Was Joseph Really a Martyr...Or Just a Gunslinger

In D&C 135:4 the Prophet Joseph Smith is quoted as having said “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter”. The critic claims that this is a knock on a scripture in Isaiah that refers to Christ: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb…”(Isa 53:7).

The critics claim that this phrase is an insult for Joseph to use to describe himself. They claim that since Joseph used a gun to defend himself against a mob, that he could in no way be likened as “a lamb to the slaughter”!

First, let’s address the weapon used when Joseph was killed. In Christ’s final hours he met with his apostles and tried to prepare them for his arrest and eventual death.  In the last meeting he would have with them before he was taken, Christ instructs “And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one…And they said, Lord, behold here are two swords, And he said unto them, It is enough.”(Luke 22:35-36,38)

Here the Lord instructs his apostles not only to take a sword, but if none can be found they should “sell (their) garment, and buy one.” Looks like the critics have a problem here.  Like Joseph and his companions were armed before his death, Christ and his companions were also armed! Of course, I am sure that the apostles of Christ never used those weapons like Joseph and his companions did…..right!?! Actually, if you read further in the same chapter of Luke 22 in verses 48-50 it says, “But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss? When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.”

So it seems from the scriptures that Jesus who was going as a Lamb to the slaughter also armed his companions, much like Joseph. Now it is true that in the next verse Jesus picks up the ear and heals the servant of the high priest, but this doesn’t negate the fact that the Lord instructed them to get armed.

As for the critic who says it was wrong for Joseph to liken himself to Christ with the phase “as a lamb to the slaughter”, I would redirect them to the scriptures. In Ps 44:22 it says “Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.” This chapter tells us of the persecution of the saints and the psalmist makes it clear that “we are counted as sheep for the slaughter” for his sake.

The apostle Paul quotes this same scripture when he talks about the persecution of the saints in Rom 8:35-36 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

According to these scriptures above the Prophet Joseph Smith was not wrong in his usage of the phrase “going as a lamb to the slaughter.” For his religious beliefs he was martyred by a mob! Joseph’s martyrdom wasn’t lessened by the fact that he was armed anymore than Christ’s was lessened when he instructed his servants to arm themselves! The fact is that the critic will take any cheap shots against Joseph Smith in hopes of keeping people from believing the truth….even if the scriptures prove otherwise!

Do the Dead Live?

I met a critic of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the other day, who believed that the LDS church was in error because of our views regarding the dead. The critic asked me what I believed happened to a person’s spirit when they died. I informed him that the spirit lives on separately from the body and that it lives as a Spirit person in paradise or prison until the Judgment! He informed me that my views were incorrect because the Bible teaches that a man’s spirit ceases to exist when his body dies; that the spirit is not alive and cannot interact in this non-existing state! He claims this comes from Eccl 9:5 “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”

The critic claimed his church understands the scripture above to mean that the dead can’t know anything and they forget or don’t remember because the spirit is not alive without the body! I had to clarify to make sure I heard him correctly.  These are the viewpoints in which the critic claims we are in error according to his view of the Bible:

1. When the body dies the Spirit ceases to exist!

2. This means that the spirit (the Dead) doesn’t think, speak, or act!

3. The spirit does not come back into existence until right before the Judgment only!

I will address the three challenges listed above by seeing what the Scriptures say about the Spirit person of  man and his existence after death!

What does the LDS church teach about the Spirit of Man?

There are many doctrines that the LDS hold that help us understand the spirit of man. For the question above, the following scriptures should suffice. In the Doctrine and Covenants, we are told very plainly “that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual; the spirit of man in the likeness of his person”(D&C 77:2).  Alma 40:11, “Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection…the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.” So as LDS we believe that every person is made up of two parts, a body and a spirit person. The spirit person looks like the bodily person, and that our spirits live on after the body is dead. These statements are very clear and are conveyed throughout the scriptures.

What happens to the Spirit of man when they die?

