This begins a series of articles on Mormon salvation. Three questions will guide our presentations.
We must understand what they mean when Mormons talk of being saved. At the same time we must understand what Christians mean by salvation. When we compare the two, we will see vast differences.
Last year we looked at their view of the godhead. We saw the Mormon view of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, – was radically different than that of historical Christianity.
We will find the same to be true of salvation, or in their words, exaltation.
Mormonism teaches that we all began as eternal intelligence, that we always existed. In “Doctrines of Salvation,” Joseph Fielding Smith, Vol 1, p.12., said, “The intelligent part of man was never created but always existed. That is true of each of us as well as it is of God, yet we are born sons and daughters of God in the spirit and are destined to exist forever. Those who become like God will also be from eternity to eternity.” Also, Bruce R. McConkie, in his “Mormon Doctrine” p 218, states, “The elements are eternal.” Gospel Principles, p. 28 tells us, “Under the direction of the Father, Christ formed and organized the earth. He divided light from darkness to make day and night. He formed the sun, moon, and stars.”
From this eternal substance, beings arose! How they came into existence is not explained, but that we have a Father and Mother in heaven is assumed.
In “Answers to Gospel Questions” Vol. 3 by the 10th Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith, he answered a question put to him by a member. The question is, “Will you please give us the background of the ‘theory’ advanced of ‘a Mother in heaven?’ Some feel that God is great enough to create spirits without any assistance, and if not, why then was not a Mother mentioned among the Godhead?”
Part of his answer is, “The fact that there is no reference to a mother in heaven either in the Bible, Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants, is not sufficient proof that no such thing as a mother did exist there. If we had a Father, which we did, for all of these records speak of Him, then does not good common sense tell us that we must have had a mother there also?”
Mormons believe that God the Father had a wife. This husband and wife had spirit children in a spiritual pre-existence called the First Estate. The very first child was Jesus. The second child was Lucifer.
In Mormon theology Jesus and Lucifer were spirit brothers in the pre-existence. We are spirit brothers and sisters of Jesus and Lucifer in the pre-existence and are different in degree, not kind. According to the LDS church `Jesus is truly our elder brother.
As spirit children, we progressed as far as we could, using our gifts and abilities. We became adults in the First Estate. To continue our progress to be like our Father, he held a counsel to tell of the plan.
The plan required a Savior. Lucifer wanted to be Savior and decided he would force everyone to accept the plan. Jesus said he would let everyone use free agency, and his offer was chosen.
Lucifer was furious and rebelled. He became the devil and took one third of the brothers and sisters, who became demons.
There was a war in heaven between Jesus and his followers and the devil and his followers. On the side of Jesus some fought valiantly while others were cowards or neutral. Those born into Mormon families were valiant fighters in the First Estate. Those who were cowards or neutral were cursed. The mark of the curse is black skin. According to Mormonism this is the origin of the African Americans etc.
The followers of the devil were damned. This simply means they cannot have a body to progress. Their progress is blocked from going any where. They made the wrong choices. They are cursed with no bodies and therefore, no progress.
In “The Gospel Through the Ages,” p 14, 15, by Milton R. Hunter, he said, “One important condition of mortal life provided in the great plan was that all spirits who come here must come in complete forgetfulness of their pre-mortal existence. The purpose of a veil being drawn over their past experiences was to start all God’s children out in mortality on as equal a basis as possible and let them live here by the principle of faith.”
Those who grow up in Mormon homes are encouraged to dwell on the right choices they made in this pre-existence. All they can deduce from this life is that 1) they made the right choice and followed Jesus in the war, and 2) they fought valiantly. Everyone else in varying degrees made good choices in the first estate.
What Does the Bible Say?
First, God is eternal (Psalm 90:2; 93:2; Isaiah 57:15). Isaiah 40:28 states, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired?” Being eternal means God never had a beginning nor will He have an ending.
Second, God created everything alone. “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer and the one who formed you from the womb, I the Lord am the Maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone.” (Isaiah 44:24)
Third, He is the one and only. “You are My witnesses declares the Lord, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me was no God formed, and there will be none after Me.” (Isaiah 43:10) No God before Him and no God after Him. He is God.
“Do not tremble and do not be afraid; have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.” (Isaiah 44:8)
Mormons cite Job 38:7, which tells us, “When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Sons of God are also angels. They shouted for joy and we were not there. In the context of Job 38 God answers Job. Look at verse 4, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me if you have understanding.” It is a rhetorical question, one that was not expected to be answered because Job is man and God is God.
They also appeal to Jeremiah 1:5. This verse says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” This tells us God knew Jeremiah and His purpose for him. There is nothing in these verses to indicate our pre-existence.
In I Corinthians 15:46-49 the Apostle Paul teaches the physical, earthy was first, then we shall bear the heavenly or spiritual; “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
Mormons teach the spiritual first, then the physical. Whom shall we believe, the Apostle Paul or Joseph Smith?
The plan required a Savior. Lucifer wanted to be Savior and decided he would force everyone to accept the plan. Jesus said he would let everyone use free agency, and his offer was chosen.
Lucifer was furious and rebelled. He became the devil and took one third of the brothers and sisters, who became demons.
There was a war in heaven between Jesus and his followers and the devil and his followers. On the side of Jesus some fought valiantly while others were cowards or neutral. Those born into Mormon families were valiant fighters in the First Estate. Those who were cowards or neutral were cursed. The mark of the curse is black skin. According to Mormonism this is the origin of the African Americans, etc.
The followers of the devil were damned. This simply means they cannot have a body to progress. Their progress is blocked from going any where. They made the wrong choices. They are cursed with no bodies and therefore, no progress.
In “The Gospel Through the Ages,” p. 14, 15, by Milton R. Hunter, he said, “One important condition of mortal life provided in the great plan was that all spirits who come here must come in complete forgetfulness of their pre-mortal existence. The purpose of a veil being drawn over their past experiences was to start all God’s children out in mortality on as equal a basis as possible and let them live here by the principle of faith.”
Those who grow up in Mormon homes are encouraged to dwell on the right choices they made in this pre-existence. All they can deduce from this life is that 1) they made the right choice and followed Jesus in the war, and 2) they fought valiantly. Everyone else in varying degrees made good choices in the first estate.
What Does the Bible Say?
First, God is eternal (Psalm 90:2; 93:2; Isaiah 57:15). Isaiah 40:28 states, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired?” Being eternal means God never had a beginning nor will He have an ending.
Second, God created everything alone. “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer and the one who formed you from the womb, I the Lord am the Maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone.” (Isaiah 44:24)
Third, He is the one and only. “You are My witnesses declares the Lord, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me was no God formed, and there will be none after Me.” (Isaiah 43:10) No God before Him and no God after Him. He is God.
“Do not tremble and do not be afraid; have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.” (Isaiah 44:8)
Mormons cite Job 38:7, which tells us, “When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Sons of God are also angels. They shouted for joy and we were not there.
In the context of Job 38 God answers Job. Look at verse 4, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me if you have understanding.” It is a rhetorical question, one that was not expected to be answered because Job is man and God is God.
They also appeal to Jeremiah 1:5. This verse says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” This tells us God knew Jeremiah and His purpose for him. There is nothing in these verses to indicate our pre-existence.
In I Corinthians 15:46-49 the Apostle Paul teaches the physical, earthy was first, then we shall bear the heavenly or spiritual; “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
Mormons teach the spiritual first, then the physical. Whom shall we believe, the Apostle Paul or Joseph Smith?
By Don Malin
