Apologetics

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Get good books into the hands of African pastors.

Want to help get doctrinally sound theology books into the hands of pastors in Africa? Here are two ways:

1). There’s the Portuguese Adopt a Pastor program for Mozambique, Africa (along with video introduction) here.

2). You can also support indigenous pastors in Liberia, Africa with books and other resources and learn more about the work of Village Church Planters by visiting their website here.

Not only are they desperate for help in sound doctrinal teaching, and not only are they in a spiritual battle against native pagan religions and the spread of Islam, but they also have the proliferation of cults to tend with (for more on cults in Africa see the Africa Center for Apologetics Research). These pastors are poor and can’t afford to attend the conferences that pastors in the West attend, nor can they afford to purchase the theological books that line our bookshelves and that we take for granted.

Will you consider helping the saints today?

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Quotes (855)

John MacArthur The charismatic movement is largely the reason the church is in the mess it’s in today. In virtually every area where church life is unbiblical, you can attribute it to the charismatic movement. In virtually every area — bad theology, superficial worship, ego, prosperity gospel, personality elevation — all of that comes out of the charismatic movement.

– John MacArthur

HT: The Paper Thin Hymn

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The lie of LDS unity.

If I had a nickel for every time a Mormon cited Christendom’s presence of denominations as proof that Christianity is apostate while citing their Mormon unity as proof that they’re the one true church, I’d have . . . well, an awful lot of nickels.

Chances are, if you’ve ever engaged Mormons in a debate you too have experienced this erroneous LDS apologetics tactic. But do not feel at a loss on how to cut through this smokescreen, for below is a list posted by 4 Mormon.org citing the plethora of Mormon splits, divisions, and denominations.

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MORMON SPLINTER GROUPS

Sects that broke away from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Proponents of the Salt Lake City based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as LDS or Mormons) boast of the alleged “unity” of their 12 million membership. Pointing to multiple denominations of Christian churches, Mormons attribute their “unity” (i.e., uniform church structure and belief) to latter-day revelation and to additional books they regard as Scripture.

They challenge the potential convert to read and pray about the Book of Mormon in order to gain a “testimony” of the truthfulness of the book. This “testimony” (consisting of a “burning in the bosom” sensation) is alleged to be the main test for determining whether the potential convert should become a member of the LDS Church. Given the fact that over 100 splinter groups have developed on the foundation of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, we question the validity of the Mormon “testimony” in solidifying the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the sole possessor of the “restored gospel.” Since all of these movements base their authority on the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph Smith, how can a “testimony” gained through praying about the Book of Mormon be sufficient to prove which church of all of these movements one should join? The following list of dissident groups is taken from the book Divergent Paths of Restoration:

FOUNDED BETWEEN 1830 AND 1844

  • Pure Church of Christ, Wycam Clark, 1831
  • The Independent Church, Hoton, 1832
  • Church of Christ, Ezra Booth, 1836
  • Church of Christ, Warren Parrish, 1837
  • The Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, The Lamb’s Wife, George M. Hinkle, 1840
  • Church of Christ, Hyrum Page, 1842
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, F. Gladden Bishop
  • True Church of Jessu Christ of Latter Day Saints, Law, Foster, Higbee, 1844
  • Church of Christ, William Chubby

NON-EXTANT MOVEMENTS FOUNDED 1844-1860

  • Church of Christ / Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion, Sidney Rigdon, 1844
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, James Emmett, 1844
  • Church of Christ, S. B. Stoddard, Leonard Rich, James Bump, 1845
  • Indian Mormon, 1846
  • Church of Christ, William McLellin, David Whitmer, 1847
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, William Smith, 1847
  • Congregation of Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion, Charles B. Thompson, 1848
  • Church of Christ, James C. Brewster, 1848
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Lyman Wight, 1849
  • The Bride, The Lamb’s Wife or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jacob Syfritt, 1850
  • Church of Christ, Hazen Aldrich, 1851

EXTANT MOVEMENTS

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, James J. Strang, 1844

  • Church of Christ, Aaron Smith, 1846
  • Church of the Messiah, George J. Adams, 1861
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
  • Holy Church of Jesus Christ, Alexandre R. Caffiaux
  • House of Ephraim and House of Manasseh of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jerry Sheppard
  • The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, David L. Roberts
  • Marriage Counseling Group
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, John J. Hajicek
  • Strangite Believers in Pennsylvania

