1. LEADER PREPARATION

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1 apologetics: RESPONDING TO SPECIFIC WORLDVIEWS Lesson 6: Mormonism This includes: 1. Leader Preparation 2. Lesson Guide 1. LEADER PREPARATION LESSON OVERVIEW As one of the fastest-growing religions in the world, Mormonism appears to simply be a branch of Christianity. But this religion adds to the requirements of salvation, subtracts from the person of Jesus, multiplies requirements for its followers, and divides people. Mormonism officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aligns itself with Christianity by using similar language and terms, but it actually replaces a grace-based faith with a works-based substitute. This lesson will give your students a basic understanding of what Mormonism teaches about God, Jesus, heaven, and salvation. LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. WHAT: When we examine some of the key doctrines of Mormonism, we discover that it holds many beliefs that are different from Christianity. 2. WHY: As one of the fastest-growing religions in the world, Mormonism appears to be a branch of Christianity but is not, and this is an important truth for teenagers to understand. 3. HOW: Your students will examine core Mormon theology and understand how to use scriptural truth as they interact with people who adhere to Mormonism. PRIMARY SCRIPTURE Isaiah 43:8-12 SECONDARY SCRIPTUREs Isaiah 7:14; 44:6-8; John 1:1-3; 10:30; 20:28; Romans 3:23-28; 1 Corinthians 15:35-44; Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:8

2 TEACHING PREP The overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. We have included lots of content to help you prepare for the discussion on apologetics. While you may not want to convey this information word-for-word with your teenagers, you ll definitely want to refer to it as you lead and some of the content can help with further conversations with students. Read Isaiah 43:8-12. We encourage you to review earlier lessons in the LIVE Apologetics volume, particularly ones on who Jesus is, the doctrine of the Trinity, and why we can trust the Bible. Each of these lessons relates to Mormonism in significant ways. The following information will give you a basic foundation of understanding some core beliefs of Mormonism. We use the New Living Translation for Scripture references in this lesson, but it s worth telling your students that when talking to Mormons, it s often best to use the King James Version because Mormonism esteems this version above all others. This can help remove a barrier that might distract Mormons from discussing the differences between Christianity and Mormonism. Encourage your students to understand big ideas and help them realize that they don t have to have verses memorized word for word. Rather, it is best for them to be familiar with and be able to summarize passages that help them as they share the truth about Christianity. There are many inconsistencies in the Mormon view of God. For example, the Book of Mormon says this in Moroni 8:18: For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity. Yet Mormonism teaches that Jesus was once a man and attained his godlike status. Many Mormons will say that their belief is birthed in their heart, that they do not hold to the belief that there must be any concrete evidence to uphold their theology. In their heart they know the Mormon church is true and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. If a Mormon responds with this kind of answer, it can be good to ask, Did you know that the Bible says not to trust your heart because it is deceitful? Jeremiah 17:9 is a particular powerful Scripture to cite. A core belief in Mormonism is that when reading the Book of Mormon, you can pray and ask God to show you if the words you re reading are truth. When you do this, you will receive an answer from the Holy Spirit that verifies the truth of what you are

3 reading. The problem with this is that God never says to pray about truth. He says to search the Scriptures and discover truth (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:16). And truth cannot be based upon just a feeling or emotion. If our emotions contradict God s Word, then what we feel is wrong. One question to ask Mormons is if they have ever had to pray about the Bible to verify its accuracy. They will respond by saying no, but they are required to pray about the Book of Mormon. One Bible verse that Mormons often use to justify their praying about the truth in the Book of Mormon is James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. Mormons believe their sincerity in asking for wisdom will guarantee that God will grant it. The problem with this kind of thinking is that it becomes works of righteousness because the person believes that their sincerity gives them a direct access to God to hear them and respond. A further examination of Scripture shows us that God doesn t look into our hearts to seek good, because we are sinful at our core (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-12; Ephesians 2:3). The basic understanding of James 1:5 is about receiving wisdom, which is different from discerning whether the Book of Mormon (or any other writing) is true or not. James letter is addressed to followers of Christ who had been scattered in other words, he was writing to people who already had the truth, not people who were seeking truth. THE BEFORE & AFTER [optional] Text Message Questions We ve provided a couple of different text message questions to send out to your students prior to your meeting. Feel free to use one or both of the questions below. As with the rest of the curriculum, edit these questions to fit the needs of your ministry. Is it tough to interact with a person whose faith is similar to yours but has some major differences? Let s talk about it tonight! Ready for another great discussion on worldviews and religions? Join us tonight!

