Friday, February 1, 2008

Comment Concerning Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley


Fox News reports that 9 year old Josh Rich in paying his last respects to Hinckley (a man he revered as a prophet) had a hand-drawing of Heaven with a message he had written at the top that said "You passed the text. Welcome home."

While the boy's sincerity and intention are commendable, one must question the truth and legitimacy of his message (which he probably has picked up from the Mormon faith).

Compage his statement and that of Scripture:
"You passed the test. Welcome home."
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23)

The point being that Scripture attests to the fact that NO human being (Hinckley or ANY other) has or can meet the standard of God's righteous requirements on their own. That's why there is a need for a Savior who can meet the requirements of God for us.

God has sent such a Savior in Jesus. We read in Scripture "But now a righteousness from God, apart form law, has been made known... This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." but those who believe on Christ (rather than their own righteousness, their own ability to pass God's test, etc.) are justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus, who offered himself in our place and paid the penalty for our sins by offering himself as a sacrificial atonement at Calvary and by perfectly fulfilling God's righteous requirements (through active and passive obedience in all things) which God accepts and credits to all those who believe on Christ.

Those who believe that as sinners they can do enough to meet God's standard need to consider Isaiah's statement that "ALL OF US have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous works are like filthy rags" [before God](Isaiah 64:6)" That's why Jesus said in applying the prophesy of God to himself "Sacrifice and offering I did not desire, but a body I prepared for you" referring to Christ. (Heb 10:5) Because our own righteousness would not result in salvation, God provided another means of attaining it, which is found in Christ crucified for us.

Do not be fooled. There is a way that seems right to a man but ends in death. But the righteous will live (not by their own works) but BY FAITH!

See this for more on the difference between Justification by Faith or Works.

4 comments:

  1. Words of Gordon B. Hinckley:

    My beloved brethren and sisters, I add my testimony to the testimony of my brethren this Easter morning. For all of Christendom, for all of mankind, today is observed as the anniversary of the greatest miracle in human history. It is the miracle that encompasses all who have lived upon the earth, all who now live upon the earth, and all who will yet live upon the earth. Nothing done before or since has so affected mankind as the atonement wrought by Jesus of Nazareth, who died on Calvary’s cross, was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and on the third day arose from the grave as the Living Son of the Living God—the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

    As mortals we all must die. Death is as much a part of eternal life as is birth. Looked at through mortal eyes, without comprehension of the eternal plan of God, death is a bleak, final, and unrelenting experience described by Shakespeare as “the undiscover’d country, from whose bourn / No traveller returns” (Hamlet, act 3, scene 1, lines 79–80).

    But our Eternal Father, whose children we are, made possible a far better thing through the sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This had to be. Can anyone believe that the Great Creator would provide for life and growth and achievement only to snuff it all into oblivion in the process of death? Reason says no. Justice demands a better answer. The God of heaven has given one. The Lord Jesus Christ provided it.

    http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=f3f4425e0848b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

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  2. Do not be fooled brethren, for IF Gordon B. Hinckley had been preaching the SAME gospel as that of the church, then he would NOT have had to re-shape the image and would not have been so widely recognized (even by his own church) for his marketing strategies (including having the name "Jesus Christ" added to their name)in an ATTEMPT to get others to think of Mormons as something more similar to that of the Christian faith, now would he???

    As far as Hinckley's words in the above comment, let me point out that the issue in question here is not WHETHER God has provided for salvation (even life instead of death) but HOW he has provided...or put another way: What are the MEANS by which he has provided? [The Mormon answer to this question (including Hinckley) is NOT the same as the Christian answer!] Christians look to Christ alone as the full sufficiency of their salvation, whereas Mormons do not.

    Does salvation come through the instrument of "faith" alone and through the righteousness of "Christ" alone.... or does salvation involve merit to any degree based on the works of man? The biblical truth is that salvation comes solely by grace (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide), in and based on Christ alone (sola Christos).

    Only Christianity (as opposed to Mormons, Muslims, and every other religion/cult) looks to Christ ALONE as the merit for salvation. Here, the Book of Mormon is INCONSISTENT with the teaching found and agreed upon all through Scripture! Joseph Smith is not simply an additional witness to the same gospel, but the inventor of a different gospel.

    While religions and cults like Mormons have become quite skilled in trying to redefine words such as "grace", "faith", "repentance", etc., to SOUND (on the surface, and to the undiscerning) more like the Christian faith, it is no different than those who set up websites to imitate the Red Cross so as to receive donations through the practice of deceit. One must be aware that while Mormons seek to present themselves as no different (or of little difference) from Christians, this is not the case.

    I find the deceit (even that which claims to assert there the two are the same when they are not - and both the Mormons and Hinckley know this to be the case or their understanding of theology itself needs to be brought into question, along with the suggesting that Mormons and Christians are "brethren",etc.) to be most revealing and illumination (besides disgustful) so much so that even the deceit alone should serve to encourage those considering the truth to distance themselves from the LDS church and consider the truth claims of Scripture which alone lead to eternal life!

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  3. ncultra,

    Can you explain to me why Joseph Smith, the alleged "prophet" of God, knew so little about the Bible, and even less about ancient America? Why does he plagiarize most of the KJV Bible in the Book of Mormon, including it's grammatical errors? Why does he quote Shakepeare's Hamlet in the Book of Mormon? Why is the Book of Mormon full of Greek words? Wy does it mention cities, animals, crops, etc. that never existed on ancient America?

    Since you claim to love the Bible, what does the Bible say about following a false prophet, which Joseph Smith certainly was? What does Paul say about anyone, including an angel, who preaches another gospel?

    We don't necessarily want to silence you. In fact, you have lots of explaining to do.

    It is clear that we do not worship the same Jesus. Therefore, I must insist that you are not my brother in Christ. I pray that you soon will be, turning to the God of the inspired Holy Bible, and forsaking the false god of Joseph Smith's novel.

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  4. ncultra,

    A few questions:

    1. Are works are requirement for salvation? What role do works play in salvation? Is salvation based on "Christ's atonement alone" or in a "combination of Christ's atonement and good works? Put another way: Is salvation dependent on the merit of man's works (and if so, to what degree), or solely dependent on Christ and his sacrifice?

    2. What role do the following have to do with justification, salvation, and the forgiveness of sins?
    a. following the commands of the Mormon church
    b. Mormon temple rituals
    c. doing good (being kind, fair, loving, etc.)
    d. developing moral character
    e. baptism by immersion
    f. participating in other Mormon ordinances
    g. spreading the Mormon faith


    3. What role does "law keeping" have in salvation?

    4. What standard must man meet to be assured of heaven?

    5. Do you really consider God an "ETERNAL" father? Has he "always" been God?

    6. Is God "material" or "immaterial"(spirit)?

    7. Is God "exalted saved man" or "eternal deity"?

    8. Do you believe the Scriptures are trustworthy and reliable? If not, which parts are trustworthy, which parts are not, and how do you know?

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