Thursday, July 17, 2014

Turn or Burn


 


 I’d like to write about a word that I may, pardon the phrase, catch hell for. “Hell”, like “Jesus Christ” is a word that we love to use but very rarely consider its origin.

According to the Bible, hell is described as a destination. As to why the go there? That’s what I’d like to focus on. I like hell-fire and brimstone preaching, but that’s not what this column is going to be. I want to be clear. I am not writing this to scare anyone into coming to my Church or praying “the prayer” (probably the subject of my next column). I am writing this to answer a difficult objection that I get a lot concerning the Biblical doctrine of hell. I do a lot of open-air preaching on the UW campus. I also engage in one to one conversations with students about Jesus and the Gospel. This is the objection I hear: “Sam, it doesn’t seem fair that if I sin just one time, I deserve to be in hell for all eternity”.

Actually, this objection makes sense, especially if we look at hell as a place of punishment; as if hell is an eternal beat down for all the sins you’ve committed. Don’t get me wrong, hell is real and people go there, but what is the purpose of this place? Hell is described by Jesus, James, John and Peter as a place of tormenting heat. The lake of fire is where people go after final judgment. Not pleasant. I in no way want to diminish the Biblical characteristics of this place, but I would like all of us to consider why God created hell. Matt 25:31-46 is where Jesus gives us more understanding of the purpose of hell and a truth which I believe answers this common objection soundly.

Here the goats and the sheep are representations of two kinds of people. The two groups are separated on the right and left. The sheep are told to come into the kingdom “prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (34). As to why they go in, Jesus says that whenever he was thirsty, in prison, naked, sick, a stranger, etc. these people ministered to him, him being any fellow Saint. He then tells the goats to depart into eternal fire “prepared for the devil and his angels” (41). As to why they go in, Jesus says that whenever he was in the conditions mentioned above, these types of people refused to minister to him, him being event the least of the saints. The priorities of life did not include Jesus.

Hell was made by Jesus (John 1:3). He prepared it for a specific type of people. He also prepared heaven for a specific type of people. People don’t go to hell because they’re paying for their sin. They go because they’re the type of people that are going to a place prepared for them. They’re the type of person that despite Jesus coming to earth, living a perfect life, fulfilling multiple prophecies, doing various miracles, being crucified to appease a holy God under His wrath that we alone deserve, and rising from the dead, despite all that, they still believe that this world is about them. Are you a goat? Think about this. What do you want most in this world? Is it a person, a possession, respect, money, fame? Why do you want that? Is it because this is the thing that will bring you fulfillment? Is that what living is about? If this is true than you will undoubtedly be going to a place prepared by the one who actually deserves your life.

If Jesus is just a prophet with good things to say, if he is the founder of a religion you show up to a building for in hopes to get what you want in this world, you are going to a place prepared by Jesus just for you. It’s just not the place you were hoping for. But trust me, when you get there you’ll agree that you’d rather be nowhere else. If you don’t want Jesus now, why would you want him then? So that’s it isn’t it? People going to heaven want Jesus to be happy. People going to hell want to be happy in and of themselves. If this is you. It's time to respond to Jesus' invitation. Repent and ask the Lord to transform you into the type of person that gets joy from pleasing their Maker.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Why do you wear a cross?

The cross...
We all know what they look like and they come in a variety of sizes and substance. You have the three-nail design, the giant wood crosses on necklaces, crosses to hang on your wall, crosses to hang on your ears, slap on your car, etc. You get the point. Catholics like the crosses that still have Jesus hanging there. It's a little tiny Jesus for their little tiny sins I guess... I digress.

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine about crosses. He said "so do you have a Church that has, like, crosses everywhere?" I gave my signature look of confusion mixed with a little intrigue to signal him to explain what he meant. "You know, like some Churches have these huge crosses for everyone to gawk at".

Coming from an LDS background, I understood what he was getting at. I shared a few points with him as to why the image of the cross is important to us and I'd like to share those here. Before I do, let me clear the air that YES, I do understand that people, many times, treat the cross as either an image to wear like a good luck charm (violating Exodus 20:4), or equally bad, worn as a mere decorative fad.
Like this:
If a Mormon describes these frustrations to me, I have no argument. So really, the question Mormons want to know the answer to is why Christians feel justified in wearing an instrument of torture. Worse, an instrument of torture meant to refer to the day it was implemented on the Son of God. I've heard my LDS friends tell me how much they love Jesus, and the image of the cross only conveys sadness. "After all, why would we be happy thinking about our loved one suffering?"
It's actually a very understandable question. But before I can help you understand why the reminder of the cross is precious to Christians, I need to explain the distinguishing beliefs we hold.

