Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Myth of Mormonism Pt.1

Hallelujah! Lets turn to the Book of Deuteronomy. We're going to do something that we really haven't done that I can remember. We may have over the years; but I want to specifically talk about the confrontation that we're going to be having--many of us have had--on the job and in our neighborhoods with one of the prominent cults. How many have you run into some young people on bicycles in your neighborhood, out as missionaries, and doing a good job of evangelizing the world in their beliefs? It's interesting to see that these young people take two years out of their lives and are commissioned to go forth. A lot of the great traits that we try to exemplify in the true Church as far as unity, and cooperation, and many of these different things, we find in Mormonism. Because of that it's every attractive. The morality that it holds, the community and the unity that it's really propagating, the family and the closeness that is there. We all know that with counterfeits the closer you can get to the real thing the more effective it is.

We want to look at some of the things that you might run into with some of these that speak and say some of the same words that we use, but with a different definition. So when you're talking to people, even those who profess to be Christians, find out what the definition of the words are that they are using. What do you mean when you say "holiness"? What do you mean when you say "lordship"? Something that is simple as this: What is your definition of "obedience"? It is very interesting to then find out what people believe; and it is different than what they say. Words are meaningless if we don't have the definitions for them.

We're going to take a look at some of these things over the next couple of sessions and really find out what we believe, and then a better understanding what they believe. Hopefully we'll be able to help them understand the reality of God's love and His purpose for redemption; the true lordship of Jesus Christ, who they say they believe in; but, beloved, it's another Jesus. So it is important for us to understand that. To understand it effectively, we have to go back and look at some of the major categories of what we believe, and the distinction between us and themselves. Of course, it all starts with the personhood of God. That God is a person, a personality, that God is Eternal, Jehovah God that we seek and serve. They see a different God.

Turn over to Deuteronomy, for just a moment, and take a look at some of these things. I think it will be helpful to us. Deuteronomy, chapter 4. We need to get an idea of what the Scriptures say concerning our Lord God. Let me tell you first what the Mormons would say about the person of God, then we will look and see the contrast of the Scriptures. I'll read out of their "Articles of Faith" (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith). This is Article 1. It says, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." How many of you think, "Yeah, that sounds pretty good." We could all say to that, "Yes, we believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." If we just left it there, amen!

But now they define what they mean by these persons and what their belief is. That's where we make a little distinction--no, not a little, a lot! So it's important for us to realize that they clarify their statements as you read in Articles of Faith (James Talmage, 1880). Page 40 says this: "This cannot rationally be construed to mean that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one in substance and in person." By one of their great scholars, Talmage. As they put this forth, we now have to make a distinction. Wait a minute. What they say that they don't believe, is exactly what we do believe. We have to arrive back and define this now. We find out that first of all the oneness of our God. We find that in Deuteronomy 4, we begin to find this statement. Verse 39, "Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else." So we realize that there are no other Gods.

We want to talk about the oneness of God for just a second. As you get this into your notes, you understand that we're looking here and understanding the declaration of Israel concerning Jehovah God. We find, as the Scriptures continue to speak towards the person of God, that there is the revealing of the eternal Trinity. It's a mystery. We're not going to understand it. There is no way that we can declare with comprehension the Trinity of God. The interesting thing is, it's stated in the Scriptures, so therefore by faith, we believe and we apprehend. Just like the existence of God isn't explained in the Scriptures, neither is the Trinity of God. The Scripture starts off, "In the beginning [what?] God...." God isn't having some kind of a personality crisis. He doesn't have to try to somehow defend His existence. He makes a statement of truth and of fact that God is. So we have to let Him reveal Himself in the Scriptures as He pleases to reveal Himself.

