Do the Mormons Really Deny Jesus?

By Marshall Almarode

 

“Whom Do Ye Say That I Am?”

 

Jesus obviously felt it was important for his disciples to know his true identity. Although the Mormon Church professes to believe in Jesus Christ, we will see that they actually deny most of the essentials of: A) Who he is (prophetically and ancestrally); and B) What he did. If anyone redefines who Jesus is and what he did, they have a different (false) Christ. For example, if I were to teach that, “Jesus was born in Japan in 1830, He killed 24 people, He even lied to many people during his lifetime, and finally died in 1902 of old age,” I would be teaching a false Jesus. At the least, I would be denying his birth place, his Jewish ancestry, and his death on the cross. If I were to teach these things about Jesus Christ, they would be enough to define a different (false) Jesus Christ.

By definition, anyone who professes a false Christ denies the true one. Jesus wants us to recognize him and follow him only. The question is, “Do the Mormons profess the true Jesus Christ or a false one?”

The Answer is Absolutely Yes!

 

The True Jesus Has Always Been God

The Bible says that Jesus has always been God (John 1:1-14), and there is only one God in existence (Is. 44:6). However, the Mormon Church teaches that God the Father is a resurrected human man who is a married being who has “spirit children” in Heaven. Mormonism teaches that every human being born on this earth was first born in Heaven to God and one of his wives. Accordingly, Jesus was also born in the pre-existence to God the Father and one of his wives in heaven, just like all other human and demonic beings.

The Mormon Church teaches that Jesus is the first baby born to God in heaven. They also teach that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers in Heaven (Gospel Through the Ages – 1946 Priesthood Manual by Milton R. Hunter, p. 15). The Bible says that Jesus created everything that was created and made (John 1:3, Col. 1:16). This includes the Devil since only God was in existence in the beginning. By saying that Jesus only came into being when he was born in the pre-existence and had to work out his way to becoming a God, Mormonism denies Jesus’ Godhood from all eternity.

 

The Trinity or Polytheism?

The God of the Bible says that there is only one God in existence (Isaiah 44:8). He knows of no other God in existence. Before Him there were no Gods formed, neither will there be any Gods formed after Him (Isaiah 43:10). Although from our vantage point, we see three separate personages (Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost), these three separate personages are somehow the one eternal God. No one seems to be able to explain just exactly and precisely how this happens, but since the Bible says it, true Bible believers believe it. Sometimes it is explained like this:

“There exists only one eternal God who manifests himself in three distinct personages, … Father, Son and Holy Ghost.”

Mormons, however, consider God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost to be three separate gods who are one only in purpose. They also believe that god their father has a god who was his father, who has a god the father to him, and so on into eternity past. The Mormon temple ceremony teaches that men can become gods themselves, who can become gods to their sons, who can become gods to their sons, and so on into the unending future (

What’s Going on in There by Chuck Sackett

).

Mormonism also teaches that Jesus Christ, the devil, and the Holy Ghost are brothers born to God the Father and one of his wives in Heaven during the pre-world existence. Mormonism believes in the existence of an infinite number of gods. Because they believe that more than one god exists, it is obvious that Mormonism is polytheistic (Webster’s Dictionary) and therefore truly denies the biblical meaning of the trinity.

 

The Highest “Gospel” Goal

The highest goal of every faithful male Latter-day Saint (Mormon) is to strive to become a God like his Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father’s spirit children must come to earth and live a mortal life, then die, be resurrected, and work their way up to the Celestial Kingdom in order to become Gods or Goddesses themselves (Gospel Principles, Chapter 47; Mormon Doctrine, p. 238). Thus Mormonism belittles Jesus’ Godhood by making it attainable to sinful man.

 

His Birth Place

The Book of Mormon, prophesies that Jesus would be born

“at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers” (Alma 7:10). This is a false prophesy because Jerusalem has always been a city, it has never been a land. Also it is very clear in the Bible, that Jesus’ birth happened in “Bethlehem of Judea.”

(Matt. 2:1) It is interesting that most Mormons do not believe that Jesus was born in Jerusalem. Those who agree with the Book of Mormon obviously reject his Biblical birthplace.

