The Parable of the Plant
Our testimony, like a plant, needs two things to grow:
#1- The first thing our testimony needs is protection against harmful influences.
Just as weeds are removed from a plant to protect it from being damaged, we need to know how to protect against influences that can damage our faith.
There are 2 primary ways our faith can be damaged:
One way our faith can be damaged is when non-believers criticize the church in some way. There are many efforts within the church that have sought to help people deal with those criticisms and still be able to find room for faith.
The other way our faith can be damaged is when we as church members say or do things that can harm others’ testimonies. For example, when we teach that the prophets of the restoration were more free of error than they sometimes were, it can harm people’s faith when they find out about some of the human imperfections these prophets might have exhibited from time to time.
#2- The second thing our testimony needs in order to grow is spiritual nourishment.
While it is good to pull weeds from a plant, a plant will not grow if that is all we do. For a plant to grow we need to expose it to light and give it water as well. In the same manner, in order to help our testimony grow, we need to protect against threats to our faith, and we need to give our testimony spiritual nourishment.
There are many ways to increase our faith through spiritual nourishment. We can be nourished by studying and learning about the gospel. We can also be nourished by putting into practice gospel principles and obeying the commandments. And we can also receive nourishment by creating bonds of friendship and family relationships in the gospel.
For today I want to focus on how studying about the restored church can nourish our plants of testimony and help them grow.
President Uchtdorf: “(A) personal testimony of the gospel and the Church is the most important thing you can earn in this life. It will not only bless and guide you during this life, but it will also have a direct bearing on your life throughout eternity.” GC Oct 2014
So, how can we gain a testimony of the church, and that it’s founder, Joseph Smith was a prophet? And more generally, how can anyone find out if a religion/church/prophet is inspired of God?
The wrong way to discern a prophet
First of all, a true prophet is recognized not by an absence of imperfection (Many Biblical prophets exhibited imperfections, although they were still prophets)
It bothers me when people criticize the church, and think that by pointing out imperfections in the church that they have absolutely proved Mormonism wrong, and that the case is closed.
And what is sad, is that because of the internet, more and more people increasingly are losing faith in the church because they are exposed to arguments against the church and are not prepared for them.
It pains me to see this, because I have such a conviction of the truthfulness of the church and a passion for helping others experience the quality and quantity of blessings available through it, that I don’t believe exist anywhere else.
The right way to discern a true prophet
What distinguishes a prophet from others is the divine fruits that God gives them. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ gave His followers a way to tell a true prophet from a false one. He said, “by their fruits ye shall know them.” For example, in the Bible, Moses parted the red sea, Peter was given power to raise people from the dead, Daniel, Isaiah and others were inspired to make prophecies that were later fulfilled. Also, there were multiple Eye-Witnesses to the resurrection, who were willing to sacrifice much for their convictions.)
I believe that there are fruits from Joseph’s efforts that no human being could have produced on their own, unless they were a prophet and received God’s help.
Five Evidences that Mormonism is inspired of God
There are 5 compelling evidences that Mormonism is inspired of God.
4 of the evidences can be understood through human logic
And 1 of the evidences can only be understood by spiritual communication from God to our spirits
I do not claim that these evidences absolutely prove Mormonism is true. I do however believe they provide a compelling cumulative case.
Four ways these evidences can help
1. Help faithful Mormons strengthen their faith
2. Help faithful Mormons have a strong foundation so that criticisms they hear don’t shatter their faith
3. Make it impossible for critics to easily dismiss Mormonism like many try to do
4. Pique the interest of non-members to investigate the church further
#1
Fruits of Inspiration from God
Christ gave his followers a method for discerning true prophets from false ones. He said,
“Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:17, 20)
Everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. (Moroni 7:16)
Most people agree that God is the embodiment of all that is wise, good and loving. So one barometer for judging if something is inspired of God is if it helps the quality of people’s lives improve, and helps them to have a more God-like character.
Matthew 17 teaches us that someone claiming to be a prophet of God, must produce good fruits to be a real prophet. Are the fruits of Mormonism good? In the language of Moroni 7, do the principles of Mormonism invite people to do good and believe in Christ? Because if it does, we can know it is inspired of God.
Centrality of Christ
The church is named after Jesus Christ: The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints
Jesus Christ is mentioned 3,925 times in the Book Mormon- a mention on average of once every 1.7 verses.
The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants are additional and independent witnesses of the resurrection for an increasingly sceptical world.
And as we study from Latter-day Scripture and from the Bible, Mormons gain a greater understanding of, and appreciation and love for Jesus Christ:
We know more about the atonement of Jesus Christ in addition to what the Bible teaches due to modern revelation.
