Gospel Meeting October 3-8, 2010

The Mt. Baker Church of Christ

1860 Mt. Baker Highway • Bellingham WA

Invites you to our

GOSPEL MEETING

With Evangelist

Dennis Scroggins

(Lampasas, TX)

October 3-8, 2010

Monday-Friday at 7:00 PM
Sunday, Oct 3^rd at 9:30 and 10:30 AM; 6:00 PM

(From I-5 take Exit # 255 and go East 4.2 miles)
For more information please call (360) 752-2692

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Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) practice baptism for the dead in LDS temples around the world. To facilitate this work the LDS Church operates the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “The Family History Library holds over 2 million rolls of microfilmed records, 400,000 microfiche, and 300,000 books. It also houses an extensive collection of written manuscripts including family histories, local histories, indexes, periodicals, and aids to help in genealogical research.” The library has more than 2,000 branch Family History Centers worldwide (genealogy.com).

LDS temple work for the dead includes baptisms, marriage sealings and other activities. Faithful Mormons do this work for at least two reasons:

   1) To save their ancestors. “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead." (Joseph Smith, Jr., The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 356)

   2) To save themselves. “...our salvation and progression depends upon the salvation or our worthy dead with whom we must be joined in family ties. This can only be accomplished in our temples” (Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph F. Smith, II:147). “…their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:15).

Mormons believe once one has been baptized for a departed soul the deceased may accept or reject the blessings of the baptism in the hereafter.

The Mormon practice of baptism for the dead is not the “one baptism” of the gospel (Eph 4:5). The contrast between the great commission baptism and Mormon proxy baptism is striking and shows the false doctrine in all of its false hope and fallacious reasoning. Please note the following differences:

THE GREAT COMMISSION BAPTISM (Mark 16:16)

MORMON BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD

In Mormon temples it is typical for one person to be baptized multiple times while the names are read aloud of the dead who have been submitted for proxy baptism. By doing this, Mormons believe they are giving the dead a chance to accept the Mormon gospel and progress to the celestial kingdom.

Mormons have been submitting the names of Jewish Holocaust victims for temple baptism for a long time. This has upset certain Jewish leaders, who have been in talks with the LDS Church since 1994 to resolve their dispute. Now it appears that the Mormon Church has agreed to make changes in their genealogical database that will remove these names. From now on, only people with Holocaust victims as their actual ancestors may submit their names for temple work. Whether this will solve the dispute is itself in doubt. (“Have LDS, Jews resolved proxy baptism dispute?”, Peggy Fletcher Stack, The Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 9, 2010)

     This is but another example of the Mormon Church adapting its doctrines and practices as the result of external pressures. It happened in 1890 with “The Manifesto” disavowing the practice of plural marriages, thus paving the way for Utah statehood. In 1978 President Spencer W. Kimball announced a “revelation” giving the priesthood to all Mormon males, hence removing the ban of blacks from the Mormon priesthood.

     Yet, we are told to believe the LDS Church is the restored church of Jesus Christ that preaches the fullness of the everlasting gospel. However, the truth of God does not change depending on social pressures. Christians are to remain faithful even to the point of death rather than compromise truth (Gal 1:6-10; Rev 2:10). If the salvation of the Holocaust victims is “necessary and essential” to the salvation of Mormons, why the change in Mormon practice? If it is not essential, then why compel Mormons to do temple work? And, why expect other religious folks to unwittingly yield to this practice without their knowledge or consent?

     Mormons teach that unbelievers – including Jewish Holocaust victims – who have died without hearing the Mormon gospel, cannot advance in their next life. So, why won’t the Mormons do for Holocaust victims what they say they must do in order to allow poor souls to progress? Is it ecumenical goodwill? Is it political expediency? It is lack of compelling conviction? Whatever the motive, the reality is that once again the Mormons have compromised the practice of their faith to please elements of the society around them. Why should we have confidence in anything they teach as being from God when their practices shift with the pressures of men?

     Mormons will cry “foul” over this article. Should we follow their lead and withdraw it from publication for fear of offending their sensibilities? Stephen lost his life for telling sinners the truth that they had murdered the Messiah whom he saw standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:51-60). When we teach and practice the truth of God then we dare not alter it to accommodate unbelievers. Why? The salvation of Mormons, Jews (and ours) is at stake (Rom 1:16-17; 1 Tim 4:16).

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS

Pure religion involves our heart as well as every moment of our lives, Jas 1:27.

I. RELIGION IS DEFILED UNLESS THE HEART IS FIRST GIVEN TO GOD, Matt 15:1-20.

  A. Raising Human Traditions above the Commandments of God, 15:1-6.
  B. Without the Heart, Religion is Hypocritical, 15:7-9 (Isa 29:13).
  C. Applications, 15:10-20 (11, 18); 1 Cor 11:23-29; Eph 5:19.

II. HUMANS TENDENCY TO REDEFINE RELIGION RATHER THAN SUBMIT TO DIVINELY RE­VEALED RELI­GION.

  A. The Development of Human Religions, Rom 1:18-23 (1 Kgs 11:38; 12:26-33).
  B. The Errors and Sin of Self-Defined (Manmade) Reli­gion, Col 2:8-10, 16-23.

III. WE MUST PRACTICE PURE RELIGION, Jas 1:25-27.

  A. It is a Way of Life, Gal 2:20. When Christ is our way of life it…
  B. Obedient Hearts and Holy Lives, Heb 10:19-25; 1 Pet 1:13-16.

Conclusion

1. More is needed for God’s approval than being religious (Acts 10:1-2; 11:14; Gal 1:13-14); we must have pure religion to be blessed by God (Jas 1:25).
2. Our religion must conform to Christ’s word (Col 3:17).
3. Our religion must express an obedient heart and a holy life.

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1. God came to His own and was rejected, Jno 1:1, 11. Betrayed by a friend, Jno 13:18
2. Religious leaders led the movement to crucify Him (Jno 11:47-53; 19:6).
3. Some crucify Him today, Heb 6:6; 10:26-29.

I. IGNORANCE LED TO CRUCIFYING JESUS.

  A. Their Eyes were Closed to Who Jesus Is, Matt 13:14-15; Lk 19:41-44. Led them to murder Him, Lk 23:34; Acts 3:17.
  B. Many Try to Serve Christ, but in Ignorance, Acts 17:23; 1 Jno 2:4 (Rom 10:2).
  C. You do not have to Remain in Ignorance, Acts 17:11; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18.

II. RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE LED TO CRUCIFYING JESUS, Mk 15:10.

  A. A Powerful Motive to Reject the Evidence of Truth, Jno 11:45-53; 12:9-11.
  B. A Major Obstacle to Obeying the Gospel, cf. Acts 15:1; Rom 9:30-33.

III. THE LOVE OF MONEY LED TO CRUCIFYING JESUS. (Greed)

  A. Jesus had Opposed the Money-Driven Attitudes and Actions of the Day, Jno 2:14-17; Matt 21:12-13 (Lk 12:15).
  B. The Love of Money Leads to Many Sorrows, 1 Tim 6:9-10.

IV. LYING LED TO CRUCIFYING JESUS, Mk 14:55-58.

  A. Dishonesty for Selfish Advantages (Matt 28: 12-15).
  B. Always be Moved by Honesty, Eph 4:25.

V. COWARDICE LED TO CRUCIFYING JESUS, Matt 27:1-24.

  A. Judas, Matt 27:3-5.
  B. Religious Leaders, Matt 27:4, 7, 12.
  C. Pilate, Matt 27:24.

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Created by Chuck Sibbing.  09/20/2010