An Idea from Justin Taylor at the Gospel Coalition.

JUSTIN TAYLOR|5:52 PM CT

A Proposed Compromise on the Same-Sex Marriage Debate

This proposal—a rapprochement of sorts between the revisionists and the traditionalists—was first offered in 2009 by Ryan T. Anderson and Sherif Girgis. It is unlikely to happen, but I think it’s an interesting idea to have on the table. An excerpt:

The revisionists would agree to oppose the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), thus ensuring that federal law retains the traditional definition of marriage as the union of husband and wife, and states retain the right to preserve that definition in their law.

In return, traditionalists would agree to support federal civil unions offering most or all marital benefits.

But, as Princeton’s Robert P. George once proposed for New Jersey civil unions, unions recognized by the federal government would be available to any two adults who commit to sharing domestic responsibilities, whether or not their relationship is sexual. Available only to people otherwise ineligible to marry each other (say, because of consanguinity), these unions would neither introduce a rival “marriage-lite” option nor treat same-sex unions as marriages. Their purpose would be to protect adult domestic partners who have pledged themselves to a mutually binding relationship of care. What (if anything) goes on in the bedroom would have nothing to do with these unions’ goals or, thus, eligibility requirements.

This proposal will, no doubt, meet with resistance on both sides of the marriage divide.

Traditionalists will regret any move that appears to capitulate on the distinctiveness of marital relationships by granting same-sex couplings similar status, even if we would make recognition available to presumptively non-sexual relationships to avoid equating gay unions with marriage. (We ourselves do not favor civil-union schemes of any type, but we are prepared to accept them as part of an honorable compromise among reasonable people of goodwill.)

At the same time, revisionists will have to compromise by supporting DOMA, the current Clinton-era federal law that retains a traditional definition of marriage for federal purposes while leaving each state free to define marriage as it sees fit, regardless of what other states do.

But we believe that for both sides, the benefits could outweigh the drawbacks.

First, this approach would avoid the hornet’s nest of church-state issues engaged by the Rauch-Blankenhorn proposal. Since neither the presumption nor the legal possibility of sex would be a condition for recognition, homosexual activity would not be incentivized or institutionally normalized. Thus, traditional religious communities would not have to rule out support for our proposal as an implicit endorsement of homosexual activity. And with renewed support for DOMA, they would be free not to promote or treat same-sex unions as marriages. As a result, no special religious-conscience protections would be necessary.

For traditionalists, though, there is another worry. Two state courts have already used existing state civil-union laws as part of their rationale for insisting that the legislature enact same-sex ‘marriage,’ on the ground that “separate but equal” institutions are unjust. If, under the Rauch-Blankenhorn proposal, we enacted same-sex civil unions identical in their structure and purposes to marriage, courts could again use these as a steppingstone to same-sex ‘marriage.’ The benefit of our proposal is that it avoids this possible breach of the compromise by reaffirming DOMA and establishing civil unions that differ in substance, not only in name, from marriages.

Our proposal would still meet the needs of same-sex partners—based not on sex (which is irrelevant to their relationship’s social value), but on shared domestic responsibilities, which really can ground mutual obligations. It would provide a practical compromise that need not offend either side’s nonnegotiable principles. And it would lower the emotional temperature without chilling debate, which would continue at the state level, perhaps now more fruitfully.

8 May, 2012

Mitt Romney: Two Evangelical Views (Part 1)

I am posting two views on the upcoming US election. Both have to do with Mitt Romney and his Mormonism, and whether that disqualifies him from receiving a vote from Christians concerned about the Gospel as expressed in Christian Scripture.

The first view (first only because I read it before the other view) is from Douglas Groothuis, a well-known apologist and theologian who is a professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary. His books include, Christianity That Counts, Confronting the New Age, Deceived by the Light, On Jesus, On Pascal, Revealing the New Age Jesus, The Soul in Cyberspace, Truth Decay, Unmasking the New Age, In Defense of Natural Theology: A Post-Humean Assessment, (co-edited with James F. Sennett), Jesus in an Age of Controversy, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith:

Why a Principled Conservative (Reaganite), Bible-Believing Evangelical, Counter-cult Expert Will Vote and Support Mitt Romney for President.

