Mormonism

My wife and I recently suffered through The Work and the Glory, a pro-Mormon story about Joseph Smith and his influence on the Steeds, a family of farmers who moved to the area where Smith was living in the early-to-mid-1800's.

It's not that the movie was that bad; on the contrary, if it had been about wrestling with truth and coming out on the correct side, I think I would have applauded. But the faith required to believe this story about Smith and the golden tablets, etc., is simply irrational. That's the amazing thing about genuine Biblical Christianity. It just makes sense. Does it take faith to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. Sure! But it's not a blind or irrational faith. Christianity is the only truth for the man of logic and reason.

Watching Nathan Steed in this film was painful. He really wanted to know the truth. He wrestled with everything he heard. But he never understood the gospel. He had a Bible, but no one explained to him rightly what it said.

There is only one God, the God who created all things for His glory, the God who sustains all things by the power of His word. And His word, out of love and grace, became flesh and dwelled among us. We understand the doctrine of the Trinity from Scripture, as One God (one being or essence) and three Persons within the Godhead, all of the same being or essence, yet eternally distinct in Person and role. Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Triune God, is equally this one and only God. We know Him by His title, the Son of Man. And He bought us with His blood. His death was a penal substitutionary death on behalf of those who worship Him as the only God, our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. After His resurrection from death, He sent His Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Triune God, co-equal with the God the Father and God the Son, to graciously regenerate the elect. In other words, the Holy Spirit comes to breathe life into the sheep of God who are dead in their trespasses and sins. Once He does this, He makes His home in the person who willingly believes that Jesus has done the work to reconcile us to God.

The Father elects and send the Son, the Son serves as a ransom for many, and the Spirit brings life and sactifies the believer through faith. One God does it all; thus to God alone be the glory.

Galatians 1:8 says, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned." The Mormon gospel is a different gospel than the one Paul preached to us, than the one Jesus preached to us, than the one John preached to us, than the one Peter preached to us, than the one Moses preached to us. Let him be eternally condemned.