| Mormon Watch.com | Examining the Doctrine of the LDS Church | |
Often times in life we want to look around at other people and our feelings to determine truth. Depending on how we feel about something is often the determining factor of truth. Our world tells us that Truth is relative, there is no such thing as absolute truth and to trust your feelings. But are these reliable methods for finding God? If these are reliable methods why are there so many different religions in the world? What does Scripture tell us, if anything, about how we find truth?
The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 that we are to "test all things and hold fast to that which is good". The key word is this passage is "all". God never tells us to go and pray about something, trust our hearts or our feelings but he instructs us to test it. How does God tell us to test things, we find the answer to this question in Acts 17:11. In Acts 17:11 Paul commends the Bereans for being of more noble character than the Thessalonians because they not only received the message, but tested the message which was given against scripture.
Throughout scripture the Bible warns us that we must continually test the statements of the teachers, prophets and other leaders to verify that what they are saying properly aligns with the word of God. If you are not testing your beliefs against the word of God, you are leaving yourself open to be lead astray by seducing spirits, false doctrines, false gospels and doctrines of demons.
Following are several passages from the Bible which provide warnings to us. Every person should not only read these statements, but should take the time to memorize these scriptures. God is a God of love and mercy, but he too is a God of justice. And God has given us these warnings to make every one of us stop, and consider what God says on how you live with him when you die.
| Jeremiah 14:14 | Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. |
| Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. | |
| Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. | |
| For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. | |
| For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. | |
| But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. | |
| For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. | |
| I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. | |
| Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. | |
| Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. | |
| As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. | |
| Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. | |
| But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. | |
| Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. | |
| For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. | |
| Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. |