Jesus teaching the Sermon on the Mount
Anti-Mormons often say that Mormons believe in a false, non-scriptural God, not the God of the Bible. In Deuteronomy 4:28, the Lord said that people would "serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell..." This is a definition of idolatry: to worship a God who can't see, hear or smell. Let's see what the Bible says about God. The following Bible scriptures indicate that God has a body and that man is literally created in his image.
Genesis 1:27 - God created man in his own image, MALE and FEMALE. Also see Genesis 5:1, 9:6
Genesis 32:30 - Jacob sees God "face to face." God has a BODY WITH A FACE, just like us!
Exodus 24:10 - Seventy elders of Israel go up into the mountain with Moses and they "saw the God of Israel." Under his FEET they saw a paved work like a sapphire stone. Note: God has feet on his body!
Exodus 31:18 - Moses receives tablets of stone written with the FINGER of God. God obviously has hands with fingers on them.
Exodus 33 is an interesting example of the Bible having been altered by some corrupt scribe, rabbi, monk, or priest. In verse 11 it says that Moses saw God "face to face, as a man speaketh with his friend." This obviously didn't agree with someone's doctrine, because someone inserted this contradictory wording into the text. In verses 20-23, the scribe hedges and inserts that "no man can see my face and live" and then goes on to say that God would put his HAND over Moses and that he'd allow his "back parts" to be seen.
That is a curious situation. When you talk to your friends, face to face, do you speak to their "back parts." Nonetheless, the witless scribe who corrupted the passage left in the fact that God HAS a face, a hand, and back parts. The Methodists, in their articles of religion, believe in a god that has neither body nor parts. That is obviously not the God that Moses saw!
Numbers 12:8 says God spoke to Moses "mouth to mouth." Again, doesn't a mouth qualify as a body part? My God has a mouth. Doesn't the "Christian" God have one?
In the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the pivotal event in all of Christianity, Jesus told his disciples, "A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have." (Luke 24:39) He allowed them to touch him and he ate a piece of fish and a honeycomb in front of them. He ascended bodily into heaven and angels said he'd come back in the same manner. What happened to that body? Where is it now? Does the Son have a body that the Father doesn't?
When Jesus said, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father in John 14:9, he is not saying they are three-in-one. Other passages such as Philippians 2:6, which says he is in the "form of God." Hebrews 1:6 says Jesus was in he "express image" of God, his Father. They are not the same person, but if you were to see Jesus (as Joseph Smith did) you would see that the Son looks like his Father. Thus when Jesus, standing before his apostles, hours before his trial and crucifixion, he taught them that his Father was just as physical a being as he was at that very moment.
In Acts 7:55-56, St. Stephen saw a vision of Christ standing on the right hand of God." This passage shows that God has a RIGHT HAND and that he is a separate personage from Jesus. Otherwise, how does one stand next to himself? Is it in the nature of God to deceive us about his true form? Nonsense.
In Revelation chapter 1:13-20, Jesus appeared to John the Revelator. John describes his glorious image and mentions that the resurrected Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, had a body and parts to include feet, face, hands, hairs, eyes, and also says that he was "clothed with a garment down to the foot." If God can wear clothing, he must have a body to put it on!
Finally, in the last chapter of Revelation, there is a reference to the righteous seeing God's FACE in the Celestial Kingdom where they have been made kings and priests to rule and reign forever. (Revelation 22:4-5)
This is how the Bible describes God. This is the God in which Mormons place their trust and faith. We exhort you to believe in the God of the Bible. Nevertheless, we are not beholden to the Bible alone for this witness. Living prophets in modern times have reiterated that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are separate, distinct beings. The Father and the Son are physical beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone. We know what we worship and who we worship because he has appeared to our prophets and even to rank-and-file members of the Church.
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Comments
Your credibility is shot within the first words of your article.Noone I know is anti-Mormon. Anti-Mormonism? yes.We are called to defend truth and expose false teachings but to love everyone.The red herring you throw out about God having a body does not address the issue of God as clearly taught by Joseph Smith.That God used to be a man on another planet, God the Father has a father, that God wasn't God from all eternity, etc. That is what makes the Mormon God non scriptural. As far as the proof texts for God having a body, I highly recommend understanding the Jewish concept of God. Quoting an article on jewfaq.org..Judaism firmly maintains that G-d has no body. Any reference to G-d's body is simply a figure of speech, a means of making G-d's actions more comprehensible to beings living in a material world. Much of Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed is devoted to explaining each of these anthropomorphic references and proving that they should be understood figuratively.
