Some mainstream Christians believe God is a man [Archive]

Vlad III

11-22-2009, 11:38 PM

Acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity is a defining watermark for groups that are Christians and wannabe Christians. because the LDS people (and JWs, and others) refuse to accept this, even though there is plenty of evidence in Scripture for that, then those who reject that doctrine can not be Christians, BY DEFINITION.

I am not gonna dis your step mom, but I will say that her Christian theology was not in keeping with what Christians believe and teach.

God: "You lived a faithful life. Served your neighbors. Worshipped me. Tried to follow the Savior Jesus Christ in your thoughts words and deeds. Do you believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one substance in 3 beings, or aka. the Trinity?"

Man: "Yes."

God: "Well-done. You may enter into my rest."

----------

God: ""You lived a faithful life. Served your neighbors. Worshipped me. Tried to follow the Savior Jesus Christ in your thoughts words and deeds. Do you believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one substance in 3 beings, or aka. the Trinity?"

Man: "I believe in the Father, the Son and also the Holy Spirit. I believe that they are 3 distinct persons, one in purpose not in substance. They make up the one true Godhead."

God: "Infidel! Tou fool! Thou shalt be thrust down to the fiery lakes of Hell where tou wilt weep and wail and gnash thine teeth for eternity!!"

----------------
----------------

This is the mainstream Christians God, according to JohnT and many others.

I would just as soon be the second man than to spend an eternity in the presence of such an evil, conspiring, bigoted, and narcissistic god as the one the mainstream Christians are trying to pawn off to the LDS.

stemelbow

11-23-2009, 11:24 AM

Good point, Fig. I don't know how many un-trained mainstreamers feel the same way, fo course, but I can tell you I have met many who do/have. I'd say its more of a sign that the mainstreamer hasn't been taught the full concepts of their religious belief--something Russ, if consistent at all, should complain about but won't--or the person just can't accept the illogical Trinity explanation of the nature of God. Either way it seems many other mainstreamers won't consider such a person who believes God is a man, a Christian or part of their group. Thus the exclusivity and disunity of mainstreamism.

love,
stem

John T

11-23-2009, 11:55 AM

This is the mainstream Christians God, according to JohnT and many others...

I would just as soon be the second man than to spend an eternity in the presence of such an evil, conspiring, bigoted, and narcissistic god as the one the mainstream Christians are trying to pawn off to the LDS.

When you are able to engage in a civil discussion, then maybe we will deal with you.

Meanwhile, DO NOT PUT WRONG WORDS INTO MY POSTS THAT ARE NEITHER SAID, NOR IMPLIED.

That is as rude as it is juvenile.

Sentinus

11-23-2009, 11:59 AM

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

In response to all:

Most I know see absolutely NO reason to try and explain what God is. Our finite minds cannot comprehend things of infinite nature. All of our attempts to personify Him are in my opinion futile and will indeed fall short of what the glory of God really is.

Kind regards,
Sentinus

stemelbow

11-23-2009, 04:27 PM

Most I know see absolutely NO reason to try and explain what God is.

Indeed. If you are speaking about most mainstream Christians, I'd think the reason for that is because most of them think the explanation of what God is has already been made starting with the result of the council of Nicaea.

love,
stem

Billyray

11-23-2009, 06:36 PM

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

Christians believe that there are true born again believers who sit right next to non born again members of the same church each week, this is often referred to wheat and tares. The fact that your step mother left the Christian church would indicate that she was not truly born again and if this is true it would not surprise me at all that she has a false concept of the true God.

Russ

11-23-2009, 06:43 PM

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

Not common at all.

John 4:24 and Luke 24:39 put Mormonism's ideas of God being a man from a planet near a star called "Kolob" to rest.

Sentinus

11-23-2009, 06:50 PM

Indeed. If you are speaking about most mainstream Christians, I'd think the reason for that is because most of them think the explanation of what God is has already been made starting with the result of the council of Nicaea.

love,
stem

You missed part I think..

Our finite minds cannot comprehend things of infinite nature. All of our attempts to personify Him are in my opinion futile and will indeed fall short of what the glory of God really is.

This includes the attempts made at Nicaea for many I know.

Kind regards,
Sentinus

Vlad III

11-23-2009, 08:34 PM

When you are able to engage in a civil discussion, then maybe we will deal with you.

Meanwhile, DO NOT PUT WRONG WORDS INTO MY POSTS THAT ARE NEITHER SAID, NOR IMPLIED.

That is as rude as it is juvenile.

LOL...rude and juvenile?

Great!! I'm glad that you disagree that God will condemn people that believe and follow Christ but that do not believe the concept of the Trinity.

BTW, you don't have to like or accept my 'parody'. :)

stemelbow

11-24-2009, 11:40 AM

I guess i just gotta know all these most you know. I just haven't seen the same type of thinking among the mainstream crop.

love,
stem

Sentinus

11-24-2009, 11:42 AM

I guess i just gotta know all these most you know. I just haven't seen the same type of thinking among the mainstream crop.

love,
stem

You won't find them here amongst people who seek to expose their perceived problems with Mormonism, that's for sure. ;)

Seek and ye shall find my friend.

Kind regards,
Sentinus

theway

11-24-2009, 12:15 PM

Good question.

My guess is that at least 100% of the LDS-critics will say God is a spirit.Well… yes and no

Question to Critic:
“Do you believe that Jesus has an Eternal, glorified, incarnate, never to be separated from, body of flesh and bones?”

Critic:
“Yes”

Question to Critic:
“Do you worship Jesus as the one and only true God?”

Critic:
“Yes”

Observation to Critic:
“Then you worship a God with a body of flesh and bones.”

Critic:
“No, and kindly take your blasphemous ideas along to heck with you”

Rest of the Non-Orthodox Christian world:
“Huh… ?”

theway

11-24-2009, 12:22 PM

In response to all:

Most I know see absolutely NO reason to try and explain what God is. Our finite minds cannot comprehend things of infinite nature. All of our attempts to personify Him are in my opinion futile and will indeed fall short of what the glory of God really is.

Kind regards,
SentinusWell, therein lies the problem. You can not make a mystery the defining point of what you have to believe in to be a Christian.
But then again maybe you can, just don’t complain about how people perceive that mystery. For all you know they could be right.