In the book of Ecclesiastes we are told, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Eccl 12:7).  The Spirit of man doesn’t just stop existing, it “returns to the God who gave it.” The apostle Paul says the same thing in 2 Cor 5:8, “We are confident, I say and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul confirms that the spirit of man goes to the Lord just as the book of Ecclesiastes stated.

Paul wasn’t alone in thinking that some form of man (ie his spirit person) existed after death. When Jesus was dying on the cross he had a conversation with the two thieves beside him. The thief who recognized that Jesus was the savior asked the Lord for a favor before Christ died. “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”(Luke 23:42). What was Jesus’ reply? “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus’ promise was that the thief that day would be in paradise and the Lord would be there with him! What happened to the Thief and the Lord Just a short time later?  They both died! Was the promise of the Lord then unfulfilled? Was Christ in fact lying to the thief about being in paradise according to the critic?

Three verses later we read, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost” (Luke 23:46). Christ commended his spirit to the Father so the spirit could “return unto God who gave it” (Eccl 12:7).

So where did Christ and the Thief go after death?

When Christ was resurrected he first appeared to Mary Magdalene and she was so excited to see him that she tried to hug him. Christ told her “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17).  We know that Christ’s body lay in the grave for three days.  We know that Christ claimed that the Thief would be with him that first day in paradise, and we know that Christ, up until the third day had still not “ascended to” his Father! So is the critic right? Is paradise just another way of saying the body ceases to exist?

Peter tells us what happened to Christ when he was in the spirit after his death. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah” (1Pet 3:18-20). Peter claims that instead of Christ going out of existence he was quickened by the spirit, and while he was quickened, Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison! So we learn two things  in 1Pet 3:18-20; Christ had the ability to preach the gospel as a spirit man and the dead had to be able to hear that preaching or it would have been in vain!

Peter confirms that the dead were able to hear the message in the next chapter, “For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Pet 4:6). According to this scripture we understand the preaching to the dead was done so they “might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit”! It would be highly interesting for God to allow the dead to be taught and judged if they weren’t living “according to God in the spirit”!

Is the Spirit of Man Conscious after death?

Jesus was teaching his disciples and told them, “verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation”(John 5:25,28-29). Jesus, are you sure “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God”? Because the critic has informed me that the dead can’t hear anything! In fact according to the critic Christ must also be confused about the “evil” being raised “unto the resurrection of damnation,” since after the dead are judged they once again cease to exist!

John the Revelator saw the dead in a vision.  Look at how he described them, “I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled”(Rev 6:9-11).  Once again, we see the dead are speaking and being spoken to. This is another clear sign that the dead do not just stop existing but live on after this life as a spirit man!

In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus informs his listeners of the fate of two men who died, one righteous and the other…well, not so righteous.  Luke 16:22 says “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried.” So to make sure there is no confusion as to whether the men died or not, we are told they were buried.  According to the critic the two men would then be non-existent, meaning they would not communicate, see, feel, hear, think, reason, etc….but is this what Jesus tells us happened to 

these two men?

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham far off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son,….between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence”(Luke 16:23-26). From this scripture only one of two things is true- either Jesus has no idea that the dead are supposed to be non-existing and he is teaching false doctrines here, or the critic is wrong about the dead and the spirit lives on after death!

The Dead seen and heard by the living

Not only are we told that the dead speak, hear, and have consciousness, but the scriptures show us some examples of the dead appearing unto men.  In 1 Sam 28:3-20, we are told about a visitation of a former prophet who is dead, to a living king. “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city…and when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets”(1 Sam 28:3,6). “And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment,…they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee…And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing” (1 Sam 28:8,10).  According to this account, Saul couldn’t get an answer from the Lord so he went to a woman who claimed to speak to the dead.  Notice in the next verses that the woman was scared because she didn’t expect Samuel to appear from the dead (because she was a charlatan).

But Samuel did come back from the dead and delivered a message from the Lord about the demise of King Saul. “And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice…and Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me…Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David”(1 Sam 28:12, 15-17).

