False Teachers - Mormonism - Etc.
To begin with, the statements:
Joel Osteen
Mr. Osteen is the "pastor" of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, which is purported to be the nation's largest "Christian" church. In an interview a few days before Christmas (2007) he appeared on Fox News Sunday with host Chris Wallace. Joel Osteen was asked about the Mormon faith and whether a Mormon could be classified as a "true Christian". His reply: "In my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior, and that's what I believe. I'm not the one to judge the little details of Romney's religion, so I believe Mormons are Christians..." When asked about specifics of the Mormon faith, such as the gold tablets allegedly found by Joseph Smith with the so-called "new revelation" from God, and the belief that humans can become gods, Mr. Osteen said he did not know enough about the religion to comment. He responded: "I certainly can't say that I agree with everything that I've heard about it, but from what I've heard from Mitt, when he says that Christ is his savior, to me that's a common bond."
Mike Huckabee
Mr. Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas, and a presidential candidate in 2008. In an article for the New York Times Magazine, he was quoted as saying "I do believe that Mormonism is a Christian religion." He then went on to ask the interviewer "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the Devil are brothers?" And then he stated "I don't want to go there, I really don't know much about it (Mormonism)".
Dr. Richard Mouw
Dr. Mouw is president of Fuller Theological Seminary. He recently endorsed a book written by pro-Mormon apologist Robert Millet which is titled "A Different Jesus?: The Christ of the Latter-Day Saints". Dr. Mouw made the statement, presumably after reading the book, that Millet "Is in fact trusting in the Jesus of the Bible for his salvation".
Joel Osteen is the "pastor" of a large (the largest) church in America. Mike Huckabee is a Southern Baptist and former "pastor" of a church in Arkansas. Dr. Richard Mouw is the president of a seminary that purports to teach men to become "Christian" pastors and leaders.
How can these three seemingly prominent men have it so wrong?
Jude says:
"I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to content earnestly for the faith which was once and for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ". Jude 3-4
As Christians, charged with contending for the faith against all false teachings, it is becoming more crucial that we have a clear biblical understanding, and that we maintain a distinction that marks the divide between the Jesus Christ of the Bible and the "Christ" of Mormonism or any other cult or false religion.
The plain fact is: Mormonism - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - is a cult.
From a purely Biblical perspective, 2 Corinthians 11:4 gives us the clearest and most concise description of how cults may be discerned. Paul warns here that false teachings will introduce three major errors to the unsuspecting person in the name of Christianity:
- First, they will preach their own determination of who Jesus Christ is, denying His Biblically revealed identity as God the Son, and exchanging it with another. They will point to 'another Jesus'.
- Secondly, cult teachers will proclaim a 'gospel message' that is ultimately a message of works-centered salvation, in sharp contrast to the Good News of the saving grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). They will preach 'another gospel'.
- Thirdly, the revealed spiritual nature of the work of the cult claims to be, but actually is not, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Instead, a chilling reference is made to 'spiritual entities' who lend spiritual power to natural humans. This is the demonic work of Satan. They are empowered by 'another spirit'.
In short, a cult will energetically claim to follow the Bible and be the only group found anywhere who really are interpreting it correctly. Ultimately, once examined, a questionable group's doctrines will always deny orthodox Biblical truth in one way, shape or form.
In general, this is the Mormon doctrinal summary:
God: An exalted physical man. He is the 'Elohim' of the Old Testament. A deity 'created' by the sexual union of his divine father and mother. As an infinite number of 'gods' and 'earths' exist, God the Father of Jesus Christ is the creator and ruler of this earth only.
Jesus: He is the 'Jehovah' of the Old Testament. The first begotten spirit child of Elohim, who created him by physical sexual union with Mary, one of his wives.
Trinity: Mormonism rejects the Doctrine of the Trinity. Instead, they embrace the belief called 'henotheism', the worship of one principal god among many. Mormonism is also tri-theistic, accepting three primary 'earth gods' - the father, the son and the holy ghost - and it is also polytheistic, accepting additional gods of other worlds.
Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost): According to the Mormon church, a man with a spiritual body of matter.
Salvation: Salvation in Mormonism is achieved by personal merit and effort, with the goal of attaining 'exaltation' or 'godhood' in the highest part of the celestial kingdom. There, one may participate in 'eternal increase' - that is, as a god one may beget innumerable spirit children just as Elohim has. All other forms of salvation are considered 'damnation'.
Sin: Mormonism hold the concept of works salvation, teaching that good works cancel the penalty of sin.
Satan & Demons: Satan is one of the innumerable pre-existent spirits created by Elohim and his wife, the spirit brother of all men and women, including Jesus Christ Himself.
The Second Coming of Christ: Mormons teach the Second Coming to the earth of 'god' (one of many) Jesus, but also refer to the second coming of the 'god' Joseph Smith.
The Bible: Mormons recognize it as the Word of God as long as it is translated correctly. Wherever it disagrees with Mormon theology, it is considered to be incorrect due to textual corruption or false translation.
This is simply a summary of the aberrant beliefs of the Mormon church. It is quite obvious that a belief in any single one of these 'doctrines' would disqualify one from being labeled as a true Christian.
Why can't Joel Osteen, Mike Huckabee, Dr. Richard Mouw, and countless others see this? Maybe God's Word has the answer?
"For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." Jude 4
"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves." Acts 20:29-30
Satan and his demons have created this latter-day religion on the American continent for the purpose of bringing further confusion to Christendom, and for drawing away young, innocent souls from the attainment of salvation. Satan has won a margin of success in clouding the concept of God to the corrupt minds of a disbelieving, secular public. Now there are 2 holy books to study - The Bible and Book of Mormon. When will be the next mystery religion to creep in and delude the public?
Galatians 1: 8 makes it very clear that the Gospel cannot be altered, nor a new one introduced, but only it be to the damnation of the practitioners.
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