 

The Virgin Birth

The Bible and the Book of Mormon agree that Jesus was born of a virgin. This sign was given in the Old Testament.

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The Bible says, “She was found to be with child through the Holy Ghost”

(Matt. 1:18-28).
The Book of Mormon agrees,

“…she being a virgin … who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost…” (Alma 7:10) However, Brigham Young denied this Biblical truth: “Now remember from this time forth and for ever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost”

(Journal of Discourses Vol. 1, p. 51).

The meaning of “virgin” is that Mary had never had sex with anyone. Mormon prophets and apostles have continually taught that God the Father came down to earth with his glorified physical body, parts, and passions and had sex with the “virgin” Mary to form the body of Jesus Christ. Mormon Apostle James Talmage calls this act “celestial sireship” (Jesus the Christ, p. 81).

 

Apostle Bruce R. McConkie says that it happened in the “

same way that mortal sons are born to mortal fathers”.

He also said that it happened in the “normal and natural” way (Mormon Doctrine, p. 742).

Ezra Taft Benson (former prophet of the Mormon Church who died in 1994), not only stated that Jesus was not begotten by the Holy Ghost, but also that Jesus was literally “sired” by God the Father (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 7). He then goes on to say that Mary was “called a virgin both before and after she gave birth.” By this statement, the Mormon prophet is saying that although Jesus was “sired [sexual relations] by that same being we worship as God our Eternal Father”, we will still “call” his mother a “virgin.”

This definition obviously disagrees with Webster’s Dictionary and our common usage of the term “virgin.” (additional references: 1972 Family Home Evening pp. 125-6, The Seer pp. 158-9, Defense of the Faith of the Saints–B.H. Roberts, Vol. 2, p. 268) It should be obvious now that the Mormon Church denies the biblical meaning of the “virgin birth.”

 

Jesus’ Blood Sacrifice for Sins

The Bible reports his baptism by John in the Jordan River as the first event in Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus chose twelve apostles and commenced his ministry of proclaiming the kingdom of God. He never hurt anyone but helped those who were in need. The lame walked, the sick were healed, and the blind could see. He did not shed blood in the garden but his sweat was

“as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground”

in the garden (Luke 22:44).

He was then illegally arrested, beaten, and tortured to death on a cross. He was buried in a tomb, he rose from the dead on the third day (1 Cor. 15:4), and ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:1-11). He now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. His perfect sinless life qualified him alone as a sin sacrifice, which was his purpose in life and death. (Acts 2:33, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:15)

 

Many of my Mormon friends, however, believe that most of the atonement took place when Jesus sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane for our sins (The Promised Messiah, pp. 337-8), and that when he finally reached the cross he didn’t have much blood left to shed (Romney, Oct. conference 1953, p. 35).

Because of this teaching that Jesus shed his blood in the garden to atone for our sins, many Mormons believe that Jesus didn’t need to die on the cross for our sins. Most of the Mormons who have seen the cross that I wear, think that it is foolish to wear something that emphasizes Christ’s death. They don’t realize that it was on the cross that Jesus willingly paid the penalty for our sins.

Today, Mormons mock the cross of Christ and refuse to display one at any of their buildings. However, the Bible says that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but it is the power of God to those who are being saved (I Corinthians 1:18). Thus, Mormonism denies the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for our sins.

 

After His Ascension into Heaven

The Book of Mormon reports that Jesus caused many cities in America to be destroyed with all their inhabitants. He then descended out of the clouds and appeared to the people living on the American continent. Accordingly, he also established his church in America (Mormon 3:19) where he picked out twelve more apostles (twelve in Israel and twelve in America for a new total of 24).

According to Mormonism, both of Christ’s churches ended in utter failure (total apostasy). Jesus was not able to keep his church going and this is why Joseph Smith was called to restore the true church again upon this earth (Pearl of Great Price – Joseph Smith History 1:19). This is also why Joseph boasted that he did a greater work than even Jesus did (History of the Church Vol. 6, pp. 408-409). By these teachings, the Mormon Church denies Jesus’ biblical role as healer / redeemer and makes him into a killer / destroyer / liar.

