An Empty Marriage

Recently I stumbled across an LDS view on marriage that is a good summary of the teachings of the LDS church, in my opinion. Essentially, this individual stated that earthly marriage is a pattern of the eternal relationship our Heavenly Father has with an un-revealed heavenly mother. I would argue that a marriage between just two individuals is an empty marriage.

"What?!?" you might be asking yourself. "I thought she was a born-again Christian and now she's going to justify polygamy?" Just so I don't lose you, the answer to that question is a HUGE "NO!!" Let me explain what I mean.

When God created a marriage relationship between Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, were they alone? No! There was a third "wheel" in their relationship, but in a pure and highly righteous sense. God walked in relationship with Adam and Eve in the Garden. Before the "fall" of mankind, marriage was a picture of what God intended it to be (created that way because God wanted us to understand who He is): three distinct persons loving one another in perfect unity, each respecting the proper domain of the others. Adam and Eve respected God's authority as their Creator and most Holy God. (Side note: Adam & Eve were co-equal before the fall. It wasn't until after they sinned that God made Adam to rule over Eve.) God also respected the authority He had given them to rule over the earth and subdue it, to be fruitful and multiply their own race, and to have the free will to remain in a relationship with Him or not. God honored the dominion He had given Adam and Eve so much that He allowed them to persist in those areas even after they sinned against Him.

Interestingly, and not without consequence, how many members are there of the Godhead? Three! God wants our marriages to be an earthly example of the singular nature of God's relational qualities within the members of the Godhead. God is ONE, but is also relational by very nature, and he wants us to share in the supreme joy of perfect relationship with Him. When God created the marriage relationship, it is written, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24) God intended "oneness" in the marriage relationship among all 3 participants- The husband with God, the husband with his wife, the wife with God, the wife with her husband, and the couple with God and God with them. God has constantly presented opportunities throughout history to come into that perfect relationship with Him again through faith and a strong desire (love) for Him. Why else when asked what the greatest commandment is, would Jesus respond, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind... And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37, 39-40) Inside of a marriage, these two concepts taken together give the most complete picture of God's nature. The opportunities God presented to come into a relationship with Him (the type of relationship He saw was "good" in the beginning) culminated with the death and resurrection of Jesus. The way has now been forever opened for people to come into a righteous relationship with God. Because true members of the body of Christ are called his "bride," we know that God has plans to fully restore the perfect relationship man was intended to have with God. But what does that perfect relationship look like in eternity?

I should start by stating what that relationship will NOT be like. Essentially, relationships in heaven will not be sexual in nature. God's relationship among the three members of the Godhead are not sexual, and any view contrary to this truth is perverted. Christ's relationship with His bride will not be sexual in nature, and nor will the relationship between spouses be sexual in eternity. Sex is an earthly convention that God created to be enjoyed inside of a marriage relationship by a husband and wife for a specific purpose. Namely, 1) to build intimacy and "oneness" in a physical and emotional sense between a human couple, and 2) to fulfill God's command to be fruitful and multiply. God didn't give Adam and Eve a commandment He didn't equip them to fulfill. His plan was for us to fill the earth, and He gave us the means, the desire, and the ability to do so. God provides.

Keep in mind that whenever God establishes earthly patterns that they are not exact replicas of the heavenly things, but are mere shadows of heavenly things-- they are typically earthly examples God provides so that we can know Him better and give Him the glory rather than take it for ourselves. We only get hints or glimpses of what God experiences in full measure. Where God is entirely and in reality "one," we as a human couple only get moments or imperfect intervals of "oneness" with our spouse. Understanding the earthly patterns and then projecting them onto God is absolutely degrading to Him. We should turn our view the other way around, and allow God to shed light on the shadows.

The LDS view of marriage as an eternal, sexual institution between a man and a woman is an entirely worldly and humanistic perspective. It is much more proper to see that a marriage only between a man and a woman where God is excluded is empty (powerless) and sad-- it is incomplete-- regardless of if here on earth or in eternity. Similarly, to view God as anything other than the total Oneness of Father, Son, and Spirit is incomplete and empty (powerless). Because God is eternal (without beginning or end) and unchangeable, we have to know that God is by very nature relational, and has always existed in three persons. In regard to marriage, we have the shadows, but God IS the reality!

