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IMO does it really matter?
Mormons follow the Bible much more than many protestant faiths. So, is their differing opinions on the Trinity any worse than the many heresies of protestants?
What is the purpose of your question?
Sticking to the rules of protestantism, Mormans are free to interpret the bible the way they see fit. Maybe, according to them, you are the ones who are lost. Ahh....protestantism, what a tangled web that is weaved.
I am sorry my friend but what you have said is totally incorrect.
Mormons only accept the Bible Scriptures as they are "interpreted by the book of Mormon".
Mormons are polytheists, not monotheists. That is, they believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate beings, thus denying the essential monotheistic statements of both the OT and NT that God is One.
As I stated, Mormons believe that even God the Father has, and apparently, needs a body, denying that God in the divine nature is spirit. Indeed they believe that God the Father is an exalted man!
Mormons deny the sufficiency of Christ’s death for salvation. They teach that each of us must do all we can and then trust in the mercy of God. In other words, Mormonism is a works religion even when it comes to salvation.
I am not suggesting that there aren’t many Mormons that would pass the test of being decent and honest and loving human beings. There are. No one can one fault their zeal for their form of religion, indeed their missionaries often put actual Christian missionaries to shame. Neither would I suggest that these folks are deliberate deceivers of other people. They are sincere and committed to Mormonism, and truly believe it is the true religion.
What is clear however is that they are deceived about what the Bible really teaches about the nature of God, of Christ, of salvation, and of true humanity, not to mention the nature of the Scriptures which are indeed the sufficient rule of faith and practice for all true Christians and do not require supplements or corrections from Joseph Smith’s works.
1. Many protestants interpret the bible in accordance with the Book of Concord, or according to Henry VIII or pastor Billy Bob.
2. Many protestants reject "Mary Mother of God" and therefore reject the Nature of the 2nd Person of the Trinity.
So again.....What is the difference?
What's wrong with Pastor Billy Bob?
I have know him and his sister Jenny Mae for a long time now.
Is it not also true that ALL Catholics interpret the Bible as "The Roman Catholic Church itself is the God designated guardian of Christianity on earth and alone has the divine authority to interpret Scripture correctly."
Every Catholic apologetics person I have spoken with tries to prove the infallibility of the Catholic Church by stating that the Catholic Church is the infallible interpreter of the Bible. Their claim makes the church equal, if not superior, to the Bible and is another of their efforts to present the Catholic Church as an authority in religion instead of the Bible only.
That being the actual facts, then how is that any different than old Pastor Billy Bob? Most Catholics I know of will try to put down old Billy Bob for only ONE reason.....He does not agree with Catholic doctrine which is outside of the actual Scriptures and tells them so.
Secondly, I agree with your comment of ......
" Many protestants reject "Mary Mother of God" and therefore reject the Nature of the 2nd Person of the Trinity."
And here is the reason behind that............
"As Pope Francis said in Naples, “If you don’t love the mother, the mother will not give you the Son.”
You will accept that comment only because YOU are a Catholic. But everyone else who reads the Bible knows that Mary has nothing to do with our salvation.
I understand your need to be right in the eyes of your Catholic friends as what you believe is what you have been taught by the RCC, However my dear friend, The phrase “mother of God” IS NOT A BIBLE WORD OR PHRASE.
It actually originated with and continues to be used pretty much exclusively in in the Roman Catholic Church. Historical facts show that one of the topics at the Council of Ephesus in AD 431 was the use of the Greek term Theotókos, or “God-bearer,” in reference to Mary. That council officially proclaimed Mary as the “mother of God,” and the doctrine was later included in the Catholic catechism. The idea behind calling Mary the “mother of God” is that, since Jesus is God and Mary is the mother of Jesus, she is the mother of God.
The major problem with this logic is that the term “God” implies the totality of Yahweh, and we know that Yahweh has no beginning and no end (Psalm 90:2). First Timothy 6:15-16 says that God is immortal. Being immortal, God never was “born” and never had a “mother.”
The second Person of the Trinity, Jesus, did have a beginning to His earthly ministry when he was conceived in Mary’s womb and was born, but from eternity past He had always been the Son of God.
It is biblical to say that Mary was the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ during His incarnation on the earth. However, Catholics believe it is not enough to say that Mary was the mother of Jesus.
Pope John Paul II, in a speech in 1996, encouraged people “not only to invoke the Blessed Virgin as the Mother of Jesus, but also to recognize her as Mother of God” (L'Osservatore Romano, 4 December 1996, p. 11).
This is not biblical. The Lord God Almighty has no mother, since He has no beginning and no end (Genesis 1:1; Revelation 4:8).
And that is why Catholics do not like old Pastor Billy Bob!!!!!