Sentinus

11-24-2009, 02:57 PM

Well, therein lies the problem. You can not make a mystery the defining point of what you have to believe in to be a Christian.
But then again maybe you can, just don’t complain about how people perceive that mystery. For all you know they could be right.

Well, therein lies the problem.

Only for those that make it such

You can not make a mystery the defining point of what you have to believe in to be a Christian.

Christian = a belief in Jesus Christ.. Pretty simple if you ask me, all other stipulations, interpretation etc. Were imposed by man based on his limited and finite understandings. Jesus's call is a personal one with many and varied paths which lead to him. At least in my humble opinion. I believe Christ looks down and weeps at the pain caused in his name by well meaning people. "Mainstreamers and LDS alike..

For all you know they could be right.

Never said they weren't either..

Kind regards,
Sentinus

Bat-Man

11-24-2009, 03:02 PM

Christian = a belief in Jesus Christ..
Satan and his followers have "a belief in Jesus Christ".

Would you like to come up with a different, and better, definition now ?

theway

11-24-2009, 03:15 PM

Christian = a belief in Jesus Christ..
I would say,
Christian = Follower of Christ and his teachings

Sentinus

11-24-2009, 03:16 PM

Satan and his followers have "a belief in Jesus Christ".

Would you like to come up with a different, and better, definition now ?

I am sure others understand my meaning. But just for you, how about "Belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God by whose sacrifice All who accept it are redeemed and no longer found in sin, and by this sacrifice are no longer judged according to law. There is no condemnation in Christ.. I wrote the below poem perhaps it may add some clarity to my perspective, and to what the Spirit of God has lead me to understand.

DETAILS

I do, because He did,
Not because I should.

I emulate by choice,
an outward expression
of my gra***ude.
Compelled by no command.

There is glory in the law,
the law is not the glory.

His Love has set the prisoners free
Through no effort of their own.

Some act to receive,
I act because he gave,
And that makes all the difference.

(Jeremiah D.)

Kindest regards,
Sentinus

Bat-Man

11-24-2009, 03:47 PM

I am sure others understand my meaning. But just for you, how about "Belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God by whose sacrifice All who accept it are redeemed and no longer found in sin, and by this sacrifice are no longer judged according to law.
So are you saying that all a person needs to do to become a Christian is "accept" the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made ?

Please explain in what sense you believe a person should "accept" his sacrifice, and exactly what it was that you believe he was sacrificing ?

I accept the fact that the work of Jesus Christ was to save sinners, and I also accept the fact that a bunch of his corrupt and apostate people urged their Roman leader named Pontius Pilot to sentence him to die upon a cross, but I don't accept the sentence of Pontius Pilot or the urgings of his corrupt and apostate people who sanctioned his death, nor will I ever accept the idea that he needed to die on a cross.

His purpose in coming here was to live and to teach us how to live, not to die on a cross, and the fact that God sent him to help us knowing there would be wicked people who would urge that he be sentenced to death doesn't mean God approved of his death on that cross on which he did die.

There is no condemnation in Christ..
Christ is the key, Sentinus.

We are to worship and follow Jesus Christ by living our lives as he lived his, not accept his death as if his death is what saved us. His life is what saves us, and it saves us only if we live our lives as he did, and only to the extent that we live as he lived and still lives his life.

I wrote the below poem perhaps it may add some clarity to my perspective, and to what the Spirit of God has lead me to understand.
O.K.

DETAILS

I do, because He did,
Not because I should.
Okay. I think that as long as you do, that is enough.

I emulate by choice,
an outward expression
of my gra***ude.
Compelled by no command.
Okay.

I think that as long as you do as he did, as well as you can, that is enough.

There is glory in the law,
the law is not the glory.
Okay.

I think that as long as you give God the glory for the good you do, and know how to do, because of the example of Jesus Christ, that is enough.

His Love has set the prisoners free
Through no effort of their own.
Okay.

He did what he did, and you do what you do, and hopefully what he did combined with what you do is and will be enough to save you.

Some act to receive,
I act because he gave,
And that makes all the difference.
Okay.

I believe I can relate to everything you were talking about.

And now the question is: Was Jesus Christ, who is God, ever a man ?

... and is he now still a man who is also God ?

James Banta

11-24-2009, 05:12 PM

Fig-bearing Thistle

11-25-2009, 09:25 AM

I am not surprised that she is now LDS she never believed the scriptures for the beginning.. IHS jim

Maybe it's you who never believed the scriptures from the beginning.

Fig-bearing Thistle

11-25-2009, 09:30 AM

Christians believe that there are true born again believers who sit right next to non born again members of the same church each week, this is often referred to wheat and tares. The fact that your step mother left the Christian church would indicate that she was not truly born again and if this is true it would not surprise me at all that she has a false concept of the true God.

Ah. So...

That person sitting next to you in the pew, could be a tare.

The litmus test is to ask them if they believe God is a spirit w/o form. Depending on their yes or no answer, you will know if they are a tare or wheat.

Is this what you meant?

James Banta

11-25-2009, 11:59 AM

Maybe it's you who never believed the scriptures from the beginning.

Really the scripture says that God is one Lord.. It says that there was never another Gof formed nd never will be. It says that God doen't even know of another God.. But I am the one that doesn't believe the scriptures.. Your 'maybe' is like saying maybe the surface of the sun isn't hot... IHS jim

Billyray

11-25-2009, 12:04 PM

Ah. So...

That person sitting next to you in the pew, could be a tare.

Absolutely. Being born again is a work of God which results in our faith, repentance and good works. There are many people who go through the motions who are not truly born again, but this usually does not last as was the case with your step mother.

theway

11-25-2009, 12:57 PM

Absolutely. Being born again is a work of God which results in our faith, repentance and good works. There are many people who go through the motions who are not truly born again, but this usually does not last as was the case with your step mother.
So in your theology, a person can not really be sure whether or not they are saved?

Billyray

11-25-2009, 01:14 PM

So in your theology, a person can not really be sure whether or not they are saved?

