Contents

1    Question: Is There Any Truth to the Jehovah's Witness Doctrine?

2    Question: Is the Doctrine of Mormonism Scriptural. And If It Isn't. Will Mormons Go to Heaven?

3    Question: Are the Seventh Day Adventists Right in Keeping Saturday as Their Sabbath?

4    Question: Is Christian Science Scripturally Correct and Does It Really Bring Healing to People's Physical Bodies?

QUESTION: IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS DOCTRINE?

ANSWER:

The Jehovah's Witness teaching is cultism. Now, what is a cult? A cult is any group that claims to be Christian but really is not. It is a religious group, by and large, which looks for its basic and peculiar authority outside the Christian tradition (American Culture and Religion, page 92). While most cults make a pretense at correctly interpreting the Bible, they usually have high regard for some supplemental literature without which (they believe) the Bible cannot be properly understood.

A cult will accept the authority of the Bible, but yet they will insist upon the use of these other materials as necessary aids to interpreting the Bible—cults such as Christian Science, Mormonism, along with Jehovah's Witnesses, to name a few. Now let's look at this cult called Jehovah's Witness.

This teaching was once known as Russellism, a title derived from its founder, Charles Taze Russell. Actually, the Jehovah's Witness has had a variety of names. Started in 1874, it was first called the Millennial Dawn. Then it was changed to Watch Tower and Tract Society. Later it became known as the People's Pulpit Association, and then the International Bible Student's Association.

Charles Russell was raised by God-fearing parents, but he eventually seemed to come under the influence of an infidel, an apostate from Christianity, who convinced him there was no place of eternal punishment. Soon Russell was found to be spending his time trying to convince all who would listen to him that there was no literal hell.

He was called one of the most brazen men imaginable. He was also called "the great paraphraser," altering the meaning of Scriptures to suit his purposes. There was much question about his ethics and morality. As an example, at one time he promoted the sale of wheat, which he called "miracle wheat," at the exorbitant price of sixty dollars a bushel. It was supposed to grow five times as much as the average wheat, and it could only be purchased by those adhering to his particular doctrine.

Charles Taze Russell died in 1916. His funeral oration was delivered by Judge Rutherford, who was destined to take up the reins of the Jehovah's Witness leadership. Even though the Jehovah's Witness leaders believe and teach soul sleep, Judge Rutherford said in the funeral oration,

"Our dear brother sleeps not in death, but was instantly changed from the human to the divine nature, and is now forever with the Lord."

Of course, that was a direct contradiction of their own teaching.

Mr. Rutherford took the reins of leadership and did everything possible to obliterate the name of Russell by stopping the sale of Russell's books, and so forth. He is the one responsible for changing the name of the organization to Jehovah's Witness. He was able to convince his followers that every one of them was one of the final messengers to the nations. He died in 1942.

HERESY

The Jehovah's Witness doctrine contradicts practically every fundamental revelation. One great preacher, Dr. H.A. Ironside, said, "Never in the history of the Christian religion has there been such a distortion of the Scriptures, such a twisting of the truth, such a devilish presentation of error."

Charles Taze Russell, founder, seemed to be an egotistical fanatic. He once made the ridiculous statement (with reference to his publications, Studies in the Scriptures, which was published in the Watch Tower September 15, 1910):

"If the six volumes of 'Scripture Studies' are practically the Bible, topically arranged with Bible proof text given, we might not improperly name the volumes, 'the Bible in an arranged form.' That is to say, they are not mere comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible itself"

Can you imagine anything more ridiculous? He was actually saying that his writings were not mere comments on the Bible, but they were (practically) as helpful and as inspired as the Bible itself.

He went on to say that it would be better to ignore the Scriptures and study his books than to study the Scriptures and not to study his books.

We are reminded what Isaiah said, "... if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them," (Isaiah 8:20). I hasten to add, with Isaiah, there is no light in the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses.

I want us to view this system in the light of the Bible. Let's see what it says, and what they say. Let's look first of all at what the Jehovah's Witnesses say about the Holy Trinity.

I. HOLY TRINITY

Jehovah's Witnesses say that the doctrine of the Trinity, of the Godhead, was for the Dark Ages and has no place in our modern-day teachings (Studies in the Scriptures, volume 5, page 166).

But what does the Word of God say about the Trinity? Genesis 1:26 says, "... Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ..." Notice the pronouns us and our. Here Jehovah, in speaking of creation, applied plural pronouns to Himself. In Matthew 3:16-17, we read,

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

In this passage is found a witness of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit—which is actually the Trinity appearing together. Of course, many more Scriptures could be given, but for the conservation of space, this will suffice.

II. THE DEITY OF CHRIST

Let's see what the Jehovah's Witnesses say about this fact. They teach that Jesus existed as a spirit-being before He was made flesh and dwelt among men; that He was chief of the angels and next to the Father, and was known also as an archangel. They teach He was the highest of all of Jehovah's creation—but not God (Studies in the Scriptures, volume 5, page 84).