 

Melchizedek, Aaronic and Jesus’ Priesthoods

Melchizedek – is the first priesthood mentioned in the Bible. Melchizedek met Abraham returning from battle and blessed him (Genesis 14:18-24). Genesis does not record any other incident in Melchizedek’s life. It does not record his ancestry, how he became a priest or his death. The Bible does not record the transfer of his priesthood to anyone else (Heb. 7:3).

Aaronic – This priesthood was introduced by God to Aaron through Moses. Because physical death prevented Aaronic priests from continuing in office, their priesthood had to be transferred to their descendants (Heb. 7:23). All Aaronic (or Levitical) priests were required to be a direct descendent of Aaron (Heb. 7:5, 14). The law required a blood sacrifice of bulls and goats as a consequence of sin. However, the shedding of the blood of animals, could not impart eternal life to imperfect people through the law (Heb. 7:11, 8:7,&13; Gal. 3:21-22). The Aaronic priesthood ended with John (Luke 16:16, Matt 27:51). It is clear that Jesus was not from the tribe of Aaron and doesn’t qualify for the Aaronic Priesthood (Heb. 7:11-15).

 

Jesus’ Priesthood …

Because man could not keep the law perfectly, there was a need for a new priesthood to come, not based on death, but on an indestructible life (Heb. 7:16). Jesus put into effect a new and perfect priesthood (Heb. 7:18). Jesus’ priesthood is held by him alone, because he is the only one who could offer himself as a sinless sacrifice (Heb. 7:15-16). He alone qualifies for this new priesthood in the order (pattern or arrangement) of Melchizedek. Like Melchizedek, Jesus’ priesthood is not traceable according to ancestry (Heb 7:3). Jesus’ priesthood is unchangeable, meaning non-transferable (Heb. 7:24). Thus, Jesus is the only one who has it and it cannot be given or transferred to anyone else.

 

Mormon Priests …

The Priesthoods of Mormonism do not look at all like the Biblical originals. Today, the Mormon Church gives their twelve-year-old boys a priesthood that they call the “Aaronic Priesthood”.

19-year-old boys can qualify for the Mormon “Melchizedek Priesthood”. These Priesthoods are not the restoration of the originals for they are both transferable and neither are given by lineage. According to Mormonism, their Jesus qualified for and held both of these Priesthoods. The Mormon Church totally re-defines God’s Holy Priesthoods and thus denies Jesus’ non-transferable priesthood.

 

Who Then Can Be Saved?

The Bible says that God’s salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not by works (John 3:16, Eph. 2:8-10). The Book of Mormon says that a person must do all the works that they can, in order to qualify to receive grace (II Nephi 25:23, Moroni 10:32).

The Mormon Church teaches that Jesus’ atonement enables every person who has ever lived to be resurrected, but that salvation is conditional upon their own works (Mormon Doctrine pp. 24 & 669, Articles of Faith pp. 89-90, Doctrines of Salvation 1:133-134). However, the Bible is clear that there is no other way to be saved except through accepting the work done on the cross by the true Jesus Christ (John 14:6, Romans 10:13-17, Acts 4:12). Mormonism rejects God’s gift of salvation by grace bought by the death of Jesus on the cross.

 

Is Joseph the Judge?

In an 1859 sermon, Brigham Young said,

“…no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith…every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are-I with you and you with me. I cannot go there without his consent. He holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation-the keys to rule in the spirit world; and he rules there triumphantly, for he gained full power and a glorious victory over the power of Satan while he was yet in the flesh, and was a martyr to his religion and to the name of Christ, which gives him a most perfect victory in the spirit world. He reigns there as supreme a being, in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven.”

(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7 p. 289)
The Jesus of the Bible says it is he who judges in heaven:

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have we not cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity”

(Matthew 22-23). By letting Joseph Smith share in God’s final judgment, Mormonism denies the judgment throne of Jesus Christ.

 

Denial of Jesus

Mormonism truly denies the Jesus of the Bible, because they deny the essentials of his identity. Just like the people of Jesus’ day, the Mormons deny the historic reality of who Jesus really was and what he did.

× Marshall Almarode (509) 582-5627×