(The following is an updated article from 2008. The original addressed the then-new movement of “Born-Again Mormon” led by founder Shawn McCraney and endorsed by prominent Christian professors at Dallas Theological Seminary. Some of the details—removed from this update—are no longer are relevant, as the movement died out and Mr. McCraney returned to Mormonism recently. However, the principles still apply today, where we have well-known Christians in public ministry partnering with the Mormon Church.)
It’s sad and alarming when Mormonism is endorsed or supported by prominent Christian leaders as simply another branch of Christianity. Even more troubling is when Christian organizations, churches, or businesses link up with Mormon organizations, congregations, or businesses in spiritually-focused projects. They may have good intentions, but they have no real understanding of Mormon doctrine, and likely no personal experience as former cultists.
To a devoted Mormon affiliations between Christian churches, leaders, or celebrities and the LDS Church implies acceptance of Mormonism into mainstream Christianity. Their partnership is doctrinally confusing. For example, how can a person be born of the Holy Spirit and partake of a sacrament that mocks our Lord and His atonement? The Mormon Church has replaced the representative wine or juice from the vine with water. Jesus turned water into the wine and the LDS Church has turned wine into water!
Each week when Mormons take the sacrament/communion, they are renewing the covenants they made at baptism. Mormons are not baptized into Christ, but into membership of the Mormon Church. Mormon baptism is the first requirement on the way to “exaltation” (godhood). Furthermore, baptism (and the blessing of the sacrament/communion) is performed by one holding a false priesthood. The LDS member, through the weekly partaking of the sacrament, is renewing a covenant to follow the Jesus of Mormonism (Lucifer’s and humanity’s spirit brother, whose atonement is not enough to cover all sins).
Even though the Christian may not believe in the Mormon Jesus, his participation in partnering with the Mormon Church in spiritual or religious projects implies approval of a false christ and false doctrines to those around him. LDS members who see this regular participation are having their testimonies of Mormonism further strengthened.
Believers and followers of the biblical Christ need to adhere to Paul’s instruction, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? […] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you”(2 Corinthians 6:14-15, 17).
Another situation which causes more harm than good, is when Christians leaders encourage Mormon converts to Christianity to remain in their local LDS congregation and retain their their membership. Naturally, it is much easier to stay in the Mormon Church than to become estranged from LDS family, friends, and loved ones. There is heartache and an overwhelming sense of loss when a person leaves the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It must be realized, however, that belief in the authentic Jesus Christ causes division, even in families, yet we are commanded to “take up our cross and follow Him” (Matt. 16:24)!
Our Lord and Savior queried, “Do you think I came to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I came to divide it. From now on, a family with five people will be divided, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Luke 12:51-53).
A grievous disservice is being done to our new brothers and sisters in Christ when we encourage them to remain in a false religion. It is also a tremendous disservice to Christians in general when we endorse or approve of a movement that tries to yoke believers and unbelievers together in matters of worship. Above all else our declaration should be, “Choose you this day whom ye shall serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
Think about who or what is being served when a person trusts the biblical Jesus for salvation but stays in a false religious system. It’s typically the false religion that is being served because it keeps their membership numbers up and lends credibility to their organization. To maintain participation in an organization that leads people to hell through deception and indoctrination in damnable heresies dishonors God and courts spiritual disaster.
“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” (2 John 1:9-11).
We can infer from the apostle John’s writing that it’s also sharing in the evil deeds of others when we regularly participate (abide) in acts of worship that are intended to honor false deities, albeit our thoughts are on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To “dwell” in a house of worship which promotes a false gospel, false christ, and false teachings is nothing less than transgression.
May we be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16).
Following is a response to a question about the Born again Mormon movement in the Q & A section of The Berean Call (Dave Hunt & T.A. McMahon, May 2006) (Posted with permission) (This article is no longer available on their website):
QUESTION: I found an organization on a website whose members call themselves “Born-Again Mormons.” They claim to be true Christians who reject most of the doctrines of Mormonism, and their Statement of Beliefs looks pretty good. But one of their main philosophies is that they must remain in the Mormon Church in order to evangelize the lost within that body. Is this possible? What do you know about them?
