The Jesus of Mormonism is created : Mormon Doctrine byBruce McConkie, pp. 192, 589
However: the Bible teaches: Jesus is uncreated(John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17)
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Is Mormonism a Cult?
Question: "Is Mormonism a cult? What do Mormons believe?"
Answer: The Mormon religion was founded less than two hundred years ago by a man named Joseph Smith. He claimed to have received a personal visit from God the Father and Jesus Christ and told that all churches and their creeds were an abomination. Joseph set out to impose a brand-new religion that claims to be the “only true church on earth.” The problem with Mormonism is that it contradicts, modifies, and expands on the Bible. Christians have no reason to believe that the Bible is not true and adequate. To truly believe in and trust God means to believe in His Word. And all Scripture is inspired by God, which means it comes from Him (1 Timothy 3:16).
Mormons believe that there are in fact four sources of divinely inspired words, instead of just one. 1) The Bible “as far as it is translated correctly.” Which verses are incorrectly translated are not always made clear 2) The Book of Mormon was “translated” by Smith and published in 1830. Smith claimed it is the “most correct book” on earth, and that a person could get closer to God by following its precepts, “than by any other book.” 3) The Doctrine and Covenants is considered scripture by Mormons, containing a collection of modern revelations regarding the “Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored.” 4) The Pearl of the Great Price is considered by Mormons to “clarify” doctrines and teachings that were lost from the Bible and adds its own information about the earth's creation.
Mormons believe these things about God: that He has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe, but attained that status through righteous living and persistent effort. They believe God the Father has a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.” Though abandoned by modern Mormon leaders, Brigham Young taught that Adam actually was God and the father of Jesus Christ. Christians know this about God: there is only One true God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:10, 44:6-8), that He always has and always will exist (Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalm 90:2, 1 Timothy 1:17), and that He was not created, but is the Creator (Genesis chapter1, Psalm 24:1, Isaiah 37:16). He is perfect and no one else is equal to Him (Psalm 86:8, Isaiah 40:25). God the Father is not a man, nor was He ever (Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, Hosea 11:9). He is Spirit (John 4:24), and Spirit is not made of flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).
Mormons believe that there are different levels or kingdoms in the afterlife: The Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, the Telestial Kingdom and outer darkness. Where mankind will end up depends on what they believe and do in this mortal life. The Bible tells us that after death, we go to Heaven or Hell based on whether we had faith in Jesus or not. To be absent from our bodies as believers means we are with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Unbelievers are sent to Hell, or the place of the dead (Luke 16:22-23). When Jesus comes for the second time, we will receive new bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). There will be a New Heaven and New Earth for believers (Revelation 21:1), and unbelievers will be thrown into an everlasting lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). There is no second chance for redemption after death (Hebrews 9:27).
Mormon leaders have taught that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary. They believe Jesus is a God, but that any human can also become a god. Christians historically have taught that God is Triune and that He exists eternally as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). No one can achieve the status of God, only He is holy (1 Samuel 2:2). We can only be made holy in God's sight through faith in Him (1 Corinthians 1:2). Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16) and is the only one ever to have lived a sinless, blameless life, who now has the highest place of honor in Heaven (Hebrews 7:26). Jesus and God are one in essence, Jesus being the only One existing before physical birth (John 1:1-8, 8:56). Jesus gave Himself to us as a sacrifice, and God raised Him from the dead, and one day everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:6-11). Jesus tells us it is impossible to get to Heaven by our own works, only with faith in Him is it possible (Matthew 19:26). And many will not choose Him. “You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way” (Matthew 7:13). We all deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but God's infinite love and grace has allowed us a way out. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Clearly there is only one way to receive salvation; to know God and His Son, Jesus (John 17:3). It is not done by works, but by faith (Romans 1:17, 3:28). When we have this faith, we will automatically be obedient to God's laws and become baptized out of love for Him, but not because it is a requirement for salvation. We can receive this gift no matter who we are or what we have done (Romans 3:22). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Although Mormons are usually friendly, loving, and kind people - they are involved in a false religion that distorts the nature of God, the Person of Jesus Christ, and the means of salvation.
Recommended Resource: Reasoning from the Scriptures with Mormons by Ron Rhodes.