4 Parent We ve provided you with an below that you can send to parents following the lesson. Our hope is to encourage parents to continue the conversation at home. Feel free to edit and customize the to fit your ministry needs. Dear parents, We are continuing our small group study on apologetics, and this week we focused on Mormonism. The topic of Mormonism elicits a lot of conversation and controversy among Christians because from the outside, Mormonism appears to simply be a branch of Christianity. But as you peel back the layers of belief and practice, you discover how Mormonism contradicts truths in the Bible. Our goal was to equip our students with basic knowledge of what Mormonism teaches, how key Mormon doctrines contradict the Bible, and how to discuss Mormon doctrine. Here are some questions you might want to ask at home this week: Why is it important for Christian doctrine to be clear and adamant on the belief in one God rather than multiple gods? How are the differences between Christianity and Mormonism unlike the differences between various denominations within Christianity? Give some specific examples, if you can. What are some unique challenges when talking to someone who follows Mormonism, compared to someone who follows Buddhism or is an atheist? Please contact me if you have any follow-up questions about this week s conversation, or if you would like any additional resources. Have a blessed week.

5 apologetics: RESPONDING TO SPECIFIC WORLDVIEWS Lesson 6: Mormonism GETTING THINGS STARTED [optional] 2. Lesson guide Welcome your students and invite them into your meeting area. Open in prayer, and then Give me some examples of two things that look very similar on the outside or at first glance, but are very different once you look inside or on a deeper level. In that situation, how does it feel to choose something that looks similar but turns out to be less desirable, less pure, or less authentic than the thing you originally wanted? How might that idea carry over into faith, religions, and worldviews? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Although Mormonism and Christianity look similar from the outside, when you peel back the layers you find major differences between the two religions. Today s conversation is designed to give you some clear insights into these differences and why the differences are important, not just minor disagreements over biblical truth. TEACHING POINTS The goal of the Teaching Points is to help students capture the essence of each lesson with more discussion and less lecture-style teaching. The main points we have chosen are (1) What does Mormonism teach about God?, (2) What does Mormonism teach about Jesus?, (3) What does Mormonism teach about heaven?, (4) What does Mormonism teach about salvation?, and (5) How did the Book of Mormon come about? Remember: All throughout these lessons, it s up to you to choose (1) how many questions you use, and (2) the wording of the main points keep ours, or change the wording to make it clearer for your audience. Read Isaiah 43:8-12 together as a group. Consider dividing verses among your students so everyone has a chance to read.

6 SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Let s see what we can learn from his passage and other Scriptures about the key differences between Christianity and Mormonism. 1. What does Mormonism teach about God? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: One of the true dividing lines between Christianity and Mormonism is the teaching about God. Mormonism teaches that there are many gods, while Christianity teaches that there is just one God. When Mormonism references the Trinity, it does not mean the Trinity of one God who exists in three persons, as Christianity. The Bible teaches that the Trinity is one God who exists as three distinct persons and who has existed for eternity. This one God exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit they are not three separate gods, but only one God. But the Mormon idea of the Trinity means a common position held by three separate gods: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. [NOTE: If your group has gone through the LIVE Apologetics lesson on the Trinity, you may want to refer back to some of the main ideas from that discussion.] Why is it important for Christian doctrine to be clear and adamant on the belief in one God rather than multiple gods? In light of what we have just heard about what Mormonism teaches, why is our passage from Isaiah 43 so essential? How does Isaiah 43:10 address the Mormon doctrine that there are many gods or that the Trinity is actually three separate gods? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Another Mormon teaching that contradicts the God of the Bible is the idea that God wasn t always God, but became a god. He used to be a man on another planet, who accurately followed the laws and ordinances of the god who ruled that planet, and became exalted to godhood. In fact, in Mormonism every man has the potential of become a god: Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them (Doctrine and Covenants, 132:20). Read Isaiah 44:6-8. How does this passage contradict this Mormon teaching?

7 2. What does Mormonism teach about Jesus? [NOTE: If your group has gone through the LIVE Apologetics lesson on who Jesus is, you may want to refer back to some of the main ideas from that discussion.] SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Mormonism also has a very interesting perspective on Jesus Christ. Mormonism affirms the death and resurrection of Jesus but claims Jesus attained godhood and is the offspring of God and Mary. Mormonism teaches that God the Father came down in a physical body and had sex with Mary to conceive Jesus. Read Isaiah 7:14. How does the Mormon teaching about Mary fall short when you consider this Scripture? In light of this teaching about God and Mary, what other issues arise when looking at Mormon beliefs? Mormonism also teaches that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer, Satan. Read John 1:1-3, John 10:30, John 20:28, Colossians 1:15-17, and Hebrews 1:8. What theme is present in these passages, and what does that theme say about Jesus? Based on these passages, how might you respond to the Mormon teaching that Jesus has a spirit brother? If Jesus and Lucifer were spirit brothers, what would the implications be? What theological issues would arise? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: It is impossible to read and understand the Bible and come to the conclusion that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers. Jesus is the creator of all things and God created all things through him; he does not have a spiritual brother. Jesus himself created the angels, including Lucifer. 3. What does Mormonism teach about heaven? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that there are three levels of heaven: the celestial, the highest; the terrestrial, the middle; and the telestial, the lowest. Mormon doctrine often points to 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 as biblical support for this teaching. But was the Apostle Paul really teaching that there are three levels of heaven?