"Most Holy God, may my marriage be an earthly testament of who You are. I pray that we as a couple, united with you, could be another example among creation where you are clearly seen and understood. Give us the strength and understanding to love more perfectly, and become more and more "one" with each other and with you, God. My heart's desire is for people to look at us and see you. I ask these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus. Amen."

Faith in Whom?

Just a short post today, but something I think is crucially important to consider:

Having to decide whether you believe that everything Joseph Smith taught is true or not is having to decide whether you should put your faith in Joseph Smith or not. If faith in Joseph Smith was necessary for salvation (read: being saved from the punishment of sin, i.e. forgiveness from sin), then everything Jesus Christ did on the cross is not fully valid.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 says:

"But continue thou in the things which thou has learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou has learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

(Keep in mind that the holy scriptures that Paul was referring to could only be the Old Testament and four Gospels, because that was the only writings available to Timothy at the time this letter was written. No Joseph Smith, and therefore no Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, or Doctrines & Covenants. Nevertheless, Paul assured Timothy he had all the wisdom necessary to lead to salvation, which is through faith in Christ Jesus alone.)

"Lord I lift these readers up to you today, that they can have confidence that YOU are who you say you are, and that they will be moved by your Holy Spirit to put their faith in YOU alone. Lord Jesus I know what foolishness it is to build our faith on the shifting foundation of man rather than on You, the solid rock. Thank you for continuing to show me that my faith is not unfounded; that you are as alive today as when you walked the earth. I anxiously await the day that we can be face to face in the throne room of heaven, so I can praise you and your goodness for eternity. Amen!"

Flesh and Bones

This one particular doctrine of the LDS Church has been weighing heavily on my heart since my last encounter with a pair of Mormon missionaries. Sweet young men, as always, and I certainly appreciated their dedication, but they left this particular (likely difficult) question that I had asked hanging and moved on to the subject of how to know whether or not the Book of Mormon is a true book. Perhaps due to my stubborn nature (God is still working on me!) or perhaps because for many Mormons this is a "shelf question*," I feel the need to pursue it further. (*I see a "shelf question" as one that is frequently thought about, but rarely addressed or outwardly stated because of a belief that someday, somehow, God will provide the answers. But for right now, they think to themselves, "maybe I'm not 'worthy' enough to receive answers right now on this topic." I say, according to Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.")

According to the LDS Scripture, Doctrine and Covenants, chapter 130 verse 22,

"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."

I'm not even going to touch on the subject of Jesus Christ having a body. That goes without saying. In fact, many religions (i.e. Islam) and non-religious historians do not doubt the humanness of Jesus, rather the divine nature of Jesus. My primary focus will be on the first portion of that verse, and I will touch on the last part of that verse. I think you will likely find it interesting, perhaps even challenging.

According to those two kind missionaries, Genesis 1:26-27 clearly states that God must have a body like we have, because we are created in His image. Here is the complete verse:

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

I'll be fair, given this one single verse in the beginning of a lengthy book, one could perhaps fairly draw the conclusion that if I have a body and I'm created like God, then God must have a body, too. I don't disagree that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), and God has graciously given us characteristics that He possesses in entirety, such as creativity, desire for relationship, and free will. So, what's the problem if the logic seems to apply?

When pulling meaning (or in this case, entire doctrine) from the Bible, you MUST look at Biblical scripture on the whole! You could even justify murder, genocide, or hate Biblically if you only picked out one verse and built your belief system around it, and historically, people have. It is an extremely dangerous and misleading practice. Consequently, there are relatively vague verses in the Bible that are not further clarified in other portions of the book, and those are the issues I think are fair to put on a shelf-- let God be God, I say. His ways are mysterious, and we would be foolish if we sought to know it all. But, this is NOT one of those issues. There are verses that negate the idea that God has a fleshly body, and they don't contradict this verse but rather bring it to light. I would like to address those enlightening verses with you here.