The cross, no matter what you background, represents 1 of 2 things.
Either it represents tragedy or it represents victory. Plain and simple. If Jesus dying on the cross makes you sad, I have to say that the reason for that is that you don't really understand why he suffered there. Maybe you know the information, but you really don't believe you're worthy of such a sacrifice. Perhaps you don't think your sins are bad enough to deserve a punishment that severe. But bottom line, the Bible is clear that Jesus died on the cross as our holy lamb. He spilt his own blood to seal the New Covenant (covenant means cutting BTW). His blood is what cleanses our conscience (Heb. 10:22). Jesus said himself that there is no greater love than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friend. In Rom 5 Paul says that one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though for a good person one would dare even to die- but God shows his love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us".

What Jesus did on the cross was exclusively for sinners; dirty, nasty, murderous, adulterous, lying, thieving, rebellious, drunken, perverted, tainted, hateful, spiteful, angry, raging sinners. That's what it took. You'll have to forgive us for lifting high and shouting for joy to our great God who displayed his love in the cross. If your loved one did something fantastic for you as a display of love, would you conceal it? No, when something is praise worthy it is lifted high!

The cross
The cross is a reminder of the love of God! You see blood and suffering, I see Jesus Christ  willing to bear the wrath of the Father in obedience to Him so that I could be saved. Every stroke of the whip, all the jeers of soldiers slapping his face, pressing a crown of thorns into his head and finally lead to hand naked in front of self-righteous men who taunted him even at his death... and his statement is "Father, forgive them they know not what they do". It says in Hebrews 12:2 that we ought to fix our eyes on him, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame. It was joy which led him there! He DESPISED the shame! This means that detested any ounce of shame that would creep into his conscious. He embraced the pain. He received the wrath as if he deserved all of it. Why? Because he was taking it from you. He was taking it from me.

We do not look to the cross as an image which can bring us fortune or as something cute to go with those jeans.
We look to the cross as a representation of every ounce of our hope. It is because the sinless savior died, that my sinful soul is free.

So, is it victory or tragedy? It's victory if you see the cross as the pinnacle moment of Jesus' awesome victory over sin. It's tragedy if the cross is only a display of how mean people can be.

You deserve what he got. He took it for you. Praise Him!





Tuesday, June 3, 2014

"Do You Welcome Homosexuals in Your Church?"

As a Pastor you more than likely have (or will have) heard this question - all Christians will. Although the question seems straight forward, the way you answer it speaks volumes to the interviewer in ways you'll only know later and hopefully not in the paper. Suffice to say, I first want you to know that as a believer, you don't need to answer this question. When Jesus knew people were asking questions with the intent of twisting his words, he would respond with another question. Most people asking this question are ready to pounce on your answer, with few exceptions.

Here's how this conversation goes down for most of us:

Bill says: "Do you welcome homosexuals in your church?"

Bob replies: "Well, I suppose."

Bill: "What I mean is: would you allow them to join your Church?"

Bob: "Well, no."

Bill: "Why not!?"

Bob: "Well because homosexuality is wrong."

Bill: "How can you be so judgmental? They were born that way..." Etc.

Bill has an agenda. He wants Bob to say that homosexuality is wrong and then attack Bob for being so judgmental.

WHY?

When Bob says homosexual, what he means by that word is the behavior deemed sin by God's Word. When Bill says homosexual what he is referring to is the person doing the behavior.  Now Bill is going to write an article in the local newspaper about how Pastor Bob hates people who happen to be gay and he'll use the conversation he had with him as evidence. Even if Bob claims to never have said that, most people would hear it Bill's way.

