Heart of the Matter Broadcast

LIVE! From the “Mecca of Mormonism” SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH This is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology.! “Where Mormonism Meets Christianity Face to Face.” Show 39 The Fruit of Pride September 16th 2008

And I’m Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host.

Announcements

Streaming Video Announcement HOTM.TV

AM 820 The Truth! Listen to Heart of the Matter every Tuesday night from 8-9pm

(hold up sign) 820 AM The Truth –

And excellent station – it’s all I listen to because by listening to it, I learn more and more about the word.

Two announcements relative to our ministry:

First . . . this Saturday afternoon . . .

Events

Burning Heart 08 “The Day of Decision”

SUGARHOUSE PARK Saturday Sept 20th

The Food! Subway Sandwiches at a deep discount – awesome healthy food. Now to offset the healthy stuff, we’ll also have snowcones, popcorn, and the like available. Bouncehouses for the kids. Church booths. Products for sale Giveaways Great Music! Two worship bands! Michael Davis guitarist extraordinaire! Adam’s Road! Hear the Word Then bring a towel as we’ll end the night with some open water baptisms in heated water!

Invite your friends – especially your inactive or lost LDS neighbors and family This Saturday, Sugarhouse Park 3pm to 8 – baptisms will begin around 7:30.

Then . . . on Sunday, September 21st, Three CAMPUS evening Services (Christian Assemblies Meeting to Prayerfully Understand Scripture) will begin – One at the UofU One at Weber State in Ogden And One at Utah State in Logan

All begin at 7pm and end at 8pm

And of course, our AM services will continue at the UofU here in SLC from 9:15 to 10:15 am.

We invite all to attend. Use us as a supplement to your learning the Word of God or as your home Church fellowship. We don’t care. We just want to teach the Word of God to anyone who wants to learn more.

Go to www.lordsword.org for more information.

We had a nice book signing at Lifeway Christian Books in Murray last Saturday. It was so nice to meet you all face to face.

I Was a Born-Again Mormon is available there at Lifeway Christian books, as well as UTLM.ORG or in the store itself. Oasis Books in Logan Christian Gift and Bible in Sandy New Life books in Layton Sam Weller’s downtown SLC Calvary Chapel Dolly’s Books in Park City Gift of Grace Bible in Springville

. . . and at www.bornagainmormon.com.

Ministry Focus

You know, our ministry strives to reach the LDS through whatever means is appropriate.

We’ve learned that sometimes we should employ boldness, sometimes we need to use patience, sometimes we will get right in your face. But the core distinctive’s of our ministry come from the Word of God and are reflected in I Was a Born-Again Mormon.

I know some of you won’t believe this, but I am not at odds with Mormon people. They are, in fact, my people. But I am ardently at odds with the principalities of Mormonism. And because of my love for Mormon people – Mormon individuals – I will use any and all honest means and methods to help them see the counterfeit gospel they embrace.

Is that not kind to call Mormonism a counterfeit gospel?

It is no more unkind than Mormonism telling the world that it is the only true Gospel.

Why don’t I just leave the LDS Church alone and let them worship how they want?

Would the LDS church leave me alone if I started a church and called it the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Never.

No matter how much you want to hate me and what I do, look in the mirror. You do the same thing. (Except you’ve . . .) Except you’ve learned to do it with the aplomb of a corporate attorney . . . with panache, and manners, and suave presentations.

I’ve said this so many times in the past – admit you are not Christian, and I will walk off the air. But as long as you insist on beguiling the world using Jesus as your front man, I will fight . . .

using your doctrines using your culture using your history, and practices, and methods . . .

until you fess up and give up and fall to your collective knees to receive the biblical Jesus through faith.

And with that, let’s have a prayer.

PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER

for our volunteers / viewers for the state to catch on fire for those lost and searching for Mormonism to fall to its doctrinal knees

Years ago while speaking to an audience I was asked:

Key Difference

What is the MAIN difference you have observed between

Christian and LDS Perspectives on Pride

Christian people and LDS people.

Now, my answer then, and my answer now, may offend some of you. But I don’t mean it in the way you may think. “The most apparent character differentiation between a faithful Latter-day Saint and a faithful, Bible believing Christian is . . . PRIDE.

Now there are always exceptions to every rule. We have all met arrogant, proud, ego-centric Christians and many of us have encountered humble, down to earth, always pointing to God Latter-day Saints. But generally speaking, the biggest difference between faithful LDS and faithful Christians is undoubtedly pride.

There are very, very good reasons for this. Tonight, I would like to build a case that LDS pride will continue to dominate the lives and hearts of their faithful until there has been a complete doctrinal overhaul and repentance of the past.