Firstly, "image" and "likeness" are vague words when you think about it. Genesis 1:26-27 does not say "let us make man to have a body, as we have a body." Rather, it says "make man in our image, after our likeness." My image in a mirror certainly resembles me accurately (although sometimes I wish it wouldn't do quite so good of a job!), but it would be ridiculous to say that the person I'm looking at that is reflected back at me also must have a body of flesh and blood because it is most certainly my image. Likeness is the same. Ask any artist, particularly a caricature artist, whether the work they do is re-creating exact and precise reality, and they would most certainly answer "no." They are free to take artistic liberties, and enlarge Bill Clinton's nose, for example, if they see fit. Nevertheless, when posted in the Washington Post, that caricature would undeniably be a likeness of Bill Clinton, and people would find it humorous. Just because I'm created in God's image does not mean I am an exact representation of Him in any respect, from nature to physical construction to action. The Bible does tell me my identity, thanks be to God: I am set apart (Psalm 4:3), a child of God (John 1:12), a branch (think outcropping) of the true vine (John 15:1 & 5), a friend of Jesus (John 15:15), justified and redeemed (Romans 3:24), a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), been made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5), chosen by God, holy and beloved (Colossians 3:12), loved by God (1 Thessalonians 1:4), and made complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10). I have an identity because of who God is-- a loving creator who desires a relationship with me. He created me to have an identity that is completed in Him, not because of who I am but because of who He is within me. Now, on to those clarifying verses.

John 4:24 is not a vague verse. It says, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (Just a side note, notice how each member of the triune God are present in this verse, and ALL are worthy of being worshipped. God (the Father) is a Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit (i.e. Holy Spirit) and in truth (i.e. Jesus, who says in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life.") Pretty neat!) Like I said, John 4:24 is not a vague verse. It says in a very straightforward manner that GOD IS A SPIRIT. That is not exactly up for interpretation like the Genesis verse. This is about the point in the conversation where I lost the missionaries and it was on to the next topic. I said something to the effect of, "if you are going to pull doctrine from the first verse in Genesis, then you have to deal with this verse in John." I've heard it argued that there are no definite articles in the Greek language, so this verse should really read "God is Spirit" rather than "God is a Spirit," and that if we read it that way, spirit becomes only one of God's attributes rather than a statement of his physical construction. Even if there are no definite articles (a, an, etc.) in the Greek language, which would make this verse read "God is Spirit," I don't think that diminishes the directness of this verse. Besides, if that logic does apply, does that mean that God the Father can be both spirit and flesh?

That brings me to the second verse. In Luke chapter 24, Jesus appears to his followers after rising from the dead, and understandably, they are startled and a little frightened.

"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (verses 38-39)

Following the previous argument, let's remove the definite article from the last portion of this passage as well, and have it read, "spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." If you possess the physical nature that would define you as "spirit", you cannot possess the physical traits of flesh and blood. Jesus tells us it is so.

Furthermore, having a body is an extremely desired attribute in the LDS faith. Having a body (which of course to them means being like Heavenly Father and Jesus) is part of God's plan of salvation, or plan of happiness. Without a body, we have no hope of exaltation (eternal life) according to LDS doctrine. In the course of my conversation with the two missionaries, one emphatically questioned, "don't you think it would be better for God if he did have a body?" And I emphatically answered, "absolutely not!" Let me elaborate:

The God I know, love, serve, and obey is omnipresent, meaning can be all places at once. His presence fills heaven and earth, according to Jeremiah 23:24, and no one can hide where God cannot see him (see also Psalm 139:7). He is not limited by physical constraints, particularly not of bodily ones. If you read the book of Revelation, you cannot come away without a sense of awe for God's infinite glory and marvelous nature. Could the triune God, if desired, form a part of himself into human likeness? Absolutely. He can, and he has, in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is "the image of the invisible God," (Colossians 1:15), and "was made flesh and dwelt among us," (John 1:14). 1 Timothy 3:16 says, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Philippians 2:6-8 says of Jesus, "being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Additionally Job 25 verses 4-6 says, "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?" The Bible seems clear that having flesh and blood is not exactly desirable; we are described as servants, having no reputation, unclean, a worm. Despite all that, God chose to manifest himself in the flesh, made himself of no reputation, taking on the nature of a servant, even to the point of death on a cross. Desirable? Not exactly. But does that make you want to worship God and give him all the glory even more, that he would do something so beneath his status and nature, all because of the height and breadth and depth of his love for us? It certainly does for me. I choose to glorify the greatness of the creator rather than the marvelousness of the creation.

