TEMPLE

Reason 27

Christians believe our bodies are the temple. Mormons agree, but also believe the temple is a building to perform sacred ordinances.


     Acts 17:24
God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 


     1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

     1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

     2 Corinthians 6:16
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."

     Ephesians 2:19-22
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 

     Ephesians 3:17
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

The Old Testament Temple was actually used for animal sacrifice, not marriage, baptism, or other ceremonies. Christ fulfilled the OT use of the temple. We are now the spiritual temple of God.

     And article about Temples
mormonhandbook.com/home/temples

     A video about Temples
ldsvideo.org/2011/04/mormon-temple

Mormons claim they are the one true church as they have "the temple." They overlook the fact that God tore the veil of the temple when Christ died (signifying the entrance into the holy of Holies). Now a person can come to the throne room of God through faith in Christ who is represented as the veil. The old temple ritual is over! The Mormons are trying to sew the curtain back up. (Let the Scriptures Speak, p. 40, Suzanne Bishop)

     Mormon Doctrine, p. 779
Temples are holy sanctuaries wherein sacred ordinances, rites, and ceremonies are performed which pertain to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God. 

The temple is a necessity because they [LDS] believe that certain ordinances are only effective when performed in the temple. (Approaching Mormons in Love, pp. 45-48, Wilbur Lingle)

A few of these ordinances are

1. Celestial Marriage
2. Endowments
3. Sealings
4. Other Ordinances - where the living perform the ordinances for their dead relatives or others to help them achieve exaltation.

I attended the temple many times while I was lds. Every time was just as unsettling as the time before. I always felt extremely uncomfortable inside the temple. The clothes, signs, tokens, ordinances, prayers, etc. were very troubling to me. Friends who were also members continued telling me, "Just keep going back. It will begin to make sense if you attend often enough with a sincere heart." Well, it never began to make sense to me. It only brought up more questions that no one would answer.

My unanswered question was:

Since the Bible tells us in Acts 17:24 that God does not dwell in temples made with hands, why does the lds church build temple after temple to perform sacred ceremonies?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that the true God really does not dwell in lds temples, yet overjoyed to find the truth that He now dwells in my heart! I certainly do not need to attend a temple to have God with me.

GOD IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE

Reason 26

A major reason I joined the LDS church was the fact that it made so much sense. Everything was logical. There were no more mysteries about God, Heaven, or my purpose in life. The missionaries continued teaching how the Presbyterian Church was missing doctrines and important truths. In fact, they taught that all other churches were an abomination and were missing pieces of the Christian puzzle. The lds belief is: their church is the only church on earth that has the fullness of the gospel containing the complete truth. The lds church has God all figured out, and they are able to comprehend everything about Him.

However, the Bible tells us God's understanding is infinite and unsearchable.
     Psalm 147:5
"Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite."

     Isaiah 40:28
"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable."

     Isaiah 55:8
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
          (~ Chuck Smith ~ I will vouch for that. I don't understand so many times why God does the things He does. His thoughts are not my thoughts. Nor are His ways my ways. I would do many things much differently. I wouldn't do them more wisely; I'd just do them differently. But you see, the difference between God's thoughts and my thoughts, and God's ways and my ways, is that God knows the end from the beginning. Therefore, He doesn't do something and wonder if it's right. When He does it, He knows it's right. Now the way I do things, I do them and I hope it's right. And sometimes it is. But many times it isn't. But when I started doing it, I was sure it was.
So many times I think that this is the best way; and then I find out it isn't. There was a much better way. ~ Blue Letter Bible Commentary by Chuck Smith)

     1 Corinthians 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

In contrary to the Biblical teaching of God, Joseph Smith taught the following:
     When we comprehend the character of God, we comprehend ourselves and know how to approach Him.....If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 39-41)

A good friend told me how sad she is that God is unreachable to me. It breaks my heart to know she misunderstands me entirely. Never in my Christian life have I said or felt God is unreachable. As a Mormon, I didn't even know who God really was, so I certainly had no idea it was possible for Him to reach me. As a Christian, I am now able to allow God into my life instead of constantly attempting to reach God myself. As a Mormon, I would strive so hard every single day to make sure God knew how hard I was trying to be perfect, or live a life free of sin. But somehow, I never ever felt good enough to receive God's love. I wasn't even sure I would end up in heaven when I died. I always felt I did not deserve God's love because I was not good enough nor was I trying hard enough. This was a never-ending battle I dealt with as a Mormon. I am so incredibly grateful for my time as a Mormon because it gave me the knowledge I have now. Just because our human minds are incapable of comprehending God, does not mean we do not have the capability of allowing God to reach us. We will never be able to comprehend God's wisdom, love, and understanding until we are in His presence.