Also Saul asked the woman when she saw Samuel how he looked since he could only have been a spirit at this time (since no one was resurrected until Jesus).  Her response, “And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle” (1 Sam 28:14). We see from the verses above that the Spirit person of Samuel not only was seen by Saul, but Saul was able to ask him questions and receive answers. Samuel also prophesied and those prophecies came true!

This is not the only time in the scriptures where dead prophets have come to deliver God’s messages. In Revelation 22:8-9 an unnamed dead prophet appears to John to deliver a vision and message as an angel of the Lord.  John was so impressed with this message that he fell down to worship this dead prophet. “And I John saw these things, and heard them.  And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book.” The angel here claims to have been alive once as a “fellow servant”, and even as one of “the prophets.” Once again we see that these spirit persons didn’t just stop existing, but they continued to live, speak, and interact with others.

The early church knew that these kinds of interactions happened, in fact, a short story illustrates this for us. Peter was being kept in prison and the church expected that he would be killed.  So when he escapes from prison and shows up at the house of some of the disciples they immediately think they are seeing his angel (ie spirit person, as we saw in Rev 22:8-9). “And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness…And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel” (Acts 12: 13-14). The early saints had no problem attributing Rhoda’s tell of Peter to the fact that she had seen him as a spirit. This of course would not have been a plausible conclusion if the man’s spirit ceases to exist after death.

Conclusion

Well this conclusion should be short! The Critic claimed that the LDS view of the dead was wrong because we believe that the spirit of man continues to live after the death of the body. The critic also believed the LDS view is wrong because we believe that these spirit persons continue to hear, speak, move, interact etc… There is only one conclusion to arrive at when we look at all the scriptures above….The critics argument ceases to exist!

Conversations with a local Pastor: Barnabas was not an Apostle.

At a recent meeting with a local Pastor, we discussed his criticism of my LDS beliefs. During a previous conversation, I showed him from the scriptures that God meant for the twelve apostles to function as a quorum after the original members had died. The pastor took all of the names of additional apostles that I had mentioned and said he would look into my claim. One of the additional Apostles I mentioned was the Apostle Barnabas. During our most recent meeting, the Pastor informed me that he had done a study on the life of Barnabas, and assured me that according to the Scriptures Barnabas was definitely not an Apostle! 

The pastor claimed that Paul was called to be "an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.)"(Gal 1:1). The pastor insisted that this meant that Paul did not have the apostleship conferred on him by man. He believes that Paul's vision (Acts 9:1-8) and acceptance of Jesus Christ made him an apostle independent of any ordination by man, and that this qualification allowed him to write canonical scripture! The Pastor also believes that since the scriptures record no such event in the life of Barnabas, that he wasn't one of the original twelve, and that he has no recorded canonical books in the scriptures: he therefore is not an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ!

How were Apostles called?

This of course would be entirely out of the norm from the scriptural account of those who received the apostleship. The scriptures do acknowledge that Christ made a call for his disciples to fellow him without any conferral of apostolic rights (Matt 4:17-22 Peter,Andrew, James and John called to follow Christ). But the scriptures are clear that out of his disciples he choose twelve as apostles! "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles"(Luke 6:12-13). But Christ did not just choose twelve he also ordained them and gave them power! "And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils"(Mark 3:13-15).

When Judas died the twelve could have become the eleven, but it was prophesied that one would take Judas’ place. So who was it that took Judas' place and was numbered among the twelve? You guessed it....Matthias! That is correct, it wasn't Paul or Barnabas! "For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas (not to be confused with Barnabas),…and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles"(Acts 1:20,23-26). This story assures us that new apostles would be called by the former apostles under the inspiration of heaven, and other apostles were meant to be called (or else the apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament would be a fraud).

With the addition of the apostle Matthias, the apostles again numbered twelve. Some may ask what evidence there was that any other apostles would need to be called. The Bible only records two apostles who died, one was Judas (who was replaced by Matthias) and the other is James the brother of John (Acts 12:1-2). We know only by tradition that most of the other apostles were also martyred. The time frame for the deaths of the apostles are unknown, so new apostles could have been called to fulfill the vacancies caused by martyrdom, or the Lord could have called more apostles to help with the churches scattered aboard. The fact is that the scriptures do record the call of additional apostles! (see my post on apostles and prophets)

Who was Barnabas?