The last part of the LDS doctrine I quoted, out of Doctrine and Covenants chapter 130 verse 22 I want to quote again here:

"[T]he 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."

This doctrine upsets me. I can just picture God shaking his head in disappointment, thinking to himself, "I gave them my very own word, and they proclaim to know me, yet they willingly limit my capabilities. Do they not know who I am, and what I am capable of? I am the God who created heaven and earth, who formed them purposefully in their mother's womb, who numbers their days on earth and knows the number of hairs on their heads. Why would they think that in order to dwell in them, I have to be physically organized as spirit? Why do they believe that in order to understand them, I need to have a human experience? I created their human experience!" The Bible says that the Holy Spirit indwells those who believe in Jesus, according to Galatians 4:6 and Romans 8:9-16, to name a few. The thing that might pose more of a challenge to the above viewpoint is the Biblical view that both the Father and Jesus also dwell in those who choose to believe.

John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

Ephesians 4:4-6, "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."

Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; not yet I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

In other words, the LDS Church continually limits God's capabilities based on the framework of the human experience. "It doesn't make physical sense for an entity with a human body to be able to live inside of another human body, so the only way to be indwelled is if the entity is a spirit." Or, "I have a body of flesh and blood and I'm created like Heavenly Father, so Heavenly Father must have a body of flesh and blood also." I believe in the opposite approach. Instead of being completely consumed by my own greatness because of this glorious body I've been given, I start from a place of humility. Even in this pathetic state of human weakness, where I am continually confronted by my sinful nature, ever-aware of my frailty, God chose me. Through faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross as a sufficient payment for every one of my sins, I have been redeemed, made a new creation in Him, and even have an eternal inheritance awaiting me. Praise God! He alone is good, and his mercy endures forever. What an awesome God! If he can change my life, I do not doubt His capabilities. To Him be the glory, and the honor, and the power forever and ever.

Stand or Fall

Beginning with Joseph Smith and continuing with each succession of Prophets leading the LDS Church, I can't help but parallel the situation with the story of the Pied Piper. According to the fable, the town of Hamelin, Germany was suffering from a rat infestation in the year 1284. The Pied Piper appeared, and after being promised payment to help solve the infestation, he played his musical pipe and lured the rats into the Weser River, where they drowned. The people reneged on their promise to pay, so the Pied Piper left town but vowed to return seeking revenge. He did return, and while the town inhabitants were in church, he played his pipe yet again, this time luring the children of the town. He led them into a cave (a dark place), never to be seen again.

Similarly, those who profess to be of the LDS faith must follow the Prophet wherever he leads, even if what he teaches contradicts the Bible or former prophets, because a living prophet is of more value than a dead prophet. Ezra Taft Benson, the 13th President (and therefore prophet) of the LDS Church wrote in his book 14 Fundamentals in Following the Prophets, "Beware of those who would pit the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence." (See Mr. Benson's third fundamental.) Thank goodness Jesus is alive, according to this doctrine! If not, even what our Savior said could become irrelevant. In contrast to this doctrine, it is absolutely humbling to look at the Bible and see how the prophets of old (Isaiah, Daniel, etc.) perfectly predicted many historical events, such as the fall of Tyre, or most importantly, the birth and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The old prophecies go hand-in-hand with the new prophecies in a marvelous string of successive fulfillment. There would be no way to pit one against the other, because they were all in agreement! What would Mr. Benson say about pitting the living prophets against one another? I would pit the prophesies our Living Christ against the LDS Prophets, past or present, alive or dead, any day, and know I stand on solid ground.

