My son’s girlfriend is Mormon and she’s the nicest girl in his
high-school class. What am I to do? Is there any harm in this relationship?"
In our ministry of equipping the body of Christ to respond in love
to Mormons, this is the question most often asked. As ex-Mormons,
my husband and I know first-hand the spiritual darkness that reigns
in the beautiful package of Mormonism. But how can we equip our young
people to love the Mormon people and yet guard them from unholy alliances?
IS COMPANIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE OF THE MORMON FAITH AN "UNHOLY
ALLIANCE"?
Victor Knowles says in Living Together in Unity (The Lookout, Feb.
16, 1997), that 'Being in Christ' is the key. If anyone is 'in Christ,'
then he is my brother, even if I have never met him or never will meet him
. . . he cannot be out in the cold, an outcast from the fellowship of believers."
ARE MORMONS "IN CHRIST"?
Mormon theology puts the male "Elder" who claims to hold the
Melchezidek Priesthood (which no one but Jesus Christ can ever
hold, see Hebrews 7-10), as the power above Jesus. "And without
the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the
power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; And
also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the
Lord" (Doctrine and Covenants 84:21, 35).
The Book of Mormon teaches a twisted version of grace. "…for
we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can
do" (2 Nephi 25:23).
And from another "standard work" Mormons esteem as scripture:
"That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed
from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying
on of the hands of him who is ordained [into the Melchezidek Priesthood]
and sealed unto this power" (Doctrine and Covenants 76:52).
These few doctrines show that the LDS depend on the "power of the
Priesthood" and good works to gain an "exaltation" into one of three heavens.
Rather than the "Righteousness from God [which] comes through faith in Jesus
Christ" (Romans 3:22). We see clearly that the main focus in the Mormon
Church is self-exaltation rather than exalting the only one who has the
power to save, Jesus Christ.
THE LATTER-DAY SAINT, A GOOD PERSON BUT NOT "IN CHRIST," IS THEREFORE
NOT OUR CHRISTIAN BROTHER OR SISTER.
How then should we view them?
First of all we look at the life of Jesus. He associated with publicans
and sinners but did not choose them as close companions. I believe this
is our example. We must reach out to those within the Mormon Church
as we would a non-believer and yet not as close associates. God’s word
teaches us, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers . .
." But to "come out from them and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Corinthians
6:14-17).
HOW CAN WE BE FRIENDS AND YET NOT "UNEQUALLY YOKED"?
A friend plays tennis on a regular basis with several Mormon women.
She has on numerous occasions shared her faith in Christ with them and
her completeness in Him. She knows Mormon teachings that are in conflict
with Biblical teachings and weaves these into her conversation gently
but firmly. There is no compromise in her discussion of her strong faith
in Christ as she compares it with her LDS friend’s faith in the Mormon
prophet, priesthood and church laws and ordinances. She has maintained
this friendship by following the admonition of 2 Timothy 2:24-26:
"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men,
apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves;
if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the
truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil,
who are taken captive by him at his will." The key here is knowledge
of one’s own faith in Christ and knowing the differences in Mormon religion.
Someone has said, "unless a young person is a "missionary" to the Mormons,
he will become a "mission field."
In my own experience as a Mormon woman, a Christian friend who
radiated the peace of Christ in her life caused me to question
my own works oriented religion. She would refuse my invitations
to various activities in the Mormon Church saying, "Judy, I’m
content in my own faith in Christ. I don’t need anything more."
BECAUSE THE LDS PROGRAMS ARE GEARED TO PROSELYTIZE, IT IS UNWISE
TO ALLOW YOUNG PEOPLE TO ATTEND WITH THEIR FRIENDS, NO MATTER HOW
APPEALING THEIR PERSONALITIES OR PROGRAMS.
An example from the Old Testament shows how godly Jehoshaphat
made friends with the ungodly Ahab and initiated a domino effect,
beginning with the marriage of his son to Ahab’s daughter, whose
mother was the wicked Jezebel. This association was the direct
link that introduced idolatry into Israel. (2 Chronicles 18:1-2,
19: 1-2).
My husband and I became closely associated with a Mormon family
early in our marriage and eventually joined the Mormon religion.
A pastor’s son began playing basketball in a Mormon ward building
and gradually became close friends with a number of LDS young
people. In teenage rebellion, he left his family’s home and was
taken in by the Mormon bishop’s family and became Mormon.
THE HISTORY OF SHIP-WRECKED RELATIONSHIPS CAUSED BY CLOSE ASSOCIATION
WITH THOSE WHO IN REALITY PREACH "ANOTHER GOSPEL" (SEE GALATIANS 1:
6-9), IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO AVOID THESE.
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh
the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 5:6).
REACH OUT IN LOVE TO YOUR MORMON NEIGHBORS BUT DO NOT JOIN WITH
THEM IN THEIR ACTIVITIES.
Stand firm in your relationship with Christ. "Have nothing to do with the
fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). Plant
seeds of God’s word in your friends’ lives and pray they will take root
and produce precious fruit for our Lord.
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