A Comparison of the LDS Articles of Faith with the Bible - Part 6 by Lloyd Sharp

Article 10: "We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory."

It is the teaching of Mormonism that "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Zion. Joining the Church is becoming a citizen of Zion" (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 854). Drawing people to the Mormon church is called the "gathering of Israel." "The fact of the gathering of Israel, under the direction of the president of the Church who holds the keys, is one of the great evidences of the divine calling of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Ibid. 307).

Israel was a descendant of Abraham, with whom God made a covenant. "In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Genesis 15:18). The Lord kept His covenant with Abraham. The twelve tribes of Israel inherited the promised land. This covenant has already been fulfilled. It no longer exists (See Deuteronomy 7:8-10, 12-13). Not one of God's promises failed. All of them came to pass (Joshua 23:14).

Historical and biblical Christianity do not teach that the new Zion will be built "upon the American continent." Even the phrase "New Jerusalem" denotes that the position of this city will be in Jerusalem, not America. While the word Zion has many different meanings in the Bible, nowhere does it indicate what the tenth Article teaches.

Zion was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem. When David took it from the Jebusites (Joshua 15:63; 2 Samuel 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became "the city of David" (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21; 1 Chronicles 11:5) In the later books of the Old Testament Zion was sometimes used (Psalms 87:2; 149:2; Isaiah 33:14; Joel 2:1) to denote Jerusalem in general, and sometimes God's chosen Israel (Psalms 51:18; 87:5). In the New Testament it is used sometimes to denote the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22) and sometimes the literal city of Jerusalem (Revelation 14:1).

Article 11: "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

While the LDS church may think it is OK for people to "worship how…. or what they may," God does not. He has made it very clear in His word how and what is to be worshipped.

Jesus clearly defined what true worshippers will worship:

"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24)."

For example, we see two major ways God is to be worshipped. The first is prayer. In both the Old and the New Testaments we see prayer as being God honoring. Paul wrote that we are to "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Philippians 4:6)." So important is prayer that Paul urged Timothy "that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men (1 Timothy 2:1)."

God is also worshipped in song. From the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1- 43) to the song of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) song has been used to praise God. The Psalmist says "it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely (Psalm 147:1)." And again, "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness (Psalm 30:4)."

Also clear in the Bible is what to worship. We are to worship the one true God and Him alone. "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14)." No created thing such as man or angels is to be worshipped, only God (Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 22:8-9). Mormons worship a god that is a glorified man. Joseph Smith stated that "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens…. If you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form" and that God "was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, pp. 345-346). According to Doctrine and Covenants 130:22 "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's."

This type of thing is expressly forbidden in the Bible. Paul warned of those who would liken God to a mere man.

"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things" (Romans 1:21-23, italics added).

Rather than worship the one true God, Mormonism worships an exalted man. Just as Paul warned, they have "changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man." This is the fundamental reason why Christians around the world deny that Mormonism is a Christian sect. The very core of Christianity lies in the details of who God is. It is these very details that the Bible clearly defines, and that Mormonism cleverly redefines.

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