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)

I've written about this already, but let me repeat it in this context. Lets re-examine the LDS belief in eternal marriage, which is a doctrine spoke of by their Prophets, past and present. Jesus also spoke on the matter, when approached by Sadducees, who asked a question very similar to one that many devout Mormons have probably pondered: If a woman's husband dies, and she re-marries, and the situation repeats itself several times, (or in the case of my LDS friends, she is sealed in the Temple to one man, he dies, and the situation repeats itself), whose wife will she be at the resurrection?

"Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven." (Mark 12:24-15)

That teaching kind of negates the practice of marriage by proxy also, don't you think? Nevertheless, Mormons continue to perform marriage ceremonies by proxy for the dead in their Temples because of the leading of their Prophets.

So Joseph Smith, the first Pied Piper of the LDS Church, led his followers wherever he so desired, and even had to change the nature of Christ, God, and ourselves, to agree with his belief system. Christ had the fullness of his nature as Immanuel, God with us, stripped from him, the unchangeable God became changeable (progressive) and was confined to having a body of flesh and bones rather than filling the heavens with glory and awesome power, and we, his creation, the dust of the earth, were exalted to Godhood, given an eternal nature (pre-existence), and are handed partial responsibility in our salvation through works and ordinances, as if we can take some credit. THIS GRIEVES GOD!!! By professing this doctrine as truth, you are not offending me, but are sinning against God Almighty. The God of Mormonism doesn't even have the power to prevent the Truth of his Word and his beloved Church from falling completely away from him in a total apostasy. I promise you that the everlasting God of the Bible, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the creator of heaven and of earth, is in full control of history. The Word teaches us that not even a sparrow dies apart from his will (Matthew 10:29) and that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church Christ established on earth (because we are Christ's church! It has nothing to do with an establishment or a building, we are a body of believers, his bride! See Matthew 16:18, being mindful that the name Peter means "rock"). These two promises combined make a complete apostasy impossible, because God is in control and loves his bride, the body of believers called the church.

The Mormon Church stands or falls on their Prophets and leaders, because without those men their authority on earth would be stripped of them. According to their own scriptures, speaking of the second highest governing office of their Church, "...Twelve hold the keys to open up the authority of my kingdom upon the four corners of the earth, and after that to send my word to every creature." (D&C 124:128) Also in Ezra Taft Benson's book 14 Fundamentals in Following the Prophets he relates a story of a man who confirmed his own belief in some of the deceased Prophets of the Church, but doubted the direction of the current Prophet. What followed was this gem, said by then-LDS President Marion G. Romney, "Now I tell you that a man in his position is on the way to apostasy. He is forfeiting his chances for eternal life. So is everyone who cannot follow the living Prophet of God." (See Mr. Benson's seventh fundamental.) I assure you that my faith, and true Christian faith, stands or falls on Christ alone, who has authority over all things, and, because of his nature as God, whose words will not pass away (see Matthew 24:25, Mark 13:31, & Luke 21:33). Jesus, rather than a man ("divinely" inspired or not), is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Ask yourself sincerely, who is the author of your faith? Do you believe the words of our Savior as he hung on the cross that God's work of redemption-- of overcoming the sin of the world and forever bridging the chasm between man & God-- "it is finished"? (The single word translated as "it is finished" is the Greek word telelastai, which has been found on papyri tax receipts, meaning "paid in full". This is significant! Dwell on that for a moment.) Have you accepted Christ's sacrifice as FULL payment for your sins, making you worthy to obtain everlasting life , or do you hold to the idea that, like the 3rd article in the LDS theological summary The Articles of Faith states, "we believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel"? (Note the structure of the preceding sentence: it is an "all mankind may be saved" sandwich, the bread being the "how"-- and there are 2 distinct hows-- 1. through the Atonement of Christ, and 2. by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. This contradicts the "paid in full" doctrine taught in the Bible, and undermines the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.) By whom does your salvation ultimately stand or fall?