I know God is omniscient. Webster's definition of omniscient: having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight; possessed of universal or complete knowledge.

In Christianity, God reaches down to man. In Mormonism, man attempts to reach God. ~ Suzanne Bishop

My unanswered question was:

If the Bible tells us God's understanding is infinite and unsearchable, why does the lds church insist to have Him all figured out?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that the lds church does not have the Christian God figured out, yet overjoyed to find the truth that no human has the capability to understand God. The flaws were not in me; the flaws were in the teachings I was receiving from the lds church. I finally know God, and I am extremely grateful to have Him in my life every second of every day! I am so Blessed to have gone on such a heartbreaking yet wonderful journey, because now I know God loves me despite my imperfections!

TITHING

Reason 25

Growing up as a Presbyterian, I was taught that Tithing is 10% of ourselves, not solely income. When we gave our time, our talents, our knowledge, our love, etc. it was all considered tithing. We were not required to pay 10% of our entire income as the lds church requires.

     D&C 119:3-4
And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people. And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.

     The following link is from For the Strength of Youth, a small booklet given to all youth of the lds church.
lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth/tithes-and-offerings

     From lds.org
lds.org/scriptures/gs/tithes-tithing
The Guide to the Scriptures
Tithes, Tithing
A tenth part of a person's annual increase given to the Lord through the Church. Tithing funds are used to build churches and temples, to sustain missionary work, and to build the kingdom of God on earth.


He that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming, D&C 64:23 (D&C 85:3)
Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.

It is contrary to the will and commandment of God that those who receive not their inheritance by consecration, agreeable to his law, which he has given, that he may tithe his people, to prepare them against the day of vengeance and burning, should have their names enrolled with the people of God.
(D&C 85:3)
The Lord's house will be built by the tithing of his people, D&C 97:11-12
Yea, let it be built speedily, by the tithing of my people. Behold, this is the tithing and the sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there may be a house built unto me for the salvation of Zion-


Tithing shall be disposed of by a council, D&C 120
Verily, thus saith the Lord, the time is now come, that it shall be disposed of by a council, composed of the First Presidency of my Church, and of the bishop and his council, and by my high council; and by mine own voice unto them, saith the Lord. Even so. Amen.

     Talk from October 2002 General Conference -- Tithing: A Test of Faith with Eternal Blessings, Robert D. Hales
lds.org/general-conference/2002/10/tithing-a-test-of-faith-with-eternal-blessings

Not one ounce of my being believes that a person who does not tithe 10% of their income will be burned at His coming. I also do not believe God would deny Heaven to someone who has not tithed 10% of their entire income during their lifetime.

My unanswered question was:

Why would I pay tithing first, even when I don't have enough money to meet my other needs?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that tithing should not be my first sacrifice, yet overjoyed to find the truth that I should sacrifice myself first and foremost. By taking care of my family, God will take care of us even more! My first priority as a mother is to take care of my husband and children. God does not need 10% of my "income." He needs 100% of ME!

SPIRIT

Reason 24

In a few words, the Light of Christ was not in me. I felt so numb as if I was only going through the motions. There was so much emphasis on all the extra things within the church when Christ should have been the number one focus. Those extra things were Primary/Young Women activities, Relief Society, Enrichment, the Temple, Home/Visiting Teaching, meeting after meeting, etc. I could go on. There were so many redundant activities and it just got SO stale. Christ certainly does not want us having stale lives. There was so much preaching on how to serve and when to serve that I was doing all those things because I was told to or because it was my calling instead of doing everything out of the kindness of my heart or because I actually wanted to.

