Posts Tagged ‘faith’

#8 Have you ever asked why?

…the “Latter-day saints” believe that god is man?

The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints’ Lexicon of doctrines cites Doctrines and Covenants as teaching that the Father in heaven is a man with a body of flesh and bones and who became God by reaching glory and perfection:

“God the Father is a glorified and perfected Man, a Persanage of flesh and bone[D. & C. 130:22], in which tangible body and eternal spirit is housed.” (Bruce R. McConkie. Mormon Doctrine. P.30)

But, this directly opposes the teaching of the Bible that the true God is not man in nature but a spirit having no flesh and bones:

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent.” (Num. 23:19 , NKjv)

“God is Spirit.” (Jn. 4:24,lbid., emphasis ours)

“Behold My hands and my feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” (Lk.24:39,lbid)

#7 Have you ever asked why?

… the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints(commonly known as Mormon Church) bases its teaching on three more books besides the Bible?

The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognizes three more books, in addition to the Bible, as bases for judging the belief and the conduct of men:

“the Latter-day Saint accept four volumes as the standards works of the Church. These are the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the pearl of Great Price. By unanimous vote of a General conference, these four have been declaredto be the established rule or test, by which the belief, the teaching, and the conduct of men must be judged.” (Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl. Doctrine and Covenants Commentary. P.xi)

ON THE OTHER hand, the apostles taught that man will be judged according to the gospel or Gods words written in the Bible, and anyone who goes beyond or adds to what is written in the gospel will be punished:

“In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.” (Rom. 2:16, New king James Version)

“Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and apollos for your benifit, so that youmay learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyondwhat is written’. ” (I Cor.4:6, New International version)

“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone addsto these things, God will add to him the plagues that are writen in the book.”(Rev. 22:18, NKjv)

#6 Have you ever asked why?

… Every Prostestant believes that he can understand the bible by himself?

The Prostestantprinciple of the right of private judgement states that every protestant believer has the right to interpret the Bible for himself since he has the Holy Spirit to guide him:

“Protestant Principle
“4. The right of private judgement. Every Christian has the right to interpret the Bible for himself through the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” (20 Centuries of Christianity. P. 32)

BUT THE APOSTLES teach that the Bible is not a matter of one’s own interpretation. One receives the Holy Spirit when he listens to and believes in the gospel or God’s word preach, and not simplywhen he studies the Bible by himself:

“First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.”(II Pt. 1:20, Revised Standard Version)

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” (Eph. 1:13, NKJV)

“And how shall they preach unless they are sent?… So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”(Rom. 10:15,17,lbid.)

#5 Have you ever asked why?

…Protestants hold that the Church of Christ is made up of people who believe in Christ but are scattered in different denomination?

In Claiming that man can find salvation in any of the Protestant churches or denomination that allegedly make up Christ’s Church, Protestant lecturer Loraine Boettner, in a way, contends that the body or Church of Christ is divided into these seperate groups whose names, beliefs, and practices differ from one onother

“The great proportio of Protestant denominationdo not claim to be the only true church, but readily and gladly acknowledge that salvationis to be found in any church where the Gospel is faithfully preached…. Whether called Baptist, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, or what not, they all belong to one body, the church of Christ,…”(Loraine Boettner. roman Catholicism.pp.37-38)

BUT ACCORDING TO the Bible, the true Church of Christ is not divided into independent churches of denomination with differing names and beliefs. Rather, it is a single body or organization having one spirit, and one baptism:

“So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” (I Cor. 12:25, New International version)

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” I Cor. 12:27, NKJV)

“Thereis one bodyand one Spirit, just as you were called in onehope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, anoe baptism.”(Eph. 4:45,lbid.)

#4 Have you ever asked why?

…Protestants claim that man can be Saved by faith alone?

Protestantism teaches that all a person needs in order to be saved is to have faith in christ; he does not have to do good works:

“…Protestantism rests firmly upon the belief that God deals directly with man as a person, so that salvation is gained by ‘faith alone’,”(Leslie J. Dunstan, ed. Protestantism. p.ix)

“Protestant Principles
“1. Justification by faith in Christ. Man can be saved only by faith in Christ. Man can be saved only by faith in Christ, not by good works. Good works are the outgrowth of faith in Christ.”(Marvin L. Galbreath. 20 Centuries of Christianility. p.2)

BUT THE BIBLE teaches that man cannot be justified and be saved by faith alone. Faith in Christ should go hand in hand with good works or obedience to God’s will for a person to be justified and to inherit the kingdomof heaven:

“What does it profit, my brethen, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

“Thus also faith b itself, if itdoes not have works, is dead.

“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” (js. 2:14,7,24,New King james version)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’,sahll enter the kingdom of heaven, buthe who does the will of my Father in heaven, but he who does the will of MY Father in heaven.” (Mt. 7:21,lbid.)

#3 Have you ever asked why?

… the Pope is regarded as Head of the Catholic Church?

The Catholic Church teaches that the Bishop of Rome or the Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth, that is, he takes the place of Christ as the visible Head of the Church:

“Christ did not intend that the special power of the chief teacher and ruler of the entire Church should be exercised by Saint Peter alone, but intended that this power should be passed down to his successor, the Bishop of Rome, who is the Vicar of Christ on Earth, and visible Head of the Church.

“2. He enjoys the exclusive titles of: Pope, Sovereign Pontiff, Roman Pontiff, Holy Father, His Holiness, Vicar of Christ,Ā …” (My Catholic Faith. pp. 200, 202)

BUT THE BIBLE clearly states that our Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and does not in any way mention that He can be replaced as such:

“He is the head of the body, the church.” (Col. 1:18, Today’s English Version)

“For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is himself the savior of the church, his body.”Ā (Eph. 5:23, Ibid.)

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