Be assured that ignorance may be bliss, but if you are reading this, or more importantly reading the Bible, you will not be able to claim ignorance about the truth of who Christ is when standing before his judgement seat. God will not forgive you of your sin of putting a false & changeable god (or false Christ) before Him, unless you confess that sin and turn to the Truth during your lifetime on earth. I've touched on the urgency that I feel in reaching Mormons with the Truth, but this is why I feel the urgency: no man knows the hour of his own death or the hour of Christ's triumphant return, so since you (and we, and the people of earth) who sat in darkness have seen great light through Jesus, we need to do as he commands and "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17)

"Father I come before you today humbled, and grieved by what mankind has done to you. I thank you for your unchanging nature, that you are the solid rock on which I stand, not shifting as the sands or as the nature of man, but firm and unshakable. I praise you for your word, that because it came from you, it is living and timeless. Lord Jesus I put my faith in you alone, recognizing that without you I would be a desperately lost sinner in need of a Savior. Continue to teach me and guide me in your ways, God; my spirit yearns for more of you. Lord let your light shine, let your Truth be spoken of until the whole world hears. Father use me to draw others to yourself, I want so desperately for others to know you. I love you, Jesus, and praise you for your greatness."

Living Word

I was reading an article this morning that can be found at the following link:

http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/godhead/Godhood_EOM.htm

The article, which is really a combination of 2 articles, one written by K. Codell Carter and one written by FARMS (Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies), goes to painstaking lengths to explain and justify the LDS view that we can become gods. As the fifth President of the LDS Church, Lorenzo Snow wrote, "...As man now is, God once was: as God now is, man may be." The second article cites several early Christian theologians in justifying the belief. "The doctrine of the deification of man is not an exclusive teaching of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. Rather, it can be found in early Christian history."

Colossians 2:8-9, which I quoted yesterday, took on a whole new meaning as I read this article (what a wonderful example of the living word!). Let me repeat it now.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

I was reminded that regardless of how revered these early Christians may have been, or what position they were given in the church of their time, we do not put our faith in the interpretation of man, but rather should be like those in Berea (found in Acts 17:10-12) who "received the word with all the readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." When you examine scripture, this doctrine of men becoming gods becomes less of a misunderstanding about us, and much more a misunderstanding of who God is. God is everlasting, omnipotent, unknowable, unique, our savior, not subject to the boundaries of time or space, but rather the creator of them. He says it best, "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:14). Is it difficult, even impossible for us, who are subject to the laws of physics and confined by space and time, to comprehend a God who cannot be contained by the heavens (see 1 Kings 8:27)? Absolutely! The reason it's difficult is because God did not intend for us to wrap our brains around who He is, but to worship Him for His greatness!

There is no better way to describe the following quotes from the first Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, Jr., than "philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men":

"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. If this is in accordance with the New Testament, lo and behold! we have three Gods anyhow, and they are plural: and who can contradict it?" (History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6:474)

"Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God! I say that is a strange God anyhow--three in one, and one in three! It is a curious organization. "Father, I pray not for the world, but I pray for them which thou hast given me " "Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are." All are to be crammed into one God, according to sectarianism. It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God--he would be a giant or a monster." (History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6:476:76)

Joseph Smith deeply misunderstands the scripture in the last quotation, thinking that by Jesus praying for the unity of his believers, he would be saying that we would one day be all squashed together in physical unity as God. Part of the wonder of the Trinity, or Tri-unity of God is that it demonstrates His omnipresence, that He can be all places at once and have a seeming lack of physical unity but an abundance of unity in His nature as God (see Psalms 139:6-10, Matthew 28:20, and Jeremiah 23:24 for verses describing the omnipresence of each member of the Trinity). Jeremiah prophesied this about men who call themselves prophets, but who pervert the words of the Lord:

"Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I [am] against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD... And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God."