The life of Barnabas is not covered as much as some of the other apostles! The first mention of him that I know of occurs in Acts 4:36-37. The scriptures tells us that during this time the church had all things in common and that "Barnabas...a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet"(Acts 4:36-37). From this account it would appear that he was a very devoted follower of Christ and that he was known to the Apostles.

Barnabas appears to have been a very important member of the early church, after Christ’s death and resurrection. One indication of this is when Saul (who becomes Paul the Apostle) believes in Christ and seeks to join the Church; it is Barnabas that embraces Saul and introduces him to the Apostles. "And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way"(Acts 9:26-27). We can see that Barnabas was with Saul from the beginning of his conversion.

Barnabas was even chosen by the Apostles as a missionary, and who did Barnabas select as his missionary companion? "Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people"(Acts 11:22, 24-26). Barnabas and Saul served together as missionaries among the Gentiles in many places. "But the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry"(Acts 12:24-25).

Was Barnabas called to be an Apostle?

The Scriptures affirm that Barnabas and Paul were both apostles of the Lord! When Barnabas and Paul where teaching in Iconium, the Greeks believed them to be the gods Jupiter and Mercury and tried to worship them, "the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes"(Acts 14:13-14). This is the first time that either of these two men are referred to as apostles. What changed, what happened that allowed these disciples to now be called apostles? The answer is found in the previous chapter, where Barnabas and Paul are selected and ordained as apostles.

"Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen,…and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away"(Acts 13:1-3). Of the five prophets in Antioch, Barnabas and Saul received a special calling by the Holy Ghost and by the laying on of hands. As I have stated in chapter 14 while they were serving on this new assignment they were identified correctly as apostles.

Paul acknowledges that he was ordained as an apostle of Jesus Christ. "Jesus Christ; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith"(1 Tim 2:5-7). So we see that Paul was ordained to be an apostle of the Lord, and Barnabas was ordained an apostle at this same time. None of the major Christian religions deny that Paul was called to be an Apostle of the Lord, but few will acknowledge that Barnabas was also called to be an Apostle.

The pastor believed that Paul was given a special call as an apostle among the Gentiles and that Barnabas never received such a call. But this isn’t what the scriptures teach.  In Gal 2:9, Paul recounts "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision." It seems clear in this verse that Barnabas as well as Paul was to be an Apostle to the Gentiles! But if that wasn't clear enough Acts 13:46 says, "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."

Paul even wrote a defense to the Corinthians to show them that he was just as much an apostles as the other apostles were!  In his defense he not only refers to himself but also includes Barnabas as having power as well as the other apostles. "Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas have not we power to forbear working?"(1 Cor 9:1-2,5-6).

Conclusion

Some may ask, why we don't have more written about Barnabas if he spent so much of his time as an apostle with Paul.  Acts 15:36-40 sheds some light on this question, "And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them,...And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, ...and Paul chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God." Because Barnabas and Paul did not remain together, the story of Barnabas would cease to be recorded in the writings of Paul.

For critics of the Church to deny that Barnabas is an Apostle is akin to claiming that Paul was not an Apostle. As it has been stated above, Barnabas helped Paul to enter the church, took Paul as his missionary companion, was selected by the Holy Ghost at the same time as Paul to be ordained an apostle, served with Paul in the apostleship to the Gentiles, and is acknowledged by Paul as being an apostle with him as well as the other apostles.

It is true that of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament that over half (an estimated 16 books) where written by the apostle Paul, while the Apostle Barnabas had no canonical books written by himself. But if writing a canonical book of scripture is what qualifies someone to be an apostle, then I would ask the critic to show me the book of Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite, or even the book of Judas Iscariot etc.....(Matt 10:2-4). 

The Holidays have taken there Toll!

