I absolutely love these videos by Pastor Jeff on Hello Saints. I love what I have learned about other religions, but most of all, they reinforce my faith. As I listen the doctrines are pretty black and white. I commend Pastor Jeff for taking this journey of understanding. Here is Gregs website Cwic Media.
In this video they take 6 core and essential doctrines and compare them to LDS beliefs. Most mainstream Christian denominations should agree on these.
#1 – Full sufficient authority of the bible as it exists in the Old Testament and New Testament. 2:30
Pastor Jeff goes on to explain that these books were inspired, the will of God, and even the breath out by God, influenced and formed by inspiration to the writer by God. And they don’t need anything else.
Now that I’m writing this, I realize how complicated it is to explain. I agree that we foundationally believe the bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; as Joseph Smith said. But if you look at the history of the bible, it isn’t the complete works of God nor all his inspiration. Otherwise you would not have the apocrypha and other books. Now, these books were obviously not included in the bible because they were deemed to be inspired texts.
HISTORY – The first bible was compiled around 400 AD and the most widely used version of the bible is the King James version of the bible which was compiled in the 1600’s. Since that time, there have been countless variations and translations of the bible.
The LDS belief is pretty simple. God calls prophets. He speaks to the prophets, and he asks the prophets to write down what he speaks to them. He did that in the Old Testament. He did that in the New Testament. He did that in the old world. He did that in the new world (or promised land). And he does that today.
The question I always ask is, they needed the word of God then, how much more do we need the word of God today? We need it much more than them. If he would instruct them then, why would he not instruct us today?
We believe the following to be the word of God:
- Old Testament
- New Testament
- Book of Mormon
- Doctrine and Covenants
- Pearl of Great Price
- General Conference Messages
- Future books that will come forth
2 – In mainstream Christianity, we passionately adhere to the belief that God is the Almighty all powerful, all knowing, ever-present, infinite triune God that exists in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 6:00
Pastor Jeff goes on to state: Monotheism is central, critical and core. The bible states over and over again that there is only one God.
I think the Greg was spot on to articulate the difference as “God” vs “Godhead” We do know it is a matter of one person vs one in purpose. I think Pastor Jeff has done his best on this video and others to explain the trinity. But to me it always ends up sounding like a brain teaser puzzle; or a mixed up rubix cube. If you play around with it long enough, you will see the answer. I don’t feel God is that way. This isn’t some great mystery. God is the Father. Jesus Christ is the Son. Pastor Jeff goes on to explain a few scenarios later in the video related to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that he needed to go unto the father. It caused me to further scratch my head that they could not grasp the idea of Jesus Christ and God the Father being two different beings.
To me, the testimony that was given at the baptism illustrates it perfectly. The voice of God was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”. This was heard out of heaven while Jesus Christ was standing on earth in a physical body. At the same moment the Holy Ghost appeared in the form of a dove. Matt 3:13-17
Other scriptures that support them being 3 different beings:
John 14:23 – But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Why didn’t he just say he would do it?
Acts 7:55 – And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. You notice he didn’t see the Holy Ghost. But he saw two beings, beside each other.
In the end, this is one of the more important reasons for a prophet of God. Someone who has seen and talked to God like the prophets of old. Joseph Smith saw, God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, standing side by side during the first vision. Joseph Smith History
They get into talking about the eternal nature of God. I think all those things are true. With the exception of that God is continuing to create. God nature is that he has the ability to create. The inability to create is damnation. To be damned is to have that ability removed from us. Our progression then becomes limited.
3 – Every human that was ever created was created in Gods image. 6:00
I think this is where we have the most in common. But it also reinforces that God has the shape and form of a man and that we are created in his image. We are his children. This brings the family structure back into the topic; father, mother, son, daughter. The fact that we are created into a family with a father and mother that created us. It is also a mirror of the family structure of God. We are his children, Jesus Christ is his son and our bother. It is a mirror even a witness that God the Father and Jesus Christ are not the same being.
