Unveiling Mormonism

In today's episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk through the fourth Article of Faith.

Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here. 

LDS:“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

• AC: We believe that Scripture affirms two ordinances in the church: water baptism and communion. Mature believers participate in both ordinances. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:35-39; Rom. 6:1-5; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk through the second and third Articles of Faith.

Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here. 

What Mormons Believe about Sin:

LDS:“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.”

At first glance this seems much more fair than the Christian take. But as we dig deeper we see that this LDS concept creates a pattern of judgment and works based behavior/religion 

• AC: We believe God created mankind in His own image. At the beginning of human history, however, man chose to disobey the sovereign God and so brought sin onto the earth. All people everywhere have since been born into this sinful nature and are subject to God’s righteous judgment: death and eternal separation from Himself. (Gen. 1:26; Gen. 3; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; Jer. 17:9; John 3:18; Eph. 2:1-3).

What Mormons Believe about Salvation:

LDS:“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

• AC: We believe God’s plan from the beginning of time was to be in relationship with all people. Since sin makes that relationship impossible for everyone, God established a way to credit righteousness. He accepts Jesus Christ’s death on the cross as a payment for the sin of humanity. Those who repent of their sin and believe in God’s work are forgiven and restored to relationship with God. This is salvation, and it is God’s work from beginning to end, so that we are saved purely by grace. (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7; John 3:16-17; Rom. 3:24-26; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1; 1 John 5:11-13; John 1:12).
• Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT) 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

This is a story of how God restored the things that Mormonism stole. 

• Parenting
• Marriage
• Community
• Relationship with God
• Constantly trying to fit into a box of someone else’s making

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

In 1842 Joseph Smith published 13 articles of faith for his new Mormon church. In this episode we talk about the first article, which is all about God. How does it compare to biblical Christianity?

Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here. 

LDS:“We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”

• This sounds trinitarian
• LDS:
• Father has a body of flesh and bones, D&C 130:22.
• I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory, JS—H 1:17.
• ordained in … the Council of the Eternal God of all other gods, D&C 121:32.

AC: We believe in a sovereign, triune God. By His power He spoke the world into existence. God alone is self-determined, self-governed, and self-sufficient. He is eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each possesses all the attributes of deity. All are equal in power and glory. (Rom. 1:18-20; John 1:18; 1 Cor. 2:16; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; Isa. 46:10).

AC: We believe Jesus Christ was, is, and always will be the Son of God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed many signs and wonders, died on a cross, and rose from the dead in a glorified body. He ascended to the right hand of God the Father where He continually makes intercession for His people. At the appointed time He will come again to earth to consummate God’s plan in salvation history. (Matt. 1:20-23; John 1:1,2; Rom. 3:24, 25; Rom. 8:34; Phil 2:5-10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 1:1-3; Heb. 7:25).

• LDS:
• Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father, Alma 11:38.
• called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first, D&C 93:14.

AC: We believe in the Holy Spirit’s effective role in God’s plan for His Kingdom. Without the influence of the Holy Spirit no one can participate in Kingdom Life. The Spirit’s first (and necessary) work is in conversion: to enlighten sinners and awaken them to their need for a Savior. At the point of salvation the Holy Spirit immediately indwells believers and begins empowering them to live to please God. The Spirit also gives them a new identity, assuring them of their proper standing with God. (John 14:16,17,26; 16:7-15; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Gal. 5:22-26; Eph. 1:13-14).

• LDS: 
• my Spirit shall be in your hearts, D&C 84:88.
• Holy Ghost … is a personage of Spirit, D&C 130:22.

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Notes

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

Today we continue our study of Acts, covering Acts 1:6-11. Here’s the question we’ll answer as we look at the text: Does God favor one nation over another?