No just the opposite, people who ARE born again know that they are born again and this results in a changed heart, desires, beliefs that are in line with Biblical teaching, and their subsequent works.

1 John 5: 13 "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

Do you KNOW that you will live with God the Father again? If you answered yes, why would God let you into heaven (LDS celestial kingdom)?

theway

11-25-2009, 01:31 PM

No just the opposite, people who ARE born again know that they are born again and this results in a changed heart, desires, beliefs that are in line with Biblical teaching, and their subsequent works.

1 John 5: 13 "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

Do you KNOW that you will live with God the Father again? If you answered yes, why would God let you into heaven (LDS celestial kingdom)?So again, my wife, as well as his step mother, who were both “Orthodox Christians” before they converted to LDS, must have known in their hearts they were not saved, but continued to go to their Orthodox Christian churches anyway?
Were they both just a couple of liers?

Billyray

11-25-2009, 01:39 PM

So again, my wife, as well as his step mother

Is your wife a man?

who were both “Orthodox Christians” before they converted to LDS, must have known in their hearts they were not saved, but continued to go to their Orthodox Christian churches anyway?
Were they both just a couple of liers?

If they were truly born again believes then why did they leave true Christianity for a false religion?

James Banta

11-25-2009, 03:31 PM

So again, my wife, as well as his step mother, who were both “Orthodox Christians” before they converted to LDS, must have known in their hearts they were not saved, but continued to go to their Orthodox Christian churches anyway?
Were they both just a couple of liers?

Your wife and HER mother never knew they had Eternal Life.. They didn't see salvation as a possession that Jesus had already given them (1 John 5:13).. If they had they wouldn't have been looking for another way to get what they already had.. I would say that many Sunday Morning Christians are that say way.. They never open their Bibles and never call on God in prayer unless tragedy comes into their life. They know of God but have never received Him as Lord and savior (John 1:12) given themselves to Him. But a child of God lives for Him in their life.. Allowing Him to use them for His glory. Following His commandment to come into the world with His word, and to reach out in love to those in need (Matthew 28:19-20) IHS jim

theway

11-25-2009, 03:39 PM

Is your wife a man?

Sorry was talking about Fig's Step Mother

If they were truly born again believes then why did they leave true Christianity for a false religion?Because they truly became born again.

Billyray

11-25-2009, 03:44 PM

Because they truly became born again.
What does born again mean to you?

Do you think the source of becoming born again is from man or from God?

theway

11-27-2009, 01:27 AM

Your wife and HER mother never knew they had Eternal Life.. They didn't see salvation as a possession that Jesus had already given them (1 John 5:13).. If they had they wouldn't have been looking for another way to get what they already had.. I would say that many Sunday Morning Christians are that say way.. They never open their Bibles and never call on God in prayer unless tragedy comes into their life. They know of God but have never received Him as Lord and savior (John 1:12) given themselves to Him. But a child of God lives for Him in their life.. Allowing Him to use them for His glory. Following His commandment to come into the world with His word, and to reach out in love to those in need (Matthew 28:19-20) IHS jim
Once again I meant Fig's step mother,
However, you appear to know absolutely nothing about my wife, I’m alone here with some of the kids on Thanksgiving because she is not one of those Sunday morning Christians, she practices what she preaches, she fasted on Thanksgiving, because she went off to help the homeless. When she left her other Church she did not do what so many here do, and become critics, in fact we usually go to her old “Orthodox Christian Church” about once every other month. The both of us are involved with multiple charities which requires us to get together with other types of churches and religions. She would put us in the poor house helping others if I let her. I’ve seen her put her life in danger many times to save others. Reads the Bible at least 2 hours a day, still speaks in tongues in her closet, prays and plays gospel all day. I only say this to show the type of person she has always been, before she was a member of the LDS church and after.
Needless to say, all those years when she went to the another church she was told she was saved, and she believed it.

Was she lying to herself , did she know in fact she wasn’t saved, but somehow kept it a secret even to herself?

Another true story… my old Bishop when he was young, before he was a member of the LDS church, felt the spirit, made the alter call, called for forgiveness of his sins, and went headlong into an Evangelical Church. At the time the minister told him he was saved, that no matter what he did, murder, rape, etc. he could not lose that salvation. He believed it with every fiber. He took Bible lessons and than became a Bible studies teacher. After that he felt the calling and became a youth minister for many years. He, like my wife was not lax in their helping people in need. One day someone gave him a Book of Mormon, he took it to his old minister and asked him what it was. His old minister told him to throw it away, that if he read it he would lose his salvation. That’s when the house of Evangelical cards came tumbling down. Like any reasonable person, he wondered how he could commit the most heinous crimes and still be saved, but simply reading a book would cause him to lose it all.

What about him, was he saved? He certainly believed so.

Another true tale, A critic of the LDS church far more knowledgeable and a most adamant anti Mormonist than anyone here, Like most critics here he would tell the LDS that they could be ***ured of their salvation as he was. He is now an LDS member.

Did he lose his salvation?

Libby over at CC was LDS, and then became an “Orthodox Christian” everybody hailed the fact that she was now saved and could be ***ured of that fact, and she believed she was. She then came back to the Church, so I posed the question over at CC as to whether she was still saved. The answer was that it was obvious that she must never have been saved to begin with. She is now no longer LDS again. She believes she is saved.

Is she fooling herself again?

I could go on and on, but here are four scenarios, and four questions. Saved or not saved?

contraeverything

11-27-2009, 07:54 AM

alanmolstad

10-12-2012, 04:21 PM

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?
Very, because it is correct in that God became flesh, the flesh of a human.

This is also why we teach that Mary was the mother of God.

We can say this knowing that God has no mother, yet for the salvation of men the Lord was born of a woman, and thus has a mother.

alanmolstad

01-27-2014, 11:13 AM

Very, because it is correct in that God became flesh, the flesh of a human.

This is also why we teach that Mary was the mother of God.

We can say this knowing that God has no mother, yet for the salvation of men the Lord was born of a woman, and thus has a mother.

So God is not man.
But God wrapped himself in our human flesh so that he could die.
But knowing this we must always understand that God is not able to die, nor is God flesh.

John T

01-27-2014, 10:59 PM

Very, because it is correct in that God became flesh, the flesh of a human.

