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!"
Faith in whom and praise to whom? I found myself feeling pretty critical towards the LDS HYMN "Praise to the Man" is the focus a bit off there?
ReplyDeleteIs the focus a bit off... absolutely!! I believe singing praise is a form of worship, so singing praise to anyone/anything other than God is breaking the first commandment. When Jesus was tempted by Satan to bow down and worship him, he responded with scripture. He says in Matthew 4:10, “Get the hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” I believe we should respond in-kind when a request for mis-placed worship is presented. That’s one of the strongest cases I have for the Trinity (meaning one God comprised of three persons/manifestations)-- Jesus accepted worship. Had he not been God in the flesh, then he could be considered a heretic... and a hypocrite, for that matter in light of the verse we just examined. Considering heresy is a sin, that would mean Christ’s sacrifice on the cross would be null and void, no longer a spotless lamb. Consequently, Jesus did accept worship (see for example Matthew 28:9,17; John 5:23). In fact, it’s a commandment from the Father to worship Jesus (Hebrews 1:6), and the Father calls the Son “God” in verse 8.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought: Note the “bait” Satan uses to lure Jesus into mis-placed worship: the world (a planet) and its glory (Matthew 4:8-9). I don’t know how familiar you are with LDS doctrine, but considering you know an LDS hymn I’d assume you are at least acquainted with the idea of exaltation. Part of the doctrine of exaltation is the potential to become a god of your own planet, through faithful LDS worship (works). To me, that’s the unmistakable fingerprint of the father of all deception.
I pray that you would be strengthened; the discomfort you’re describing toward that hymn is evidence of the Holy Spirit working in your heart-- it’s the gift of discernment. God bless you & yours!