Now what they're actually saying is this. God the Father did create Jesus, but God has two sons: Jesus and Satan. They maintain that the devil is the brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can find this taken from their book entitled Creation (pages 18; 53).

This is one of the most blasphemous statements that could ever be made. Now what does the Bible say concerning the deity of Christ? John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word (logos)." This affirms the eternal existence of the Lord Jesus Christ as God. Then it says, "and the Word was with God." That tells us of His distinct personality. It goes on to say, "the Word was God." This speaks of His deity. Many other Scriptures could be given, but again, this will suffice.

III. THE EFFICACY OF THE BLOOD ATONEMENT OF CHRIST

Let's see now what they say about His precious blood atonement. They maintain that Jesus could only redeem one life by His death. In other words, He redeemed Adam, and that was all that He could redeem (Studies in the Scriptures, volume 1, page 133). They say that His ransom of His shed blood does not guarantee everlasting life to any man, but only guarantees somewhat of a second chance.

Now here is what the Bible says about the blood atonement of God's Son.

"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).

"... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ..." (Acts 16:31).

"... Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

IV. THE BODILY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

The Jehovah's Witnesses say that Jesus no longer exists in human form (Studies in the Scriptures, volume 2, page 107). They say that His human body did not decay or corrupt; that He was put to death as a man, but was raised from the dead a spirit-being of the highest order, but not raised as a man. They go on to say the man, Jesus, is dead ... forever dead.

Now let's see what the Bible says concerning the resurrection of Christ.

"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet" (Luke 24:36-40).

Then in Acts, Luke went on to say,

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

So we can see from the Word of God that Jesus was very God and very man, and that when He rose from the dead, He did not rise as some spirit-being, but as a man. He is now alive. That is the basic cornerstone of the Christian faith. He will be forever the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Almighty God.

V. THE VISIBLE RETURN OF CHRIST

These cultists tell us that since the Lord Jesus is no longer a human being, we should not expect Him to come again as a human being. They tell us in their book, The Truth Shall Make You Free (on page 295),

"It is a settled scriptural truth, therefore, that human eyes will not see him at his second coming, neither will he come in a fleshly body."

These people actually teach that Christ has already come—that He came in 1914 (The Truth Shall Make You Free, page 300).

They tell us He has been here since 1914, working through His 144,000 witnesses. They say the battle of Armageddon (the final conflict) will take place in the near future, and this will be the decisive battle between Jehovah and the devil. They say Jesus will not be visible, but He will lead His royal legionnaires—the 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses—against the hordes of Satan. They tell us these hordes of Satan will be the Catholics, the Protestants, and other such unenlightened individuals. In other words, only the 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses are saved, and no one else.

Now what does the Bible say about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?

"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

Then Paul wrote in Titus 2:13,

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."

VI. THE ETERNAL PUNISHMENT OF LOST SINNERS

The Jehovah's Witnesses do not subscribe to eternal punishment for lost sinners. They say that such a thing is nowhere suggested in the Old Testament, and only a few statements in the New Testament can be so misconstrued as to appear to teach it. In their volume, Let God Be True (page 79), they call the doctrine of eternal punishment a "God-dishonoring doctrine." They say that the doctrine of hell cannot be true (page 80).

But what does the Bible say about the eternal punishment of lost sinners? There are so many Scriptures pertaining to hell and its eternal abode that I will not try to list all of them, but only a few. Space will not permit more. But first of all, I want to say this.

No saved person enjoys the contemplation of eternal punishment for the unsaved. I believe it was D.L. Moody that said no preacher of the Gospel should ever preach hell without tears in his eyes.

The biblical description of this place of the damned causes us all to shudder. But at the same time, no sincere, honest student of the Word of God can deny that the Scriptures declare hell as a literal place where those who reject Christ as their eternal Saviour will be punished forever.

Here are a few of the Scriptures that I will list, and you can look them up for yourself: Psalm 9:17; Proverbs 5:5; Isaiah 30:33 through 33:14; Matthew 3:12, 5:29-30; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 3:17, 16:23-28; II Thessalonians 1:9; II Peter 2:4; Jude 6:23; Revelation 9:1-2, 14:10-11, 19:20, 20:10, 15, 21:8.

The Bible is so explicit in its teachings concerning eternal hell, and the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ to spare men from this eternal place, that anyone who spurns the call of Christ and dies without Him will spend eternity in hell.

This is a dangerous cult; its error will lead people away from God instead of to Him. These people tell us the only way one can be saved is by joining their Jehovah's Witnesses. But the Bible tells us the only way to become a member of the kingdom of God is by the new birth.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12).

Jesus said to "come unto me," not to a man-made organization. If an individual can get no further than a local church, he will never be admitted into the kingdom of God. He must be born again.

The Jehovah's Witnesses relegate all human government to be Satan's organization. They believe all civil authority is of the devil; consequently, they will not salute the flag of any nation. They will not vote; they will not participate in public affairs. They will not defend their nation against aggression.

They say that salvation rests in their finite organization. And the Bible makes us to understand that our salvation rests alone in Jesus Christ.

