Maybe this holiday season is a good time to have that "special talk" with friends and neighbors.
(media.greatawakening.win)
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts the Bible as the word of God. Specifically, for the English-speaking members, we use the KJV.
Not so long ago, someone did a survey of different sects to see who knew the Bible best. Our church won. We know the Bible better than any other sect of Christianity.
Jesus made a lot of promises. Among them was the promise that he will come again. Also, that there would be a "falling away first". If a falling away, then a gathering together again.
This church is the literal gathering prophesied by both the Old and New Testament, when God begins to gather in his elect to prepare to greet him at his coming.
Joseph Smith was prophesied of in both the Old and New Testaments.
The Restoration of the church was also prophesied in many, many different ways.
You are living in that period.
Ask God for direction in your life. If you surrender your life to Christ, he will tell you through the Holy Ghost what to do. I have absolute faith in this, no matter what Christ reveals to you it is the truth.
But you didn't answer my question. And I would be interested in the Bible verses you state in regard to Joseph Smith (I have read completely through the Bible 12 times and have never read any verses that could be remotely related to Joseph Smith; perhaps the interpretation of the verses you may cite are analogous to interpretation of the prophecies of Nostradamus) I once heard a Mormon tell someone that they should let them tell them about Joseph Smith, as if they considered Joseph Smith more important than Jesus.
Let me pull up a few:
Isaiah 29 contains many prophecies fulfilled by Joseph Smith and in his day.
This was fulfilled when Martin Harris brought a manuscript containing some characters from the golden plates and Joseph Smith's translation to Anthon, who confirmed that there were legitimate. When Harris told Anthon that it was translated by the gift and power of God, he recanted.
Also, the one that is unlearned is Joseph Smith. He had a third grade education in the backwoods of New York, and his wife Emma had to write letters for him as he could barely put a sentence together.
v. 13 was quoted verbatim by Jesus when he appeared to Joseph Smith.
v. 14 talks about a marvelous work and a wonder, which has repeatedly referred to the work that Joseph Smith and his successors have done in our scriptures.
It also says "for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." Joseph Smith, a man who could barely put together sentences, ended up being one of the most prolific writers of his age. You can examine the letters he wrote in his later years. He also founded at least 3 cities, and he founded an entire sect of Christianity that is still, to this day, rapidly growing. He defied all of the worldly understanding of the Bible and brought forward numerous new ideas, all of which comport with the Bible and all of which show God's wonderful power and grace.
The entire chapter of Isaiah 29 reads as basically a description of the age that Joseph Smith lived in and the powerful work that God charged him to do.
Additionally, we read in Ezekiel 37 about the sticks of Judah and Joseph. The Bible, as you know, contains writings preserved by the descendants of Judah AKA the jews. The Book of Mormon, as you probably do not know, was written by descendants of Lehi, who was of the tribe of Joseph. Thus, the writings in the Book of Mormon are for Joseph, and the writings in the Bible are for Judah, and together, in our church, the two come together into one book. The entire chapter refers to the resurrection of dry bones, and then says that the bones are Israel. Joseph Smith restored Israel, or rather, began that process, and the missionaries of our church are still hunting for and finding members of the tribes of Israel who were long lost, or who are adopted through baptism.
These are just two examples from the old testament. There are many, many more that reference Joseph Smith, his life and the events that occurred of which he had a part or role. In addition, the New Testament warns us about false prophets that arise in these days. It doesn't say "disbelieve all prophets" but cautions us against the false ones, who are compared to wolves in sheep's clothing. What are the hallmarks of a true prophet, and what is the message a true prophet will be carrying? Jesus told us that the true shepherd will lay down his life for the flock, an obvious reference to himself, but also those who will take upon themselves that role, and give their own lives in martyrdom throughout the ages, among which Joseph Smith is one.
I know that you don't accept these as prophecies, and think my interpretation is heretical. However, we are not allowed to interpret the scriptures, only the Spirit can do that for us, and the Spirit whispers to me which passages are about Joseph Smith or Jesus Christ or the events that would happen hundreds and thousands of years in the future of the people who received the revelations.
I guess it's all a matter if you believe the story of the golden plates. Amazing how not a trace was left behind, isn't it? Satan has used cults to fool people since the time Jesus walked the Earth. As I said, God isn't going to have his Son born, live, and die, only to have it mean nothing for the next ~1850 years. Do you believe in the divinity of Jesus? Pretty interesting to consider that the Jehovah's witnesses, and Mormons, both were begun in the mid 1800s.
Why would you expect there to be golden plates on earth when Joseph Smith said the angel took them to heaven?
Our testimony, my testimony included, is not based on observation or logic or reason. It is not worldly, and doesn't depend on worldly things. It is based on the manifestation of the Holy Ghost, of which I personally attest.
I believe in the Bible, and the Bible says Jesus is God. So I believe that Jesus is God.
Christians try to say we believe in a false Christ or some such nonsense. We believe in the same Bible you do, without reservation. None of the other revelations we consider doctrine contradict the Bible.
There were a lot of people running around at Jesus' time claiming to be Messiah, as you said. Satan often sends in the counterfeits at the same time God sends in the truth.