Last Update: 11/2013
Who is Jesus?
Romans 1:22-25 "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man...Who changed the truth of God into a lie..."
It is foundational doctrine within Christianity that Jesus is God incarnate. God the Father is the first person, Jesus the second person, and the Holy Ghost is the third person in the Trinity. They are three co-equal and co-eternal persons in one Being. It is not easy to grasp, but that does not make it untrue. Another way which may be easier to grasp this concept is to think of water. Water can be in three states of matter, liquid (water), solid (ice), and gas (steam), but it is all still water. Just like water can be in three states of matter and still be water, God is manifested in three personages and all still make up one being in God. Another example would be time; time can be in the past, present and future, but it is all still time. If this belief is not what you have been taught about Jesus, then you have a different Jesus than the Bible.
However, Mormon doctrine teaches Jesus and God the Father are distinct and separate Gods; Jehovah (Jesus) is the literal spirit child of Elohim in the pre-existence and Elohim is God the Father. When questioned about their belief on a plurality of gods, Mormons will typically state that they only believe in one God, as the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are “one in purpose.” They will further state that they only worship one god, the Father. So they must believe in just one God, right? Well Joseph Smith made it extremely clear in teaching just how many distinct gods there are in the trinity.
“I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.” (Teachings of Prophet Joseph Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 370).
Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie similarly wrote in his book Mormon Doctrine what has long been taught in the church on the Godhood yet is contradictory in terms of how many gods Mormons state they worship.
“Three separate personages -- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- comprise the Godhead. As each of these persons is a God, it is evident, from this standpoint alone, that a plurality of Gods exists. To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three are the only Gods we worship. But in addition there is an infinite number of holy personages, drawn from worlds without number, who have passed on to exaltation and are thus gods.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p. 576).
These statements and many others Mormon Church leaders have stated in the past seem to quite obviously contradict what the Mormon teaching on the Godhood is today and the biblical teaching of the Trinity.
Mormons and other religions will typically state in response to this topic something to the effect of "if Jesus is God, why would he pray to himself?" This is where Mormons and many others show a lack of understanding the Christian Trinity. Matt Slick's CARM.org provides two short but excellent examples which perfectly explain the answer to this question here and here. Another great answer to this question is provided at Gotquestions.org.
To be certain, let’s examine what the Bible and the standard works of the LDS church have to say about God the Father and Jesus Christ. Please think about which is greater as you read through this section: A little faith placed in the Jesus of the Bible or all the faith in the world placed in a false Jesus.
What does the Bible say about the firstborn?
Jesus is referred to as “the Son of God” in the Bible. The first thing to clear up is a typical misunderstanding as you read this statement. Many take this as procreation, but that is not what is intended by the writer. It is referring to the authority and intimacy of the relationship and partnership Jesus has with God the Father. It is not referring to a physical procreation from a human standpoint. Jesus is the Son of God by way of a miracle that was special and unlike any other human conception. He is the firstborn Son in terms of preeminence or importance of rank. He was not the literal firstborn spirit child in the pre-existence as Mormon doctrine teaches. This is exemplified in Colossians 1:15 where Jesus called the firstborn of all creation. Well He obviously is not the literal firstborn in terms of a procreation sense if taken literally, but He is in terms of authority and of the dead (first to be resurrected).
There are several other examples in the Bible which refer to firstborn in this sense of authority and not a literal sense. Examples in the Old Testament include King David in Psalm 89:26-28, Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25, Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48. King David was the youngest (1 Samuel 17:14) but was considered "firstborn" in terms of special privileges, authority and rights. Esau and Manasseh were the firstborn by birthright, but Jacob and Ephraim were given the authority and responsibilities of the birthright.
What does the Bible say about Jesus and God?
“I AM” in John 8:24, 28, 58, 13:19, 18:6 vs. “I AM” in Exodus 3:14, Deuteronomy 32:39, Isaiah 43:10:
In each of these verses within John where Jesus states “I AM,” there is a reason for this claim. When Jesus uses the phrase “I am,” He was claiming a divine title which belongs to Jehovah/Yahweh only as seen in Exodus 3:13-14, Deuteronomy 32:39, and Isaiah 43:10. The Greek phrase "ego eimi" means “I AM” and is the very term which was used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) to illustrate the voice heard from the burning bush. This was surely understood by the religious leaders in the gospel of John that Jesus was claiming to be God as noted by their response in attempting to stone Him to death for blasphemy (claiming to be God).