For example, modern scripture teaches us that when Christ suffered, his pain was so severe that he shed blood from every pore of his body, giving us more insight into the extent of His suffering for us. (Mosiah 3 and Doctrine and Covenants 19)
We also learn that Christ not only suffered for our sins, but for our sorrows, pains and sicknesses. He did this so he could comfort, heal and strengthen us in addition to cleansing us from sin. (Alma 7)
We also learn that Christ's atonement extends to those who die without having an opportunity of learning about and accepting Him, as the gospel is preached in the post-mortal/pre-resurrection spirit world and vicarious ordinances are offered to them in temples of God.
We also learn that the atonement of Christ has the power to eventually transform us eventually, if we are willing, into a God like our Father, with a fullness of intelligence, love, and happiness.
These doctrines that God revealed through His modern day prophet are unique to the Latter-day Saints, and preach a Christ more loving and powerful than any other religion.
Devotion to the faith
Active Mormons give 10% of their income to help build up the church.
There are no paid positions in the church, which removes any doubt about their service being genuine.
Each person has a specific responsibility to serve and help with the programs and functions of the congregation, whether it be leading the choir, operating the library, or teaching the 4 year-old Sunday School class.
Each member of the congregation is responsible for visiting a few family’s households a month to provide friendship, share uplifting gospel messages, and assure their needs are being met.
Every year, millions of members, young and old embark on missions abroad to help others learn about Christ and His restored gospel and come closer to Him. These missions are not only unpaid, but generally cost $10,000.
There is a recent blog post by a non-member who has recognized the devotion and sacrifice Latter-day Saints exemplify: On patheos.com from David French, a Presbyterian “Six Reasons Why Mormons Are Beating Baptists” (In Church Growth)
One of his six reasons is the following:
“Mormon leaders ask a lot of their members. As our circle of Mormon friends grows and grows, I’m always amazed at the level of their church involvement compared to evangelicals. From giving (tithing), to service, to teaching, to raw number of hours in the church building, Mormons are simply doing more. To some evangelical critics, you’d think we lose members or grow less because we’re so demanding, but compared to the Mormon experience, an evangelical church is a carnival ride of short services, low accountability, and zero church discipline. If you’re a faithful Mormon, you’re not living a 95% secular life like so many evangelicals. A Mormon is truly countercultural.”
Religious Education
Latter-day saint religious education programs are unequaled anywhere else. The following is a typical regimen of religious education an active Mormon receives during their formative years:
Starting at age 3, Mormons attend 3 hours of church services each Sunday.
In addition to Sunday meetings, they attend 1-2 other weekly meetings, where they experience fun activities, skill building, and spiritual nourishment.
They are taught the gospel in a family home evening lesson every Monday night.
During each year of high school, latter-day saint kids attend a free one-hour seminary class early in the morning before each school day. They study the Old Testament one year, the New Testament another, the Book of Mormon another, and the Doctrine and Covenants another.
Soon after graduating high school, millions of Mormons serve as missionaries for a couple of years where they basically 24/7 do nothing but study about and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During college, the church has hundreds of buildings adjacent to college campuses where free religion classes are offered throughout the week.
Three impressive statistics stem from the above dose of religious education our youth receive:
#1- Mormon youth stick to the church when they’re adults at a higher rate than any other religion
Latter-day Saints keep more of their young people than any other religion. (http://fornspollfira.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-many-youth-are-we-losing.html)
The recent highly acclaimed book American Grace found that Latter-day Saints as a whole, men and women, have the strongest attachment to their faith of any of the religions studied.
#2- Mormons are rated higher than any other Christian Denomination for knowledge of the Bible and Christianity
In a 2010 survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life, they found that Mormons scored higher than Catholics or any Protestant denomination when answering questions about the Bible and Christianity.
#3- As Mormons gain more secular education, they are the most likely of any Christian denomination to increase in religious devotion
As seen in Latter-day Saint Social Life: Social Research on the LDS Church and its Members, Jame T Duke
Quality of Marriage & Family Life
The church has the largest family history database in the world, and members have a strong desire to learn about and honor their ancestors.
Marriages and families are seen as eternal, and because of that added commitment and beautiful belief, Mormon couples and families, although not perfect, more earnestly to keep their commitments to each other.
In modern day temples, marriages and families are sealed for time and all eternity.
Once a week families have a family home evening, where a combination of fun activities, spiritual messages, and family business is carried out.
Many non-members know that families are very important, and that it’s very apparent that Mormons try, although imperfectly to strengthen families
Selfless Service (Christ asked us to take care of the poor and needy, and said that his true disciples show love, one for another)
Welfare program
Church members fast once a month from two meals and donate the money they would have spent on those two meals. That money goes to help needy members with temporary financial set-backs in the way of rent money and food from the Bishop’s storehouse.
