“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” – Ephesians 5:11
On my way home from the office, I stopped by Kroger to pick up ingredients to make dinner. I noticed several young people meandering through the parking lot. As I parked, I noticed a young lady approach me. Her name tag read, “Sister Mary,” and in much smaller font, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.”
“Excuse me, do would you like to attend church with me on Sunday?” I informed her I already attend a church. She asked so politely, “Do you know anyone who could use prayer? They can come to our church.” It’s at this point I knew the Lord wanted me to speak up. “I know plenty that need prayer, but I pray they never step foot in a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” Her eyes grew large as she seemed shocked. “You see, your gospel presents a Jesus that cannot save and your church preaches a false gospel that sends people to hell. You need to repent of preaching this false Jesus and false gospel"
I explained the reason Jesus must be God the Son sent by the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit, one God, to reconcile sinful humans to our eternally holy God. “Well, our Jesus is god,” she said. I replied, “Your Jesus is A god and not THE God, and that is why he cannot save.” She quickly rebutted, “Have a nice day, sir.” And quickly walked away. You see, III Nephi 11 teaches Mormons that contention is a sin. Yet, Paul tells Christians to expose unfruitful works of darkness. That is, false teaching. And liberation from the dominion of darkness into God’s kingdom of light is only possible by exposing darkness and preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13). Galatians 1 says to let anyone preaching a false gospel be eternally accursed. This is strong language to consider.
Christian, I encourage you to study Mormon teaching and engage these missionaries with the gospel that saves. Listen to these Mormon missionaries explain Jesus, ask probing questions, expose darkness with the light of Christ in the Scriptures. You will discover Mormon doctrines such as Jesus is the heavenly father’s and heavenly mother’s first born son, a created being, that we all pre-existed as a family of spirit children and with the right amount of good works here, we can progress to become gods with our spouses having spirit children of our own.
Beyond being strange, Mormon doctrine is eternally accursed. The true gospel of Jesus Christ is eternally blessed. Remember, Mormon missionaries are lost, but they are image bearers of God. We the church are to preach the gospel to the lost!
Our God is Trinity, and this is important to understand the only gospel that saves sinners. God the Father so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. So, God is Father and Son. And Jesus the Son was sent “born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:4-6). Notice, we who believe upon Jesus are given the right to be called children of God (John 1:12) because God is the Father is now our Father and not merely “a” Father.
Jesus is God giving Himself. He took on our flesh, suffered and died, rose from the dead. Jesus is God with Us, not a god of many with us. We can confess with Paul in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
God in the flesh gave Himself for me, and the life I live now is by faith in the Son of God. He who lives in me has promised me forgiveness and eternal life. This possible only by the righteousness of God revealed from faith for faith. Jesus is the righteousness of God, gifted by God and received by faith. This is only possible if Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity.
My fellow beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, let us be found faithful in our proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Expose darkness. Let us preach Christ and Him crucified. And together let us pray His saving grace rescues many from the grip of such false, eternally accursed gospels.
Heavenly Father, we confess we don’t want to be impolite, yet our hearts are grieved for those on the wide path to destruction. Grant to Your servants wisdom and the right words to speak, that we might please You and be faithful witnesses of the resurrected Savior. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