This is also why we teach that Mary was the mother of God.

We can say this knowing that God has no mother, yet for the salvation of men the Lord was born of a woman, and thus has a mother.

That which you made bold is a ROMAN CATHOLIC TEACHING.

Although Nestorius, once an Archbishop of Constantinople was exiled to a monastery due to his christological heresies, it is my opinion that he did get the ***le of Mary correct. He called her "thetokos" meaning "God bearer". That is not 100% theologically correct, but it comes as close as possible to explaining that she was the vessel through which Jesus was born, and through which the curse of Satan in Genesis 3 was accomplished.

alanmolstad

01-28-2014, 03:50 AM

Mary gave birth to jesus ...and jesus is both god and man...this is the heart of catholic /christian teaching...

James Banta

01-28-2014, 09:13 AM

Mary gave birth to jesus ...and jesus is both god and man...this is the heart of catholic /christian teaching...

What are you trying to say here? If Jesus is 100% God then that is what He has always been forever and ever.. He became man by putting on flesh and dwelling among us.. Then we can say that Jesus is the Eternal God who is the Son only because of the flesh.. IHS jim

alanmolstad

01-28-2014, 09:57 AM

What are you trying to say here? ......That the Christian teaching is that Jesus is the God-Man....one person with two different natures.

Now the original post was dealing with the idea that some Christians were said to have the idea that God is a man...
And the truth is that you have to be careful to define your terms and provide some context, because we do in fact see in the Bible that Jesus is both 100% God and 100% man.

James Banta

01-28-2014, 11:38 AM

That the Christian teaching is that Jesus is the God-Man....one person with two different natures.

Now the original post was dealing with the idea that some Christians were said to have the idea that God is a man...
And the truth is that you have to be careful to define your terms and provide some context, because we do in fact see in the Bible that Jesus is both 100% God and 100% man.

There is a huge difference between a religion that teaches that God became a man and one that teaches that a man became a God, had spirit children one of whom became a God then became a man in order to allow other men to become gods.. So why do we even care to tell the LDS the truth about their doctrines, their church? Because Jesus commanded us to love them. Allowing them to go into eternity hoping in a false god and their own good works is not love.. IHS jim

Christian

01-28-2014, 03:02 PM

My step mother, (who was Baptist for 60-some years, but is now LDS), revealed to me the other day that while she was a Baptist, she always believed in her heart that God was a man, and not a spirit.

I wonder how common this belief is among mainstream Christian persons?

She must never have been a CHRISTIAN either. After all, you don't leave CHRISTIANITY to become a cultist if you were ever a CHRISTIAN.

Paul spoke about it:

1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
NKJV

For an unbeliever to have false beliefs is normal.

In Christ Jesus,
fish

alanmolstad

01-28-2014, 03:56 PM

neverending

01-28-2014, 04:37 PM

I cant judge the lady, all i know is that she was headed in the right direction and must have been mixed up....and I would tend to cut her some slack on this issue.

God was made made man, this is what the bible teaches.

So in Christ we do share in his humanity.
Thus there is room to give her the benefit of the doubt because she is not actually here to tell us for herself what she was talking about.

I believe that if a person is a Christian that this will not protect them from getting mixed up in teachings, and it is very easy to get mixed up with the JWs or Mormons or other cults due to family connections.

And who knows, perhaps in the case we are talking about here, that this lady felt she had to attend a Mormon church out of simple loyalty to her family, but that she also likely considered the Mormon's teachings nuts.

May I share with you. I was born and raised a Mormon. There were several doctrines as a member that I couldn't except. What I can tell you is this, when I left Mormonism it was devastating to my parents, since I was the youngest and the only daughter but accepting Christ as my Savior was more important then making my parents happy. I was put through hell by my mother who called me everyday to rack me over the coals and would question me as to why I didn't love them and why did I do that to them. For a short time I was feeling guilty but one day as I was reading the scriptures I ran across this verse: Matt. 10:37, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.…" This verse helped me so much for I knew without a doubt that my thoughts and living my life was for Christ, not my parents, and not a church.

alanmolstad

01-28-2014, 07:32 PM

cool story....

neverending

01-29-2014, 08:51 AM

She must never have been a CHRISTIAN either. After all, you don't leave CHRISTIANITY to become a cultist if you were ever a CHRISTIAN.

Paul spoke about it:

1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
NKJV

For an unbeliever to have false beliefs is normal.

In Christ Jesus,
fish

I totally agree with you on this point. There is a poster here, who was once a Baptist but became a Mormon. Was this person ever saved, ever a Christian? How can a person who has a heart knowledge of our Savior, EVER leave that saving knowledge and join a cult? Guess this person never was listening to what was being taught or at the time it didn't mean anything to them. Very sad. We were told by Christ: James 2:19, "You believe that there is one God; you do well: the demons also believe, and tremble." So, if demons believe, we know they are NOT saved. They have a head knowledge is all and that will get them no where in the end. Unfortunately, the LDS don't even believe what demons do, for they believe in many gods and believe that they too can become a god if they live and obey ALL their churches laws and ordinances and endure to the end. Guess, our Savior's death on the cross means nothing to them :(

Snow Patrol

01-29-2014, 10:59 AM

I totally agree with you on this point. There is a poster here, who was once a Baptist but became a Mormon. Was this person ever saved, ever a Christian? How can a person who has a heart knowledge of our Savior, EVER leave that saving knowledge and join a cult? Guess this person never was listening to what was being taught or at the time it didn't mean anything to them. Very sad. We were told by Christ: James 2:19, "You believe that there is one God; you do well: the demons also believe, and tremble." So, if demons believe, we know they are NOT saved. They have a head knowledge is all and that will get them no where in the end. Unfortunately, the LDS don't even believe what demons do, for they believe in many gods and believe that they too can become a god if they live and obey ALL their churches laws and ordinances and endure to the end. Guess, our Savior's death on the cross means nothing to them :(

Then by the same token could we say that you were never really a Mormon?

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 01:25 PM

what the Bible teaches is that if a person is a true believer, that they will not ever lose this salvation.
However the Christian can fall into all kinds of error and will be disiplined by the Lord for this...but because our salvation is the Lord's word we never lose our salvation.

