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Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Mormonism Unmasked/Chapter 9
Response to claims made in "Chapter 9: By Whose Authority?"
| Chapter 8: Jesus Is Coming Again | A FAIR Analysis of: Mormonism Unmasked A work by author: R. Philip Roberts
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Chapter 10: Meeting the Mormon Challenge |
138
Claim
The author claims that "The priesthood of the Old Testament was brought to an end with the death of Christ.
Author's source(s)
Hebrews 7:11-12
Response
Some Christians claim that we do not need a mediating priesthood since it has been "fulfilled in Christ."
Summary: Some sectarian Protestants claim that Christians do not need a mediating priesthood since it has been "fulfilled in Christ."
138
Claim
The author states that "God set the minimum age of the Aaronic Priesthood at twenty-five."
Author's source(s)
Numbers 8:23-25
Response
- God also states in the same verse that the Aaronic Priestood is only given to the Levites. Numbers 8:24 states, "This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation." Neither of these restrictions applies to the modern Church.
138-139
Claim
The author states that "the only Christian priesthood mentioned in the New Testament is the spiritual priesthood of every believer."
Author's source(s)
1 Peter 2:5-9
Response
Is there a "Priesthood of All Believers"?
Summary: Critics of Mormonism assert that there is no need for unbroken lines of priesthood authority since the Bible teaches that all believers hold the priesthood.
139
Claim
The author states that "Mormon high priests do not offer any sacrifices, so they are not following the Old Testament pattern."
Author's source(s)
Hebrews 5:1
Response
- Christ fulfilled the Mosaic law, and did away with the need to offer physical sacrifices. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not claim to be following the "Old Testament pattern" in all things. To do so would mean that we would have to ignore Christ's sacrifice in favor of the Law of Moses. Instead, we understand the Christ made the ultimate sacrifice.
139
Claim
The author states that "the New Testament mentions Jewish priests, but an office of priest is never mentioned in the Christian church."
Author's source(s)
None provided.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
140
Claim
The author claims that 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 refers to "various ministries or gifts in the early church" and that it is "not listing specific offices of the priesthood."
Author's source(s)
1 Corinthians 12:28
Response
- We disagree. 1 Corintians 12:28 reads: "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."
140
Claim
The author states that "Paul lists apostles first and prophets second, indicating their order of importance." He states that in Mormonism that the apostles "serve under" the prophet, which he claims is a "reversal of the biblical order."
Author's source(s)
1 Corinthians 12:28
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
140
Claim
The author states that the only men who could be chosen as apostles were those who were an "eyewitness to the full ministry of Jesus, including his resurrection," and states that "the New Testament offers no evidence that others were later chosen to take the place of anyone else in the twelve."
Author's source(s)
None provided
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
140
Claim
The First Presidency plus the twelve apostles is equal to 15 apostles. The author states that this is not the same as Jesus' twelve apostles. The author states that that Mormonism has "too many apostles."
Author's source(s)
None provided.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
141
Claim
The author claims that "bishop is not a separate office in the church but one of the elders."
Author's source(s)
1 Timothy 3:1; Titus 1:7
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
141
Claim
The author states that a deacon cannot be a 12-year-old boy, but must be mature men and "the husbands of one wife."
Author's source(s)
1 Timothy 3:8-12
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
141
Claim
The author states that "Teachers" must be "mature Christians" that are "able to teach others" rather than teenagers.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
141
Claim
The author states the the LDS Church "does not have any pastors," and states that it is "inconsistent for Mormons to insist the words apostles and teachers are specific offices of the priesthood while denying that pastor or evangelist are priesthood offices."
Author's source(s)
Ephesians 4:11
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
141
Claim
The author states that "Evangelist" and "Patriarch" are not the same.
Author's source(s)
Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, 108, 170.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
142-143
Claim
The author claims that the Bible justifies a paid ministry.
Author's source(s)
Numbers 35:7; Josh. 21:191; Timothy 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 9:5-6; 1 Corinthians 9:11, 14; 2 Corinthians 11:8; Phil. 4:16, 18.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
143
Claim
The author claims that "Many of the Mormons are not aware that their apostles receive a salary."