And the church uses tithing money to subsidize the following services for members:
-employment service centers
-addiction recovery support groups
-marriage and family counseling centers
Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Relief/Humanitarian aid
The Church and it’s members strive to always have an ample supply of emergency storage items. This has proven helpful when crisis hit around the world.
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/topic/humanitarian-services gives the following description of humanitarian aid in the Church:
-We provide relief and development projects in countries all over the world
-This humanitarian service can be emergency response to a natural disaster like a tsunami, or a man-made disaster, such as the effects of war and famine
-”The Church sponsors five ongoing global projects to help people become more self-reliant. Initiatives include neonatal resuscitation training, clean water projects, wheelchair distribution, vision treatment and measles vaccinations.”
Morals
“The scholars who produced the Austin Institute’s newly released Relationships in America interviewed 15,000 people, and by most measures of belief and practice, the winner is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, or Mormons).
They found that the LDS church is far more effectively passing on classic Christian cultural beliefs, attitudes, and practices about (chastity and marriage.)
Take casual sex, for example.
Among regular churchgoers (three times a month or more), 57 percent of evangelicals had premarital sex with their future spouse, as did 64 percent of traditional Catholics, and 66 percent of fundamentalist Protestants. Just 14 percent of Mormons did.
Women are Revered and Empowered in the Church
The recent highly acclaimed book American Grace reported on women in many faiths. It noted that Latter-day Saint women are unique in being overwhelmingly satisfied with their role in Church leadership.
Unlike in the Catholic Church and in most conservative Evangelical churches, women preach from the pulpit regularly in Latter-day Saint services.
Modern prophets have expressed their reverence for women by calling them the crowning creation of God.
In the Book of Mormon, an angel teaches the prophet Nephi about the love of God by showing Him a future event to come in the world pertaining to Mary with her baby Jesus. (1 Nephi 11)
In Mormon doctrine, unlike every other Christian church, Eve is seen as a hero for her decision, because only mortality could offer us the challenges necessary to becoming more like God, as God attested to in Genesis 3:22.
And lastly, Mormon women are empowered because of the restored knowledge of a Mother in heaven in addition to our Father in heaven.
And a bonus statistic...
Mormon women belong to the oldest and largest organization of women in the world!
Health
A 25-year study into the health habits and the longevity of the Mormon lifestyle by non-Mormon UCLA professors James E. Enstrom and Lester Breslow concluded the following: Mormon men live 10 years longer than other U.S. white males. Mormon women live more than five years longer than other U.S. white females.
I think some of the reasons for this are the word of wisdom, God blessing his covenant people, and the other morals and habits that govern Mormon’s lives.
Remember, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Matthew 7:18)
No one fruit of Joseph’s efforts is very compelling by itself, but the combination of fruits lend considerable support to Joseph’s claim that God called him to be a prophet. Mormonism hold up quite well when measured against the Biblical test in Matthew 7 for how to tell a true prophet.
#2
Eye-Witnesses
“By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (Matthew 18:16)
As in a court of law, if other people witnessed the divine visions and manifestations Joseph claimed to experience, his claims would be a lot more credible than if he were the only person to witness them.
Eyewitnesses to the gold plates and an angel
Martin Harris
Homer asked Martin Harris, "'Do you still believe that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet?" Martin Harris, standing in the Kirtland Temple on a bright, winter day, pointed to one of the arched Gothic windows where the sun was streaming through it and said, "Do I see the sun shining? Just as surely as the sun is shining on us . . . I saw the plates; I saw the angel."
On Martin’s deathbed, his neighbor, George Godfrey questioned Martin’s testimony, and Godfrey recorded Martin’s vigorous response: “The Book of Mormon is no fake. I know what I know. I have seen what I have seen and I heard what I have heard. I have seen the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon is written. An angel appeared to me and others and testified to the truthfulness of the the record, and had I been willing to have perjured myself and sworn falsely to the testimony I now bear I could have been a rich man.” (significant that even when hostile towards the church, he didn’t deny his testimony)
David Witmer
David Witmer printed a “proclamation,” in response to an anti-Mormon article published earlier that had claimed David denied his testimony:
“It is recorded in the American Cyclopedia that I have denied my testimony as one of the three witnesses to the divinity of the Book of Mormon. I will say once more to all mankind, that I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof.”
Lucy recorded what happened when Joseph returned to the house after the Three Witnesses had been shown the gold plates:
“When they [Joseph and the Three Witnesses] returned to the house it was between three and four o’clock P.M. Mrs. Whitmer, Mr. Smith and myself, were sitting in a bedroom at the time. On coming in, Joseph threw himself down beside me, and exclaimed, ‘Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am: the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself. … They will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said … I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear’” (Lucy Mack Smith,History of Joseph Smith, ed. Preston Nibley [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958], p. 152).