Yet, people that were once sure "looking" like they were christian do fall into false teachings and end up in Cults like the Mormons, JWs, Moonies, etc,

What the Bible teaches is that such people were never really Christian in the first place.
The might have said the right words, but the seed never took hold in their hearts.

So this is why we might hear that a person who used to go to a Christian church now ended up going to a false religion.

What I try to keep in mind however is that the Bible is also very clear that the calling to come to the Church goes out to all men.
And that you will always find the Lord with open arms should you hear His voice, and repent and believe in the Son of God.

So that is why I always try to offer a wise word for people to reexamine their faith in light of our christian teachings.
To be ready to answer any questions they might have about my own faith.
And to try to go the extra mile for the unbelievers that try to task me.

Phoenix

01-29-2014, 01:32 PM

what the Bible teaches is that if a person is a true believer, that they will not ever lose this salvation.
How does a person gain the knowledge that he or she is a true believer? In other words, how does a person know that he or she will never fall away at some point in the future? Can we see the future, and thus know that in the future we remain a true believer?

Or is your statement "if a person is a true believer, that they will not ever lose this salvation" meant to be conditional promise, where we can be confident in the promised salvation that will be ours if we do our part and remain faithful--so it's more a case of a covenant, where the person has faith that God will keep His promise as long as we keep our promise to remain true to Him?

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 01:40 PM

If my salvation is maintained via my own actions, Im sunk.....LOL :)

There is no way I will ever be sinless enough to earn my salvation.

There is no good act I can ever do that will counterbalance the sin in life.

the things my spirit wants to do, I fail at.
The things I know I should not do, I do anyway.

This is why the Lord's sheep do not get lost or stolen....because the Good Shepherd will go looking for us, and find us, and carry us back.
The Good Shepherd never returns empty-handed.
And when found, the little sheep is carried home...(does not return under his or her own power)

thus....to know if you are "found" you stay close to god's word.
Within God's word you find Him...

So I never need to worry about the future, Because God is already there!

The bible tells us that the work the Lord is doing in you, He will Finish it!

The work will not be left half finished...

At your baptism you die in Christ.
The law held the living, but the dead are beyond the hold of the law.
You rise from the baptism waters and are a new creature in God's eyes.

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 01:58 PM

I will tell you a story about what I'm trying to say:
--------------------------------------------------------

If I were walking and heard you calling out for help,
And I ran over to you only to find you had fallen down into a deep hole in the ground,
what I would do would be to look around for a strong rope to lower to you.

What you would need to do is simply grab the rope and allow me to pull you out.

(Thats kinda what the Church does when it offers the Truth to the Mormon.)

Now when I get you out of the hole you are going to be kinda "dusty" to be sure.
After all, you were down in the hole a while.

So its expected that you are going to be very dusty.
But the important thing to remember is -

"You are saved"

Dusty?...to be sure, but safe none the less.

In the context of the person who might be now in a Cult, what Im saying is that it is to be expected that even after a person has come out of the Mormons that there is still a good chance that a few Mormon teachings with cling to the person still.

This is to be expected...

After all, the former Mormon was in the cult for a long time.
They may have family who are Mormons....or other connections.

But I try to remember that we don't toss the baby out with the bathwater.

and so while I will try to help the person clean themselves of all the smaller Mormon false teachings that they might still struggle with, the Big Thing to keep in mind is - They are saved!

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 02:10 PM

I hope that answers your questions about the "if"....

The important thing I try to tell people about my own salvation is that "if" its up to me to do stuff to keep myself saved?...Im sunk!

If anyone in the christian church was required to maintain enough good works that it somehow 'added up', to a sum total high enough to earn our salvation?....the whole church is doomed

Thus salvation I have in Christ is not earned by me or my good deeds....nor maintained by me and my good deeds.

I'm saved not because of my good works...I'm saved in order to perform my good works.

My works do not save me.
My works do not cause my salvation.
My good works reveal my salvation.

So what is the strong connection between works and faith?
The connection is that with one you always get the other.

an example:
Faith = car motor running
Works = the sound of the motor running

Does the sound cause the motor to run?....no
But can the motor run without the sound heard?....no

So what does it mean to the motor if there is no sound heard?...it means the motor is off.

So to sum up...
works do not save us, but works always appear with faith...for faith without works is like a motor turned off,,,,,it has no sound....

ok?

Phoenix

01-29-2014, 02:16 PM

If I were walking and heard you calling out for help,
And I ran over to you only to find you had fallen down into a deep hole in the ground,
what I would do would be to look around for a strong rope to lower to you.

What you would need to do is simply grab the rope and allow me to pull you out.

(Thats kinda what the Church does when it offers the Truth to the Mormon.)

Now when I get you out of the hole you are going to be kinda "dusty" to be sure.
After all, you were down in the hole a while.

So its expected that you are going to be very dusty.
But the important thing to remember is -

"You are saved"

What if there was a person named "Bart" who, as a young man, believed he was in the hole, so he called out to Jesus to pull him out, and he was grateful to Jesus for saving him, and he said "I know am now saved" but later, as he studied the Bible more closely, he ended up an agnostic?

If you'd asked him when he was 20 years old "Do you know you are saved" he would have said "Yes, and there's no way I will ever end up losing my salvation."

But if you ask him now, he would say "I don't even believe that Jesus saved anyone."

So back to my question: Is it possible to know that in your future, you will remain a faithful believer until the day you die?

John T

01-29-2014, 02:20 PM

Mary gave birth to jesus ...and jesus is both god and man...this is the heart of catholic /christian teaching...

The Roman Catholic Encyclopedia says:
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ the mother of God. [THIS IS THE FIRST SENTENCE IN THE ARTICLE]

As to Mary, St. Luke (1:34) tells us that she answered the angel announcing the birth of Jesus Christ: "how shall this be done, because I know not man". These words can hardly be understood, unless we ***ume that Mary had made a vow of virginity; for, when she spoke them, she was betrothed to St. Joseph. [41] The most opportune occasion for such a vow was her presentation in the Temple. As some of the Fathers admit that the faculties of St. John the Baptist were prematurely developed by a special intervention of God's power, we may admit a similar grace for the child of Joachim and Anna. [42].....