This reality will cause two reactions, which is the purpose of this article. The first is a common knee-jerk reaction I will deem:

BATTON DOWN THE HATCHES

In this reaction we Christians rally together and form allegiances with other like-minded people. We post verses on facebook and twitter and make statements about not being ashamed of traditional marriage. Pastors begin railing on homosexuality and even add the "stance" of traditional marriage to their doctrinal statement. Already, I see this spirit in a recent article by Al Mohler addressing how we're going to handle a SBC Pastor and Church in California that has recently taken a pro-gay "stance". Al Mohler challenges us to decide if this church should be removed from the Southern Baptist Convention. Well, of course they should and, no doubt it will come out that they were kicked out for being pro-gay. But, they will not be booted for being pro-gay, they'll be booted for failing to believe and teach God's Word. That's not how the world will see it.

Consider the second reaction to this supposed "important issue":

NOTHING

What says more to a bully: reacting to them, or ignoring the bully as if he were not there? Look, if churches like this decide to change their view on marriage because they fear man more than God, that's their choice and they will be judged for it. A pastor who decides to avoid the topic of homosexuality, or embrace sin in his teaching is only exhibiting the fruit of disbelief. A church turning pro-gay is a symptom of a bigger problem: Their lampstand will be extinguished and they must now fade into obscurity.

As far as the world of sinners is considered, we must consider the consequences of what we say to certain people. There may be 12 year-old boys or girls in your congregation right now who are struggling with same-sex attraction. Have we considered how making stances or railing on the sin of homosexuality would effect their willingness to be transparent and look for help? Those weak and weary sinners need a Church that teaches the whole counsel of God's Word and exalts the great God of it! That is the kind of Church that a sinner (of any flavor) will find others who were the same and found grace in repentance.

Do you remember what Jesus said on the cross? "Forgive them Father, they know not what they're doing". Forgive who? Jesus was asking God to forgive those same men who twisted His words. It doesn't seem Jesus had a "me against them" motivation. So many Churches are making this homosexual issue an "us against them" battle. Think about that. Us against who?

As believers, our lives are defined by how we relate to others. We ought to be known for many things: our Godly character, behavior, kindness, gentleness, self control, goodness, etc. These are fruits of the Spirit, and you will notice that anti-homosexuality isn't one of them (Gal. 5).

ANTIDOTE

1. Next time someone asks you your stance on homosexuality ask them some questions before answering. Ask them what they mean by "stance" , what do they mean by "homosexuality". Ask them why they're asking it. Are they asking because they are homosexual? Do they want to know the answer or do they want to argue about the answer?

2. Be aware that there may be someone close to you struggling with same-sex attraction. Be sensitive to how you talk about this issue, because coming across "anti-gay" will not translate (in their mind) well.  You are not the person they're going to come to with questions on how to deal with it. You're anti-gay, meaning you're anti-them.

3. Churches have business as usual to attend to. This business is to do exactly what our master Jesus Christ commands by knowing His Word and communing with the Spirit. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. We hope that people trapped by the deceitful and destructive sin of homosexuality will repent and experience true joy in Christ. Therefore, some of us need to pray that our heart for homosexuals and those who approve of their lifestyle changes from an angst mentality, to a 'For' mentality. We're for homosexuals. We're pro-gay people, and we love the LGBTQ community.  We invite them to come and hear of the the one who can wash them clean and empower them to holiness - not traditional marriage, but holiness.

It's not about not being gay; it's about wanting Jesus. When they want Jesus, they'll be willing to give it all up for Him. So let's be like Jesus.





Saturday, May 17, 2014

3Nephi segment

Here is a large segment from 3Nephi. This is going to be the new format of the book to give you an idea of the type of observations given. In the new format, only the verses that apply to the comments made are included. If you have a Book of Mormon, feel free to check the context. Enjoy! You can find this book on Kindle for 4.00 under "the garden" by Sam Martin



3 Nephi 1

[1] Now it came to pass that the ninety and first year had passed away and it was six hundred years from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; and it was in the year that Lachoneus was the chief judge and the governor over the land.

1:1 Here is a great way to compare dates to validate the Book of Mormon. It has already been established that in the first year of the reign of King Zedekiah, Lehi left Israel (1Nephi 1:4). Now, to the day of Christ’s birth marked 600 years from the time they departed. Therefore a quick comparison of actual historical dates should align if this is true.

