I Did it My Way: Introduction to Mormonism Series; Sermon 4 Minister Gerald A. “Doc” Thomas, Westside Baptist Church

[Doc Thomas]

 

And now, the end is near, And so I face the final curtain. My friends, I'll say it clear; I'll state my case of which I'm certain. I've lived a life that's full -I've traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way. Joseph Smith definitely did it his way. He claimed that he did not know the way or the right church and was told not to join any. He claimed to have the restored Gospel therefore; he refused to do it God’s Way. Jesus was very emphatic when He explained God’s Way. He knew The Way and was eager to share with the Apostle Thomas and others when Thomas wanted to know the way: “Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”--John 14:5-7. Unfortunately, Joseph the Smith didn’t read or understand the words of Jesus the Christ because if he had, he would have known the way and the Way would have been his Savior and this cult would have had to be created by another person. Jesus, being the Way, is the only Way and that means there’s only one Way! Do you know the Way? Have you trusted in Him as your Lord and Savior?

Let us pray:

Mormonism glorifies mankind; they feel that they can eventually become perfect and achieve exaltation. This man-centered plan serves as their gospel and is weak, demonic, and unbiblical. The Christian belief of the what the Gospel is, is best described by the Apostle Paul as: “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” The Gospel is the POWER of God to salvation.....that, my friends, is a God-centered belief. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”--Romans 1:16-18. Are we ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Why don’t we be more bold in speaking the truth in love to the Mormons since the Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Since we claim to be believers, we should not be afraid to confront this evil although we’re on their court.

The Mormons don't look at grace, faith, or God as we do, as depicted in “The Life and Teachings of Jesus & His Apostles” page 351. It states: “But the Lord, through his grace, appeared to man, gave him the gospel or plan whereby he might rise above the carnal and selfish things of life and obtain spiritual perfection. But he must rise by his own efforts and he must walk by faith.” Just as I explained in one of the earlier sermons in this series, faith is a gift of God and not something man can just do. Ephesians 2:8-9 say it this way: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” If man must rise by his own efforts, he is not walking by faith but by the flesh and if he can do these things to get to heaven, he will boast that he worked his way to heaven thus, stripping God of His glory.

 

The Mormons must come to the understanding that God does NOT want man to boast! They must also come to the realization that the perfect righteousness and holiness that God expects from us, He provides for us in the death and resurrection of His Son. No amount of human effort or self-righteousness can tip the balance in our favor. Exaltation or self-actualization is not from God because He will NOT share his glory with another. The Prophet Isaiah quoted God in Isaiah 48:10-11: “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.”

 

The adversaries of God are never to be given legitimate reasons for scoffing at God and His work. When we create, invent, or follow doctrines contrary to that which is written in the Bible, we scoff at a Holy God. Does this describe your relationship with God the Son? Do you believe that He's God or just a great person in history who cared? Do you buy in to the notion that He's a created being like us and the spirit brother of Satan? Let's know who He is because we will see Him as He is: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”--1 John 3:2. The Bible also states: “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”--Hebrews 12:2. Doesn't sound like what the Mormons are teaching; does it?

 

The Mormons continue to boast about their plan for salvation or exaltation as stated by Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 1989, page 66: “Great beyond comprehension is the love of God. He is our loving Eternal Father. Out of His love for us, He has given an eternal plan which, when followed, leads to exaltation in His kingdom.” The only alternative Mormons see is to have no plan and therefore, have no chance. Christians, who are accustomed to seeing God's love in His gift of salvation itself, aren't impressed by such a plan but many Mormons are. We need to remember this if we truly want to understand them, we must be able and willing to share the “true Gospel,” “the power of God to salvation,” otherwise, we will be prone to change them with deception or insincerity whenever they talk about God's love for them.

 

We must also keep in mind our past, present, and future status: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”--Romans 5:8. Until we “get this,” it will be almost impossible for us to relate to them and guide them toward our Savior. Until we can get them to see that their sins as well as our sins, placed the Perfect One on the cursed tree, they will continue to walk contrary to His Word. We must always be “centered on the Center” and that is Jesus Christ and Him....on the Cross! He died for your sins, my sins, our sins.....their sins! Do you truly believe that Christ died for you, in your stead or is it just something you held on to because your parents or your preacher said so? It's all about the relationship! Do you have one with Him?

 

 

Christ died for sinners; not only such as were useless, but such as were guilty and hateful; such that their everlasting destruction would be to the glory of God's justice. Christ died to save us, not in our sins, but from our sins; and we were yet sinners when He died for us. No, the carnal mind is not only an enemy to God, but is actually enmity itself. But God's design is to deliver from sin and to work a great change. He doesn't just restore our hearts but provides us a brand new one. While the sinful state continues, God loathes the sinner, and the sinner loathes God, Zechariah 11:7-10 say it this way: “So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock. I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Then I said, “I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing perish. Let those that are left eat each other’s flesh.” And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two, that I might break the covenant which I had made with all the peoples.” And that, for such as these, Christ should die. This is a mystery; no other such an instance of love is known. We must always be willing to feed the truth of God to these lost sheep. We're commanded to take the Gospel to all the world: “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”--Mark 16:15.

