For those confused about relevance: Every single point in that presentation is an “implicit polemic” against Mormonism. It contradicts Mormonism in all the major points. In short:
1. Contra Mormonism’s priesthood authority, the authority of Jesus was typically exercised by the mere word of his power, not by any priestly system of ritual or bestowing by laying of hands. Mormonism perpetuates a false narrative — it provides false “background information” — about the OT and NT patterns of authority.
2. Contra Mormonism’s Great Apostasy, the kingdom grows steadily, perpetually, durably to the end of the age in an unbroken, unstoppable manner, even when hard to identify, even beginning small, even when coexisting with tares. The kingdom never needed a reboot or a restart or a restoration.
3. Contra Mormonism’s celestial marriage and focus on heavenly nuclear family units that perpetuate earthly family units, Jesus orients to a new kind of family (those united in Christ, who do the will of the Father). The kingdom often divides and breaks up earthly family units. Marriage does not persist into the resurrection — we will be as the angels. And we should trust Jesus that the new family we have in the kingdom of God is even better than our natural families.
4. Contra Mormonism’s primary atonement in the garden, the Gospel of Matthew narrative treats the cross event as the climax and centerpiece of the atonement. It treats the garden as Jesus’ preparation for drinking the cup of suffering at the cross.
5. Contra Mormonism’s multiplicity of temples, the Gospel of Matthew tells us something greater than the temple has come, and foretells the destruction of the single temple. When on the cross the veil of the temple tore in two, ushering in an age when we have no such temple veil. As Hebrews elsewhere puts it, Jesus has “opened a new and living way.” The thrust here is not that of multiplying temples, but of Jesus’ fulfillment of the temple.
Great Bible study Aaron . I listened to the first part which talked about Jesus’ authority . I think it becomes evident that when a person reads the New Testament he or she is not reading about the Mormon people . While Mormons would want us to think that they as “latter day” saints are the same persons as the “former day ” saints of New Testament times , the two groups are simply not the same . This is largely because of how Mormon leaders have attempted to augment important N.T. doctrines with their latter days inventions , and sadly their flock believe them — 2Tim 4:3,4 .
Mormon leaders drifted from many of the important truths of the Bible in general and the New Testament in particular . In short , it is not easy trying to squeeze Mormonism into the New Testament record . Mormons are not the modern day counterparts of Paul or John despite their claim to be so . Brigham Young thought he was building the kingdom of God while in Utah . It’s hard to think of him as a N.T. apostle / prophet given his erroneous teachings to his flock . He had no authority from Jesus .
Mormons need to put aside their church publications and read the New Testament alone , in doing so God will open their eyes to glorious truths , truths connected to one’s longing for a right relationship with God and which have stood through the centuries and need no attempted augmentation by those claiming to be ” latter days ” prophets .
We pray for the Mormon people to step out and ask God for assistance in dismissing Mormon leaders from their lives as authorities .
Mike
The Bible is corrupt in the eyes of the LDS. Why would they even consider looking to it for truth? What their prophets say is more important than the Bible. Mormons who do shed this idea of the infallible nature of their prophets as they reveal the mind of the Mormon god, do get free from these false teachers. If someone does not believe in the inspiration and inerrant nature of the Word, they’ll fall for anything. Often times, the more preposterous and convoluted an idea, the more people in cults embrace it.
falcon,
I personally think that there’s a significant number of LDS who hold the Bible to be God’s Word and reliable to inform them about important truths . The problem is these LDS also believe their leaders provide more ” up to date ” info about those important truths — God , Jesus, salvation etc , therefore the Bible is relegated to the “dead ” prophets shelf ( joining the Book of Mormon ) so what the “living” prophets/apostles of Mormonism teach takes priority . With this clever arrangement it is easier for any latter days false prophet to be successful . They can keep reminding people they’ve been commissioned by Jesus to lead His people and therefore what he introduces in his preaching , or counsels his flock , has little chance of being detected as man made doctrine by his flock . We see this play out in how Mormon leaders ,like Joseph Smith and Brigham Young , 1800 years after Jesus’ apostles preached the true gospel (Rom 1;16 ) introduced strange new teachings about God
and new requirements for receiving eternal life .
The Mormon people need to know that the Bible is God’s Word and the important truths about God and how to know Him personally , be completely forgiven by Him , and receive the gift of eternal life ,are all contained in it . The same truths relative to salvation that Jesus’ apostles taught after being sent out to preach are still available today and therefore people today can receive the same thing that people in New Testament times received by embracing those truths — complete salvation !
No need for prophets who come on the scene 1700 years later claiming to have new truths that are needed to know in order to gain God’s favor and be accepted by Him and allowed in His home above because that “way” was made available long ago , and still is sufficient today — Jn 14:1-6 .