Let’s see: According to the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel, we can observe in history that Jesus (fulfilling the prophecy) rode in to Jerusalem and was crucified 5 days later on 10 Nisan, 30 AD. Jesus would have been 33 years old. From the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (in 445 BC) to Jesus death was an even 483 years. Subtract 33 and you get Jesus’ birth around 450 years after the decree. If that is so, then that means the first year of King Zedekiah’s reign (according to the book of Mormon) was 155 years before the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.

Zedekiah reined 11 years before he was defeated and the Babylonian captivity was complete. According to Jeremiah 29:10 there was to be 70 years of Babylonian exile and this is why Daniel was praying when he read the 70 weeks prophecy. Ezra 1 clearly sets the date of Cyrus’ decree at the same year (70 years) from their captivity. This is significant since it sets the time of Zedekiah’s reign 81 years from King Cyrus’ decree. That’s 74 years off. Historically, that means they would have left early in King Manasseh’s career. But that is not what the Book of Mormon claims.

 

 [11] And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

[12] And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord, all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

[13] Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

1:11-13 here is another Jesus-is-God moment. Nephi (the 3rd) bows down and prays for the sign of Jesus’ coming: “And it came to pass that he went out… and cried mightily to his God…that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day and behold the voice of the Lord came unto him saying: … on the morrow come I into the world…to fulfill all the things which I have made known… to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son- of the Father because of me, and of the son because of my flesh.” Do you see? The language there can only be understood if the Father and Son are interchangeable. It can only be ascertained from this passage, and others, that Smith did not yet believe that Jesus was not God in his preincarnate state.

  



3 Nephi 2

 [14] And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites;

[15] And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites;

2:15 Yay (see note on 2Neph. 5:23)! Now that they’re good and white, they can intermarry! This doesn’t seem a tad racist? Dark bad; light good. So important was skin color to God, that he actually changed them back to light skin.

 



3 Nephi 6

 [10] But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;

[11] For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers.

[12] And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning, yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.

[13] Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.

[14] And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

[15] Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this -- Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.

[16] And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years.

[17] And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year -- the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should -- and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

6:10-17 in the span of one year Satan convinced the whole nation to delve into “a state of awful wickedness”. Here we see Satan being the cause of their wickedness and given chief blame (17). Christ never blamed Satan for anyone’s sin. But the very next verse gives them full blame. SO which is it? Did they “willfully rebel” (18) or did the devil lead away their hearts (16)? Confused? Me too.  

 

[28] And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea, even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which covenant was given and administered by the devil, to combine against all righteousness.

[29] Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was about to be administered according to the law.

[30] And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.

6:28-30 a group of judges that year covenanted with the devil to kill all the people of God along with the governor so that they could establish a King so that it was no more at liberty, but subject unto Kings. Again, we see that Kings are bad, and judges are good. Despite this, it is funny how just as much oppression and bloodshed came under the judges as under the Kings. But, the American ideals against Kings must be maintained!



3 Nephi 8

[1] And now it came to pass that according to our record, and we know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did keep the record -- for he truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus; and there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity –

8:1 let’s look at that verse again! In other words, we know this is true because the author is just. We know he is just because he did miracles, and only those entirely cleansed from all iniquity could do that. So what about the false prophets in Deuteronomy 13 who could do signs? God allotted them power to test his children to stay faithful to him? What about when Jesus said “Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” (Matt 7:22)? So it turns out people can do miracles and still be false-prophets according to the Bible. According to the Bible, this statement is false. When something claims truth and goes against God’s word, we call that false-teaching. Do you really need to pray whether something which is false is true?

 

 [14] And many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and the places were left desolate.

[15] And there were some cities which remained; but the damage thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many of them who were slain.

8:15 amazing that this literature-based culture has the greatest catastrophe ever and there is nothing (archeologically) to show for it. We’re talking multiple cities with lots of gold, and silver, and livestock, and not to mention these were large cities… and the only thing we can find is some plates in the ground? Check that, those are now gone too! I’m sure you’re a reasonable person. Does this account really seem reasonable with no evidence to represent it?

“And there were some cities which remained; but the damage thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many in them who were slain.” So of the cities not made into mountains, burned, or sunk in the sea… some remained. What’s the point of a sign from God if it kills most of the recipients? Also, why is the sign of the redeemer finishing his work on the cross a day of doom?

