Shawn's teaching emphasizes the importance of being spiritually prepared to stand before God, highlighting that worldly achievements, denominational affiliations, and good deeds are irrelevant at that moment, and only one's spiritual condition—rebellious, terrified, or joyful—will matter. He contrasts Christian beliefs with those of Latter-day Saints, specifically noting the latter's unique view of God as a tangible, physical Father, stemming from Joseph Smith's teachings.
The Mormon belief about God contrasts sharply with traditional Christian views; they believe in a corporeal God who is limited, was once a man, and procreated all humans as spirit children with a Heavenly Mother, emphasizing a familial and loving relationship without the need for intercession. In contrast, Christian theology, as interpreted through the Bible, depicts God as omnipotent and omnipresent, underscored by the vastness and intricacies of the universe, highlighting God's infinite power, majesty, and brilliance.
Shawn emphasizes that, according to biblical scripture, God is a spirit, a consuming fire, and not a man, challenging the belief that God was once a man with a physical body. He underscores God's omnipotence by asserting that all things are possible with God, contrasting it with the view that God has limitations, and warns of the fearful reverence owed to the Christian God as depicted in the Bible.
Shawn's teaching emphasizes the biblical view that individuals are not automatically considered children of God; they must be born-again and accepted through faith in Jesus Christ to become God's children. This relationship is marked by spiritual adoption, enabling believers to call God "Father," and underscores that faith in Jesus and spiritual rebirth are essential for approaching God, contrasted with the misconception that all are inherently God's children.
The teaching emphasizes the clear distinction between heaven and hell and attributes the difference to rebirth through faith in Jesus Christ, illustrated by biblical examples such as Uzzah's death and Jesus' crucifixion. It highlights that God did not spare His own Son from suffering for the sins of humanity, and warns that the only path to salvation is through rebirth in Jesus, urging individuals to recognize the seriousness of their relationship with God.
Introduction
Welcome to Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology.
Live call-in show. Heart@tv20.tv www.bornagainmormon.com Shout-out to all the men and women in prison out there who may be watching. We love you, the Lord loves you, and you can have Him lead your life powerfully from wherever you are. We pray you do. Church Scouts form.
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The Importance of Prayer
This is perhaps the most important show I think we have ever had, and until we speak of it again, it will be the most important show we will ever have. I really hope that if you are not a believer – meaning you are not born-again – that you will just put everything aside right now, forget your feelings or judgments about me, forget what religion you were brought up in and just… just listen… and pray for insight. Please.
There seems to be three general conditions people will be in when they stand before God someday. I take these attitudes from others in the Word who have stood before God in the past. First, there are those who will be rebellious and proud. Those who are absolutely terrified. And those who are filled with peace, warmth, and joy. Now ask yourself, “which condition will I be in?”
In that day, or at that time, I promise you that the Church you have attended will not matter. Your earthly successes and accomplishments will not matter. Your family name, wealth, fame, or intellect will not matter. It won’t matter if you graduated from high school or college. It won’t matter if you have never smoked a cigarette or if you have. And get this – the amount or kind of good deeds you do won’t matter either when it comes to being accepted by God.
Reflection on the Afterlife
But one thing I can assure you, my friends, is you will either stand before God rebellious, full of joy, or absolutely terrified.
I’d like for you to imagine for a moment that you are going to die tonight. That you are going to stand before God in the next hour or two. What do you expect to experience or see? What Christians and Latter-day Saints expect to see are two different things.
Latter-day Saints Beliefs
Compared to Christianity, Latter-day Saints believe several unique things about God and their at-birth relationship to Him. First, Mormons believe God refers to God the Father. Mormons view God as a literal father from even before birth. They believe he has a body of flesh and bone, as tangible as Man’s, but glorified and perfected.
(WHY do they accept such a concept which flies in the face of all Judaism, all Christianity, and all Islam? Because Joseph Smith told them so.)
(Think about it.)
Differentiation Between God Concepts
For over thousands of years, one of the main points that differentiated Jews from the rest of the nomadic and often vile tribes was their rejection of polytheism and their embracing One God only. But in 1820, a single boy changed all that for millions of people.
Mormons believe in an eternal regression of God’s. Mormons believe God has a wife (or wives, depending on who you might be reading). Mormons don’t believe God can create matter and they don’t believe He can destroy matter. Mormons believe that God was once a man. And while these descriptions are contrary to the Bible and its descriptions of God, I’ve yet to mention the most anti-Christian doctrine Mormonism maintains regarding God:
Latter-day Saints' Beliefs
AS I said, to Latter-day Saints, God is their literal Father from birth. In their theology, God and a Heavenly Mother procreated each of us as spirit children before we came to earth. To LDS, all things were spiritually created first and materially created second. (By the way, this view is in conflict with 1st Corinthians 15:46 “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.”)