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young, 1847

  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Church of the First Born, Joseph Morris, 1861
  • The Prophet Cainan or Church of Jesus Christ of the Saints of the Most High God, George Williams, 1862
  • Morrisite Group, John Livingston, 1864
  • Church of Zion, William S. Godbe, 1868
  • Church of the First Born, George S. Dove, 1874
  • Priesthood Groups (Fundamentalists), 1890
  • United Order of Equality, Ephraim Peterson, 1909
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Israel, J. H. Sherwood
  • Order of Aaron, Maurice L. Glendenning
  • Church of Freedom of Latter Day Saints, 1950s
  • Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi, Marl V. Kilgore, 1951
  • The Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Joel F. LeBaron
  • The Church of the Firstborn, Ross W. LeBaron, 1955
  • Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter Day Saints, William C. Conway, 1958
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, John Forsgren, 1960
  • Church of Jesus Christ, William Goldman, 1960
  • LDS Scripture Researchers/Believe God Society, Sherman Russell Lloyd, 1965
  • The Church of the Body and of the Spirit of Jessu Christ, Max Powers, 1965
  • United Order of the Saints of Guadeloupe, Michel Gamiette, 1966
  • United Order of the Family of Christ, David E. Desmond, 1966
  • Split from Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi, Eldon Taylor, 1969
  • Homosexual Church of Jesus Christ, Denver, Colorado, 1972
  • Latter Day Saints Church, N.S. Park, 1972
  • The Church of the Lamb of God, Ervil M. LeBaron, 1972
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Mikhail Krupenia, 1972
  • The New Jerusalem Group, Kathryn Carter, 1972
  • The Watchmen on the Towers of Latter Day Israel, Miltenberg, Braun, 1973
  • Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly, Alexnader Joseph, 1974
  • Evangelical Church of Christ, Church of the New Covenant in Christ, John W. Bryant, 1974
  • Split form Zion’s Order of the Sons of Levi, Barton Kilgore, 1975
  • Affirmation, 1975
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Robert Simons, 1975
  • Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Bruce Wakeham, 1975
  • Aaronic Order Break-off, 1977
  • Christ’s Church, Inc., Gerald Peterson, 1978
  • Church of Jesus Christ, Art Bulla, 1978
  • The Restorers or School of the Prophets, Robert C. Crossfield, 1979
  • Zion’s First International Church, LeeAnn Walker, 1980
  • The Free Will Mormon Church, Franklin Lee Coleman, 1980
  • Church of Jesus Christ, Jorge Mora, 1981
  • Sons Ahman Israel, Davied Israel, 1981
  • Samoan LDS Church, New Zealand, 1981
  • The Millennial Church of Jesus Christ, Leo P. Evoniuk, 1981
  • Peyote Way Church of God, Immanuel P. Trujillo, 1981
  • The Chruch of Jesus Christ of the Saints in Zion, Ken Asay, 1984
  • Break from the Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly, 1984
  • Church of Jesus Christ of All Latter-day Saints or Restoration Church of Jesus Christ, Antonio A. Feliz, 1985
  • Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints, Robert P. Madison, 1985
  • Church of Christ the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Siegfried J. Widmar, 1985
  • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Fundamentalists, Wight Family, 1985
  • Mormon Fundamentalists, England, Alan and Marian Munn, 1986
  • Churchof Jesus Christ Omnipotent, 1987
  • Community of Zion, Central Utah Division
  • Church of the First Born, General Assembly

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ, Alpheus Cutler, 1853

  • Church of Jesus Christ, Clyde Fletcher, 1953
  • The Restored Church of Jesus Christ, Eugene O. Walton, 1979

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1851-1860

  • Church of the Christian Brotherhood, Richard C. Evans, 1917
  • The Church of Christ, the Order of Zion, John Zahnd, 1918
  • The Church of Jesus Christ, Thomas W. Williams, 1925
  • Church of Jesus Christ Restored, Stanley M. King, 1970
  • New Jerusalem Church of Jesus Christ, Barney Fuller, 1975
  • Church of Christ Restored, Paul Fishel, 1976
  • True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Forrest Toney, 1980
  • Church of the Restoration or Churches of Christ in Zion, Robert Chambers, 1981
  • Lamanite Ministries for Christ or New Covenant Ministries for Christ, 1984
  • Restoration Branches Movement, 1984
  • Church of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, A. Lee Abramson, 1985
  • Church of Jesus Christ, Zion’s Branch, John Cato, 1986
  • Church of Christ, David Clark, 1986
  • Independent Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Christopher C. Warren, 1986
  • Native Indian Church