According to Romans 3:25 propitiation is offered through Jesus’ blood. Why then is God pouring wrath out on so many cities? If Jesus is the justifier (3:26) of the unjust, than why is just wrath being poured out on men as a sign that he has justified men from their sin? Do you have any idea how contradictory this is to what Jesus did on the cross; especially when Jesus said that he didn’t come to judge the world, but to save it (John 3:17)?

I can just here them now: “hmmm wow, Zarahemla’s on fire, Moroni has just sunk into the sea, Moroniha is buried under a mountain, all the roads are destroyed, and wow, looks like “many great and notable cities were sunk, burned, and shaken to death (8:14); Looks like Jesus must have just died for the sin of the world. All this must be a sign that God has satisfied his wrath for man’s sin on Jesus… and us!! Did Joseph Smith understand what Jesus did on the cross? Do you?

 

 [23] And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them.

8:23 now the darkness for the “space of three days” has come… again this seems a bit silly since Jesus was only in the grave around 36 hours; that’s closer to the space of 2 days. A description of these three days is put that there was “weeping and howling” because of the great destruction dished out on them. Well, no kidding! In Josephus’ The Antiquities of the Jews, Book 17, Chapter 6, Verses 174–175 it is said that when Herod was on his death bed, he ordered distinguished men to come up and be killed at the time of his death so that there would mourners. This was never carried out, but this demonic request does seem to be carried out on Jesus’ behalf by the Mormon god. Do you see it?

 



3 Nephi 9

 [3] Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof.

[4] And behold, that great city Moroni have I caused to be sunk in the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof to be drowned.

[5] And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and their abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against them.

[6] And behold, the city of Gilgal have I caused to be sunk, and the inhabitants thereof to be buried up in the depths of the earth;

[7] Yea, and the city of Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof; and waters have I caused to come up in the stead thereof, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them.

[8] And behold, the city of Gadiandi, and the city of Gadiomnah, and the city of Jacob, and the city of Gimgimno, all these have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up any more unto me against them.

[9] And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them.

[10] And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof, because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets, and stoning those whom I did send to declare unto them concerning their wickedness and their abominations.

[11] And because they did cast them all out, that there were none righteous among them, I did send down fire and destroy them, that their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them.

[12] And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations.

[13] O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

[14] Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.

[15] Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.

9:3-15 Here a detailed survey of all the judgments carried out on the people and why, and the judgments are credited to Jesus. This comes in direct violation to Jesus’ word in John 3:17. It cannot be avoided from this chapter that judgment for sin was carried out on these people by Jesus. How does this reconcile with Jesus’ statement “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”?

 

[16] I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.

[17] And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.

9:17 “As many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God.” Interestingly, Jesus statement here sounds just like John 1:12. Of course the same meaning we can assume comes with it: that we were not born sons of God, but rather must become them. Is this the modern LDS teaching about the nature of God’s Children? That we must become, or that we already are?

 

[18] I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

9:18 Jesus says here “I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” Now why on earth would the translation from reformed Egyptian translate out the Greek terms for beginning and end. Why not just say “beginning and the end”? What would alpha and omega mean to people who were ignorant to that language?

 

[19] And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

9:19 this is another Jesus-is-God statement. Jesus says that he will no longer accept burnt offerings. Weird, I thought burnt offerings were offered to God in the Old Testament. Jesus indicates that they were offered to him. To add to this, according to the Bible, Jesus never stopped the sacrificial system. In fact, according to Zech. 14:20, there will be sacrifices in the temple of the Lord again in what is later understood to be the millennial Kingdom. So not only is this not something Jesus would say (since he’d be contradicting scripture), but in saying the sacrifices were for him, he undoubtedly says that he received the sacrifices for sin… AKA God.



3 Nephi 10

 [12] And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared –

10:12 “It was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not…” So, clearly, Jesus came to save the righteous here contrary to what he said in Matthew 9:12 “those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” Contrary to what he taught in Israel, he did the opposite in the Americas? Is this the same Jesus or does he just suffer from schizophrenia?

 

 [16] Yea, the prophet Zenos did testify of these things, and also Zenock spake concerning these things, because they testified particularly concerning us, who are the remnant of their seed.

[17] Behold, our father Jacob also testified concerning a remnant of the seed of Joseph. And behold, are not we a remnant of the seed of Joseph? And these things which testify of us, are they not written upon the plates of brass which our father Lehi brought out of Jerusalem?