As God’s spirit children, LDS believe they have a right to Him and His throne. That all men are good, and holy, and pure as His Children. No intercession is needed between an infant and God, between a child under 8 and God, between any person and God until they have sinned. Latter-day Saints sing “I am a child of God, and He has sent me here, has given me an earthy home, with parents kind and dear . . . teach me all that I must DO to live with Him someday.” Mormons speak of “Heavenly Father” as if they were speaking of a kindly wise old Grandfather just waiting for them to call.
Mormons teach that He is a God who is so loving that He would never send any of His children to the Biblically taught place of hell but instead has three kingdoms of joy and light waiting for everyone who has ever come to earth. They believe He is a God that is limited by a corporeal body. (NOT Omnipresent) (lungs in space? Intestines) They believe that He is a God who is limited in ability. (NOT Omnipotent) In the end, the LDS concept of God is that He is a very, very, very, very accomplished and progressive family man. Tragically, Latter-day Saints believe that they have the right, THE RIGHT! to call Him Abba, their literal father from birth and throughout life.
Biblical Concept of God
I firmly believe that most by-the-book LDS are going to be TERRIFIED when they stand before God. Let me explain why.
When we read the Bible contextually and exegetically AND WITH SPIRITUALLY REGENERATED EYES, it describes a VERY different God. One way that helps me get my mind somewhat around the power, majesty, and brilliance of God is when I try and grasp His creations great and small.
The Majesty of Creation
Let’s first talk about the expanse of space in general. Did you know that . . . it is believed that the universe expands in all directions a million miles per second. That each galaxy contains millions of stars? The universe contains over a 100 million galaxies – possibly billions. The closest star to us visible to the human eye is Alpha Centauri? Now when calculating distances to stars normal units of measurements won’t work so we speak in terms of light years. Light travels 300,000 kilometers per second – or it will travel around the world seven times in one second. That’s fast. If we were to travel at the speed of light out to Alpha Centauri we would pass the moon in a second and a half, we would pass the sun in eight and a half minutes but we would have to travel 4 and one half light years to reach
Exploring the Concept of God
the closest visible star! What about the farthest visible star in the Andromeda Galaxy? It is 1.5 million light years away! And our telescopes catch stars 6,500 million light years away!
And God was once a man? God has a body? God can’t do certain things?
The Vastness of Space and God's Creation
Did you know that . . . the sun is so large you could fit over a million earths into it, but it is really quite small compared to other stars. there are stars so big you could fit 500 million suns into them if they were hollow! The star Betelgeuse, which is 520 light years away from earth is one of the brightest stars in the Orion belt. Betelgeuse is so big that if hollowed out, you could put the sun at the center and the earth could orbit around the sun inside of it! And it spins at like 2000 miles per second in space. What holds these immense fixtures in place? Who creates them and from what?
What about little old earth? the thing travels through space at 67,000 miles per hour!
Think about the immensity of space and then think about a single ant – its magnificence, its structure, its abilities. Then think about the cells that make up the ant. And the components of each cell. And the properties that make up those components. What about the intense components of animals? Man?
The human eye has
What created this? Some gloried man or an incomprehensible God of incomprehensible wonder?
The Biblical Perspective on God
Now what does the Bible say about the Christian God?
IT SAYS HE’S A SPIRIT Jesus said in John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Joseph said in one of his many conflicting recitations of his first vision that God had a body of flesh and bones – who are you gonna believe, Jesus or Joseph?
Attributes of God
THE WORD SAYS GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE! Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” Hebrews 12:28 “for our God is a consuming fire.”
THE WORD SAYS THAT GOD IS NOT A MAN! Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent.”
Now Joseph said God was once a man and has a man’s body. And the Word says God is everything BUT a man! What are you going to believe?
Come on, my brothers and sisters! Think about it!
THE WORD SAYS THAT GOD CAN DO ANYTHING! Matthew 19:26 “with God all things are possible.” Just last week a very kind man called and stated on the air that God cannot create something out of nothing. And that He cannot destroy matter! This is a fundamental LDS belief.
But Jesus said with God “ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.” The Word says He is the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the creator of all things. ALL.
What are you going to believe? That He is limited or that He is EVERYTHING? (beat)
Do you realize the absolute and utter decimation people are going to have when they take that last breath and think you’re going to be greeted by some kindly old Father-figure on a throne who will wink at those who trifled with His Word? Holy cripes!
