In this post are some Mormon quotes that are helpful to memorize for witnessing to the Mormon People. If you memorize these quotes, they can be useful as you engage Mormons to show the comparison of the god of Mormonism and the God of the Bible, etc. Mormon quotes will be in blue, and Scripture verses will be in italics.
"We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see." ~Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!"
~Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse
"It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; and I will show it from the Bible." ~Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse
For a biblical response to the King Follett Discourse, please refer to this post: A Biblical Response To The King Follett Discourse By Joseph Smith
"Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test."
~Brigham Young
This is probably my favorite Brigham Young quote. I like using this quote when talking to Mormon missionaries. You can use it in this way: "Brigham Young said to 'Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test.' This is what I desire to do." If you have opportunity for further discussion, you can bring up passages of the Bible in comparison to Mormon teaching and show that the "religion of the Latter-day Saints" does not "stand the test" of being compared to the Bible. Always remember to do this is love. Our aim is to share the truth of God with these men and women, not to rudely destroy their religion and send them on their way without having heard the truth of the Word of God presented to them in love. Bashing their religion and prophets and not sharing the truth with them, is not godly, and it is not a good way to build friendships with Mormons either.
"The truth is, my beloved brethren and sisters, man is a child of God—a God in embryo."
~Marion G. Romney, Man- A Child of God
This quote is blatantly contradictory to the Bible. The Bible teaches that Man is of a different nature than God, and that their is only one God. Historically Mormonism has taught that men can become gods. This teaching is clearly unbiblical. Let me share some verses that show the truth that their is only One God.
Isaiah 43:10
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.”
Isaiah 44:6
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god."
(Please refer to "A Biblical Response To The King Follett Discourse By Joseph Smith" and see the discussion on Acts 14:15 on the different nature of God and man.)
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." ~2 Nephi 25:23, Book of Mormon.
"3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." ~ Articles of Faith 3
The important phrase in the first quote is: "after all we can do".
The important phrase in the second quote is "by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."
The Mormon religion is works based. The true Gospel in contrast is not based on the works of man, but affirms that salvation is through the work of Christ alone.
Romans 3:28 says: "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
Galatians 3:10-14 says: "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."
Galatians 5:4 says: "You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."
The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is apart from works and that no one can be saved by works of the law. The law is our tutor to lead us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24). The law can never save us, it only shows us our sin and our need for the Savior. It also says in Romans 11:5-6 "So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."
If as the Mormon Article of Faith teaches we are saved by grace after all we can do, then the grace would be based on our works, and thus would no longer be grace. Rather, the biblical teaching is that we are saved apart from works, based only on the work of Christ in His sacrifice and death for us, bearing our sins in His body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." ~2 Nephi 25:23, Book of Mormon.
"3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." ~ Articles of Faith 3
The important phrase in the first quote is: "after all we can do".
The important phrase in the second quote is "by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."
The Mormon religion is works based. The true Gospel in contrast is not based on the works of man, but affirms that salvation is through the work of Christ alone.
Romans 3:28 says: "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
Galatians 3:10-14 says: "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."
Galatians 5:4 says: "You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."
The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is apart from works and that no one can be saved by works of the law. The law is our tutor to lead us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24). The law can never save us, it only shows us our sin and our need for the Savior. It also says in Romans 11:5-6 "So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."
If as the Mormon Article of Faith teaches we are saved by grace after all we can do, then the grace would be based on our works, and thus would no longer be grace. Rather, the biblical teaching is that we are saved apart from works, based only on the work of Christ in His sacrifice and death for us, bearing our sins in His body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)
Please know that if you present these quotes to Mormons, they may or may not believe these teachings. You may want to present the quotes this way: "Joseph Smith taught in the King Follett Discourse that god is an exalted man, do you believe that?" You can use a similar format for other leaders and quotes. While it is recorded that past Mormons have taught these doctrines, we do not want to misrepresent the Mormons that we are speaking to and tell them what they believe. These quotes however are still good to bring up, especially from Joseph Smith and Brigham Young as they are past presidents of the Mormon church to show the conflict between their teachings and the Bible.
With love in Christ,
Virginia
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