Talking to Mormons

Is Christ – God, The Eternal Father❓ Do we worship Jesus❓ How did the name Lucifer get into the Bible – and, how did it end up in the Book of Mormon❓ Why is the definition of grace in the Book of Mormon – so different from the definition of grace in the Bible❓ We will discover the answer to these questions today.

The post 2 Nephi 11-25 | Feb 17-23 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

Is it possible that Joseph Smith wrote himself - by name - into both the Book of Mormon and the Bible? Were the Nephites a temple-building people? Is there racism taught and practiced in the Book of Mormon? We’ll answer these and more questions in this episode.

The post 2 Nephi 6-10 | Feb 10-16 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

Is it possible that Joseph Smith wrote himself - by name - into both the Book of Mormon and the Bible? Were the Nephites a temple-building people? Is there racism taught and practiced in the Book of Mormon? We’ll answer these and more questions in this episode.

The post 2 Nephi 1-5 | Feb 3-9 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

Joseph Smith said: “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth.” Yet, we are going to learn about some significant doctrinal changes that were made following the original 1830 edition.

The post 1 Nephi 11-15 | Jan 20-26 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

Could a dream Joseph Smith, Sr. often told to his family when Joseph Smith Jr. was a boy - make it into the Book of Mormon? It seems more than coincidental that Lehi’s dream had similar components and, a parallel story line.

The post 1 Nephi 8-10 | Jan 13-19 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

Why was the Book of Mormon written in Elizabethan, King James English? Have you ever wondered - How did so many New Testament phrases get into the Old Testament era of the Book of Mormon?

The post 1 Nephi 1-7 | Jan 6-12, 2020 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

President Russell M. Nelson asks three important questions concerning the Book of Mormon: “First, what would your life be like without the Book of Mormon? Second, what would you not know? And third, what would you not have?” Well, let’s see if we can find the answers to those questions.

The post Introduction to the Book of Mormon Part 2 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

Why was the statement in the Introduction to the Book of Mormon changed from the Lamanites being the “principal ancestors” of the American Indians to the Lamanites just being “among the ancestors” of the American Indians?

The post Introduction to the Book of Mormon Part 1 appeared first on Talking to Mormons.

The first page we want to look at is the Title page, which was written by Moroni and translated by Joseph Smith, Jun.  It reads: It states that the Book of Mormon was “written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile.”  Then mentioning the purpose of the Book of Mormon, it says, “And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD.” That statement confirms that Jesus Christ is in fact, GOD – as Joseph Smith was monotheistic in his beliefs when he wrote it or translated it.  Now you ask any Latter-day Saint – “who is Eternal God?” – and they will tell you that Eternal God is Heavenly Father.  Whereas here on the Title page it says Jesus Christ is “the ETERNAL GOD.”  The page ends with this disclaimer: “And lnow, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.”  A correction was made from the original 1830 edition which read in part, “now if there be any fault, it be the mistake of men.”  It was changed in the 1964 edition which reads in part, “now if there are faults they are the mistakes of men.” Let’s move on to the next two pages that are simply called the Introduction .  In the 2013 edition it states: “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible.  It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains as does the bible the fulness of the everlasting gospel.”  This has been changed from the 1981 edition which stated: “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible.  It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains (here’s the change), as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.”  The Book of Mormon we have today doesn’t include the Bible as containing the fulness of the everlasting gospel.  What does the “fulness of the everlasting gospel” mean anyway?  The Apostle Paul described it in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”In contract, here is the gospel as described by LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan of salvation.  It embraces all the laws, principles, authorities, and keys necessary to save and exalt men in the highest heaven hereafter… the gospel is concerned with those particular religious truths by conformity to which men can sanctify and cleanse their own souls, thus gaining for themselves salvation in the eternal worlds.” – Mormon Doctrine, pg. 331.The Third Article of Faith says: “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”   We see that the gospel preached by the Apostle Paul didn’t have a single law or ordinance mentioned in it.  Paul warned about those who would attempt to distort the good news of the gospel.  Galatians 1:6-8 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”    When you add “laws” and “ordinances” to the gospel, you’ve just turned the good news into bad news because – no one ever got saved through keeping laws and ordinances as scripture makes clear.  Paul taught in Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law

This lesson will cover 1st Peter in this segment, and 2nd Peter in the next segment.  Both parts will be released this week. This General Epistle was written from Rome around AD 64.  1 Peter 1:1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers (believers who are exiles from society) scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (all in modern-day Turkey).”  The next verse is one that the LDS often refer to in conjunction with the doctrine of foreordination – meaning to them – that certain people have been chosen and foreordained in the preexistence or the pre-mortal life, to come to earth and carry out certain responsibilities in the Lord’s work here.  Joseph Smith taught, “Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was.  I suppose I was ordained to this very office in that Grand Council.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 365).  1 Peter 1:2 “Elect (chosen) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father (not from a pre-mortal life), through sanctification (made holy) of the Spirit, unto obedience (to the Royal Law of faith and love) and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (referring to the high priest sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat): Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”  What this means is – that God planned beforehand in His mind – and predetermined each Christian’s salvation.  It is the Holy Spirit who makes God’s chosen sanctified – by setting them apart from sin and unbelief to faith and righteousness.  True salvation produces obedience to Christ.  The word for “foreknowledge” here in the Greek is “proginosko” – meaning – to know beforehand what will happen.  Peter tells us in Verse 2 that God has elected them based on his prog ginosko or prognostication – on His knowledge of things before they ever happen.  God is omniscient and knows every outcome.  He knew those who would believe on His Son and accept salvation – these were His elect.  Obviously, unlike Christ – we weren’t this way from birth.    Speaking of Jesus 1 Peter 1:19-21 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb (sacrificial lamb) without blemish and without spot (who was perfect):  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.  Who by him (Christ) do believe in God (the Father), that raised him up from the dead, and gave him (Christ) glory; that your faith and hope might be in God (the Father).” In other words, Jesus came to you and was glorified by the Father so that you could have truth and a correct understanding about God.  Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, who was raised and glorified, we are able to have faith in God.  Verses 22-23 “Seeing ye have purified (been saved) your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) unto unfeigned (genuine) love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently (deeply).  Being born again (spiritually regenerated), not of corruptible seed (not by mortal parents), but of incorruptible (by the Holy Spirit), by the word of God (who was Jesus), which liveth and abideth for ever.”  In Chapter 2, Peter will tell those saints who are born again – that as newborn babes they should, Verse 2 “desire the sincere milk of the word (the basic understanding of the gospel), that ye may grow thereby (become more spiritually mature).”  Those who do not nurture themselves with the word of God – reading the Bible often – will become malnourished and will weaken in their faith.     Peter will now compare Christ to a large, solid rock, or foundation upon which we can safely build.  Verse 4 “To whom coming (as you come to Christ), as unto a living stone (Christ the Rock of our Salvation – the chief cornerstone), disallowed indeed of men (who was rejected by the world), but chosen of God (God’s chosen Son), and precious.”