Eerdman's Publishes Mormon Book

I guess it depends on what "general" and "indepth" mean re: whether I agree with you or not. I would not recommend an indepth study of Mormonism, for example, for a new, teen-age Christian. Far better for him or her to study orthodox doctrine.

However, my youngest recently participated in three sessions on Mormonism, taught in his youth group. It was far more specific and indepth than it could have been. I attended with him. I thought it was a great study. And I commended the leaders. Yet much more, of course, could have been studied.
Actually the classes partly came from my suggestion. The youth group is going,this summer, on a mission trip to a region of the U.S. that is heavily Mormon. They will be working in VBS camps, etc.

There is a need for Christian scholars who do more than just cover the high points. That, after all, is how we get the books and studies that summarize the key points. Some Christian scholar has studied it in depth.
There are many things studied in seminary that are very arcane compared to the knowledge the average pewsitter actually needs at work on Monday morning to witness. Yet I am so glad those seminaries are there, studying minute details.
Generally, Eerdmans has done a great job of printing scholarly studies, IMO. Intervarsity Press has always printed a wide range of useful material, also.

Karen

 

No, it is not. Mormons use the same theological words that Christians do, but they attach to them very different meanings. Therefore, a Christian can read many Mormon articles and posts on the internet, not knowing that they are written by Mormons, and think that the articles are right-on and very helpful. This can lead them to gain confidence in the author of those articles or posts long before they even begin to realize that they are gaining confidence in an author who is a Mormon. And by the time they realize that the author is a Mormon, they have already seen that what he has written is the truth. BUT—IT IS NOT THE TRUTH! And as they continue reading these articles and posts, they gradually come to understand the theological words as Mormons do and they become Mormons before they even realize that anything at all is wrong. The Mormon Church has swallowed up thousands of Baptists through their clever deceit, and knowing just a little about the Mormon Church and their theology without knowing and understanding the words that they use to express it is NOT enough.

And of course when Baptists witness to Mormons and speak of the “atonement” of Christ for our sins, unless they know the Mormon understanding of the word and explain to the Mormons the Christian use of the word, they will only convince the Mormons that the Mormon doctrine is true. And there are many such words that Mormons use differently than do Christians. A little knowledge of Mormonism can be much more dangerous than no knowledge at all, because it can and often does give the Baptist Christian a false sense of confidence. And there are very many ex-Baptist Mormons to prove it!

 

Yeah, I don't see anything wrong with that. Or in studying what cults believe....as long as you are immersed in the Truth, and study that even more.

Rachel

 

Quote from Craig By The Sea:

General knowlege about such cults is more than enough.
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"No, it is not. Mormons use the same theological words that Christians do, but they attach to them very different meanings. Therefore, a Christian can read many Mormon articles and posts on the internet, not knowing that they are written by Mormons, and think that the articles are right-on and very helpful. This can lead them to gain confidence in the author of those articles or posts long before they even begin to realize that they are gaining confidence in an author who is a Mormon. And by the time they realize that the author is a Mormon, they have already seen that what he has written is the truth. BUT—IT IS NOT THE TRUTH! And as they continue reading these articles and posts, they gradually come to understand the theological words as Mormons do and they become Mormons before they even realize that anything at all is wrong. The Mormon Church has swallowed up thousands of Baptists through their clever deceit, and knowing just a little about the Mormon Church and their theology without knowing and understanding the words that they use to express it is NOT enough.

And of course when Baptists witness to Mormons and speak of the “atonement” of Christ for our sins, unless they know the Mormon understanding of the word and explain to the Mormons the Christian use of the word, they will only convince the Mormons that the Mormon doctrine is true. And there are many such words that Mormons use differently than do Christians. A little knowledge of Mormonism can be much more dangerous than no knowledge at all, because it can and often does give the Baptist Christian a false sense of confidence. And there are very many ex-Baptist Mormons to prove it!"

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Very true Craig (imagine that!,I'm agreeing with you)!
It is probably also the reason that Fuller and Zacharias were so warmly received when they spoke in Salt Lake.The cultists were probably just "translating" everything they said into their own damnable doctrine AS THEY SPOKE!...very sad. There should NEVER be any "dialogue" with the unfruitful work of darkness.We should tell them the truth in love whenever the opportunity arises...but NEVER bid them godspeed or God bless or join hands with them in any dialogue.I agree there is nothing wrong with "knowing the enemies tactics".That's why military men study the "Art of War".And make no mistake about it...WE ARE IN A WAR!

Greg Sr.

 

Ex-Baptist-Mormons--

Are from the same group as Ex-Baptist-Catholics. They were never real "Baptists" from the start.

This is another consequence of "easy believism", "repeat after me" salvation. This is Arminianism--"full blown". There is still no conversion to the Truth of God's grace. This makes for easy proselytes to any wind of doctrine--including doctrines of devils.

"Ye, shall know The Truth--The Truth shall make you free."

Selah,

Bro. James

 

While there may be many ex-Baptist-this-or-that; I highly doubt there are any "ex-christian-this-or-that-".
My own brother is a fine example. While he was raised in the same home I was, attended the same SBC I did, was dunked in the same baptismal I was; he was never a christian, he was never more than a pew sitter and he is now a mormon.
This is because he didn't know the first thing about salvation. And he STILL doesn't. Nor does he even know what the mormons really teach, yet there he is every sunday morning at "church" with his kids. I had spoken to him about what Brigham Young taught, what Joeseph Smith taught, and he doesn't believe it.

Generalizations are unwise. Our best recourse is to deal individually with these people. Find out what they know, and teach them in the spirit of love and patience and prayer. No amount of "scholarly book learning" will pluck them out of the fire. And no amount of book learning will convince them of anything unless God does a work on their heart.

It takes a great amount of patience and time to reach these people. I have been dealing with my brother for ten years. And we "seem" to still be at square one.

We don't need yet another book by or about this damnable heresy. What we need are christians who know their own Bible well enough to use it like the Sword it is. You don't need to know what kind of sword your enemy has, whether it is a two handed long sword or a roman short sword. All one really needs is proficiency with their own Sword.

In HIS service;
Jim

 

I certainly agree with that. It is called giving them a new heart if the person is not already saved, and if the person is saved already it is called the opening of the heart.

 

This is, of course, only half of the truth. Bank employees are also taught all of the warning signs of counterfeit bills so that they will easily spot the counterfeit bills.

Mormonism does not prey upon those who are knowledgeable of their false teachings; Mormonism preys upon those who are not.

</font>[/QUOTE]Salvation is not based upon our education, and we do not remain saved and walk with the Lord based on our being smarter than the cults...

 

That is a remarkable evidence, and so seldom seem. Amen!

Acts 19:19 (KJV) Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

 

Christians should have a practical knowledge of what the terms mean to a Christian, to guard themselves. Let us put on the armour of light.

 

Yes!

 

Then let the Christian explain those things when they speak so they are understood.

 

OK, I've enjoyed this thread enough for now and thats all I'll post now.

And the people said, "Amen"

 

In light of this, i'm curious about what other church leaders are doing to better equip their church members for this type of thing.

 

My pastor in my church back home does a series of studies both on the radio and in sunday school he calls "Mormon Doctrines in light of the Bible".

This church is in a bastion of Mormonism, i.e. Boise, ID. We get many phone calls by both mormons and the christian community commending us for this series.

This is just one church. And as far as I know, it is the ONLY one (in a valley of 400k people) which has the audacity to put such a thing on the air. It tends to ruffle feathers at times, but we also get many thanks for it.

Boise, ID also has one of them Temples to Baal (Mormon).

In HIS service;
Jim