LDS What is your hope?

Yodas_Prodigy1 said:

My question is this, what hope do you have that you are destined for a good eternal life? Obviously, I will follow up with more questions...

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We have hope through Jesus Christ that we can learn to love as He loves.
(New Testament | Ephesians 5:1)

1 BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Yodas_Prodigy1 said:

How do you know Jesus really exists?

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I know that our bodies did not come about by happenstance as the atheists would have us to believe. Our bodies are far to complex to have not been designed by an intelligent being. Jesus Christ's life was foretold in the Bible (Old Testament) and came to pass. We know that He has risen and His dead body is nowhere to be found. He appeared to Joseph Smith and His church has been restored to the earth once again with all of the keys necessary for the salvation of man. I will stand as a witness for Jesus Christ. He is the Lord God and master, salvation is through Him. Keeping the commandments is the way to show our love for Him:

(New Testament | John 14:15)

15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

He is the way said:

I know that our bodies did not come about by happenstance as the atheists would have us to believe. Our bodies are far to complex to have not been designed by an intelligent being. Jesus Christ's life was foretold in the Bible (Old Testament) and came to pass. We know that He has risen and His dead body is nowhere to be found. He appeared to Joseph Smith and His church has been restored to the earth once again with all of the keys necessary for the salvation of man. I will stand as a witness for Jesus Christ. He is the Lord God and master, salvation is through Him. Keeping the commandments is the way to show our love for Him:

(New Testament | John 14:15)

15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

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So Mormon doctrine says that the only way to heaven is through Joseph Smith. Did you know that?

Oscarr said:

So Mormon doctrine says that the only way to heaven is through Joseph Smith. Did you know that?

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I know that Jesus Christ will be the Judge, but He will not be the only judge.

He is the way said:

I know that Jesus Christ will be the Judge, but He will not be the only judge.

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You are correct. Mormon doctrine says that Jesus and Joseph Smith will both be the judges. The doctrine makes JS equal to Jesus. Not what the New Testament says.

He is the way said:

I know that our bodies did not come about by happenstance as the atheists would have us to believe. Our bodies are far to complex to have not been designed by an intelligent being. Jesus Christ's life was foretold in the Bible (Old Testament) and came to pass. We know that He has risen and His dead body is nowhere to be found. He appeared to Joseph Smith and His church has been restored to the earth once again with all of the keys necessary for the salvation of man. I will stand as a witness for Jesus Christ. He is the Lord God and master, salvation is through Him. Keeping the commandments is the way to show our love for Him:

(New Testament | John 14:15)

15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

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But, in your dreams, you'll only get the blessing you earned by obedience to each commandment (and your church has a multitude of those).

Doctrine and Covenants 130
20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

He is the way said:

When was name of the church changed? It was called the Mormon church, but it was not named that.

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The LDS Church traces its founding to April 6, 1830, when Joseph Smith and five other men formally established the Church of Christ.[1][2] The church was known by this name from 1830 to 1834.[3][4]

In the 1830s, the fact that a number of U.S. churches, including some Congregational churches and Restoration Movement churches, also used the name "Church of Christ" caused a considerable degree of confusion.[4] In May 1834, the church adopted a resolution that the church would be known thereafter as "The Church of the Latter Day Saints".[4][5] At various times the church was also referred to as "The Church of Jesus Christ",[6] "The Church of God",[6] and "The Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints".[3][4]

After Smith's death, competing Latter Day Saint denominations organized under the leadership of a number of successors. The largest of these, led by Brigham Young, continued using "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" until incorporation in 1851 by the legislature of the provisional State of Deseret, when the church standardized the spelling of its name as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", which included a hyphenated "Latter-day" and a British-style lower-case "d".[9] In January 1855, the legislature of Utah Territory re-enacted the charter which incorporated the church under this name.[9] ...

Until the late-20th century, church publications inconsistently capitalized "The" in the name of the church in running text. Today, church publications invariably capitalize "The" in all contexts.

Today, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" is a registered trademark owned by the LDS Church.
Name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Wikipedia

He is the way said:

There is only one Jesus Christ and He did visit His people in the Americas:
(New Testament | John 10:16)
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

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John 10:16 says nothing about America. His other sheep are the people that Paul went out to evangelize.

Oscarr said:

You are correct. Mormon doctrine says that Jesus and Joseph Smith will both be the judges. The doctrine makes JS equal to Jesus. Not what the New Testament says.

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The New Testament states there will be other judges. The D&C does not make Joseph Smith equal to Jesus Christ.

Phoebe Ann said:

But, in your dreams, you'll only get the blessing you earned by obedience to each commandment (and your church has a multitude of those).

Doctrine and Covenants 130
20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

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The Bible has a multitude of commandments.

He is the way said:

The New Testament states there will be other judges. The D&C does not make Joseph Smith equal to Jesus Christ.

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So it is not true that Mormon doctrine says that one needs Joseph Smith's approval to get into heaven?

Oscarr said:

So it is not true that Mormon doctrine says that one needs Joseph Smith's approval to get into heaven?

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(New Testament | Matthew 19:28)

28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
There is a out of context misconception that one needs Joseph Smith's approval to get into heaven. Reading the full article shows this concept to be wrong. This is what we believe:
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:41)

41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

He is the way said:

We have hope through Jesus Christ that we can learn to love as He loves.
(New Testament | Ephesians 5:1)

1 BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

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Proverbs 16
25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Matthew 24
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets,
and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Book of Mormon, Alma 7
10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
Alma 7

Book of Mormon, Ether 3
14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
Ether 3

“It is true that many of the Christian churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshipped by the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
Bernard P. Brockbank, Ensign, May 1977, p.26

“In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints ‘do not believe in the traditional Christ.’ ‘No, I don’t. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak'” (LDS Church News, week ending June 20, 1998, p.7).

Sixth LDS President Joseph F. Smith stated, “Now, we are told in scriptures that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh. Well, now for the benefit of the older ones, how are children begotten? I answer just as Jesus Christ was begotten of his father … Jesus is the only person who had our Heavenly Father as the father of his body.”



Family Home Evening Manual, 1972, pp.125,126

He is the way said:

The Bible has a multitude of commandments.

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None of which say that blessings will be predicated by obedience to them.

Phoebe Ann said:

Book of Mormon, Alma 7
10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
Alma 7

Sixth LDS President Joseph F. Smith stated, “Now, we are told in scriptures that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh. Well, now for the benefit of the older ones, how are children begotten? I answer just as Jesus Christ was begotten of his father … Jesus is the only person who had our Heavenly Father as the father of his body.”

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Family Home Evening Manual, 1972, pp.125,126

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Bethlehem is at Jerusalem. At means close or near by. Jesus' Father was God the Father and NOT Joseph.

BigDaddy4 said:

None of which say that blessings will be predicated by obedience to them.

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(Old Testament | Deuteronomy 5:10)

10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

That would be a blessing of obedience. Here is another:

(New Testament | John 14:21)

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Here is another blessing, a great one:

(New Testament | John 14:23)

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.