Mary's Divine motherhood is based on the teaching of the Gospels, on the writings of the Fathers, and on the express definition of the Church. St. Matthew (1:25) testifies that Mary "brought forth her first-born son" and that He was called Jesus. According to St. John (1:15) Jesus is the Word made flesh, the Word Who ***umed human nature in the womb of Mary. As Mary was truly the mother of Jesus, and as Jesus was truly God from the first moment of His conception, Mary is truly the mother of God. Even the earliest Fathers did not hesitate to draw this conclusion as may be seen in the writings of St. Ignatius [72], St. Irenaeus [73], and Tertullian [74]. The contention of Nestorius denying to Mary the ***le "Mother of God" [75] was followed by the teaching of the Council of Ephesus proclaiming Mary to be Theotokos in the true sense of the word. [76]

[41] cf. Aug., de santa virginit., I, 4, P.L., XL, 398
[42] cf. Luke, i, 41; Tertullian, de carne Christi, 21, P.L., II, 788; St. Ambr., de fide, IV, 9, 113, P.L., XVI, 639; St. Cyril of Jerus., Catech., III, 6, P.G., XXXIII, 436

[72] ad Ephes., 7, P.G., V, 652
[73] adv. haer., III, 19, P.G., VIII, 940, 941
[74] Against Praxeas 27 (http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0317.htm)
[75] Serm. I, 6, 7, P.G., XLVIII, 760-761
[76] Cf. Ambr., in Luc. II, 25, P.L., XV, 1521; St. Cyril of Alex., Apol. pro XII cap.; c. Julian., VIII; ep. ad Acac., 14; P.G., LXXVI, 320, 901; LXXVII, 97; John of Antioch, ep. ad Nestor., 4, P.G., LXXVII, 1456; Theodoret, haer. fab., IV, 2, P.G., LXXXIII, 436; St. Gregory Nazianzen, ep. ad Cledon., I, P.G., XXXVII, 177; Proclus, hom. de Matre Dei, P.G., LXV, 680; etc. Among recent writers must be noticed Terrien, La mère de Dieu et la mere des hommes, Paris, 1902, I, 3-14; Turnel, Histoire de la théologie positive, Paris, 1904, 210-211.

from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15464b.htm

Since that seems to be important to you, I researched the article for you, I thought iit would be a deciding factor to see exactly how the Roman Catholics view Mary.

Since God the Son, Holy Spirit and the Father are always God, having no beginning nor creation point, it is a theological oxymoron to call Mary "the Mother of God"

As to this from your post #44

God was made made man, this is what the bible teaches.

The Bible does NOT teach that.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Verse 6 says that there never was a time that Jesus was not God
Verse 7 indicates that Jesus added to his divinity, the nature of a man
Verse 8 tells us that this was called, "The humiliation of Christ"

So now you have it in context, and more important, you know why the terms that you used in posts # 39 and 44 are incorrect, according to Scripture.

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 02:23 PM

Bart is 6 years old.....and kneels by his bed and says the "Believer's prayer' and takes the lord into his heart.
At that moment, that young boy has p***ed forever from death onto Life.

Forever!

yes, as time goes on the boy may become a man who drifts away....

But when the Lord looks at all the life of Bart, regardless of the sins that came into his life, or the pain he struggled with, God will always see a little 6 year old child kneeling by his bed and offering his life to his Lord...

There are NO Abortions in God's family.

When I became a Christian at my baptism God already knew the end from the beginning.
God was not offering me a 'conditional salvation"

I received Life everlasting....because all the other forms of salvation are fake!

Only the salvation that can last forever regardless of my sins, is worth talking about...worth dieing on a cross to bring to me...and the only one I claim.

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 02:28 PM

John T

Jesus is 100% god Almighty
Mary is Jesus's mom
and unless Jesus is as fully human as I am his death is meaningless.

that's all Im saying....

Snow Patrol

01-29-2014, 02:54 PM

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 03:18 PM

always here to help!

Snow Patrol

01-29-2014, 03:58 PM

always here to help!

You have a different perspective here. Most of your fellow critics of the LDS Church would say that if I'm truly saved then I would leave the LDS Church. You say even a 6 year old can be saved and then it really doesn't matter what happens after that. Very interesting.

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 04:29 PM

You have a different perspective here. .....

If you are looking to find some guy to compare me to around here?..Then I suggest we look to Walter Martin!

I would love to have you compare my views to the views of Walter Martin!

SnowPatrol, pick a topic that Walter Martin taught on or has a recording on, and ask me my views on the same topic and lets see how I do?....

neverending

01-29-2014, 05:46 PM

Then by the same token could we say that you were never really a Mormon?

Snow,
As I look back over my life and the religion I was raised in, I will say, I was a Mormon, I was one because that's what my parents were but I never believed in several of its doctrines. So to say I wasn't a TBM, I never was one and I have many reasons as to why I wasn't. I went through the motions, did many things to make my parents happy but in my heart I really didn't care and ALWAYS felt different; ALWAYS felt like an outsider. Do you know what it feels like to go to church and not feel like you belong, that your peers look down their noses at you and never allow you to be their friend? That is all I can say. I can tell you that I know with everything that is in me that God had His plan for me, His Holy Spirit was speaking to me from the time I was a young girl; I didn't know it at the time til I went to the temple to be married. So sure, say that I never really was a Mormon for that doesn't upset me in the least.

Christian

01-29-2014, 05:49 PM

Alan posted:
I cant judge the lady, all i know is that she was headed in the right direction and must have been mixed up....and I would tend to cut her some slack on this issue.

On the basis of SCRIPTURE, I can:
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
NKJV

God was made made man, this is what the bible teaches.

You need to re-read Philippians 6. He TOOK ON THE FORM OF a man. The Holy Spirit and the Father never became man. Jesus took on the form. He never ceased to be God.

So in Christ we do share in his humanity.
Thus there is room to give her the benefit of the doubt because she is not actually here to tell us for herself what she was talking about.

Scripture STILL says of her and folks like her:

1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
NKJV

I believe that if a person is a Christian that this will not protect them from getting mixed up in teachings, and it is very easy to get mixed up with the JWs or Mormons or other cults due to family connections.