Credibility shot? No
Bias? Yes
And if you don't believe there are plenty of "anti Mormons" out there, you need to open your eyes. You can start with the many protesters that call brides leaving the temple "whores", who wipe their buttocks with temple garments, who yell at our children going into conference that they are going to hell...and so on. There are plenty of anti Mormons out there.
http://youtu.be/M5Db_HFmJdg
In addition to the Jewish understanding of God, we have the clear teachings of Jesus that refute your misunderstanding of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - that God is Spirit and noone has seen Him except the Son. Your concept of God would be completely foreign to Abraham, Ezekiel, Moses, and the one you call your Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ. As I lovingly tell every Mormon missionary that I meet - if you were to have walked up to Jesus when He was teaching in the Temple and told Him what Joseph Smith and Mormonism teaches about His Father he wouldn't agree at all and like the woman at the well, would present the true God to you and invite you to leave your errant view of God behind. Isn't that more powerful than a burning buxom or visions and extra-biblical books? That the Son of God, the Savior of The World - would TOTALLY DISAGREE with your religion's view of God the Father?
This is typical misdirection and misunderstanding on the part of Evangelical Christians. FARMS has done a wonderful job of tying in LDS beliefs to early Christian beliefs. In fact, you may be interested in reading a paper by Carl Mosser and Paul Owen, two Evangelical scholars who lament the lack of response to LDS apologetics. You can find it here. http://www.cometozarahemla.org/others/mosser-owen.html
As far as the LDS concept of God being foreign to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...do you seriously think they would recognize anything close to what is described as the Trinity?
Lets's think about the encounter with the Samaritan women a little bit more. I want you or any Mormon to consider this encounter every day and night because it is so powerful a testimony about the truth of God. Jesus is among one of the lowest of the low - a Samaritan woman. He teaches her that God is Spirit and that we are to worship in spirit and in truth. Somehow, a time traveling LDS missionary, deeply committed to the God and Gospel revealed by Joseph Smith appears and begins to teach what Joseph Smith taught. How do you think Jesus would respond? From studying Judaism, Chrisitianity, and Christ and walking with Him for 25 years - I assure you He would not agree AT ALL with those teachings. That, my brother is the harsh reality. That the one you call Lord and Savior would find you to be in great error about His Father, Himself, and His Gospel.
http://http/://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=7PK7YWNX
Its true... ask for the Holy Spirit and you WILL get it.. ask as if you really really really really want/need it, cause we all do! I did for three weeks and HE gave it to me, unveiling many hidden things to me in forms of visions and dreams. Amen!
John 4:24 says God is a Spirit. That sounds like a good arguement for Evangelicals until you look at it closely. If you look at it closely you will see that some of the words are italicized. That means they are not in the original text. That means using this scripture is meaningless. That means the people who use this scripture to attack Mormons are wrong.
I don't see where you get these italics from, they aren't inn my NIV? So then are you saying the scriptures aren't true? So then do you also deny that there is holy spirit?
To Minister of Reconciliation: The italics that Flipper mentioned are in the King James Bible, which is the version preferred by Latter-day Saints. Are you suggesting that the NIV is "truer" than the KJV?
I think you've missed the point, however. I would ask you to take a few minutes and view the video above. There are four Bible passages that say that no man can see God. Then, there are another 19 passages that say that men and women indeed DID see God. Which is right? Does the Bible contradict itself? Apparently so. If so, then how can it be inerrant?
What occurs, because of apparent mistranslations, is that sectarian denominations tend to disregard nineteen plain Bible passages that says that a person CAN see God in favor of the four that say that he can't be seen. Mormons believe the Bible to be the word of God so far as it is translated correctly. God requires no one to believe mistranslations and errors.
http://www.truthinlovetomormons.com/basic_mormon_doctrine/doctrine/chron...
a personage of spirit ? The Lectures of Faith were in D&C till 1929
http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Lectures_on_Faith
Lectures on Faith
Lecture Five 2. There are two personages who constitute the great, matchless, governing, and supreme power over all things, by whom all things were created and made…. They are the Father and the Son: the Father being a personage of spirit, glory, and power, possessing all perfection and fulness. The Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, is a personage of tabernacle, made or fashioned like unto man, being in the form and likeness of man, or rather man was formed after his likeness and in his image. He is also the express image and likeness of the personage of the Father, possessing all the fulness of the Father, or the same fulness with the Father; being begotten of him, and ordained from before the foundation of the world to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe on his name. He is called the Son because of the flesh…possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit that bears record of the Father and the Son. These three are one; or, in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things. Q & A 15. Do the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute the Godhead? They do.
http://youtu.be/ouDpcoXmMhE
I agree from self-study. However, I disagre with.... Exodus 33 is an interesting example of the Bible having been altered by some corrupt scribe, rabbi, monk, or priest. In verse 11 it says that Moses saw God "face to face, as a man speaketh with his friend." This obviously didn't agree with someone's doctrine, because someone inserted this contradictory wording into the text. In verses 20-23, the scribe hedges and inserts that "no man can see my face and live" and then goes on to say that God would put his HAND over Moses and that he'd allow his "back parts" to be seen.