Here we go on and see this oneness--If you'll turn over one chapter and begin to get a little appreciation for the oneness of God and what the Scriptures are speaking towards His person, His being. Some very interesting things begin to immerge. In Chapter 6, you see this statement in verse 4. "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord...." So we begin to establish this understanding of the oneness of God. As we begin to draw upon that understanding, we realize that God isn't trying to explain here His essence as much as He is His sovereignty and His lordship. He doesn't try to define His existence and His essence. Every time we talk about the one God, we're talking about the authority, the sovereignty of God. As we go on this morning in the study, we're going to see that it has to do with an understanding of His eternal being. We understand a little bit of the attributes of God; and it's important for us to continue to deal with the understanding of why God reveals himself as One. It has nothing to do with trying to make distinction between a monotheistic god and the Triune God. You are going to get into trouble if you try to use this statement of "The Lord our God is one..." in defining those two aspects. Let it be understood and seen in the statement of His eternal existence, of His holiness. When we hear the statement, "The Lord our God is one...." As you study the Scriptures we're not going to go through all the passages that state it. It's talking about One and there is no other. "I am totally separate. There is not another being like Me." Okay? So it is important, when we're talking to these others who talk about the oneness of God as they oppose the Trinity of God. You have got to understand that they have to oppose the Trinity because they can't establish with their beliefs the deity of Jesus Christ. They can't make Jesus be God, like you and I believe, and they themselves be gods. The Mormons believe that they are gods. The statement "...ye are gods..." is a statement that is identified with the Mormon Church. We have a book entitled Ye Are Gods, and of course we make a distinction between the Mormon Church; and we begin to understand what that statement is in the Scriptures (Psalm 82:6) as it relates to our designated authority, the majesty that we did have as God's creatures to oversee His planet; but in no way ever diminishing the person and the deity of Jesus Christ, nor elevating ourselves into an equality of the godhead. They diminished, diluted, God's deity to establish their own. It's important to understand where these people are coming from.

As you look at some of these different things and we understand the oneness of God, it's important for us to understand that in light of that, where God is talking about His authority. Now, there is a distinction of Him being one, separate, holy. Look at Ephesians for just a moment.

Turn over to Ephesians, a passage that we're familiar with in the Book of Ephesians. Chapter 4:6. The apostle is speaking here, as you read down through this passage, that we're to be "Endeavouring [verse 3] to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [and the bond of peace for] There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." As we begin to see the revelation, again, of having to do with that separate, holy, distinct, sovereign being, Jehovah God, Elohiym, El Shaddai, and we call Him Father. Amen? So, it's important to understand what the Scriptures are saying about the Lord God.

Timothy makes one other statement. This will be last that we look at that is dealing with this oneness. We find in First Timothy, chapter 2, that this sovereign God who's effecting the plan of regeneration, verse 4 says, "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God...." Now, we have another distinction that is going to be made here, and we'll look at it as we go in this study. "For there is...one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."

So we see that statement of the oneness of God. They begin to take it another direction. They believe in one God. We believe in God. Well, lets make a little more distinction. They say in their gospel doctrine, page 64 in their Journal of Discourses 1:123. You'll want to get some notes. You're going to have to talk to these people, and you need to quote two things to them to have any effect. First of all, you're going to need to be able to quote the Word of God; and secondly, you're going to have to make them identify with what is written and what they believe. Now, they are pretty well versed; but if you've ever talked to these people, they won't talk to you with what they believe in their writings and what their theologians have said. They want to talk to you in the mystery of generic Christian terminology. If you're ever going to smite their hearts, you're going to have to first of all, speak the Word of God, because it is the power of God to salvation; and then you're going to have to make them identify what they believe. "Isn't this what you say you believe?" Don't say "You and I believe the same thing." You see, they want to agree with you as much as possible; but we want to contend for the faith and be able to cause them to see the error that they are moving in.

Here is what they say in those sections that I just mentioned. "God is an organized being just as we are." Just as we are--right now--who are in the flesh. Listen! "He is a progressive being and possesses the capacity (check it out) of internal increase. Perhaps once a child and mortal like ourselves." Now they have a god who is in eternal increase. He's evolving. I wonder what he's going to be in the next billion years. Hopefully, as he evolves, he doesn't lose his justice or mercy. Hopefully, as he evolves, he doesn't lose his omnipotence that holds all of this creation together. Who is this "evolving god" that they say that they believe in? What does the Scripture say about God? It's very interesting. As we study the Scriptures and you begin to understand who God is. The one thing we do know is that He is not evolving! As God is spoken of generally, and also we understand as the Lord is spoken of in the person of Jesus Christ, He is "...the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Aren't you glad we serve an immutable God? As we look at these particular things, we have to understand the Scriptural statement that God is not progressing. He is immutable and He is eternal.

