
Is the JST a good translation? Apostle Bruce
R. McConkie stated:
“The
Joseph Smith Translation, or Inspired Version, is a thousand times over the
best Bible now existing on earth.”
(Bruce
R. McConkie, “The Bible, a Sealed Book”, A
Symposium on the New Testament, 1984, pg. 5, as quoted in Andrew Skinner,
"Restored Light on the Savior’s Last Week
in Mortality",
Ensign, June 1999)
The JST also presents a modalistic God.
Moses 1:1-6 (bold added):
(1) The words of God,
which he spake unto Moses at a time when Moses was caught up into an
exceedingly high mountain,
(2) And he saw God face
to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore
Moses could endure his presence.
(3) And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty,
and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and
is not this endless?
(4) And, behold, thou
art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands;
but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never
cease.
(5) Wherefore, no man
can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold
all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth.
(6) And I have a work
for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in
the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall
be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for
I know them all.
The
Pearl of Great Price Student Manual (2000) says Jesus is speaking to Moses: “Jesus at times
speaks as if He were God the Father” and “All revelation since the fall has
come through Jesus Christ, who is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. …He is the
God of Israel, the Holy One of Israel”[14]
(ellipse in Student Manual).
The
Student Manual continues “The phrase 'there is no God beside me' should not be
interpreted to mean that mankind does not have the eternal potential to become
like God" and per the (1912) First
Presidency:
“Moses was reared in an atmosphere of
idolatry. There were numerous deities among the Egyptians. In commencing the
work which the Lord said he had for Moses to do, it was necessary to center his
mind and faith upon God the Eternal Father as the only Being to worship.”
The
Student Manual is correct that Jesus is speaking but not as God the Father.
From the BOM, we know that the Lord God Almighty is most high God (3 Nephi 4:32). The most high God is the Lord (1 Nephi 11:6), and the Lord is Jesus (2 Nephi 6:15
with 2
Nephi 25:29). So Jesus is speaking for himself as the Lord God Almighty.
Next,
if God the Father has a physical body (D&C 130:22) then why is Moses in the similitude the
Son (Jesus) and not the Father? Or the Son AND the Father. However, this
statement is consistent with the Modalistic view of God in that the Son is the
“mode” of the one and only God “because of the flesh” (Mosiah 15:3).
“There
is no God beside me” is straight forward in meaning: only one God. This “only
one God” meaning is apparent because the Student Manual contains comments to
tell us why the plain meaning should not be used. The LDS Church says because
of Moses’ idolatrous (Egyptian) environment “it was necessary to center his
mind and faith upon God the Eternal Father as the only Being to worship.” What?
This is not logical. So, according to the LDS Church, God decides that the best
way to center Moses’ faith is to describe a false notion of the nature of God? More logical is that God
was describing the nature of God.
The
footnotes of this verse (Moses 1:6, letter G) includes the following 4 passages:
1 Kings 8:60, Isaiah 44:6-8, Isaiah 45:5-6, and Isaiah 46:9. The JST has the
same wording or in other words Joseph Smith did not change any of these 4
passages.
"That all the
people of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is none else."
Isaiah 44:6-8
(bold added):
“(6) Thus saith the Lord, the King of
Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last;
and besides me there is no God…
(8) Fear ye not; neither be afraid. Have
not I told thee from that time and have declared it? Ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Yea, there is no
God; I know not any.”
“(5) I
am the Lord, and there is none else; there is no God besides me; I girded
thee, though thou hast not known me,
(6) That they may know from the rising of
the sun and from the west that there is
none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.”
“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am
God, and there is none like me…”
LDS
Apologists will state that the context of the Isaiah is about idols. This is
true. Therefore, the LDS Apologists say these passages ONLY show that idols are
not gods and the passages are not the nature of God (Godhead of multiple Gods,
etc.) The passages do focus on idols. However, the LDS Apologists conclusions
are again illogical. They try to excuse the plain reading.
With
the “only speaking of idols” explanation or something close to this, the LDS
Apologists want me to believe Isaiah spoke against idols (false gods) and did
not speak of the true nature of God. It is more logical that Isaiah spoke
against idols—that they are not real gods—because Isaiah spoke of the true
nature of God by saying there is one and only one God, the Lord.