"... for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

I maintain that Jehovah's Witnesses do not know the true God. Their teachings clearly prove this. Rather than obeying the Gospel, they deny practically every truth of the Gospel.

I maintain that any individual that aligns him/herself with this pernicious doctrine will suffer its ultimate consequences. And I'll close with this:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (St. John 14:6).

QUESTION: IS THE DOCTRINE OF MORMONISM SCRIPTURAL, AND IF IT ISN'T, WILL MORMONS GO TO HEAVEN?

ANSWER:

There is nothing so tragic as a false way of salvation, and the doctrine of Mormonism is totally and completely unscriptural and, therefore, false.

Sometime back, Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency of the Mormon church on the subject of revelation said,

"The Church of Jesus Christ was established and is now directed by revelation and that fact is largely responsible for the appeal which this new church makes, and when I say 'new,' I wish to emphasize that to us it is not new but a restoration of that which was . . . .

The Church is not committed to any formal or inflexible creed, but its members are taught to believe in and live by the revelations of the past and the present and thus prepare themselves for the revelations yet to come.... We think we are justified in anticipating future revelation, and we believe that it will be surpassing in importance and glorious fullness anything that has yet been revealed."

In other words, the Mormons reject the Word of God. They reject its finality. They take away from Scripture and they add to it, and the Word of God tells us that:

"If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."

Then it goes on to say that:

"if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Revelation 22:18-19).

Actually, the Mormons live by some type of free-wheeling program of revelation. Mormonism manufactures its doctrines as it goes along and states that this is what God has said, so consequently that's what will be done. It basically ignores the Bible or tries its best to twist it around to make it seem to teach what they want it to teach. The doctrine of Mormonism is contrary to every major biblical pronouncement.

LET'S LOOK AT ITS FOUNDER, JOSEPH SMITH

The foundation of any organization is its strength. Joseph Smith is the foundation of the Mormon doctrine, which began in 1830.

One of the most important events in all of Mormon history was the day that God the Father and Jesus Christ came down in the flesh and told Joseph Smith that the churches were all wrong, and that, in effect, Christianity was totally lost. He went on to say this:

"When the light rested upon me, I saw two personages.... One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other, 'This is my beloved Son, hear Him'! I asked the personages who stood above me in the light which of all the sects were right and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them for they were all wrong.... All of their creeds were an abomination in His sight, that those professors were all corrupt" (Pearl of Great Price, J.S. 2:17-19).

This new and latter-day (so-called) prophet stated that God had given a new and more complete Scripture—by adding the following:

Book of Mormon, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Doctrine and Covenants.

Joseph Smith went on to state these words:

"I have more to boast of than man hath, I am the only man that has been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me; neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I.

The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-Day saints never ran away from me yet" (History of Church, B. 6, p 408-409, 1844).

Let's take a closer look at this man Joseph Smith. It was charged that he was accused and found guilty of parting a local farmer from his money in a less-than-honest scheme commonly called "money-digging" or "glass-looking." It also was reported to have been an activity that brought him rebuke from his soon-to-be father-in-law, Isaac Hale. It is also historically recorded that he was removed from membership in a local Methodist church because of this questionable activity and the result of the ensuing trial.

Joseph Smith skims over this specific event leading to the trial in The Pearl of Great Price (J.S. 2:5,6), explaining that he was only a day worker for the man so engaged and was not personally involved. Mormon writers continually challenged their doubters to find the records (seemingly lost) and prove Joseph Smith a liar or stop the attacks.

Hugh Nibley, in The Myth Makers, page 142, says, "If this court record is authentic, it is the most damning evidence in existence against Joseph Smith." He then went on to say,

"Well, in spite of 140 years of silence, the records did turn up. In 1971, Reverend Wesley Walters discovered them in the basement of the Chenango County, New York, jailhouse. The records, affidavits, and other data show conclusively that Joseph Smith was arrested, went to trial, was found guilty, and was fined in the Stowell matter of "glass-looking."

It is not a matter of debate, opinion, or religious preference; it is a proven historical fact.

The key issue here is not whether he did or did not indulge in the practice. The issue is that Joseph Smith lied in the matter.

AMOROUS ACTIVITIES

The Doctrine and Covenants speaks out against polygamy in the 1835 edition.

"In as much as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy; we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one woman but one husband; except that in the event of death when either is at liberty to marry again" (Doctrines and Covenants, 101:4, 1835 edition).

In other words, no man could marry a second wife unless the first one died; in other words, again, no divorce and no polygamy. It was labeled a crime; that was the word from Joseph Smith.

However, Joseph Smith did not exactly live as he preached. In 1887, Andrew Jenson, Mormon church historian, listed 27 women who were married to Joseph Smith. This was all done officially during the time that such a union was a crime before God.

Fawn Brodie, in her book No Man Knows My History (Appendix C), lists each in detail and brings the number to a total of 48 women who were sealed to the prophet and united with him in "holy polygamy." These marriages are not to be confused with the later "proxy" sealings to the dead Joseph Smith—149 dead women were later sealed to him by proxy in Temple ceremonies, according to Brodie.