Then they go into the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve. This was awesome how Greg talked about it. At the same time, I can’t fully understand how the larger Christian community can’t accept this plan of salvation given this belief. But, when Greg says Adam and Eve partaking of the fruit was a great thing, I can’t help but think of the words of Eve: Moses 5:11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
4 – Jesus Christ is truly and fully God; came to earth and truly fully became a man. 15:00
Jeff also explains: Born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, suffered, crucified on our behalf, paid the penalty for our sin the blood on the cross was the final atonement, buried, rose again, sits on the right hand of the father; and he’s coming back.
Greg is right that where we may differ from others, the LDS believe that Jehovah or I Am is Jesus Christ. Greg illustrates who and what Jesus Christ was so well. Here is some of what he said: We believe that Jesus Christ is Jehovah. So that individual speaking with Moses. That being is Jesus Christ. When you go back and look at the Old Testament and you ask, who is God, we believe that individual is Jesus Christ. Often times when God is referenced in the Old Testament they are usually talking about Jehovah who is Jesus Christ. He would have been a son of God, literal offspring of the father. Just like we are, but far more progressed. He was the greatest among all of us. And he offered in that premortal world to be that sacrifice so that that whole plan could take place. Revelation 12; there were those who followed the plan and those who did not.
We also believe that Lucifer is the offspring of God. I love this. It seems everyone thinks we are crazy about this, but to me it makes so much sense. Honestly, if he was not a creation of God, where did he come from? Did he just spring into being? Did some natural force create him? As we understand, he stood and presented a plan where he would force all men would be saved, but he wanted Gods glory and power for doing so. Moses 4:1-4 There was a war in heaven and he and his fallower, a third of the hosts of heaven were banished. D&C 29:36-38; Rev 12:3-9
He was not created evil, he chose evil. And, we are all the same species.
Pastor Jeff goes on to ask about the atonement. That in the bible it does not show that any atonement was made in the garden of gethsemane; it was all done on the cross. If you think about the atonement; on one hand the fall took place in a garden, the redemption of man took place in a garden as well. Greg so eloquently explains that the garden is payment for the spiritual death and the cross combined with the resurrection was the payment for the physical death.
Every once in a while Pastor Jeff shares a big word. How else do you put that? Hypostatic Union – Wikipedia says it is: The most basic explanation for the hypostatic union is Jesus Christ being both fully God and fully man. He is both perfectly divine and perfectly human and has two complete and distinct natures at once.
Garden vs the Cross – Where was the atonement made?
5 – Church – The true church is all who have been born again. 23:30
When Jeus came anyone who put their faith in Jesus, born again by the spirit and taking his hope into the world.
There is some governance and order, following his commands, they do things like baptism because we are commanded to, but not doing so does not mean we are not saved. Same thing we communion, they gather and take communion because we are commanded to, but those things don’t save us. And, they are not widely accepted by all denominations.
For the LDS it is a matter of authority. There was a great apostasy and the priesthood was lost. That was key to everything. Our belief is that John the Baptist came back and returned the keys to Joseph Smith, then Peter James and John returned giving the Melchizedek priesthood to Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon plays such a role because it is part of the restoration. And it clarifies the bible. Where other denominations feel in the full sufficiency of the bible.
Greg does a great job turning it towards covenants. Baptism is a covenant. A physical manifestation of covenanting to follow Jesus Christ. It’s not just an ordnance, but it is a covenant that you are making.
I was very impressed with Jeff a few times here. He goes on to explain the LDS faith very well. As well or better than any member of the LDS faith. Like explaining there are covenants you make in the temple. First making those convenance for yourself, then for those who have died.
This section was very good.
6 – Jesus will Return 32:40
He will be coming back, when he returns there will be a resurrection, and there will be the full consummation of all things. Where God makes everything right and new. (Escotology)
We believe all of those things.
Greg explains that a lot of his coming back has to do with us, are we preparing and are we preparing the world. Next, there are multiple resurrections. I must admit, I was surprised to hear Greg say there was a third resurrection and not be sure about it.
SUMMARY
This was a great comparison of faiths. I highly recommend this video to everyone. Likewise, thanks to Centerpoint Church for the nice backdrop and hosting this event.