John 6:38-40
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
NKJV

Jesus doesn't lose ANY Christians to satan.

And who knows, perhaps in the case we are talking about here, that this lady felt she had to attend a Mormon church out of simple loyalty to her family, but that she also likely considered the Mormon's teachings nuts.

And maybe she had three heads! Perhaps she even had wings and a beak!

You may believe your suppositions. I will stick with SCRiPTURE.

in Jesus Christ,
morefish

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 09:01 PM

Neverending, that was a very moving story you have given to Snow, thanks for posting it....

John T

01-29-2014, 09:23 PM

John T

Jesus is 100% god Almighty
Mary is Jesus's mom
and unless Jesus is as fully human as I am his death is meaningless.

that's all Im saying....

Alan, when you posted this below, you are stating something quite different from what you just posted above:

http://www.waltermartin.com/forums/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by alanmolstad http://www.waltermartin.com/forums/images/****ons/viewpost-right.png (http://www.waltermartin.com/forums/showthread.php?p=136253#post136253)

Very, because it is correct in that God became flesh, the flesh of a human.

This is also why we teach that Mary was the mother of God.

We can say this knowing that God has no mother, yet for the salvation of men the Lord was born of a woman, and thus has a mother.

You are mixing quite a few things up here.

In today's post you are dealing with the issue of soteriology, or how a person is saved through the vicarious (subs***utionary) death of Jesus for our sins

In the post of a few days ago, you are dealing with the nature of divinity, meaning God Himself. When you use the phrase "Mother of God" you are getting into all sorts of false theologies about Jesus not being pre-existant, and you are also "dabbling in mormonism" when you seem to indicate by the usage of that phrase, that a person can become a god if his mother was a virgin.

YES, I KNOW THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU BELIEVE!

However, I draw out the conclusions of where your words lead, so you can see why Protestants do not use that phrase.

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 09:32 PM

John T, if you ever have a question about anything, just ask!

alanmolstad

01-29-2014, 09:37 PM

neverending, so where do things stand now in your life?

Have you found a way to get along with the people you listed?

Christian

01-30-2014, 08:26 AM

EXCELLENT post! Mormons won't listen though. . .they never do. They aren't interested in GOD'S Word, but only in their religion.

In Jesus,
fish

neverending

01-30-2014, 09:13 AM

neverending, so where do things stand now in your life?

Have you found a way to get along with the people you listed?

alan, this is a very sensitive subject for me. All I can say is this, I never see any of the people I mentioned. My parents are dead. Others were never a part of my life even though I tried to be friends and forced to attend church with them and school. What I learned was to ignore those people but the hurt is always there even though most of the time those feelings are pushed way down until I run into a rude, thoughtless Mormon here.
What is important is knowing I belong to Jesus Christ, that I am born again and His love for me will never fail. I lean on His promise, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

alanmolstad

01-30-2014, 09:28 AM

neverending : That was likely the best way to go...

Apologette

02-02-2014, 01:49 PM

Apologette

02-02-2014, 01:51 PM

If you are looking to find some guy to compare me to around here?..Then I suggest we look to Walter Martin!

I would love to have you compare my views to the views of Walter Martin!

SnowPatrol, pick a topic that Walter Martin taught on or has a recording on, and ask me my views on the same topic and lets see how I do?....
baptismal regeneration for one. Are you Lutheran?

alanmolstad

02-02-2014, 04:45 PM

baptismal regeneration for one. Are you Lutheran?

on the road now...typing with a kendle is the pits

alanmolstad

02-02-2014, 04:49 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT-8_VDMERo
is what i believe

alanmolstad

02-02-2014, 05:46 PM

You believe in baptismal regeneration?

As Walter martin makes very clear, the baptism of a person is an outward sign that salvation has come into the person's heart.
This is why people in the Bible are clearly saved and Christian, yet had not yet been baptized.

Now for some different christian churches we see them teach that "You must be baptized', however I also know that within the teachings of a church like the Catholic church they also do have a 2nd teaching that holds that if a person was seeking to be baptized yet is unable to be baptized and dies, God will take this into account.
Thus even for Catholics if being baptized was truly 100% needed to be saved, then God could not take our faith into account...

Apologette

02-02-2014, 06:21 PM

As Walter martin makes very clear, the baptism of a person is an outward sign that salvation has come into the person's heart.
This is why people in the Bible are clearly saved and Christian, yet had not yet been baptized.

Now for some different christian churches we see them teach that "You must be baptized', however I also know that within the teachings of a church like the Catholic church they also do have a 2nd teaching that holds that if a person was seeking to be baptized yet is unable to be baptized and dies, God will take this into account.
Thus even for Catholics if being baptized was truly 100% needed to be saved, then God could not take our faith into account...

You're Catholic? I was raised Anglican, and one of the very things that taught me that baptismal regeneration was untrue is the state of the Episcopal Church today. I was rebaptized as a believer in the ***embly of God. However, we are saved by faith, not by water baptism.

alanmolstad

02-02-2014, 06:28 PM

You're Catholic? I was raised Anglican, .

I was baptised catholic, but also raised Anglican....and then the story goes on from there.

alanmolstad

02-02-2014, 06:29 PM

.... baptismal regeneration was untrue is the state of the Episcopal Church today....

You are right on the money there....

alanmolstad

02-02-2014, 09:09 PM

anything else?

Apologette

02-03-2014, 08:39 AM

anything else?

Baptism is the outward and visible sign of the inward, invisible grace according to the BCP. However, it does not, of itself, save anybody. What better example do we have than what happened to the Episcopal Church which fell into total apostasy? Water did nothing for these guys - there never was any regeneration. So, in my mind at least, and according to the Bible I read, faith, by grace, must come prior to baptism, although I can understand why some baptized as infants and who come to saving faith do not necessarily believe that they need to be re-baptized. Have you read "Nine O'Clock in the Morning" by Fr. Bennett?

