Witnessing to Mormons with the Book of Mormon
Paul did some surprising things to share the gospel. Do you remember when he was in Athens? He went through the city, noticing the idols, when he found one to the unknown God. When he was on Mars hill he used that idol to introduce the gospel. In Acts 17:28 he quoted their pagan poets. Paul used his knowledge of their beliefs to share the gospel in a way they understood. Acts 17:34 tells us some believed. We can use the Book of Mormon to share the gospel the same way Paul used Greek idols and pagan poets. When we use the Book of Mormon, they face a dilemma: They cannot believe the Book of Mormon and the LDS plan of salvation. The Book of Mormon usually teaches an almost biblical version of salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus. Remind those to whom you witness that Joseph Smith said, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 194 D&C 27:5 claims Jesus proclaimed the Book of Mormon to contain the fullness of his everlasting gospel. Tell them, "If I accepted the Book of Mormon as the most correct book on earth, if I claimed it as the keystone of my religion, and if I believed it contained the fullness of the everlasting gospel, then I would have to reject the Mormon plan of salvation because the Book of Mormon does not teach it." In my Bible I have an index card with the Joseph Smith quote, the D&C reference, and some questions. Using these notes, I ask one or more of these questions which the Bible and the Book of Mormon answer, "No." Are there countless Gods over countless worlds? "And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. Now Zeezrom said, Is there more than one God? And he answered, No." Al. 11:27-29 The Book of Mormon specifically contradicts the belief that there are countless gods over countless worlds. They may say, "You're taking it out of context. There is only one God over this world." The Book of Mormon makes an unqualified statement that there is only one God. Is God an exalted man? "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." Mo. 8:18 The Book of Mormon specifically contradicts the belief that God was a man and he became a god. They may say, "He is unchangeable in his purpose. It was always his purpose to progress to exaltation." The Book of Mormon says He is unchangeable in His being. God has always been God. I wish I had a tape of the most one-sided conversation I think I have ever had with a Mormon. I shared this passage with him, and for nearly twenty minutes he tried to explain it. Every time he offered an explanation, he realized there was a problem with it. "He is unchanging in his purpose. I know it says being but it means purpose. That sounds like I am changing the passage but I am really not. God is progressive. Going from humanity to deity sounds like change, but his purpose was always to be a god. I know progression sounds like change, but his purpose was always the same. I know it says being, but he really didn't change his being, only his form. I know that sounds like he changed, but he really didn't." For nearly twenty minutes I did not have to say anything. He was realizing for himself that the Book of Mormon contradicts the Mormon concept of God. Do people have a chance to be saved after death? "For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked." Al. 34:35 The Book of Mormon specifically contradicts the belief that there is a chance to be saved after death. It teaches that if you belong to the devil when you die, you belong to the devil forever. They may try to tell you that the term "wicked" is a reference to specific wicked people like fallen angels, apostates, Zarahemlites, or some other Book of Mormon race. This passage defines the wicked as anyone who procrastinates the day of repentance until death. After discussing one or more of these passages, start sharing the true plan of salvation. The Book of Mormon can lead into that, too. Tell them, "I told you earlier that if I accepted the Book of Mormon as the most correct book on earth, if I claimed it as the keystone of my religion, and if I believed it contained the fullness of the everlasting gospel, then I would have to reject the Mormon plan of salvation because the Book of Mormon does not teach it. However, the Book of Mormon does agree with the Bible about the need to be born again and that salvation comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." The Book of Mormon says, "And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; and thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God." Mos. 27:25-26 Mormonism teaches that "born again" means baptism. The Book of Mormon teaches that "born again" means becoming sons and daughters of God. It specifically contradicts the belief that we are already God's children. If we do not become sons and daughters, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. The Book of Mormon also says, "But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." Mos. 3:12 Here the Book of Mormon does not teach the need for works to be saved. It emphasizes repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is an example of notes you can make with the quotes on one side and the questions on the other. "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book." Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p. 194 Fullness of the everlasting gospel D&C 27:5 Are there countless gods over countless worlds? Alma 11:27-29 Is God an exalted man? Moroni 8:18 Do people have a chance to be saved after death? Alma 34:35 Born again - Mosiah 27:25-26 Salvation through faith - Mosiah 3:12 Notice the underlined words. These words can help you remember to say, "If I believed the Book of Mormon to be the most correct of any book on earth, if I claimed it as the keystone of my religion, and if I believed it contained the fullness of the everlasting gospel, then I would have to reject the Mormon plan of salvation because the Book of Mormon does not teach it. At some point they may ask you to read from the Book of Mormon and to claim the Book of Mormon promise, "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask of God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." Mo. 10:4 If you are not convinced that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, they may say you were not sincere, did not ask in faith, or did not have real intent to learn the truth. That the Book of Mormon is not the word of God is not apparent to them. When they ask you to claim this promise, tell them, "The Bible will not let me pray that prayer." "Why not?" "I have heard that manifestation described as a 'burning in the bosom,' but a burning in the bosom is not a biblical