Look at Malachi 3:6 for just a moment. "For I am the Lord, [say it with me] I change not...." Now, these individuals are going to have you believe that they believe in the same Bible that you believe in, and that the Book of Mormon is just a further illumination of God, that it helps us understand more thoroughly God's dealing with North America and Jesus' invasion of the Indians and his visit to this continent after His resurrection; but nothing they say agrees with the Scriptures and you're going to have to hold them to it. "What are you going to do with this passage that says, "I am the Lord, I change not..."?

Psalm 102:27, "But thou art the same, and thy years will have no end." Not only is He eternal, He's not changing. He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. "I am the Lord, I change not." Some very important passages. As you begin to look at this revelation of who He is, look over at Hebrews for a second. The passage that we are all very familiar with in Hebrews 13:8; but look at chapter 1:12 for just a moment. "And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, [the heavens,] and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail." So, you begin to see the importance of understanding the attribute of God's immutability, especially as it has to do with the presentation of these cultists. They are trying to cause you to believe that the god that they serve is your God; but their god is one who is evolving. Their god is one who possesses the capacity of eternal increase. Now why would they believe that? Very simple. They want to evolve into gods. So what's the focal point? It's not the glory of God. Again, it's the basic ingredient of all sin, the focus on self. Idolatry, or the deifying of man. We do it in many different ways--secular humanism. This is just another way of deifying man, focusing on man, and we lose the glory and the majesty of God. This isn't by accident; it's by design, these beliefs. Once we begin to realize what the motive is behind this doctrine, "...your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods..." (Genesis 3:5) There's no purer expression of the sin of the garden than in the doctrine of Mormonism. So when we understand it for the vileness that it is, and the bondage that these folks are in, it's going to have to be dealt with forthrightly. Now, we don't have to be in any way abrasive; but we have to speak with authority. You need to know what you believe, and you need to know what they're trying to convey, so we can speak the Word of God to their hearts and make them deny the Bible that they say they believe in that is just being supplemented by reference, not by adding. "We don't add to the Bible. Through parallel revelation we bring fuller understanding of the Bible." No, they deny, absolutely, categorically, the Word of God. Now we all would sit here and say we understand that; but do you really understand what you believe and what they believe? It's important!

We realize, then, that this evolution process that they speak of, this god who is a progressive being and possesses the capacity of eternal increase, goes against James 1:17 that says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." So we begin to see, again, that the God we serve is immutable. He does not change! The one God that we serve is eternally the same. Now, when we talk about eternal, that's important; because the Eternal God that we serve is a triune God, which means--as we get ready to go into our understanding of who they see Jesus to be--which causes us to have even greater distinction, because they personally believe that Jesus is a created being himself, who went through this process of evolution; but the Scripture reveals Him eternally immutable. Eternally the same. Eternal is an interesting thing. So many of us seem to think that eternal, infinity (Pastor draws the infinity symbol {¥ } in the air), continues to loop and goes on, and on, and on. Eternal is beyond this infinite understanding, because even if--I can't explain it, because I don't understand it; but somewhere it started. But eternal has no beginning. We can't identify with that. We're time and space creatures. "Yep! God always has been." "Yeah, but something can't always be. There has to be a cause." How many of you really intellectually believe that? I do. I can't comprehend existence with no cause. You might be--I'm sure you think you are smarter than I am, and I'd be prone to agree with you; but in my natural mind, because of my limited resources, that's all I can identify with. But, by faith, because I'm indwelt by the Eternal God; and by faith He has given me understanding of His being, I don't have to deal with a cause or a source, because He has revealed His eternal state. He has always been. I believe that. If anybody else here can think beyond that and explain it, I'd be interested in knowing.

The Scripture states this: Deuteronomy 32:40, "For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever." Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms...." So we see the Scripture speaking towards God's eternal state. A progressive being? No. Eternally the same. It's important that we begin to arrive at that distinction. His reign, His kingdom, Psalms 145 says, is an eternal kingdom. Eternal, always has been. He reveals in time and space to us. God eternally existed before anything we know as matter was ever spoken into being; because the God that we worship and serve is a spirit and we worship Him, the Scripture says, in spirit and in truth. We measure time and space by the heavens, and yet the span of his hand covers them. We pat our self on the backs with our new telescopes and look out into the different galaxies, and they go on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on. God said, "You like that, huh?" Now, we don't limit it to scale, because God is not this big mega-creature holding all of creation in His hand. All of the galaxies, and this one little dust pebble down here called Earth and He is checking it out. If that is how you see God, then it kind of makes you wonder what is in His left hand. "Maybe it was aliens that brought life to Earth. Maybe we are mutants." No! We are exactly what God stated we are in the Word: His friends, sons, heirs, joint-heirs. Very interesting. I wouldn't spend a lot of time thinking about it. Any conclusions you come up won't change anything.

