THE FINAL WORD WHAT SCRIPTURE TEACHES ABOUT GOD AND THE GOSPEL

VIDEO SERIES

WORKBOOK

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THE FINAL WORD: WHAT SCRIPTURE TEACHES ABOUT GOD AND THE GOSPEL

Session One | Are Christians?...... 03 Session Two | Who Is God? ...... 17 Session Three | What Is the Gospel? ...... 35 Session Four | How Do We Know What’s True? ...... 51 Session Five | What Is Your Authority?...... 63 Session Six | How Do We Engage with Mormons...... 79

The session notes and review material presented here accompany the video training series, “The Final Word – What Scripture Teaches About God and the Gospel.” This is the same video series that MAVEN uses to train students and leaders as they prepare to join us for a week-long biblical Immersive Experience. So, you’re going to get some in-depth training here!

We encourage you to use this workbook as you watch the series. When you view each individual video session, filling in the outlines as you go will help you to follow along, learn the material and retain more of the information over the long haul. Afterward, use the discussion guides to dialogue with others and engage the material more deeply

THE FINAL WORD WHAT SCRIPTURE TEACHES ABOUT GOD AND THE GOSPEL

This workbook is set up as an interactive engagement tool to help you dive deep into the truth that will be taught during the six-session teaching series, THE FINAL WORD.

You will find the following tools for each session:

• Session Outlines: During each session, track along with the teachings by filling in the blanks and taking notes.

• Session Reviews: After each teaching, take a minute to quiz yourself on what you just listened to and see how much knowledge you were able to retain. You might learn that you’ll need to re-watch the video training and that’s perfectly okay! Don’t expect to get it all after one viewing.

• Session Discussions: Lastly, dialogue and process with others by using the discussion questions we’ve included.

Don't be a passive listener, be an active learner. Use these tools!

Session One Are Mormons Christians?

When it comes to God and the gospel, there is an impossible theological gulf between and .

Brett Kunkle

Session One Outline

______Are Mormons Christians? Ask a clarification question... ______• What do you mean by ______? ______Possibility #1 ______

1. Mormonism is just another ______under ______Understanding Mormon History... ______Joseph is the founder, first ______prophet, and president of the Mormon church and was given his ______first vision in 1820. ______

______(NASB) ______“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let ______him ask of God, who gives to all ______generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” ______

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______(Pearl of Great Price) “My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong) – and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the personage who addressed me said that all their were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: ‘they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power of thereof.’”

______() “And he said unto me: behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the .”

Ask two more clarification ______questions... ______

• What is the meaning of ______? ______

______• Which ______do I belong to? ______

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Possibility #1 Conclusion

• Mormonism can’t just be another ______of ______

“Mormonism is Christianity; Christianity is Mormonism; they are one and the same, and they are not to be distinguished from each other in the minutest detail.” Bruce McConkie |

Possibility #2 ______

______• Mormonism is ______to Christianity ______Ask another clarification question... ______• Aren’t Christians also ______? ______

______“Latter- Saints believe that, through______the conferred to by the ministries of , the ______authority of act in God’s name was brought back to the earth. This is ‘restored’ not ‘reformed,’ Christianity.______Their belief in a restored Christianity helps explain why ______most Latter-Day Saints converts, from the 1830’s to the present, converted from other Christian denominations. None of these______converts thought they were leaving Christianity; they are simply______grateful to learn about, and become part of, the restored church of ______Christ, which they believe offers a more complete and rich Christian church spirituality, organizationally,______and doctrinally.” www.churchofJesusChrist.org | Teachings______of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chapter 8: The Everlasting ______Priesthood ______

______According to the LDS Church... ______• There was an ______of the Christian Church ______Possibility #2 Conclusion ______

Mormonism is NOT identical to ______Christianity ______

What Mormons really mean is... ______• Mormons are the ______Christians ______Memory Verse ______

______(NIV) ______“Now this is eternal life; that ______they may know you, the only ______true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” ______Differences Can Have Huge Consequences ______• Mutually ______claims ______

The Most Important ______Question... ______

______• What is ______? ______

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• ______truth ______A subjective truth is something that is true for the subject. It’s a ______personal preference. ______

• ______truth ______Objective truths are facts. They are true whether anyone believes them ______or not. ______

______Four Key Questions to Ask Your Mormon Friends... ______1. Who is ______? ______2. What is the ______? ______

3. How do we know ______? ______

______4. What is our ______? ______

What is Love? ______“Love is not [just] an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for ______the loved persons ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.” ______CS Lewis | Theologian______(NASB) ______“...Let us not love with the word or ______with tongue, but in deed and truth.” ______

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______(NASB) ______“Love...does not rejoice in ______unrighteousness, but rejoices ______with the truth.” ______What is Tolerance? ______