(Jeremiah 23:31-32, 36)

Galatians 1:6-9 also talks about men who pervert the gospel of Christ. Paul wrote this passage, and recognizes that no man, himself included, is immune from teaching false doctrine because of our sinful nature. "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." The scenario that is always brought to mind when I read that passage is that of Joseph Smith receiving the gold plates from the angel Meroni, on which was the "restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ" and "Another Testament of Jesus Christ," the Book of Mormon (see Joseph Smith--History 1:59-61). Doctrine that attempts to bring God down to our level of comprehension is God-limiting, and is deceitful. Do not allow yourself to be led astray by vain philosophy after the principles of this world! God is not subject to the principles of this world (time, space, gravity, sustenance, etc.), so to limit your understanding of who He is based on what you know of yourself is ludicrous!

"Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free... He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." (John 8:32 & 47-- Read the whole passage of John 8, I don't want to write it all out, but Jesus is trying to tell the Jews who he is-- that if they really knew God they would recognize him (Jesus), and that he (Jesus) is not of this world. In verse 58, Jesus uses the words "I am" to describe himself, just like we saw God do (above), and says he existed before Abraham, demonstrating that he, because of his nature as a member of the Trinity, is not subject to the boundaries of time; he is eternal! How cool!)

"Thank you Lord for your word that sustains me. I praise you for your greatness, and through faith I am able to worship that which I cannot comprehend. Lord show me your ways. Let me grow in you, direct my path wherever you would have me go. I am yours, Lord, and I thank you for keeping me, that no one can pluck me from your hand. Father, it is through desperation that I seek you, recognizing that I cannot strive to know you of my own accord, but that you choose to reveal yourself to me. Let me be an example of one who is sanctified, set apart for your works, that others may know you as well, especially those who you have called me to. I love you and seek you, that I may become less so you may become greater in me. Amen."

My Eternal Companion

It doesn't take much listening in LDS circles before you hear the phrase "eternal companion," but what exactly does that entail? Let me elaborate.

It is no secret that mormons believe they can become exalted to godhood after living worthy lives and fulfilling several ordinances of the Church, namely baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, priesthood ordination, temple Endowment, and celestial marriage. Celestial marriage means that good, "temple-bound" mormons are "sealed" to their spouse for all time & eternity, and after being exalted to godhood, will eternally procreate, adding to the heavenly family their own spirit children. These ordinances are so crucial to the LDS view of eternity that special ceremonies are conducted inside their temples where the ordinances are performed vicariously through a living person on behalf of a deceased person that had no opportunity to receive those ordinances during their mortal lives. I have major problems with this doctrine, not the least being that it is clear in the Bible what happens when we, as humans, try to be exalted to godhood. Take for example Adam & Eve being removed from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:5, the Tower of Babel being destroyed in Genesis 11:1-9, and Satan's most critical sin that got him cast out of heaven as described in Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19. God is also repeatedly clear in the Bible that he alone is God (and no, this doesn't break from my firm belief that Jesus is God in the flesh, because Jesus is just one aspect of the Trinity, all three parts being one and the same God, just manifested differently). You can read Isaiah 43:10-11 and Isaiah 45:5. Additionally, the Bible states that even demons believe that there is only one God, and they tremble (James 2:19)!

While that is obviously an important issue, it is a topic I would like to save for a later date. The belief I would like to rest on for now is the idea that marriage is eternal, and a necessary step to spending eternity in the presence of the Most High God.

Paul spends a lot of time writing about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7. He states in verse 7 that he wishes all men were as he was-- unmarried. He repeatedly says that it's better for a widow or a virgin to remain unmarried, but why? Because our time on earth is short, and we should not care as much for the things of this world (like pleasing a spouse), but rather we should care about pleasing the Lord (verses 32-35). Furthermore, he states the non-permanence of the marriage bond upon entering into eternity in verse 39:

"The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."

Then there's the kicker-- Paul, despite being unmarried, recognizes that he is not missing out on anything that God has for him:

"I think also that I have the Spirit of God." (verse 40)

Given Paul's aversion to entering into a marriage relationship, would mormons also believe that Paul, who was beheaded for his faith, got less in the Kingdom of Heaven?

Furthermore, Jesus says this in Luke 20:34-36:

"...The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die anymore: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection."