The translation process of the Book of Mormon
One of the most amazing facts about the Book of Mormon is that it took Joseph only about sixty-five working days to translate a book that, in the current edition, is 531 pages long.
This impressive feat becomes more impressive considering the following details provided by Emma Smith, Joseph’s wife:
Joseph’s wife Emma insisted that, at the time of translation, Joseph “could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon.”
When asked if Joseph had dictated from the Bible or from a manuscript he had prepared earlier, Emma flatly denied those possibilities: “He had neither manuscript nor book to read from.”
Emma told her son Joseph Smith III, “The Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity—I have not the slightest doubt of it. I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired; for, when acting as his scribe, your father would dictate to me for hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him.”
Oliver Cowdery
“These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day, I continued uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated … the Book of Mormon.”
Kirtland temple dedication
George Smith recorded, “A noise was heard like the sound of a rushing, mighty wind, which filled the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in tongues and prophesy; others saw glorious visions.”
Outside the temple, Church members and nonmembers sensed something sacred was happening. Even little children. Prescindia Hunington recalled: “On one occasion I saw angels clothed in white walking upon the temple. It was during one of our monthly fast meetings, when the saints were in the temple worshiping. A little girl came to my door and in wonder called me out, exclaiming, 'The meeting is on the top of the meeting house!' I went to the door, and there I saw on the temple angels clothed in white covering the roof from end to end. They seemed to be walking to and fro; they appeared and disappeared. The third time they appeared and disappeared before I realized that they were not mortal men. Each time in a moment they vanished, and their reappearance was the same. This was in broad daylight, in the afternoon. A number of the children in Kirtland saw the same.”
Spiritual power Joseph received from the Lord
Power in Teaching
Emmeline Wells wrote, “The power of God rested upon him to such a degree that on many occasions he seemed transfigured. His expression was mild and almost childlike in repose; and when addressing the people, who loved him it seemed to adoration, the glory of his countenance was beyond description. At other times the great power of his manner...seemed to shake the place on which we stood and penetrate the inmost soul of his hearers, and I am sure that then they would have laid down their lives to defend him.”
Mary Winters: “I stood close to the Prophet while he was preaching to the Indians in the Grove by the Temple. The Holy Spirit lighted up his countenance till it glowed like a halo around him, and his words penetrated the hearts of all who heard him and the Indians looked as solemn as Eternity”
Power to Heal
Soon after the saints moved to Nauvoo, dozens lay on the verge of death on the banks of the Mississippi river when there was a malaria outbreak.
Below is an account from Wilford Woodruff about what Joseph did one day while hundreds of saints lie sick and dying. This day is now referred to in church history as “The Day of God’s Power.”
Wilford Woodruff (paraphrase)
On the morning of the 22nd of July, 1839, he arose reflecting upon the situation of the Saints of God in their persecutions and afflictions, and he called upon the Lord in prayer, and the power of God rested upon him mightily, and as Jesus healed the sick around Him in His day, so Joseph, the Prophet of God, healed all around on this occasion. He healed all in his house and dooryard, then, in company with Sidney Rigdon and several of the Twelve, he went through among the sick lying on the bank of the river, and he commanded them in a loud voice, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come up and be made whole, and they were all healed.”
Joseph stayed loyal to the cause even despite severe and consistent persecution
If Joseph was a fraud, it’s not likely he would endure so much. For example, the early Christians of the apostolic age made huge sacrifices and endured much persecution. Why? Because they knew Christ was divine, and resurrected. Joseph also knew this work was divine.
Transfiguration of Brigham Young
This is a crucial event, because there are many splinter groups of the church the Lord restored through Joseph. If Mormonism is true, which group of those stemming from Joseph is the right one? The following event I will describe is very well attested, and convincingly establishes that after Joseph’s death, God chose Brigham Young to be the next leader of the church.
