Did False Spirits In the First Vision Approach Joseph Smith?

Detractors of the LDS faith have always attacked the first vision of Joseph Smith. One such question asked is "How can Latter-day Saints accept Joseph Smith as a prophet when he received the Book of Mormon from an unknown and possibly false spirit?

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 states: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." Some have asked if Satan can appear as an angel of light, couldn't hehave cecieved Joseph Smith by claiming to be Moroni or any of the other messengers who appeared to him?

This is cerainly a possibility that should be considered seriously, since the Book of Mormon describes two instances where this occurred. [2 Nephi 9:9; Alma 30:53] Joseph Smith also briefly described several incidents of this nature associated with the restoration. [D&C 128:20; Teachings p. 214] Nevertheless, it appears that Joseph Smith was well aware of this tactic and taught the Saints how to recognize this ruse. [Teachings pp. 202, 204, 214, 227; See also Bruce R McConkie's Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, vol 2, pp 440-41]

The Bible also contains a test to enable us to judge, or as John says to "try spirits whether they are of God." [1 John 4:1-3] If Moroni or any of the other messengers who appeared to Joseph Smith failed this test we would know he was a minister of Satan.

John states: "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. Joseph Smith likewise taught, If I profess to be a witness or teacher, and have not the spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony of Jesus, I must be a false witness....any man who says he is a teacher or preacher of righteousness and denies the spirit of prophecy, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; and by this key false teachers and impostors may be detected. [Teachings p. 269]

Moroni not only confirmed that Jesus Christ was "come in the flesh," but quoted Old and New Testament scriptures which were fulfilled with his coming. [JS-H 1:40] Moroni also stated that his purpose was to reveal a book "giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent" and containing the "everlasting Gospel...as delivered by the Savior" [JS-H 1:34] following his mortal ministry. That stated purpose of the Book of Mormon is in fact to convince both "Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ." As such, it is subtittled "Another Testament of Jesus Christ." We believe it to be a second witness, after the Bible, of Jesus Christ's devine mission. If Moroni were Satan or one of Satan's ministers acting as an instrument of evil, he surely would not have done so much to convince mankind to believe in Christ - it goes counter to Satans's purpose. [Matt 12:25]

The Book of Mormon was written to bring us to Christ as was staed in 2 Nephi 33:10-11: "and now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye - for Christ will show unto you with power and great glory, that they are his words, as the last day; and you and I sahll stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I ave been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness"

The Book of Mormon contains an account of Christ's visit to those upon the continent wherein he allows them to "feel the prints of the nails" in his flesh [3 Nephi 11:14] that they might understand that he died for them also. Thus Moroni and the book which he brought both testify that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and was come in the flesh "manifesting himself unto all nations." [Book of Mormon title page; 1 Nephi 104-11; 11:18-21, 27-33; 15:13; Mosiah 7:27;
15:1-2; Ether 3:6, 9, 16-17; Moroni 9:25]

None of the messengers which appeared to Joseph Smith ever denied that Jesus Christ was the Messiah come in the flesh [D & C 13:1; 18:11-12, 19:16; 20:1; 110:4]; to the contrary, they all testified of him and his divinity. 2 Corinthians 11:15 contains a final key to detection of false messengers. It states that their "end shall be according to their works" If their works be evil or unrighteous we will know they are not from God. "By their fruits ye shall know them" [Matt 7:20]

LDS Stake Growth 1830-2004

Can anyone really deny the growth of the LDS Church? One just needs to look at the last 25 years to understand the work has increased and the numbers are rising.

Foundations Don't Get Laid Twice or Do They?

Some Protestants believe that the foundation of the church spoken of in Ephesians 2:20 was meant to be laid only once and was not intended to last any longer than the original apostles. One detractor of the LDS faith asked, How many foundations can a house have?" The answer to this is clear to those who truely understand the extent to which the apostasy destroyed the original Church.

Just as building foundations are not removed when construction of a building is completed, Christ's apostles and prophets were not meant to be removed when the church was established, but were meant to remain, as were the other offices mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. There are at least 15 and passibly as many as 22 apostles named in the New Testament, and no fewer than three prophets are named in the book of Acts. Consider the following references:

Apostles

1-12 Original 12 apostles - Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16
13 Mathias - Acts 1:26
14 Paul - Acts 13:2; 14:14; Rom 1:1
15 Barnabas - Acts 13:2; 14:14
16 Andronicus - Rom 16:7
17 Junia - Rom 16:7
18 Apollos - 1 Cor 4:6-9
19 James (brother of Jesus) - Gal 1:19
20 Silvanus - 1 Thes 1:1; 2:4-6
21 Timotheus - 1 Thes 1:1; 2:4-6
22 Jesus - Heb 3:1

Prophets

1 Agabus - Actions 11:27-28; 21:10
2 Judas - Acts 15:22, 32
3 Silas - Acts 15:22, 32
-- Others Acts 11:27; 13:1; 21:9; Rev 11:3-10

We should ask why Mathias was chosen to replace Judas if that foundation were not meant to remain? Why also were Paul and Barnabas first mentioned as apostles follwing the death of James the brother of John as the imprisonment of Peter [Acts 12:2-3; 13:1-3; 14:14]? Why did the early church accept and refer to so many post resurrection prophets by name?

If prophets existed throughout the Bible, why do we not need them now? Amos 3:7 indicates that God will do nothing save he reveal his will to his prophets. Also, 1 Corinthians 12:27-29, 14:29-33 and 37-39 indicate that prophets and the gift of prophecy were part of the original church. Their principle duty was to prevent error and confusion amoung the saints. Where does the Bible indicate that they were not meant to continue? A careful reading of Ephesians 4:11-14 indicates not only that prophets and apostles were meant to remain to maintain a "unity of the faith" and a "knowledge of the Son of God," but also that without them men would be "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine" [verse 14]. This is exactly the condition of "mainstream Christianity today!

In Ephesians 3:3-5, Paul makes it clear that in that day, knowledge was "revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" [see also Acts 1:2; 2:18]. It should also be noted that a careful reading of Luke chapter 11 reveals that Christ taught that slaying the apostles and prophets woudl cause the "key of knowledge" to be "taken away" [verses 49 - 52]. Based on these verses, it seems safe to assume that any church not claiming to have these officers also cannot claim any unique understanding of God's truth or be his Church.

Hegesippus, a historian of the period immediately following apostolic times is quoted by Eusebius in his Ecceesastical History as saying:

The Church continued until then as a pure and uncorrupt virgin; which if there were any at all taht attempted to pervert the sound doctrine of the saving gospel, they were yet stullking in the dark retreats; but when the sacred choir of apostels became extinct, and generations of those that had been priveledged to hear their inspired wisdom had passed away, then also the combination of impios error arose by fraud and delusions of false teachers. These also, as there were none of the apostles left, henceforth attempted without shame to preach their false doctrine against the gospel of truth. Such is the statement of Hegesippus [Eusebius, Ecclsiastical History, Book III, chapter 32]

Palsms 11:3 asks: "If the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" The answer to this question is found in Acts 3:19-21: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord: And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heven must recieve until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" [see also Acts 1:6-7]

The time refreshing has come and the restitution of all things has begun in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That restoration included the preisthood power and authority held by ancient apostles and prophets and making it possible the calling of modern apostles and prophets in these latter days. [D & C 1:30]