Do We Need the Book of Mormon?

Aided by Bill McKeever from MRM.org

“I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

-Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 4:461

This is the mindset most Mormon missionaries have been taught. Where they are coming from is that the Bible is corrupted; they only believe the Bible “...to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.”

Articles of Faith #8

The key to responding to this point is to:

1. Be able to explain how we got the Bible today
   

   1. Study textual criticism

   2. Explain how it was NOT like the telephone game (that’s how missionaries are taught).

   3. “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” - Matthew 16:17-19

   4. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” - Isaiah 40:8

      1. The LDS Church believes in a Great Apostasy, where we lost the truths of the Bible. That would contradict these verses!

They will say because the Bible is corrupt, we need the Book of Mormon (BoM) as a second witness, to help strengthen the testimony of Jesus. Aside from the fact there is no evidence for the Book of Mormon, there is nothing in the Book of Mormon to learn that would bring us closer to God even if Mormonism WAS true!

A great exercise is to quote the quote at the beginning of this section^ and then ask:

“What are some of these precepts that we must follow that can’t be found in any other book? What does the BoM teach that would get me closer to God than my Bible?”

They’ll likely say the Bible and the BoM aren’t opposed but go together, don’t let them slip away from this question.

They’ll usually say things like: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, etc. The problem with this is that you get all these things from the Bible!

Here is a list of core LDS Doctrine that are NOT found in the Book of Mormon:

• Infinite Regression of gods

• Forever Families

• The Father has flesh and bone

• The Father is married to a Heavenly Mother(s)

• Before this world there was a pre-existence

• Men can become gods

• Three levels of heaven

• Jesus is the literal begotten son of the Father

• Jesus and Lucifer are brothers

• Word of Wisdom (Don’t drink coffee/tea/alcohol)

• Aaronic & Melchizedek Priesthood

• Endowment Ceremonies

• Temple Marriage Sealings

• Baptism for the Dead

• Mandatory 10% Income Tithing

- Based From Ron Rhodes Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons, and Bill McKeever’s “Gold Plates” presentation

(The last five points that are bolded are ESSENTIALS for getting to the highest level of heaven, the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom. How could the BoM get us closer to God if it doesn’t teach these 5 essentials?)

Evidences for the requirement of the last 5 bullet points to enter into the highest level of heaven from LDS sources:

I, II & III. Aaronic & Melchizedek Priesthood, Endowment Ceremonies and Temple Marriage Sealing

I put all of these points together because the LDS Church does a great job summing up their position with these points in one quote:

“Some ordinances are essential to our exaltation. They include baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men)*, the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing. With each of these ordinances, we enter into solemn covenants with the Lord.”

- “Ordinances," Gospel Topics, LDS.org

*Because the Melchizedek Priesthood is only available to men, LDS women who hope to attain the highest level of exaltation must have a sealed marriage in the temple with a male holder of this priesthood: “There are several basic requirements for a temple [marriage] recommend… Let me tell you what they are... Phil, you’re already an elder and hold the Melchizedek Priesthood, and that’s a requirement,” (“What are the requirements for a person to receive a temple recommend for marriage?” - Malcolm S. Jeppsen, June 1975. lds.org). This quote demonstrates that a woman must need a Melchizedek Priesthood holding man to get a required temple sealing if they ever hope of reaching the highest level of exaltation. e.g: “In order to obtain the highest degree in the celestial kingdom, a man and a woman must enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage” (Chapter 28: Celestial Marriage, Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, lds.org). Not only this but the woman’s husband must also be willing to receive her in the afterlife; as stated by Erastus Snow, “No woman will get into the celestial kingdom, except her husband receives her, if she is worthy to have a husband; and if not, somebody will receive her as a servant”. (Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 291).

IV. Baptism for the Dead

• “All of our efforts in proclaiming the gospel, perfecting the Saints, and redeeming the dead lead to the holy temple. Ordinances of the temple are absolutely crucial. We cannot return to God’s glory without them.”

- 17th LDS Prophet Russell M. Nelson (then Apostle), “Prepare For the Blessings of the Temple”, Adapted from Ensign, March 2002, 17–23. lds.org.

• “For verily I [The Lord] say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house [The LDS Temple] to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth…” - D&C 124:33.

V. Mandatory 10% Income Tithing

• “The law of tithing is part of a celestial law which we must live if we are to attain eternal life and exaltation in the celestial kingdom.”

- “The Divine Law of Tithing” by LDS Bishop Robert D. Hales, lds.org.

(All emphasis and bold added)

A great exercise is to ask your missionaries, “Are you saying that if I ONLY had the Book of Mormon and abided by ALL its precepts to the letter, I would make it to the Celestial Kingdom?”

If they say NO, then you ask how it gets you closer to God.

If they say YES, you should tell them, “That’s interesting, because if I ONLY had the Book of Mormon, I wouldn’t even know there was a Celestial Kingdom to shoot for!” This is because the Book of Mormon doesn’t even teach these 3 levels of heaven.

This article was made for the glory of Jesus Messiah of the Scriptures alone!