The Holidays have taken there toll, I looked on my blog and found that my last post was over a month ago! I have seen that the critics have not rested and so I will have my next post up shortly. Check back soon for my latest update, on my conversations with a local Pastor!

Worthy

The Critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints love to accuse the LDS of replacing Christ and his atonement by working our way to be "worthy" of his kingdom! This accusation comes because as LDS we use terms like, "worthy to go to the temple" or "worthy of the blessings of the Lord". Our critics believe this use of the term "worthy" means the LDS people are trying to work their way into heaven, instead of using the Atonement of Christ alone! While it is true that we believe in living a "worthy life,"(repenting of our sins, resisting our sinful nature, and striving to follow in the footsteps of Christ) we believe it is Christ’s atonement that makes us worthy of him! As Latter-Day Saints we believe that if we sincerely refrain from sin, and seek forgiveness the Lord will see our efforts and count us worthy of him. The critics say that man can do nothing to be worthy of the Lord! Who is right? Let’s see what the scriptures have to say about man’s ability to be worthy.

Striving to be Worthy

The apostle Paul explained it this way, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"(Philip 3:14). What was this prize that Paul was pressing toward? He explains in Philip 3:12 "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend…" Paul recognizing that he is not "already perfect", sees a need to improve to "press toward the...prize." Though Christ makes us perfect to enter into his kingdom, no one would be foolish enough to think that a man should not improve his standing with God! Could a man be more obedient? Could a man sin less? Could a man love more?  There is always room for improvement.

Walk Worthy

Paul taught the Colossians, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God"(Col 1:9-10). Does the idea of walking worthy imply no effort on our part? Paul teaches clearly that mankind can improve and "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work."

Paul tells the Thessalonians "As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged everyone of you as a father doth his children. That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory"(1 Thes 2:11-12). Here, the Thessalonians are instructed to "walk worthy of God" even after they have been called into his kingdom! This certainly implies that the saints ought to put forth efforts to be "worthy" of God!

In Ephesians, Paul again teaches the saints that they should live worthy lives before the Lord. "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called"(Eph 4:1). 

Counted Worthy

The Lord sometimes requires his saints to go through trials much like Job did, but what is the purpose for these trials? "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer"(2 Thes 1:4-5). The saints are taught that the Lord counts their patience in persecutions and tribulations as "worthy of the kingdom of God." 

Read what Paul taught the saints who embraced the gospel, "When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ"(2 Thes 1:11). Paul tells these saints that he prays that "God would count you worthy", that "the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified". By our attempts to be worthy of the Lord, even after we have accepted Christ, people see the change in our lives and Christ gets the glory for this change. After accepting Christ, if we continued our sinful nature, fewer people would see a need to seek him for forgiveness of their sins!

Sin and Worthiness

When John was giving his praise and condemnations to the seven churches he said "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy"(Rev 3:4). It cannot be denied that because these members of the church in Sardis put forth the effort they were blessed to walk in white. In addition we were told they were also accounted worthy! These members of the church in Sardis ought to be an example unto us, to not defile our garments with the stains of sin (Jude 1:23). But some may ask, how can we be found worthy if we have stained our garments with sin? John tells us "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"(1 Jn 1:6-7, 9). Being "worthy" doesn't mean never committing sin again, it means trying not to sin but if we do sin, seeking forgiveness for our sins by confessing them!

Christ warns his disciples to beware of sins that will take their focus off of his coming and the final judgment. "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man"(Luke 21:34,36). The Lord wanted them to not only be accounted worthy to escape the calamities that were to come, but also to be worthy to stand before the Son!

Being found Unworthy

Jesus also taught his disciples how they could find themselves unworthy of him! "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me"(Matt 10:37). Christ also teaches his disciples to strive to follow his example in order to be worthy of him.  "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me"(Matt 10:38).  The scriptures do teach that a man may be found worthy and unworthy of the Lord even after he accepts Christ.