guide to truth. In fact, it violates the warning in Jer. 17:9, 'The heart is deceitful above all things.' I cannot follow this word of God warning and claim the Book of Mormon promise." Do not violate this biblical warning. They probably will insist that you violate it, implying that you do not trust God if you do not violate it. That should tell you something is wrong. For witnessing in Utah, you can make a Book of Mormon survey with the three questions mentioned earlier. Introduce the survey by asking, "Does the Book of Mormon answer yes or no to the following questions? Can you give any references?" After they respond, tell them the Book of Mormon answers all three with an emphatic "No." If you have a Book of Mormon with you, you can look up the references right then and there. If they want to go home and look the passages up themselves, give them a copy of the questions, the references, and a way to contact a Christian in their area. This will probably work better going door-to-door than in street witnessing. On the street, people are in a hurry and they do not know who is watching. The fear that someone is noticing who talks to a Christian witness can be a valid fear in Utah. Someone may also be watching Christian witnesses going door-to-door, but people at least feel a little more secure at home. You may feel that witnessing with the Book of Mormon is not a worthy approach, but remember that it does have a biblical precedent with Paul on Mars hill. May God bless our efforts as He blessed Paul's. How to Become a Christian / How to be Saved links in various languages The Teaching Ministry Home Page Stepherson@TeachingMinistry.com "Witnessing to Mormons with the Book of Mormon" Copyright (c) 1997, Mark Stepherson, Box 6008, Ft Worth, TX 76115
An Alternative Approach to Reaching Mormons by Mark J. Cares In your attempts to reach Mormons with the historical gospel of salvation, do you find yourself debating Mormonism with them or witnessing Christ to them? Both have their place, but they constitute different approaches. A debater focuses on exposing the negatives of Mormonism, while a witness concentrates on presenting the positives of Christ’s vicarious work (although neither approach necessarily excludes using elements of the other). Debating frequently establishes an adversarial relationship between the Christian and the Mormon. Witnessing, on the other hand, strives to create a caring climate. The goal of debating is to win the argument, while the goal of witnessing is to win the Mormon. A debater usually addresses the problems Christians have with Mormonism, while a witness addresses (among other things) the problems Mormons themselves have with Mormonism. Most importantly, debating often relies on the power of human reason unaided by the Holy Spirit, while witnessing principally relies on the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God (Rom. 1:16) in addition to human reason. Debating Mormonism with Mormons has it place. As is true in all outreach efforts, however, witnessing is to be the Christian’s primary activity. Over the years many Christians who have tried to witness Christ to Mormons have come away frustrated. Maybe you have been in this position. You talked about Jesus being your Savior — citing numerous passages and stressing salvation by grace alone — only to find the Mormon enthusiastically agreeing with you! You felt stymied. You knew that Mormonism and Christianity are diametrically opposed. But no matter what you said, you couldn’t get that point across. One solution to this dilemma is to debate Mormonism with them. Too often, however, when this happens people end up majoring on the minors. Although the contradictions in Mormon teaching or the problems in their history are fertile ground for debate, they are minor points compared to the gospel. And too often in debating Mormons, a positive witness to Christ and His saving work is not even made or, at best, receives short shrift. I would like to propose a different solution to the problem of communicating the vast differences between Mormonism and Christianity to Mormons. It strives to keep Jesus and the gospel as the focal points of the discussion. Respect Their Language. Many Christians recognize that terminology differences exist between Mormonism and Christianity. Fewer realize that these differences are so vast that Mormonism has a language all its own. Still fewer respect those differences sufficiently to make a concerted effort to learn and then use that language when talking to Mormons. Using their language, however, is almost a prerequisite for communicating clearly with Mormons. Knowing their language means understanding, for example, that they commonly equate salvation with the bodily resurrection from the dead. This is why they can agree that Jesus is their Savior — they believe he "saved" them from physical death. When you talk to Mormons about salvation, what comes to their minds is not thoughts of heaven, but thoughts of the resurrection. Mormon author Joyce Bowen Maughan illustrates this in her book for small children when she writes: "Jesus was the first to be resurrected and because of him, all the people on the earth will someday be resurrected. That is why we call him ‘the Savior’" (Talks for Tots, Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1985, 113). Christians often think that when Mormons agree that they are saved by grace alone they are being deceptive. Their agreement, however, is frequently rooted in miscommunication, not deception. If you want Mormons to talk about how they are going to get to heaven, it is much better to ask them how they will be "exalted." Although they equate exaltation with becoming a god, at least you have gotten the conversation to the point where they are addressing their eternal destiny. An alternative would be to ask them what they need to do to live with "Heavenly Father." Other examples of such terminology differences abound. Mormonism truly has a language all its own, and witnessing effectively to Mormons begins with learning and using that language. Recognize Their Stress. Although Mormons commonly appear self-assured and self-righteous, many are undergoing great stress. This is because Mormonism holds up perfection as an attainable goal. The one Bible passage the Mormon church constantly holds up before its membership is Matthew 5:48: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (KJV). They then expound on it with numerous exhortations to strive for perfection. Spencer W. Kimball, for example, wrote: "Being perfect means to triumph over sin. This is a mandate from the Lord. He is just and wise and kind. He would never require anything from