Many conservatives (Christian or otherwise), me included, are disappointed that Mitt Romney will be the Republican candidate for President. They lament that a more principled conservative (such as Michele Bachmann, or, to a lesser degree, Rick Santorum) was not selected. Perhaps they stand for the libertarian principles of Ron Paul. Whatever the case, many will be tempted to not vote at all or to make a protest vote. This is a deep mistake, based on faulty ideas about politics and the meaning of a political vote. In this short essay, I will labor to convince fellow conservatives, whether Christians or not, to vote and support for Mitt Romney for President. I have waited to endorse Romney until all the other competitors have been eliminated, since I did not support Romney from the beginning. I do not expect to convert political liberals to this cause, which would require much more argumentation. (For starters, see Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Leftism and William F. Buckely, Up From Liberalism.)

1. Many demur from voting for Romney because of his less-than-stellar conservative bona fides. I agree. RomneyCare influenced ObamaCare, however much Romney not opposes ObamaCare. He has not always been pro-life, but now seems to be. One could go on. But we should remember that politics is not the church. It is the art of the possible. Often we must choose the lesser of two evils, which is also the evil of two lessers. It is a fallen world. Get over it. We should be romantic and optimistic in the primaries (as I supported Michele Bachmann, read her book; contributed to her campaign); then get realistic when things narrow down. You are not appointing a pastor, but voting for a President. A vote is not a letter of reference; nor is it an unqualified endorsement; nor is it worship. A vote is the exercise of the franchise, one part you play in our Republican form of government. It is a right, a responsibility, and a privilege that should not be squandered.

2. Protest votes are pointless. Many say, “If my candidate is not the one, I opt out. I am above all that.” This is wrongheaded. Protest votes send no message, except that you have robbed the better of the two candidates of a vote. Like it or not, we are stuck with a two-party system for the long haul. (On this, see Michael Medved’s chapter on the failure of third parties in Ten Lies About America.) If you are a conservative, you vote for the more conservative candidate who can win, as William F. Buckley said. Writing in Michelle Bachmann or Ron Paul does no good whatsoever—except to aid the Obama campaign.

3. The essential principles between the two parties are sharply divided, however each candidate may vary from them.

A. Democrats support big government, heavy taxation and regulation, viewing the Constitution as a wax nose they twist any way they want (progressivism), pitting corporations and “the wealthy” and against “the common man” (call it class warfare, a holdover from Marxism), a weakened national defense (the only area of the federal government Obama is trying to cut). They do not support religious liberty, and they are pro-abortion with a vengeance. Under ObamaCare, every American would be subsidizing the killing of innocent human beings with their very own tax dollars. Ponder that, for God’s sake. It denies the First Amendment (by requiring many religious people to violate their religious principles) and sets a dangerous precedent for state intrusion into matters of religious conscience.

B. Republicans support smaller government, lighter taxation and regulation, a higher view of The Constitution as a body of objective truths to be applied rightly today, and the opportunities allowed by a basically free market, a strong national defense (or “Peace through strength,”—Ronald Wilson Reagan), and are much more pro-life. This means a Republican President is far more likely to:

(1) Appoint Supreme Court justices who honor the Constitution and see it as opposing Roe- v. Wade.

(2) Appoint dozens of federal judges with great power, all of whom are likely to have a high and proper view of the Constitution.

(3) Use Executive Orders (whether they are constitutional or not is another issue; they probably are not) in the pro-life cause, such as not giving foreign aid to support abortions abroad and not funding abortions in the military.

C. There are significant weaknesses in Mitt Romney as a candidate. Yes, he is:

(1) Not a principled conservative. Look at his very mixed track record.

(2) Not particularly charismatic or a good speaker.

(3) A Mormon.