Conclusion

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has continued to receive modern day revelation that agrees with the above scriptural accounts of worthiness. "There has been a day of calling, but the time has come for a day of choosing; and let those be chosen that are worthy. And it shall be manifest unto my servant, by the voice of the Spirit, those that are chosen; and they shall be sanctified (D&C 105:35-36)." Once again the Lord seeks those who are worthy to represent him! In D&C 107:100 the Lord warns those who are slothful. "He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen."

The critic's argument about our inability to be worthy before the Lord seems like most of their other arguments when compared to the scriptures...pure fabrication! As LDS strive to “walk worthy” of the Lord we are just following the instructions given in the scriptures! A good question to ask is, who are the critics following when they tell us it can’t be done? 

Tithing

Few churches would disagree with the fact that contributions are needed for the work of the Lord. Critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would have you believe that paying a tithing of 10% is wrong. The critics of tithing claim that this method of contributing to the Lord was strictly for the Old Testament saints, and is now an obsolete practice. Yet, no scriptures are found that do away with the Lords’ law of tithing.  

According to Easton’s bible dictionary,“A tenth of the produce of the earth consecrated and set apart for special purposes. The dedication of a tenth to God was recognized as a duty before the time of Moses.  Abraham pad tithes to Melchizedek (Gen 14:30; Heb 7:4); and Jacob vowed unto the Lord and said, “Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee (http://eastonsbibledictionary.com/tithe.htm).”

The LDS Church encourages a tithe from its members, by allowing them to donate “10 percent of their income to the Church” (http://newsroom.lds.org/article/tithing). Tithing money is used for the buildings and materials needed to progress the work of the Lord. The critics of tithing still collect contributions, but justify it by calling it something else (like freewill offering) or by not requiring a percentage. Tithing should not be surprising to any one who reads the scriptures, since it is found throughout its pages!

Is the principle of Tithing found in the Scriptures?

Way back in Genesis, Abram (who later was called Abraham) met with the Priest of Salem and was the first recorded example of a tithe payer, "And Melchizedek, king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all"(Gen 14:16-20).

We also find Abraham's grandson continuing the practice of paying tithing by covenant in Gen 28:21-22 " So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee."

Was tithing ever commanded?

The Lord did command the children of Israel to practice the Law of Tithing, "But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks"(Deut 12:5-6). Notice that the Lord not only established tithing but also instructed other offerings in addition. So, tithing is not the end of giving to the cause of the Lord but it is a portion of that giving.

The Lord gave the Children of Israel further instruction on how to give tithing; “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee....Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose"(Deut 14:22-25). Not only did the Lord show that offering up our money as a payment for tithing here, but he also shows how we ought to personally go before the Lords servant to give a reckoning of our tithe.

How does God view those who do not obey His law of tithing?

The most telling scripture dealing with tithing is Mal 3:8-11 where the Lord tells us how he views those who do not tithe. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of host, If I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts." Those who do not tithe and give offerings the Lord said are robbing him, and they are cursed. Once again we see that tithing is just the beginning of the offerings we could give to the Lord.

Isn't tithing an Old Testament Law that doesn't apply today?

Some believe that the Law of Tithing was an Old Testament Law and that it was done away during the time of Christ. If this is true where are the Scriptures that say that Christ did away with the Law of Tithing? Instead we find Christ confirming tithing! Matt 23:23 Christ says, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weighter matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith: these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone." Christ in teaching that the Jewish leaders out to exercise judgment, mercy and faith also confirms that they were correct to pay tithes (these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone).

Modern revelation informs us of a need to continue to tithe. "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"(D&C 119:3-4). The Lord also informs us that if we are willing to obey his law of tithing, we will be found keeping the other commandments and thus be saved at his coming. "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"(D&C 64:23).

We are not limited to only giving tithes.

In 2 Cor 9:6-7 Paul teaches "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." So the followers of Christ could add to their tithes other offerings to add to the work of the Lord and to tend to the poor and needy. 

For those who think that the LDS church is ripping them off by asking for 10% of their income, look at what Christ asked for. In Mark 10:19-22 Jesus had a man that came to him pretending to be his follower, so the Lord tried him to see if he would follow at all costs! "Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." 