Answer: The Mormon religion was founded less than two hundred years ago by a man named Joseph Smith. He claimed to have received a personal visit from God the Father and Jesus Christ and told that all churches and their creeds were an abomination. Joseph set out to impose a brand-new religion that claims to be the “only true church on earth.” The problem with Mormonism is that it contradicts, modifies, and expands on the Bible. Christians have no reason to believe that the Bible is not true and adequate. To truly believe in and trust God means to believe in His Word. And all Scripture is inspired by God, which means it comes from Him (1 Timothy 3:16).
Mormons believe that there are in fact four sources of divinely inspired words, instead of just one. 1) The Bible “as far as it is translated correctly.” Which verses are incorrectly translated are not always made clear 2) The Book of Mormon was “translated” by Smith and published in 1830. Smith claimed it is the “most correct book” on earth, and that a person could get closer to God by following its precepts, “than by any other book.” 3) The Doctrine and Covenants is considered scripture by Mormons, containing a collection of modern revelations regarding the “Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored.” 4) The Pearl of the Great Price is considered by Mormons to “clarify” doctrines and teachings that were lost from the Bible and adds its own information about the earth's creation.
Mormons believe these things about God: that He has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe, but attained that status through righteous living and persistent effort. They believe God the Father has a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.” Though abandoned by modern Mormon leaders, Brigham Young taught that Adam actually was God and the father of Jesus Christ. Christians know this about God: there is only One true God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:10, 44:6-8), that He always has and always will exist (Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalm 90:2, 1 Timothy 1:17), and that He was not created, but is the Creator (Genesis chapter1, Psalm 24:1, Isaiah 37:16). He is perfect and no one else is equal to Him (Psalm 86:8, Isaiah 40:25). God the Father is not a man, nor was He ever (Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, Hosea 11:9). He is Spirit (John 4:24), and Spirit is not made of flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).
Mormons believe that there are different levels or kingdoms in the afterlife: The Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, the Telestial Kingdom and outer darkness. Where mankind will end up depends on what they believe and do in this mortal life. The Bible tells us that after death, we go to Heaven or Hell based on whether we had faith in Jesus or not. To be absent from our bodies as believers means we are with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Unbelievers are sent to Hell, or the place of the dead (Luke 16:22-23). When Jesus comes for the second time, we will receive new bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). There will be a New Heaven and New Earth for believers (Revelation 21:1), and unbelievers will be thrown into an everlasting lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). There is no second chance for redemption after death (Hebrews 9:27).
Mormon leaders have taught that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary. They believe Jesus is a God, but that any human can also become a god. Christians historically have taught that God is Triune and that He exists eternally as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). No one can achieve the status of God, only He is holy (1 Samuel 2:2). We can only be made holy in God's sight through faith in Him (1 Corinthians 1:2). Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16) and is the only one ever to have lived a sinless, blameless life, who now has the highest place of honor in Heaven (Hebrews 7:26). Jesus and God are one in essence, Jesus being the only One existing before physical birth (John 1:1-8, 8:56). Jesus gave Himself to us as a sacrifice, and God raised Him from the dead, and one day everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:6-11). Jesus tells us it is impossible to get to Heaven by our own works, only with faith in Him is it possible (Matthew 19:26). And many will not choose Him. “You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way” (Matthew 7:13). We all deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but God's infinite love and grace has allowed us a way out. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Clearly there is only one way to receive salvation; to know God and His Son, Jesus (John 17:3). It is not done by works, but by faith (Romans 1:17, 3:28). When we have this faith, we will automatically be obedient to God's laws and become baptized out of love for Him, but not because it is a requirement for salvation. We can receive this gift no matter who we are or what we have done (Romans 3:22). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Although Mormons are usually friendly, loving, and kind people - they are involved in a false religion that distorts the nature of God, the Person of Jesus Christ, and the means of salvation.
Recommended Resource: Reasoning from the Scriptures with Mormons by Ron Rhodes.
The Case Against Preterism: Part 2.
"Be diligent to study yourself approved unto God, as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the Word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
In recent weeks, I have received a lot of questions regarding Preterism and Partial Preterism. In many Evangelical circles, particularly in Reformed and Calvinistic Evangelical Churches, there has been a tremendous backlash against the "Left Behind" book and movie series, which features a secret or Pretribulational Rapture, that is, living Christians will instantaneously disappear and will be "snatched away" to be with the Lord. Advocates of the Pretribulational Rapture view cite such passages as 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthains 15:50-53
to support their views.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).
