In going to the Mormon website this was in the first part I encountered, under “Basic Beliefs”: “He has again established the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth through a prophet. This prophet whom the Lord called to restore God’s truth is named Joseph Smith.”
This statement puts the man Joseph Smith as the center of attention in this religion. It puts him in the position, just under Jesus Christ himself, as the last word on the subject of salvation. One test of the truthfulness of a religion of God is: does this religion glorify God, or a man? The fact that this religion overwhelmingly focuses on this man Joseph Smith is proof alone that it glorified this man more than God himself.
So let’s focus on this man and see what he was all about. He claimed to be a prophet of God, so let’s see if he was full of Jesus, or full of himself, or the enemy Satan. Joseph Smith’s book of Mormon teaches that the skin color of black was a curse from God to keep God’s people of white skin away from the cursed. White people are God’s people, and black people are cursed of God (2 Nephi 5:12). Joseph Smith felt the same way about the American Indians (Enos 1:20). What does this reveal about his heart? Hatred, false superiority, and self-exaltation.
And what about the multiple wives? Jesus taught differently. Joseph Smith’s motives here where clearly out of the lust of the flesh. The claim was that these women needed to be taken care of, so he married them: a noble act. This is far from the truth. He made wives of young girls that were well taken care of by their own fathers. But reluctantly, these men had to relinquish their protection of these daughters because of the power that Joseph Smith held over the congregation. You can read the statements of some of Joseph Smith’s closest friends who resented what he did for yourself.
Matthew 19 (Jesus Speaking) 4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
In the beginning God made them male and female. God made one man, Adam, and one woman, Eve. This was God’s perfect model of the unity between a man and one woman. Jesus said, “And the two will be one flesh”. He did not say and the man and his wives will be one flesh. Notice also how Jesus said that God allowed certain things in those days because of the hardness of their hearts, that Jesus came to clarify and make more perfect. Also notice how Jesus goes to the scriptures to prove his point.
Joseph Smith also claimed in one of his prophecies that Jesus second return would be during his lifetime. He has now been dead for some time.
Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
This verse at the end of the bible was the last word from Jesus himself.
Remember Jesus said there would come many false prophets in his name, and he said to beware and do not be fooled. So we need to test each one against the Word of the Lord. If they are true, they will stand up to the test as true. We can also put them to the same test that we do for Jesus himself. The fact that Jesus walked the earth, died on the cross, and rose again to walk the earth again has been confirmed by science, archeology, and history, many times over. There is absolutely no scientific proof of any of Joseph Smiths claims. The supposed golden plates have never been seen by any man. Joseph Smith conveniently claimed that they were to be hidden away. On the other hand many of his prophecies have been proven to be totally false. And this resultant book of Mormon, called “Another Testimony of Jesus Christ” has many contradictions the Holy Bible.
Jesus said, the way is narrow, and few there will be that find in. There are many in the churches today, and most of them do not get it. In fact there is no security in the church at all. If you go back to the early church, you’ll find a far different scenario than what we see in modern church services. The followers of Christ just after his death met in their own houses, and discussed the ways of Christ. Sermons and stage shows were not on the agenda. Just like rat poison is mostly good food, so goes these religions of men. It is a hidden subtle deception, that on the surface seems good.
Matthew 7 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
This rock Jesus was spoke of was the rock of the truth of Jesus Christ. The sand signifies building your faith upon the false churches, and false teachings of men, and the false prophets.
I applaud anyone truly seeking God in total servitude of him, and for his purposes. But many people seek out the church as a means to an end. And that end is a better life for them selves. This is a purely self-gratifying approach. These religions of men are mostly a trap from Satan. Are you looking for a self-fulfillment, or do you seek to serve your creator, which is your reasonable service to him, considering he created you and sent his son to pay for you redemption.