I suggest to you seven main reasons that the LDS people embody extreme spiritual – if not temporal – attitudes of pride. They include:

1. Their doctrine of a pre-existence.
2. Their genealogical emphasis.
3. Their we are the Only True Church stance.
4. Their culture.
5. Their priesthoods.
6. Their hierarchy of leadership
7. Their doctrines of salvation.

Examining Doctrinal Roots

Let’s briefly examine them.

First, the LDS doctrine of a pre-existence. Unique to Mormonism is the teaching that all the inhabitants of earth lived in a pre-mortal existence, where, based on our valiant behaviors, were placed here on earth. In Mormonism, this teaching stems from a passage in Joseph’s book of Abraham, where his describes Father Abraham, who was one of the most valiant spirits in the pre-mortal world, being chosen there to be a ruler on earth (Abraham 1:5).

Speaking of Adam and Even in the LDS book Gospel Principles, it reads:

(read sample)

Elder Eyring, an LDS apostle and now member of the first presidency of the LDS Church said: Whether stated plainly in LDS canon or not, Mormon leadership has allowed, condoned, and even promoted the idea That if you are born LDS, you were one of the spirit-worlds most valiant souls. Anyone who was raised LDS knows this attitude drenches the minds of members.

Interestingly, and as a brief aside, the doctrine of pre-mortal existence is not unique to pagan thought. In fact, it was central to Platonic ideal of forms. I find it ironic that LDS leadership (like Dallin Oaks) love to state that Christianity was bastardized by Hellenistic influences, when one of Mormonism’s most central beliefs (pre-existence) is straight from Greek philosophy.

Now I don’t know if Joseph Smith was schooled in Plato, or where he embraced and applied the pagan doctrine of pre-existence, but I want to give you an illustration of its existence. At the Council of Trent in 1546, the Roman Catholic church, partially in response to the Protestant Reformers embracing ONLY the Hebrew canon, accepted most of the apocraphal books included in the Vulgate. These books, while beneficial and informative, contained a number of frankly messed up heresies. In the apocraphal book titled, The Wisdom of Solomon, the author, who pretended to be Solomon himself but was in all probability a Jew writing in Greek, promotes a number of non-biblical pagan teachings, including: The creation of the worlds out of pre-existent matter and the pre-existence of souls. As only Joseph could, he borrowed and embellished these teachings and the LDS church today has allowed its members to use it as the basis for everything from being valiant souls to fictional plays like My turn on Earth and Saturdays Warriors.

The Impact of Genealogy

PRIDE

Another LDS distinctive that contributes to pride is their focus on genealogy. The Bible is clear that genealogies, post the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. and resurrection of Jesus, are essentially meaningless, for the sole reason that they separate and promote men and flesh over the adoption of believers by through spiritual rebirth. Mormonism has its own sickening caste system. Last names are vital to this system which must be a stench in the nostrils of God.

“Why he’s a direct descendant of Brigham Young.”

So what.

But another reason for pride to exists in the rank and file. In addition to the idea that Latter-day Saints were valiant in some Greek myth of a pre-existence and that who their great grandfather was determines who they are today, Mormonism insists on claiming that it is “the only true Church on the face of this earth.” Therefore, Mormons are privy to something the world is missing. More bricks in the wall called PRIDE.

Spencer W. Kimball, late prophet of the LDS church said something I consider horrific relative to the inclusive power of the Church: He said: “You see, it (meaning exaltation) is not a matter of righteousness only. That is

The Contrast Between Righteousness and Salvation

One of the two important elements, but righteousness alone is not sufficient. There must be both the righteousness AND the ordinances.

Could you get a statement more opposite of the Christian position?

To Christians, we have no personal righteousness to offer – all are sinful and come short of the glory of God. Then, as if to add a backpack of bricks onto these struggling, over-burdened LDS people, Kimball says that this righteousness is not enough. But he doesn’t say they need Jesus!

No! He says they need the LDS ordinances – that these are the “most important elements.” Now, if you have received these ordinances from a place you believe in the Only True Church on the face of the earth, AND you think yourself righteous, AND your last name is Hinckley, or Monson, or Romney, AND you were born a member of the true church because you were valiant in the PRE-EXISTENCE, you usually are walking around pretty damn proud – pharisaical proud, I would say.

But it doesn’t end here. There are huge pride generators to come!

