Category: Bible
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Ask Mormons to Define “Evangelists” When They Quote Ephesians 4:11
A Mormon friend appealed to Ephesians 4:11 as the supposed basis for modern LDS Church structure. I asked him to camp out on the passage with me instead of quickly moving on to another. There is a little-known, very awkward LDS Church interpretation of “evangelists” in Ephesians 4:11 that not even many Mormons know about:…
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Malachi 4:5-6: Does this passage refer to Mormon temples?
The 2002 LDS booklet titled Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple states:If we would understand both the history and the doctrine of temple work we must understand what the sealing power is. We must envision, at least to a degree, why the keys of authority to employ the sealing power are crucial.Nearly nine hundred years…
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James 2:20, 26: Are Good Works a Requirement for Heaven?
Some use this verse to show how works are a requirement for heaven. However, James was addressing those who claimed to be Christian but minimized the importance of works. Such a view is contrary to the words of both Jesus (Matt 7:16-20) and Paul (Gal 5:16-26). The writer of Hebrews explains that faith, not works,…
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Titus 3:5
Titus 3:5 This verse is often used by those who believe that the “washing of regeneration,” or water baptism, qualifies a person for heaven. The immediate context needs to be considered. Paul is explaining the importance of good works. He began in verses 1-2 by showing how Christians should not fight but rather be kind…
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Philippians 2:5-8: Is Jesus not God?
Since Christianity is the only faith that worships Jesus as God, this passage is used by cults and other religions to deny His deity. Actually, Jesus is fully God and fully man, an idea supported in scripture. For instance, the book of John is filled with references to show how Jesus is God (e.g., John…
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2 Corinthians 12:2: Are there three Kingdoms of Glory?
Mormons use this verse to explain their three kingdoms of heaven, which they call the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdoms. According to this view, everyone who dies will eventually make it to one of these three kingdoms. However, Paul was merely explaining how he ascended (probably in a visionary state) into the presence of the…
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Romans 16:16: Should a church have the name of Jesus in it?
Is it essential for a church’s name to include the name of Christ? Mormons belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as those belonging to the denomination called the Church of Christ believe this is the case. Romans 16:16 is the only reference specifically using the term “churches of Christ.”…
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John 20:17: Jesus as God
The Jehovah’s Witnesses make the claim that Jesus was not God. After all, they ask, why would Jesus call the Father “God” if there is only one God? The answer can be found in the doctrine of the Trinity, which teaches that Jesus—being fully God—became a man (John 1:1,14; Phil 2:6). When Jesus came to…
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John 17:3: Glorifying the Father
There are groups that claim to be Christian but deny the idea that Jesus is God. For instance, the Jehovah’s Witnesses use this verse to explain how the Father, not Jesus, is the “only true God.” Yet the rest of this passage shows how Jesus believed He was a member of the Trinity. In verse…
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John 14:28: Is the Father Greater than Jesus?
Because all religions outside of Christianity deny the idea that Jesus is God, this verse is often cited to show how Jesus is less in nature than the Father. After all, since Jesus said the Father was greater than He, isn’t the Father better than He? Yet Jesus never gave up His deity when He…
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John 14:2: Are there 3 Kingdoms of Glory?
According to Mormonism, there are three kingdoms of heaven called the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdoms. This verse, used with 1 Cor 15:40, is often referenced to support this teaching. However, such an interpretation is incorrect for several reasons. First, Jesus was comparing heaven to a house with many “dwelling places,” an example that Jesus’s…
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Matthew 18:19-20: Is Jesus with us only when there are two or three who are gathered?
Christian leaders have sometimes quoted this verse in worship services to emphasize how the Spirit of Jesus is present whenever two or three Christians are gathered together. To determine if this is true, the context of the passage must be considered. In Matthew 18, church discipline is the topic. Jesus promised in verse 17 that…
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Luke 23:44-46: Did Jesus faint on the cross (swoon)?
Some biblical critics claim that Jesus merely fainted and was taken off the cross alive before He was buried. They say that He somehow escaped and then appeared to His disciples, who mistakenly believed that He was resurrected. However, there are sure signs that Jesus had died. First, the Roman soldiers traditionally broke the legs…
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Luke 2:52: What is the nature of Jesus?
If Jesus is God, and God is all-knowing, then how can Jesus have “increased in wisdom and stature”? The answer isn’t too difficult when the two natures of Jesus are understood. The Bible teaches that He was both fully human as well as fully God (known as “deity”). In other words, Jesus had two natures…
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Mark 16:17-18: Should we handle snakes in our worship?
Based on these verses, some Pentecostal churches—primarily in the Appalachian Mountain states in the eastern United States—have emphasized the handling of poisonous snakes and scorpions as part of their religious services. Playing with fire and drinking water laced with poison is also practiced by some of these churches, as they teach that God commands such…
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Matthew 19:26: Can God do the Impossible?
Can God do everything? If so, then can God create a rock that He cannot lift? Some skeptics love to ask such questions and then point to this verse to make Christians scratch their heads. It is important to note, however, that God is a consistent, logical being. Thus, He cannot do those things that…
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Matthew 3:15-17: Are there three gods?
The nature of God is often debated by other religions and cults. Thus, when the issue of the Trinity comes up, many point to this verse as evidence that this is not a biblical teaching. After all, it is argued, there are three gods referenced here: the Father, whose voice comes out of heaven; the…
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Proverbs 26:4-5: Should We Answer Fools According to Their Foolishness?
Should one answer a “fool” according to his foolishness or not? Some skeptics have claimed these back-to-back verses are a contradiction, but this cannot be true. It is important to determine what type of literature is being considered in order to make an accurate interpretation of any passage. The book of Proverbs, which is part…
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1 Kings 7:23: A Bible Contradiction Concerning Pi?
By pointing to the measurements for the circular bath taken from this passage (also see 2 Chr 4:2), many skeptics have claimed that the Bible lists an incorrect value for the mathematical constant pi (beginning with the numbers “3.14159265…”) used to measure the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. According to the numbers…