It was only when this became so openly known that Smith finally admitted it and declared it to be a special gift of God and released the now "scripturized" Law of Polygamy given in the 132nd section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Although this revelation came forth in 1843, it did not show up in scripture until 1876. The earlier warnings against polygamy (Doctrine and Covenants, 101:4, 1835 edition) just disappeared without note or explanation.

It should be noted that Joseph Smith's new revelation giving God's sanction for what was a crime before Him only a few years earlier did not retroactively absolve Smith of all his wrong.

Doctrine and Covenants 132:61 states:

"If any man espouse a virgin and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent and if he espouse the second, they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that which belongeth unto him and unto no one else."

It seems that this man had already been quite active in the espousing business long before his wife heard of the doctrine: and long before she reluctantly gave consent to be party to it.

Secondly, seven of the ten wives he already had were already married to living men, in complete opposition to the so-called "new revelation." Smith received "marriage for eternity, with concubinal privileges" while the husbands had marriage for time only.

The whole idea of multiple wives is in total disagreement with the doctrines he himself had laid down.

LET’S GO A LITTLE FURTHER

Now let's look a little further at the Teachings of Joseph Smith (pages 345, 346, 372).

"God Himself was once as we are now an exalted man . . . . You have got to learn how to be gods yourselves .... "

One could write volumes on the misdeeds and character weaknesses of this individual Joseph Smith who is supposed to have had a vision of an angel called Moroni who revealed to him where some golden plates were hidden, and how that he would be given some spectacles (glasses) that would enable him to miraculously read these golden plates and to translate them into what is now the Book of Mormon.

This man led an adulterous life and then declared that he had received a revelation from God that men should have more wives than one. The Mormon church, built on the foundation of Joseph Smith, has for itself a house built upon sand.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

In this Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith tells how some Israelites are supposed to have come to America before Columbus, and how these golden plates on which this was revealed to him were written in "reformed Egyptian" (actually it has been proven that he got the story from the manuscript of a novel, which he largely copied).

The Book of Mormon actually is one of the most scurrilous attempts at what one would call literature that has ever been penned by any deceived individual. Even its so-called "apostles" in this day and age are embarrassed constantly by the ridiculous assertions and contradictions in this which they say was given to Joseph Smith to add to the Word of God.

The Mormon leaders state that the Bible, the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price amplify but do not contradict each other.

This is one of the most ridiculous assertions that has ever been perpetrated on a gullible public. Let's look at some of their teachings and compare them with the Word of God. We only have space for a small number, but the list could go on almost endlessly.

The Discourses of Brigham Young, page 277 of the 1977 edition, states, "Gods exist, and we had better strive to prepare to be one of them." The Bible says in Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord."

As seen from the above statement, Mormonism teaches there are many gods and that man will get to be god himself.

Orson Pratt stated in the Journal of Discourses, volume 2, page 245,

"If we should take a million of worlds like this and number their particles, we should find that there are more gods than there are particles of matter in these worlds."

The Word of God says in Isaiah 45:21,

"Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time ? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me."

Joseph Smith said in Times and Seasons, volume 5, pages 613-614,

"First, God Himself who sits enthroned in yonder heavens, is a man like unto one of yourselves, that is the great secret . . . I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined that God was God from all eternity ... God Himself; the Father of us all dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ Himself did ... You have got to learn how to be gods yourselves; . . .

No man can learn you more than what I have told you."

As you can see from that statement, Joseph Smith stated that God is a man like ourselves and somehow became God. The Word of God says in I Samuel 15:29,

"For he is not a man, that he should repent"

Here's more teaching from Brigham Young's, Journal of Discourses, volume 1, page 50:

"Now hear it, O inhabitants of the Earth, Jew and Gentile, saint and sinner! When our father Adam came into the Garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days! About whom holy men have written and spoken—He is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do."

Young would seem to be saying here that Adam was Michael the Archangel and, then turning around in the same breath, saying he was God.

In We Believe, Ora Page Stewart, on page 11, writes,

"There was a mother, too, but she is included in the title God. He could never have achieved godhood, let alone eternal fatherhood, without a glorified helpmate.

It is the hope of achieving this divine [sic] relationship that makes marriage such a holy contract as God is, man may, become. But he cannot become as God without a wife; that is why we marry for time and eternity."

THE ABSURDITY OF THESE TEACHINGS

Nothing is so tragic as a false way of salvation and this is exactly what the Mormons teach. Mormonism has the distinction of being the one system in the United States whose god is man and whose worshipers may become gods.

Joseph Smith taught that individuals could be baptized for their dead—for every man who wishes to save his father, mother, brothers, sisters, and friends must go through all the ordinances for each one of them separately the same as for himself (in other words, he is saying that one can be baptized for relatives or loved ones who have long since died and, consequently, insure their salvation).

Not only are they baptized for the dead, but marriages are sealed for the dead.

An elaborate series of genealogical records is kept by the Mormons so that each family may prepare its own genealogies to provide the identification needed to perform the ordinances for the dead.