We see a similar response by the religious leaders in John 10:30-33, which says, "I and [my] Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
Again, the Jewish religious leaders knew exactly what Jesus was claiming. So there are only two possible responses they can take with what they feel is a blasphemous claim to being God: stone Him to death or bow down and worship Him. They chose to try and stone Him. Jesus’ claim to be God is something that is extremely obvious to the Jewish religious leaders at this time as noted by their attempts to stone Him to death for blasphemy, but is completely missed by Mormons today.
Back in John 8:19 Jesus says, “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He goes on in John 8:21 telling the religious leaders that where He is going they cannot come. Jesus knows He is bound for Heaven and because of their hatred for Jesus; the religious leaders are bound for hell. In John 8:23, Jesus informs the Pharisees He is from above (heaven) and they are from beneath (the world). This is an obvious claim by Jesus we do not have a pre-existence, but we are created of the world and He is not of this world. In John 8:24, Jesus tells them, "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins."
Church father Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390 A.D.) said the following about Jesus, "He was baptized as a man -- but He remitted sins as God...He was tempted as man, but he conquered as God...He hungered -- but He fed thousands...He was wearied, but He is the rest of them that are weary and heavy-laden. He was heavy with sleep, but He walked lightly over the sea...He pays tribute, but it is out of a fish; yea He is the king of those who demanded it...He prays, but he hears prayer. He weeps, but He causes tears to cease. He asks where Lazarus was laid, for He was man; but He raises Lazarus, for He was God. He is sold, and very cheap, for it is only for thirty pieces of silver; but He redeems the world, and that at a great price, for the price was His blood. As a sheep he is led to the slaughter, but He is the shepherd of Israel, and now of the whole world also...He is bruised and wounded, but He heals every disease and every infirmity. He is lifted up and nailed to the tree, but by the tree of life He restores us. He dies, but he gives life, and by His death He destroys death."
John 1:1, 14 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." If the Word was God and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us then this could only be referring to Jesus as being God.
Matthew 1:23 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Here we see Jesus was to be called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” This is clear evidence Jesus is God in the flesh.
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder: and his name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” This would have been the most radical statement (not to mention blasphemous) the monotheistic Jewish prophet Isaiah could have made at this time in calling a future child to be born a “the mighty God” or “the everlasting Father.”
Isaiah 43:11 “I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour.”
Isaiah 45:15 “Verily thou [art] a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.”
John 20:28-29 “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.” Now Thomas did not see two people or two Gods as he makes this statement. After Thomas touches the side of Jesus, he refers to Him as his Lord and his God. Notice Jesus does not attempt to correct Thomas, but accepts the title and blesses the disciples.
Titus 2:13 "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"
Luke 7:16 “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” God visited his people in the flesh just as this and many other verses plainly state.
John 14:9 “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” Jesus is saying He is the Father manifested in the flesh.
Colossians 1:15-16 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 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:” The Greek word used for image in this verse conveys the meaning of likeness and manifestation. God has been fully reflected and manifested in Jesus. If Paul wanted to say Jesus was only similar to God in terms of his appearance, he would have used the Greek word 'homoioma.'
Colossians 2:9-10 “For in him [Christ] dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him…” If all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus, then He cannot be a god within a pyramid of higher level and lower level gods as Mormonism teaches. He is not a junior god who was created by a senior god. Also, how can we be complete in Him if He were not God?
1 Timothy 3:16 “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.” It is clear here Paul says God was manifest (shown) in the flesh (of Jesus).
Hebrews 1:8 “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Why would God be referring to Jesus as God if He were not God? The first person of the Trinity (the Father) is speaking to the second person of the Trinity (the Son).
Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost...” Pay close attention in that the writer says "in the name [not names] of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." This is yet another reference Jesus is God and shows further proof of the Christian Trinity (three separate personages, but one Being).
Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”Jehovah/Yahweh unequivocally asserts His glory is shared only with Jesus.
Isaiah 48:11 “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.” Jehovah/Yahweh unequivocally asserts His glory is shared only with Jesus.