Opponents of the Pretribulational eschatological view argue that no where in these passages does the Scriptures explicitly teach that there will be a "secret rapture" and that such a view is presuppotionally inferred in the exegesis of these passages. Many opponets of the Pretriublational Rapture argue, that these passages simply argue for a literal second coming of Christ which is one and the same event as the rapture.
Opponets of Dispensationalism and Pretribulationalism often cite that the Pretribulational Rapture View is a very recent development in Biblical teaching and infer that John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren, who were the first individuals to formulate the Pretribulational Rapture view, thus demonstrating it's untruthfulness. However, just because a view is of recent theological development does not immediately negate it's truthfulness. This was the same argument used against the Protestant Reformers by the Roman Catholic Church, that the Protestant's theology was new and innovative and thus untrue. The test of whether or not a doctrine is true or not is not how old it is, this is known as a Chronological fallacy, the test should rather be if the doctrine is Biblical.
In recent weeks, I have received a lot of questions regarding Preterism and Partial Preterism. In many Evangelical circles, particularly in Reformed and Calvinistic Evangelical Churches, there has been a tremendous backlash against the "Left Behind" book and movie series, which features a secret or Pretribulational Rapture, that is, living Christians will instantaneously disappear and will be "snatched away" to be with the Lord. Advocates of the Pretribulational Rapture view cite such passages as 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthains 15:50-53
to support their views.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).
Opponents of the Pretribulational eschatological view argue that no where in these passages does the Scriptures explicitly teach that there will be a "secret rapture" and that such a view is presuppotionally inferred in the exegesis of these passages. Many opponets of the Pretriublational Rapture argue, that these passages simply argue for a literal second coming of Christ which is one and the same event as the rapture.
Opponets of Dispensationalism and Pretribulationalism often cite that the Pretribulational Rapture View is a very recent development in Biblical teaching and infer that John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren, who were the first individuals to formulate the Pretribulational Rapture view, thus demonstrating it's untruthfulness. However, just because a view is of recent theological development does not immediately negate it's truthfulness. This was the same argument used against the Protestant Reformers by the Roman Catholic Church, that the Protestant's theology was new and innovative and thus untrue. The test of whether or not a doctrine is true or not is not how old it is, this is known as a Chronological fallacy, the test should rather be if the doctrine is Biblical.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
The Case Against Preterism
Part 1.
by Lee Edward Enochs,
Evangelical Debate Society of
Southern California
"But examine everything carefully, hold fast to the truth."
(1 Thessalonians 5:21)
In recent days, I have received a number of questions, comments and requests regarding my views on the subject of Preterism. Because of the enormous response regarding this subject, I will be posting weekly on my theological blog regarding this subject. I have been also asked to debate on the subject of Preterism, an event which could transpire in the near future.
Preterism-
A Christian system of eschatological thought popular in various forms of Postmillenial and Amillennial theology that postulates that all of the end-times events mentioned in the Bible are believed to have been already fulfilled. These events were fulfilled in the past, particularly before 70 AD. during the Roman-Jewish war, wherein the Roman army led by General Titus, destroyed the Jewish Temple and dispersed the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
The term preterism is derived from the word preterite, or past perfect tense; it also has its roots in the Latin word præter, meaning "past." Adherents of Preterism are known as Preterists. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preterism
Adherents of "Partial Preterism" maintain that many aspects of Biblical eschatology were fulfilled in 70 AD but not all.
In recent years, the subject of Preterism and Partial Preterism has become a very popular discussion in educated Evangelical circles. The popularity of the Preterism issue has been brought upon due to many Evangelicals dissatisfaction and disillusionment with the popularization of Pretribulational and Dispensationalist views in such books as "The Left Behind Series" and due to the writings of partial Preterist theological writers RC Sproul and Hank Hanegraaf who authored the books "The Last Days According to Jesus" and "The Last Disciple" in recent years.
Due to my robust Augustinian soteriological convictions, many people over the years, have simply assumed that I must be Amillennialst or Postmillennalist, with Partial Preterist sympathies. However, this could not be further from the truth. For the record, I want to state publically, that I am a Premillennialist and Pretribulationalist and have been for twenty years.