I have been involved in counter-cult apologetics and evangelism for 35 years. Mormonism is a deviation from Christian orthodoxy on titanic theological issues such as the nature of God (or gods, in the case of Mormonism), the identity of Christ, and salvation, to name a few crucial issues. Yes, there has been some movement back to the Bible among some Mormons in the last twenty years. However, Mormonism as Mormonism is heretical. No one should be a Mormon. It is “another gospel” (see Galatians 1:6-11). I learned this in 1977, when, as a young Christian, I read Walter Martin’s modern classic, Kingdom of the Cults. Nothing since has convinced me to the contrary.

If Romney is elected President, it would give Mormonism a platform as it has never had before. That is bad, very bad. However, the President is not Theologian-in-Chief nor Pastor-in-Chief. He is Commander-in-Chief. More soberly, the alternative to Romney is, truly, the end of America as it was founded and as we know it. It is a state modeled after European democratic socialism: massive taxation, cradle-to-grave statist “security,” and a more secularized culture. This is not the America envisioned by our founders. This is not the city set on a hill.

In Romney’s favor, he has been a very decent man, who has given much of his income to charity. Further, he is an accomplished businessman who knows how to address problems (unlike Obama). For example, in 1999, he volunteered to save the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. He did what he intended to do. He understands and respects the vital role of business to create jobs and create new products, unlike Obama, whose idea of job creation is endless “stimulus packages” packed with pork and barren of economic hope.

Obama, while not a Mormon, has no credible Christian testimony. Consider his twenty-year membership in Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s racist, ultra-liberal, Nation-of-Islam-supporting church. Ponder his stance on abortion. He was one of only a few politicians not to oppose partial-birth abortions, which are cases of infanticide: a form of murder. (See David Fredosso, The Case Against Barak Obama for the documentation.) He took this outrageous stand because he was afraid it would chip away at Roe v. Wade, which he supports completely. Obama is far more sympathetic to Islam than he is to Christianity. I did not Obama was a Muslim, but that he respects Islam and seems oblivious (or indifferent) to the dangers of sharia law (which allows wife-beating, polygamy, and more). This is urgent, since shari’a law is already being implemented on American soil. (On this menace, see Robert Spencer, Stealth Jihad.)

4. Under another four-years of Obama, we would experience more “historic” changes:

A. The federal takeover of health care, leading to rationing, inefficiency, and a loss of personal freedom. You will be paying for abortions. Some would rather go to jail than submit to this. I imagine that Catholic priests would lead the way.

B. A growing and perhaps insurmountable debt, mortgaging our future, and making us like Greece.

C. Further evisceration of our military and cut backs in military benefits.

D. The further deconstruction of the Constitution, thus removing us from the Rule of Law and putting us under the Rule of Man: One man, the man who would be King: Barack Obama. He might well abolish term limits if given another term.

For these reasons and many more, I, Douglas Richard Groothuis, will vote for, support, and pray that Mitt Romney becomes the next President of these United States. I hope you will join me. So much is at stake.

8 May, 2012

Mitt Romney: Two Evangelical Views (part 2)

Jerry Johnson has a different take on Mitt Romney, one that needs to be heard too. I believe his will be much less popular among many Christians, but those inclined to do the “practical” thing will do well to follow his arguments. I think he is touching on something that needs to have been discussed for a long time: How Should We Then Vote?

Jerry Johnson is the Founder and President of NiceneCouncil.com and The Apologetics Group, Inc. (Apologetics Group Media). He has earned a Master of Arts in Christian Studies and a Master of Philosophy in Theology and Apologetics from Whitefield Theological Seminary. He is currently working on a doctorate from Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

From his website: “Jerry was the senior writer and researcher for the best selling documentaries Amazing Grace: The History & Theology of Calvinism and The Marks of a Cult: A Biblical Analysis. He also was the author of corresponding study guides for both films. Jerry is a member of the Board of Regents for Whitefield Theological Seminary and serves as an adjunct professor at Knox Theological Seminary and Veritas Theological Seminary. Since 2005, Jerry has been a Chaplain for Baseball Chapel serving the Seattle Mariners’ minor league team, the Pulaski Mariners.”