Exploring LDS Culture

This is a culture that looks and rewards – even hold up – people who are affluent. Because affluence is a sign that you are blessed of God. It is a culture that praises advancements in the world and includes an “advancement attitude” in their religious culture. Young men “advance” from the office of deacon to teacher, and from being an Aaronic Priesthood holder to a Melchizedek priesthood holder. Men and women move up in position, advancing in authority and in greater light and knowledge. The culture includes a lay clergy where temporal excellence is exalted. Bigger, grander, larger, funner become the operative words for success within the Church – all kindling for more pride.

I remember in my years searching for Jesus that I would read the Bible and what Jesus was about, then I would look around me at the Mormon experience and say, What the . . . .?!

I mean, His teachings relative to LDS culture is absolutely comical. Then there are those priesthood advancements. Argue all you want, a forty-year-old Elder is viewed and treated much differently than a forty-year-old high priest.

PRIDE.

The Influence of Callings and Titles

And then there’s the calling game. I thoroughly enjoy being a fly on the wall on my five 200 plus flights over the past two years. The women are particularly onerous. “Well, Judy, I haven’t seen you in so long. How’s Jerry?” “Oh, he is really worn out. He was called to the Bishopric last year and it is such a burden.” “Oh, I understand,” says Susan, “Thomas was made a Stake President . . . “Really?” “Yes, and we just have such a heart for the Bishops of the stake . . . Jerry is a Bishop, right?” “First counselor?” “Oh . . .”

PRIDE.

LDS Doctrines of Salvation

But the final element contributes more to the existence of LDS pride than all the rest combined – their doctrines of salvation, or, the LDS soteriology. If this point alone were changed, everything else distinct in Mormonism that generates pride would dissolve. Because nothing will create more Pride in the heart of men and women than the false idea that their own righteousness, works, worthiness, and efforts contribute in ANY way to their salvation. This was one of the most pressing issues of the Pharisees! They thought that they – that their righteousness, and genealogy, and positions of leadership – made them superior before men and God.

John the Baptist told them straight up that God could make the rocks His children. Jesus repeatedly pointed out that they were so guilty there was no hope for them – but Him. You see, anytime you add to the grace of God it is no longer grace. Paul wrote emphatically in Romans 11:6.

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

You can’t mix the two. It’s like my saying that I have a gift for you – and then asking for you to pay for it. We are either saved by grace alone, or we are saved by something else that is not grace at all. Paul gave a marvelous example of why grace is grace and not tied to anything else when he said in Romans 4:4.

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

What this means is that if we work, we are owed something – we place someone in our debt. So Paul said, those who work their reward.

Understanding Salvation

Salvation is not received by grace because it is owed. Jesus came and paid the debt in full. We all have the opportunity to receive His offering and through our faith we are saved—given life—eternal life by grace, not through being owed, not by debt or works. Now here’s the clincher—once anyone has received the free gift of salvation offered through the blood of Jesus—they are then enabled by God, empowered by His Holy Spirit, fortified by His Word unto works. But not before.

Core of LDS Pride

Because the LDS believe that they not only HAVE to do their part to receive salvation, to work in order to be worthy of their salvation, to do LDS ordinances to be acceptable before God, they are directly saying that THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN SALVATION. Once this completely errant belief enters the picture, all sorts of pride issues follow in right behind. So in summary, I suggest that at the core of all LDS Pride is the false doctrine of Salvation.

Full Acceptance Before God

When LDS people understand that the full finished work of Jesus on the cross is all that is needed to be fully and completely acceptable before God, the pride which stems from

Pre-existent valiance
Genealogy
Being the Only True Church
Dressing right, being successful
Priesthoods and positions of leadership

Will all melt away, and the Latter-day Saints I love will worship Jesus—and Jesus alone—in their meetings across the world.

ONE MINUTE LEFT

Hey, remember, this Saturday at Sugarhouse Park, Burning Heart 08 from 3-8 pm.

In closing, I have LDS people say to me all the time “Come back, Shawn. Come back to the Church.” Why would I leave a relationship with the Lord God of Heaven and earth, creator of all things who lives in me, guides me, improves me, to go back—BACK—to a religion that

Has problems with a history of polygamy, teen wives, and polyandry . . .
Has problems with a history with black people . . .
Has problems with a history of blood atonement and violence . .
Has problems with DNA . . .
Has problems with The Book of Mormon . . .
Has problems with The Book of Abraham . . .
Has problems with the First Vision . . .
Has problems with doctrine. . . and the Bible, and truth, and liberty in Christ . . .
Has problems with pride . . .
(beat)
Go to the Lord—He’s got NO problems at all. He’s calling to you—receive Him.

We’ll see you next week here on Heart of the Matter.