CALLINGS

I did enjoy some callings, but for the most part, I dreaded them. I wanted to know before I accepted a calling "how much time is this going to take away from my family? Will I be working with the same age group I have for 40 hours during my work week?" These things were normally not considered by church leadership. I am not referring to all; however, the majority did not consider those things. They were just trying to fill an open position. I think we get more out of choosing to grow in certain areas ourselves rather than being called by church leaders into specific callings. I do understand members should pray about callings prior to accepting them. However, only the Lord and I know the areas I need strengthening in.

MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT

The scriptures tell us to serve out of the kindness of our heart, not because we are told to or because it's our calling. I was doing "good works" for all the wrong reasons, as I believe many Mormons do. As a whole, I did not feel genuine, self-giving love in the church. There was way too much contention for me. So much bickering and complaining and competition...Love was certainly not the sole reason for the good works of many of the members. And since I have shared my blog with the world, it is very clear to me that many Mormons do not do or say things out of a love for God. Mormons are the ones who are bad mouthing me and putting me down, not the Christians. The Christians are encouraging and uplifting. There are a few Mormons who have been accepting of my decision to share my story. However, in general, the Mormons are the ones who disagree with my blog and my decision to share my life story with others. Temple attendance, home/visiting teaching and service were also not being done out of a Love for God. I was doing all these "works" because if I didn't, I wouldn't be good enough and ultimately would not make it to the celestial kingdom. And that's not how Christ and church should make us feel. The Savior would not say any one of us is not good enough. So why would a church?

     Romans 10:9-10
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

     Romans 13:8
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

     Romans 8:1-12
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

     Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

     Matthew 22:34-40
But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself:' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

     Matthew 5:38-48
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

     1 John 1:6
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

     1 John 4:20-21
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Do as you believe. Love God and love each other, even if you disagree with their decisions. Those that love have fulfilled the law. That's all you need to do! And that's what He means by being rewarded by our works. How do we love? Do we love our enemies? Do we love those that disagree with our beliefs? Do we love those who have turned away from our church? Do we love those who have been open and honest about their true feelings of another's church?
I do, even those who have said hateful words to me. Just because I completely disagree with your church and your beliefs, does not mean I feel that way towards you. I still love you no matter what you choose to believe.

FORCING FAITH

A wise friend of mine says, "no church can force people to develop their faith." Well, no church should have to try to force people to develop their faith. If the church is teaching and doing what it should be teaching and doing, then people's faith will come naturally through their love of Christ. LDS preach so much about the importance of Joseph Smith, the temple, prayer, scripture study, selfless service, sacrifice, good works, what you should or should not be doing, etc., that they were definitely attempting to force me to develop my faith. The only thing I need and want to hear, as well as be taught to my children, is how much Christ loves us. That is the ONLY thing that needs to be preached endlessly, nothing else. If this is understood, then everything else will come naturally without having to be told or forced to do it again and again, over and over.

SACRAMENT

I felt as though sacrament was very stale, very boring, and very repetitive. My heart told me I need to really worship the Lord. My favorite way to worship the Lord is through music, and LDS music did not fulfill my worshiping needs. I am so blessed to finally be involved with a church that truly worships the LORD! Every song I sing is about One Person and One Person only; My Savior!

My unanswered question was:

If the lds church is the one true church, then why did I feel such a struggle within myself to try harder and study more and pray more and do more good works, etc.? Why did all those things not come completely naturally to me as they do now, with a desire to do them for myself and my relationship with Christ?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that the lds church is not the one true church, yet overjoyed to find the truth that my spirit and my relationship with My Savior are both much stronger without a denomination! All I need is my relationship with Him, and I am so very blessed to have that now! He is with me every step of the way, and unfortunately, I was unable to say that as a Mormon.
PRAISE GOD!

MARRIAGE

Reason 23

According to the Bible, there will be no marriage in Heaven.
Marriage is practiced only on earth.
Marriage is between man and woman.
Marriage is for multiplying and replenishing the earth.
Marriage is NOT for getting to heaven. In fact, marriage has absolutely NOTHING to do with getting to heaven. How reassuring is that for those that will never have an opportunity to be married!!!!!
The only marriage in heaven is Christ being married to His bride, which is the body of believers. In heaven, we will receive perfect love when we are reunited with our husband, Jesus. Our earthly marriages give us only a glimpse of the perfect love Christ has for each one of us. I am happy to say I will be with my husband in heaven; however, I will not be married to him. I will be married to Christ. The Bible also states Eternal Life is not limited to certain ones in Heaven. There is no parenthood or temple marriage in heaven, but eternal life is GIVEN to ALL Christians, or true believers.