Home ⟩ Document

Document

For the sake of the gospel!

“Mitt Romney, Mormonism and
the Christian Vote”

A Biblical Call to
Christian Ministers and Leaders

“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Timothy 4:16)

Copyright 2012 FortheSakeoftheGospel.com All Rights Reserved.
Permission is herby granted to repost under the condition
that a link is provided encouraging Christians to add their
names as signers.

For the sake of the Gospel, we, the undersigned, call upon Christian leaders and their respective ministries and organizations, if you plan on endorsing Governor Mitt Romney for the office of President of the United States, do so by clearly and unequivocally distancing yourself and Biblical Christianity from his Mormon beliefs.

We believe in the freedom of religion, the free exercise thereof, and the principles of a constitutional republic. Our Constitution does not require a religious “test” for any candidate to qualify for political office. Anyone should be allowed to run for office and serve if elected – regardless of their religious affiliations or lack thereof.

Further, it is not our intention with this call to bind the conscience of any individual by telling them how to vote. If an evangelical Christian chooses to vote for Mr. Romney (President Obama or any candidate), that is a decision between themselves and God.

The purpose of this call to evangelical Christians and leaders is two-fold:

To protect the purity and integrity of the Biblical Gospel.
To seize the opportunity to educate the America Public and Christians to the fundamental differences between historic Christian faith and that of the Latter-day Saints (Mormons).

While social and political causes are a vital and important part of the Church’s responsibilities, we believe that our primary function as Christians, both collectively and individually, is to preach and defend the Lord Jesus and His Gospel, as He is defined in the Bible, and has been affirmed in the historic Christian Church, its Councils and Creeds.

In our postmodern era, Christians are taught to believe that truth is relative and sincerity is more important than accuracy. However, we believe that the good news of the gospel – justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone – could be compromised if Mr. Romney receives unqualified public endorsements from Christian leaders, their ministries or organizations, thereby potentially confusing the evangelical Gospel with the soteriology (false gospel) of the Mormon Religion.

It is our contention that the general population should not be left with any uncertainty whether the theological cult¹ of which Mitt Romney is a faithful member, namely The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and historic evangelical Christianity are one and the same faith. This we adamantly deny!

Though the Mormon religion sets moral standards for its members that appear to be consistent with many evangelical morals, thereby appearing to project a Christian world and life view, it would be a serious theological error to equate Christianity with Mormonism simply based upon some common values.

Since the Mormon religion was founded in the early part of the nineteenth-century, it has always been classified as a “theological cult” by virtually every Bible-believing Christian denomination in the United States and the world. The reason they were given this “cult” label is based upon their theology. The doctrines espoused by this sect are not only unbiblical, but clearly anti-Christian.

These theological differences are not at all to be compared to the dissimilarities one finds between evangelicals in Christian denominations, such as, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc. These denominations (in their original, historic confessions and doctrinal statements) embraced a foundational theology that is Biblical, historic, and orthodox. Although these evangelicals are divided on some points of Christian theology, often secondary issues, they actually agree more than they disagree. The historic evangelical Church has always maintained that orthodoxy (correct thinking or belief) is required in order for a denomination to be considered Christian. We refer to these doctrines collectively as “the essentials of the Christian faith.” Our doctrines are derived from the Bible alone and not from man-made theology.

Since its inception in the 19th century, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has deceptively labeled itself a “Christian” church. Its leaders used the historical accounts and key figures found in the Bible, but they ignore or contradict the Bible’s central theology.

If their founders had simply started this new religion without using the historical figures and Christian terminology, then Mormonism would simply be classified as just another world religion and not a theological cult. However, since they claim that they are the only true church or the purest New Testament church while rejecting Biblical and historic Christian theology, Mormonism has accurately been classified as a “cult.”