In the controversy surrounding who was to succeed Joseph after his death, over 100 people witnessed and wrote down that while preaching one day, Brigham Young's countenance and voice was changed to look and sound like Joseph Smith, causing all to feel that God was signifying that Brigham was to be Joseph's successor. Here are 2 of over 100 independent eye-witness accounts of this event: (see Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations by John Welch)
“On this day it was plainly manifest that the mantle of Joseph had rested upon President Young. The voice of the same spirit by which he, Joseph, spake was this day sounded in our ears, so much so that I once, unthoughtedly, raised my head to see if it was not actually Joseph addressing the assembly.” (James A. Little)
“There were so many opinions as who would be the leader of the Saints at that time. Sidney Rigdon was sure he was the man. He stood up and declared that he was the one, but he was called down and Brigham Young stood up and spoke with the power and voice of Joseph. He surely had the Prophet Joseph's mantle on. There seemed to be no doubt of Brigham Young being the one to lead the saints at that time.”- Eunice Billings
No one eyewitness account is very compelling by itself, but the combination of accounts make for a compelling cumulative case
#3
Sound Doctrine
Although the foundational doctrines of Mormonism are very different from what mainstream Christians believe. There are two compelling evidences that doctrines of Mormonism are nevertheless true:
#1
Many of the teachings of the early Christian father’s that have been uncovered in just the last 100 years are found to be closer to the teachings of Joseph Smith than they are to those of mainstream Christianity. (As shown by Barry Bickmore in Restoring the Ancient Church: Joseph Smith and Early Christianity)
#2
Another impressive evidence that the foundational teachings of Mormonism are true is that many prominent mainstream Christian scholars of recent decades are starting to espouse ideas that are closer and closer to the doctrines taught by Joseph Smith.
David Paulsen, the former chair of the philosophy department of BYU wrote a great paper, Are Christians Mormon? In it he outlines 7 Mormon doctrines that Joseph taught almost 200 years ago, and shows how in the last few decades an increasing amount of respected Christian scholars are starting to hold beliefs that are closer and closer to what Joseph taught.
Truman G Madsen noticed this recent pattern as well, and said:
“In our time there are renowned and influential spokesmen and writers in all the major wings of Christendom—and they are not on the periphery but at the center—who are defending and teaching what, a century ago, Joseph Smith almost alone taught.”
David Paulsen
“There is considerable contemporary convergence in some Christian quarters toward Joseph’s once radical theological ideas. (And) while the reactions to Joseph’s doctrines remain clearly mixed, one thing is certain: the doctrines he proclaimed are not as “unique” as they used to be.”
Here are 4 examples of Joseph’s teachings that have since been discovered to be consistent with early Christianity, and are increasingly being espoused by more and more prominent mainstream Christian scholars:
The Nature of God
Joseph taught a social trinity, in other words, that the members of the godhead, although unified in almost every conceivable way, are nevertheless separate beings. This has not however been mainstream Christian belief since the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.
But before 325 A.D. not only the Jewish Christians but almost everyone else believed the Father, Son and Holy Ghost were united in will, but separate in rank and glory.
For example, Justin Martyr wrote in the second century A.D.
“We reasonably worship Jesus,” , “having learned that He is the Son of the true God Himself, and holding Him in second place, and the prophetic spirit in the third.”
An increasing number of respected orthodox Christian scholars are now holding and defending what was, for a long time in the West, a uniquely Mormon doctrine.
In fact, John Hicks, a non-Mormon scholar, describes the “revival” of social trinitarianism as “one of the most significant developments in contemporary theology.”
A non-member, Steven Webb, A Catholic, recently wrote: Mormon Christianity: What Other Christians Can Learn From the Latter-day Saints
He has realized that the original Jewish-Christian concept of the divine is not the same as what was formulated in the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., and what is still believed by most Christians today. He said,
“Take Plato away from Christianity, and you will get … well, you will end up with something very much like the Mormon conception of the divine” (p. 85; ellipsis in original).
“Take Plato away from Christianity, and you will get … well, you will end up with something very much like the Mormon conception of the divine” (p. 85; ellipsis in original).
Faith and Works
David Bercot, Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up: A New Look at Today's Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity
David Embarked on a quest to discover what Christians believed and practiced before the Nicene Creed
He notes that some interpret the Bible as saying we are saved by works, and others interpret it as saying we’re saved by grace, through faith and not of works.
The problem is that Augustine, Luther, and other Western theologians have convinced us that there's an irreconcilable conflict between salvation based on grace and salvation conditioned on works or obedience. They have used a false form of argumentation known as the "false dilemma," by asserting that there are only two possibilities regarding salvation: it's either (1) a gift from God or (2) it's something we earn by our works.
Joseph’s revelations, and the teachings of the earliest Christians taught concept of salvation that stresses the importance of both faith and obedience. As Bercot puts it: “The early Christians believed that salvation is a gift from God but that God gives His gift to whomever he chooses. And He chooses to give it to those who love and obey him.”
Polycarp, the personal companion of the apostle John, taught, "He who raised Him up from the dead will also raise us up-if we do His will and walk in His commandments
According to Bercot, the mainstream Evangelical interpretation of “saved by grace alone” originated with St. Augustine after the Nicene Creed.
