MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE... even to those of another Faith expression! But especially to my friends in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (alias: LDS, Mormon, Pioneers), Id like to echo the message of the Angel that appeared at the Birth of Jesus Christ some 2000 years ago. Luke 2:10 KJV 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Many of you, my LDS Friends, have been so gracious, warm and kind to this Methodist-Born-Baptist-Saved-Gospel-Preaching-Bible-Teaching-Pioneering-Church-Planting-Pastor. There is so much that I like about you. I love your missions efforts (approx. 85,000 missionaries), your giving support to your local congregations (tithe or 10% of your income) and your culture and traditions of family and faith. However, as many of you graciously attempt to express your connection with me in your faith, I usually try to find time to talk to you about the differences. We do share a common commitment to moral teaching and the value of religious liberty. But there are major differences in your faith and mine. I choose to believe that we can disagree without being disagreeable. And I would commend you to continuing to read Gods Word (the Bible) and asking Gods Spirit to impress on your Spirit the truth that I hope all of us would say we are seeking. Please dont take any of this discussion as a cheap shot at your Faith and Practice. I am very respectful and even impressed with the way many of you live your lives, practice your commitments, and as I said do missions. But we do have VERY distinct differences. The Restoration as I believe, you refer to it, was a huge step away from what would be considered classic Christianity, and these are major differences: 1) we believe the first angel at the first Christmas revealed a message that was sent to everyone for all time and there was no need for an additional revelation with another angel behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people, Luke 2:10. 2) the scriptures we follow are the OT and NT and we believe they include an inspired and completed message about Jesus Christ that helps us grow to spiritual maturity 2 Tim 3:16. 3) We believe in the absolute unconditional grace of God through faith for our salvation. Good works do nothing for us, except to show the workmanship of God in our lives. We never become worthy of Gods grace. Never. Its Only Jesus death on the cross that takes away our sin and becomes the conduit of Gods grace. Ephesians 2:8-10 & 1 Timothy 1:15. 4) In fact, we are even warned by the Bible with the strongest of language, in Galatians to completely avoid any teaching that is contrary to Gods unconditional Grace, even if an angel from heaven comes to us and attempts to give us another message. Galatians 1:8. 5) Perhaps the most striking departure that LDS teaching makes from classic Christianity is that of the being and person-hood of God himself. Classic Christianity has attempted to explain who God is with one word, The Trinity. We readily admit that it is a term not used in the Bible, but the concept and its principles are how we best understand and state what we read in the Bible. God is a Spirit. Not created. Not physical. He has expressed Himself in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Spirit). They are co-equal, coexisting, co-eternal and co-operative in all they do. But, one is not the other. They are separate persons and one God. However, we believe the Son of God, became a man (the incarnation). He wasnt a man before that birth. But after the birth, he was AND he was still God. Completely and fully, both God and man. The God-man. This God-man, Jesus Christ is the one who now is uniquely qualified to be our mediator and go-between as our Savior and Lord. He brings God to us and brings us to God. Jesus, is the only mediator and go-between for us with God. No other pastor, priest or prophet can stand between us and God. 1 Timothy 2:15. Most all of these beliefs are held by most all of the churches I know who would be included in classic Christianity. Protestant, Catholic, Charismatic, and Pentecostal churches differ in many other principles and practices, but not in the substance of these tenants. While I know and love and respect the friendships of many of you as faithful LDS members, and would completely defend your religious liberty to practice your faith freely, especially without ridicule, these basic, bedrock differences are real. I would never run down another persons faith or religious teaching, including the LDS Faith. But I am solidly committed to what the King James Bible says in Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. This passage refers to the saints of the New Testament era and the message they believed and transmitted to us. They got the message right. And what they had was a complete message that did not need a complete rewrite or restoration. With love and respect and a sincere desire for dialogue, me and my family all wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 17:44:57 +0000
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