--

The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

This is an important question in today’s world:

• Issue of immigration
• Christian nations vs. Muslim nations, etc.
• It was a question on the minds of the disciples in Acts 1
• Jesus had just spent 3 yrs with them
• Almost exclusively did ministry among Israelites
• Matthew 15:21-24 (NLT) 21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” 23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.” 24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
• Note three things:
• Jesus was silent!?
• Disciples wanted him to send her away
• Jesus was sent to help only Israel
• Jesus ends up healing the daughter
• But it was the exception, not the rule
• Seems nationalistic, right?!
• The point: disciples thought God favored Israel
• Very nationalistic in their ideology
• The “Chosen ones”
• Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT) For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
• Seems like American Christians today
• We are the new chosen ones
• We have the only true God
• We have a better ideology
• We are God’s favorites
• But what does the Bible say about this?

Let’s warm up with a history lesson on Israel:

• Theocracy 
• First King - Saul
• United Monarchy (c. 1000–930 BCE)
• King David (c. 1010–970 BCE) : David united the tribes of Israel and established Jerusalem as the capital.
• King Solomon (c. 970–930 BCE) : Solomon, David's son, built the First Temple in Jerusalem. After his death, the kingdom split into two.
• Divided Monarchy (c. 930–722 BCE for Israel, c. 930–586 BCE for Judah)
• Kingdom of Israel (Northern Kingdom) : Fell to the Assyrian Empire in 722 BCE.
• Kingdom of Judah (Southern Kingdom) : Continued until it fell to the Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE.
• Assyrian Rule (c. 722–605 BCE)- The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE, leading to the exile of many Israelites.
• Babylonian Rule (c. 605–539 BCE)- The Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple in 586 BCE, initiating the Babylonian Captivity.
• Persian Rule (c. 539–332 BCE)- Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BCE and allowed the Jewish exiles to return and rebuild the Temple (Second Temple period).
• Greek Rule (c. 332–167 BCE)- Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, including Israel, in 332 BCE. After his death, the region was controlled by the Ptolemies and then the Seleucids.
• Maccabean/Hasmonean Period (167–63 BCE) : The Maccabees revolted against Seleucid rule (part of the fragmentation of Alexander’s empire), leading to the establishment of an independent Jewish kingdom (the Hasmonean dynasty) in 142 BCE.
• The period saw the expansion of Jewish territory, increased influence of Jewish culture, and the emergence of significant religious sects such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. The legacy of the Hasmoneans is still remembered, particularly through the celebration of Hanukkah.
• Roman Rule (63 BCE–330 CE)- The Roman general Pompey captured Jerusalem in 63 BCE. 
• Herodian Dynasty (37 BCE–4 BCE) : Herod the Great ruled as a Roman client king.
• Jesus’ life, death, resurrection
• In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple following a Jewish revolt.
• Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135 CE) : A significant but ultimately unsuccessful Jewish rebellion against Roman rule.
• Byzantine Rule (330–636 CE)- The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) controlled the region until the early Islamic conquests.
• Islamic Caliphates (636–1099 CE)
• Rashidun Caliphate (636–661 CE) 
• Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE) 
• Abbasid Caliphate (750–969 CE) 
• Fatimid Caliphate (969–1099 CE) 
• Crusader Period (1099–1291 CE)- Crusaders established the Kingdom of Jerusalem, controlling the area intermittently until 1291 CE.
• Mamluk Sultanate (1291–1517 CE)- The Mamluks, based in Egypt, controlled the region following the Crusaders.
• Ottoman Empire (1517–1917 CE)- The Ottomans conquered the Mamluks in 1517 and ruled the region until World War I.
• British Mandate (1917–1948 CE)- After World War I, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate to govern Palestine.
• State of Israel (1948–Present)- Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, and has since been a sovereign nation. The region has seen various conflicts and peace processes involving neighboring countries and entities.

Acts 1:6 (NLT) 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

• has the time come… free Israel and restore our kingdom
• There was a payoff that Israelites historically had in their minds, Israel-centric
• Can’t blame them; It was even articulated by an angel to Mary:
• Luke 1:31-33 (NLT) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
• And understood by the prophet Anna:
• Luke 2:38 (NLT) She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
• Disciples were thinking of all of this in nationalistic and political terms
• (Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The question the disciples asked reflects the embers of a once blazing hope for a political theocracy in which they would be leaders (cf. Mk 9:33-34; 10:35-41; Lk 22:24). Now the embers are fanned by Jesus' talk of the coming Holy Spirit. In Jewish expectations, the restoration of Israel's fortunes would be marked by the revived activity of God's Spirit, which had been withheld since the last of the prophets.
• Longing for the return of the glory days of King David and Solomon

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Through the witness of Jesus' apostles, 'the kingdom' would be restored to Israel, but not in nationalistic or political terms, nor immediately in the full and final sense outlined in biblical prophecy (cf. 3:19-26).