James Banta

02-03-2014, 09:59 AM

Baptism is the outward and visible sign of the inward, invisible grace according to the BCP. However, it does not, of itself, save anybody. What better example do we have than what happened to the Episcopal Church which fell into total apostasy? Water did nothing for these guys - there never was any regeneration. So, in my mind at least, and according to the Bible I read, faith, by grace, must come prior to baptism, although I can understand why some baptized as infants and who come to saving faith do not necessarily believe that they need to be re-baptized. Have you read "Nine O'Clock in the Morning" by Fr. Bennett?

What is more important for this channel is the issue of authority to baptize.. Any believer male, female, rich, poor, ordained, or lay can in the name of Jesus baptize a new believer. To do so, Biblically, there is no special authority required.. Did the great commission include only the Apostles or does it extend to all believers? IHS jim

James Banta

02-03-2014, 10:06 AM

Then by the same token could we say that you were never really a Mormon?

Stop it, that makes me way too happy! IHS jim

Apologette

02-03-2014, 10:35 AM

What is more important for this channel is the issue of authority to baptize.. Any believer male, female, rich, poor, ordained, or lay can in the name of Jesus baptize a new believer. To do so, Biblically, there is no special authority required.. Did the great commission include only the Apostles or does it extend to all believers? IHS jim
Yes, any true believer who is baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost can actually baptize another person, although in sacramental churches this is usually done by an ordained minister. But, if need be, any baptized person has authority to baptize someone who has truly repented and accepted Christ as their Savior.

James Banta

02-03-2014, 11:27 AM

Yes, any true believer who is baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost can actually baptize another person, although in sacramental churches this is usually done by an ordained minister. But, if need be, any baptized person has authority to baptize someone who has truly repented and accepted Christ as their Savior.

If we look at the NT Apollos was baptizing even before he became aware of the Holy Spirit.. Paul didn't stop Apollos, he just corrected him.. Apollos became a great Christian missionary.. IHS jim

dberrie2000

10-25-2016, 02:11 PM

Berean

01-11-2017, 10:14 AM

God: "You lived a faithful life. Served your neighbors. Worshipped me. Tried to follow the Savior Jesus Christ in your thoughts words and deeds. Do you believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one substance in 3 beings, or aka. the Trinity?"

Man: "Yes."

God: "Well-done. You may enter into my rest."

----------

God: ""You lived a faithful life. Served your neighbors. Worshipped me. Tried to follow the Savior Jesus Christ in your thoughts words and deeds. Do you believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one substance in 3 beings, or aka. the Trinity?"

Man: "I believe in the Father, the Son and also the Holy Spirit. I believe that they are 3 distinct persons, one in purpose not in substance. They make up the one true Godhead."

God: "Infidel! Tou fool! Thou shalt be thrust down to the fiery lakes of Hell where tou wilt weep and wail and gnash thine teeth for eternity!!"

----------------
----------------

This is the mainstream Christians God, according to JohnT and many others.

I would just as soon be the second man than to spend an eternity in the presence of such an evil, conspiring, bigoted, and narcissistic god as the one the mainstream Christians are trying to pawn off to the LDS.

Nonsense.

The Book of Mormon makes the same claims as Christianity:

One God manifest in Three Persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
God is Spirit;
Faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation,
no preexistence for man;
Salvation without baptism;
Heaven or hell, not three kingdoms;
Polygamy is condemned; etc.

2 Nephi 26:12 And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;

Mosiah 3:5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.

Alma 7: 10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

Discourses of Brigham Young, p.30
The Holy Ghost, we believe, is one of the characters that form the Trinity, or the Godhead.

Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p.61
Now I repeat-the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, he cons***utes the third person in the Trinity, the Godhead

Hugh B. Brown, The Abundant Life, p.312
In our Articles of Faith we declare our belief in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost-in other words, the Trinity. We accept the scriptural doctrine that they are separate and distinct personages. This is one distinguishing and, to some, disturbing doctrine of the Church.

Hugh B. Brown, The Abundant Life, p.313
Surely this was not ventriloquism where Christ was speaking to and of himself. It was the Father introducing His Son. In this case, the members of the Holy Trinity manifested themselves, each in a different way, and each was distinct from the others. A similar event occurred on the Mount of Transfiguration when members of the Godhead were distinguished in the presence of Moses and Elias, and Peter, James, and John.

James R. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, Vol.4, p.264
From these statements, and from many others that might be quoted, it is clear that Adam and Christ are two persons-not the same Person. It is erroneous doctrine to consider them one and the same person, for Jesus is the Christ, a member of the Trinity, the God-head, and to whom Adam, the father of the human family upon this earth, is amenable. Adam will have to account for his stewardship to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whose blood atones for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam.
James R. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, Vol.6, p.236

J. Reuben Clark Jr. Second Counselor to the LDS First Presidency speaking to diversified audience in the mid 1940s speaks of God in terms of the Trinity-God has revealed to us that he is the Father of all, and that he loves and cares forth righteous everywhere, and seeks ever to bring back the wayward to his ways. He has made known that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Redeemer of the World, the First Fruits of the Resurrection. He has shown to us that as Jesus died, lay in the tomb, and was resurrected, so shall it be with every son and daughter of God. He has manifested to us that he is a person, that Christ is another person, and that the Holy Ghost is a third person, and that these make
the Trinity of the Godhead

Another explanation is found in Answers to Gospel Questions Vol. 3 pp 98-99 under Counsel given by President Charles W. Penrose:

Now, some of our brethren have taken up quite a discussion as to the fulness of the everlasting gospel. We are told that the Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the gospel, that those who like to get up a dispute, say that the Book of Mormon does not contain any reference to the work of salvation for the dead, and that there are many other things pertaining to the gospel that are not developed in that book, and yet we are told that the book contains "the fulness of the everlasting gospel." well what is the fulnesspel? You read carefully the revelation in regard to the three glories, section 76, in the Doctrine and Covanants, and you find there defined what the gospel is, There God the Eternal Father, and Jesus Christ, his son, and the Holy Ghost, are held up as the three persons in the Trinity-the one God the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, all three being one God. When people believe in that doctrine and obey the ordinances which are spoken of in the same list of principals, you get the fulness of the gospel for this reason: General Conference Report, April 1922, pp 27-28.

Don't you read the Book of Mormon or attend Conference? You tell everyone else to.