Salvation for the Dead
The Bible (hasn’t given us a clear-cut interpretation)
1 Peter 3 and 4, 1 Corinthians 15, God is no respecter of person
As David Paulsen points out in his paper, Are Christians Mormon?, Almost all of the early church fathers believed that Christ descended into hell after his death, and that the dead still have an opportunity to be saved.
For example, Clement of Alexandria said, “Christ went down to Hades (the spirit world/spirit prison) for no other purpose than to preach the gospel”
“The twentieth century,” says John Sanders, “has witnessed a tremendous proliferation of belief in salvation for the dead among theologians and biblical commentators from diverse traditions.”
Many like the “theological fit” that this doctrine provides, because it preserves Christ as sole guarantor of salvation, and promotes a fair God, by not damning those who were unfortunate to grow up outside the orbit of Christianity.
Human Deification
The Bible
“joint-heirs (of God) with Christ”
St. Irenaeus
“Through the immense love he bore, he became what we are, thereby affording us the opportunity of becoming what he is.”
St. Clement of Alexandria
“the Word of God became a man so that you might learn from a man how to become a god”
In the past fifty years there has been a steadily increasing amount of interest among Catholics and Protestants regarding the issue of the early church doctrine of deification.
Norman Russell points out: It is becoming less necessary in the English-speaking world to apologize for the doctrine of deification. At one time it was regarded as highly esoteric, if it was admitted to be Christian at all. . . . In recent years a succession of works on deification in individual Fathers from Irenaeus to Maximus the Confessor has confirmed (that the doctrine has a basis in the early church)
A Dominican Catholic priest Jordan Vajda at the end of his 1998 thesis at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley: “The historic Christian doctrine of salvation -theosis, i.e., human divinization -- for too long has been forgotten by too many Christians, despite the fact that this teaching is a part of that common inheritance -- first millennium Christianity – Vajda later investigated and was converted to the church!
C.S. Lewis: “"The command Be ye perfect [Matt. 5:48] is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were "gods" and he is going to make good His words. -Mere Christianity
The fact that Joseph taught not just one, but many doctrines that seemed radical at the time, but with time have been found to very consistent with the recent discoveries of early Christian teachings is very impressive. And the fact that many prominent mainstream Christian scholars are starting to shift some of their beliefs in the direction of what Joseph taught centuries ago is impressive as well.
#4
Credibility of Joseph’s Revelations
Before beginning this chapter, let me add one more nugget of evidence to the mountain of evidence already amassed thus far in this paper for Joseph’s prophetic calling. Through Joseph Smith, God has revealed more scripture than the 10 the most prolific prophetic penmen of the past combined (including Moses, Isaiah, Paul, John etc.) Think about that! Try to pretend to be a prophet and publish even one revelation that millions of noble and intelligent people will deem to be from God for centuries to come! I don’t think it would be very easy to do that.
Authenticity of Scripture (revelations about the past)
Joseph revealed scripture that purports to describe real events among God’s people in the old and new world’s. If those scriptures are true, the more we find out about the ancient civilizations those scriptures describe, the more we should find connections between the two. But if more contradictions are found between the two as more discoveries are made with time, then the credibility of the scriptures Joseph revealed would go down.
Check out this list with links to over 200 evidences for the Book of Mormon!:
Non-Members have also recognized the impressive scholarship by members of the church which provide evidences for The Book of Mormon
For example, Paul Owen and Carl Mosser, graduates of Biola University co-authored authored an important article on Mormonism entitled “Mormon Scholarship, Apologetics, and Evangelical Neglect: Losing the Battle and Not Knowing It?” Where they recognize that in the last few decades a substantial body of legitimate scholars within the church have published a large volume of robust defenses of the church.
The Book of Mormon
Not only have things been confirmed that were unknowable to anyone in 1830,
but many of the confirmations to what was in the Book of Mormon were the exact opposite of what was believed by most of the world in 1830.
Connections to the Old World
Nahom and Bountiful
When Lehi's camp traveled in a south-southeast direction from Jerusalem through Arabia, Ishmael died and was buried at a place that was called Nahom (Lehi didn't name it that). From that point on Lehi’s camp went in an eastward direction, relatively shortly thereafter arriving at the seashore at a place rich in vegetation which Lehi's camp called Bountiful. Now, Joseph certainly didn't know names of places in Arabia let alone where they were. Since the production of the Book of Mormon, a little green strip of land on the southeastern shore of Saudi Arabia has been found. And it matches the Book of Mormon in that it is a land rich in honey, iron ore, and has a great place from which to launch a ship. No one in Joseph's day knew Saudi Arabia was anything else besides a barren desert. What's more exciting, is that this green strip of land is just due east of a place recently discovered to be called, guess what? Yes, Nahom! It is now known to be called the tribe and land of Nahom in precise the right time, and for even more evidence, two altars were found in the 1990s bearing the inscription NHM. Just like the Lord is spelled YHWY, vowels are often taken off in Hebrew. The parallels seem too striking to be coincidence.