But, this thread is about Mormons and not the RCC. I hope we can get back to that and you can start a thread on RCC theology and teachings and I will be glad to join in.
Please focus. Let's resolve the 2 issues at hand and then you can use the shotgun approach.
You gave 2 examples about the Mormans. They interpret scripture according to the Book of Mormon and they reject the Nature of the Trinity.
I offered that protestants interpret scripture with man made sources and reject the Nature of the Trinity ( by rejecting the Nature of the Son).
Please tell me the difference between Mormans and these protestants?
They believe that the Bible is only the Word of God when properly interpreted ....
Christians believe in the Holy Bible.
The Mormons believe in a heavenly father who has a physical body.
Christians believe in Trinitarian God, who has no physical body
Mormons do not believe in the Trinity or one God. But they have three Gods – The Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Christains for the most part believe in the Trinity. ONE God manifested in 3 distinct persons.
And this differs how from protestants? Protestants also believe that the bible must be properly interpreted either by the Book of Concord, Henry VIII, or you friend Pastor Billy Bob.
So do Mormans
We have established that Mormans reject the Nature of the Trinity.
And you seem to be saying that some who call themselves Christians also reject some of what is the Nature of the Trinity
Again, you've done a fine job explaining what Mormons believe. That is not what I challenged you to do.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------IMO does it really matter?
Mormons follow the Bible much more than many protestant faiths. So, is their differing opinions on the Trinity any worse than the many heresies of protestants?
What is the purpose of your question?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes Mormon= or NOT= Christian Critically Matters.
The significance is a matter of eternity in the eternal fiery furnace of hell (OH NO, he said that taboo word!!!) or eternity with the Loving, Gracious, and Just Father in heaven.
And it is VERY difficult to tell the difference as a lot of people like your point brings out,
Believe that being saved from our eternity in hell and given a place in heaven is a matter of,
Following Christ's teachings, obedience to the 10 Commandments, doing unto your neighbor as you'd have them do unto you, …….=WORKS.
The salvation which the God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Loving Gracious Father, Abba of the Bible has for any
person cannot be earned. There is not one thing we can do to earn it. In Ephes 2:8-9 God tells us that we are saved by GRACE (unmerited or unearned favor) through FAITH and NOT of works. Salvation is a free gift of God. Most of the great men of God were NOT exemplary perfect law-abiding citizens or perfectly faithful followers yet God chose to give them to us as examples of Godly characters. The Christian faith is matter of just that, a matter of how one has faith in God to empower and encourage them from doing evil and if they have REALLY messed it all up like Peter or David having faith in His Fatherly graciousness and goodness and love to help them out of the pit, revive, and strengthen them onto victory. The heart of Christianity is just that, an INWARD being, the matter of one's unseen heart, one's motives and intentions; faith and conviction . Being able to be powerless in the snare of the devil and seemingly his dinner in a few hours and knowing that somehow God will come through and help you have victory. NOONE, no not one can earn their way to heaven where the God of the Bible reigns.
That having been said, REGARDLESS OF THE COMMENDABLE LIVES ANYONE MIGHT LIVE IN TOTAL GOODNESS(if it were possible), Jesus said in John 14:6 that He was the ONLY way to the Father in heaven and that He and God "are one" elsewhere in His prayer regarding Unity of believers at the Mt of Olives. If just one person could earn their way in any way unto salvation would a fair God not demand that others do the same? Would He have provided the Lamb of God, Jesus, for the propitiation of sins?
It is critical because if one thinks that being a Christian is all about the externals, what others see and hear and feel, then then they could be headed to hell and not even know it. Christianity involves and DEMANDS the internals to be engaged. I may never have gone to bed and had sex with another woman other than my wife for 50 years and appear to be a great icon of fidelity while actually being a filthy, rotten, adulterous heathen in my heart and run the risk of having Jesus "spitting me out of His mouth" when I think I am on my way to heaven. Jesus said that if we even looked at another woman with lust in our hearts we have actually been an adulterer.
Additionally, if we believe that we are truly saved by our DECISION to have FAITH in God's graciousness, and not our works then when we screw up we already know and can count on God's forgiveness and we know that our salvation is not based upon our behavior but rather God's endless love and forgiveness which we have already received through Jesus, God the Son. The human heart is so corrupt and deceitful, Jer 17, our salvation better not be dependent upon our works.