     Matthew 22:29-30
Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

     Mark 12:24-25
Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

     Luke 20:34-36
Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

     Romans 7:4
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another-to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

     2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

     1 John 5:12-13
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

     godandscience.org/doctrine/marriageinheaven

Temple marriage is the most important teaching in the LDS church. This covenant is required to enter the celestial kingdom. The teaching is that no one will reach the celestial kingdom (highest degree of glory) without the most sacred of ordinances, or Celestial (eternal) Marriage. The belief is that LDS earthly marriages will continue in heaven.

Bruce R. McConkie made the following declaration, "Celestial marriage is the gate to exaltation, and exaltation consists in the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life, which God lives. Those who obtain it gain an inheritance in the highest of three heavens within the celestial kingdom.

     D&C 131:1-4
In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.

     The Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, gave us His word on what would happen in eternity regarding the state of marriage. ~Suzanne Bishop, Let the Scriptures Speak, p. 66

     LDS Children's Hymn 188, Families Can Be Together Forever
I have a family here on earth. They are so good to me. I want to share my life with them through all eternity. Families can be together forever Through heavenly Father's plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can. The Lord has shown me how I can.


While I am in my early years, I'll prepare most carefully, So I can marry in God's temple for eternity. Families can be together forever Through heavenly Father's plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can. The Lord has shown me how I can.

However, LDS scriptures even state there will be no marriage in heaven.

     D&C 132:16
Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.

I was SO incredibly confused as a member...Blessedly, I am no longer confused about anything spiritual!

My unanswered question was:

Why is marriage in heaven such a major tenet of the LDS church when God has very plainly told us there is no marriage in heaven?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that our earthly marriage will not be recognized in heaven, yet overjoyed to find the truth that I will be in Heaven will ALL my loved ones; Christ being my spouse! And how wonderfully amazing that will be!

PRE-EXISTENCE?

Reason 22

The Bible teaches life begins at conception, which means there is no pre-existence of life. Christ is the only Pre-Existent Being. According to the Bible, we were not in a pre-existence with Christ. There are no scriptures in the Bible stating we were in heaven and will one day return.

     Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

     Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
          As a member I thought this meant God literally knew us as spirit children. However, I did not take into consideration that God is all knowing. He knows all because He created all...in the womb.

     Psalm 22:10
I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God.
          If we were all living in the pre-existence with God in heaven, then God would have been my God before my mother's womb.

     Psalm 139:13
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.

     Isaiah 49:1
"Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
          These Bible verses tell us life begins in our Mother's womb.

     Matthew 10:30
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

     1 Corinthians 15:45-47
And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.

The Bible also teaches Jesus is the only pre-existent Being ever and our existence began on earth.

     John 8:58
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

     Colossians 1:17
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

The Book of Mormon agrees with the Bible = no pre-existence of man.

     Jacob 4:9
For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?
          (this scripture does not even make sense to me)

     Alma 18:28 and 34-36
And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?


Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true; And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God. Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.

Other LDS scriptures disagree with the Bible and the Book of Mormon = man pre-existed.
LDS scriptures also state Jesus is Firstborn of the many pre-existent children of God and everyone pre-existed. Another LDS teaching is that we will return to live with Heavenly Father, because we lived with Him before we came to this earth. This is a major teaching of the LDS church, but it is not a Biblical teaching.

     D&C 93:23
Ye were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;

     D&C 93:29-33
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;

     Pearl of Great Price: Abraham 3:18
Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning, they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.

     PoGP: Abraham 3:21-26
lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr/3

     PoGP: Moses 5:16-41
lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/5

The same scriptures state Jesus and Lucifer (Satan) lived together in the pre-existence and Jesus is the Spirit Brother of Lucifer.

     D&C 93:21
And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;

     PoGP: Abraham 3:27
And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.

Also see post MY SAVIOR, Reason 4
as well as the following websites.