Book of Mormon names (imagine trying to make up fake ancient hebrew names)
Alma, the name of two Book of Mormon male prophets, has characteristically been a female name in the new world. However, in the later twentieth-century, it was found in letters from Bar Kokhba and clay tablets from Ebla the name Alma, son of (different people), thus confirming it was a male name from around the same time and place as 600 B.C. in the ancient-near east. And both LDS and non-LDS scholars have found the following names from the Book of Mormon (not found in the Bible) to be authentically ancient Hebrew names: Paanchi, Pahorah, Mosiah, Sariah, Lehi, Nephi and others.
Connections to the New World
Complex civilizations in Ancient America
When the Book of Mormon was produced, critics laughed because it described a complex ancient American civilization with a written tradition. In 1830 no one thought such civilizations existed in ancient America. All they saw were the contemporary primitive civilizations of the Native Americans, and they had little to no knowledge of ancient civilizations in America. In subsequent decades however, ruins of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Jaredites and Nephites were found! And they were found to be very sophisticated and complex, with a written tradition as well!
Olmecs and Mayans
The Olmec civilization existed from approximately 1700 bce and terminated about 400 bce, while the Jaredite civilization existed roughly from 2000 bc to 400 bce. The Mayans began building cities about 400 bce and started to phase out around 200 ce, while the Nephite cities started springing up probably around 500 bce, and the destruction of their civilization started to occur around 300 ce.
The Olmec civilization has also been discovered to have existed north of the Mayan's. And remarkably, the Jaredite civilization in the Book of Mormon was north of the Nephite civilization.
In Mormon’s Codex, John Sorenson has found over 400 correspondences between the Book of Mormon, and what we have only recently discovered about the culture of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations.
Wordprint Analysis
A major university has compared the literary styles of Joseph Smith and his contemporaries to the authors of the Book of Mormon, Nephi, Mormon and Moroni and has found no significant parallels. It has also been demonstrated that Nephi, Mormon and Moroni have a large body of different literary styles and phrases that are unique to them, suggesting the book is what it purports to be.
No one evidence is very compelling by itself, but the combinations of evidences that the Book of Mormon has correct details about ancient civilizations that no one knew about in 1830 is very compelling.
Prophecies Fulfilled
Prophecies (revelations about the future)
Another way to recognize a true prophet is if they prophesy about things that actually later come to pass. If we look at the Bible, we realize that prophets receive different gifts for different purposes, and not all of them prophesy. But Joseph did prophesy, and if many of his prophecies have already come true, it would bolster his credibility as a prophet of God.
Prophecies about the destiny of the church
The Book of Mormon
In talking about latter-day America, The Book of Mormon says the latter-day church would be few in number, and have members in every nation. This is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
Moroni
Moroni, who delivered the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith, prophesied about Joseph Smith, and Joseph recorded it. Moroni said, “Your name shall be had for good and evil among all nations.” It’s remarkable that the church has spread to all nations and there are indeed strong opinions about Joseph Smith on both sides of the issue.
Joseph Smith
In 1830 when the church was organized, Joseph Smith said, “You know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it…This Church will fill North and South America- it will fill the world.” It’s happening before our very eyes.
In 1830 when the church was organized, Joseph Smith said, “You know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it…This Church will fill North and South America- it will fill the world.” It’s happening before our very eyes.
The Word of Wisdom
In February, 1833, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation that said in part: “In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation” (D&C 89:4).
The fact that many millions of dollars are spent annually in deceptive advertising to induce people to use harmful substances, even to counteract scientific and government findings against them, amply fulfills this portion of the revelation.
In the 1930s, the public was becoming increasingly worried about the health consequences of cigarettes. So cigarette companies began to use medical research and physicians to show the public that cigarettes were not harmful. instead of the American public finding out in the 1930s, it wasn’t until 1964 that the first surgeon general findings were made public.
Heavenly Father, through His prophets, is always steps ahead of the world.
Stephen Douglas
“Judge, you will aspire to the presidency of the United States; and if you ever turn your hand against me or the Latter-day Saints, you will feel the weight of the hand of the Almighty upon you; and you will live to see and know that I have testified the truth to you”
Douglas ran for president, spoke out against the Church, and lost to Lincoln 180 to 12 electoral votes, one of the biggest upsets in history. And less than a year later, at age forty-eight he died a broken hearted man
Willard Richards
Joseph told Willard, a large man: “one day you will be in the midst of a shower of bullets, friends on your left and right will fall, but there will not be a hole in your garment. It happened 1 year later at Carthage jail where Joseph and his brother Hyrum were martyred. And Willard was not struck once by a bullet.