The purpose of my question is partially in the last sentence. Humans can be so deceiving. For example, did you know that the Koran allows/excuses its followers to lie to and deceive unbelievers and they are even permitted to claim loyalty to an unbeliever's (Non-Islamic) cause/country if their purpose is to further Islam or annihilate unbelievers. And with the LDS I had just come across that youtube video that I shared of the birth of Jesus the Christ. (As I explained in that followed thread, I have been displaying my nativity scene w/o the wise men/Magi/kings arriving till after Christmas in an effort to convey a more actual portrayal and many times I have been asked why I do what I do. The majority, regardless of what some other may, of nativities out there have them at the birth. If you are not blind you know this. When I saw the LDS video it touched me that someone else also was not afraid to display it more accurately. The birth of Christ Jesus and the arrival of the "Maji" were chronologically up to almost two years apart going by the Gospel and they were not afraid to make a public display of it outside of their own little circle of believers as I do. The child in the LDS video was 3-5 yrs old and too old for an accurate acct but it was much more accurate. Herod had all children killed 2 and younger in Bethlehem trying to kill Jesus so I don't think He could have been older than two.) Anyway, the LDS video started me thinking about whether they were really Christian or not. The video was very well presented and acted. I loved it. It was impressionable and I thought, "Wow!, if these people are not Christians it sure is a deceitful presentation of who they really are. What I have read here clears that up. Jesus DID say that He WAS God and Mormons do not. That is paramount because if Jesus were not God then the cleansing power of His blood would have limitations and then man's goodness or works would then have value towards salvation and God's Word clearly says that this is not the case.
Our works AFTER salvation are certainly expected and of value and are evidence of our salvation which was exclusively a matter of faith. We are justified unto God at salvation through the suffering and death of our sin-bearer, Jesus Christ, (Justification) and because Jesus, in so many words, took the torture and bullet in the head which we deserved and had coming in our place we respond by being the new creation (rebirth) who we are in Jesus and start a life of becoming more and more like Him (Sanctification.) In order to have a victorious and perpetual Sanctification which is cleaning (which includes throwing things away) and rearranging house on the INSIDE we need to have a salvation based on the internals and NOT externals.
The other purpose of the OP is that if it is established that Mormon's are not Christians and they have been regarded as a significant growing community then real Christians in love for the lost and deceived should be strong and take a stand against evil, Ephes 6: 10-11, and expose evil as we are commanded in Ephes 5:11, "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them." This video I cited could grab weak, immature, and/or ignorant Christians. It is very enticing.
Ok, you did show you can spew alot of stuff in one post. But, can you answer my questions to the other poster that went unanswered.
1. Mormans reject the Nature of the Trinity and so do some prostentants (by rejecting the Nature of the Son)
2. Mormans believe in the bible and interpret it accordoing to the Book of Morman. Protestants believe in the bible and interpret it according to the Book of Concord, or Henry VIII or Major1's friend Pastor Billy Bob.
What is the difference between these protestants and Mormans. The best I can tell is that it comes down to a degree of being wrong.
Mormons who become Christians, are Christians IN SPITE of what the Mormon church teaches about the plan of salvation and NOT BECAUSE of what they teach.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes Mormon= or NOT= Christian Critically Matters.
The significance is a matter of eternity in the eternal fiery furnace of hell (OH NO, he said that taboo word!!!) or eternity with the Loving, Gracious, and Just Father in heaven.
And it is VERY difficult to tell the difference as a lot of people like your point brings out,
Believe that being saved from our eternity in hell and given a place in heaven is a matter of,
Following Christ's teachings, obedience to the 10 Commandments, doing unto your neighbor as you'd have them do unto you, …….=WORKS.
The salvation which the God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Loving Gracious Father, Abba of the Bible has for any
person cannot be earned. There is not one thing we can do to earn it. In Ephes 2:8-9 God tells us that we are saved by GRACE (unmerited or unearned favor) through FAITH and NOT of works. Salvation is a free gift of God. Most of the great men of God were NOT exemplary perfect law-abiding citizens or perfectly faithful followers yet God chose to give them to us as examples of Godly characters. The Christian faith is matter of just that, a matter of how one has faith in God to empower and encourage them from doing evil and if they have REALLY messed it all up like Peter or David having faith in His Fatherly graciousness and goodness and love to help them out of the pit, revive, and strengthen them onto victory. The heart of Christianity is just that, an INWARD being, the matter of one's unseen heart, one's motives and intentions; faith and conviction . Being able to be powerless in the snare of the devil and seemingly his dinner in a few hours and knowing that somehow God will come through and help you have victory. NOONE, no not one can earn their way to heaven where the God of the Bible reigns.
That having been said, REGARDLESS OF THE COMMENDABLE LIVES ANYONE MIGHT LIVE IN TOTAL GOODNESS(if it were possible), Jesus said in John 14:6 that He was the ONLY way to the Father in heaven and that He and God "are one" elsewhere in His prayer regarding Unity of believers at the Mt of Olives. If just one person could earn their way in any way unto salvation would a fair God not demand that others do the same? Would He have provided the Lamb of God, Jesus, for the propitiation of sins?