For years I sat under Dr. David L. Hocking and John MacArthur, dispenationalist Bible teachers and I was educated at Moody Bible Institute, Biola University and the Master's Seminary, traditional bastions of Premillenial eschatological belief. Furthermore, I believe in the distinction between Israel and the Christian Church and that God has a future hope for the national of Israel. If I could be classified in a theological camp, I would most closely adhere to what is known as "Progressive Dispensationalism" made popular by Professor Dr. Robert L. Saucy of Talbot School of Theology and Darrel Boch of Dallas Theological Seminary and Craig Blaising, formerly of Dallas Seminary and Southern Baptist Seminary in KY, now research professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth Texas.
While, I have many friends in various Evangelical camps of eschatological conviction and do not make ones views on the end times a litmus test for Evangelical Orthodoxy, I have become exceedingly concerned about the rise of Preterism and Partial Preterism in many Evangelical circles and am constantly being asked questions about the subject and have been asked by some to debate on the subject of Preterism.
One thing that has personally bothered me in recent years about the attack against Premillennialism and Pretribulationalism, is the constant negative mention of John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethern as the founders of the Pretribulationalist view, as though mentioning Darby and the Plymouth Brethern somehow taints the entire Pretribulational argument.
Those who attack Pretribulationalism and Dispensationalist Premillennialism on the grounds that it was founded by Darby and the P.B. are guilty of the logical fallacy of
Ad Hominem. Translated from Latin to English, "Ad Hominem" means "against the man" or "against the person." as the nizkor project has rightly stated:
An Ad Hominem is a general category of fallacies in which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument. Typically, this fallacy involves two steps. First, an attack against the character of person making the claim, her circumstances, or her actions is made (or the character, circumstances, or actions of the person reporting the claim). Second, this attack is taken to be evidence against the claim or argument the person in question is making (or presenting). This type of "argument" has the following form:
Person A makes claim X.
Person B makes an attack on person A.
Therefore A's claim is false.
The reason why an Ad Hominem (of any kind) is a fallacy is that the character, circumstances, or actions of a person do not (in most cases) have a bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim being made (or the quality of the argument being made).
I have done a tremendous amount of study on the history of John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethern and can demonstrate conclusively that Darby and the Plymouth Brethren were theologically orthodox and Evangelical. Many Amillennial and Postmillenial opponents of the Pretribulationalist view might be suprised to discover that John Nelson Darby was a devout Calvinist who once separated from D.L. Moody over the Chicago Evangelist's alleged Arminian views. Hence, those Preterist and Partial Preterist advocated and opponents of Pretribulationalism need to stick to the arguments without resorting to personal attacks against Darby and the Plymouth Brethern.
Next time: I will explore the Preterist and Partial Preterist postions in depth.
by Lee Edward Enochs,
Evangelical Debate Society of
Southern California
"But examine everything carefully, hold fast to the truth."
(1 Thessalonians 5:21)
In recent days, I have received a number of questions, comments and requests regarding my views on the subject of Preterism. Because of the enormous response regarding this subject, I will be posting weekly on my theological blog regarding this subject. I have been also asked to debate on the subject of Preterism, an event which could transpire in the near future.
Preterism-
A Christian system of eschatological thought popular in various forms of Postmillenial and Amillennial theology that postulates that all of the end-times events mentioned in the Bible are believed to have been already fulfilled. These events were fulfilled in the past, particularly before 70 AD. during the Roman-Jewish war, wherein the Roman army led by General Titus, destroyed the Jewish Temple and dispersed the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
The term preterism is derived from the word preterite, or past perfect tense; it also has its roots in the Latin word præter, meaning "past." Adherents of Preterism are known as Preterists. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preterism
Adherents of "Partial Preterism" maintain that many aspects of Biblical eschatology were fulfilled in 70 AD but not all.
In recent years, the subject of Preterism and Partial Preterism has become a very popular discussion in educated Evangelical circles. The popularity of the Preterism issue has been brought upon due to many Evangelicals dissatisfaction and disillusionment with the popularization of Pretribulational and Dispensationalist views in such books as "The Left Behind Series" and due to the writings of partial Preterist theological writers RC Sproul and Hank Hanegraaf who authored the books "The Last Days According to Jesus" and "The Last Disciple" in recent years.