My second issue with the teaching of eternal marriage is that it completely ignores that we, Christ's Church, have already been promised to Christ as his bride. This relationship is described in Revelation 21:9, Ephesians 5:31-32, and also beautifully in 2 Corinthians 11:2 (and how unique that just after saying we are promised to Christ, verse 3 talks about how Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning and Paul is afraid our minds may also be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ!) to list a few. On that note, mormons believe that Jesus was exalted to godhood after his resurrection, but how was he able to attain that status without the ordinance of marriage? It is certainly not Biblical to believe that he was married, so who is his "eternal companion"?

I am reminded of the following admonition in Colossians 2:8-9:

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

If you choose to open your heart to the Word of the Lord, and let it speak to you void of human philosophy, you will start to see a wonderful picture of who Jesus is and what God has done for his Church. I pray that God will draw you to himself as you learn more about Him, and that someday the Truth will set you free. I love you friends!

Sufficient Grace

I was on the "seeker-friendly" website that the LDS church publishes earlier this morning, www.mormon.org. I do that from time to time because I feel like God reminds me about himself-- like as I'm reading a little "ping" goes off in my spirit & a verse flies to the front of my consciousness that doesn't seem to jive with the doctrine I'm reading. Never has that happened to me more vividly than today. This is what popped into the little window when I clicked on the word "grace":

"It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by his atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men & women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts."

SMACK!

Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

In a book I was reading recently called "Crazy Love" by an author named Francis Chan, it was vividly pointed out that the literal translation of the phrase "filthy rags" is menstrual garments (think used tampons). Now keeping this in mind, I'd like to tell you a story.

Her life was cut short, only in her mid-thirties the Lord called her home. She had lived a good life, one that would make her mother proud, one that was primarily characterized by her sweet and gentle approach and love of people. Now she was confronted with a table that had two chairs, one on each side, but facing each other. It reminded her of the tables she saw on the crime dramas she used to watch, the ones where suspects and witnesses would be questioned. The single light hanging above it added to this familiar ambiance. A man appeared and sat at one end, motioning for her to sit opposite him. As she sat, he broke the silence with a question.

"So what do you have that might get you out of this mess?"

She raised her arms quizzically and glanced around at the floor beside her chair. There it was-- she recognized it because it was one of her most prized possessions, something she clung to in times of self-doubt. Beside her sat a big bag full of gold coins, but these coins had pictures on them of the many good deeds she had done throughout her relatively short life. She reminisced as she picked one up, this one had a picture of her painting a house that was re-built after a hurricane. She tenderly set it on the table in front of her. Instantly it was transformed into something ugly, a repulsive rag. In her embarrassment, she hurriedly brushed it onto the floor. More careful to select something really treasured, she sifted through the bag. Her face lit up as she pulled out one of her most valuable coins. This coin had a picture of her child on it. She knew that raising him was left to someone else now, but she had taught him the most important life lessons the best she could. Cautiously, she set the coin down. Again it became different, and again she brushed it onto the floor. Over and over she frantically set her coins on the table, trying to show this man that she did a whole lot of good things, but they all ended up in a pile on the floor. Disheartened, she stood up next to her pile of rags and began crying, apologizing for not having anything better to give.

The man stood up from his chair, and approached her with his hands outstretched. The wounds were familiar, the blood still fresh.

"My child," he said, "have you forgotten? It is by grace you are saved through faith, and not by works so that no man can boast. It is my gift!" (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Melting, she sobbed. She did remember, but had become distracted by the pride she felt watching her coin collection grow. Now it was so clear, nothing she brought to the table was good enough, only the faith she displayed by clinging to her Savior could wash away her sin. She had been saved by grace.

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I agree that God's grace gives us the strength to do the things he calls us to do (see also 2 Corinthians 9:8), but when it comes to our SALVATION, there is no "best efforts." HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! If pride, or anything else, has been keeping you from receiving God's grace fully, it's time to repent and ask Him to give you more of what He has for you. Grace is God's plan of salvation.

This post is dedicated to my sweet dad and my dear friend Katy (the ultimate perfectionist). I pray daily that someday you might embrace grace.