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Protestant Doctrines Book Mormon - Mormon Doctrine Studies - Posted: 21st Apr, 2008 - 2:58am
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Protestant Doctrines Within Book Of Mormon
As a Baptist minister, I discovered--the Book of Mormon is filled with Protestant cardinal doctrines. In fact, I discovered, the Book of Mormon is more "Baptist" than the Baptist hymnal in places. I read the Book from cover to cover and found as a Baptist minister, there is absolutely nothing in it that contradicts the Bible.
For example, the book uplifts the blood of Christ (Mosiah 3:18), declares that salvation is only by God's grace (2 Nephi 10:24), defends the grand theme of salvation (Mosiah 3:12), and proclaims that salvation comes only through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ (Mosiah 5:7). Other themes such as repentance, atonement by Christ's blood, redemption, and forgiveness run like a scarlet thread through the book as well (Alma 5:49; Helaman 5:9; Alma 21:9; Mosiah 4:2). Yes, the grand themes of Protestantism are found recorded through and through. From cover to cover.
Following are but a few sampling verses from the Book of Mormon that as a Baptist minister I can find points of agreement with my LDS brothers and sisters:
Born Again Experience
| QUOTE |
| ""¦Now I say unto you, that ye must repent, and be born again: for the Spirit saith, If ye are not born again, ye can not inherit the kingdom of heaven"¦" --Alma 7:14 ""¦For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold, I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me, Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men, and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; Yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; and thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God"¦" --Mosiah 27:24,25 |
Salvation Through the Name and Blood of Jesus Christ
| QUOTE |
| ""¦For behold as in Adam, or by nature they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins. And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given, nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent"¦" -- Mosiah 3:16,17 ""¦There is no other name given, whereby salvation cometh, therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God"¦" --Mosiah 5:8 |
Jesus Christ's Centrality
Like the Bible, the central theme of the Book of Mormon is the Lordship of Jesus Christ. There are over 160 passages in the Book of Mormon that speak of the Lord Jesus Christ. There were 22 men named in the Book of Mormon who saw Christ. Some form of Christ's name is mentioned on an average of every 1.7 verses. The New Testament mentions a form of Christ's name on an average of every 2.1 verses. The name of the Savior appears nearly 25 percent more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in the New Testament. When we realize that a verse usually consists of one sentence, we cannot on the average read two sentences in the Book of Mormon without seeing some form of Christ's name.
| QUOTE |
| ""¦And according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God"¦" --II Nephi 25:19 |
I could go on. There are plenty more Book of Mormon scriptures. Suffice it to say-the Bible and the Book of Mormon testify of the same Jesus. The same Jesus I met in the Bible as a Baptist, I met in the Book of Mormon. It's not another Jesus, as my peers would like to tell us.
I"m often asked-if I believe in the Book of Mormon--then why am I not a member?
That's a fair question.
Joseph, the Prophet, pointed out-there are some of us that can do more good remaining outside the church. And some of your church officials said the same. For example, in Church History Vol. 7: p.382, it states:
| QUOTE |
| "...We are asked, "IS THE CHURCH OF GOD, and THE KINGDOM OF GOD THE SAME organization? And we are informed that some of the brethren hold that THEY ARE SEPARATE.' THIS IS THE CORRECT VIEW TO TAKE. THE KINGDOM OF GOD is a SEPARATE organization from the Church of God. On this point THE PROPHET JOSEPH GAVE AN EXAMPLE, which he asked the younger elders who were present to always remember. It was to the effect that men might be chosen to officiate as members of THE KINGDOM OF GOD who had NO standing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." |
And there are other general authorities who spoke of the same:
Ezra Taft Benson quoted Orson F. Whitney in his conference report, April 1972-citing conference report, April 1928:
| QUOTE |
| ""¦Perhaps the Lord needs such men on the outside of His Church to help it along," says Orson F. Whitney. "They are among its auxiliaries, and can do more good for the cause where the Lord has placed them, than anywhere else." Elder Whitney then pointed out that we have no warfare with other churches. "They are our partners in a certain sense." |
B.H. Roberts wrote,
| QUOTE |
| ""¦Let it be understood, we are not brought necessarily into antagonism with the various sects of Christianity as such. So far as they have retained fragments of Christian truth-and each of them has some measure of truth-that far they are acceptable unto the Lord; and it would be poor policy for us to contend against them with discrimination"¦[O]ur relationship to the religious world is not one that calls for the denunciation of sectarian churches as composing the church of the devil"¦All that makes for truth, for righteousness, is of God; it constitutes the kingdom of righteousness-the empire of Jehovah; and, in a certain sense at least, constitutes the Church of Christ"¦On the contrary, both the spirit of the Lord's commandments to his servants and the dictates of right reason would suggest that we seek to enlarge this kingdom of righteousness both by recognizing such truths as it possess and seeking the friendship and cooperation of the righteous men and women who constitute its membership." |
--Conference Report, April 1906
I think Joseph summed it up best:
| QUOTE |
| ""¦If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear down on them? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better. I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by force or reasoning, for truth will cut its own way. Do you believe Jesus Christ and the gospel of salvation, which he revealed? So do I. Christians should cease wrangling and contending with each other, and cultivate the principles of union and friendship. I am just as ready to die defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination." |
--Sermon, 1843 --Church History, Vol.5: p.498
""¦Christians should cease wrangling and contending with each other"¦"
I agree. I"ve always said-having read the Book of Mormon, that Bible-believing Christians and Book of Mormon Christians have far more in common than all our differences.
Lynn
| Message Edited! Persephone: Use the quote tags when quoting. See our Constructive Posting Policy. |
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Mormon Book Doctrines Protestant
Hi Lynn, you certainly put a refreshing view across, and quite unique too if I may say so.
To be honest, I haven't given much thought to the differences between LDS doctrine and beliefs and the beliefs of the Baptist church. I don't know, maybe you have a point. Personally speaking as one who used to be an LDS member, maybe subconsciously I have seen something in the Baptist teachings that reminds me of my beliefs in the LDS church. it is not something that I have done consciously.
| Offtopic but, but, I didn't stop going to the LDS church because I didn't like it, more the reason that my family didn't like it. |
I like a lot of the LDS beliefs and doctrines, and personally can accept that there may be a modern day prophet, whereas a lot of people have a problem with this (in my experience)
| Message Edited! Persephone: Please use the offtopic tags when writing off topic. |
Post Date: 10th Jun, 2006 - 4:34am / Post ID: #
Protestant Doctrines Within Book Of Mormon Studies Doctrine Mormon
I wouldn't really say that Protestant Doctrines within the Book of Mormon. I would more accurately say that True Gospel Doctrine are in both. As members of the LDS Church we believe that the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the True Gospel, as does the Bible. Is it impossible to think that the founder of the Baptist church wasn't inspired to the correct understanding of the scriptures.
Post Date: 21st Apr, 2008 - 2:58am / Post ID: #
Mormon Book Doctrines Protestant
Name: Michael
Comments: Indeed the Book of Mormon does contain truths and Protestant doctorine in it. However, a counter for that still remains: "Joseph Smith knew his Bible and reworded passages and integrated them in his own imagination." For me, I can't stop at valuing the Book of Mormon for those truths, but I must discern whether it is what it says it is or a product of Joseph Smith's imagination. This discernment must take place on a spiritual level, for a carnal discernment will be dictated by the methods and beliefs that a person is raised with. And, as we can see today, yields more than one answer.
Even if the spiritual discernment happens, it would only pertain to the Book of Mormon and not to any church (LDS,RLDS, and others) that hold it as divine scripture.
TOPIC: Protestant Doctrines Within Book Of Mormon