Due to my robust Augustinian soteriological convictions, many people over the years, have simply assumed that I must be Amillennialst or Postmillennalist, with Partial Preterist sympathies. However, this could not be further from the truth. For the record, I want to state publically, that I am a Premillennialist and Pretribulationalist and have been for twenty years.
For years I sat under Dr. David L. Hocking and John MacArthur, dispenationalist Bible teachers and I was educated at Moody Bible Institute, Biola University and the Master's Seminary, traditional bastions of Premillenial eschatological belief. Furthermore, I believe in the distinction between Israel and the Christian Church and that God has a future hope for the national of Israel. If I could be classified in a theological camp, I would most closely adhere to what is known as "Progressive Dispensationalism" made popular by Professor Dr. Robert L. Saucy of Talbot School of Theology and Darrel Boch of Dallas Theological Seminary and Craig Blaising, formerly of Dallas Seminary and Southern Baptist Seminary in KY, now research professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth Texas.
While, I have many friends in various Evangelical camps of eschatological conviction and do not make ones views on the end times a litmus test for Evangelical Orthodoxy, I have become exceedingly concerned about the rise of Preterism and Partial Preterism in many Evangelical circles and am constantly being asked questions about the subject and have been asked by some to debate on the subject of Preterism.
One thing that has personally bothered me in recent years about the attack against Premillennialism and Pretribulationalism, is the constant negative mention of John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethern as the founders of the Pretribulationalist view, as though mentioning Darby and the Plymouth Brethern somehow taints the entire Pretribulational argument.
Those who attack Pretribulationalism and Dispensationalist Premillennialism on the grounds that it was founded by Darby and the P.B. are guilty of the logical fallacy of
Ad Hominem. Translated from Latin to English, "Ad Hominem" means "against the man" or "against the person." as the nizkor project has rightly stated:
An Ad Hominem is a general category of fallacies in which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument. Typically, this fallacy involves two steps. First, an attack against the character of person making the claim, her circumstances, or her actions is made (or the character, circumstances, or actions of the person reporting the claim). Second, this attack is taken to be evidence against the claim or argument the person in question is making (or presenting). This type of "argument" has the following form:
Person A makes claim X.
Person B makes an attack on person A.
Therefore A's claim is false.
The reason why an Ad Hominem (of any kind) is a fallacy is that the character, circumstances, or actions of a person do not (in most cases) have a bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim being made (or the quality of the argument being made).
I have done a tremendous amount of study on the history of John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethern and can demonstrate conclusively that Darby and the Plymouth Brethren were theologically orthodox and Evangelical. Many Amillennial and Postmillenial opponents of the Pretribulationalist view might be suprised to discover that John Nelson Darby was a devout Calvinist who once separated from D.L. Moody over the Chicago Evangelist's alleged Arminian views. Hence, those Preterist and Partial Preterist advocated and opponents of Pretribulationalism need to stick to the arguments without resorting to personal attacks against Darby and the Plymouth Brethern.
Next time: I will explore the Preterist and Partial Preterist postions in depth.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Romans Bible Study Every Wednesday Night!
You Are Invited to Our Bible Study Wednesday Nights
Romans 10:17
I hope you are doing well. Hey, I wanted to let you know, we started the in depth Romans Bible study back up at my place in Costa Mesa and I want to invite you and all your friends. I am totally revamping the study and making it more of an in depth Seminary type class.
You and all of your friends are invited to come, it's at 7:00pm at my apartment on Wednesday Nights.
My address is:
Romans Bible Study
343 E. 21st Street
Costa Mesa California # C
92627
(714) 514-8339
Hope all is well and hope to see you there!
Sincerely in Christ!
Ed
Romans 10:17
I hope you are doing well. Hey, I wanted to let you know, we started the in depth Romans Bible study back up at my place in Costa Mesa and I want to invite you and all your friends. I am totally revamping the study and making it more of an in depth Seminary type class.
You and all of your friends are invited to come, it's at 7:00pm at my apartment on Wednesday Nights.
My address is:
Romans Bible Study
343 E. 21st Street
Costa Mesa California # C
92627
(714) 514-8339
Hope all is well and hope to see you there!
Sincerely in Christ!
Ed
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Los Angeles Time Article on DNA and the Book of Mormon
Last Friday, the Los Angeles Times featured a major front page article (two page article) on the DNA Controversy that is rocking the Mormon Church at it's very foundations.
