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Should a Christian Pray to Determine the Truthfulness of the Book of Mormon? By Lloyd Sharp

Mormonism asks people to pray "with a sincere heart, with real intent" (Book of Mormons, Moroni 10:4-5) to see if the Book of Mormons is true. "[I]f it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." (Doctrine and Covenants, 9:8) Christians should not pray to see if the Book of Mormon is true. The Bible does not command us to pray to determine truth. Rather, it commands us to "test all thing, hold fast that which is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

This is best seen with the Bereans. In Acts 17:1-10 we see that Paul and Silas are kicked out of Thessalonica for preaching that Jesus is the Christ. They arrive at Berea and begin to preach the gospel to them. The Bereans had never heard the gospel or Paul and Silas. If the LDS view is correct, then the Bereans should have prayed to determine if what Paul and Silas taught was true.

This, however, is not the case. In contrast to the LDS teaching, the Bereans "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things [Paul taught] were so." (Acts 17:11, insert added) The Bereans turned to the Word of God, and not a "burning bosom" to determine if what Paul said was true.

When we test the claims made in the Book of Mormon, wee see that it is not true. It directly contradicts the Bible in numerous places. It teaches that Jesus was born "at Jerusalem" (Alma 7:10) rather than Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7). It also teaches that we are saved "by grace… after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23) The Bible boldly declares that it is "by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8) Works do not earn you salvation according to the Bible. If they did, then what do we need Jesus for?

For these and many other reasons, the Book of Mormon stands in opposition to the Bible. No "burning bosom" can change that.

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