John 17:5 “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” Jesus here is declaring His oneness and glory with Yahweh/Jehovah before the world was created. It does not get any clearer than this.
Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” How did God purchase His church with His own blood? Because Jesus is God. Jesus purchased the church (the believers in Christ) with His shed blood on the cross. If Jesus was not God, His death on the cross would not have been sufficient to atone for the sins of the world.
1 John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.” If Jesus was not God He would be a created being and could not have possibly made an infinite atonement to pay the penalty for sin against and infinite God. God alone is has the power to satisfy the requirements of this penalty.
What do the Standard Works of the Mormon Church claim?
What does the Book of Mormon have to say about Jesus and God? Does it represent them as co-equal and co-eternal as the Bible does, or as separate distinct gods?
The title page to the Book of Mormon says, “JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD…”
The testimony of the three witnesses reads, “And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God.”
2 Nephi 11:7 says, “For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time.”
2 Nephi 26:12 says, “…Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God”
2 Nephi 31:21 says, “…the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God”
Mosiah 7:27 says, “And because he said unto them that Christ was the God, the Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man, and it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning; or in other words, he said that man was created after the image of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the earth”
Mosiah 13:34 says, “Have they not said that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?”
Mosiah 15:1-5 says, “God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in the flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having been subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son – The Father because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and the Son – And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and earth. And thus the flesh becoming subject to the spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God”
Mosiah 16:15 says, “Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.”
Alma 11:28-29 says, “Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God? And he answered, No.”
Alma 11:38-40 says, “Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father? And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of the heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last; And he shall come into this world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name;”
Alma 11:44 says, “…Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God…”
3 Nephi 11:14 says, “…I [the Lord] am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world”
3 Nephi 11:27 says, “…the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one.”
Mormon 7:7 says, “…unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God”
Ether 3:14 says, “…I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son.”
Ether 4:7 says, “…Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and the earth”
Ether 4:12 says, “…he that will not believe my words will not believe me – that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father…”
D&C 19:1 says, “I AM Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.”
D&C 20:28 says, “Which the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite and eternal, without end.”
D&C 35:2 says, “…I am one in the Father, as the Father is one in me…”
D&C 38:1 says, “THUS saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end…”
D&C 39:1 says, “HEARKEN and listen to him who is from all eternity to all eternity, the Great I AM, even Jesus Christ”
D&C 61:1 says, “…hearken unto the voice of him who has all power, who is from everlasting to everlasting, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.”
D&C 63:60 says, “Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ.”
D&C 68:35 says, “Behold, I am Alpha and Omega…”
D&C 93:3 says, “And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one”
All of these verses are in complete agreement with the biblical doctrine of Jesus and God and complete contradiction to the Mormon doctrine of them being separate and distinct gods. One would think knowing the character and nature of God and Jesus would be extremely important, especially since Christian doctrine is polar opposite of the Mormon doctrine. So why would God not make one single reference in the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants to the Mormon doctrine of their character and nature, but dozens of references to the Christian doctrine? If the Book of Mormon is supposedly inspired writing from God to restore lost truths and doctrines, why does it not explicitly answer this core doctrinal belief in Mormonism? To the contrary, why does the Book of Mormon confirm a Monotheistic Trinitarian view of God?
Then, Mormon doctrine gets confusing with the Pearl of Great Price. Chapters 4 & 5 of Abraham refer to “the Gods” in almost all the verses. This is referring to the organization of the heavens and the earth, the creation of man, etc. This is in complete contradiction to the biblical account.
Is God Unique or are there other Gods or can Men become Gods?
This is another foundational doctrine in Christianity – there was ever and will ever be only one God, Jehovah (Yahweh) God. In Christianity, God is utterly unique and there are no other gods created before Him or after him. However, Mormon doctrine teaches a plurality of gods you might think of like a pyramid of gods; the god of this world has parent gods who created him and their parents have parent gods who created them and so on. This is obviously very different from the God of Christianity and the God of the Bible. Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt preached a sermon to the church as said this regarding the number of gods.
“If we should take a million of worlds like this and number their particles, we should find that there are more Gods than there are particles of matter in those worlds” (Orson Pratt, 1855, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2 p. 345).
Although their doctrine allows for plurality of gods they believe Elohim (God the Father) is the only god of this planet and the only god they worship. They believe God the Father was procreated in heaven by his parent gods, received a body, lived on a planet and obeyed all the laws and ordinances to become exalted and received his own planet which he populated with the spiritual children he created in a pre-existence with his spirit wives. This is effectively their plan of salvation, one of the most important doctrines in the Mormon Church. It teaches this same principle; if Mormons follow all the laws and ordinances of the Mormon Church they can be exalted, becoming gods and goddesses, receive their own planets, procreating billions of spirit children with their spirit wives in heaven. Their children then receive bodies on this planet and whoever follows the laws and ordinances they set forth can become gods themselves and so on.
Although the Mormon Church is trying to shy away from teaching this doctrine (likely due to the negative impact on potential and new converts), it has always been foundational and heavily taught within the church from Joseph Smith (many years after starting the church) to modern day prophets such as Gordon B. Hinckley (and all prophets in between) as noted in the following quotes:
“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man... I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea... He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth” (Each of these citations take various pieces of this quote: Joseph Smith, "The King Follett Sermon," Ensign, April 1971, p. 13-14; also from the book Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345-346; also from the LDS publication Gospel Principles, 2011, Chapter 47: Exaltation).
“On the other hand, the whole design of the gospel is to lead us onward and upward to greater achievement, even, eventually, to godhood. This great possibility was enunciated by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the King Follet sermon (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 342-62); and emphasized by President Lorenzo Snow. It is this grand and incomparable concept: As God now is, man may become!” (Gordon B. Hinckley, "Don't Drop the Ball," Ensign, November 1994).
Paul tells us in Romans 1:23-25 men will try to change the image of the incorruptible God and change Him into the image of a corruptible man. Is this not exactly what Joseph Smith did and what Mormons do today in teaching God was once a man who sinned, yet became exalted?
Below are various examples of scripture which convey the utter uniqueness of God demonstrating there is zero possibility of other Gods having ever existed or ever existing. Teaching doctrine contradicting this is effectively calling God a liar.
Deuteronomy 4:35 “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he [is] God; [there is] none else beside him.”
Deuteronomy 4:39 "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."
Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD:” This verse translates from the coding system the King James translators used as: Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our Elohim is one Jehovah.
Isaiah 42:8 “I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” If God does not give his glory to another, then how can the Mormon plan of salvation be correct in teaching that we can become gods?
Isaiah 43:10-11 “Ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour.” God is emphatically clear here in saying there was no God formed before Him, nor will there be a God formed after Him. Again, God’s holy word declares doctrine which is in opposition to Mormon doctrine.
Isaiah 44:6 “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.” If you show Mormons verses like these they will add to it and say there is no other god we worship. This is twisting the Bible to say something it is definitely not saying in context many, many times over.
Isaiah 44:8 “Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any].” Again, Mormon doctrine teaches there are many Gods, but they worship only Elohim (God the Father). If there were other Gods out there don’t you think the God of the Bible would know of them since He is omniscient? God demonstrates there are no other Gods and he does not know of any other Gods.
Isaiah 45:5-6 “I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none beside me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else.”
Isaiah 45:18 “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else.”
Isaiah 45:21-22 “Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.”
Isaiah 46:9 “Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me,”
Mormons will typically use various verses from the Bible to support their claim which allows for a plurality of gods. Several of these the missionaries referred me to when they attempted to use the Bible to show support for multiple gods. What they fail to realize in doing so (as I did at that time too) is understanding the way the KJV translators coding system separated the true God from a false god, because in Hebrew they use the same word, Elohim. False gods in the Bible are designated as “god” or “gods” using a lower case “g.” In context, the Bible is referring to a false god or gods people create in their mind, in other words, idols that do not represent the one true Jehovah God of the Bible.
This was the lie in the beginning the serpent told Eve in Genesis 3:5. The serpent told them if they eat of the fruit they will become as gods, knowing good and evil. Brigham Young, however stated “the Devil told the truth” in regards to this statement about becoming gods (Brigham Young, Deseret News, p. 308, June 18, 1873).
1 Corinthians 8:5 (as well as the chapter summary in the LDS KJV) ”For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many)”.