ANSWER: Some saved Catholics also say they want to remain in their Church to evangelize. It doesn’t make sense. One’s very presence at Mass or during the sacraments of the Mormon Church implies full agreement therewith. And how could one partake without endorsing the false doctrines underlying the sacraments? Impossible! A Catholic partaking of Mass is eating a “Christ” who is still suffering, is being immolated and offered for sin, did not pay the full price of our redemption on the Cross, and has been turned into billions of wafers to be ingested repeatedly into the stomachs of members to propitiate their sins.
Likewise, the Mormon partaking of the sacraments is agreeing with church teaching behind them and with the prayers and hymns; that Christ is a created being and half-brother of Lucifer (actually there is an unlimited number of “Christs” and “Lucifers” out there somewhere on an infinite number of other “earths”) who could not and did not pay the full penalty for sin through His death; that one must work for one’s salvation, which is exaltation to godhood, etc. Yet the head of this movement says he partakes of the Mormon sacraments while opposing the doctrines upon which they are founded.
Furthermore, the sacraments are forbidden by official church doctrine to any non-member or even to a member not in good standing, but he has found a local church that winks at official rules. Contradictions abound! The leader of the group was, at his request, excommunicated several years ago, but now is trying to get back in to “evangelize” from within, so he once rejected what he now wants us to accept. Obviously, to stay in the Mormon Church (or the Catholic Church, et al.) gives the appearance of approval. In fact, “Born again Mormons” do approve of the church and its activities but not of its doctrines, and they imagine they can change the latter from within:
“We believe that the doctrinal LDS Church is in error but that the physical organization remains beneficial. We are not out to destroy the physical church but seek to confront and help remove any doctrines which demand anything more than faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.”
Yet the church is founded upon and embodies its doctrines. Belonging to the church requires approval of its doctrines. One cannot oppose the foundation while supporting what is built upon it. Nor can one attend and participate without seeming to approve the doctrines upon which church services and activities are based. The website says, “We seek to overthrow any and all non-biblical LDS doctrine and replace it with Christian Truths from a position of activity inside the Church.” This is self-contradictory and self-defeating.
Furthermore, like the Watchtower (Jehovah’s Witnesses) the Mormon Church is a cult. Anyone who openly questions its false Christ, false salvation, and other false doctrines (much less opposes them) would be excommunicated just as one would be excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church for openly opposing its false gospel. A true Christian could only remain inside the Mormon Church dishonestly and in dishonor of his Lord.
The website, bornagainmormon.com, argues that just as “Jack-Mormon” is an accepted term to Mormons, so “Born-again Mormon may be applied in a similar way.” No, the two terms are not similar at all: “Jack Mormon” is a Mormon who doesn’t practice; “born-again Mormon” is one who isn’t a Mormon but pretends to be. The website goes on to explain: “we use the term Mormon the way a Jew uses the word Jew, a woman uses the term Woman, or a South African uses the title of South African.” But the analogy fails. One is born a Jew, woman, South African—a fact that has nothing to do with one’s beliefs. Though some Mormons say they were born Mormons, to be a Mormon is a matter of one’s beliefs, not birth. These people seem to be sincere Christians, but they are very confused and are confusing Mormons and non-Mormons alike.
Recently on TV the leader said: “I am not going to…try to discern whether you are talking about the real Jesus or the false Jesus. When you say you are talking about Jesus I believe that opens the door to the true Jesus Christ.” This could not be more irrational and unbiblical! Paul said that believing in “another Jesus [and] another gospel” opens the door not to truth but to devilish error (2 Cor 11:2-4)! The same leader also said that he would “not use Bible verses or talk about doctrine…[but] just talk about Jesus.” So the Word of God is avoided because the truth might offend! But one cannot “talk about Jesus” except as defined by sound doctrine. Furthermore, Peter declares that we are “born again…by the Word of God…which by the gospel is preached” (1 Pt 1:23-25). This group claims to oppose the false doctrines of the Mormon Church—but how can Mormonism be effectively opposed without communicating that fact and presenting the truth from the Bible?! Confusion, confusion!
Here we have one more example of apparently well-meaning Christians hoping to get people saved with an inoffensive gospel that can’t save. We have given many examples, from Joel Osteen’s Sunday sermons to Rick Warren’s series of articles in The Ladies’ Home Journal. This delusion seems to be spreading, from President Bush’s politically correct whitewash that calls Islam a religion of peace, to the religiously correct omission within today’s church of anything offensive to unbelievers. We need to oppose this error and stand for the truth!
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