10:17 “behold, our father Jacob also testified concerning a remnant of the seed of joseph” If you look to the Book of Mormon cross-reference, it will guide you to Alma and 3Nephi. That’s convenient, but cross-referencing to the same book under investigation does not prove the book is authentic. Saying Jacob testified about a remnant of Jews being in the Americas needs to be something we read in Genesis, not in the Book of Mormon.

 



3 Nephi 11

 [11] And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

11:11 now we have a conundrum. Jesus said “… I have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world…” what does that mean to a Mormon; especially given the light of God’s wrath for the sin of the people in the Americas being poured out at his death? If the Jesus of the Book of Mormon took upon him the sins of the world, why all the blood shed in America for sin as he was doing that very thing?

 

[13] And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

[14] Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

11:14 Jesus beckons them to feel his hands and side. This is what he beckoned Thomas to do, but only because it was what Thomas said he required to believe his resurrection. Jesus’ response was rhetorical since Thomas simply bowed at the reply and declared Him to be Lord and God (John 20:24-29). There would be no reason for Jesus to do such a thing here. It would be like sharing the punch-line to an inside joke. Nonetheless, an entire people “thrust their hands in his side and felt the holes in his hands”. I would think coming out of the sky would be enough along with God saying this was His son. But hey, we need to make some parallels for the veil of authenticity.

 

[15] And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

[16] And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

[17] Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

11:17 Here we have everyone falling down at the feet of Jesus and worshipping him. Notice what they say: “Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus and worship Him.” Just another Jesus called God moment. They deem Jesus “the most high God”. Who deserves this title but God alone?

 

 [27] And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one.

11:27- Here is something of note. The doctrine of the Trinity, though not held my Mormons, is actually described by the Book of Mormon the best: This verse had a cross reference to D&C 20:28 which says “Which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite, and eternal, without end. Amen” Wow, that was written by Joseph Smith in 1830. This, on the other hand is a quote from Gary J. Coleman, of the first quarum of the seventy during the 2007 General Conference: “The knowledge of God and His physical separateness from His Son and the Holy Ghost was lost after the death of Christ and His Apostles. Confusion and false doctrines about the Godhead were fashioned out of the Nicene Creed and Constantinople councils, where men declared that instead of three separate beings, the Godhead was three persons in one God, or the Trinity. Just as Christian Protestant reformers struggled with these creeds of men, I did as well. The teachings about the Trinity that I learned in my youth were incomprehensible to me.” You forgot to mention Joseph Smith in that group of “men” Mr. Coleman. 

 

[28] And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been.

[29] For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

  • 11:28-29 Jesus establishes the “no fighting” rule… AKA “spirit of contention”. Setting up people to contend in anger is not Jesus’ doctrine and should be done away with (30). Here Jesus declares his “doctrine” which is funny because this is not a word that Jesus ever uses in the New Testament. Not only that, but the Jesus of the Bible sure broke this rule when he called Herod a fox (Luke 13:32), provoked the scribes by exposing their arrogance (Mark 12:38-40), and told the generation in Matthew 11:21-24 that they were more wicked than Sodom and Gomorrah (to name a few). If that’s not provocative, I’m not sure what is.

 

 [33] And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.

[34] And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.

11:33-34 Here we have a near identical statement from Jesus from Mark 16. Let’s see if you can pick out the difference: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16, KJV) “And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned. Here Joseph Smith does what the Bible does not, he condemns those not baptized. “Thanks for clearing that up Joe.

                       -Sincerely, the Catholic Church”.

 

[36] And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.

11:36 “…for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one” see the note on 11:27.

 

[37] And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.

[38] And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

11:37 and 38 are the same verse repeated in a different way… Usually, a repeated point has added information for emphasis.

 

[39] Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.

11:39 Let’s play another game of Bible/Book of Mormon verse comparison: This verse says “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.” Here’s what Jesus actually said to Peter in 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.” This was after Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Let’s look at the difference. For some reason, this verse is altered so that what cannot be prevailed against is people with doctrine. Jesus’ statement was that He would build his church and the gates of hell would not prevail against THE CHURCH. This of course would undermine the whole point of Smith’s Church so it is no wonder why he changed it to “doctrine”. If Jesus is the power behind the Church’s preservation, we can believe it to never be destroyed. But if we alter his statement and put her fate into the hands of men, it serves as a better foundation for declaring its long abandonment. Smith did just that.

