Mormonism: Another Jesus?

Another Jesus? For many this might seem like a ridiculous question, with an obvious answer. The Mormon Jesus is the same Jesus in the Gospels would be the reply. Is it possible the Jesus of the Book of Mormon is a different Jesus? They both have the same name, so they must be the same person. Does the name make the person? The name Jesus is actually the Greek form of the name of Joshua (Yeshua) meaning í¢â‚¬Å“Jehovah is salvationí¢â‚¬�. Jesus or Joshua was a common name in the time of Christ__________ In the 2nd letter to the Corinthians Paul warns about the very real possibility of another Jesus, a Jesus different from the Jesus Paul had presented to the Corinthians. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may well put up with it! 2 Corinthians 11:4__________ The fact is, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints have a í¢â‚¬Å“Jesusí¢â‚¬� central to their teachings. However, the question is this, is the Jesus presented in the Bible, the same as the LDS Jesus___________ Every person has unique characteristics, which define the person. We are born in a particular city, we have parents, we have a name, we have a nature and events in our lives making us unique. The Jesus presented in the New Testament, fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament has a unique nature. Are these the same characteristics presented by the Jesus of the LDS?__________ Anybody in the LDS or considering joining the Mormon Church should consider the question in light of the Bible. The only we can know if the Mormon Jesus is the same Jesus in the Bible is to compare the unique characteristics of both. We need to examine the LDS based on Mormon scripture and claims. Mormons consider the Book of Mormon (BOM), the Doctrine and Covenants (DC) and the Pearl of Great Price (PGP) as inspired writings, along with the words of their living prophets. How was Jesus conceived?___________ According to both Old and New Testaments a virgin would conceive (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1;35). The way the virgin would conceive is the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would be with child. The child would be Jesus Christ who would be born into the world. On the other hand, the Jesus of the LDS was not conceived by the Holy Spirit, but by a sexual act between Mary and the Father in Heaven. 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 was the Father? He is the first of the human family; and when he took a tabernacle (Body), it was begotten by his Father in heaven, after the same manner as the tabernacles of Cain, Abel and the rest of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve; from the fruits of the earth, the first earthly tabernacles were originated by the Father and son in successioní¢â‚¬¦..Jesus, our elder brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the garden of Eden, and who is our Father in Heavení¢â‚¬� (Journal of Discourses, 1:50-51)____________ Did Jesus have a Heavenly father and Mother? The Bible tells us Jesus, was eternal before his incarnation into the body of Man. He was God in the Old Testament who came took upon Himself human form_____________ For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6_______________ The LDS teaches Jesus was the spirit child of a heavenly Father and Mother, who had brothers including Satan. They also teach the Mormon heavenly father was once a man of flesh who í¢â‚¬Å“Becameí¢â‚¬� God. And that it is within the potential of all obedient Mormons to also become a god like Jesus and the Heavenly father, having spirit children with their eternal wives. í¢â‚¬Å“God exists and we had better strive to be prepared to be one with themí¢â‚¬� (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:238) í¢â‚¬Å“As man is, God once was: as God is, man may becomeí¢â‚¬� (Prophet Lorenzo Snow, quoted in Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, 105-106) 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 isí¢â‚¬� (Apostle Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses, 1:123) Where was Jesus Born?_____________ According to the both the Old and New Testaments the Messiah (Christ) was to be born in the city of Bethlehem, a distinct city from Jerusalem. (Micah 5:2, Luke 2:4-16, Matthew 2:1-6, John 7:42) According to Mormon doctrine, Jesus was born in the city of Jerusalem, not in Bethlehem. Was Jesus married?___________ According to the Bible, Jesus was never married, in fact the Bride of Christ is called the church in Ephesians and elsewhere in scripture (See Matthew 25:1-10, Revelation 19:6-14, 2 Corinthians 11:2) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Ephesians 5:25 However, the Mormon Jesus was not only married, but he was married to three women, two them being sisters. In addition to three wives, Jesus also had children he saw before he was crucified. Jesus also married Mary and Martha and the other Mary at Cana of Galilee, í¢â‚¬Å“Whereby he could see his seed, before he was crucifiedí¢â‚¬� (Apostle Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses, 4:259; 2:82) Are Jesus and Satan brothers?____________ The Bible informs us Satan, means í¢â‚¬Å“Adversaryí¢â‚¬� in Hebrew was a Cherub angel created perfect by God, who became jealous of God and demanded worship from the other angels. According to scripture, Jesus created all things (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2), this would include Lucifer before he choose to rebel. Jesus on the other hand was the Son of God, to be worshipped by all the angels when He came into the world. 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him." 8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. Hebrews 1:6,8 Unless Jesus was God, the angels would be sinning by worshipping another angel. God on the other hand commands the angels to worship the Son whom He calls God. The Mormon Jesus according to Joseph Smithí¢â‚¬â„¢s revelation is the brother of Satan who had a competing plan of salvation. God the Father, choose Sataní¢â‚¬â„¢s brother, the Mormon Jesusí¢â‚¬â„¢ plan for salvation________________ And the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying; That Satan, whom thou has commandedí¢â‚¬¦came before me, sayingí¢â‚¬"�Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. But, behold, my Beloved Son which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto meí¢â‚¬"�Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. Pearl of Great Price, Moses 4:1-2 Does it matter?_______________ Does it really matter if the LDS Jesus and the Jesus of the Bible have different aspects? According to Jesus, in book of Matthew, an event is coming in the future when many will confront this very issue. The Latter Day Saints do many good works, many of their works are done in the name of Jesus, but is this enough. Jesus comments about false prophets, works done in his name and eternal destiny in the Gospel of Matthew.15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:15,22-23_____________ In these verses, it is important to understand these people rejected by Jesus thought they were doing good works in His name; including prophesizing and casting out demons. The one thing they lacked was they did not know Jesus. He says to them, I never knew you. They in fact knew another Jesus, but not the Jesus of the Bible. The Jesus of the LDS is another Jesus, not the Jesus of the Bible. Jesus said, í¢â‚¬Å“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by meí¢â‚¬�. (John 14:6) Without the Biblical Jesus you cannot be saved. The Mormon Jesus did not die for your sins____________ How can I be saved? 1. The Bible tells us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (John 1:9). Believing in a False Jesus and teaching others a lie is a sin. We must be willing to repent of our sins. 2. We must accept Jesus Christ, the Biblical Jesus, the Son of God as our Lord and Savior, who died for our sins. Jesus said, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3;16)