“God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.”
— Moroni 8:18
There was a time when Mormons agreed with Moroni 8:18. As Mormon historian Thomas G. Alexander writes, “Much of the doctrine that early investigators found in Mormonism was similar to contemporary Protestant churches.”1
Mormonism has apostatized from its own Book of Mormon, and now Christians—who don’t even believe that the Book of Mormon is divine scripture—agree with Moroni 8:18 more than Mormons do. It is a verse that we Christians profoundly wish Mormons would agree with. It is far more important of an issue than tithing, baptism, priesthood authority, or whether Joseph Smith was a true prophet. It concerns an eternal truth of the fundamental nature of God.
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
— Psalm 90:2 (JST)
“Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
— Isaiah 43:10 (JST)
“I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.”
— Isaiah 44:6 (JST)
Doctrine and Covenants
In what was originally read to Church membership as the “Articles and Covenants of the Church,” D&C 20:17 spoke of the God who was always the same unchangeable God: “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…” D&C 76:4 spoke of this same God: “From eternity to eternity he is the same, and his years never fail…”
The Lectures on Faith, which was a canonized part of D&C from 1835-1921 agreed with the Bible and the Book of Mormon that God is an eternal, unchanging, triune Being (from the fifth Lecture on Faith, page 53). Click on image to zoom and read.
Lectures on Faith
In what was originally a part of Mormon scripture, Lecture 3 of the Lectures on Faith taught, “A correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes” is “…necessary, in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.” It goes on to quote the word of God, Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” The lecture then goes on to say that, “he changes not, neither is there variableness with him; but that he is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the same yesterday today and forever; and that his course is one eternal round, without variation.”
Book of Mormon
This echoes Mosiah 3:5, which speaks of “the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity…” Moroni 7:22 also speaks of “God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting…” A chapter later we learn in Moroni 8:18 that “God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.” Other passages in the Book of Mormon also reaffirm God’s eternal, unchangeable nature:
“For behold, I am god; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
— 2 Nephi 27:23
“And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
— 2 Nephi 29:9
“For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever , and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?”
— Mormon 9:9
“And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchanging Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.”
— Mormon 9:19
Mormonism Radically Changed
The Book of Mormon was published in March of 1830. Fourteen years later, Mormon theology had dramatically changed. On April 7, 1844, Joseph Smith preached his famous King Follett Discourse. In it he taught:
God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens…
It is necessary that we should understand the character and being of God, and how he came to be so; for 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 will take away and do away the veil, so that you may see. These are incomprehensible ideas to some; but they are simple…
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…2
Lorenzo Snow summarized the big idea that further developed like this: “As man is God once was, and as God is man may be.”
Since then, Mormonism has never been the same. Mormons now radically re-interpret verses like Moroni 8:18 and essentially reject the original teaching that God was unchangeably God from all eternity to all eternity. Mormons are now even in disarray and confusion over whether Heavenly Father was once a sinful mortal.3
Again, Mormonism has apostatized from its own Book of Mormon, and now Christians—who don’t even believe that the Book of Mormon is divine scripture—agree with Moroni 8:18 more than Mormons do. It is a verse that we Christians profoundly wish Mormons would agree with. It is far more important of an issue than tithing, baptism, priesthood authority, or whether Joseph Smith was a true prophet. It concerns an eternal truth of the fundamental nature of God.
NOTES
1 Thomas G. Alexander, “The Reconstruction of Mormon Doctrine: From Joseph Smith to Progressive Theology.” Sunstone 5:4; July-August 1980
2 Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345. On June 16, 1844, Smith went on to teach that Heavenly Father has his own Heavenly Father (History of the Church, vol. 6, pp. 473-479). Also see Ensign, April 1971 and May 1971.
3 See http://GodNeverSinned.com
JST = The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (aka “The Inspired Version”)
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Beggar's Bread 
Yes, I think its safe to say that Mormon leaders have clearly apostasized from the Book of Mormon testimony about our Creator .
From God to Gods ; from God existing from everlasting to God was not always God ; from God alone to God sharing a heavenly bed with a Goddess(es) and having Gods above Him . From a Godhead of two Divine Persons to a Godhead with three Persons/Gods .
Mormon leaders preached on what they called the holy Trinity — 3 Gods : Father , Son , Holy Ghost.
But Brigham Young introduced into the temple endowment teaching that the Trinity who created this earth were : Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael .
These are but a small sample that serve as a red flag to whoever is concerned about being misled by p certain prophets in these latter days — Matt 24:11 ; 2Tim 4:3-5
Mormon leaders have proven to be a poor source to follow when it comes to being consistent in offering stable teachings from of God’s Word . The Bible speaks of the danger of following religious leaders who can’t get their important doctrines straight –Eph 4:14 .
The Living Bible ( a paraphrase ) says : ” Then we will no longer be like children forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different , or has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth .” [ Eph 4:14 ] .
The Mormon people are decent sincere people who have been tossed to and fro by their leaders for a long , long , time . Rank and file members don’t deserve that .
God has a better place for them to know the truth about Him and to worship Him .
We get to pray for them to take that step to freedom .
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Good point being made in the above piece.
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Reblogged this on Theology Still Matters.
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