     LDSvideo.org #23
ldsvideo.org/2011/06/preexistance-and-afterlife.html

     carm.org
carm.org/questions/about-doctrine/did-we-exist-god-we-were-born-earth

My unanswered question was:

If the Bible teaches Christ is the only person to pre-exist, then why does the LDS church teach everyone pre-existed?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that I did not live in a pre-existence, yet overjoyed to find the truth that Christ is the only person worthy enough to have pre-existed! He created me in my mother's womb. He knows everything about me...even the number of hairs on my head. I AM TRULY BLESSED!

GOD'S WORK

Reason 21

God's work is very simple - Believe in Christ! HE has already paid every penalty for ALL of mankind's transgressions. This assures eternal life to all who put their faith in His finished work. I'll reference the Bible.

     John 6:28-29
Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
     Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
     John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Christianity teaches Believers are Raised. This is more commonly known as: if you believe in Christ, you will be saved.
     1 John 5:12-13
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
          * Whoever has the Son has life and those who are Christ's at His coming will be raised. Biblical Christianity says, "once saved, always saved." It IS this simple. Once saved, always saved = Yes, we will be resurrected because we believe Jesus Christ is our Savior. Saving Grace goes to all who are in Christ. Good works and obedience are an entirely different topic and discussion as mentioned in previous/future blog posts; neither one has anything to do with being saved OR going to heaven.

     Romans 10:4
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." 

In contrast, LDS believe quite differently. They believe man will be punished for their sins. They believe Christ paid the penalty for only certain sins. See Reason 19, Christ's Blood. LDS also teach that everyone will be saved, whether they believe in Christ or not. They also believe their good works are what will get them to the Celestial Kingdom; which allows them to live with God and rule their own planet. Unfortunately, all of these teachings contradict the Bible.

     2nd Article of Faith
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
          * My concern with this article is the word punished. Man will not be punished for his sins. According to the law, man will have consequences for his sins while on earth, but he will certainly NOT be punished by God in any way for his sins. I completely disagree with the 2nd Article of Faith. God is not a punishing God; He is a loving and forgiving God!

     carm.org
Justification is by faith. True faith is God's work (John 6:28-29), granted by God (John 1:29), and is concurrent with regeneration (2 Corinthians 5:17), which God works in us by His will (John 1:13). This result of this justification and regeneration is that the sinner turns from his sin and towards doing good works. But it is not these works that earn our place with God nor sustain it. Jesus accomplished all that we need to be saved and stay saved on the cross. All that we need, we have in Jesus. All we need to do to be saved, to be justified, is to truly believe in what God has done for us in Jesus on the cross; this is why the Bible says we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1). This true belief with justification before God and regeneration in the new believer, results in good works.

     John 20:31
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

IT'S ALL ABOUT FAITH

Our God is an Awesome God and there is no way He will separate me from my family because of my decision to remove my name from the LDS church records. He loves us so much no matter what. All we need is Faith in Christ. We do not need "keys, sealings, ordinances, covenants, or a specific church or religion" to live with Him. All we need is Faith in Him. That was His sacrifice for all of us. All that is required of us is Love and Faith, and I have plenty of each!

From this point forward in my life, I am putting all my trust in Christ and not a specific church, temple, teaching, interpretation, prophet, revelation, etc. As a member of the LDS church, I was never confident in my relationship with Christ; I never knew what that meant until I resigned from the church. This is extremely frustrating to me. My entire life I always believed I had a personal relationship with Christ. I even told others I did have that relationship. Now I know I never really knew Him, especially when I was a Mormon. As a Christian, I have no doubt I have a personal relationship with Christ. I know Him better now than I ever have before. And I know for certain I will live in Heaven with Him!

     Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

My faith was only strengthened when I left the LDS church. It took this drastic life change for me to be able to hear the word of God.
This is Christ working in my life and not a religion, not a church, not a pastor, not a bishop.

Biblical Christianity is the only religion in the world where God reaches down to man. Every other religion is man's attempt to reach God. ~ Suzanne Bishop

     Romans 10:13
For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

My unanswered question was:

Why would God ever punish me, or anyone else, for sinning?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that God is not a punishing God, yet overjoyed to find the truth that all I need to do is have faith in God and allow Him in my entire heart! Every work I do is for Him and Him alone. He created me. He knew I would not be perfect. He knew I would sin. He loves me despite my flaws! And I LOVE HIM!