Did A Prophet Just Die?

Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the Mormon church, died last week. From what I gathered on the news, he was greatly admired among Mormons for his leadership skills and pleasant demeanor. But Hinckley was more than a president to the followers of his religion; he was a prophet.

In Mormonism, the president of the church is the only man empowered to receive revelation and to change or clarify doctrine. Mormonism teaches, "We can always trust the living prophets" and that one's "greatest safety lies in strictly following the word of the Lord given through His prophets, particularly the current President of the Church." Notice the emphasis on the 'living prophets' and the 'current Presidnet.' The guy in charge today trumps any of his predecessors, which explains why polygamy was once accepted but is now banned, and why blacks were once excluded but are now included. The 'word of the Lord' can apparently change from year to year... depending on which prophet you ask!

Gordon B. Hinckley was not a prophet of God. Joseph Smith was not a prophet of God. No Mormon will ever be a prophet of God. Let me give you 3 reasons why:

1) Biblical prophets never contradicted each other. True prophets of God like Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah never had to correct or clarify one another even though there were hundreds of years between them. Mormon 'prophets,' though, are constantly having to change or clarify what previous 'prophets' said.

2) Biblical prophets were always correct. Deuteronomy 18:22 says, "When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken." All prophecies of true biblical prophets have been fulfilled (aside from those to be fulfilled at the end of time). Mormon 'prophets,' though have consistently been wrong. In 1835, Joseph Smith said the Lord would come again in 56 years. He also said that Mormons would take control of Salem, Massachusetts. Needless to say, neither of those ever happened, making Smith a false prophet.

3) Biblical prophets have ceased today. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom he created the world." God does not use prophets to speak anymore. God's Word is fully revealed to us in the Old and New Testaments, and I would argue that any other belief denies the sufficiency of Scripture and opens the door to cults like Mormonism. The Bible has everything we need to know about God and His will for our lives. There is no need for a modern-day prophet. The New Testament of Jesus Christ is God's final word to us.

A prophet did die last week... a false prophet. As I watched the story of Gordon Hinckley, my heart sank because this was a good man, a kind man, but a lost man. It is so sad that so many good, moral people are blinded by the works-based salvation offered by this deceitful man-made religion. Pray for Mormons everywhere to recognize that the work is finished, the debt is paid, and that God has spoken fully and finally through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Mormon on the Mount

Some are hailing Mitt Romney's speech as one of the grandest, noblest orations in the history of presidential politics. This is one for the history books, no doubt, but was it as noble and open as some would have us believe? I don't think so.

In the speech, Mr. Romney tried to convince conservative Christians (who make up a significant percentage of Republican voters) that his Mormon faith was normal, mainstream and very much like their own faith. With evangelicals in mind, he said,"What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind." John Green, director of the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life and a professor of political science at the University of Akron, called that "one of the boldest statements of faith that I can ever remember."

Or was it?

Far from being a bold statement of his true beliefs, Mr. Romney's response demonstrates the evangelical concern over Mormonism: they deceitfully word their beliefs in ways that appeal to Christians when, in fact, their beliefs are diametrically opposed to biblical Christianity.

Foreseeing this evangelical concern, Mr. Romney added, "My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has it own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance."

Let's get a few things clear here...

Mormon Belief: Jesus is the first 'son' of God. God's other 'sons' include the angels and all mankind.

Christian Belief: Jesus is the Father's "only begotten Son."

Mormon Belief: Jesus is not a member of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate Gods.

Christian Belief: There is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are the same in their nature and equal in power and glory.

Mormon Belief: God was once a human. He progressed to become God, and male (not female) humans may do the same. God is one of many gods.

Christian Belief: God has eternally existed as the One True God. Humans are His creation and can never become a deity.

Mormon Belief: Jesus visited the Native Americans after His resurrection and started the true church among them. (So I wonder why we never found any Mormon Indians... hmm)

Christian Belief: Jesus visited His disciples in Jerusalem after the resurrection then ascended into heaven only to return on the Last Day.

"Unique doctrines," indeed, Mr. Romney! Can I tolerate a man who believes such things? Certainly. But I cannot tolerate a man (and a religion) that attempts to trick people into thinking these wicked, cultish heresies are merely a "unique" expression of Christian thinking!

Romney's speech is sure to woo many conservatives... the kind who love to hear presidential candidates talk about keeping nativity scenes at courthouses and God in the pledge. But I hope, I pray that evangelical Christians (to whom this speech was directed) will see it for what it is:

An attempt to make a false church that exalts a false Christ

seem normal and good.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."

1 John 4:1