....This theory. I believe it’s very important “how, or when” one sees God’s face. There are two ways of seeing God’s face in scripture; in His glory, and not in His glory. In glory is; either when angels are worshipping HIM, or when God is performing actions that are not possible for man to do. And of course, ‘not in glory’ is; just the opposite, seeing God while He’s not being worshipped, or performing any acti
Jesus, and the father are one. We must also c onsider the character of Jesus as well.This is because Satan is called the bright and morning star.The same name as Jesus,and that means if we do not have the spirit of Jesus in us so he knows us, and so we know him will be deceived by the outward appearance of Satan showing himself as an angel of light, and the one who has Satan in them will think they are seeing God, and it will not be God at all.Those will do whatever that being says,and that will be Armageddon. If enough humans can be made aware of this Satan may,and I said may not try to do what he is planing.Still Know the everlasting love of God and have that everlasting love in you to love everyone even as Jesus loved the despised Samaritans of his day,and that means loving the gays,third gender, furries of the furry fandom, and zoosexuals too.
Jesus is God, that walked among us so the glory of God would not destroy corruptible sinful flesh that dies, and destroy unsaved souls.Jesus came to save, and not to condemn, John 3;17.
Jesus is showing patience with Phillipe even after Jesus said, and have seen him.(referring to the Father) Even when Jesus said that Phillipe still did not get it.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 ¶ Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
The glorified image of God is light in the form of a man with the character fruits of his loving spirit.Galatians 5:22-23,and full of mercy, grace, and truth.
1 Corinthians 15:50 King James Bible
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
This means that there was no blood in Christs risen body.
When our bodies change they will be likewise. Philippians 3:21:King James Bible
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
His glorious body is referring to the body of the risen Jesus Christ who is the Lord God almighty.
Jesus is the holy spirit guiding whoever into all truth,John 16:13 :King James Bible
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Only Jesus can guide whoever into all truth . Jesus is
also the sword of truth, and the lion of the tribe of Judea.
Numbers 12:8 says God spoke to Moses "mouth to mouth." Again, doesn't a mouth qualify as a body part? My God has a mouth. Doesn't the "Christian" God have one?
Don't LDS believe that was Jehovah "Jesus" sounds like Greg is being dishonest as usual
Genesis 32:30 - Jacob sees God "face to face." God has a BODY WITH A FACE, just like us!
Jesus again in Mormon theology
Exodus 31:18 - Moses receives tablets of stone written with the FINGER of God. God obviously has hands with fingers on them.
Jesus in Mormon Theology
Exodus 24:10 - Seventy elders of Israel go up into the mountain with Moses and they "saw the God of Israel." Under his FEET they saw a paved work like a sapphire stone. Note: God has feet on his body!
Jesus again in Mormon theology, How could Greg West be so dishonest
In Revelation chapter 1:13-20, Jesus appeared to John the Revelator. John describes his glorious image and mentions that the resurrected Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, had a body and parts to include feet, face, hands, hairs, eyes, and also says that he was "clothed with a garment down to the foot." If God can wear clothing, he must have a body to put it on!
Christian Teach Jesus is still a man, 1 Timothy 2:5 says this, Greg is the reason for this film below
http://www.evangelical.us/lds-church/who-is-jesus.html
Romans !;
23And then, instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they took wood and stone and made idols for themselves, carving them to look like mere birds and animals and snakes and puny men.
Mormons do exactly that make God a puny man
God the Father a personage of Spirit opposite of what Greg is trying to prove
Lecture Five 2. There are two personages who constitute the great, matchless, governing, and supreme power over all things, by whom all things were created and made…. They are the Father and the Son: the Father being a personage of spirit, glory, and power, possessing all perfection and fulness. The Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, is a personage of tabernacle, made or fashioned like unto man, being in the form and likeness of man, or rather man was formed after his likeness and in his image. He is also the express image and likeness of the personage of the Father, possessing all the fulness of the Father, or the same fulness with the Father; being begotten of him, and ordained from before the foundation of the world to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe on his name. He is called the Son because of the flesh…possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit that bears record of the Father and the Son. These three are one; or, in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things. Q & A 15. Do the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute the Godhead? They do.
From The Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Jehovah, Jesus Christ
Author: Seely, David R.
The Godhead consists of three separate and distinct beings: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (D&C 130:22; A of F 1). While some Christians do not equate Jesus Christ and Jehovah in their theologies, biblical passages indicate that relationship, and latter-day scriptures often refer to Jesus Christ, the Son, as Jehovah (e.g., D&C 110:3-4; Moro. 10:34).
and their Mother a BYU professor
http://www.sacredgrovesonline.org/videos/unveiling_grace.htm
http://www.facebook.com/pages/REAL-Mormonism-101/218904401479517#!/
http://youtu.be/DPuUi6EgMlc
www.youtube.com
More info: http://www.irr.org/mit/Mormon_forever_families.html
http://youtu.be/DPuUi6EgMlc
http://youtu.be/M5Db_HFmJdg
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