Why Mormonism is NOT Christian

The Doctrine of Revelation

The Mormon Church teaches that there are four separate writings which constitute God’s revelation. These would include The Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants, The Pearl of Great Price, and the Bible.²

The evangelical Christian Church teaches that the Bible alone, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament, is the Word of God. Quoting the Second London Baptist Confession, “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture, to which nothing is to be added at any time, either by new revelation of the Spirit, or by the traditions of men.”³

The Nature of God

The Mormon Church teaches that God the Father, whom they call “Heavenly Father,” was once a flesh and blood man from a planet (near a Star) called Kolob⁴. Through his obedience to the same teaching espoused by Latter-day Saints, he was elevated to godhood sometime after his death.⁵In fact, according to the Mormon Church, there are many such gods like “Heavenly Father” throughout the universe. According to Mormonism, God had a father and his father had a father and his father had a father ad infinitum.⁶

The evangelical Christian Church teaches that there is only one God and that He is eternal in His being and persons. The LORD affirms this in His statement in Isaiah 44:6, “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” (Also see Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 32:39; 1 Kings 8:60; Isaiah 44:24; 45:5.)

Quoting the Westminster Confession of Faith used by Presbyterians, “There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will….”⁷

The Person of Jesus Christ

Mormon leaders have taught that after Heavenly Father was elevated to godhood he took an innumerable amount of celestial wives⁸ . Through the conjugal act⁹ with his first wife, he sired two spirit sons: Jesus¹⁰, the eldest, and his younger brother, Lucifer.¹¹

This teaching is repugnant to all Bible-believing evangelical Christians to say the least! While Satan’s condition differs from Christ’s, the natures of Jesus and Satan are, according to Mormon theology, equivalent.¹²

The evangelical Christian Church teaches that Jesus is eternal and unique and that Lucifer is not his “spirit” brother. Quoting the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion of the Anglican Church, “The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father, took man’s nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance…”¹³

Further, the Bible teaches that Jesus was the creator of not only the earth, but the entire universe and everything in it, including the devil. (Isaiah 44:24; John 1:1-3; Col. 1:5-6.)

The Fall of Adam into Sin

The Mormon Church teaches that though mankind fell in the Garden of Eden his fall was in an upward trajectory¹⁴ and that the serpent told Adam and Eve the truth, i.e. you shall be like gods (Genesis 3).

The Bible and the evangelical Christian Church teaches that in the Garden of Eden man fell in a downward trajectory and this fall was from “innocence” into sin. Adam and Eve’s sin was in wanting to be like God; in which they could judge for themselves what is good and evil. In the Bible, and Christian theology the serpent told Adam and Eve a lie. The doctrinal statement for The Pentecostal Church of God article three explains, “Man is a created being, made in the likeness and the image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world (Romans 5:12). “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3: 10).”

Salvation

The Mormon Church teaches that full salvation or exaltation is acquired by men when they are elevated to godhood¹⁵, like Heavenly Father before them¹⁶, and take their celestial wives whom they impregnate and eventually populate their own planet. This is known as the “law of eternal progression” and is the highest form of salvation in Mormon theology.¹⁷ They believe that this is obtained by faith and continued by worthiness (good works), as defined by their church.¹⁸

The evangelical Christian Church teaches that salvation (justification) is from sin, by grace, through faith, in Christ alone and not of any works. The Lutheran Augsburg Confession explains, “…that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. (Romans 3 and 4.)” ¹⁹

Echoing this belief, John Wesley, the great Methodist preacher explained that Biblical salvation is, “[A] salvation which is through faith. This is that great salvation foretold by the angel, before God brought his First-begotten into the world: ‘Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.’ And neither here, nor in other parts of holy writ, is there any limitation or restriction. All his people, or, as it is elsewhere expressed, ‘all that believe in him,’ he will save from all their sins; from original and actual, past and present sin, ‘of the flesh and of the spirit.’ Through faith that is in him, they are saved both from the guilt and from the power of it.” (Habakkuk. 2:4; John 3:16, 18, 36; Romans 4:6, 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9.) ²⁰

Unlike Mormonism, salvation by grace through faith in Christ returns man to a right relationship with God. It does NOT make man a god. It is contrary to the teaching of the Bible to say man can become gods, but rather, it is only Biblical to say that God the Son took upon Himself the form of man.