The scriptures are full of examples of church members who gave more than 10% of their income to the early church (Acts 2:44-45; Acts 4:32-37; Acts 5:1-11). Yet some still criticize the LDS church for teaching their members to pay a 10% tithe. Those critics of tithing are speaking against what has been established by the Lord, as a doctrine of the scriptures. Surely these critics can see that the Lord could require more of his followers than just their 10%, and if he did, then what would they say?

Don't Pray About the Book of Mormon...That's How They Get You!

Recently my brother-in-law posted a picture on Facebook of a sign at a church that read "don't pray about the Book of Mormon that's how they get you!" Though I have seen and laughed at this sign many times before, this time I felt a need to address this topic. Even if the sign had been photo-shopped, the sentiment has been expressed in my conversations with critics and pastors of other churches in the past.

The reason this topic even comes up, is because the Book of Mormon gives this promise in it, "I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things,...and ponder it in your hearts...I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost"(Moroni 10:3-4). What problem could the critic possibly have with this statement? If something claims to come from God and you don't know if it does or not, praying to God would be the right choice to find your answer.

The problem for the critics of the LDS church, is that this promise has been fulfilled so many times by the Lord. These critics try to discourage people from joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by teaching them not to pray to know the truth!

Should we Read, Study, and Pray to know Gods truth?

James 1:5-6 states "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." That seems very straight forward, if you are seeking to know what God’s word is, then ask him! Paul also taught "Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good"(1 Thes 5:17-19, 21). Prove all things? Like the Book of Mormon? How would one quench the spirit? If you didn't pray and seek God for an answer then the spirit would surely be quenched.

Why do we need to Pray to know God’s truths?

Paul informs us why it would be important to pray to God to know his truth, "but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God"(1 Cor 2:7, 9-10). According to Paul, God’s wisdom is hidden in mystery and since they are given by the Spirit, the Spirit is needed to search out these truths. Paul continued to teach in this chapter, "We speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned"(1 Cor 2:13-14). The critics seems to be fulfilling Paul's warning by convincing others that it is foolishness to pray for the Spirit to reveal Gods truth.

In 2 Chr 15:3-4 the Prophet Azariah warns the house of Israel. "The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them." Here we can see how important seeking the Lord was in Israel search for the truth. When they were without the true God, without a teaching priest, and even without the law, how could they seek the Lord??? They would find him in prayer!  In Jeremiah the Lord explains the important role prayer would play in their search for truth, "Then shall ye call upon me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart"(Jer 29:12-13).

If Christ promises to answer our prayers, would that include knowing if the Book of Mormon is truth?

During Christ’s ministry, he repeatedly told his disciples he would answer all their prayer requests! A few examples are listed below:

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive"(Matt 22:21).

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it"(John 14:13-14).

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you"(John 15:7).

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them"(Mark 11:24).

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 Jn 3:22).

"And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily,verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full"(John 16:23-24).

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him”(1 John 5: 14-15)

For what kinds of things could we ask?  The Lord informs us,” Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? (or if you pray to know the Book of Mormon is true, will God say that is a dumb question ask me something else?) If ye then, being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"(Matt 7:7-11)

Paul teaches the Philippians "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"(Phil 4:6-7). 

From where does the idea that we should not pray come?

Truly the critics of the LDS church believe it is foolishness for the Spirit of God to answer our prayers to know if the Book of Mormon is true. They would rather have you believe that you could just know for yourself that the Book of Mormon is false without ever having read it for yourself or praying! Really!!!

The Book of Mormon prophets foresaw the hearts of the critics and wrote to them, "feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock"(2 Ne 32:3-4). Then Nephi informs the critic which spirit leads men not to pray to the Lord, "it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray"(2 Ne 32:8).

Despite the Scriptures given above, what scriptural argument does the critic have for not praying to know the truth? None!

The choice seems very clear: We could listen to the Lord and pray to know his truth and hearken to the Spirit of the Lord….or we could trust the critic and refuse to pray and be led by that spirit which teacheth a man not to pray! The choice is yours!