The Reorganized Latter-Day Saints
Mormons
refer to themselves as Latter-day Saints. But what exactly is the difference
between them and the Reorganized Latter-day Saints?
Both
the Utah Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) and the Reorganized Latter-day
Saints claim to be legitimate successors of the organization founded
by Joseph Smith in 1830. But despite their common claims, these two
groups differ on a number of very key doctrines.
For example, while most Mormons believe that
there are many gods and that men can become gods, the Reorganized Church
maintains that there is only one God, holding what appears to be a trinitarian
view. And whereas Mormons traditionally hold that God was once a mere
man who had to work his way up to godhood, the Reorganized Church teaches
that God has always been God.
Add to this the fact that the Reorganized
Church repudiates secret temple rituals like "baptism for the dead,"
which are essential elements of Mormon theology, then one may very well
get the impression that the Reorganized Church is in fact soundly orthodox.
And if we add to that their refusal to acknowledge a number of writings
that Mormons consider authoritative, including the Pearl of Great Price,
you really might be inclined to consider them to be "the real thing."
Now, even though I would obviously commend
the Reorganized Church's opposition to the majority of Mormonism's false
teachings, a number of reasons still prompt me to classify them as heretical.
For instance, contrary to Scripture, the Reorganized Church still believes
that Christianity was completely overrun by apostasy (cf. Matt. 16:18;
1 Tim. 4:1). They also maintain that Joseph Smith was a prophet - that
he was sent by God to restore the church; that he had to reinstitute
the apostolic and prophetic offices, along with the Old Testament priesthoods,
and that he also had to convey additional revelation from God (which
is what the Book of Mormon is supposed to be). Well obviously, both
biblical and historical evidence directly controvert these positions
which, of course, makes Christian fellowship with members of the Reorganized
Church virtually impossible. Because the division caused by such mistaken
beliefs is so severe, we can only classify the Reorganized Church as
heretical.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
A brief discussion of the Reorganized
Latter-day Saints can be found in The Maze of Mormonism by Walter Martin
(B044/$10). This resource is available through CRI. For shipping and
handling information, please call CRI or refer to our Resource Listing.
To place a credit card order, call toll-free (888) 7000-CRI. To receive
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