Letter to Evangelicals about the Mormon Church

2004-12-15T07:27:00.000-08:00

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3).

"I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears (Acts 20:29-31).

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (Galatians 1:6-9).

"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it.." (2 Corinthians 11:2-4).

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:13-14).

Dear Evangelical Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

Greetings Brethren in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit,

I believe in the historic doctrine of the Trinity, Amen.

I believe in the Evangelical doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone based on the Bible Alone Amen.

I believe the Bible alone is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, indestructible and only authoritative Word of Almighty God, Amen.

Brethren in Christ Jesus near and far,

In 426 AD the great North African Bishop Augustine, painstakingly went through each and everyone of his theological writings from his classic "Confessions" and the "City of God" to the most minute of publications and then released, a few years before his death, "Retractiones", a title that might be translated as his "reconsideration's." In this book, Augustine commented one by one on all his writings, showing from his point of view, where he had went wrong theologically and corrected himself.

Although I am an insignificant role player in this controversy about Fuller Seminary President Richard Mouw's controversial statements made in November at the Mormon Tabernacle, many of my Evangelical friends across the country look to me for my opinion on the matter. In this, I am mindful of the testimony of Athanasius, the young assistant to the Bishop Alexander and a man God used at the Council of Nicea in 323AD to stand for the truth against the heresy of Arianism. I see that God sometimes uses seemingly "insignificant" role players to accomplish His sovereign will on the earth.

With the example of Augustine's "Retractiones" and young Athanasius in mind, after organizing three separate Evangelical dialogs with the Mormon church and after serious study and reflection upon the statements made by Dr. Mouw at the Mormon Tabernacle and the direction of the Evangelical dialog movement in general, I have to issue a public statement. I believe that Mouw's statements have seriously compromised the integrity of the Evangelical Gospel with the Mormon Church.

As a Evangelical witness to the Mormon Church, who has spent the last 20 years studying Mormon theology and discussing issues with rank and file members of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day-Saints, I can give conclusive evidence through correspondence with many Mormons, that Dr. Mouw's statements are being used by many Mormons to discredit Evangelicals who attempt to share the Gospel with Mormons and show the LDS the errors of their theology.

I also believe it has been a mistake for me to have been involved in this dialog movement with the Mormon Church and I repent before my Evangelical brethren about my participation in it.

I want to state in the clearest and most unambiguous language possible, that I in no way support any teaching of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints in any capacity whatsoever.

I do not support any of their doctrines or claims about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.

I love my Mormon friends with the entirety of my being but I cannot compromise my conviction that the Mormon church is entirely unbiblical whose doctrines are of a radical and heretical nature.

I believe Joseph Smith truly lived in history.
He was a true historical figure and lived from
1805-1844. I really do believe that. There is really
no doubt in my mind that Joseph Smith walked this
earth, said he had a visitation from heavenly beings
he said were two separate gods and then said he saw an
angelic being or something, which he said led him to
some golden plates which he said were the Book of
Mormon.

But to me the question of whether or not Joseph Smith saw an angel cannot be solved by the LDS just saying they are the true church and they received a testimony of confirmation from a spirit.

Anyone can make a similar claim and do all the time.

The Muslims (which Islam is a one Billion member group not 12 million like the LDS) say that the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mohammed and inspired him to write the most perfect book which is the Q'uran (Koran).

The same line of argumentation that the Church of
Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints uses to defend the
vision of Joseph Smith and the formulation of the Book of Mormon is used by Muslims in the defense of the truth of Islam and formulation of the Q'uran.

Muslims say that like Joseph Smith, Muhammad was a
righteous man who was led by his god to lead his people from false religion and to true worship, wrote down the Q'uran which they say is the most perfect book and we should not ever question it.

(See Q'uran: Surah 2:97-98 and 4:82)

But the Bible teaches us to test the spirits, to
examine everything carefully and to hold fast to the
truth (1 Thess. 5:21, 2 Tim. 2:15, 1 John 4:1).

I do not agree that there are any new Scriptures or
revelations from God like Scripture, true, but if
their was "new revelation" it would not contradict
God's first Word the Bible on any of it's teachings on the nature of God and the way of Salvation.

That's why so many people had and do have a problem
with the LDS Church, not because they say they believe in God, but because they have said in the history of thier church that the Mormon religion is the only true church possessing the authority of Christ, which we reject based on the total lack of historical evidence

Because of my participation in this dialog movement I have to make this statement that I have sinned and I have been deceived. I have compromised the Evangelical Gospel with the Mormon Church and I hereby repent and side with the conservative Evangelicals such as Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries who take the traditional Evangelical view of the Mormon Church. I would encourage anyone interested in his views on the Mormon Church and Dr. Mouw's statements, to contact his great ministry.

I also give permission to all Evangelicals involved in the counter cult movement to share this letter with all their friends and constituents. I love you very much and I have let you down, please forgive me. I believe Walter Martin was a great man and did an honorable service for the truth of Christ. I am sorry I let you and his memory down.

Two thousand years ago, a unique man named Jesus Christ of Nazareth emerged from the chaos of human existence with a profound message of hope and human redemption. Jesus Christ claimed to be the Son of God, lived a perfect life, performed incredible miracles, proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God and ultimately died on the Cross for the sins of humanity and rose again from the dead to give anyone who would sincerely turn from their sins and place their faith in Him eternal life.

I love you all and wish everyone a happy holiday season.

Sincerely in Christ Jesus our Sovereign King,

Lee Edward "Ed" Enochs

Executive Director
Conservatives for California

edenochs@yahoo.com

http://www.conservativesforcalifornia.com/

Open Letter to Evangelicals on the Mormon Church

Letter to Evangelicals about the Mormon Church