He reveals himself in the Book of Revelation 1:8, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." So, we see God revealing himself to us in His eternal state. We rest in that, the beginning and the end. Not progressing, but immutable. Not limited to a body. You see, the god they serve, though progressing, they believe, in his existence, is still one that is limited in time and space, because they don't believe in an omnipresent God. They say again in their doctrines, God is not omnipresent, cannot be physically present in more than one place at a time. That is true -- if you limit your god to a physical god; but our God isn't flesh and blood. The God that we worship is Spirit. You see, they have a god who is material. A material god. One that Madonna would identify with. But the Scripture speaks and makes it very clear that the Eternal God that you and I are serving, the immutable God, His attributes are omnipresent. Now they don't want to identify with that because they want to be able to cause matter to take on what? Deity! They want to raise matter into the divine realm. Now, what you're seeing here is a hybrid of Gnosticism. As we understand, we begin to see what the Gnostics had propagated over the different years. You'll see how they manipulated, again, the godhead and the person of Jesus, his humanity and his divinity. It is just Gnosticism in a 20th-Centuty twist; but it will help you and I to understand the presence of God. As the Scriptures speaks towards the omnipresent attributes of God, it is important, more than just having Him as an ever present help in the time of trouble; it causes us to begin to see not only the omnipotence, the omniscience--because all of these work together--and the omnipresence, that make up these attributes of God are expressions of His eternal state. Always has been from beginning to end. God isn't waiting for something to happen. God has already been in tomorrow. It's just a feeble way of trying to make a statement that shows that there is no time.

God knows the end of our lives. He knows whether we're going to make it or not. God knows whether you're going to finish this course. God knows whether you're going to backslide, whether you're going to go on and bring forth more fruit into the Kingdom of God. God knows how you're going to die and when it's going to happen. He's manipulating all of life's dealings for His own purpose and eternal glory. In the process--I don't want to get too far off course here; but in the process read Romans 9. You begin to understand these things. You see that God, in his sovereignty, and from His eternal perspective, with his omniscience, with his immutable purpose. He then knowing, uses individuals for his own purposes. He'll use one to bring about repentance in another one. He'll use this one to bring about a distraction and attraction in another one. All of these different things. It's all being orchestrated for His eternal purpose and His glory. God--listen! Here's why omnipresence is so important: If God is not omnipresent, He is not involved in our lives. They want to project a God who has stepped back, a God who was created, and then lets fate dictate. God knows your name and the hairs on your head are numbered. He is intimate with you. He is ever present. He has taken up residence in every one of us who has accepted this plan of redemption. Omnipresence is a big part of our doctrine of redemption. God lives in every one of us equally. He is no respecter of persons. He's there to guide us, He's there to answer prayer, and He's there to speak in that still small voice. He can call your name, praise God. Aren't you thankful for the presence of God this morning? They don't have this kind of a hope. So, you begin to understand that aspect of God's presence.

Look at Jeremiah for just a second. Jeremiah 23, as the Prophet is speaking here. It's really kind of interesting. This is the "woe unto the shepherds" chapter. In Jeremiah 23, an interesting statement is made down in verse 24. "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord." So we find this God--the problem is you see with a lot of folks, and the purpose of this doctrine that the Mormons come up with, people want to hide. They want to be left to themselves. They want to be gods that don't have absolute truths and the administration of them by a God who is present.