THE BIBLE SAYS GOD IS TERRIBLE AND TERRIFYING Listen to the Prophet Isaiah. He was standing by the altar of the temple looking into the holy of Holies when he caught a vision of God:
“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Mormonism, in absolute opposition to
Biblical Perspective on Being God's Child
The Biblical stance makes it sound as if God is just an “all good and loving parent” working with each of His children down here on just being the best that they can be. And then we die and get a kingdom!” Doesn’t sound congruent with Hebrews 10 does it?
Seeing God and Biblical Teachings
THE SCRIPTURES SAY NO MAN HAS EVER SEEN GOD!
1st John 4:12 “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us.”
Joseph said he saw Him plain as day. What are you gonna believe? (beat)
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Bible says you are NOT – ARE NOT! – this God’s child until you have been born-again. Listen to these verses. Listen!
John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name, who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God.”
Romans 8:15 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
Galatians 3:25 (Speaking to believers) “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
1st John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!” (not, “that we are all called” but that we “should be called!”)
Galatians 4:5 “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Ephesians 1:5 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
Requirements for Becoming God's Child
Latter-day Saints, you are NOT automatically God’s child. READ THE WORD.
You must be born-again (as Jesus said) and adopted by Holy God BEFORE you can call Him Father, Abba, or anything else that’s endearing. You have no right to the “Consuming Fire” because right comes by regeneration through faith which results in adoption which then grants you a relationship with Him. There is no other way.
There are those who will, in the face of God Almighty, refuse to bend. Satan was one such creation. Pride caused this creation to attempt to compete with God and refuse to bow to His demands. I don’t think I am talking to too many people who are like this, but if I am, I pray that you will just break.
Then there are those who, because of their faith in Jesus, have been adopted into the kingdom by God’s grace and when they take that last breath they will be warmly welcomed home to boldly go before the throne of God by virtue of the shed blood of Jesus and call Him Papa, Abba, Father. God sees all of His creations through the blood of Jesus. You are either covered or your not. When covered, you welcomed into the presence of this amazing consuming fire.
Your relationship with His Son is what matters when you stand before God. Not some made made fantasy that you are because He created you His child by right. Such an attitude will leaves some who will frankly be terrified out of their minds when they meet God. And I am afraid for you because even though He is truly perfect love and mercy, He will be to you wrath. I am fearful for those who will fall into the hands of the Holy, living God.
Now this is not a very popular message in this day and age. People like to portray God as all kind and all loving because He is easiest to live with this way. Even when you are his child He can beat you up a bit. No, people today want to be “positive,” they want political
The Importance of Rebirth Through Faith
Correctness. They want easy theology. But the Bible does not mince words or water its message down. Heaven is heaven, hell is hell, and rebirth through faith in Jesus is the difference between the two.
How do I know this? Let me conclude with two biblical examples.
Examples from the Scripture
Remember Uzzah?
2nd Samuel 6:6: And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah. And God struck him there for the error. And he died there by the ark of God.
Perhaps most importantly, let’s look at Jesus.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, knew what was coming His way. He sensed what he was about to do.
Let’s read:
Matthew 26:36-39: Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God.: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
In essence, He asked His Father, “Do I have to do this?” “I mean, can you figure out anything else can’t you? Maybe slaughter a million herds of sheep or obliterate a galaxy in my name? I mean, Father, can I get out of this?
God's Response and Its Meaning
Now what did the Holy Father say in reply to His only Son? He said, “No . . . you can’t get out of it. You must do it.” He said, “You’ve got to do it. It is my will. There is no other way.”
And what did this mean? It meant that God wouldn’t spare His own Son for our sins, for our failures, for our sicknesses, and angers, and lusts, and greed and depravity. He wouldn’t spare Him for your pride. It meant – now listen to this – it meant that God would pour His wrath out upon Jesus.
The Jews didn’t kill Jesus. The Romans didn’t kill and torture Jesus. The cross didn’t cause Him to weep and cry out. God did. His wrath. He beat Him with stripes, he had Him crucified, and He turned His back on Him! WHY? For our sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace.. So we could become His Sons and daughters by adoption through faith.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son . . .!”
I gotta tell you, brothers and sister, if this holy, perfect, consuming fire would pour out His wrath on His own Son for us, out of Love, watch out if you think you’re gonna get by without truly knowing and worshipping Him in this life. Watch out if you think you can arrogantly have your cake and eat it too. Watch out if you think this friendly Papa God is gonna accept you by ANY other means than your rebirth through in His Son.
There are people who are going to stand before God rebellious and proud. They are going to hell and I don’t think they really care. There are people who are going to be absolutely terrified when they stand before God. They have eyes and ears, but they refuse to see and hear. And there are people who are going to enter heaven and escape hell because they were born-again and adopted into God’s family.
You decide how you want to stand before God and what you are going to believe about Him.
Alright, let’s open up the phone lines (801) 973-TV20 973-8820
CONCLUSION