In
the Isaiah’s polytheistic or inclusive monotheistic[15]
environment, he not only states there is no god like the Lord (“there is none
like me”) meaning the Lord is not one of many gods that can be worshipped but also the Lord was the only God (“Is there a God besides me? Yea, there is no God; I know not
any” and “there is no God besides me”).
The
JST, the Bible, and the BOM teach one and only one God.
Lastly,
the JST teaches that the Father and Son are the same person. When I read this,
it absolutely floored me.
“All things are delivered to me of my
Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father
is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.”
JST
Luke 10:23 (bold added):
“All things are delivered to me of my
Father; and no man knoweth that the Son
is the Father, and the Father is the Son, but him to whom the Son will
reveal it.”
Wow!
It does not get plainer than this. The JST teaches that the Father is the Son
and the Son is the Father. Of course
this is not the current teaching of the LDS Church. As we will see, this will
not be the teaching of Joseph Smith in 1835 and it will change again in the
1840s.
The
JST and the BOM teach the Father and the Son are the same person.
[1] Edward J. Brandt,
"Using the New LDS
Editions of Scripture—As One Book", Ensign, October 1982. Quoted in Aaronic
Priesthood Manual 1, Lesson 43: Tools for
Searching the Scriptures, 2002.
[3] “Summary of Approved
Adjustments for the 2013 Edition of the Scriptures”, LDS.org, 2016, pg.
10.
[4] Daniel Peterson is also a past editor of FARMS &
founding and current editor of the Interpreter.
[5] The “Degrees of Glory” in the Topical Guide does refer to the Bible
Dictionary’s “Degrees of Glory”, but no BOM references
are found there.
[6] Exclusive monotheism is the belief in and worship
of only one God (modern Judaism, Islam, Christianity). Polytheism is the worship of many Gods (early Greek/Roman gods and
Canaanite pantheon). Inclusive monotheism
is between exclusive monotheism and polytheism and includes monolatrism and henotheism. Monolatrism
is the worship of one God with the belief in other gods (Mormonism and ancient
Judaism). Henotheism in the worship of
one God without denying people may worship different gods of equal validity or Henotheism in the worship of one God
seeing all gods are aspects of a unitary essence (late Greek/Roman gods and
Hinduism).
[7] Eugene England praised Thomas Alexander’s article (See
Eugene England, "The Weeping God of
Mormonism",
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought,
2002, pg. 73). Eugene England was a BYU
professor from 1976-1998 of Mormon
Literature and co-founder of Dialogue: A
Journal of Mormon Thought.
[8] "In the premortal
existence, Heavenly Father prepared a plan to enable us to become like
Him…" (“Plan of Salvation,” True to the Faith, 2004). “Our Heavenly Father called a Grand
Council to present His plan for our progression” (“Chapter 2: Our Heavenly
Family,”
Gospel Principles, 2011).
[9] “Satan and all the
spirits who followed him were sent away from the presence of God [the Father] and
cast down from heaven” (“Chapter 3: Jesus Christ,
Our Chosen Leader and Savior,” Gospel
Principles, 2011).
[10] The bracketed text was
added by Joseph Smith in the 1837 Edition of the BOM. The added text, however,
is NOT in the original manuscript, nor the printer’s manuscript, nor the 1830
Edition of the BOM. The original text agrees with Mosiah 16:15 and Alma
11:38-39.
[11] "Elohim, the Most
High God" by Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "O How Great the Plan of
Our God!",
October 2016 General Conference.
[12] The bracketed text was added by Joseph Smith in the 1837
Edition of the BOM. The added text, however, is NOT in the original manuscript,
nor the printer’s manuscript, nor the 1830 Edition of the BOM.
[13] Joseph Smith, February 16,
1832. History of the Church 1:245. Per 1 Nephi 13:28,
“many plain and precious things” were removed from the Bible by “Ignorant translators,
careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests” (Joseph Smith, October
15, 1843. History
of the Church 6:57)
[14] Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R.
McConkie, 3 vols. (1954–56), 1:27.
[15] Inclusive monotheism
includes Henotheism or the worship of
one God without denying people may worship different gods of equal validity.
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