Francis Shaeffer, in one of his books (He Is There and He Is Not Silent), speaks towards this, and the God who is not silent we contend with. The Prophet Isaiah, chapter 66, speaks again concerning this attribute of God. Just turn back couple of pages and look at the majesty of our God. Verse 1, "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool:" "What kind of a box are you going to put me in?" It's a little different than that. He says, "Where is the house that ye build unto me?" So you see, then, that omnipresence expresses, again, the majesty of God, not just the space that He is occupying. Remember, when we talked about omnipresence before in our Bible Doctrine course, remember that omnipresence doesn't mean "here's God's creation." God's creation is the size of this pulpit and we have all of the galaxies and everything that exists, even that which we're not aware of. God, then, is bigger than all of it. Here is creation, and God is able to span this, and therefore is present in it's existence. No. Though this finger is present here and this one is here, omnipresence says that God is totally, absolutely, occupying all of the space equally at all times. Those of us who are intelligent, we want to take a look at this thing from the physics standpoint and say, "Hmm, tough!" When God talks about His throne and His footstool, there isn't some big being--you're out here on planet Earth, driving, and you run into a toe somewhere. This big giant toe. He doesn't exist that way. He is totally, absolutely, existent in his entire being at all time eternally, and you can't understand it. But they say that God is not omnipresent; and we say He reveals himself omnipresent, eternally, specifically involved in our lives.

Let's go on, because I don't want to spend all--we're only going to take the two services today to deal with this and we're lagging way behind.

They go on to say that every man who reigns in celestial glory is a god to his own dominion. I guess that is big fish in little pond. They're big on wanting to control things. They say that there was never a time when there were not gods and worlds. Ooh! That is by Young, in their Discourses, pages 22 and 23. I guess that is a profound statement. "Each god, through his wife, or wives, raises up a number of numerous family of sons and daughters--each a god." Now you have these gods that are reproducing. I can kind of see that!

There was this movie. I can't remember exactly what it was. Michael Keaton played in it. However I remembered that name, I don't know. Horrible on remembering people. He cloned himself. Multiplicity. So, he cloned himself because he was so busy he needed to be in more than one place at a time. He cloned himself, and it was working out pretty good. There were two of them, and people were running into these. To make a long story short, one of the clones got a great idea and went down and cloned himself. They got this retarded guy. It's a hilarious movie.

That is what I see here. Each god producing other gods. As they raise up this generation--tragically, many times over the children of Hell that their parents were. As the doctrine continues to be ingrained and, tragically, because of its non-offensive approach, is embraced by the world's system, whereas those who are taking the stand for the pure doctrine and lordship of Jesus Christ become the offenders. This is the day that we're coming into. If we're going to have any hope of reaching some of these people--I'm just speaking towards this because it's progressing in our midst. If we want to, hopefully, reach some of these people, we have to understand what their motives are. It's important to see that these that we are speaking with, these missionaries, have been trained up just like our young people and they have been disciplined; they're not going to be swayed easily. But I want to tell you something. A person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument. God is alive in us. They have philosophy, we have revelation knowledge. They have no hope, and we have the assurance of the eternal hope of the return of Jesus Christ and His omnipresent power to give authority to the words that we speak. When you speak to these people, believe for the Holy Spirit to anoint the words that you're speaking that would brake the rock in pieces. Don't just argue with them on an intellectual basis; believe for God to somehow speak through you to see these young people set free. Their young people, their warriors are their youth, and a generation that is lost. If we can somehow, in love and compassion for their souls, share with them the reason for the hope that is in us, and the futility of an evolving, material god.

They say the eternal father is a progressive being, and we say our God doesn't change. They say they're becoming gods; and we say we are the sons of God, heirs and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. The distinction has to be made.

Tonight we're going to be looking at what they understand concerning sin and regeneration, justification, and the great distinction. That is what shows that they have no hope. This morning all we're looking at is their misconception of who God is. As we end for this morning we need to look at the most crucial part of it, of course, and that's the person of Jesus Christ.

They say that among the spirit children of Elohiym the first born was and is Jehovah or Jesus Christ to whom all others are juniors. That's by Smith himself. Page 70, it has Smith and Talmage and some of their great theologians. Have to watch those Smith boys.

Now let's talk about this for just a second. They say that by obedience and devotion--check this out--he attained to the pentacle of intelligence which ranked him as a god, even in his pre-existent state. Interesting! We need to talk about that. By obedience and devotion -- by works -- he attained to the pinnacle of intelligence. We equate knowledge now as deity, which ranked him as a god. This evolving condition. What does the Scripture say about Jesus? They say He is essentially greater than all others by reason of his unique status in the flesh, as the offspring of a mortal mother and an immortal, or resurrected and glorified father. Jesus had a resurrected father? I don't remember reading about that.