In recent decades the Mormon Church has made many converts throughout Central and South America largerly through the LDS claim that the the inhabitants of Central and South America are direct decendants of the Lamanites who came from Israel and populated the southern part of the North American hemisphere according to the Book of Mormon.
In fact, this claim of the Mormon Church has helped convert 4 million Central and South Americans to the Mormon Church, roughly one third of the total Mormon population world wide. Many South and Central Americans have taken great pride that they are mentioned in the Book of Mormon and the LDS Church has been incredibly successful with this Evangelistic strategy in that part of the world.
However, through the percise science of DNA research which is 99.5% accurate, is has been conclusively demonstrated that there is no possibility that the inhabitants of South and Central America are related to the semetic Israelites, rather DNA evidence demonstrated that the current inhabitants of South and Central America descended from the Asian hemisphere and not Israel as the Book of Mormon falsely alleges.
The current firestorm in the Mormon Church regarding DNA is rocking the LDS Church to its very core and many people are leaving the Mormon Church.
I want to encourage everyone concerned about the claims of the Mormon Church to watch the video called "DNA vs. the Book of Mormon" which can be purchased at:
http://www.lhvm.org/dna.htm
Sincerely in Christ,
Ed Enochs
In recent decades the Mormon Church has made many converts throughout Central and South America largerly through the LDS claim that the the inhabitants of Central and South America are direct decendants of the Lamanites who came from Israel and populated the southern part of the North American hemisphere according to the Book of Mormon.
In fact, this claim of the Mormon Church has helped convert 4 million Central and South Americans to the Mormon Church, roughly one third of the total Mormon population world wide. Many South and Central Americans have taken great pride that they are mentioned in the Book of Mormon and the LDS Church has been incredibly successful with this Evangelistic strategy in that part of the world.
However, through the percise science of DNA research which is 99.5% accurate, is has been conclusively demonstrated that there is no possibility that the inhabitants of South and Central America are related to the semetic Israelites, rather DNA evidence demonstrated that the current inhabitants of South and Central America descended from the Asian hemisphere and not Israel as the Book of Mormon falsely alleges.
The current firestorm in the Mormon Church regarding DNA is rocking the LDS Church to its very core and many people are leaving the Mormon Church.
I want to encourage everyone concerned about the claims of the Mormon Church to watch the video called "DNA vs. the Book of Mormon" which can be purchased at:
http://www.lhvm.org/dna.htm
Sincerely in Christ,
Ed Enochs
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Debates Coming this Year!
So then, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God"
(Romans 10:17)
Dear Family and Friends,
Hi Everyone!
I just wanted to tell you that I am in the process of organizing more theological debates similar to the one on the Trinity I was involved in a couple of months ago in Riverside California.
It is in my heart to organize theological debates with various non Evangelical groups active in the Orange County area such as Muslims, Buddhists, Hindu's, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and other such groups.
I would appreciate your prayers for these debates as they are very time consuming in preparation, organization and study.
I love you all and want to hear from you!
Drop me an e-mail soon and let me know what topics you want to hear about.
Sincerely in Jesus Christ,
Ed Enochs
(Romans 10:17)
Dear Family and Friends,
Hi Everyone!
I just wanted to tell you that I am in the process of organizing more theological debates similar to the one on the Trinity I was involved in a couple of months ago in Riverside California.
It is in my heart to organize theological debates with various non Evangelical groups active in the Orange County area such as Muslims, Buddhists, Hindu's, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and other such groups.
I would appreciate your prayers for these debates as they are very time consuming in preparation, organization and study.
I love you all and want to hear from you!
Drop me an e-mail soon and let me know what topics you want to hear about.
Sincerely in Jesus Christ,
Ed Enochs
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Concerning Mormon Authority
Authority: The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge.
Galatians 1:6-8
After spending a few weeks in Utah around a multitude of Mormons, the question of where Evangelicals get their authority becomes an essential issue. Mormons, as we know , believe that they are the restored Church and that they alone possess the authority of Jesus Christ to baptize, administer the Lord's supper and function as a true Church.