To recognize and respect ______others’ beliefs without sharing ______them, to bear or put up with ______someone or something not necessarily liked. ______Classical Tolerance ______• All people are ______

• All ideas are not ______

• All ______are not equal ______

______(NIV) Then God said, “Let us make ______mankind in our image, in our ______likeness” ... So God created mankind in His own image, in ______the image of God He created ______them; male and female he ______created them. ______

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______(NIV) ______“But in your hearts revere Christ as ______Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks ______you to give a reason for the hope ______that you have. But do this with ______gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who ______speak maliciously against your ______good behavior in Christ may be ______ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for ______doing good than for doing evil.” ______

Two Ways to Engage People Who ______Don’t Believe What We Believe... ______

______1. Know ______we believe and ______we believe it ______2. Do this with ______& ______Love & Truth ______(NIV) “You yourselves are our letter, ______written on our hearts, known and ______read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the ______result of our ministry, written not ______with ink but with the spirit of the ______living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” ______

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______(NIV) ______“This is my command: love ______each other.” ______

______(NIV) ______“If the world hates you...” ______

______(NIV) ______“If the world hates you, keep in ______mind that it hated me first. If ______you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it ______is, you do not belong to the ______world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why ______the world hates you. ______Remember what I told you: ‘A ______servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, ______they will persecute you also.” ______

______(NIV) The apostles were brought in ______and made to appear before ______the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave ______you strict orders not to teach in ______this name,” he said. “Yet you ______have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined ______to make us guilty of this man’s ______blood.” ______Acts 5:29 (ESV) ______But Peter and the apostles ______answered, “we must obey God rather than men.”

______(ESV) ______They called the apostles in and ______had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the ______name of Jesus, and let them go. ______The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been ______counted worthy of suffering ______disgrace for the name. Day after ______day, in the courts and from house to house, they never ______stopped teaching and proclaiming ______the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. ______

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Session One Review Test yourself on what you retained from Session One. Once you’ve completed this review, grade yourself. Answers are found in your session outline. Grade = __ / 5

Fill-in-the-Blank.... 1. What clarifying question should you ask when told that “Mormons are Christians?”

o What do you mean by ______?

2. Who is Joseph Smith?

o Joseph Smith is the ______, first ______, and ______, of the Mormon church and was given his in ______.

3. What do Mormons really mean when they say they are Christians?

o Mormons are the ______Christians

4. What are four key questions you should ask a Mormon?

o Who is ______?

o What is the ______?

o How do we know ______?

o What is our ______?

5. What is classical tolerance?

o All people are ______

o All ideas are not ______

o All ______are not equal

Session One Discussion Use the questions below to help you engage in a discussion with your teammates about the material you just learned.

1. What has been your usual response to the question, “Are Mormons Christians?"

2. Does it really matter if Mormonism is just another denomination of Christianity?

3. How can love and truth help when having a discussion with Mormons?

4. What one question do you have after today’s teaching?

5. How much time might it take a Mormon to carefully examine the biblical claims of God and convert to Christianity? How long are you willing to walk with someone on that journey?

Session Two Who Is God?

A careful study of LDS theology reveals a host of characteristics separating the Mormon God and the Christian God.

Brett Kunkle

Session Two Outline

Who is God?

“He who often thinks of God, will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe... the excellent study for expanding the soul, is the of Christ, and Him crucified, and the knowledge of the godhead in the glorious trinity. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the deity.” Charles Spurgeon | Theologian

The Mormon View of God... ______The ... ______• King James ______

• The Book of ______

______• Doctrine and ______• Pearl of ______(D&C) ______“The father has a body of flesh and ______bones as tangible as man’s; the son also. But the holy ghost has not a ______body of flesh and bones, but is a ______personage of spirit.” ______

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“It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God... I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see.” Joseph Smith | King Follet Discourse

“I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods. If this is in accordance with the , lo and behold? We have three Gods anyhow, and they are plural: and who can contradict it!” Joseph Smith | History of the Church, Vol. 6, p.473-479

“As man is God once was. As God is man may be.” Lorenzo Snow | Mormon

The Mormon view ______summarized... ______

• The ______hasn’t ______eternally been God ______

______• ______is a separate divine being ______• The ______is a separate divine being ______Christian View vs. Mormon ______View ______• Christians have one ______

• Mormons have a radically ______different ______

______(NIV) “Now this is eternal life: that they ______may know you, the only true God, ______and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” ______The Christian View of God ______

• ______is a Trinity ______Two things you’ll find when doing a careful study of the Trinity... ______1. The Trinity is not ______

2. The Trinity is ______“Within the one being that is God, there simultaneously exists three coequal, coeternal, and distinct persons,______namely, the______father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.” ______James White | Theologian ______

