It seems like Christianity and Jesus are increasingly under attack. What's going on? What we'll be looking at is what happens when Christians use human wisdom to interpret the Bible, twisting scripture away from its intended message. This blog is dedicated to using Scripture itself to interpret and help us understand Scripture. You are welcome to add your comments and thoughts. Other viewpoints are welcome. Disagreements are welcome.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Research Examines the Faith of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses
The Barna Group has done asurvey of Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons that has some interesting results.
The Barna Group is a Christian research organization that regularly conducts polls. In their most recent poll they asked Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons about their faith and what they believe. They then compare the results with answers from born again Christians. Most of the questions had to do with actions... how people live out their faith. They were not doctrinal questions.
So, if you observe these three groups, based on their actions which group appears to be the stronger Christian?
The Jehovah's Witnesses by far. Then the Mormons and they were followed somewhat closely by born again Christians. That is sad! That is distressing!
By the way, I am not saying that either Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons are Christians. However, this survey shows their behavior is more Christian-like than born again Christians.
So what's the problem? The Bible says that one way we can know a Christian is by their fruit. This is telling me that most born again Christians mayt not truly be born again. They may have invited Jesus into their heart, but they have never recognized they are sinners in need of a savior, and that Jesus Christ is the only way they can be saved. Jesus said that if we are saved we will love him. And if we love him we will desire to obey his commands. The word used for love is "agape," meaning a love that results in action. Agape love is not a love of feeling good about a person. If you call yourself a Christian, are you showing your love for Jesus, through your actions, at least as well as those who are in cults? Are you making sacrifices for Jesus? If not, you need to visit 911 Christ.
P.S. By the way, most of the Christian-like actions of Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon are not coming from a love for Jesus. They are coming from a love of self. They are doing the things they have been told they need to do in order to have the highest possible level of salvation/glorification. #1 on the list of things they need to do is to obey the church.
The following is a quote from a book called "10 Things Satan Doesn't Want You To Know." This is one of the things we need to do to make Christ's victory, and Satan's defeat, applicable in our life.
"...be positive and consistent in our testimony for the Lord. It is a fatal mistake to believe that while faith in Christ is required, testimony for Christ is optional. No testimony by both life and mouth means no defeat for Satan."
The United Methodist Church is holding their national meeting in Texas this week. An issue that has been a hotly debated topic is that of homosexuality. This week, by a vote of 55% to 45% the United Methodist Church has reaffirmed their official position that homosexuality is not compatible with the teaching of the Bible. They got it right! Hallelujah!!
If a blind man is walking toward a cliff, we don't encourage him and tell him how wonderful he is and how he should be enjoying his walk. We WARN him. "Stop, blind man!! You are about to step off a cliff and die!" That is the loving thing to do... warn the blind man about the danger. That is what the United Methodist Church did this week. They took a courageous and loving step in saying to the spiritually blind, "Stop! You are heading for eternal death. You are going the wrong way." Turn from your sins, repent, and trust that Jesus has paid the penalty for all that you've done wrong!
When people realize they have disobeyed God (realize they are sinners) a common response is to say, "I've made some mistakes, but God forgives mistakes."
Is this true?
It is true that God forgives, but God is also just. This means there is justice. Justice means there are consequences resulting from our actions. The consequence of disobeying God is the death penalty. This is spiritual death or what we call hell.
Let's say someone has broken the law. It's a serious crime. This person has raped and murdered a small child. They are now standing before a judge. They say to the judge, "Yes, I did this crime. But you are a loving judge. You are a good judge. You are a forgiving judge. Because of this you will let me go free." What is the judge going to say?
He will say, "Yes, I am a loving judge and I hold no grudge against you. Yes, I am a good judge and that is why I am sentencing you to life in prison." The parents of the child may have forgiven this person. He still goes to prison. When you break the law there are consequences. For there to be justice there is a penalty that must be paid. That is true with civil law here on earth, and it is true with God.
"But", people then say, "I've never done anything as bad as that. After all, I've never murdered anyone. Sure I've made some mistakes, but God would never send anyone to hell for a few minor mistakes."
Have you ever been angry with someone? For example, when you are driving in traffic? Or when you are in a store and someone cuts in line in front of you? Or if someone says something really stupid? Jesus said that if you have been angry at another person, that is the same as murder.
God looks at your heart.
Have you ever looked at another person with lust? Jesus said that if you look with lust, that is the same as committing adultery.
God looks at your heart.
Have you ever told a lie? The Bible says that all liars have a place in the lake of fire.
When you break God's law there are consequences. Yes, God is loving. Yes, God is forgiving. Yes, God is justice and justice demands that there be consequences for breaking the law. When you break God's law the consequence is that you deserve to go to the fires of hell. And we all have broken God's law.
In a comment to a previous post about Are Mormons Christians, a Mormon had this to say about being "good enough" to be acceptable to God.