Acts 1:7-8 (NLT) 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

• not for you to know
• The disciples weren’t wrong about the big idea (God’s kingdom would come), they were wrong in many of the details
• Next week: there are some things that are not for us to know, at least not yet. Can you handle that? 
• End times - so many people want to know! YT is blowing up with videos
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Christians have to live with the tension of knowing that the work of the gospel is central to God's eschatological plan, but never being able to calculate the exact date of the End.
• Sickness - why won’t you heal this person?
• Marriage - why haven’t you brought me “the one”
• Ex: my friend who was obsessed with that, until he realized he needed to “get his house in order” and leave the rest to God
• Ex: my daughter who saw her friends dating (and failing) has learned to trust God with those details
• Ex: Adam was put to sleep and woke up to Eve!
• Sometimes we’re like the kids in the backseat, pestering God with our questions. Sometimes it’s simply not for us to know. We need to trust his plan and his timing.
• But you will receive power
• Gk “dunamis”, our word for dynamite!
• Watch for this in the chapters ahead: power!
• Power to do miracles, for sure
• But even more importantly, power to speak out…
• you will be my witnesses
• First, the apostles were eyewitnesses
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) As 'eyewitnesses' (Lk. 1:2; cf. Acts 1:3a), they guarantee the historicity of the major events in Jesus' life, and as those uniquely instructed by him (Lk. 24:44-8; Acts 1:3b-5), they pass on Jesus' own understanding of his person and work.
• This is important, and it’s why we don’t need prophets/apostles in that sense today
• See Does God Still Speak Through Prophets
• Second, this is a calling on every Christian
• And one of the main roles of the HS in our lives 
• Being “baptized” = all in for Jesus
• I grew up in a charismatic church
• Taught that “baptism with the HS” was all about speaking in tongues
• We’ll see why later in this series
• But many pentecostals miss the main thing:
• The Spirit empowers us to be witnesses for the Kingdom of God
• It happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry
• Luke 4:14-15 (NLT) 14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
• The disciples already saw Jesus “tell people about him” by the power of the Spirit
• Now it was their turn
• in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
• This is the outline of the book of Acts
• They’re starting in Jerusalem (Acts 1-7)
• Then they’ll move to Judea and Samaria (Ch 8-12)
• Then to the ends of the earth
• Paul’s Journeys (Ch 13-21)
• Paul’s Trials on his way to Rome (Ch 22-28)
• The book will end on a cliffhanger:
• Acts 28:30-31 (NLT) 30 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, 31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.
• Notice the reverse symmetry with the gospel of Luke
• Jesus started in Galilee of the Gentiles
• Moved his way through Samaria and Judea
• Ended up in Jerusalem for his trial and death
• As we saw last week:
• The gospel of Luke was about seeking Jesus and learning the truth about his life, death, and resurrection. 
• In Luke’s sequel (Acts) the focus changes to sharing Jesus, specifically the message of his kingdom.

But here’s the point, and the answer to our question: Does God favor one nation over another?

• Answer: NO! 
• The shocker will be (spoiler alert):
• The Kingdom of God was not just about Israel; it’s an invitation that must go out “to the ends of the earth”
• Not the disciples’ nationalist and political agenda!
• Isaiah 43:8-9 (NLT) 8 Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. 9 Gather the nations together! Assemble the peoples of the world!
• Isaiah 43:10 (NLT) “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the LORD. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God—there never has been, and there never will be.
• Isaiah 49:6 (NLT) He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
• God did not choose Israel for Israel’s sake
• He chose them to be a light to the nations
• One more thing: notice “you will be”
• Not, “you must be” like a command
• It’s more of a statement of inevitability; a prediction; a promise
• God’s Word will go out, his Kingdom will be established
• The only question: will you be a part of this movement?

