Know Your Bible
February 2005

Another Testament Of Jesus Christ

Perhaps you've seen the TV commercial which calls the Book of Mormon "another testament of Jesus Christ". But calling it such doesn't make it true. In reality it is not.

The Mormon religion could not exist if it did not believe in continuous revelations from God. If everyone believed the Bible to be the complete and final revelation of God to man, no credibility would be given to the claims of new revelations like the Book of Mormon.

Mormon doctrine plainly teaches that the Bible is not complete. Consider these quotes from the Book of Mormon: "Woe be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!" (2 Nephi 28:29). Again, "Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written" (2 Nephi 29:10). Orson Pratt, a Mormon "apostle", made this statement: "If it could be proved from scripture that God had revealed all that He ever intended to reveal, then a professed revelation would not require investigation; for it would be known at once, that everything of the kind was an imposition. It would be fully in the extreme to inquire whether a professed new revelation were true or false; for if God had declared in His word that no more was to be given, all writings or books purporting to be a new revelation could not be otherwise than false!" (Orson Pratt's Works, p.70). Mormonism claims additional revelations were given.

These Mormon claims notwithstanding, the Bible claims to be the complete, final and all-sufficient word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Before Jesus' death on the cross, he made His apostles this promise: "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself, but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak; and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come" (John 16:13, emphasis mine, DR). If all truth was revealed to the apostles as Jesus promised, nothing is left for any later revelations.

When the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles (Acts 2:1-4), they were inspired to speak and write infallibly the word of God. The apostle Paul said that what he wrote was "the commandment of the Lord" (1 Cor. 14:37). Also, Peter declared that "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3) have been revealed. Likewise, the apostle Paul said he declared "the whole counsel of God" in Ephesus (Acts 20:27).

Equally impressive to establish the completeness of the Bible, are the warnings therein not to add to nor take away from what was revealed through the apostles. Paul said if anyone, even angels, declare a "different gospel" than that revealed through the apostles, they are accursed of God (Gal. 1:6-9). This includes any so-called modern revelations like the book of Mormon which claims to have been given to Joseph Smith by an angel named "Moroni". Man must learn not to go "beyond the things which are written" (1 Cor. 4:6). God's word has been "once for all delivered" - one time, for all time (Jude 3). This was accomplished long before Joseph Smith's life.

An examination of the Book of Mormon shows it to contradict plain Bible teaching. Consider a few examples: 1) Birthplace of Jesus: Book of Mormon says Jerusalem (Alma 7:10) but the Bible says Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1). 2) Darkness at the cross: Book of Mormon says it lasted three days (1 Nephi 19:10) but the Bible says it lasted three hours (Matt. 27:45). 3) Jesus' ascension: Book of Mormons says He went to America (2 Nephi 10:18-19) but the Bible says He went to heaven (Acts 3:20-21). 4) Church established: Book of Mormon says in America (Mosiah 18:17) but the Bible says in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4). 5) Called Christians first: Book of Mormon says in America (Alma 46:15) but the Bible says in Antioch (Acts 11:26).

The book of Mormon IS NOT from God. A religion built upon a foundation of lies cannot be true. Don't be deceived.

---Dan Richardson

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DENYING JESUS

In Washington, D.C., there was a recent meeting sponsored by the Center for American Progress. John Podesta, former chief of staff for President Clinton, is the head of that organization. The gathering was called: "Faith and Progressive Policy: Proud Past, Promising Future." Catholic Bishops, Jewish leaders, Muslim progressives, and officials from the National Council of Churches attended.

Robert Maddox, who was President Carter's White House faith liaison and a speaker at the meeting, estimated that 90 percent of the attendees were pro-abortion and supported gay rights. He said that most would disagree with other traditional Christian beliefs as well. He gave the example of John 14:6 where Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." "Sooner or later," he explained, "the church crowd is going to wake up and realize that there are going to be a lot of people in heaven other than us Christians. I still believe Jesus is the way and the truth for me. But it's that last part that troubles me, the part that says ''no man comes to the Father, except by me.'' I don't think we can get away with saying that anymore. That might have worked in the '50s, but it's not going to work in the 21st century." (via Scripps Howard News Service, 6/19/04)

Mr. Maddox's statement is an amazingly candid expression of just how far some liberals are willing to go in their attempts to be "inclusive" of others. What he apparently doesn't realize is that by denying the obvious application of Jesus' own words, he has actually denied Christ Himself. Do you see it? Either Jesus was speaking the truth when He said "no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," or He was lying. When he said, "if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24), it was either the truth or a lie. Which was it? Mr. Maddox can not say it is true for me, but not necessarily true for others. No, that won't work!

The truth of God's Word, including the truth that Jesus is God's only begotten Son and the world's only Savior, is exactly the same in the 21st century as it was in the first century whether men believe it or not (2 Timothy 2:13}.

---Greg Gwin

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The Kingdom Is The Church

The first preaching of Jesus is found in Matt. 4:17, "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" The kingdom was near, in regard to time, not distance. He told His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power" (Mk. 9:1). Some would see the kingdom arrive in their lifetime.

We learn how the kingdom existed in the first century. Paul wrote in Col. 1:13, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." When Paul said "us" he meant himself and the church at Colossae. Therefore, the kingdom and the church are one and the same.

Today many do not believe the kingdom has come and are awaiting its arrival. This would mean that none of the disciples, Paul, or the brethren at Colossae were in the kingdom. Yet, we have seen that they were. If you are waiting for something to arrive that is already here, you just might miss it all together.

---Terry Sanders

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