  



3 Nephi 12

[1] And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.

12:1 the twelve are chosen and given authority to baptize “with water” by Jesus. Interesting that 12 were chosen here much like Jesus chose 12 in Jerusalem. I wonder why 12 were not chosen of the dispersion of Jews in Africa, or Asia, or Macedonia. Maybe they have books too? The book of Abeeku, the book of Chen, and the book of Alexander. Once we recover them we’ll have even more doctrine!

 

 [22] But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

12:22 Jesus re-gives the sermon on the mount in this chapter, but here uses once again the term “raca” for “fool”. Why wouldn’t Jesus just say “fool” here? He said “raca” to the Hebrews in Matthew 5 because it was a common Aramaic word for fool at that time. Why would these “Jews” be using that word if Aramaic was not common to them?

 

[23] Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hast aught against thee --

[24] Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.

12:24 In this version of Jesus’ sermon on the mount, Jesus says that if you seek to come unto him and remember your brother has anything against you, leave and reconcile so you can come to Jesus with full purpose of heart. The original says to leave your gift on the alter and go be reconciled before coming back to offer your gift. The change here is to justify what Jesus “said” back in 9:19. You know what they say, once you start lying, you have to keep going in order to keep the story straight.

 

 [47] Old things are done away, and all things have become new.

[48] Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

12:48 are there two kinds of “perfect”? if not, why not just say “as I and your heavenly Father”? I know this sounds like knit picking, but that’s what detectives on the scent for truth do.



3 Nephi 13

 [9] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[10] Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

13:9-10 here the altercation is to the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (compare with Matthew 6:10) notice he removed “thy Kingdom come”. So why omit that portion of the Lord’s Prayer? This is because, Smith considered Christ’s Kingdom there already.

 



3 Nephi 15

 [4] Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.

[5] Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.

15:5 Jesus says “I am he who covenanted with my people Israel” Here is another great example of Jesus calling himself God. By addressing Israel as “his people” he aligns himself with the God of the Bible who addresses Israel in this way (Ez. 36:12, Am 9:14, Ex. 9:1, etc.)

 

 [9] Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.

15:9 here Smith uses the statement of Jesus in Matthew 24 to “endure to the end” to mean that spiritual salvation is for those who endure to the end, when in actuality this verse in 24 is referring to those in the tribulation enduring trial to be saved in the end. Observe this for yourself and you’ll see this is in the context of the end times before he returns. The plagues mentioned in that chapter align with the plagues of the book of Revelation.

 

 [11] And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen:

[12] Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people, who are a remnant of the house of Joseph.

15:12 “he said unto the 12, Ye are my disciples…” the word disciple means pupil or learner. Jesus had many disciples, why does he only call these 12 his disciples? “Disciples” were those who were with Jesus throughout his earthly ministry (from his baptism to his ascension). Paul was not a disciple of Jesus’ life on earth (though he is an apostle). This is from Acts 1:21-22 when they replaced Judas with Matthias under this given criteria. Everyone present was just as much a disciple as these twelve in question. Apparently disciple and Apostle meant the same thing to Smith.

 

[16] This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto them:

[17] That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

15:16-17 how convenient! Turns out Jesus didn’t mention the “lost remnant of Joseph” because the Jews were stiff-necked. But take the statement Jesus made about “another flock” and believe that’s what he meant. That comes from John 10:16. Stiff-necked; were the three thousand saved in Acts 2 stiff-necked?

 

[18] And now, because of stiffneckedness and unbelief they understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them.

[19] But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were separated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you.

[20] And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity that they know not of them.

[21] And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

[22] And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching.

15:22 the plot thickens: “…for they supposed it had been the gentiles; for they understood not that the gentiles should be converted through their preaching”. This fails on two accounts. First, it assumes that Jesus was emphasizing his literal voice was being used to call his sheep. If we take that part of the allegory literally, we ought also to take the subject literally. In other words, Jesus actually came to save “sheep” not humans. Second, it follows that Jesus didn’t preach to gentiles at all, only his disciples did. This too is false. In fact, he healed some of them as well (Mark 5, Luke 7, John 18, John 4, Matthew 8, Matthew 15, etc.). Jesus did preach in the presence of the Gentiles. Is Jesus lying?

