Teaching Choral Concepts

Review

     This important book provides clear, complete answers to numerous challenges non-Mormons have raised about the LDS Church. Are LDS temple ordinances derived from Masonic ceremonies? Are Joseph Smith's seer stones evidence that Mormonism is based in occultic practices? Is there bad grammar in the first edition of the Book of Mormon? Questions such as these come from anti-Mormon antagonists. Some are maliciously presented by those who seek to discredit the LDS Church; others come from individuals who just want to know the truth. 

The author shows that Masonic rites are derived from ancient sources that contained remnants of true temple worship, and that they are similar to sacred early Christian initiation ceremonies which form the basis for the modern LDS temple service. The Prophet Joseph, he shows, was no different than Biblical prophets, when the same rules of prophetic utterance and fulfillment are applied equally. The author suggests that grammatical criticisms of the Book of Mormon should also be applied to several New Testament books and accepted Greek New Testament translations, which also contain many grammatical errors. The charge of occult practices evaporates under serious scriptural research, in view of the recorded actions of the apostles of the early Church and the Savior himself. 

Other chapters also answer questions about LDS doctrines on the Atonement, blood atonement, forgiveness of sins, salvation by grace, baptism as an essential Christian ordinance, errors in the Bible, and the marital status of Jesus Christ. This is a fascinating book for personal reading enjoyment, and is an important reference work for missionaries and other teachers of gospel subjects. 

Table of Contents

Key to Abbreviations, 11
1. Mormonism, Masonry, and the Changes in the Endowment Ceremony, 13
Borrowing from Masonry, 14
The Changes in the Temple Endowment, 16
Joseph Smith's View of Masonry and the Differences Between Masonry and the Endowment, 17
Early Christian Evidence, 19
Conclusion, 20

2. Vindicating Prophecy: A Reply to the Charge that Joseph Smith Delivered False
Prophecies, 22
The Anti-Mormon Standard, 23
Rules on Prophecy, 23
Difficult Bible Prophecies, 24
Conclusion, 26

3. Bad Grammar in Scripture?, 27
The First Edition of the Book of Mormon, 27
The Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 28

4. The Atonement, Blood Atonement, and the Forgiveness of Sins, 30
The Scope of the Atonement, 30
Blood Atonement, 30
Early Christian Views, 31
Conclusion, 32

5. Mormonism and the Occult?, 33
Joseph Smith, Seer Stones, and Divining Rods, 33
Occultism in the Bible?, 34
Conclusion, 35

6. How Are We Saved?, 36
The Protestant Position: A Minority Viewpoint, 36
Salvation and the Council of Trent, 39
"Work Out Your Salvation with Fear and Trembling", 41
Ephesians 2:8-9 and Salvation by Faith Alone, 42
What Did the Ancients Mean by "Believe" and "Faith"?, 43
Do Protestants Really Teach that Salvation is "Free"?, 45
Conclusion, 45

7. Can Genuine Christians Fall Away?, 46
An important Question, 46
Does Hebrews 6:4 Refer to Bonafide Christians Who Fell Away?, 47
Unbelievers in Hebrews 6:4-6?, 48
The Apostasy of Mature Christians and Hebrews 10:26, 50
ConclusIon, 50

8. Is Baptism Essential for Salvation?, 51
Paul vs. the Necessity of Baptism?, 52
More New Testament Evidence of the Necessity of Baptism, 53
Baptism and the Early Church Fathers, 53
Conclusion, 56

9. Another Look at The Godmakers, 57
Repeating Ancient Arguments, 58
The Wild Statements, 59
No Real Answers, 59
Opinion Becomes Fact, 61
Uninformed Arguments, 61
Distortions, 63
The Cross, 64
Other Problems, 65
The Changes in the Book of Mormon, 67
Conclusion, 71

10. Is the Bible Inerrant and Complete?, 73
Why This Question Must Be Asked, 73
The Bible vs. the Doctrine of Scriptural Inerrancy, 74
Does 2 Timothy 3:16 Support the Doctrine of Biblical Inerrancy?, 75
No Original Manuscripts, 76
Variant Readings, 76
The Samaritan Pentateuch, 81
Problems in the LXX, 82
Geographical Problems, 82
Misidentified and/or Misquoted Scripture, 84
Reading Between the Lines, 85
Chronological Difficulties, 87
Historical Problems, 88
Resurrection Difficulties, 89
Other Discrepancies, 90
Missing Scripture: History and the Bible Speak, 91
Revelation 22:18-19, 93
The Witness of the Early Church Fathers, 95
What of It All?, 96

11. Is the Mormon Clergy Really an Unpaid Clergy?, 98
A Shocking Discovery, 98
The Biblical Witness, 99
The Post-New Testament Clergy, 100
Conclusion, 100

12. Was Jesus Married?, 101
Non-Mormon Support, 102
A Father's Duty, 102
Celibacy in Ancient Judaism, 103
A Revealing Silence, 104
Jesus as a Rabbi or Teacher, 105
The Wedding at Cana, 106
Was Mary Magdalene Jesus' Wife?, 107
Conclusion, 108

Bibliography, 109
Index, 119

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