They endeavor to support this foolishness with the last verse of the Old Testament (Malachi 4:6), which speaks about the coming of Elijah:

"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

They contend that these words are being fulfilled right now in the intense interest and activity of Mormons in their genealogical backgrounds and records.

They contend further that Elijah came in 1844 when this activity really got under way. Joseph Smith stated that Elijah appeared personally to him on April 3, 1836, at Kirtland, Ohio, coming in fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6 and to create this genealogical interest in their forefathers.

However, Paul in his letter to Titus 3:9 warns,

"Avoid foolish questions and genealogies, ... for they are unprofitable and vain."

First Timothy 1:4 speaks of "endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying ..."

THE IMPREGNABLE MOUNTAIN VAULT

This vault has been built by the Mormon church 20 miles southwest of Salt Lake City at a cost of $1,500,000 to provide earthquake-proof and bomb-proof security for its genealogical microfilms and other church records. Six openings in the side of this mountain lead into huge cross tunnels which serve as storage areas. The walls are painted in pastel colors, and each tunnel is equipped with fluorescent lights and controls which provide constant temperature and humidity. Mormon theology teaches that these unsaved dead may have proxy baptism and proxy marriages performed on their behalf, thus enabling them to go to heaven, be married in heaven, and continue to progress and bear children.

The finality of the Bible is rejected by Mormonism. Hugh B. Brown of the 1st Presidency of the Mormon church states on the subject of revelation that "The Church of Jesus Christ was established and is now directed by revelation." He goes on to say, "the church is not committed to any formal or inflexible creed, but its members are taught to believe in and live by the revelations of the past and present and thus prepare themselves for the revelations yet to come." In other words, it can manufacture doctrines as it goes along.

WHAT THE MORMONS THINK ABOUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS

In an official Mormon publication, "What the Mormons Think of Christ" by B.R. McConkie, we find these words: "Christians speak often of the blood of Christ and its cleansing power. Much that is believed and taught on this subject, however, is such utter nonsense and so palpably false that to believe it is to lose one's salvation."

He goes on to say that "to pretend and at least to believe that to confess Christ with our lips and avow that we accept Him as our personal Saviour and be saved is a fallacy." Finally, he says that "the blood of Jesus could not make one clean within itself." In other words, it takes other things such as the practices of the Mormon church.

THE STRANGE DOCTRINES OF MORMONISM

I will close by saying this: The Mormon cult condemns all Christian churches. In addition, it believes the following false doctrines:

A.    That God is an exalted man.

B.    That Christ and the devil are brothers.

C.    That Christ was married.

D.    That the Holy Spirit is a substance or fluid.

E.    That there is salvation for the dead by proxy water baptism and baptismal regeneration.

F.    That there is no burning hell.

G.    In the plurality of wives.

H.    In the use of secret temples.

I. That people raise children after they leave the earth.

J. In the Book of Mormon, etc., in addition to the Bible.

K. That no negro can hold Mormon priesthood or go through the secret

Mormon temples.

When one begins to really look at this absurd doctrine and starts to pinpoint these utterly absurd beliefs, the Mormon's reply generally is that "You must have faith." And what he means is you have to have faith in the word of Joseph Smith, a leader whose writings revealed amazing ignorance and undisciplined imagination, and whose reputation for drunkenness, adultery, and gambling is an embarrassment to his own followers.

Rather than preferring the absurdities of Joseph Smith, it seems to me that any reasonable person would prefer the authority of Jesus Christ, the sinless and only begotten Son of God. Furthermore, I would rather have my name written in the Lamb's Book of Life than to rely on the false hope of having my name recorded in some worthless records buried in the cold stone of a Utah mountain.

CAN ANY PERSON BELIEVE THE DOCTRINE OF MORMONISM AND BE SAVED?

No! The doctrine of Mormonism is totally contrary to the Word of God. One cannot believe in light and darkness at the same time. One cannot be deceived by Satan and enlightened by the Lord at the same time. The Scripture plainly tells us

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).

QUESTION: ARE THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS RIGHT IN KEEPING SATURDAY AS THEIR SABBATH?

ANSWER:

First in my answer to this important question, I will make one thing clear: It is in no way my intention to defame the Seventh Day Adventist people. I feel that many of them love the Lord with all their hearts; that they are born again.

However, their doctrine of keeping the Sabbath is in error, and it is a hindrance to many people's spiritual and scriptural understanding. Doctrinal error such as this leads many to believe that adherence to days, sacraments, and/or other man-made regulations will save them. Of course, this is not true. We are not saved by works "lest any man should boast," but by repentance and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Most Christians observe Sunday as a day set apart for worship because, first, it commemorates the resurrection and the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ in His victory over death, hell, and the grave (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:9, John 20:1). Secondly, it was on Sunday that Christ manifested Himself to His disciples (Mark 16:14, Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-25). Thirdly, Christ (as our example) totally disregarded the old Jewish Sabbath. Also, since the resurrection, the first day of the week has taken on the prominence that Saturday held in Old Testament times (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:9). The outpouring of the Holy Ghost came on Sunday, Pentecost being the first day after seven Jewish Sabbaths. So, here we see that both Christ and the Holy Spirit manifested themselves to the Church on this day (completely disregarding the Jewish Sabbath, as we pointed out).