Other Anti-Christian Doctrines taught by Mormons

God the Father is married and there is a Mother God (Answers to Gospel Questions, Joseph Fielding Smith, Vol. 3, pp. 143-144).

All men and women who have ever lived on Earth are the spirit offspring of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. Every person was conceived and born in a pre-existent spiritual realm (Mormon Doctrine, p. 589).

Black people are black because of their misdeeds in the pre-existence (Three Degrees of Glory, LDS Apostle Melvin J. Ballard, p. 21).

“Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 10, p. 110).

“As a result of his rebellion, Cain was cursed with a dark skin; he became the father of the Negroes, and those spirits who are not worthy to receive the priesthood are born through this lineage…Noah’s son Ham married Egyptus (there is no Egyptus mentioned in the Bible), a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the Negro lineage through the flood.” (Bruce R. McConkie – Mormon apostle, Mormon Doctrine, p.102,477)

There are other teachings promulgated by Mormons which are equally repugnant to historic Biblical Christianity. However, the preceding examples should suffice to prove our point: Mormonism is not only “unbiblical,” regarding most of the essential truths that make up the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but, as stated previously, it is profoundly “anti-Christian.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, Christian leaders and laypersons who are involved in the political process should maintain discernment and avoid the temptation of doctrinal compromise simply because a candidate says he supports conservative morals and socio/political principles that align with some areas of Biblical Christianity. If endorsing or supporting any Mormon candidate, Christians should be careful not to cause confusion or blur the distinctions by equating Mormon doctrines with the beliefs of historic, traditional Christianity.

The Bible teaches that the God of the Bible is not the author of confusion. As Christians it is our duty to keep ourselves from publicly confusing the American people, and in particular evangelical Christians. (1 Corinthians 14:32-33; 40).

Actions and beliefs have consequences. If this call is not heeded, we, the undersigned, believe this will have eternal consequences on the Church, the public and the souls of those we are called to evangelize.

End Notes:

^{1. By the term “cult” we DO NOT mean that individuals are involved in immoral or illegal behavior or the occult. The standard evangelical definition is best summarized by the following “A cult, then, is a group of people polarized around someone’s interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, particularly the fact that God became man in Jesus Christ.” (Walter Martin, The Rise of the Cults, p. 12).}

^{2. The eighth article of Faith of the Mormon Religion “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” Notice that doubt is only cast upon the Bible.}

^{3. Second London Baptist Confession, 1689 Chapter 1, Article 2. Though creeds and confessions are cited in this document, please note that they are nothing more than a summary of Biblical theology and are therefore subordinate to the Bible. All of the signers believe the Bible alone is the Word of God.}

^4.^{“And I saw the stars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God; and there were many great ones which were near unto it; And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.” (Book of Abraham3:2-3)}

^{“Kolob… signifies the first great grand governing fixed star which is the farthest that ever has been discovered by the fathers which was discovered by Methusela and also by Abraham.” (Joseph Smith – Mormon prophet,Book of Abraham translation working papers, Kirtland Egyptian Papers, Grammar p.34)}

^{“Kolob… the planet nearest unto the habitation of the Eternal Father.” (Brigham Young – Mormon prophet,Ensign, November 1971)}

^{“Thou longed, thou sighed and thou prayed to thy Father in heaven for the time to arrive when thou couldst come to this earth, which had fled and fallen from where it was first organised, near the planet Kolob.” (John Taylor – Mormon prophet Liahona, the Elder’s Journal, Vol. 5, No. 38, March 7, 1908)}

^{“In this passage will be found the germ of that system of the construction and movement of planetary systems that make up the universe, set forth in the teachings of Joseph Smith. Here it may be seen that there are many great stars—the “governing ones,” near together, and from among them rises one pre-eminent in greatness—Kolob—which governs all the rest that are of the same order as that to which our solar system belongs.” (B. H. Roberts – Mormon apostle and LDS church historian

A New Witness for God, p. 447)}

^{5. Joseph Smith explained, “I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see. He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did.” (LDS History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 305).}

^{“Remember that God, our heavenly Father, was perhaps once a child, and mortal like we ourselves, and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement; has moved forward and overcome, until He has arrived at the point where He now is.” (Orson Hyde – Mormon apostle, Journal of Discourses 1:123).