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ, William Bickerton, 1862

  • Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Allen Wright, 1907
  • Primitive Church of Jesus Christ, James Caldwell, 1914

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of Church of Christ (Temple Lot), Granville Hedrick, 1863

  • Church of Christ, Independent, Informal, Frank F. Wipper, 1927
  • The Church of Christ, Otto Fetting, 1929
  • Church of Christ, P.A. Ely, 1929
  • Church of Christ, C.W. Humphrey, 1929
  • Church of Christ, Samuel Wood, E.J. Trapp, 1930
  • Church of Christ (Restored), A.C. DeWolf, 1936
  • Church of Christ, E. E. Long, Thomas Nerren, 1936
  • Church of Christ, Paul Hilgendorf, 1942
  • The Church of Christ With the Elijah Message, W. A. D. Draves, 1943
  • Church of Christ, Pauline Hancock, 1946
  • Antarctica Development Interests or the New American’s Mount Zion, John Leabo, 1955
  • Church of Christ at Zion’s Retreat, Gerald Hall, 1973
  • The Church of Israel, Dan Gayman, 1973
  • Break from the Church of Christ (Hancock), Davison, Michigan, 1973
  • The Church of Christ, Restored Gospel 1929, 1985
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Seizing the crumbs hurled from the celebrity table.

Ingrid Schlueter hits the nail on the head with her article (reprinted in its entirety below) about pop sensation Justin Bieber and the Christian conservatives who now have a “legitimate” reason to fawn over him because of his announcement that he’s opposed to abortion.

I suppose that since Bieber has been Christianized merely because he’s pro-life and claims to be a Christian (even though he’s not opposed to sex outside of marriage) there’s no longer a need to come up with a Christian version of Biebler for Christian preteens to idolize as has been done in this video.

At the end of her piece Ingrid links to a Christianity Today article that asks:

Has your pastor caught Bieber fever? Your preteen daughter surely knows that Justin Bieber’s first feature film is opening this Friday, Feb. 11, in theaters everywhere. But does your pastor know? Or your church’s youth leaders?

Why? Why is the “church” so fascinated with all things worldly? Why is the “church” always found singing the same songs of the world, watching the same movies of the world, dressing in the same fashions of the world, placing the same level of interest in the celebrities of the world, and having the same worldview of the world? Aren’t we supposed to be separate? Aren’t we commanded to not love the world and the things in the world (James 4:4 and 1 John 2:15-16)?

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Bieber Fever Strikes Conservatives

by Ingrid Schlueter

It doesn’t take much to impress conservatives these days. It doesn’t matter if you stand on a stage with only postage stamps for a covering as long as you state your support for family values. Just ask Carrie Prejean, Miss USA from a couple of years ago, who overnight became the instant pin-up girl for conservatives who were sent into spasms of delight as she defended traditional marriage while flaunting her surgically enhanced bosom. (This was before the sex tape scandal came out.)

Another nearly naked values warrior, Teresa Scalan, strutted her stuff in a black bikini and then warmed the hearts of (mostly male) conservatives nationwide after she announced she was headed to a Christian college. She gave God the credit for her winning the Miss America pageant. News comment sections were immediately filled with conservative wolf-whistles. “Another red-hot Republican babe ready to launch,” crowed one devoted fan.

Now conservatives have really hit the jackpot as Justin Bieber, adolescent pop star, announced in a Rolling Stone interview that he was opposed to abortion. That’s all it took for pro-life groups to vault him to the top of their lists within hours. Press releases were immediately forthcoming as pro-lifers eagerly claimed him as their own.

But wait! In the same interview in Rolling Stone, Bieber was asked about his views on sex before marriage. In that Bieber identifies as an evangelical Christian, it was a valid question, and given the millions of hormonally-charged females biting their fists worldwide at his photo, an interesting one. But Bieber disappoints.