Actually, neither the Lord nor any apostle commanded that we keep the old Jewish Sabbath (or any other day for that matter), and Paul, in his writings, did admonish us that we should not to be bound by any particular day (Romans 14:56, Galatians 5:9-11, Colossians 2:14-17).

A common misconception among Christians has been that the Jewish Sabbath was simply changed from Saturday to Sunday. Of course, this is untrue. The old Sabbath under the Mosaic Law was Saturday, the seventh day—first initiated at Mount Sinai. It was a special sign made as a covenant between God and Israel only (Exodus 31:12-17). Prior to this Mosaic Law, no one was commanded to keep the Sabbath, and no one has been commanded to keep it since Christ came. Rather, the Bible expressly commands that no Christian should keep it (Colossians 2:14-17).

We must understand, the Lord's Day is a different day altogether. It is not a Sabbath day; it was never a Sabbath day. It was not given to the same people nor for the same purpose. The Sabbath was a day of rest, not necessarily a day of worship.

SOME WOULD ARGUE THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST KEPT THE SABBATH, AND IF HE DID, WE SHOULD ALSO

St. John 5:17-18 would tend to prove that the Lord did not keep the Sabbath (Saturday, the Old Testament Sabbath):

"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God."

Jesus and His Father worked on the Sabbath! Jesus healed the sick. He taught in many circles and circumstances. Especially in situations relative to life, Jesus recognized the necessity of working, even on this day.

"And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?" (Luke 14:5).

You see, the Sabbath was kept by resting, not worshiping. Strict adherence to the Sabbath meant total abstinence from labor; labor constituting breaking the Sabbath. Exodus 20:10 (in the Ten Commandments) says, "...the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work...."

The old Jewish Sabbath made no provisions for church attendance, or for teaching, or preaching. It was a simple law: rest and cease from your labors. Actually, they were not to even build a fire on that day (Exodus 35:3). To so much as gather sticks on the Sabbath made one subject to stoning (Numbers 15:32-36). People were partially forbidden to leave their homes (Exodus 16:29). No, Jesus did not see the need to comply with these laws.

I think, from the foregoing facts we can conclude that our Seventh Day Adventist friends do not really keep the Sabbath if they so much as leave their houses or build a fire to keep warm in cold weather. In this light, we also realize that going to church is not keeping the Sabbath. The Sabbath was, again, commanded as a day of rest, not a day of worship.

Actually, the law of the Old Testament Sabbath was ceremonial, not moral. Jesus, of course, would never have broken any moral laws whatsoever. He did break the ceremonial law because here was a law which man, under grace, would not be required to keep.

SOME SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS SAY PAUL KEPT THE SABBATH (BECAUSE HE PREACHED IN SYNAGOGUES)

Certainly, both the Apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ went into synagogues to preach and teach on that particular day, but that had nothing to do with the Mosaic Law. In the same vein today, we have Saturday night services in our crusades all over the nation, but that does not mean that we're keeping some type of Saturday Sabbath. In both cases (Paul and Jesus, and our own ministry), it was, and is, simply a matter of being about our Father's business (Luke 2:49).

SOME STATE THAT THE CATHOLICS, OR CONSTANTINE, STARTED SUNDAY WORSHIP

Of course, this statement is somewhat ridiculous. Constantine did not institute Sunday as a day of worship and rest; he simply followed a council of bishops that had long taught that Christians should observe Sunday as the Sabbath. And really, Sunday is not the Sabbath (as I trust we have established at this point). It is the Lord's Day and should never be observed as a Sabbath.

Dating back to the days of the apostles, the first day of the week had been set apart by Christians for meeting together in churches (as you can see from Acts 20:7 and I Corinthians 16:2).

Also, there has not been found one single record in all of church history to verify that Rome changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. I realize the Seventh Day Adventists claim they did; and some Roman Catholics, anxious for any honor they might receive, would say they did.

But that is not true. The Roman Catholics say that the apostles were Catholic, and that Peter was the first Pope. Therefore, (following the example set by the apostles in New Testament times), they should meet on the Lord's Day (Sunday) for worship. Of course, this also is in error.

Even though the council of bishops taught it, the Sabbath was not changed from Saturday to Sunday. They are different days altogether in meaning. Sunday School is not Sabbath School.

SOME SAY SUNDAY IS NAMED FOR THE SUN

That is true, even as Saturday is named for the planet Saturn. But for anyone to say that

Christians started observing the first day of the week to please the sun worshipers is silly. And likewise, the Jews did not refrain from working on Saturday to please the Saturn worshipers. Do you see how foolish it can all become?

THE WRITINGS OF MRS. WHITE ARE WRONG

Mrs. White, one of the founders of the Seventh Day Adventists, claimed that her writings were inspired like the Bible. Many accept her claim. The Mormans say the Book of Mormon is inspired. The Christian Scientists believe the same about Mary Baker Eddy's writings. Claims of this nature bear strong identifying marks of a cultist. To accept anyone else's writings as inspired (as in the Word of God) will bring a curse upon those persons (Revelation 22:18).