“But if God the Father was not always God, but came to his present exalted position by degrees of progress as indicated in the teachings of the prophet, how has there been a God from all eternity? The answer is that there has been and there now exists an endless line of Gods, stretching back into the eternities, that had no beginning and will have no end. Their existence runs parallel with endless duration, and their dominions are as limitless as boundless space.” (B. H. Roberts – Mormon apostle and LDS church historian, A New Witnesses for God 1:476).}

⁶^{. “We shall go back to our Father and God, who is connected with one who is still farther back; and this Father is connected with one still further back, and so on.” (Heber C. Kimball – First Presidency Counselor, Journal of Discourses, 5:19).

“God is an exalted man… The Prophet taught that our Father had a Father and so on.” (Joseph Fielding Smith – Mormon prophet, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:10,12).}

^{7. Westminster Confession of Faith 2:1}

⁸^{. “When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve,one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is MICHAEL, the Archangel, the ANCIENT OF DAYS! about whom holy men have written and spoken – HE is our FATHER and our GOD, and the only God with whom WE have to do. Every man upon the earth, professing Christian or non-professing, must hear it, and will know it sooner or later… When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family…” (Brigham Young – Mormon prophet April 9, 1852 – 22nd Annual General Conference,Journal of Discourses 1:50-51)}

^{“Our Father begat all the spirits that were before any tabernacles were made. When our Father came into the Garden he came with his celestial body and brought one of his wives with him and ate of the fruit of the garden until he could begat a tabernacle. And Adam is Michael or God and all the God that we have any thing to do with.” (Wilford Woodruff – Mormon prophet, Diary – April 9, 1852).}

^{“President Young followed and made many good remarks… He said that our God was Father Adam. He was the Father of the Savior Jesus Christ, our God was no more or less than ADAM, Michael the Archangel.” (Wilford Woodruff – Mormon prophet, Diary – February 19, 1854″}

^{“Concerning the item of doctrine… that Adam is our Father and God… the Prophet and Apostle Brigham has declared it, and that is the word of the Lord.” (Franklin D. Richards – Mormon apostle, August 26, 1854,Millennial Star 16:534).}

^{9. LDS Apostle Melvin Ballard explained that God has a wife: “For as we have a Father in heaven, so also we have a Mother there, a glorified, exalted, ennobled Mother.” (As quoted in Achieving a Celestial Marriage, LDS Church manual, 1976, p. 129)}

^{“Logic and reason would certainly suggest that if we have a Father in Heaven, we have a Mother in Heaven. That doctrine rests well with me.” (Gordon Hinckley, “Daughters of God,” Ensign (Conference Edition), November 1991, p.100.)}

^{10. “In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints ‘do not believe in the traditional Christ.’ ‘No, I don’t. The traditional Christ of whom they speakis not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages.’” (LDS Church News Week ending June 20, 1998, p. 7).}

^{11. Milton R. Hunter, a member of the Mormon First Council of the Seventy (a Mormon General Authority), wrote, “The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. Haughty, ambitious, and covetous of power and glory, this spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind.” (The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15).}