Acts 1:9-11 (NLT) 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

• he was taken up
• The Luke account of this was a cliffhanger; in Acts it’s a turning point
• Jesus had to leave so they could take the baton
• Now it was their turn to bring the message to the world
• Transition to the ministry of the Spirit
• Jesus wouldn’t visit them “from time to time” to teach them
• Now that would be the HS’s job, a continuous presence
• “Men of Galilee,”
• Interesting that they called them that
• A reminder of where Jesus first invited them to follow him: on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (of the Gentiles!?)
• Luke 5:10 (NLT) “From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
• Q. But what KIND of people?
• History of Galilee
• The Assyrians deported many of the native Israelites and brought in people from other parts of their empire, which increased the Gentile presence in Galilee. (2 Kings 15:29, 17:24-27)
• Following Alexander the Great's conquests, Hellenistic culture spread throughout the Near East, including Galilee. This influence further contributed to the region's mixed population.
• By Jesus’ day it was a crossroads of trade and culture, which allowed the message of Jesus to spread more easily to both Jews and Gentiles.
• The point: Galilee was NOT just about Israel
• Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever…. but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
• why are you standing here staring into heaven?
• Hilarious!
• Reminds me of so many modern Christians
• Love to worship God, go to conferences, study eschatology
• Never go beyond “staring into heaven”
• someday he will return
• Bookends: Christ’s ascension and his return
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) In effect, the introduction lays down 'the eschatological framework within which the Christian story is to unfold'. The church lives between Jesus' exaltation into heaven and his return and its life is determined by these boundary markers.
• In between: we need to get to work
• He’s on the throne in heaven, resurrected, alive
• He’s still overseeing the whole project 
• And he’s coming back when time is up

But this picture gives us our answer to the question we started with: Does God favor one nation over another?

• Answer: No
• The Kingdom of God is not about national boundaries
• Not about earthly kingdoms that come and go
• The Kingdom of God is already established in heaven. It's permanent, and Jesus is on the throne. No nation is favored; every nation is invited.

Revelation 7:9-10 (NLT) 9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

In every generation, as Christians, our job is to invite people. Every nation, not just the ones we’re most familiar with. Why are you standing there? 

• Where is your Jerusalem? (neighborhood, community)
• Where is your Judea/Samaria? (multisite, keep growing)
• Where is your “ends of the earth”? (missions)

In this bonus episode, Bo and KD continue their discussion on Mormonism and women. They explore the cultural aspects of Mormonism as it relates to women, including the recitation of the Young Women's theme, the concept of exaltation, and the pressure on women to find a worthy husband. They also discuss the emphasis on modesty and the challenges of dressing in a way that is garment-appropriate. The conversation highlights the control and judgment that can arise from these cultural expectations.

Takeaways:

• The pressure to find a worthy husband and the fear of not being able to achieve exaltation can create anxiety and control in Mormon women.
• The emphasis on modesty and the requirement to wear garments can lead to judgment and policing of women's clothing choices.
• In Mormonism, women are expected to prioritize having children, and infertility can be a source of judgment and unsolicited advice.
• Leaving the Mormon church can be particularly difficult for women, as it is seen as breaking up the eternal family.
• It is important to prioritize God above all else and recognize that being part of God's family is more important than the Mormon concept of an eternal family.

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

In this episode Bryan, Bo, and KD discuss the Mormon perspective on the fall of Adam and Eve and how it shapes their view of women. They contrast this with the biblical view that emphasizes the equality and value of both men and women as image bearers of God. The conversation also touches on the Mormon belief in becoming gods and the role of women in Mormonism.

• Mormonism has a different interpretation of the fall and the role of women compared to biblical Christianity.
• The biblical view emphasizes the equality and value of both men and women as image bearers of God.
• Toxic masculinity and controlling behavior from husbands and a desire for control and subversion from wives are the result of the curse.
• Jesus is the solution to this hostility, as he crushed Satan's head and overcame sin and death.
• In biblical Christianity, there is no difference between men and women at the foot of the cross, and all believers have access to God through Jesus.