Now remember, these are the same people who say they believe the same thing that you do about God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ. And you say, well I know that they don't believe exactly what we believe. Beloved, look at the distinctions here. These are areas where we need to, if we're going to help these folks, cause them to say, "Yes, That's what I believe." What do we do when we can deal with them personally and come to--and we're going to deal with these major areas? I'm going to pin point a couple of them that are specifics--What do we do once they say, "That's what I believe"? "I know the Bible says that; but this is what I believe." What do you do? Do we then try to argue and persuade any longer? Once we know that they know what they believe? At that time, beloved, as we bring this confrontation to them, is when you shake the dust off your feet. It's times like that that you don't cast the pearls of truth, any longer, before the swine. They will turn and rend you.

What we need to understand is enough Scripture to give reason of the hope that is in us and have enough basic understanding of what they believe to identify, to see whether they're in darkness, whether they're deceived or whether they are persuaded; because you deal with somebody who is deceived differently than somebody who is persuaded to disbelieve. That is why we are taking this time. Like I've said, we've never done this before. We've never really systemically gone through and dealt with all of these different issues. I think that we can somehow bless these folks, possibly in a way we couldn't, when we have this knowledge.

Let me just share a couple of things quickly, and then we'll pick it back up this evening. They say that Jesus was the executive (I wonder how big his desk was) in the work of creation, aided by Michael, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter, James, John, Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith?! Hmmm! The pre-existent Joseph Smith. I wonder if he was smarter then? And others. Quite a doctrine. What does the Scripture teach us about creation? What does the Scripture teach us about the person of Jesus Christ, eternal? The person of Jesus Christ, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, one with God, very God, as the theologians have expressed it. Lets see what the Scripture says and how they contrast with Joseph Smith; and you choose, as you already have, to believe. But we have another question to ask this morning. Have you chosen to share? It's easy to just blow these people off, say, "Look, I'm busy. Get on your bike, man, I'm vacuuming. I'm not going to convince you anyway." Can we lift up our eyes and look and see that these, though deluded, are part of the harvest. There is a remnant. There are some among them that are not persuaded; and if we can somehow convey to them the hope and assurance and peace of knowing the eternal God, then maybe a remnant can be saved.

Jesus is not a begotten being. We talk of His eternal purpose and existence. He says himself--Luke 22, turn over there and we'll look at a couple of passages real quickly. As He speaks towards his own divinity, and of his oneness with the Father. They say, He was the executive of creation, and the Scripture says in John 1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." We understand that Jesus is not the executive but the Creator, who spoke and all that today that we recognize as matter came into existence by the words that He declared. That's the God we serve.

Colossians says, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him." When you see His eternal state, His sovereign authority to where it was not only made by Him, but it was made (What?) for Him--the reason everything exists is for His glory and His purpose. It is a tremendous distinction between the inferior created being, Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, as opposed to Jesus Christ of the Eternal Word of God.

As we begin to look at these, and we say, "Wait a minute. The Jesus that you're talking about here didn't need Joseph Smith to help him out." He wasn't on the same plain as all these other created gods like Michael the angel, and Enoch, and Moses, and Joseph Smith. Something is not right here: Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph Smith! Doesn't sound right. So, as they are perceiving these things, we have to confront them again with who the person of Jesus Christ is. He is very God, He is the Eternal Creator of heaven and Earth. All things are by Him and for Him. Nothing exists without Him. Colossians says that He holds all things together. How they have diminished the sonship, the second person of the eternal godhead, by their desire to elevate themselves. Is he essentially greater by reason of his unique status in the flesh? What's His unique status in the flesh? "Well, he had a mortal mother and a immortal, resurrected, glorified father." No! Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost. "That which has been conceived within you is of the Holy Ghost." Divine, eternal, spiritual. We have to make that distinction, because there is a great need for the doctrine of the incarnation, and what we believe as Christians, to affect regeneration and justification on our parts. Nothing defiled can participate in that. It has to be the holy God. It has to be a sinless, spotless sacrifice. Everything that they're dealing within is in that material realm and we understand the judgment that is upon that which is through sin. You see, their definition of sin, as we're going to talk about that tonight, is different than yours and mine.

