Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20060611.htm

PROFITABLY LEARNING FROM THE ERRORS OF THE CULTS
Part V: Profitably Learning From The Errors Of Mormonism
(Galatians 1:8-9 et al.)
  1. Introduction
    1. The Mormon "elders" who come neatly dressed to our doors appear to be positive, decent people, and that they are from a human perspective! They have "family nights," salute the American flag, prohibit divorce and all forms of substance abuse, and claim to believe in Christ and the Bible.
    2. However, the roots of this group are impacted by ancient, godless paganism, and this fact has influenced its beliefs to make it into a uniquely American, cultured kind of modern paganism (as follows):
  2. Profitably Learning From The Errors Of Mormonism, Galatians 1:8-9 et al.
    1. Don Hunt and Ed Decker in The God Makers reveal the following on the historical record of Mormonism:
      1. Joseph Smith, Mormonism's founder, began as a member of a Freemasonry lodge in Vermont. Indeed, so many of his followers joined the lodge that the other lodge members excommunicated Smith and his followers to maintain control of the lodge.
      2. Smith's claim to have been given the Book of Mormon on gold plates by the angel Moroni duplicates the Freemasonry tale of Enoch except for the name changes, so Mormonism started from Freemasonry!
      3. Indeed, the past head of Mormon Archaeological artifacts, Dr. Durham, once spoke before a General Assembly of Mormon Church Officials in Salt Lake city, believing he was giving positive new insight when he claimed Joseph Smith was not trying to get back to an initial Christianity in his religion, but original Freemasonry that came from the oriental mystery religions! For this claim and to his surprise, Durham was defrocked and barely able to keep his membership in the Mormon Church by signing its doctrinal statement again! His reference in this address to Freemasonry signs and symbols throughout Mormon artwork was taken seriously so that many statues in Salt Lake were chiseled to remove them!
      4. Joseph Smith was not martyred for his faith, but killed by the angry husband of the woman with whom Smith had committed adultery! As he died, the words he spoke according to the Mormons fit precisely an unfinished phrase every mason utters when he is in dire straits and seeks help from fellow masons!
      5. Smith's disciples fled Vermont and went to Salt Lake under the lead of Brigham Young, his successor.
    2. [Though we might cite many cases on lesser beliefs], Mormonism counters the Bible on key doctrines (I am indebted to Walter Martin, Kingdom of the Cults; Salem Kirban, Mormonism; a tract, "The Bible and Mormonism" by Roger I. Anderson and The Book of Mormon, 1981 ed. for this information):
      1. On page 459 at 3 Nephi 27:13-21 in The Book of Mormon, one is said to gain salvation by faith plus baptism, good works and enduring to the end. This gospel counters Ephesians 2:8-9 where faith alone in Christ alone saves. As Galatians 1:8-9 anathematizes one holding to a gospel gained from an angel from heaven that modifies the Gospel Paul gave in Scripture, the Mormon gospel is in grave error.
      2. Mormons hold the Bible is God's Word "as far as it is translated correctly," and that " . . . The Book of Mormon (is) the Word of God," Articles of Faith (of the Mormon Church), Ibid., Kirban, p. 31. Yet, as The Book of Mormon came from an alleged angel who gave an errant gospel according to the clear interpretation of its claims, and as the story of the angel Moroni's gift of the gold plates exactly mimics Freemasonry's tale of Enoch, and as we learned in our previous lesson that Freemasonry arose from ancient paganism, The Book of Mormon is obviously not God's inspired Word!
      3. Jesus is felt by Mormons to be Adam of the Garden of Eden, Journal of Discourses by Brigham Young, Ibid., p. 50. In sharp contrast, the Bible at Luke 1:35 and John 1:1, 3, 14 teaches the Holy Spirit caused Mary to conceive the Incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Eternal Creator God-come-in-the-flesh.
Lesson: Mormonism may be refined as a uniquely American religion, but it is still a FALSE cult with origins impacted through Freemasonry that arise from the ancient pagan oriental mystery religions.

Application: Accordingly, we must rely on 2 Timothy 3:13-17 (1) to avoid Mormonism's deception and (2) hold to the truth (a) on salvation, (b) on the inspiration of the Bible as God's sole written revelation and (c) on God and Christ, and (d) do the works the Bible alone directs! May we hold to the Gospel Paul taught, not shifting to the "updated" one by "an angel from heaven" in Moroni (Galatians 1:8-9), and may we heed 2 Timothy 3:13-17 to stay theologically orthodox!