This is the error of the Seventh Day Adventists:

"But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years" (Galatians 4:9-10).

If they trust in this as their salvation, they will die lost.

SO IT COMES DOWN TO THIS

The only ceremonial ordinance in the Ten Commandments was, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." The others were all moral. Consequently, at Calvary all of the Law was blotted out. (You can read this in Colossians 2:1417.) Nine of the Ten Commandments were reinstated under the New Covenant, but the ceremonial law of the Sabbath was never reinstated.

It's not wrong to have church on a Saturday, or any other day for that matter. But it is wrong to keep Saturday as the Sabbath because of the (old) Law. The real danger in this is equating the Law with salvation, believing that if one keeps the particular Sabbath (Saturday), they will be saved; if they don't, they will be lost. Or, at least they will exhibit an attitude of pride, feeling they will be honored of God more than those who do not keep it.

The fact is, God has not set aside any day as being special. We meet on Sunday, the Lord's Day, as we've discussed earlier in this writing. But, as important as this is, the particular day—Sunday —within itself, is not worthy to be observed as some law. Many businesses close on Sunday so people can attend church for worship, and that's very good. I wish that every business would close on Sunday, for the same reason. But that is not the same thing as the old Mosaic Law respecting resting on the Sabbath.

To be frank and honest with you, we should worship the Lord every day. The fact of worshiping in churches on the Lord's Day is a very good thing, and God has used it to further His cause (salvation of souls), exceedingly so. But it's more than some law laid down.

It is a fallacy to think that the old Mosaic Law of the Sabbath still stands or that Sunday is the Sabbath transferred to the first day of the week. Neither is Sunday-keeping a biblical law holding the same stringent commands as the Old Testament Saturday Sabbath.

I believe with these insights, we've been able to scripturally and correctly answer your question.

Again, I emphasize, we love the Seventh Day Adventist people. We feel in many areas their consecration and dedication to God are commendable. But we do have problems accepting their doctrine as dealt with in this article.

QUESTION: IS CHRISTIAN SCIENCE SCRIPTURALLY CORRECT AND DOES IT REALLY BRING HEALING TO PEOPLE’S PHYSICAL BODIES?

ANSWER:

There's a strange thing concerning Christian Science. It is neither "Christian" nor "scientific," and it cannot be classified as any part of the Christian religion. It has to be classified with the false religions of the world such as Islam, Buddhism, etc. I realize it may sound startling to some people, but it is true.

This heresy was started by a woman named Mary Baker Eddy. It denies the essential of the Christian faith: the deity of Christ. It denies the blood atonement, and it denies the fact of sin.

Christian Science states that Jesus Christ is not God, that His being called God is a fallacy. They say that He was kin to God only in the same way as every other man. This heresy says much about the life of Jesus and the teachings of the

Lord Jesus Christ, but it denies the fact of His deity and His blood atonement for the sins of man. In other words, the Christian Science people deny that Jesus Christ is very God.

Now the Lord expressly stated that He was God, that He was one with the Father, and that He is equal with God. John 1:1-3 tells us this,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

Then it tells us in St. John 1:14,

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

And Jesus said in St. John 10:30,

"I and my Father are one."

Of course there are many other Scriptures that could be given, but I think those will suffice. In actuality, Christian Science denies the very heart of our Christian religion—that Jesus Christ is God. To be honest with you, that is infidelity and blasphemy.

Christian Science is a religion, but it is a pagan religion: as different from the religion of the Bible as day is from night.

These people also say that Jesus Christ is the "Way-Shower." This was, in the past, one of their favorite terms; it possibly still is today. Although this would at first glance seem to be correct, actually Jesus is not a "Way-Shower"; He Himself is the Way. He said it in St. John 14:6,

"...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me."

So, consequently, to the Christian Scientist Jesus is simply a teacher, possibly even a prophet —a "Way-Shower." In other words, they say He is a man just like the rest of us. These terms are used again and again in Christian Science literature. So Mary Baker Eddy teaches that Jesus was just a man; ever so good and wise, but just a man. And again I state, this is blasphemy.

Secondly, the Christian Scientists imply that man is perfect and there is no real sin, denying all the Bible facts about sin. Instead of admitting that man is a sinner as the Bible says, Christian Science denies it and places all men on an equal with Jesus Christ. This not only takes away the deity of Christ, but it actually denies the sinfulness of man.

This sect states that man is without beginning or without end; in other words, changeless. In doing so, they use the term relevant to Christ—the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Word of God totally opposes the Christian Science stand. It says in Isaiah 53:6,

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Paul said in Romans, the third chapter,

"...for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

Of course there are so many other Scriptures that could also be given. I think nothing in the Bible is clearer than the statement that men are sinners;

that they are not perfect, and are in desperate need of a Saviour.

So the false teachings of Christian Science— that man is already perfect and there is really no such thing as sin—are in direct contradiction to the Word of God. Actually this heresy denies nearly all the great fundamentals taught in the Word of God.