We see Jesus, then, as the Creator, according to John 1. We look at the Colossians passage. But in Luke 22 we find his testimony of himself. He said in verse 69, "Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then say they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am." Are you saying right? Yes. He said in John 12:45, "And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me." Or, in John 14, as you read seven through nine, you go down and find this passage that is just revolutionary to Philip. Philip, "...He that hath been me hath seen the Father..." John 16:15, "All things that the Father has are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you." We see that identification, the oneness, with the Father.

We're not going to take time this morning to go into the Trinity, but we see many expressions of it. One of the greatest, of course, is at the baptism of Jesus. When Jesus is being baptized, the Father speaks, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." The Holy Spirit descends as a dove upon Him, the anointing that comes upon Him. The triune God expressed at that time as the kingdom of God is being introduced. Romans 1:4 the Apostle speaking, says Jesus was "... declared the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead:" So we see the declaration of Jesus himself. We see the words of the Apostles. Colossians 2:9, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." These passages that totally contrast the Jesus of Mormonism. Not a created, evolving being; but an Eternal, Majestic, Sovereign, Omnipotent God. When we contrast those two, they are going to have to make a decision as to whether they are going to accept Hebrews 1:3, "... the brightness of his glory, and the expressed image of his person...."

When you speak to these people, speak on the authority of the Sonship of Jesus, the Divinity of Jesus. Take a little bit of time, take some of these passages that I shared with you and meditate on them this evening and begin to establish in your own consciousness and your own spirit. You believe these things, but I'm talking about understanding that which is familiar and hopefully not common to us isn't readily known by others.

The generic, "Well, Jesus, yes, the Lord, Son of God, Christmas." They don't understand the place that He holds and the authority, because one we can establish this then these words have more meaning. "I am the way, the truth, and the life: and no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). You see, that is where we're headed with all of this, because as we're speaking with these folks. We're sharing the Scriptures that we've gone over today. That's where were leading them--to be able to make that declaration; and have them have to accept it or refute it. It's at that time, the Apostle says, they count themselves unworthy to be the children of Light, of Life. So let's not just dismiss all of them as lost and deluded, but maybe we can have compassion for those children who have been raised up not knowing anything else, so they believe -- just like ours. That is why it's so important that our children understand the basics, the fundamentals of our faith. I'm not real sure that that is being done effectively. It's something that we're going to emphasize here for a while, so our children can go back to the basics, the fundamentals, the doctrines that we're established on, so they can give a reason for the hope that is in them.

Father, we thank you for the Word of God. We just ask that You would give us, truly, a compassion for the lost and an understanding of where these people are coming from. They've been indoctrinated. They know nothing else. They've been trained to deal with doctrine; but they have not been trained to encounter people full of the Holy Ghost. They know the basic fundamentals of the faith, but they have never been trained to deal with someone who speaks like men they never heard speak before. Never a man spoke like this, with the power of the Holy Ghost and the authority of the Word of God, that some might be free. Help us, Father, to represent You accurately, powerfully, with Your compassion, that a remnant might be saved. We ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.

Let's stand before the Lord this morning. Take a moment as Gary plays for us and ask yourself, has it been easy to blow off the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons? "I don't have time for that. They believe it anyway. I'm not going to have any effect on them." Percentage-wise, it's going to be less than the pagans, but they need somebody to speak into their hearts that knows Jesus. Someone who has tasted the goodness of God, someone who is fully persuaded. Help us, Father. That is why we're here. We're not here building a kingdom like they are. This is all going to pass. The planet is going to baptized in fire, and there will be a new heaven and a new Earth. Father, give us the eternal perspective. Help us to honor You, in Jesus' name.

Let's sing it together. Let's worship Him this morning. "Lord You Are." Sing it again and worship Him. We thank You, Lord, for Your great gift. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Lord, we do thank You for the great gift that while we were still sinners You sought us, Lord; and now as sons You bestow Your love upon us. Help us be faithful and freely give as we received it, to shout from the housetops what we received in the secret chamber of Your presence. Help us bring forth fruit that remains. We give you the praise in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah! Before you go, turn to somebody next to you and say, "Jesus is the way." Amen! Go in peace, God's love go with you.

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