Joseph Predicted his death
The last item written by Joseph Smith in his journal is an entry from Saturday, June 22, 1844, now recorded in History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 546: “I told Stephen Markham that if I and Hyrum were ever taken again we should be massacred, or I was not a prophet of God.”
Shortly thereafter he and Hyrum were placed in Carthage Jail and then murdered by a mob. Others who were with them survived the attack, but Joseph and his brother were killed, as predicted.
Critics try to point to prophecies by Joseph that didn’t pan out. It is a complex subject, and there are diverse opinions about it, but there are dozens of prophecies that did see fulfillment, which I think should be impressive enough.
What are the odds that a false prophet would be able to make dozens of predictions about both the past and the future, that would later prove to be right on?
#5
Personal Revelation: A Spiritual Witness
The first four evidences already discussed are based on human reasoning and logic. Although these evidences for Mormonism are compelling, people can always find compelling evidence on both sides of any issue. With regard to religion, God has allowed this so that we are not forced to choose something, but get to use our freedom to choose. Of course evidence can compel us in a certain direction, but the final stamp of approval about spiritual truths can only come from the Holy Ghost. (hence the scripture, they are ever learning, but unable to come to the knowledge of truth)
Principles About Spiritual Revelation
A confirmation from God by The Holy Spirit is the only way to have a complete surety if a religious belief is true.
Matthew 16:17
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (I’m sure there were learned people who think they had ‘evidence’ to show who Jesus was, but Peter discovered the truth, only by revelation from God.
Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
From Terryl Givens: proof that there are many ways of knowing (there is no moral calculus to tell us that child abuse is wrong, something inside of us tells us it is-the Holy Ghost)
How does God communicate to us through The Holy Spirit?
In three primary ways:
1. The Spirit of God communicates to our minds
John 16:13
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth
D&C 8:2-3
Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
2. The Spirit of God communicates to our hearts
Critics cite scriptures like Jeremiah that says the heart is deceitful, thus claiming a spiritual witness is not reliable (Jeremiah 17:9). They mock our claim, according to modern revelation, that a warm feeling in our hearts in one of the different ways God can confirm a spiritual truth to our souls. However, this notion is not without Biblical precedent. Yes, the human heart and mind can be full of sin and deceit. But when God reveals His will to us, how else can it be revealed but through the mind or heart? Here a few of many Biblical examples:
Acts 2:37
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do
Luke 24:30-32
Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul teaches that the fruit of the Spirit is peace, love, joy among other feelings.
In the scriptures understanding is linked to the heart many times. What this perhaps means, as Elder Bednar has said, is that while it’s important to use our minds and our rational capacity to obtain and evaluate information, if we use only that method, we will not yield true understanding. The scriptures suggest that true understanding occurs when the knowledge we have in our heads moves to our hearts, and then we begin to understand.
3. Blessing us with miracles/ “coincidences” that only seem able to be explained if God was the author of them
An example from my life (see the podcast)
Conversion Story Testimonies of Receiving Revelation From God
Since 1830, tens of millions of people have joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because they have experienced God speaking to their souls in beautiful ways through The Holy Ghost.
What are the odds that tens of millions of people would feel God’s Holy Spirit communicating to them in miraculous and beautiful ways that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s restored church on earth today, if Joseph Smith was a fraud?
Conclusion
5 Questions Regarding the 5 Categories
1. What are the odds that tens of millions of people would find great joy, lasting peace, healing, strength, direction, fulfillment, marvelous pearls of wisdom, and a closer relationship to Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and their loved ones, from a religion that was not inspired of God?
2. What are the odds that not just a few, but hundreds of people would make up eyewitness accounts, testifying to having seen miracles surrounding the early days of the church?
3. What are the odds that Joseph’s teachings, which were contrary to the Christian world of his day, would prove, with time to be very close to the teachings of the early Christian fathers, if Joseph was not a prophet?
4. What are the odds that a false prophet would be able to make dozens of predictions about both the past and the future, that would later prove to be right on?
5. What are the odds that tens of millions of people would feel God’s Holy Spirit communicating to them in miraculous and beautiful ways that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, if Joseph was a fraud?
While these evidences don’t absolutely prove Mormonism true, there is a compelling cumulative case that can be made. I invite all to look at these evidences before they draw conclusions about the church. And I invite all, while realizing there are evidences on both sides, to ask God, the ultimate source of truth for a confirmation, and ancient and modern scripture promises He WILL answer in His time and His way, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Tony Joshua Fieldson
