The Gospel according to Joseph

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The Gospel according to Joseph

• Joseph Smiths Failing Grade as a Prophet of God

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Who was Joseph Smith?
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• In 1830, he founded of The Church of Jesus Christ
  of Latter-day Saints (LDS), also known as the
  Mormons.
• That same year, he published The Book of Mormon.

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What do the Mormon scriptures say about Joseph
Smith?

• thou shalt be called a seer, a translator, a
  prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ (Doctrine
  Covenants 211).
• Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord,
  has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation
  of men in this world, than any other man who ever
  lived (DC 1353).

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What do Mormons think about Joseph Smith?

• Jesus Christ excepted, no better man ever lived
  or does live upon this earth.Brigham Young
  (1862)
• Like other Latter-day Saints, I have built my
  life on the testimony and mission of the Prophet
  Joseph Smith.Dallin Oaks (1996)

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What are the biblical tests of a prophet?

• He must speak on behalf of the true God alone
  (Deut. 131-5).
• If he makes predictions in Gods name, they must
  come true (Deut. 1318-22).

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What are the biblical tests of a true apostle of
Jesus Christ?

• He must have seen the risen Christ himself (1
  Cor. 91 155-9).
• True apostles performed miracles in Christs name
  (2 Cor. 1212).

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Did Joseph Smith speak in the name of the true
God alone?

• Joseph claimed to speak only in the name of the
  God of the Bible, or in the name of Jesus Christ.
• However, Joseph seriously misrepresented the
  nature of God, claiming that God was once a man
  who became a Godand that we are supposed to
  become Gods, too.

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Did Joseph Smiths predictions in the name of God
come true?
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Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the
city New Jerusalem shall be built beginning at
this place Jackson County, Missouri, even the
place of the temple, which temple shall be reared
in this generation. For verily this generation
shall not all pass away until an house shall be
built unto the Lord.DC 843-5 (Sept. 22-23,
1832)
Joseph Smiths temple prophecy
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Josephs Civil War prophecy
VERILY, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars
that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the
rebellion of South Carolina, which will
eventually terminate in the death and misery of
many souls And the time will come that war will
be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this
place.DC 871-2 (Dec. 25, 1832)
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Did Joseph see the risen Jesus?

• Pauls statement in 1 Corinthians 158, and last
  of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also
  to me, implies that he was the last man to
  become an apostle.

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• Josephs first public claim to have seen the
  risen Jesus dates from 1831 or 1832, about 12
  years after it supposedly happened, and we have
  his word alone that it occurred.
• The validity of Pauls claim to have seen the
  risen Jesus was confirmed by the other apostles
  (Gal. 118-19 27-9).

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Did Joseph perform the miracles of an apostle?

• Mormon history claims no miracles in the usual
  sense of the word for Joseph Smith.
• The only supernatural work that Smith
  reportedly performed was the translation of the
  Book of Mormon and other lost scriptures.

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Grading Joseph Smith as a Prophet and Apostle

• Speaking for the true God D
• Predictions in Gods name true F
• Saw the risen Jesus F
• Did miracles in Jesus name F
• Josephs final grade F

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please visit the following web sitewww.4Truth.n
etNorth American Mission Board