Author's source(s)
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Response
- After making a biblical case for having a paid ministry, the author is now complaining that top church leaders receive a living allowance.
144
Claim
The author complains that Church finances are not made public.
Author's source(s)
Not provided.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
145
Claim
The author claims that baptism does not need to be done "by someone holding a special priesthood," and that it is simply "a symbol of one's identification with Christ and is not a necessary requirement for salvation."
Author's source(s)
Acts 16:30-34
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
145
Claim
The author states that "Joseph Smith supposedly restored the original temple ceremony of the Old Testament."
Author's source(s)
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 780-1.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
147 - The author states that Paul condemned "endless genealogies" and that this contradicts the idea of performing temple marriages for the dead
The author(s) of Mormonism Unmasked make(s) the following claim:
The author states that Paul condemned "endless genealogies" and that this contradicts the idea of performing temple marriages for the dead.
Author's sources: Timothy 1:4; Titus 3:9
FAIR's Response
Question: Does the Bible condemn genealogical research?
The Bible rejects the use of genealogies to "prove" one's righteousness, or the truth of one's teachings
Critics charge that the Bible condemns genealogy, and therefore the Latter-day Saint practice of compiling family histories is anti-Biblical, often citing 1 Timothy 1:4 or Titus 3:9.
The Bible does not condemn all genealogy per se. Rather, it rejects the use of genealogy to "prove" one's righteousness, or the truth of one's teachings. It also rejects the apostate uses to which some Christians put genealogy in some varieties of gnosticism.
Latter-day Saints engage in genealogical work so that they can continue the Biblical practice of providing vicarious ordinances for the dead
Latter-day Saints engage in genealogy work so that they can continue the Biblical practice—also endorsed by Paul—of providing vicarious ordinances for the dead, such as baptism (See 1 Corinthians 15:29) so that the atonement of Christ may be available to all who would choose it, living or dead. See: Baptism for the dead
The Bible clearly does not reject all uses of genealogy
This can be seen through its many genealogical lists, including two such lists for Jesus Christ Himself. (See Matthew 1:1–24 and Luke 3:23–38.)
The condemnation of "genealogies" in Timothy and Titus likely came because:
- the Christians perceived a Jewish tendency to be pre-occupied by "pure descent" as a qualification for holding the priesthood. Since only pure descendents of Levi could hold the priesthood, there was endless wrangling about one's pedigree—since Paul considers the Aaronic Priesthood to have been superceded by Christ, the great High Priest like Melchizedek (see Hebrews 5), this probably strikes him as pointless.
- some Jewish scribes and other teachers claimed that their "traditions" were directly descended from Moses, Joshua, or some other prominent leader, and thus superior to the Christian gospel.[1]
- some gnostic sects had involved accounts of the descent of the Aeons (up to 365 "generations" in one scheme) and other mystic or pagan variations thereon.[2]
Since all these genealogies were either speculative or fabricated, they could cause endless, pointless debate.[3] Rather Paul wants the faith (in Christ) which builds up ("edifying") testimonies and lives.
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147
Claim
The author claims that Paul was not advocating the practice of baptism for the dead in 1 Corinthians 15:29, and that he was only emphasizing resurrection.
Author's source(s)
1 Corinthains 15:29
Response
Baptism for the dead
Summary: What is baptism for the dead? Is there any evidence baptism for the dead is an authentic ancient Christian practice?
148
Claim
The author claims that temples became unnecessary after Christ and that they were replaced by the atonement of Christ.
Author's source(s)
Hebrews
Response
Was the temple obsolete after Christ?
Summary: Some Christians charge that Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection meant that the temple was to be removed from Christian worship—the Atonement made the temple superfluous. Therefore, they criticize the LDS for persisting with temple worship. It is also claimed that the veil in the temple becoming rent in twain after the crucifixion of Christ indicates that the temple was no longer to be used.
- ↑ George H. Fudge, "I Have a Question: How do we interpret scriptures in the New Testament that seem to condemn genealogy?," Ensign (March 1986): 49.
- ↑ John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, 1811-1817, New Testament, "1 Timothy 1:4" & "Titus 3:9"
- ↑ Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, eds., The Jerome Biblical Commentary (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968), 353.