Logical Foundations for the ______Trinity... ______

______• God is one ______(one being) ______

______• God is three ______(three persons) ______• God is father, Son, Holy Spirit ______

Illustration 1: The Most Accurate Trinity Analogy

______

______The logical explanation summarized... ______• The ______is not illogical ______

Biblical Foundations for the ______Trinity... ______

Foundation #1 ______• There’s only ______God ______

Foundation #2 ______• There are ______distinct persons ______Foundation #3 ______

• Each distinct person is ______God ______

______Bible Study on Foundation #1 There’s only one God... ______(NASB) “Here, O Israel! The Lord is our God, ______the Lord is one!” ______

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______(NASB) ______“You are my witnesses,” ______declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, in ______order that you may know and ______believe me, and understand ______that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, and there ______will be none after me. I, even I, ______am the Lord; and there is no ______savior besides me.” ______(NIV) ______This is what the Lord says – ______Israel’s king and redeemer, the Lord almighty: “I am the first ______and I am the last; apart from ______me there is no God.” ______

A Mormon’s typical response... ______• There’s only one God for this ______A helpful question to ask... ______

• Can you show me a place ______in the ______where ______there is more than one ______? ______(NIV) ______“Now this is eternal life: that ______they know you, the only true God...” ______

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Bible study of Foundation #1 ______concludes... ______• The teaches there is ______one ______Bible Study on Foundation #2 ______There are three distinct persons... ______(NIV) ______“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that ______moment heaven was opened, and ______he saw the Spirit of God ______descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven ______said, ‘this is my Son, whom I love; ______with him I am well pleased.’” ______(NIV) ______“Going a little farther, he fell with ______his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this ______cup be taken from me. Yet not as I ______will, but as you will.’” ______Bible study of Foundation #2 ______concludes... ______

• The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ______are ______from ______one ______

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______Bible Study on Foundation #3 Each distinct person is fully ______God... ______

______(ESV) ______“In the beginning was the ______Word, and the Word was with ______God, and the Word was God.” ______(NASB) ______“I and the Father are one.” ______John 10:31 (NASB) ______“The Jews picked up stones ______again to stone him.” ______John 10:32 (NASB) ______“Jesus answered them, ‘I showed you many good works ______from the Father; for which of ______them are you stoning me?’” ______

John 10:33 (NASB) ______The Jews answered Him, “For a ______good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and ______because You, being a man, ______make Yourself out to be God.” ______

• Jesus was ______claiming to be ______

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______(NIV) ______“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it ______that Satan has so filled your heart ______that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of ______the money you received for the ______land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, ______wasn’t the money at your disposal? ______What made you think of doing ______such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.’” ______(NIV) “The Spirit of the Lord spoke ______through me; his Word was on my ______tongue. The God of Israel spoke, ______the rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over men in ______righteousness, when he rules in the ______fear of God...’” ______• God is three ______in ______being ______

______(NASB) ______“...baptizing them in the name of ______the Father and of the Son and of ______the Holy Spirit...” ______(ESV) ______“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” ______

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______(NIV) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”

Illustration 2: Everything That Exists

ALL THINGS THAT ALL THINGS THAT NEVER CAME INTO CAME INTO BEING BEING

______THINGS ______

KEY QUESTION: According to John 1:3 , in which box does Jesus logically belong?

B.O.M. passages to consider... ______(B.O.M.) “And, Zeezrom said unto him: ______thou sayest there is a true and ______living God? And Amulek said: ______yea, there is a true and living God. Now Zeezrom said: is ______there more than one God? And ______he answered, no.” ______

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______(B.O.M.) ______“And now Abinadi said unto them: I ______would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down ______among the children of men, and ______shall redeem his people. And ______because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and ______having subjected the flesh to ______the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son – The ______Father, because he ______was conceived by the power of ______God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father ______and Son – And they are one God, ______yea, the Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.” ______Overall Bible Study Conclusion... ______

• The Bible is ______through and through ______

• The Mormon view of God is ______different ______

______Salvation and the gospel are Trinitarian... ______

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______(NIV) ______“But when the goodness and ______loving kindness of God our ______Savior appeared, he saved us... by the washing of regeneration ______and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ______whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our ______Savior...” ______

______(NASB) “Go therefore and make ______disciples of all nations, ______baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and ______of the ______Holy Spirit...” ______(ESV) “Pray then like this: ‘Our father ______in heaven...’” ______

______(ESV) “...No one comes to the Father ______except through me.” ______

______(ESV) ______“...According to the riches of his ______glory he may grant you to be ______strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner ______being, so that Christ may dwell ______in your hearts through faith...” ______(NIV) ______“Whoever does not love does ______not know God, because God is love.”

Session Two Review Test yourself on what you retained from Session Two. Once you’ve completed this review, grade yourself. Answers are found in your Session Two outline. Grade = __ / 5

Fill-in-the-Blank.... 1. What are the four books/scriptures (the Standard Works) Mormons use?

o ______o ______o ______o ______

2. Is the Mormon God and the Christian God the same? Explain.

o ______

3. What is the Christian view of God?

o ______is a Trinity

4. What are the two things you’ll find when doing a careful study of the Trinity?

o The ______is not illogical

o The ______is biblical

5. What are the three biblical foundations for the Trinity and list one supporting scripture reference for each?

o There’s only ______God

o Scripture Reference: ______

o There are ______distinct persons

o Scripture Reference: ______

o Each distinct person is ______God

o Scripture Reference: ______

Session Two Discussion Engage in today’s teaching by discussing with your teammates the material you were just taught.

1. Define the Mormon’s view of God.

2. Define the Christian’s view of God.

3. What makes the Mormon view of God different from the Christian view of God?

4. Why does it matter if Mormons view God different than Christians?

5. What’s confusing you after this session?

Session Three What Is the Gospel?

According to LDS scriptures, the highest heavenly reward is only achieved through perfect obedience. Therefore the “good news” of Mormonism is an “Impossible Gospel.”

Brett Kunkle

Session Three Outline

What Is the Gospel? ______• ______= Good News ______

______The “Good News” According to Mormons... ______“Here, then, is eternal life – to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to______be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the______same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to ______another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from to exaltation.”______Joseph Smith______| King Follet Sermon

• You must learn to be ______yourself ______

______(D&C) “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.” ______

• Mormons can become their ______own ______

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The Process of Exaltation in ______the Mormon Worldview... ______

______Stage #1: ___-______• Humans pre-existed as ______children ______Stage #2: ______• The Spirit takes on a body on ______Stage #3: The ______

Three separate heavenly ______kingdoms... ______

1. The Celestial Kingdom ______2. Terrestrial Kingdom ______3. Telestial Kingdom ______

3. Telestial Kingdom ______• For ______, evil doers, and the ______people ______2. Terrestrial Kingdom ______

• For the deceived ______and ______people ______1. Celestial Kingdom ______

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______• For ______who are good and faithful ______• Where ______takes place ______

The goal is for Mormons to reach ______exaltation – become God. ______

Biblical Evidence of 3 Kingdoms? ______Mormons will use this passage for ______support... ______

______(KJV) ______“There are also celestial bodies, ______and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory ______of the terrestrial is another. There is ______one glory of the , and another ______glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one-star ______differeth from another star in ______glory.” ______Get a Mormon to keep reading... ______

______(KJV) “So also is the of the ______dead. It is sown in corruption; it is ______raised in incorruption...” ______

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The Impossible Gospel Approach ______Opening question to Mormons ______• If you died today are you ______sure all your sins are ______and you’ll get the best your ______religion has to ______? ______

Mormons: “Yes, if I repent and ______keep all the commandments.” ______

______Follow-up questions... ______• How many ______do ______you have to repent of? ______• How many ______do you have to ______? ______

Take Mormons to… ______(D&C) ______“Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, ______and I, the Lord, remember ______them no more. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his ______sins – behold, he will confess ______them and forsake them.” ______Follow-up question... ______• How ______do you repent? ______

Mormon answer: “All the time.” ______

______More follow-up questions... ______• Do you ever repent of the ______sin? ______• What’s it mean to ______something? ______

• What happens if you ______a past sin? ______

______(D&C) ______“And now, verily I say unto you, I ______the Lord, will not lay any sin to your ______charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who ______sinneth shall the former sins return, ______saith the Lord your God.” ______Mormons may reference grace, ______and refer you to their scriptures... ______

______(B.O.M.) ______“For we labor diligently to write, to ______persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and ______to be reconciled to God; for we ______know that it is by grace that we ______are saved, after all we can do.” Follow-up questions... ______• What does it mean after all we ______can ______? ______• Have you done everything ______?

______(B.O.M.) “Yea, come unto Christ, and be ______perfected in him, and deny ______yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves ______of all ungodliness and love God ______with all your might, mind and ______strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his ______grace ye may be perfect in ______Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye ______can in nowise deny the power ______of God.” ______

______(D&C) ______“Keep my commandments ______continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt ______receive. And except thou do ______this, where I am you cannot ______come.” ______“To ‘try’ is weak. To ‘do the best I can’______is not strong. We must always do better than we can.” Spencer Kimball | The Miracle______of Forgiveness Ch.12 The ______Abandonment of Sin

______(D&C) ______“For I the Lord cannot look ______upon sin with the least degree ______of allowance.” ______

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______(B.O.M.) ______“And I say unto you again that he ______cannot save them in their sins; for I ______cannot deny his Word, and he hast said that no unclean thing can ______inherit the kingdom of heaven; ______therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of ______heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be ______saved in your sins.” ______

The Impossible Gospel Summary ______• Mormons must be perfect to reach ______The Biblical Gospel ______

______(NIV) ______As it is written: “there is no one ______righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who ______seeks God. All have turned away, ______they have together become ______worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” ______(NIV) “Now we know that whatever the ______law says, it says to those who are ______under the law, so that every mouth ______may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ______Therefore no one will be declared ______righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become______conscious of sin.”

______(NIV) ______“All of us have become like one ______who is unclean, and all our ______righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a ______leaf, and like the our sins ______sweep us away.” ______“No man knows how bad he is till he______has tried very hard to be good. The true Christian’s nostril is to be continually attentive ______to the inner cesspool.” ______CS Lewis | Theologian ______(NASB) ______“But now apart from the law ______the righteousness of God has ______been manifested, being ______witnessed by the law and the ______prophets, even the ______righteousness of God through ______faith in Jesus Christ for all ______those who believe; for there is ______no distinction; for all have ______sinned and fall short of the ______glory of God, being justified as ______a gift by his grace through the ______redemption which is in Christ ______Jesus...” ______

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______(NASB) ______“Now to the one who works, his ______wage is not credited as a favor, but ______as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in him ______who justifies the ungodly, his faith is ______credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing ______on the man to whom God credits ______righteousness apart from works: ______blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and ______whose sins have been covered. ______Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” ______Gospel of grace... ______

• ______• ______

• ______• ______• Through ______in Christ ______He freely gives the gift of ______Mormon’s pushback... ______(NIV) ______

______“...Faith by itself... is dead...”

biblical clarification... ______(NIV) ______“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – ______and this is not from yourselves, ______it is the gift of God – not by ______works, so that no one can boast.” ______(NIV) “What shall we say, then? Shall ______we go on sinning so that grace ______may increase? By no means! ______We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any ______longer.” ______

______(NIV) ______“For we are God’s handiwork, ______created in Christ Jesus to do ______good works, which God prepared in advance for us to ______do.” ______

The Mormon Equation ______• ______+ ______=______eternal life

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The Biblical Equation ______• ______= eternal life + works ______

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______Two Important Theological Words ______1. ______

2. ______The Good News... ______

______(NIV) ______“But when the kindness and love of ______God our savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things ______we had done, but because of his ______mercy. He saved us through the ______washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured ______out on us generously through Jesus ______Christ our savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we ______might become heirs having the ______hope of eternal life.” ______

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Session Three Review Test yourself on what you retained from Session Three. Once you’ve completed this review, grade yourself. Answers are found in your Session Three outline. Grade = ____ / 5

Fill-in-the-Blank.... 1. What is the gospel?

o Gospel = ______

2. What is the three-stage process of exaltation in the Mormon worldview?

o Stage #1: ______

o Stage #2: ______

o Stage #3: ______

3. What are the three separate heavenly kingdoms...

o The ______kingdom

o The ______kingdom

o The ______kingdom

4. What is the highest goal for all Mormons?

o ______

5. What is the biblical equation for salvation?

o ______= ______+ ______

Session Three Discussion Discuss with your team the material you just received.

1. What makes the Mormon gospel impossible?

2. How is the biblical gospel different from the Mormon gospel?

3. Explain the process of exaltation.

4. What is the difference between justification and sanctification?

5. Are you confused? Why?

Session Four How Do We Know What’s True?

Truth is always about something, but reality is that about which truth is.

CS Lewis

Session Four Outline

How Do We Know What’s True? ______You need to learn philosophy... ______

• ______- ______Thinking carefully about ______questions that matter ______

______(NASB) ______“See to it that no one takes you ______captive through philosophy and ______empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the ______elementary principles of the world, ______rather than according to Christ.” ______Three Major Branches of ______Philosophy ______

1. ______is the ______study of reality ______

2. ______is the ______study of knowledge ______

______3. ______deals with moral questions ______

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Epistemology ______The study of knowledge... ______

______Three types of knowledge ______1. ______knowledge – knowing that ______2. Knowledge by ______- ______knowing who or knowing of ______

3. ______knowledge – knowing how ______(NIV) ______“Now this is eternal life: that ______they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, ______whom you have sent.” ______

Propositional Knowledge ______What is knowledge? ______

______• Knowledge is justified ______belief ______• Belief is a mental attitude of ______or ______affirmation ______

______• Truth is that which corresponds to ______

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“If you say that it is and it is, or you say that it isn’t and it isn’t, that’s true. If you say that it isn’t and it is, or you say that it is and it isn’t, that’s false.” Aristotle | Greek Philosopher

• Justification is the ______why we ______believe something ______Why Do You Believe What You ______Believe? ______

Asking Mormons and Christians ______their why... ______

Mormons will point to... ______(D&C) ______“But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; ______then you must ask me if it be right, ______and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; ______therefore, you shall feel that it is ______right.” ______

______(NIV) ______“If any of you lacks wisdom, you ______should ask God, who gives ______generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” ______

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______(B.O.M.) ______“And when ye shall receive ______these things, I would exhort you ______that ye would ask God, the eternal father, in the name of ______Christ, if these things are not ______true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, ______having faith in Christ, He will ______manifest the truth of it unto ______you, by the power of the holy ghost. And by the power of the ______holy ghost ye may know the ______truth of all things.” ______The Four Problems with the ______Mormon View of Knowledge ______

Problem #1: This method isn’t ______used in any other area of ______

Problem #2: Relying on ______personal ______alone is problematic ______Problem #3: This method has ______real ______problems ______

Problem #4: The Mormon view ______of knowledge ______the biblical view ______

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Problem #1 ______Ask them... ______

• Do you ______to know ______that George Washington was ______the first president of the United States? ______• Do you pray to know that your ______spouse ______you? ______• Do you pray to know that ______is wrong? ______Problem #2 ______

______• ______testimonies ______Ask... ______• Have your feelings ever been ______? ______

Problem #3 ______(B.O.M.) “...Ask with a sincere heart, with real ______intent, having faith in Christ, he will ______manifest the truth of it unto you, by ______the power of the holy ghost...” ______Problem #4 ______Biblical passage about how we know what we know... ______

______(NASB) ______“The brethren immediately sent ______Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they ______arrived, they went into the ______synagogue of the Jews. Now ______these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for ______they received the Word with ______great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether ______these things were so.” ______

______What does God say about the human heart? ______(NASB) “The heart is more deceitful ______than all else and is desperately ______sick; who can understand it?” ______

Three more helpful passages... ______(NASB) “I am amazed that you are so ______quickly deserting him who ______called you by the grace of ______Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only ______there are some who are ______disturbing you and want to ______distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an from ______heaven, should preach to you a gospel______contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” ______

______(NASB) ______“For such men are false apostles, ______deceitful workers, disguising ______themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan ______disguises himself as an angel of ______light.” ______(NASB) ______“Be of sober Spirit, be on the alert. ______Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking ______someone to devour.” ______

Remember Jesus’ words... ______(NIV) ______“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, ______and Jesus Christ, whom you have ______sent.” ______

Session Four Review Test yourself on what you retained from Session Four. Once you’ve completed this review, grade yourself. Answers are found in your Session Four outline. Grade = ____ / 5

Fill-in-the-Blank....

1. What is philosophy?

o Philosophy is ______carefully about ______that ______

2. What are the three major branches of philosophy?

o ______is the study of reality

o ______is the study of knowledge

o ______deals with moral questions

3. What are the three types of knowledge?

o ______knowledge – knowing that

o Knowledge by ______– knowing who

o ______knowledge – knowing how

4. What is knowledge?

o Knowledge is justified ______belief

5. What is truth?

o Truth is that which corresponds to ______Session Four Discussion With your team, discuss the material you learned today. Use the questions below to aid your discussion.

1. Why is understanding philosophy important when figuring out what’s true?

2. Why is believing something on the sole basis of a personal experience problematic?

3. What is the reason a Mormon believes what they believe? How can you cause them to question this basis?

4. Why should a Christian believe what they believe?

5. How would you define truth? Why might this be important to define?

Session Five What Is Your Authority?

Many refuse to accept the reality of a personal God because they are unwilling to submit to His authority.

Kurt Bruner

Session Five Outline

What & Who Is Our Authority? ______• Mormons and Christians think ______is ______the Word of God ______• Mormons call the Book of Mormon ______testament of Jesus Christ ______

______• “______” ______o King James Bible ______o Book of Mormon o ______o Pearl of Great Price ______

Mormons point to the Old ______Testament for the coming of the ______Book of Mormon... ______

______(NASB) ______The Word of the Lord came again ______to me saying, “And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick ______and write on it, ‘For Judah and for ______the sons of Israel, his companions’; ______then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of ______Ephraim and all the house of Israel, ______his companions.’ Then join them for yourself on to another into one ______

______stick, that they may become ______one in your hand.” Keep reading the passage... ______(NASB) ______“When the sons of your people speak to you saying, ‘Will you ______not declare to us what you ______mean by these?’” ______(NASB) ______“And I will make them one ______nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one ______king will be king for all of them; ______and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be ______divided into two kingdoms.” ______

______Christians will point to... ______(NASB) ______“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of ______this book: if anyone adds to ______them, God will add to him the ______plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes ______away from the words of the ______book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the ______tree of life and from the holy ______city, which are written in this ______book.” ______

______Mormons reply to Revelation 22... ______(NASB) ______“You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor ______take away from it, that you may ______keep the commandments of the ______Lord your God which I command you.” ______• Joseph Smith violates ______Revelation 22:18 ______

o ______

o ______(B.O.M.) ______“Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through ______the hands of the great and ______abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things ______taken away from the book, which is ______the book of the lamb of God.” ______

______(A of F) ______“We believe the Bible to be the ______Word of God so far as it is translated correctly.” ______Key Questions to Ask a Mormon... ______

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1. Can you show me which particular ______of the Bible have been translated ______incorrectly? 2. Which ______portions of the Bible do you avoid? ______3. What do you mean the ______Bible has been ______? ______

Transmission... ______Is what we have what they ______wrote? ______

• The ______of the Bible refers to how ______the Bible has been passed along through the ______

______Two things you must know for establishing the authority of ______the Bible... ______

1. Do we have what the ______original authors ______? ______

2. Is what they wrote what ______really ______? ______

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Analogy: How Aunt Sally’s Recipe Gets Passed Along (Transmitted)

Find the Errors... Circle the different variations in Aunt Sally’s recipe. How many are there?

• Add 1 cop of finely chopped garlic, and boil. • Add 1 cup of finely chipped garlic, and boil. • Ad 1 cup of finely chopped garlic, and boil. • Add 1 cup of finely chopped garlic, and bowl. • Add 1 cup of finely chopped glaric, and boil. • Add 1 cup # finely chopped garlic, and boil. • Add 1 cup of finely chopped garlic, nd boil. • Add 1 cup of fly chopped garlic, and boil.

Three questions scholars ask about manuscripts, helping them determine how reliable the copy of the original is...

1. How many ______do we have? ______2. How ______are the ______manuscript copies that we ______have? ______

3. How ______are the ______variations? ______1. How many copies do we ______have? ______• More than ______Greek manuscript copies ______• More than ______pages of text ______• Over ______Latin manuscripts ______• ______handwritten manuscripts of ______the New Testament ______

2. How early are the manuscripts ______we have? ______Graph 1: Total Early New Testament Manuscripts ______12 Second Century 64 Third Century ______+ 48 Fourth Century ______124 Manuscripts Within First 300 Years of N.T. Writings ______

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______Other ancient documents... ______• Livy – ______& earliest copy is ______years ______after the original ______

______• Tacitus – ______& earliest copy is ______- ______years after the ______original ______• Suetonius – ______& earliest copy is ______years after the original ______• Total of ______

3. How significant are the textual ______variations? ______

______• ______% of the variations ______are what scholars call insignificant variations ______Transmission conclusion... ______• We can accurately ______the original New Testament ______documents ______

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• ______we have what was originally written! ______Historicity... Are the things written what ______really happened? ______

______When it comes to the questions of historicity we want ______to apply two tests. ______

______• ______tests ______• ______tests ______

______External Tests ______• Matthew 26:3 (NIV) “...Whose name was ______...” ______• Luke 3:2 (NIV) “...During the high-priesthood of Annas ______and ______...” ______

______Caiaphas Ossuary ______• Discovered in December of ______• Inscribed on the ossuary ______were the words “Yehosef Bar Kayafa,” translated as ______“Joseph, Son of Caiaphas” ______

Dead Sea Scrolls ______• Discovered in ______

______Internal Tests ______• The principle of ______Historicity conclusion... ______• The Bible has been ______transmitted ______• What they wrote is ______history ______Bible vs. Book of Mormon There is no manuscript evidence ______for the Book of Mormon, only ______Joseph Smith’s word. ______

• There have been more than ______changes to ______the Book of Mormon since its ______first print in 1830 ______Examples from the Book of ______Mormon... ______(B.O.M. 1830) ______“...Behold, the virgin which thou ______seest, is the mother of God...” ______

______(B.O.M. 1981) ______

“...Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of [the son of] God...” ______(B.O.M. 1830) “...Behold the lamb of God yea, ______even the eternal father...” ______

______(B.O.M. 1981) ______“...Behold the lamb of God yea, ______even the [son of the] eternal father...” ______External test examples from ______the Book of Mormon... ______(B.O.M.) ______“And it came to pass that he ______called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the ______Red Sea; and the valley was in ______the borders near the mouth therefor.” ______• There is ______river in ______all of Arabia ______(B.O.M.) ______“...And after they had slain the messiah, who should come, ______and after he had been slain he ______should rise from the dead, and ______should make himself manifest, by the holy ghost, unto the ______gentiles.” ______

• The ______reference was not known in ______

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600 B.C. when these events ______were happening ______(B.O.M.) ______“And it came to pass that as I, ______Nephi, went forth to slay food, behold, I did break my bow, which ______was made of fine steel...” ______

______• Steel was not ______in the New World before 1492 ______External tests conclusion... ______• There is no ______evidence for the Book of Mormon ______One more example providing ______evidence against the Mormon scriptures – The Lost Book of ______Abraham... ______

Homework Assignment: Go to ______YouTube and look for the “The Lost ______Book of ” for the full story. ______

Session Review ______• Mormons and Christians both believe God has given us his ______

______Where Christians and Mormons differ on the Bible... ______

• Christians – the Bible alone is God’s ______word ______• Mormons – the Bible is God’s ______but ______it’s been messed up ______

One final question to ask a ______Mormon: “What do you make ______of God’s promises to protect ______His word?” ______(NASB) ______“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God ______stands forever.” ______(NASB) “For truly I say to you, until ______heaven and earth pass away, ______not the smallest letter or stroke ______shall pass from the law until all is accomplished.” ______(NIV) For, “All men are like grass, and ______all their glory is like the flowers ______of the field; the grass withers ______and the flowers fall, but stands ______forever.” ______

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Session Five Review Test yourself on what you retained from Session Five. Once you’ve completed this review, grade yourself. Answers are found in your Session Five outline. Grade = ____ / 5

Fill-in-the-Blank.... 1. What are The Standard Works of Mormonism?

o ______o ______o ______o ______

2. What are the two things you must know for establishing the authority of the Bible?

o Do we have what the original authors ______

o Is what they wrote what really ______

3. Roughly how many Greek manuscript copies are there?

o More than ______Greek manuscript copies

4. How many manuscripts do we have within the first 300 years of the New Testament writings?

o ______manuscripts

True or False?

5. _____ There is historical evidence for the Book of Mormon. Session Five Discussion With your team, discuss the material you learned today. Use the questions below to aid your discussion.

1. What does transmission mean and how does it work?

2. What role does history play in validating the authenticity of a historical document?

3. In what ways do Mormons and Christians differ when it comes to the Bible?

4. What’s the difference between the internal tests and the external tests that we apply to the Bible?

5. What’s challenging you most from today’s session? Why?

Session Six How Do We Engage with Mormons?

“If I have only an hour with someone, I will spend the first 55 minutes asking questions and finding out what is troubling their heart and mind, and then the last 5 minutes I will share something of the truth.”

Francis Schaeffer

Session Six Outline ______How Do We Engage with Mormons? ______(NIV) ______“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only ______true God, and Jesus Christ, ______whom you have sent.” ______Eternity is at stake... ______

______Four Tips for Engaging with Mormons... ______1. Be ______Analogy: Why We Must Be Patient ______MORMON ______BIBLICAL VIEW OF GOD VIEW OF GOD ______

The goal of each conversation ______with a Mormon... ______

______• Put a ______in their shoe ______2. Start with ______

______The benefits of starting with questions... ______• You ______your Mormon friends ______• It takes the ______off of you ______Two specific questions to ask in ______order to help you understand ______what someone believes and why they believe it... ______• What do you ______by that? ______• How did you come to that ______? ______What to say when you don’t ______know how to answer a question... ______• “______” ______3. Keep ______

______(NIV) ______“...Love the Lord your God with ______all your heart, and with all your ______soul, and with all your mind...” ______4. Be ______

John 1:14 (NASB) ______And the Word became flesh, and ______dwelt among us, and we saw His ______glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and ______truth. ______

I Peter 3:15 (NIV) ______But in your hearts revere Christ as ______Lord. Always be prepared to give ______an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the ______hope that you have. But do this ______with gentleness and respect... ______(NIV) ______“I thank my God every time I ______remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ______because of your partnership in the ______gospel from the first day until now...” ______

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Session Six Review Test yourself on what you retained from Session Six. Once you’ve completed this review, grade yourself. Answers are found in your Session Six outline. Grade = ____ / 5

Fill-in-the-Blank....

1. What’s the first tip for engaging a Mormon?

o Be ______

2. What’s the second tip for engaging a Mormon?

o Start with ______

3. What’s the third tip for engaging a Mormon?

o Keep ______

4. What’s the fourth tip for engaging a Mormon?

o Be ______

5. What is the goal of each conversation with a Mormon?

o To put a ______in their ______

Session Six Discussion With your team, discuss the material you learned today. Use the questions below to aid your discussion.

1. Why must we engage with Mormons?

2. What's a reasonable goal for each conversation we have with a Mormon? Why?

3. Why is it important to start with questions? How might asking good questions be helpful?

4. What happens if you can’t answer a question? What do you say?

5. What questions do you still have after this session?