It is critical because if one thinks that being a Christian is all about the externals, what others see and hear and feel, then then they could be headed to hell and not even know it. Christianity involves and DEMANDS the internals to be engaged. I may never have gone to bed and had sex with another woman other than my wife for 50 years and appear to be a great icon of fidelity while actually being a filthy, rotten, adulterous heathen in my heart and run the risk of having Jesus "spitting me out of His mouth" when I think I am on my way to heaven. Jesus said that if we even looked at another woman with lust in our hearts we have actually been an adulterer.
Additionally, if we believe that we are truly saved by our DECISION to have FAITH in God's graciousness, and not our works then when we screw up we already know and can count on God's forgiveness and we know that our salvation is not based upon our behavior but rather God's endless love and forgiveness which we have already received through Jesus, God the Son. The human heart is so corrupt and deceitful, Jer 17, our salvation better not be dependent upon our works.
The purpose of my question is partially in the last sentence. Humans can be so deceiving. For example, did you know that the Koran allows/excuses its followers to lie to and deceive unbelievers and they are even permitted to claim loyalty to an unbeliever's (Non-Islamic) cause/country if their purpose is to further Islam or annihilate unbelievers. And with the LDS I had just come across that youtube video that I shared of the birth of Jesus the Christ. (As I explained in that followed thread, I have been displaying my nativity scene w/o the wise men/Magi/kings arriving till after Christmas in an effort to convey a more actual portrayal and many times I have been asked why I do what I do. The majority, regardless of what some other may, of nativities out there have them at the birth. If you are not blind you know this. When I saw the LDS video it touched me that someone else also was not afraid to display it more accurately. The birth of Christ Jesus and the arrival of the "Maji" were chronologically up to almost two years apart going by the Gospel and they were not afraid to make a public display of it outside of their own little circle of believers as I do. The child in the LDS video was 3-5 yrs old and too old for an accurate acct but it was much more accurate. Herod had all children killed 2 and younger in Bethlehem trying to kill Jesus so I don't think He could have been older than two.) Anyway, the LDS video started me thinking about whether they were really Christian or not. The video was very well presented and acted. I loved it. It was impressionable and I thought, "Wow!, if these people are not Christians it sure is a deceitful presentation of who they really are. What I have read here clears that up. Jesus DID say that He WAS God and Mormons do not. That is paramount because if Jesus were not God then the cleansing power of His blood would have limitations and then man's goodness or works would then have value towards salvation and God's Word clearly says that this is not the case.
Our works AFTER salvation are certainly expected and of value and are evidence of our salvation which was exclusively a matter of faith. We are justified unto God at salvation through the suffering and death of our sin-bearer, Jesus Christ, (Justification) and because Jesus, in so many words, took the torture and bullet in the head which we deserved and had coming in our place we respond by being the new creation (rebirth) who we are in Jesus and start a life of becoming more and more like Him (Sanctification.) In order to have a victorious and perpetual Sanctification which is cleaning (which includes throwing things away) and rearranging house on the INSIDE we need to have a salvation based on the internals and NOT externals.
The other purpose of the OP is that if it is established that Mormon's are not Christians and they have been regarded as a significant growing community then real Christians in love for the lost and deceived should be strong and take a stand against evil, Ephes 6: 10-11, and expose evil as we are commanded in Ephes 5:11, "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them." This video I cited could grab weak, immature, and/or ignorant Christians. It is very enticing.
Notice that I said a Mormon who "becomes" a Christian. Mormon believer/worships in Mormon church/Christian is an oxymoron. Mormon doctrine does not teach that salvation is through and by Jesus Christ and ONLY Jesus Christ indeed! It sounds like we are on the same page.Any person who is a Mormon believer and worships in a Mormon church is not a Christian my dear friend.
2 Corth. 6:17..........
"Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you".
That is because the Mormon doctrine does not teach that salvation is through and by Jesus Christ and ONLY Jesus Christ.
If a Mormon believer actually does accept Christ he then MUST leave the Mormon church as the Christian can not be yoked with un-believers.
Notice that I said a Mormon who "becomes" a Christian. Mormon believer/worships in Mormon church/Christian is an oxymoron. Mormon doctrine does not teach that salvation is through and by Jesus Christ and ONLY Jesus Christ indeed! It sounds like we are on the same page.
Address and answered are 2 different things.Wrong! Your questions were addressed. YOU just did not like them and accept them
No, I am saying so called Christians who accept heretical beliefs about the 2nd Person of the Trinity are no more Christian than Mormans.Wrong! Your questions were addressed. YOU just did not like them and accept them.
You are trying to say that Mormons are Christians because they reject the Trinity
Yes, No Catholic worships Mary, I don't know.Do you believe that all Catholics believe in the Trinity? Do you believe that all Catholics worship Mary? Do you believe that all Assembly of God people speak in tongues
accept heretical beliefs about the 2nd Person of the Trinity
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