(Food) For Thought

This morning in Sunday School, we were blessed with the opportunity to have a panel of five mormon missionaries and one mormon “regional judge” come and have an open Q&A with our the senior class. Let me start off by commending them for their openness and bravery in coming to a “hostile” crowd of Baptist high school students. Their kindness should not go unstated, because it was truly an act of courage to walk into that auditorium knowing that they were going to face an intense amount of controversy and discordance. So, to these five elders and one regional judge, thank you. Thank you for your time, and thank you for your tolerance.

That said, I have never been so strongly in spiritual disagreement with one group of people in my entire life. I have discussed debated various doctrinal standpoints with many different denominations, I’ve talked about Jesus and my beliefs with friends who say they just wish we could all have “one big religion,” but I have never been so rattled by a single spiritual discussion. With other denominations, I can take comfort in the fact that I believe that they are saved and simply have a different view about baptism, etc. Even with lost friends, I realize that all I can do is pray for them and leave the rest to God. With mormons, my heart is broken. These people genuinely believe that they are going to heaven. Every ounce of their body, soul, and mind is working towards achieving the ultimate status in the mormon faith- the celestial heaven. Apart from works, the mormon faith is empty.

At one time during the Q&A, I read Proverbs 30:5-6, which says, “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” When I pointed out that the Book of Mormon is an addition to the Bible, the regional judge (basically, the “top dog”) intervened to answer that I myself did not know how the Bible was written in a chronological sense, and therefore could not say that Revelation was even the last book of the Bible. This irked me more than I can say, and I quickly rebutted saying that the Bible is inspired by God and was constructed and compiled by his disciplines whom he sovereignly chose. Somehow he managed to avoid answering my question.

Just a quick tid-bit about the mormon faith: mormons believe that their founder, Joseph Smith, received a divine vision from God, along with encrypted “holy” messages on several golden plates. Yes, you read that right. Mormons believe that God spoke to Joseph Smith by writing on dinner dishes. Personally, I find that absolutely ridiculous. Matthew 24:24 says, “For false Christs and prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect- if that were possible.” Somehow, the regional judge again managed to divert my question. Later while discussing the same topic, Jacob King came to my defense and read Galatians 1:8, which says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” I don’t think it could be said more clearly that that.

The thing about mormonism is it is so close to Christianity in so many ways that non-believers can be very easily deceived. Both religions claim to believe in grace, both read and (claim to) believe the Bible, and both have very faithful believers. Apart from religion, mormons are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. There’s a reason that mormonism is one of the fastest growing faiths in the world- they’re great people! They’re kind, they’re honest, they’re loving; they’re everything you could want in a neighbor and more! What they lack is doctrine.

As a Christian, I believe in the unfailing grace of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, I am nothing. My works, my efforts; they amount to nothing when compared to His surpassing greatness! Isaiah 64:4a says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Filthy rags are the best I have to offer Jesus. Jesus who is perfect. Jesus who is all things good and holy. Jesus, my Savior. All I can give Him are my disgusting, polluted, putrid rags! And yet in his surpassing kindness, He forgave me! Despite the fact that I literally have nothing to offer Him in return, He loved me. He took me in. He made me His child. 1 Corinthians 15:9 says, “But by grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them- yet not I, but the grace of God was with me.” 

No matter how hard I work, I will always fall short. No matter how many times I pray, I will always sin. No matter how often I read the Bible, I will never be perfect. Nothing can take my humanity away from me. But get this: God made me human! He created me in His likeness as a human, and He has a special and divine plan for my life! What could be greater than that?! He knows the past, the present, and the future. He is totally in control, and I could not be any happier with that. I have confidence that the world is in good hands. I leave you with 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, which says, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”