“I don’t think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them. … I think you should just wait for the person you’re … in love with,” he said.

In that babies conceived out of wedlock are at the highest risk of being murdered in the womb, Bieber’s views on premarital sex are hardly conservative and hardly helping the pro-life cause.

That hasn’t stopped pro-life groups from seizing at this crumb hurled from the celebrity table, regardless of how contradictory his interview was.

When naked beauty queens and boy pop stars not old enough to shave are seen as bright lights in the conservative values crusade, our problems in this country are clearly deeper than abortion.

As a side note, Christianity Today Entertainment (you read that correctly) last week asked readers if their pastors and churches were getting “Bieber fever?” Undoubtedly they are. God has given American evangelicals the kind of leadership they crave: girly men whose god is their own reflection.

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See DefCon’s previous related post The idolatry of celebrity worship: Giving to man what rightly belongs to God.

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Quotes (853)

The ladder is long enough to reach from Jacob prostrate on the earth to Jehovah reigning in heaven. To bring another ladder would be to suppose that He failed to bridge the distance, which would grievously dishonor Him. If to add to His words is to draw a curse upon ourselves, what must it be to pretend to add to Himself? Remember that He Himself is the Way. To suppose that we must, in some manner, add to the divine road is to be arrogant enough to think of adding to Him. Away with such a notion! Loathe it as you would blasphemy, for in essence it is the worst of blasphemy against the Lord of love.

– C. H. Spurgeon

1834 – 1892

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A video for Nikki.

In response to Chuck Smith’s worldly and utterly unbiblical counsel to Nikki, I offer this video of baby Elliot who (according to doctors) wasn’t supposed to make it to birth. I pray that this video finds its way to Nikki before it’s too late.

First posted on DefCon on July 7, 2008

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Quotes (852)

Gary Gilley The primacy of the Word of God during [the early decades of the 1700s] was seen in the highly doctrinal sermons, which were addressed to both the heart and the mind. The plain-style worship services ensured that the focus was neither on the minister nor on the surroundings but on the God who addressed them in the Word.

– Gary Gilley

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Sermon of the week: “No Graven Images” by Phil Johnson.

Your sermon of the week is No Graven Images by Phil Johnson. This is the next installment of Johnson’s series on the Ten Commandments that will be featured on DefCon every other week as your Sermon of the Week (on Thursdays).

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Unbelievable abortion counsel from Calvary Chapel’s Chuck Smith.

Chuck Smith’s advice: God will be with you while you kill your child and He won’t condemn you for it.

Voddie Baucham’s reaction to this ungodly counsel (from Facebook):

I must admit that this one made me ANGRY! I’m on the road preaching at a pro-life banquet and someone sent me this YouTube video of Chuck Smith (founder of Calvary Chapel) giving abortion advice that made me want to throw something (or someone). This woman is agonizing right now over this decision, and a pastor just told her Jesus would be alright with her killing her children. Please pray for her.

Here is a video for Nikki to help encourage her to do the right thing in her decision; and this same video is for Chuck Smith to encourage him to repent and retract his worldly, unbiblical position:

A video for Nikki

 

 

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Quotes (851)

I feel it a duty to bear my solemn testimony against the spirit of the day we live in, to warn men against its infection. It is not Atheism I fear so much, in the present times, as Pantheism. It is not the system which says nothing is true, so much as the system which says everything is true. It is not the system which says there is no Savior, so much as the system which says there are many saviors, and many ways to peace! It is the system which is so liberal, that it dares not say anything is false. It is the system which is so charitable, that it will allow everything to be true. It is the system which seems ready to honor others as well as our Lord Jesus Christ, to class them all together, and to think well of all. It is the system which is so careful about the feelings of others, that we are never to say they are wrong. It is the system which is so liberal that it calls a man a bigot, if he dares to say, “I know my views are right.” This is the system, this is the tone of feeling which I fear in this day, and this is the system which I desire emphatically to testify against and denounce. From the liberality which says everybody is right, from the charity which forbids us to say anybody is wrong, from the peace which is bought at the expense of truth – may the good Lord deliver us!

– J.C. Ryle

1816 – 1900

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Sermon of the week: “No Other Gods” by Phil Johnson.