The Christian Science doctrine used to teach (and I assume still does) that Mary Baker Eddy, its founder, fulfills the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Comforter. And, of course, the basic reason they teach such error is because their textbook is not the Bible; it is a book written by Mary Baker Eddy called, Science And Health With Keys To The Scriptures, which they regard as inspired (actually a revelation from God). It is a part of the "Bible of Christian Science." They would not have gone into such error if they had accepted the Bible as the Word of God and applied it to their lives. But to apply another teaching is to go off into heresy and outright blasphemy.

It's a terrible thing to place a human being (and they place Mary Baker Eddy) on a plane with the Lord Jesus Christ, and her pathetic writings on a plane with the New Testament. But this is what they do. This woman actually (practically) claimed deity for herself, placing herself on the same level with the mighty Holy Ghost, whom Jesus called the Comforter.

Christian Science does not teach people to repent, to seek forgiveness and a change of heart; nor does it teach them to trust Christ as a personal substitute and a Saviour from sin.

HOW SHOULD WE CONDUCT OURSELVES TOWARD CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS?

We should love these people, but our love for them should be the same as it is for any other lost sinner. We ought to pray for them, ask God to help them, as we would any other unsaved individuals and especially those that are in false religions. You see, there are many good people who are deceived by these foolish teachings that are so very unscriptural. I do not doubt the sincerity of these people, and we don't mean to cast any reflection on them. But the teaching of Christian Science is wicked, deceitful, and unChristian, and it is in direct opposition to the Holy Word of God.

ARE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE HEALINGS REAL?

Actually, there is a possibility that some might be. In II Corinthians, chapter eleven, the Apostle Paul mentions that Satan can come as an angel of light. You see, Satan can use people, false doctrine, and anything of this nature to do things that seem to be good. Gullible, (even) innocent, people fall into his trap and accept it, and thereby are lost.

Consequently, I'm certain that Satan would be able and ready to lift a disease that he has placed on a person if his doing so could deceive people, keep them in bondage, and keep them from believing in the deity of Christ and trusting in the precious blood of Jesus for salvation. Satan knows that if people accept Christian Science or any other cult of this nature, they will be eternally lost. So, consequently, he might do many things deceitful to make things look true and biblical when in reality they are false and Satanic. But that does not prove a thing is of God.

There is something else I might say on this. Most of the so-called healing methods of Christian Science are more or less a system of mind over matter; a type of mind-cure which has been practiced by cults in the Far East for many, many years. And actually, a cheerful frame of mind does help to heal the body, as any doctor will tell you. This basically makes up most of the so-called healings of Christian Science.

So mental suggestion, or the power of mind over matter, often does good. It sometimes helps to banish fear and remove worry, but that doesn't mean that it's really providing healing. Mental suggestion will not remove the fact of the thing, because actually Christian Science really says there is no such thing as sickness, or pain, or evil. And this is one of the follies of Christian Science.

You see, mental suggestion cannot change the fact of the terrible wickedness of the human heart. You can deny sin all you want to, but that does not change the fact of it. You can deny sickness all you want to, but that does not mean that people don't get sick.

So Satan could well afford to lift a sickness from somebody that would make them think they've been healed by some error that purports to be of God; if by doing this, he can get individuals to deny the fact of sin and their need to be born again, plus the deity of Christ and the power of His shed blood.

And then there's the possibility that some people who are very sincere and call themselves Christian Scientists really do not understand what they actually believe. These people might pray to God and receive healing. That's possible. I, too, believe in prayer for the sick; we've seen many people healed by the power of God. So the Christian Scientist did not invent that doctrine; it is plainly taught in the Bible. But is has to be practiced the Bible way. We know that God heals the sick, but He heals through the Lord Jesus Christ, not the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST COULD BE SAVED?

It could be possible. Sincere people who do not actually know anything about true Bible Christianity, and who know nothing about Christian Science either, could fall into this trap and accept this false doctrine. At the same time, if in their hearts they are really reaching out toward God, they could accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. However, if they are really sincere and earnestly seeking to do God's will, they will see the Light and get out of this thing. If they stay in it, they will be eternally lost.

Last of all, a curse is placed upon any error of this nature. In Paul's letter to the Galatians, he said,

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (1:8-9).

We are to love these people but not their false doctrine. We are not to receive them into our houses teaching this doctrine nor bid them Godspeed, lest we be partakers of their evil deeds. We are to believe that Jesus heals, but that He does so through His love and power and His mighty Word; not through the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy.

Many of my notes on the hierarchy of Christian Science are taken from the writings of the late Dr. John R. Rice. I am so grateful and appreciative for the help of his writings in answering these questions.

Table of Contents

1 Question: Is There Any Truth to the Jehovah's Witness Doctrine?

2 Question: Is the Doctrine of Mormonism Scriptural. And If It Isn't. Will Mormons Go to Heaven?

3 Question: Are the Seventh Day Adventists Right in Keeping Saturday as Their Sabbath?

4 Question: Is Christian Science Scripturally Correct and Does It Really Bring Healing to People'