^12.^{Apostle George Q. Cannon wrote: “We are here to be tested and tried. There is a war between Satan and God. We are brethren and sisters of Satan as well as of Jesus. It may be startling doctrine to many to say this; but Satan is our brother. Jesus is our brother. We are the children of God. God begot us in the spirit in the eternal worlds. This fight that I speak of arose, as we are told, over the question as to how man should work out his earthly probation in a tabernacle of flesh and bones and obtain redemption. Satan differed from God, and he rebelled. We are told in the scriptures that he drew after him one third of the family of God. They thought his plan better than that of the Savior Jesus Christ. From that time until the present he has been struggling to destroy the plans of Jehovah, and to seduce the children of men—his brothers and sisters—from their allegiance to God.” (Apostle George Q. Cannon, March 11th, 1894, Collected Discourses, compiled by Brian Stuy, vol. 4, p. 23,)}

^{13. Article II, Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very Man}

^{14. Assistant to the Twelve Apostles Sterling W. Sill spoke of Adam’s fall: “Adam fell, but he fell in the right direction. He fell toward the goal…. Adam fell, but he fell upward.” (Deseret News, Church Section, 31 July 1965, p. 7).}

^{“Properly understood, it becomes apparent that the fall of Adam is one of the greatest blessings ever given of God to mankind.” (Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 87).}

^15.^{“Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power…” “What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before.” (Joseph Smith – Mormonism founder, King Follett Sermon,Ensign, April 1971)

16. Lorenzo Snow, fifth prophet of the LDS Church exclaimed, “As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be.” (Ensign, February 1982, pp. 39-40).}

^{17. “The Father has promised us that through our faithfulness we shall be blessed with the fullness of his kingdom. In other words we will have the privilege of becoming like him. To become like him we must have all the powers of godhood; thus a man and his wife when glorified will have spirit children who eventually will go on an earth like this one we are on and pass through the same kind of experiences, being subject to mortal conditions, and if faithful, then they also will receive the fullness of exaltation and partake of the same blessings. There is no end to this development; it will go on forever. We will become gods and have jurisdiction over worlds, and these worlds will be peopled by our own offspring. We will have an endless eternity for this.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 2, 48).}

^{“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man… I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea… He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth.” (Joseph Smith – Mormonism founder, Ensign, April 1971, p.13-14)

“He is our Father-the Father of our spirits, and was once a man in mortal flesh as we are, and is now an exalted Being. How many Gods there are, I do not know. But there never was a time when there were not Gods and worlds, and when men were not passing through the same ordeals that we are now passing through. ” (Brigham Young – Mormon prophet, Journal of Discourses 7:333)

18. According to the Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie: “There is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints.“ (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, Salt Lake City UT: Bookcraft 1977 p. 670)}

^{The Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith explained: “You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace . . . until you . . . are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.” ( Teachings, pp. 346-47.); (Church Educational System, The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, Course Manual, Section 1, “The Son of the Eternal Father.”)}

^{Brigham Young, the second president and prophet of the Mormon church declared: “I can tell you how to save yourselves… By obedience to every requirement of the Gospel…. The Lord has sent forth his laws, commandments, and ordinances to the children of men, and requires them to be strictly obeyed.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 13, p. 218). “Strict obedience to the truth will enable people to dwell in the presence of the Almighty.” (8:148) (same citation)}

^{The 12th president prophet of the Mormon church Spencer W. Kimball said: “One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation.” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City Utah: bookcraft, 1989, p.207)}

^{Joseph Fielding Smith the 10th president prophet of the Mormon church declared: “Mankind [is] damned by [the] ‘faith alone’ doctrine” and that “we must emphatically declare that man must obey these [gospel] laws if they would be saved.” Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Volume 2, p. 139)}

^{“For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23)

“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” (Article of Faith #3)

“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.” (Brigham Young – Mormon prophet, Journal of Discourses 7:289)

“I tell you, Joseph holds the keys, and none of us can get into the celestial kingdom without passing by him… If brother Joseph is satisfied with you, you may pass. If it is all right with him, it is all right with me.” (Orson Hyde – Mormon apostle

Journal of Discourses 6:154-155)

“Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3)}

^{19. Article IV, Of Justification}

^{20. Salvation by Faith by John Wesley (Sermon on 18th June 1738).}