8 Read 1 Corinthians 15: What do you think Paul was addressing to the Corinthian people in this passage? Why is it important to understand the context of a verse or passage as you discern what it is saying? What are the dangers of ignoring a Scripture s context? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Mormon theology has latched onto the words bodies in the heavens celestial in the King James and bodies on the earth terrestrial in the King James in its teaching of various levels of heaven. The third word, telestial, is not in the English language, but was created by Joseph Smith by combining the first two letters of terrestrial with the last seven letters of celestial. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is discussing the truth of the resurrection of Christians and the connection between our physical body and the spiritual body we will have. He affirms the correlation between the two but states that the resurrected body is far superior. The Bible does reference three heavens elsewhere in Paul s writings. The first heaven is the sky above us the atmosphere of the earth. The second heaven is where the stars and galaxies reside outer space. The third heaven, however, is where God resides heaven. In Paul s culture, this was a common philosophy and language used for God s dwelling, and was a convenient way of describing things. Therefore, Paul was caught up into the presence of God, into the third heaven. The Bible does not support the teaching that there is a special eternal place reserved only for people who have completed certain ceremonies and endowments in a temple on earth and who will progress to becoming gods themselves. How is having a special eternal place reserved only for people who have completed certain rituals and ceremonies contradicted by teachings in the Bible? 4. What does Mormonism teach about salvation? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Mormonism and Christianity have different perspectives on salvation. The LDS Church teaches that Jesus death was an atonement for Adam s sins not for all of humanity. For each of us to attain salvation, we must earn it through our deeds and actions. But the Bible clearly teaches that Christ is a

9 substitute for all who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Have students form groups of two or three for these questions. Read Romans 3: How does this passage from the Apostle Paul contradict the Mormon teaching of salvation by works? Look at verse 24. How have you experienced God s kindness in your life? Read Ephesians 2:4-5. Paraphrase in your own words what this passage means. Bring everyone back together, and ask students to share some of their answers to the previous questions, as time permits. SAY SOMETHING LIKE: The Bible teaches that salvation comes by faith and God s great mercy. It is a gift from God and cannot earned through our deeds and actions. Mormonism teaches that salvation can be earned through good works. Mormon teaching says faith alone will result in spending eternity in a lower level of heaven, but works will take you to the highest level of heaven and possibly even godhood. But the truth is, if our deeds could open the door to salvation, then Jesus death was pointless. 5. How did the Book of Mormon come about? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: While Mormonism affirms the Bible as truth from God, it holds to the belief that the Bible has not only been corrupted over the years, but that it also is an incomplete revelation of God and his truths. The Book of Mormon is said to contain the writing of ancient prophets. It was written by scribes who worked with Joseph Smith, who claimed that he found golden plates (or tablets) engraved by an angel named Moroni. Smith said these tablets had ancient Egyptian writing on them. This angel visited Joseph Smith and showed him not only where the golden tablets were, but also the location of the decoding devices the seer stones that would allow Smith to translate the tablets. Smith said he was the only one Moroni would allow to interpret the tablets. Mormon history says a number of witnesses saw the tablets, but only Smith was given the ability to interpret. What is troubling about the idea that only Joseph Smith was able to discern the content that would make up the Book of Mormon?

10 Why would the Book of Mormon be a more reliable text if more than one person was involved in its writing? SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Perhaps the greatest knock on the reliability of the Book of Mormon is that whole sections were derived from the King James Version of the Bible it wasn t original, unique content. Additionally, according to Mormonism the golden plates that eventually made up the Book of Mormon predate the Bible by more than a thousand years. ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION [optional] How are differences between Christianity and Mormonism unlike differences between various denominations within Christianity? Give some specific examples, if you can. What are some unique challenges when talking to someone who follows Mormonism, compared to someone who follows Buddhism or is an atheist? If the Bible teaches that our salvation comes through grace and not our good works, but is it still important to do good deeds? APPLICATION What are some core ideas or Scriptures from today s conversation that can help you engage in thoughtful discussions about Mormon doctrine? What fresh new insights about God have you learned today? How has your faith been strengthened during this study? How do you view your salvation differently after studying these passages? SUMMARY End your lesson here. Provide your teenagers with a quick summary or take-home challenge based on (1) the content of this lesson, (2) the dialogue that took place during the lesson, (3) your understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are facing, and (4) the big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants accomplished with the teaching and discussion time. FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE] Encourage and/or challenge your teenagers to memorize the verse below. But you are my witnesses, O Israel! says the Lord. You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God there never has been, and there never will be (Isaiah 43:10).