Beth-El Baptist Church

11/08/2009

Greg Tomlinson

Is the Book of Mormon also the Word of God?

The Church of Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons) have as one of their articles of faith that they “believe the Bible to be the Word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God”. How does the Book of Mormon compare to the Bible in regards to being the Word of God?

1. What is the Book of Mormon?

The introduction of the Book of Mormon claims to be comparable to the Bible especially as it deals with God and the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. It describes that the principal ancestors of the American Indians are a people known as Lamanites. The historical record that the Book of Mormon claims to record is that of the early American people.

2. What is the criteria for verifying whether the Book of Mormon is also the Word of God?

Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 18:19-22 Revelation 22:19

John 3:12 2 Peter 1:20-21

Malachi 3:6

The Word of God is always consistent because God does not change. We are also given prophecies and explanations of the things of this world so that we can verify them to see for ourselves whether or not the scriptures are true and reliable. If the information is consistent and verifiable with respect to the knowledge of the earth then it MAY BE the Word of God. If it is in contradiction, then it CANNOT be the Word of God.

3. Is the Book of Mormon in clear conflict with the Bible or itself?

1 Nephi 1:2 (Hebrew and Egyptian language) vs Nehemiah 13:23-27 (non-Jewish language cursed)

1 Nephi 1:3; 19:4-6 (records own knowledge) vs Deuteronomy 4:2; 1 Cor 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20-21

1 Nephi 2:5 (brother named Sam is a non-Hebrew name)

1 Nephi 5:14 (did not know his tribe) vs Nehemiah 7:5, 64 (genealogy crucial)

1 Nephi 10:17 (Holy Ghost & Son of God – terms unfamiliar in OT time)

1 Nephi 11:21 (Lamb of God during OT time)

1 Nephi 16:28-29 (faith in a ball ) vs Isaiah 42:8; Matthew 4:9-10 (faith in God only)

2 Nephi 1:3 (land of promise – North America?) vs Genesis 13:14-18 (Canaan is promised land)

2 Nephi 10:7 (out of promised land until believe) vs Nehemiah 5:5-9 (In the land yet in unbelief)

2 Nephi 25:19 (name is Jesus Christ) vs Isa 9:6; Luke 1:31 (name is Jesus)

Mosiah 2:3; Alma 10:3 (Manasseh offer sacrifices according to law) vs Exodus 40:15 (Aaron priest)

Alma 7:10 (Jesus born in Jerusalem) vs Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4 (Bethlehem)

Alma 46:15 (called Christians in 73 BC) vs Acts 11:26 (first in Antioch)

There are many places where the Book of Mormon and the Bible are in strong disagreement. They cannot both be right unless God is confused and confusing. Therefore both cannot be the Word of God. One must be a work of fiction.

4. How does each book compare with known things of the World?

The Bible's historical claims:

Jeremiah 25:11-12 Daniel 8:19-22; 9:2-3

Exodus 2:3; 12:7-11, 33-36 Matthew 1:22-23; 27:2, 42-44

There are also the battles of Jericho, David, kings of Israel, return from Babylon, the acts of the apostles, John in Patmos, and the list goes on. There has not been a single historical event of the Bible that has been demonstrated to be false.

The Book of Mormon claims:

• American Indians are descendants of Israel (Introduction; 1 Nephi 12:1-23)

• YET: North American Indians are of “mongoloid descent”

• Jesus Christ was in America after His resurrection (Introduction)

• YET: Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 10:12; 12:1-2; 1 Peter 3:22; Acts 1:8

• Having black skin is a curse from God (2 Nephi 5:21-23); white (delightsome) is a blessing (2 Nephi 30:5-7; 3 Nephi 2:15; Jacob 3:3-9)

• YET: Jeremiah 13:23; Acts 17:26

• Cattle & beasts of burden native to North America (1 Nephi 18:25)

• YET: introduced after Columbus

• Wheat & barley in North America (Mosiah 9:9)

• YET: Europeans introduced wheat & barley

• Steel swords with sheath and hilt (1 Nephi 4:9; 2 Nephi 5:14-15; Alma 44:12)

• YET: No record of steel swords in North America at that time

Contradictions in Mormon doctrine

• One God (Alma 11:27-39, 44; 2 Nephi 31:21) vs Plurality of Gods (D & C 121.32; 132.18-20

• God is Spirit (Alma 18.26-28) vs Physical body (D & C 130.22)

SUMMARY:

A simple evaluation of the historicity and consistency of the Book of Mormon and the Bible demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt that they can both be the Word of God. Only the Bible demonstrates that it is historically accurate while the Book of Mormon is incapable of demonstrating historical accuracy. Therefore it is clear that the Book of Mormon cannot possibly be the Word of God.