June 2001
One of the marks of a cult is its ability to camouflage itself so that it blends in with the environment. Bible-based cults blend in with the surrounding culture of various churches and their outward beliefs. Jesus tells of this in Matthew 7:15:
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
The wool of good works blurs the difference between the Christian faith and Bible- based cults not only in their practice but their words. They talk about the love of God, Jesus as the Son of God, and the Holy Ghost, but they define terms differently.
One might believe in God the Father and in His Son Jesus and in the Holy Ghost, but in the end hear “Depart from me, you who work iniquity. I never knew you!” Why might this happen? Because the trust is in a counterfeit God, an error with ETERNAL consequences!
This is the problem with the Mormon view of God. They use the same words but give entirely different meanings to the words.
MORMON ARTICLES OF FAITH
The Mormon Church has 13 Articles of Faith which supposedly express their central beliefs. In this session I want to focus on the very first Article. It states,
“We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”
Christians who didn’t know what Mormons believed could readily assent to this statement. But just what do they mean? For the rest of this article, I want to key in on who the Father is in Mormon Theology. In future articles, I will deal with the Jesus of Mormonism and finally the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
WHO IS THE FATHER?
The Mormon Church teaches that God the Father is an exalted man with flesh and bones. How do I get this? Let’s look at the foundation of Mormonism, the “First Vision.” This story is the core or crux of the Mormon view of God. In the book, Pearl of Great Price, one of the four standard works of Mormonism, in the section “Joseph Smith,” chapter 2 verse 17, we read,
“When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other, ‘This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!’”
This vision is the heart of their view of God. In their artistic rendition of Joseph and this vision, there are two human-like beings. Both look just alike and one is the Father and the other is Jesus. This is further confirmed in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22
“The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also, but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of spirit, were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”
In summary, these passages from their material teach us that God the Father, according to Mormonism, is physical and visible and local.
MORMON SCHOLAR’S VIEW
One of Mormonism’s leading theologians, Bruce R. McConkie, in his popular work, Mormon Doctrine on page 278, states;
“God the Eternal Father, our Father in Heaven, is an exalted, perfected, and glorified Personage having a tangible body of flesh and bones.”
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? GOD IS SPIRIT
John 4:24 says: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.”
The context of the statement deals with the Samaritan woman. Where do we go to worship – Jerusalem or where the Samaritans worship? Jesus said that an “hour is coming, and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth. For such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” Then He states, “God is Spirit.” Spirit is not physical. In Luke 24:36-39 the disciples are startled to see Jesus. This is after the resurrection.
“And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, ‘ Peace be unto you.’ But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, ‘Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.’ ”
Jesus dispelled their immediate thought that He was a spirit. He was physically resurrected. His body was changed, but not a spirit. The Father then, is not physical since He is Spirit.
GOD IS INVISIBLE
In Colossians 1:15 Paul tells the Colossians that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation.” In Romans 8:29 we are told, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren.” In Colossians 1:15 Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
In Romans 8:29 we are to be conformed to His (Jesus) image. This image is spiritual, in that it has to do with character. We are to be Christ-like. This is not a physical change primarily but a spiritual one. Some other passages about Jesus reflecting the character of God the Father are Hebrews 1:3, John 14:8-10, and I Timothy 1:17; 6:15,16.
GOD IS OMNIPRESENT
Thus far we have seen that God is spirit and that He is invisible. This counters the Mormon view of God the Father being physical and visible. One other area needs to be addressed, and that is His omnipresence. Omnipresence means that He is everywhere; that He is with us now no matter where we are.
Psalm 139:7-12
“Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven Thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day ; the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.”
We cannot get away from God. He is everywhere. Even if we tried, He said in Jeremiah 23:23,24
“Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? Saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and Earth? Saith the Lord.
He is everywhere! He FILLS the Heavens and the Earth. Other passages to consider are I Kings 8:27; Acts 7:48, 49; Acts 17: 27, 28.
CONCLUSION
There is much, much more to say about God. The more we study scripture and know what it teaches, the firmer the grasp we will have on this ESSENTIAL doctrine. Jesus said in John 17:3
“And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only True God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”
Knowing the True God is Eternal Life. Let us pray and work hard to help the Mormons come to a true knowledge of our Awesome God. This starts with us!
II Peter 3:18
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
By David Henke