The LDS Church makes the audacious claim that Joseph Smith was God's annointed prophet of this dispensation and the power and authority of Christ rests in Joseph Smith and his apostles. The Mormons believe in the doctrine of Apostolic Authority that has similarites with that of offical Roman Catholicism in that they believe that the authority of Christ given to the Apostle Peter in Matthew 16:18-19, after falling way from the earth upon the death of the Apostle John around 100 A.D. was fully restored by Christ and bestowed upon Joseph Smith and his apostolic sucessors; namely the Presidents of the Mormon Church that followed him after his death in 1844. Joseph Smith wrote,
"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
History of the Church, Vol. 1, Chapters 1-5
"By searching the Scriptures I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord but that they had apostatized from the true and living faith and there was no society or denomination that built upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament"
(Personal Writings, p. 5).
Mormons believe the church fell away and was restored by Joseph Smith in 1830. Mormons believe in the reality of ongoing and continous revelation and that God has decreed that there be apostles of the Church today. The LDS believe that the supreme authority of Jesus Christ rests in the chief apostle, president and revelator Gorden B. Hinckley.
However, just the mere assertion that the Mormon Church is the true church of Jesus Christ and that God's annointed prophet and president of the Church is Gorden B. Hinckley does not make it the truth.
There is absolutely no evidence that the true Church of Christ fell away as the Mormons claim.
Galatians 1:6-8
After spending a few weeks in Utah around a multitude of Mormons, the question of where Evangelicals get their authority becomes an essential issue. Mormons, as we know , believe that they are the restored Church and that they alone possess the authority of Jesus Christ to baptize, administer the Lord's supper and function as a true Church.
The LDS Church makes the audacious claim that Joseph Smith was God's annointed prophet of this dispensation and the power and authority of Christ rests in Joseph Smith and his apostles. The Mormons believe in the doctrine of Apostolic Authority that has similarites with that of offical Roman Catholicism in that they believe that the authority of Christ given to the Apostle Peter in Matthew 16:18-19, after falling way from the earth upon the death of the Apostle John around 100 A.D. was fully restored by Christ and bestowed upon Joseph Smith and his apostolic sucessors; namely the Presidents of the Mormon Church that followed him after his death in 1844. Joseph Smith wrote,
"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
History of the Church, Vol. 1, Chapters 1-5
"By searching the Scriptures I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord but that they had apostatized from the true and living faith and there was no society or denomination that built upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament"
(Personal Writings, p. 5).
Mormons believe the church fell away and was restored by Joseph Smith in 1830. Mormons believe in the reality of ongoing and continous revelation and that God has decreed that there be apostles of the Church today. The LDS believe that the supreme authority of Jesus Christ rests in the chief apostle, president and revelator Gorden B. Hinckley.
However, just the mere assertion that the Mormon Church is the true church of Jesus Christ and that God's annointed prophet and president of the Church is Gorden B. Hinckley does not make it the truth.
There is absolutely no evidence that the true Church of Christ fell away as the Mormons claim.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
God's Law Demonstrates the Origin and Reality of Sin
by Lee Edward Enochs
"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12).
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
"For there is not a just person on the earth that does not sin" (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
In recent years, evangelists Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort have done much positive ministerial work in proclaiming that the righteous standard of God's Law must be preached in any effective presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Cameron and Comfort have demonstrated from the Bible, that for a person to be saved, they must first acknowledge that they are sinful transgressors of God's Law as revealed in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).
In a postmodern and inherently anti-Christian civilization such as contemporary North America, questions pertaining to the Law and origin and nature of sin are deemed irrelevant, obstructionist and obscenely obsolete by most people functioning inside and outside of the historic Christian Church.
However, those who deny the existence, reality and perpetuity of sin are guilty of self contradiction and by self denial, they at once simultaneously affirm the Bible's teaching on the exceedingly sinfulness of sin and humanities enslavement and blindness due to their inherent sinful nature inherited through Adam (Romans 5:1-18).
For to deny the existence and ongoing reality of sin, one needs to give an account of why there is evil and suffering in the world. If sin does not exist as many rebellious Americans postulate, then, where does all the pain and misery originate from?
If there are no such things as sin and absolute evil as our secularist friends postulate, than why is there a universally transcendent feeling amongst all people groups of the world, that things are not as they should be on this earth and that men and women, at times do things they ought not. That people trust that some people in their given society will at times do evil things is demonstrated in the fact that almost all people have locks on their doors or other means of protecting their goods from being the victims of their respective neighbors thievery.