Joseph Smith stated the following with regards to this verse, “Hence, the doctrine of a plurality of Gods is as prominent in the Bible as any other doctrine. It is all over the face of the Bible . . . Paul says there are Gods many and Lords many . . . but to us there is but one God--that is pertaining to us; and he is in all and through all,” (History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 474).
Again, this verse is referring to the false idol gods and lords people create and worship in their minds which do not represent the on true God of the Bible. People do not like the idea the Bible teaches there is a God who is perfect and holy and who will judge us according to those standards. They want to do what they want and what makes them happy. They do not like the fact we will one day be judged and sent to heaven or hell. So what do people do? They create a god in their mind who fits into their mold of what god should be. They don’t want to worship a god who sends “good” people to hell. They create a god in their mind who will not punish anyone if they felt they lead a “good” life. The problem with this is they take the judgment away from God and become judges themselves. This is a dangerous game to play because the Bible is clear in who God is (perfect and holy) and who we are (sinners against a wrathful God).
John 10:34 says, “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” Let’s examine this verse in context. Jesus had just claimed to the Pharisees He is God as demonstrated by their attempt to stone Him for what they felt was a blasphemous claim. Jesus responds to them in this verse quoting God from Psalms 82:6-7. Here God is speaking metaphorically about the judges as they were called “gods” because their earthly office gave them the responsibility of deciding the fate of other people. God also refers to these earthy judges as “gods” in Exodus 21:6 and Exodus 22:8-9. If it were referring to them as gods in the sense we can become gods, then Psalm 82:7 exposes the error in this view as it states even though you are gods (earthly judges), you shall die like men and fall like princes. Jesus is simply exposing the ignorance of the Pharisees in how he responds to them here in John 10:34.
This is not all Mormonism teaches about the god they worship, which utterly contradicts the Jehovah God of the Bible. Genesis 1:1 reads, “In the beginning, God…” These four words the bible begins with are the foundational belief and starting point of every Bible-believing Christian. As the bible clearly teaches and as every Christian believes, God was there before anything and everything. He has eternally existed, is utterly unique and was the creator of all things. This means He created heaven, earth, angels, space, matter, humans, animals, etc.
As foundational as this statement is for Christianity and other major monotheistic religions (Judaism and Islam), Mormon doctrine and beliefs already veer from the very first verse and truth in the Bible by teaching something radically different about God. Mormonism teaches God was not the creator of all things, but only the organizer of already existing matter.
So in Mormonism, Genesis 1:1 in the bible should start with “In the beginning, matter…” and not “In the beginning, God…”
The Mormon doctrine of God is not biblically based nor complementary, but completely and utterly contradictory to the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God…”. People want to create an image of God they then exalt before the knowledge God has presented to us of His character and His nature in scripture. People believe their ways and beliefs are better and more effective. Paul was not speaking to everyone in general, he was speaking to Christians in Corinth. They were creating these strongholds which were in opposition to God’s character, word and methods.
I fear Mormons have similarly created these strongholds they have exalted before the knowledge God has provided to us in His word. Paul tells us the only way to keep from creating these strongholds or to break them down is by spiritual weapons. These spiritual weapons are spoken of in Ephesians 6:12-17 and include truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.
Mormons, I plead with you what Jesus and God you believe in is the most important decision you will ever make. Please don’t base it on your feelings, a spiritual witness, or a burning in the bosom. Feelings can’t change facts no matter how strong they are. The facts are the Jesus and God of the Bible are in complete contradiction from the Jesus and God of Mormon doctrine. This has been confirmed by various LDS prophets.
Gordon B. Hinckley stated, “There are those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints do not believe in the traditional Christ. No, I don’t. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak” (LDS Church News, June 20, 1998).
Hinckley later stated “As a Church we have critics, many of them. They say we do not believe in the traditional Christ of Christianity. There is some substance to what they say” (“We Look to Christ,” Ensign, May 2002).
Church Seventy Bernard Brockbank stated, “It is true that many of the Christian churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshiped by the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (“The Living Christ,” Ensign, May 1977).
Please ponder this question. If the Jesus/God you put your faith in is different from the biblical Jesus/God (a false Jesus/God), then would you have a false gospel and a false salvation?
THE CROSS UNVEILED