Your sermon of the week is No Other Gods by Phil Johnson. This is part one (minus two preludes found here and here) of Johnson’s series on the Ten Commandments that will be featured on DefCon every other week as your Sermon of the Week (on Thursdays).

This is a great series that you won’t want to miss.


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Quotes (850)

A W PinkA preacher may induce a man to believe what Scripture says about his lost condition, persuade him to bow to the divine verdict, and then accept Christ as his personal Savor. No man wants to go to Hell, and if he is assured intellectually that Christ stands ready as a fire escape, on the sole condition that he jump into His arms (“rest on His finished work”), thousands will do so. But a hundred preachers are unable to make an unregenerate person realize the dreadful nature of sin, or show him that he has been a lifelong rebel against God, or change his heart so that he now hates himself and longs to please God and serve Christ. Only the Spirit can bring man to the place where he is willing to forsake every idol, cut off a hindering right hand, or pluck out an offending right eye (see Matthew 5:27-30).

– A.W. Pink

1886 – 1952

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Glenn Beck’s Trojan Horse.

Last year, Mormon radio host Glenn Beck swept the conservative political movement off its feet (and many Evangelical Christians as well) with his Divine Destiny rally.

At that time (and since) many non-discerning Christians have embraced Glenn Beck as a brother in Christ and have even made excuses and justifications for his Mormon theology (a theology that’s antithetical to biblical Christianity).

But now, while Beck’s Trojan Horse sits benevolently within the walls of Evangelicalism, the trapdoor on the underbelly of the wooden horse is opening to reveal its contents . . . and it isn’t pretty.

Brannon Howse has written an article on Beck’s new book (co-authored by Keith Ablow).  The book, entitled The 7 Wonders That Will Change Your Life, has revealed Beck’s New Age leanings. And judging by the quotes cited from Beck’s book, it makes Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now look like a doctrinally sound tome of deep Christian theology.

Below are some of the quotes from Beck’s book that I obtained from Brannon Howse’s article (you can read the entire exposé here.)

I can’t help but wonder if the Mormon organization is going to publicly renounce the New Age teachings in Beck’s book (and discipline Beck), and I wonder if the Christians who supported Beck–claiming that he was indeed a Christian–are going to retract their support (or at least distance themselves).

Page 154:

“As Keith likes to say, ‘There’s no original sin left in the world. Everyone’s just recycling pain now.'”

Page 165:

“People are inherently good.”

Page 157:

“Finding what worked for me made all the difference. Finding what works for you will do the same.”

Page 162:

“There is no infant delivered evil, out of the womb. There never has been. Not even one…Charles Manson was not born evil. Ted Bundy wasn’t. The BTK killer wasn’t. Hitler wasn’t.”

Page 149:

“Latter-day Saints do not believe that your chances ever cease, even with death. They end only with the full understanding and denial of truth by your own exercise of real free will. And even then there is no ‘lake of fire.'”

Page 149-150:

“I questioned everything I could think to question about the faith. I went over my doubts again and again with the church bishop. I read everything there was to read on their website and every word of Mormon Doctrine…I went to anti-Mormon literature for hints, but I found most of it to be unfair or just plain wrong. I tried every trick I could think of to find a contradiction. The problem was that I couldn’t. Mormonism seemed to explain the world and my place in it better than any other faith I had looked at.”

Page 132:

“Pray to whatever higher power you believe in…Praying that God or Nature or the Cosmos or your own internal, immeasurable reservoir of spirit allows you the courage and faith to find and then face the truth…”

Page 74:

“Just be sure you visit with a minister or therapist from a religion or healing discipline you actually have affinity for, or suspect you might.”

Page 57:

“The third chapter of Exodus helped me start to understand how crucial it was that my focus be on finding God not just in the seas or the cosmos, but in myself.”

Page 58:

“If God is everything and everywhere and inside everyone, then I figured He had to be inside me, too…”

Page 71:

“Divine power is still inside you.”

Page 283:

“Reach out to people to steady them and enrich them and reflect back to them the light that comes from God inside them.”

Page 254:

“You won’t doubt your ability to achieve what you want to achieve in this life because you won’t doubt that God is not only by your side, but inside you.”

Page 79:

“You have a polestar inside you. It is connected with all the energy in the universe. When you begin to follow that star you align yourself with immeasurable, inexplicable forces that will actually help you manifest your best intentions.”