FACT: It is universally self evident that all people at times do wrong things. To say otherwise is to be dishonest and self-deceived. Any honest person, must acknowledge that he or she does things that are not right.
If it is a given that we all do wrong things at a given time, then we must affirm that there is an objective standard and absolute ethical criterion of good and evil by which we can conclusively deem something inherently virtuous or not.
The fact is, that we all have this objective standard of right and wrong inherent within ourselves. These moral sentiments are innate within us.
According to God's exclusively inspired, inerrant, infallible and authoritative Word, all men know there is such thing as sin; Romans 2:12-16 says,
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."
All men and women know they are sinners and they have sinned against God's righteous standard, those who say otherwise suppress the truth in unrighteousness and stand under the condemnation of God's Law.
The Ten Commandments, when preached effectively to non-Christians, demonstrates to them their sinfulness and need of a remedy for their predicament of condemnation; namely, the saving grace of God as found in the cross of Jesus Christ.
In short, all men and women know deep within that God exists and that we are transgressors of God's law, those who say otherwise are guilty of self denial and self deception (Romans 1:18-32).
Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron's approach to Evangelism, uses the Law of God effectively, showing men and women they they must realize that they are sinners to understand and appreciate what they are being saved from. Such a message is of absolute necessity in the exceedingly dark world that has become American civilization.
We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory and need to trust in the saving Gospel of God's grace through the person and cross of Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God.
"But these have been written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing, you might have life in His name" (John 20:31).
"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12).
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
"For there is not a just person on the earth that does not sin" (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
In recent years, evangelists Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort have done much positive ministerial work in proclaiming that the righteous standard of God's Law must be preached in any effective presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Cameron and Comfort have demonstrated from the Bible, that for a person to be saved, they must first acknowledge that they are sinful transgressors of God's Law as revealed in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).
In a postmodern and inherently anti-Christian civilization such as contemporary North America, questions pertaining to the Law and origin and nature of sin are deemed irrelevant, obstructionist and obscenely obsolete by most people functioning inside and outside of the historic Christian Church.
However, those who deny the existence, reality and perpetuity of sin are guilty of self contradiction and by self denial, they at once simultaneously affirm the Bible's teaching on the exceedingly sinfulness of sin and humanities enslavement and blindness due to their inherent sinful nature inherited through Adam (Romans 5:1-18).
For to deny the existence and ongoing reality of sin, one needs to give an account of why there is evil and suffering in the world. If sin does not exist as many rebellious Americans postulate, then, where does all the pain and misery originate from?
If there are no such things as sin and absolute evil as our secularist friends postulate, than why is there a universally transcendent feeling amongst all people groups of the world, that things are not as they should be on this earth and that men and women, at times do things they ought not. That people trust that some people in their given society will at times do evil things is demonstrated in the fact that almost all people have locks on their doors or other means of protecting their goods from being the victims of their respective neighbors thievery.
FACT: It is universally self evident that all people at times do wrong things. To say otherwise is to be dishonest and self-deceived. Any honest person, must acknowledge that he or she does things that are not right.
If it is a given that we all do wrong things at a given time, then we must affirm that there is an objective standard and absolute ethical criterion of good and evil by which we can conclusively deem something inherently virtuous or not.
The fact is, that we all have this objective standard of right and wrong inherent within ourselves. These moral sentiments are innate within us.
According to God's exclusively inspired, inerrant, infallible and authoritative Word, all men know there is such thing as sin; Romans 2:12-16 says,
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."
All men and women know they are sinners and they have sinned against God's righteous standard, those who say otherwise suppress the truth in unrighteousness and stand under the condemnation of God's Law.
The Ten Commandments, when preached effectively to non-Christians, demonstrates to them their sinfulness and need of a remedy for their predicament of condemnation; namely, the saving grace of God as found in the cross of Jesus Christ.
In short, all men and women know deep within that God exists and that we are transgressors of God's law, those who say otherwise are guilty of self denial and self deception (Romans 1:18-32).
Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron's approach to Evangelism, uses the Law of God effectively, showing men and women they they must realize that they are sinners to understand and appreciate what they are being saved from. Such a message is of absolute necessity in the exceedingly dark world that has become American civilization.
We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory and need to trust in the saving Gospel of God's grace through the person and cross of Jesus Christ to be saved from the wrath of God.
"But these have been written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing, you might have life in His name" (John 20:31).
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