A CHRISTIAN RELIGION?

Tonight's thoughts deal with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons.

Many Christians do not feel that Mormonism is a Christian religion.  There are two primary reasons for this.  First, they feel that Mormons don't interpret in the Bible the "right way."  And secondly, the Mormons believe in continuing revelation from God which is considered by many to be blasphemous.

I find these mainstream beliefs very interesting!  Starting with the second, Christians believe that after Christ died, the heavens were closed and God quit speaking to his Children.  This belief by the way, is not in the Bible, nor was it taught by the apostles.

Imagine if you will, we on Earth, God's children, telling Him when He can and when He cannot speak to us.  Imagine God in all His omnipotence being told what he can and cannot do by His son's and daughter's!  Imagine a young child telling his/her parents to "be quiet," and "I will tell you when you can speak!"  I struggle with this theological reasoning!

Now to the matter of interpreting the Bible the "right" way:  My intention is not to try and prove anything, but invite thought.  So following is a typical Christian belief contrasted with the Mormon belief, and than a few appropriate questions and comments.

Mainstream Christians believe God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are all the same being.  John 10:30 is used as a supporting scripture for this which states, "I and my Father are one."  There are others, but this gives us a good idea.  Mormon's on the other hand, believe they are separate and distinct individuals, but one in purpose.

If the typical Christian belief is true, why does God, a singular being, state, "Let us make man in our image (Genesis 1:29), which is plural?  In Acts 7:55 Stephen looked into heaven and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God.  Again, plural beings.  And lastly when Jesus was baptized as recorded in Matthew 3:17, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Clearly two persons here.  And like the aforementioned belief, these are but a few examples.

So you see the dilemma.  We have some scriptures stating God and Christ are the same being, and some scriptures stating they are separate.  Which is it?  Using logic, which do we believe literally and which are not to be believed, or have a different meaning assigned?  And more importantly, who gets to make this choice?

I believe the answer to this (which is the Mormon belief) lies within the great intercessory prayer in the 17th chapter of John.  These verses by the way, also seem to indicate God and Jesus are not the same individual as Christ is praying to God, rather than himself.

In the 21st verse, Christ indicates how the Father and He are one by stating, "That they all may be one (the people); as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us..."

Does this not suggest that Jesus and the Father are separate beings, yet one in purpose?  Accepting this allows the other contradictory verses to all be correct rather than forcing a situation where one has to choose which scriptures to believe and which to ignore!

I would maintain that the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints follows the bible more literally and more completely than any other religion, with the bible itself supporting this.  But like most things theological, the Holy Spirit must be relied upon to discern truth.

As the bible states the being of God two different ways, I don't see how mainstream Christianity can assume the Mormon church is wrong and they are right.  You see, the only thing they  have to go on are guesses as to which scriptures are to be taken literally and which are not.

Since the bible contradicts itself on many points, it makes one wish someone with a pure knowledge could tell us the truth.  Anciently, someone with this ability was known as a prophet.  Hmmm.