Page 85:

“As you commit to unlocking and bringing forth the truth inside you, don’t be afraid to pray for help. Don’t be reticent to sit with yourself in silence and meditate. Connect with the miracle of spirit, of God, that has lived inside you from long before you were born.”

Brannon Howse also aptly observes Beck and Ablow’s common application of terms of subjective truth:

Beck’s book uses the phrase “Your truth” or “your true path” or “my truth” at least 23 times. Here are a few examples:

“It is never too late to embrace your truth.” (Page 124)

“What is your truth whispering?” (Page 130)

“Use compassion to stay on the path to your own truth… (Page 161)

“…determination to unearth and embrace my truth.” (Page 215)

“The fact that I am always attempting to honor my truth… (Page 216)

“There is only your truth.” (Page 220)

“You must use courage and faith to empty the hard drive of your soul and then fill it with your truth.” (Page 288)


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Quotes (849)

To come to Jesus with a price in our hand would be insufferable pride, even if we had any price that we could bring. What does He need from us? What could we bring if He did need it? Would He sell the priceless blessings of His redemption? That which He wrought out in His heart’s blood, would He barter it with us for our tears and vows, or for ceremonial observances, feelings, and works? He is not reduced to making a market of Himself. He will give freely, as befitting His royal love. The person who offers a price to Him knows not with Whom he is dealing, nor how grievously he vexes His free spirit.

– C. H. Spurgeon

1834 – 1892

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Sermon of the week: “The Three Most Important Facts of Life” by Rick Holland.

Your sermon of the week is The Three Most Important Facts of Life by Rick Holland. In this message from the 2008 Resolved Conference, Rick Holland discusses what so many pastors avoid: The taboo subjects of death and Hell.

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Is Joseph Smith the gateway to heaven?

Joseph Fielding SmithAbsolutely amazing blasphemies from the Mormon church:
“[There is] “no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth…no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God” -Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190
George Q. Cannon
“If we get our salvation, we shall have to pass by Joseph Smith; if we enter our glory, it will be through the authority he has received. We cannot get around him.” -1988 Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide, p. 142, Apostle George Q. Cannon
Brigham Young

“He that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is anti-christ.” -Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p.312

“No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith…every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are… [Joseph Smith] reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven. Many will exclaim—”Oh, that is very disagreeable! It is preposterous! We cannot bear the thought!” But it is true.” -Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.289-91

Gordon B. Hinckley

“Our entire case as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rests on the validity of this glorious First Vision. … Nothing on which we base our doctrine, nothing we teach, nothing we live by is of greater importance than this initial declaration. I submit that if Joseph Smith talked with God the Father and His Beloved Son, then all else of which he spoke is true. This is the hinge on which turns the gate that leads to the path of salvation and eternal life.” -Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign Mag., Nov. 1998, pp.70-71

Orson Hyde

“I tell you, Joseph holds the keys, and none of us can get into the celestial kingdom without passing by him. We have not got rid of him, but he stands there as the sentinel, holding the keys of the kingdom of God; and there are many of them beside him. I tell you, if we get past those who have mingled with us, and know us best, and have a right to know us best, probably we can pass all other sentinels as far as it is necessary, or as far as we may desire. But I tell you, the pinch will be with those that have mingled with us, stood next to us, weighed our spirits, tried us, and proven us: there will be a pinch, in my view, to get past them. The others, perhaps, will say, If brother Joseph is satisfied with you, you may pass. If it is all right with him, it is all right with me. Then if Joseph shall say to a man, or if brother Brigham say to a man, I forgive you your sins, “Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them;” if you who have suffered and felt the weight of transgression—if you have generosity enough to forgive the sinner, I will forgive him: you cannot have more generosity than I have. I have given you power to forgive sins, and when the Lord gives a gift, he does not take it back again.” -Apostle Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p.154-155

But what saith the eternal Word of God?

1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Source: MormonWiki

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Quotes (848)

Peruse the Christian marketplace, and you will find a plethora of books, songs, and paintings that depict God as a loving Father. And He is that. . . . Yes, God is a loving Father, but He is also a wrathful Judge. In His wrath He hates sin. . . . And in some sense, God also hates sinners. You might ask, “What happened to ‘God hates the sin and loves the sinner’?” Well, the Bible happened to it.

– David Platt