"Oh, and yes I am good enough. I am not perfect, but I am working on it, and that is what my Heavenly Father wants for me."
"With that last comment, I now realize why you are so quick to disprove the doctrine of the LDS church. If in fact someone made you feel as though you were not good enough, they were wrong, and clearly did not understand LDS doctrine. The doctrine is perfect, the people are not."
I had asked this anonymous Mormon whether or not they were a good person. Then asked some questions based on the Ten Commandments. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever taken something that does not belong to you (that includes downloading music from the internet and fudging a little on your taxes)? Have you always honored your parents? Have you ever looked with lust? Jesus said that if you look with lust that is adultery in your heart.
The Ten Commandments are like a mirror showing us how God sees us. What He sees are law breakers... people who disobey Him.
What happens if you break a law, get caught and are standing in court before a judge? Can you say, 'Yes I'm not perfect. I've broken the law. But I'm basically a good person, judge. So you should let me go." Will the judge let you go? Not if he is a good judge. You've broken the law and must pay the penalty.
God, is a much better judge than any human judge. He is just, and He will always see that justice is done. You've broken the law, you must pay the penalty. The penalty for breaking God's law is death hell).
What can you do to avoid the death penalty? Nothing.
Let's say you are in a human court. You are guilty. The penalty is $1,000,000 or prison for life. You don't have $1,000,000. But then someone you don't know walks into the courtroom, opens a briefcase, and it has $1,000,000 in cash! They offer to pay your fine. What happens to you now? Your penalty is paid you go free!!
That is what Jesus has done for you. He has died in your place, paying your fine so you can go free.
Let's say you a month later you walk into the same courtroom and say to the judge, "Let me tell you about all the good things I've been doing." Does that do you any good? No. What are you saying about the person who paid your fine for you? "I don't think what you did is good enough. I must add some of my "good works." What an insult to Jesus!
Besides, you can't do any works that are good compared with the goodness of God. Isaiah 64:6 says that the VERY BEST we can do, our most righteous deeds are like filthy rags to God. Ephesians 2:8,9 makes is clear that there is nothing we can do that is good enough to gain us credit. We will never be able to boast in heaven, saying "I did... " My dear Mormon, it's all about God and not a bit about you.
Ephesians 2:8,9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that NO ONE MAY BOAST."
What is one of the foundations of Christianity? It is truth.
"Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6
"Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor..." - Ephesians 4:25
How can a church call itself Christian, if lies are regularly used as the best arguments to say this church is Christian?
I'm also reminded of 2 Timothy 2:25 which tells us to gently teach those who oppose the truth. So how do I gently tell Mormons they are believing in a lie? How do I tell Mormons to stop putting problems they see with the LDS church on a shelf, and recognize it is a lie? Plus when you point out something such as this, Mormons take it as persecution and they take it as further proof they are right. My question then is... what if the LDS church is wrong? What if God is trying to reach YOU? But you ignore Him, put the problem on a shelf, and call yourself persecuted?
What has got me started on this topic is the book 'The Mormon Faith." This book, as do many other Mormon apologetic books, supports the LDS belief that God's grace is not sufficient by quoting great Christian evangelists such as C.S. Lewis. I just happen to also be reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity right now.
Here is what is going on...
The LDS church teaches that in addition to grace, human works (obedience) is also necessary for "salvation". This a quote from the book "The Mormon Faith" (page 74):
"The theological debate over whether we are saved by grace or by works has continued for centuries. In reality, it is a fruitless argument that generates more heat than light. It is in the words of C.S. Lewis, 'like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary.'" (the C.S. Lewis quote is from 'Mere Christianity').
It sounds like the C.S. Lewis believes, as the mormon church does, that both grace and works are necessary. So the Mormon church must be a Christian church since C.S. Lewis agrees with their doctrine!! But this is a lie in the great tradition of Michael Moore presenting real quote, but ripping it out of context so the quote says the opposite of its original meaning. Yes, C.S. Lewis did write those words. But here is the context...
In the previous paragraph in his book C.S. Lewis writes about the need for us to "throw in the sponge". What this means is that we need to know that there is NOTHING we can do to save our selves. in that paragraph C.S. Lewis writes, 'The difficulty is to reach the point of recognizing that all we have done and can do is nothing." Throwing in the sponge means that we give up trying to attain salvation through works, and we trust in God's grace... trust in Jesus Christ alone. The works C.S. Lewis refers to in the quoted used in the Mormon book are our vain and useless efforts to be good enough. Until we stop trying, we can not be saved. It is through our failure to be good that we come to recognize our need for a savior. (See the Good Person Test, which is one way we use to show people they are not good and they need a savior.)
My dear Mormon apologist you are trying to trick people into believing the LDS church is a Christian church. And by doing that you prove the LDS church is not a Christian church.
