THE ONLY GOD
‘Thus all men who ascend to the glorious status of
Godhood can do so only by one method – by obedience to all the principles and
ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ… No prophet of record gave more
complete and forceful explanations of the doctrine that men can become Gods
than did the America Prophet, and, furthermore, he definitely pointed the
course which men must follow.’[1]
In
part 1 we saw that Mormons believe God was once a man who, through following
laws and principles, achieved Godhood. This God, Heavenly Father so called by
the Mormons, is the God of this planet but, according to Mormonism, there are
countless other Gods and planets out-there. Thus, the desire and hope for
Mormon men is that they too may be found worthy and attain Godhood.
‘…the Spirit of God fell upon me to a marked extent, and
the Lord revealed to me, just as plainly as the sun at noon-day, this
principle, which I put in a couplet: ‘As man now is, God once was; As God now
is, man may be’[2]
This
is Mormon doctrine, but not biblical doctrine.
The Bible does make mention that we can be as God, but this comes from
the one Jesus called the ‘father of lies’:
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:5
It
is Satan who would have us believe that we can be a God, but the Bible doesn’t
teach this. Rather it speaks of one true God, the only God, the one who is
eternally God.
Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer
the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the
last; and beside me there is no God.
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare
it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the
things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I
told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is
there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
Isaiah 44:6-8
Thou believest that there is
one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. James 2:19
THE TRANSCENDENT GOD
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9
Who is like unto
the Lord our God, who
dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven,
and in the earth! Psalm 113:5-6
The Bible speaks of God as the
Creator distinct from, and far above, His creation. He is unequalled,
unmatched, and unparalleled. He is supreme. He is God. We are not!
Mormons on the other hand are taught
that the God that they worship was just a glorified sinful man, in no way
distinct from His creation. How can one
worship such a God?
In a discussion with the Samaritan
woman at the well, Jesus revealed the true nature of God:
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24).
Joseph Smith, obviously knowing
more than Jesus, flatly denies that God is a Spirit:
‘That
which is without body or parts is nothing. There is no God in heaven but that
God who has flesh and bones’.[3]
This is not the God of the Bible.
Finally, the God of Mormonism is
neither omnipotent, omniscient, nor omnipresent.
‘God
is increasing in knowledge. If there was a point where man in his progression
could not proceed any further, the very idea would throw a gloom over every
intelligent and reflecting mind. God Himself is increasing and progressing in
knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end.’[4]
A God that is still learning, a God
that is still increasing and progressing is not all powerful and all knowing. Yet
the Bible declares there is none like God – He is a God who knows and purposes
all things.
O
lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine
uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and
my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in
my tongue, but, lo, O Lord,
thou knowest it altogether.
Thou hast beset me behind and
before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it
is high, I cannot attain unto it. Psalm
139:6
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his
own will… Ephesians 1:11
For
by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he
is before all things, and by him all things consist. Colossians 1:16-17
The God revealed in the Bible has nothing to learn.
He has no need to progress, He is and always has been omnipotent and
omniscient. The Bible also speaks of God’s omnipresence, this is yet something
else denied by Mormon leaders. Brigham Young said:
‘Some
would have us believe that God is present everywhere. It is not so. He is no
more every where present in person than the Father and Son are one in person’.[5]
Again, the leaders of Mormonism go against the clear and unambiguous teachings of the Bible.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
beholding the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the
heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that
I have builded? 1 Kings 8:27
Am I a God at hand, saith
the Lord, and not a God afar
off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith
the Lord. Do not I fill
heaven and earth? saith the Lord. Jeremiah 23:23-24
Conclusion
Is the God of Mormonism the same God revealed in
the Bible? Do Mormons and bible believing Christians worship the same God? The
answer is clearly no. Lord open the eyes of the Mormons to see their need of
you.
See part one here
[1] Milton R. Hunter, The
Gospel Through the Ages, p.115
[2] The Teachings of Lorenzo
Snow p.2
[3] Teachings of the Presidents
of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City, The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, 2000) p.42
[4] The Discourses of Wilford
Woodruff, p.3
[5] Teachings of the
Presidents: Brigham Young. p29
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