In this episode, Brendon and Skyler discuss the fifth lesson in the LDS Come, Follow Me sunday school manual. This week (January 23-29) covers Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3 - and is titled "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord".
If you are in the Provo or Salt Lake City area - we invite you to worship with us on any Sunday - either at First Baptist Church of Provo or Christ Presbyterian Church in Magna. We welcome visitors!
LDS Sources mentioned:
Luke 3. 7-14
Miracles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Carlos Revillo, Jr.)
Matthew 3.13-17, Part 2
Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge, Part 3
"[A]ll the ordinances and ceremonies of the Christian world, being administered in the name of the Trinity, without new revelation, are illegal and of none effect, and that God does not record them in the heavens, though they may be recorded by man on the earth." (Orson Pratt, JD16. 175)
"In Psalms we read, 'I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people' (Psalms 22:6). This is diametrically opposed to our philosophy. Certainly one is not likely to rise high who has that kind of an opinion of himself." (Spencer W. Kimball, here)
His Grace Is Sufficient (Brad Wilcox)
2 Ne. 25.23, Moroni 10.32
Reflection and Resolution (Russell Nelson)
BOM on pedo-baptism: Moroni 8 - except for John the Baptist (D&C 84. 27-28). For LDS, the "age of accountability" is eight years old. (here)
It also should have been said that according to LDS theology, baptism was instituted with Adam (Moses 6.64-66) - and throughout the BOM, they claim that "the principal ancestors of the American Indians" were simultaneously practicing the Law of Moses and baptizing in the name of Jesus. (wording now changed by the LDS church, here.) Brigham Young even taught that baptism is an eternal practice. (JD 19.48)
Lecture VI, The Articles of Faith by James E. Talmage
"This is My Doctrine": The Development of Mormon Theology by Charles Harrell (pp. 331-334, quotation of Joseph F. Smith on p. 333)
Resources:
Pastor Brendon's recent sermon on Ezra 9: A Godly Man's Prayer
Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray
Podcasts on Matthew 3: here, and here
Note: On the claim that "adoptionist" christology was the earliest christology, let alone using D&C 93. 12-15 to justify it - see the book Jesus The Eternal Son: Answering Adoptionist Christology by Michael Bird. (Also here, and here) The Philippians hymn (2.5-11) is one good example to show the continuity between early christology - and John 1. A similar point was made by Daniel Boyarin (who was previously mentioned) in regard to the Gospel of Mark - as can be seen in title "Son of Man". In fact, to quote Bird: "[in regard to] how, when, and who first saw Jesus as a human adopted to divine sonship: it occurred sometime in the 190s or early 200s, in Rome, through a group of Theodotians." Hardly the earliest christology!
Moreover, the LDS utilization of Romans 4.15 is incorrect - as even reading the flow of Paul's argument should demonstrate. As Douglas Moo outlines, the two main debates on this verse are "whether the clause is a statement about the Mosaic law specifically or a kind of gnomic statement about the nature and function of law, as 'law.' In either case, the application is to the Mosaic law, which is clearly referred to in the first part of the verse." Then, Moo states, "Paul, then, is not claiming that there is no sin where there is no law, but, in almost a truism, that there is no deliberate disobedience of positive commands where there is no positive command to disobey." (pp. 301-302) It hardly need be said that Paul teaches the doctrine of original sin, even in this very epistle.
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