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."