 

The Bible is a compilation of 66 books and 40 authors. The way in which the Bible is written proves that is a work of God, the Holy Spirit. These books have withstood the test of time and is said to be the basis of almost every religion, including Mormonism. However, these religious sect, cults, occults, etc... don't test everything in light of Scripture, the Bible, to see if their claims or the claims that they heard, can be possible. For instance, “A vision given to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 3 October 1918. In his opening address at the 89th Semiannual General Conference of the Church, on 4 October 1918, President Smith declared that he had received several divine communications during the previous months. One of these, concerning the Savior’s visit to the spirits of the dead while his body was in the tomb, President Smith had received the previous day. It was written immediately following the close of the conference. On 31 October 1918, it was submitted to the counselors in the First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, and the Patriarch, and it was unanimously accepted by them.”--Doctrines and Covenants, Section 138. This thing that JFS saw was not from God but evil and demonic. If he saw this and coerced or convinced others to believe what he saw was of God, he must follow the same criteria that he for Joseph Smith: President Joseph Fielding Smith stated: "Mormonism must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a Prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. If Joseph was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to mislead people, then he should be exposed, his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false..." Since I have proven Joseph Smith to be one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen and there's no middle ground, and since I have proven that he is a deceiver, I will expose him just the same. I am refuting his claims and showing that his doctrines are false. Are you ready to see this or would you prefer to let it go? Our position should be to defend the Gospel!

 

For instance, if this is true, this vision by JFS, then it falls in line with what Saul attempted to do in 1 Samuel 28: 13-17 where it states: “And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.” So he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down. Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.” Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy? And the LORD has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.” Does this appear to be solid evidence or is this not proof at all? We should never rely on spirits or visions until they line up with what the Scripture says. He may say that this vision is true, reliable and godly however; I quote the Scripture once again: “Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written:“ That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.”--Romans 3:4.

 

Ezekiel 12:24 addresses this so-called vision that JFS had. “For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.” However; D & C addresses this topic as follows: 1–10, President Joseph F. Smith ponders upon the writings of Peter and our Lord’s visit to the spirit world; 11–24, President Smith sees the righteous dead assembled in paradise and Christ’s ministry among them; 25–37, He sees how the preaching of the gospel was organized among the spirits; 38–52, He sees Adam, Eve, and many of the holy prophets in the spirit world who considered their spirit state before their resurrection as a bondage; 53–60, The righteous dead of this day continue their labors in the world of spirits. Jeremiah 14:14 addresses such claims: “And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.” Does this verse helps or hinders your belief in the statements above by JFS? We’re he and Joseph Smith really speaking to God or did “they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.” As for me, I believe what the Bible says; what God has revealed in His Word. The better question now is: “What do you or better yet, Who do you believe?

 

These two paragraphs above are taken directly from the “Triplet”: the combined BOM; D&C; and PGP 1983. In these areas, the Bible addresses them this way: “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”--1 Thessalonians 5:20-23. What are the Mormons testing their beliefs against? What are they holding fast to? How is it good? Where and how are they sanctified and to what? Will they be blameless following the teaching of their prophets instead of that of the Sovereign One?

 

In closing, this sermon as well as this series on Mormonism, I want to know how or if you will address your neighbors. For the most part, I think we Christians tend to make to mistakes with our Mormon friends: We are either too hard on them or we fail to confront them honestly. If we are going to reach Latter-Day Saints, we must follow the admonition of the great Sovereign Grace Preacher, the Apostle Paul, “Speaking the truth in love”--Ephesians 4:15. Let's expand this passage out to include Ephesians 4:11-16 which states: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

 

This is our purpose! We are to use this passage as a template to refute such error but with the spirit of love in our hearts. We're not here to make enemies but to make the ones that believe that we are the enemy, to become our brothers and sisters in Christ through proper, godly evangelism. Are you prepared to “come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God?” This could be your only chance to show them Jesus as He is depicted in Scripture. Are you trying to show them Jesus or how arrogant and selfish you are? We must be humble and help them understand that they “should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” and by “speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share.” Our watchword could well be: Truth without love is too hard; love without truth is too soft.

 

We cannot view the Mormons as the enemy. We cannot approach them in anger and fail to understand that they are victims of an oppressed religious system. Victims need love, understanding and patience as well as truth. But, with “truth on our side,” well-meaning evangelists charge into the battle indiscriminately lopping off heads, forgetting that the cultist is to be won, not killed. My motive in witnessing to Mormons is that they may come into the same freedom I have experienced in Christ. Do you have this freedom? Do you want to see them with this freedom? All is finished! Christ has already paid their sin debt. Can you or better yet, will you speak the truth to them in love so that they can experience this freedom and find true love in the person of Jesus, the Christ!

 

 

Let us pray: