THE LDS HOLY SPIRIT, AND HOLY GHOST
THE CHANGING DOCTRINES OF MORMONISM
Mormonism of today has little in common with Mormonism in its early
days. Over the years their doctrines have changed radically,
including those from which they have formulated their beliefs about
the God they worship. These continual, ongoing changes don't line up
with their claim to being the sole possessors of truth because
the main ingredient of truth is its consistency. And the reason
we can always rely on the truth is because it never, ever
changes.
At the start of their existence, the LDS church had similar beliefs
to Protestant Christianity. The 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (which
you can view in the LDS archives), taught that God the Father was a
trinitarian spirit being:
"...We shall, in this lecture speak of the Godhead: we mean the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are two personages ..... they are
the Father and the Son: the Father being a personage of spirit,
glory and power: possessing all perfection and fullness: the Son,
who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage of tabernacle
[body] ..... And he being The only begotten of The Father ...
possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy
Spirit." (1835 Doctrines and Covenants, Fifth Lecture of
Faith, 5:1-2, pages 52-53, 55, First edition)
Note: The original Doctrine and Covenants was split into two
sections. The first section comprised their canon of LDS
Doctrines and the second section contained the LDS Covenants
[Revelations]. The above quote from the fifth lecture of faith
was recorded in the first section, and included in their canon of
scripture, indicating that it was their official doctrine.
However, it is the habit of the LDS church to sanitize or to
deny any aspects of their history that may reflect negatively on
them. And so they vehemently deny having worshipped
different deities at different times in the past. In line with
this, they maintain that the above quote was only the personal
opinion of one of their members. But this excuse is invalidated
by the fact that it was included as official doctrine in their
1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
The following verses from the LDS's 1981 printing of Doctrine
& Covenants, also clearly indicate that at the time they
were written (in 1830), Joseph Smith taught that God had always,
eternally, been God, and that he had created mankind:
By these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is
infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting, the same
unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things
which are in them; And he created them male and female ....
(Doctrine & Covenants Section 20:17, 18 (revelation
through Joseph Smith, the Prophet, April, 1830.)
The Book of Mormon (which was written before
Smith changed his doctrine on deity) also taught the trinitarian
deity, and that God was a spirit being:
..... Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit,
which is one Eternal God..... (Alma 11:44)
..... the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one .....
(3 Nephi 11:27)
..... to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing
ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto
the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God..... (Mormon
7:7)
Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God? And he answered, No.
(Alma 11:28-29)
..... there is but one God (Alma 11:35)
And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit?
And he said, Yes. And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto
him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God,
created all things which are in heaven and on the earth? And he
said Yes ........ (Alma 18:26-29)
Over the years since he'd brought the LDS church into existence,
Joseph had formulated a complete change in theology. Then in 1843 he
went that one step further and persuaded the majority of the
membership of the LDS church to follow an unbiblical God who was not
a spirit being, but had a body of flesh and bone. His new deity
hadn't always been a God eternally, but at one stage had been an
ordinary mortal man who had lived on a fallen planet similar to
earth, before progressing to godhood (History of the Church,
Volume 6, pages 302-317, c/f The Encyclopedia of Mormonism;
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph
Fielding Smith, pages 345-346, c/f Times and Seasons,
Volume 5, pages 613-615 ).
The doctrine that God was once a man and has progressed to become a
God is unique to this church. (Official LDS Lesson Manual, 1997,
page 34, "The Teachings of Brigham Young")
Changing one's deity is not a light matter. If our ideas about
God are wrong, then we'll be wrong about all our other doctrines
too, because ultimately all our beliefs stem from our view of
God.
THE LDS HOLY GHOST
The LDS teaches that the Holy Ghost is a son of God and a deity. He
is a personage of spirit but is not omnipresent and is, therefore,
incapable of being in more than one place at a time.
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that
the Holy Ghost is a spirit man, a spirit son of God the
Father." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Volume 2).
"The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a
Personage of Spirit, a Spirit Person, a Spirit Man, a Spirit Entity.
He can be in only one place at one time, and he does not and cannot
transform himself into any other form or image than that of the Man
whom he is" (LDS Apostle McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, page 359).
However, according to the LDS's own law of eternal progression,
(note that it is supposed to be a fixed law), one cannot progress to
the level of deity unless one first obtains a physical body.
Yet their Holy Ghost, whom they say is the third member of the
Godhead, does not have a body of flesh and bone. And, according to
their teachings, neither did the Lord Jesus Christ have a physical
body at the time they maintain that he attained His Godhood, i.e.
prior to His incarnation. So here we have at least two major
exceptions to their law of eternal progression.
Mormonism is full of inconsistencies, contradictions and errors.
This is indicates that it had its origins in the mind of a fallen,
fallible man.
Mormon Apostle James E. Talmage has this to say, concerning the
Holy Ghost:
"The Holy Ghost may be regarded as the minister of the Godhead,
carrying into effect the decisions of the Supreme Council [of Gods].
The power of the Holy Ghost is the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
God grants the gift of the Holy Ghost unto the obedient, the
authority to so bestow the Holy Ghost belongs only to the higher or
Melchizedek Priesthood" (The Articles of Faith, 1982, page
160).
"Gospel Doctrine" expands on their teaching on the Holy
Ghost:
"If a man is baptized and ordained to the Holy priesthood and
is called upon to perform duties which pertain to that Priesthood,
it does not follow that he must always have the Holy Ghost in
person present with him when he performs his duty, but every
righteous act which he may perform legally will be in force and
effect and will be acknowledged of God, and the more of the Spirit
of God he possesses in his ministrations, the better for himself,
and those will not suffer any loss unto whom he administers.
Therefore, the presentation or the "gift" of the Holy
Ghost simply confers upon a man the right to receive at any time
when he is worthy of it and desires it, the power and light of truth
of the Holy Ghost, although he may often be left to his own spirit
and judgment." (Gospel Doctrine, Volume 1, pages 94 and 95.)
But this is not biblical. The Bible teaches us that under the
New Covenant, once we are born again the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost
(same Greek word) comes to live within us. That is why our bodies
are referred to as temples (i.e. dwelling places of God). It is only
because of God's indwelling Holy Spirit that the Christian is able
to understand things on a spiritual level, and thereby learn to
overcome the world and live on a higher plane above worldliness
and evil, the way that God wants us to do.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14, KJV)
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John
3:3, KJV).
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV).
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8:9, KJV)
Speaking to the church, which in the New Testament was not an
organization but the body of believers in Christ, the Apostle Paul
said:
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22, KJV)
What happens under the New Covenant is this: The unsaved man comes
under conviction of his need for salvation from sin. He repents and
surrenders himself to Christ for salvation, trusting in Him alone.
At this stage he is born again, or born of the Spirit, becoming a
new creature in Christ. In other words, from the moment we come to
faith in Christ, we are indwelt by God, in Christ, through the Holy
Spirit.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you,
except ye be reprobates? (2 Corinthians 13:5, KJV)
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
(Colossians 1:27, KJV)
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because
greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John
4:4, KJV)
LDS TEACHING ON THE SPIRIT OF GOD
The LDS makes a definite distinction between the Holy Ghost and
God's spirit, presence or influence. As already mentioned, the LDS
Holy Ghost is both a God and a son of God. And in the same way as
is the case with God the Father, he is unable to be in more than
once place at a time.
LDS teaching is that the spirit of God it is an inanimate force,
similar to electricity. In other words, it is a type of power
used by God to accomplish his purposes. This power or force is
present everywhere. According to Gospel Doctrine, Volume 1,
page 93-95, it is the influence, or power that emanates from
deity, without being restricted to one place at a time:
"..... it is the light of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, which
proceeds from the source of intelligence, which permeates all
nature, which lighteth every man and fills the immensity of space.
You may call it the Spirit of God, you may call it the influence of
God's intelligence, you may call it the substance of His power; no
matter what it is called it is the spirit of intelligence that
permeates the universe and gives to the spirits of men understanding.
[Job 32:8, Doctrine and Covenants 88:3-13]" (Gospel Doctrine,
Volume 1, page 94.)
"The Spirit of God which emanates from Deity may be likened to
electricity or the universal ether, as explained in our manual,
which fills the earth and the air and is everywhere present. It is
the power of God, the influence that he exerts throughout all his
works, by which he can effect his purposes and execute his will
....." (Gospel Doctrine, Volume 1, page 95.)
BIBLICAL TEACHING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are different translations of
exactly the same Greek word. Consequently,
from time to time the terms Holy Spirit and Holy
Ghost are used interchangeably, e.g. 1 Corinthians 1:13-14,
John 7:39. So they are one and the same. And the LDS has committed a
grievous doctrinal error in assuming that they are two different
entities. The Holy Spirit is a Being, not a thing or a force, as is
taught by the LDS. Over and over again the Bible reveals that He has
all the attributes a person would have, and which could never be
displayed by a thing or a force. For instance, He acts according to
His will, distributes to each of us individually just as He wills,
loves us, helps us, guides us, prays for us and grieves:
Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and
for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your
prayers to God for me; (Romans 15:30, KJV)
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to
every man severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:11, KJV)
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he
that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will
of God. (Romans 8:26, 27 KJV)
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto
the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30, KJV)
Furthermore, Christ refers to the Holy Spirit as being a person when
He says that His purpose is to guide us, and to glorify the Lord
Jesus:
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you
things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine,
and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:13-14, KJV)
(In the Greek Interlinear, it is indicated that the word translated
as "himself" in verse 13, is a personal pronoun.)
REGENERATION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
The present LDS teaching is that when a person undergoes Mormon
baptism, he is born again (born of the spirit):
"The second birth begins when men are baptized in water by a
legal administrator" (Mormon Doctrine page 101).
"Little children are spiritually alive until they arrive at the
age of accountability (Moroni 8:8-26). Then they die spiritually
unless they are born again... by baptism they are born of water and
of the Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine page 761).
At this stage we need to remember that in biblical times the use of
the word "baptism" was not confined to water baptism. It
also described being engulfed by or immersed in an experience, or an
initiation into something. For instance, John the baptist referred
to Christ's giving of the Holy Spirit to those who came to Him as a
spiritual baptism, and Christ referred to His coming death on the
cross as a baptism in suffering that He would have to undergo:
(John the baptist said) I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost, and with fire: (Matthew 3:11, KJV)
(Jesus said, referring to His coming crucifixion) But I have a
baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be
accomplished! (Luke 12:50, KJV)
Contrary to Mormon teaching that the gift of the Holy Ghost can only
be received through the laying on of hands by priesthood holding
members of the LDS church, and that the Spirit is received through
water baptism, the Bible reveals that folk receive or are baptized
in the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost (same Greek word) when the Spirit
anoints the Word of God as they hear it, believe it, and
consequently put their faith in Christ (c/f Acts 10:47-48, discussed
below). This is what is described in John 3 as spiritual
regeneration, or the new birth.
The Bible also indicates that there is no connection between water
baptism and baptism of or the gift of the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost.
For instance, in Acts 10, we read about how God sent Peter to preach
to the gentiles. As he preached the Word of God to them, the Holy
Spirit/Holy Ghost fell upon them, and they were regenerated or born
again, because the new birth comes about through the application
of the Word of God combined with the anointing or the power of the
Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost (same Greek word), not through water
baptism.
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed
were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the
Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they
heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which
have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded
them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (Acts 10:44-48, KJV)
So the new birth, i.e. the receiving of the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost,
can happen at any time and in any place. The Lord Jesus put it like
this:
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:
so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8, KJV)
The Apostle Peter describes the receiving of the Holy Spirit/Holy
Ghost as a spiritual baptism, quite apart from water baptism:
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost
fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word
of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but
ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. (Acts 11:15-16, KJV)
The Bible also teaches that God will give us the Holy Spirit/Holy
Ghost (same Greek word) in answer to our prayers:
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13, KJV.)
Furthermore, the Lord Jesus gives the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit to
those who come to Him for salvation, without their having been
baptized or having had hands laid on them.
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,
saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which
they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not
yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39,
KJV) Note that the terms Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are used
interchangeably in this verse.
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water
shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall
give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
(John 4:13-14, KJV)
Mormonism is filled with contradictions, which is not indicative
of truth. In spite of their teaching that baptism by immersion
and laying on of hands are necessary in order to receive the Holy
Spirit/Holy Ghost, their own scriptures teach that this wasn't the
way it happened with Adam:
"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam,
saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said
unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. And then the angel
spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the
Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
Wherefore thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the
Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son
forevermore. And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam,
which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the
Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and
forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all
mankind, even as many as will. And that day Adam blessed God
and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families
of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of
my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have
joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God." (Moses
5:6-10, Pearl of Great Price) (Emphasis inserted by editor)
TRUTH STANDS THE TEST OF TIME
The existence of countless contradictions and/or changed
doctrines in every area of LDS theology should alert Mormons to the
fact that something is radically wrong, because truth is consistent
— it never changes. That is why Christianity of today
teaches exactly the same doctrines that the primitive church
proclaimed in the New Testament. Truth always stands the test
of time.
Should you wish to contact the editor, you are welcome to do so
at reply@bibtruth.com
The following are links to articles on the differing LDS teachings
on God, and on the new birth (comparing biblical teaching with
that of the LDS church), as well as on their claim to be a Christian
denomination:
The Mormon Gods, Past and Present
The New Birth, Biblical and Mormon Viewpoints
Mormonism's Claim to be a Christian
Denomination
To access a comprehensive index of articles comparing various
aspects of Mormonism with what the Bible teaches, click on the
"home" button at the bottom of this page.
Copyright 2007 by Mormonism and Biblical Truth. All rights
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