- Eph. 3:3-7 Paul writes "by revelation he made known unto me
the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ) which in other ages
was not made known unto the sons of men as it
is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by
the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the
same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
whereof I was made a minister ...... (See also Col. 1:26; 1
Peter 1: 1-12; Romans 16:25-26)
However, the Book of Mormon maintains that this knowledge was
had in 545 B.C.
2 Nephi 25:19 "For according to the
words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh... his name shall be
Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ... (v.23) For we labor... to
persuade... our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be
reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are
saved, after all we can do.
2 Nephi 26:12 "And as I spake
concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus in the very
Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also
that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;"
2 Nephi 30:2 "For behold, I say unto
you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant
people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent
shall be cast off,"
2 Nephi 31:17 "For the gate by which ye
should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh
a remission of your sins by fire and the Holy Ghost."
- During Jesus' ministry He spoke of His church as
something in the future.
Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church; and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
After Christ's resurrection and the day of Pentecost we read
"And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be
saved." (Acts 2:47)
However, the Book of Mormon
claims the Christian church was established as early as 147 B.C.
Mosiah 18:17 "And they were called the
church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward."
- The Bible says believers were first called
Christians after Paul's ministry in Antioch.
Acts 11:26 "And it came to pass, that a whole year they
assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people.
And the disciples were called Christians first
in Antioch."
However, the Book of Mormon
claims people were known by this title as early as 73 B.C.
Alma 46:15 "...yea, all those who were
true believes in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of
Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their
belief in Christ who should come."
- The Holy Ghost was bestowed on the Christians at the
time of Pentecost.
Luke 24:49 "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father unto
you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued
with power from on high."
Acts 2:1-4 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come,
they were all with one accord in one place. ... And they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost,..."
Yet the Book of Mormon claims
that people received the gift of the Holy Ghost as early as 545
B.C.
2 Nephi 31:12-13 "...the voice of the
Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him
will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me... Wherefore,
my beloved brethren,... by following your Lord and your Savior
down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall
ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire
and of the Holy Ghost;..."
- In the Old Testament the only ones who could be
priests were the descendants of Levi, one of the twelve sons of
Israel.
Numbers 3:9-10 "And thou shalt give the Levites
unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out
of the children of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his
sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the
stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death" (See also
Numbers 8:6-26).
However, the Book of Mormon
story claims that descendants of the tribe of Manasseh (Alma
10:3) were made priests.
2 Nephi 5:26 "And it came to pass that
I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be
priests and teachers over the land of my people."
- The Old Testament teaches that the first born of the
flocks were to be given automatically to the Lord. Sacrifices
were to be made from their remaining animals.
Exodus 13:12 "That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all
that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a
beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord's" (See also
Ex. 13:2; 22:29-30; Numbers 3:13; 18:15-18; 2 Sam. 24:24).
Deuteronomy 12:6 "And thither ye shall bring your
burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes,
and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your
freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and
of your flocks."
The Book of Mormon claims that
the Nephites were keeping the law of Moses. However, the
Nephites broke the law of Moses by using the first of the flocks
for burnt offerings. These should have already been given to the
Lord as tithing.
Mosiah 2:3 "And they also took of the
firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and
burnt offerings according to the law of Moses."
- The Bible states that all of King Zedekiah's sons
were killed.
Jeremiah 39:6 "Then the king of Babylon slew the sons
of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes."
Contrary to the Bible, the Book
of Mormon claims that one son of King Zedekiah escaped
destruction and came to the Americas.
Heleman 6:10 "the land north was called
Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did
bring Mulek into the land north" (See also Heleman 8:21).
- The Bible prophesied that Jesus would be born in
Bethlehem.
Micah 5:2 "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of
thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;
whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."
However, the Book of Mormon
said he would be born at Jerusalem.
Alma 7: 10 "And behold, he shall be
born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers,
she being a virgin..."