his children which was not for their benefit and which was not attainable. Perfection therefore is an achievable goal" (Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979, 386). This emphasis on perfection permeates every aspect of a Mormon’s life. Its most common form is the unending demand on them to be "worthy." Every privilege in Mormonism is conditioned on a person’s worthiness. Kimball wrote: "All blessings are conditional. I know of none that are not" (Remember Me, Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1989, 23). The Mormons’ obsession with perfection creates a great deal of stress. Although they try to hide it, anxiety is bubbling beneath the surface in countless Mormons. Christians need to recognize that this constant striving for perfection — and the resultant stress it produces — offers an excellent opening to talk to Mormons about Jesus and the imputed perfection we receive through Him. Many Mormons turned a deaf ear and put up their defenses when I talked to them about Joseph Smith or discarded Mormon doctrines. The same held true when I discussed God’s nature with them. Most weren’t troubled or concerned about these issues. In fact, numerous converts to Mormonism have told me that one of the things that initially attracted them to Mormonism was that it made God understandable to them. In other words, they listed Mormonism’s view of God’s nature as one of its strengths! In striking contrast, many have perked up their ears when I broached the subject of perfection. Instead of trying to end the discussion as quickly as possible, many were eager to prolong it. Because of Mormonism’s emphasis on perfection and the stress this emphasis places on its followers, raising the issue of perfection will often grab their attention. Reinforce Their Predicament. Average hard-working Mormons view this striving for perfection as a heavy but manageable burden. They can cultivate illusions of perfection because the Mormon church has greatly watered down the concept of sin. Consequently the Christian witness needs to show Mormons both the severity of their predicament and the impossibility of their becoming perfect. In other words, they need to have a face-to-face confrontation with the stern message of God’s law, because "through the law we become conscious of sin" (Rom. 3:21). The law must first convince Mormons of the severity of their predicament. The best way to accomplish this is to tell them, lovingly but firmly, that they are going to "outer darkness." (Outer darkness is the closest concept in Mormonism to an eternal hell.) Most Mormons have never been told this, nor have they ever considered that possibility for themselves, since Mormonism teaches that nearly everyone will enter one of Mormonism’s three kingdoms of heaven. Therefore, until you introduce the thought of eternal suffering, they will not feel any real urgency to take your witness to heart. On the contrary, most, if they are willing to talk at all, will view any religious conversation as nothing more than an interesting intellectual discussion. Christians often hesitate to be this blunt. They feel that if anything will turn Mormons off, telling them that they are going to outer darkness surely will. I shared that fear when I began using this approach. To my amazement, however, rejection wasn’t the reaction I received. Most have been shocked, but they were also eager to know why I would say such a thing. The key is to speak this truth with love, in such a way that our concern for their souls is readily apparent. Alerting Mormons to the very real danger of their going to outer darkness opens the door to telling them the basis for that judgment — which is, they are not meeting God’s requirement for living with Him (they are not presently perfect). The key to explaining this is the present imperative, be perfect, in Matthew 5:48. Although Mormon authorities regularly explain this passage by talking about progressing to perfection, the many Mormons I have witnessed to have been stopped short when faced with this present imperative. They don’t have a set response for explaining how "be perfect" can mean "become perfect." Neither can they brush it off by saying it is a corrupted text, since the Mormon church uses it so extensively. Consequently they have been puzzled and troubled by it. It has effectively communicated to them that God demands perfection now. Relate God’s Answer. Once God’s law has done its work by bringing Mormons to the knowledge of their sinfulness, they need to hear the good news of the gospel. But they need to hear it in their own language. Tragically, Mormonism has emptied many gospel words of their beauty. Words like salvation, grace, redemption, atonement, and justification all mean something different in Mormonism than they do in Christianity. This is why Christians, in their attempts to witness to Mormons, have often ended up talking past them. One passage that doesn’t miss the mark, however, is Hebrews 10:10–18 — especially verse 14: "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." This passage is effective because (1) it is little known in Mormonism, with the result that they don’t have a church-supplied answer to it; (2) Joseph Smith did not alter it in his "translation"; (3) it deals with perfection, a topic near and dear to the hearts of most Mormons; and (4) it avoids the problem of differing definitions of words. What a joy it is to present the gospel to Mormons in a way that communicates to them! But not only does the above approach communicate to them, it also offers them genuine relief. The message of being perfected through Jesus’ one offering touches them where they are hurting tremendously. It can soothe their deepest spiritual aches. Rely on the Holy Spirit. In most cases, Mormons will need to come into repeated contact with these truths. It usually takes a long time for them to sink in. The danger for the Christian witness is to give up. Instead of giving up, Christians need to continue to take up "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:12). We need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit by persistently speaking God’s Word to Mormons in their language, addressing their stresses. May we always remember that "faith comes from hearing the message" (Rom. 10:17). Mark J. Cares is the pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church (WELS) in Nampa, Idaho. He is the author of Speaking the Truth in Love to Mormons (Northwestern Publishing House, 1993).
This article first appeared in the Spring 1995 issue of the Christian Research Journal.
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Witnessing
to Mormons with the Book of Mormon