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD explore the question that skeptics and scoffers love to use to stump Christians: If God is good, why does evil exist? At first blush this paradox seems impossible to answer. But take a second look at the Bible and you’ll not just make sense of this difficult question, you’ll find an answer that can change your eternity.

Takeaways:

• Mormonism and Christianity have different understandings of God, Satan, and the nature of evil.
• Evil is not just external, but also resides within each person.
• Evil exists because people exist. Sin is what broke the world, and God is being patient with people to give them a chance to repent.

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk about how the Mormon church claims to have prophets who speak authoritatively for God. But is that really a thing anymore? If not, how do we hear from God? This podcast explores the answer to that question. They discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments, the concept of worthiness in Mormonism, and the differences between capital P prophets and lowercase p prophets. They emphasize that every believer now has the Holy Spirit and that the Bible is God's authoritative Word. They also talk about the closed canon and the importance of testing everything against God's Word.

Takeaways:

• There are two different types of prophets: a capital “P” prophet who speaks authoritatively for God, and a lowercase “p” prophet who speaks what God has already spoken.
• The canon of Scripture is closed, meaning that God is not going to speak authoritatively through prophets anymore.
• The Bible is God's authoritative word and does not need to be supplemented with new revelation from prophets.
• The gift of prophecy in the local church is about reminding people of what God has already spoken, not bringing new revelation.
• Believers should test everything against God's Word and hold on to what is good.

--

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

Mentioned in this episode:

Donate Now

Some churches claim to have prophets who speak authoritatively for God. But is that really a thing anymore? If not, how do we hear from God?

--

The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

--

Does God Still Speak Through Prophets?

Let’s start with a passage that seems to answer the question:

Ephesians 4:11 (NLT) Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

1. Seems clear, right? Prophets are still a thing.
2. So the churches that claim to have prophets and apostles are the most biblical churches? Not so fast. Let’s look into this…

Prophets in the OT

Prophets in the OT were not mere fortune-tellers but messengers chosen by God to guide, comfort, and ultimately call people back to God.

1. Exodus 3:9-10 (NLT) “Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
2. Ezekiel 2:3-5 (NLT) “Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them.
3. Hosea 1:2 (NLT) When the LORD first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the LORD and worshiping other gods.”
4. Jonah 1:1-2 (NLT) The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

Prophets in the NT

In the NT the Holy Spirit was given to every believer, and this caused prophecy to take on a whole new meaning and purpose.

1. Acts 2:17-18 (NLT) ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy.
2. (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Whereas the Spirit especially designated and empowered the prophets and other leaders of Israel under the Old Covenant, God promises that all his people will be possessed by the Spirit in the last days.
3. (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The expectation from 2:17-18 is that all believers under the New Covenant would 'prophesy' (prophēteusousin), and so share to some extent in the prophetic role (cf. 19:6). However, it is clear that some of the early Christians were especially gifted in prediction (cf. 21:4, 9, 10-11), and others in exhorting and strengthening believers in their discipleship (cf. 15:30-2).
4. Acts 21:9-12 (NLT) He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

Two Types of Prophet

The key to answering this question is to consider the two types of “prophet”. The first is capital “P” prophet = speaks authoritatively for God. It’s what we see here:

Ephesians 2:19-20 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.

1. This is what I call capital “P” prophets - those who spoke authoritatively and laid the foundation. Paul describes it further in the next chapter:
2. Ephesians 3:5 (NLT) God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
3. Through Peter, John, Paul, etc. God revealed his plan of salvation: Jew +Gentile. Good news! But not what the people expected.
4. This was prophetic revelation. New revelation. This work is done. God does not need to reveal anything new through prophets.

Ans: God does NOT speak through these types of prophets anymore.

But that’s different than the gift of prophecy in the local church. That’s what Paul is talking about in Ephesians 4, the passage we started with today. Now we’re ready to read it in context:

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT) Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

1. This is what I call lower case “p” prophets - those who speak out to every new generation (and congregation) what God has already spoken.
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 (NLT) Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

Close:

Why do we no longer need prophets in the capital “P” sense? The ultimate “prophet” is Jesus himself.

1. Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT) Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son….

We’ll find all the revelation we need in Jesus. Look to him for your answers.