 

[23] And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice -- that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost.

[24] But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.



3 Nephi 17

[1] Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand.

[2] I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

[3] Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.

17:3 Jesus is preaching and perceives that they “cannot understand the words” he was preaching to them. So, he sends them home to ponder the preaching then come back in the morning. This is an interesting tactic. Funny he, nor any of his apostles, ever did this thing.

 

[11] And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.

[12] So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.

[13] And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.

17:13 Here Jesus commands after instituting communion for the first time among the Americans that “whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock” the verse goes on to say that those who do, are not believers. In other words, Jesus makes it clear that communion was mandated to happen exactly as he demonstrated.

Jesus changed his mind about that in D&C 27:2-3 where he says to Joseph: “For, behold, I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins.” So orange soda and gummy worms are as good as anything and it’s the thought that counts, got it. This schizo-Jesus is hard to keep up with!

 



3 Nephi 18

 [18] Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

18:18 Here Jesus gives a warning to all the people that Satan desired to sift them like wheat and that is why they need to pray to the father in his name. Well, that should make Peter feel better. He probably thought that Jesus meant (when he told him the same thing in Luke 22:31) that he was the only one Satan was looking to sift like wheat. Relax Peter! As it turns out that’s just something Satan wants to do to everyone. It looks something like the film How the Grinch Stole Christmas when the Grinch stood upon Mt. Crumpet with a phone book of everyone in Who Ville and screamed out his hatred to each one alphabetically. Why would Jesus tell this only to Peter, and then later decide that it was Satan’s specific mode of destruction for everyone? It kind of loses its significance.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

If anyone is interested in taking a look at the latest edition of my book ("The Garden"), I got a lot of feedback that people were just skipping right to the comments when they read it. Therefore, I did two things which make this book better to read on Kindle. I converted it to PDF (which means you can click on the table of contents to zip you right to a particular Book of Mormon Chapter), and I removed the sections of the Book of Mormon that did not pertain to the comments. This cut the book down to a 1/4 of its original size. It's estimated to be about 165 pages and you can preview it here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Garden-Samuel-Martin-ebook/dp/B00F4HMWJG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399559403&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Garden+Samuel+Martin

For anyone interested, I am finally putting this revised edition into PRINT.


Let me know

-Sam


Thursday, October 31, 2013

This is the conclusion, index and "about the author" section of The Garden. If this is the first time you've read this blog, please read some of the text from past blogs to understand why I wrote what I wrote in the conclusion. This is the last segment I will post on this blog, but you can download the entire book on Kindle on this link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Garden-Samuel-Martin-ebook/dp/B00F4HMWJG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1383234773&sr=8-9&keywords=The+Garden+Book+of+Mormon

The purpose for writing this is NOT to convince you not to be Mormon. The purpose is that you embrace the all-powerful Son of God who was crushed for our iniquity so that we have the opportunity to have our sin forgiven. When we are washed clean of sin by his precious blood, we stand before God spotless. This is why God is able to adopt us into his divine Family as sons. Please consider who Jesus is as explained in the New Testament. The best book you could read is not this one. The very best book is God's Word. Trust it. Examine it yourself to determine if the Jesus there is the same person as who you have put your trust in. If you have embraced Mormonism, you have embraced a pseudo-Jesus. Read about the actual man from Nazareth with Divine identity. He alone can save. This is why He came.
 
Conclusion

     There are 2 scenarios I’d like to present. In both scenarios, the detective slowly steps off the porch of the suspect’s home. You are no doubt shocked and confused at all the evidence you discovered in your investigation and now you begin to ponder the outcome of all this when you hand over the evidence to the judge. It’s not simple. You know the suspect. He is your Parents, possibly your Grandparents. He is your best Friend. He is your future, your dreams, your Husband or your Wife. The judge is impartial. He will make his decision and you’re the one who will suffer the most because you’re the reason for the conviction.

     You hurry home with all the evidence you’ve collected and take it to your garden. With the weight of what you’ve learned you begin to dig deep in the soil. You’re conflicted, but you know that this is the only way to keep the suspect safe. After you’ve buried it deep and wipe your hands clean you take a deep breath. You can carry on as usual. You can maintain all that you would have lost. But, you have retained your world at the cost of your soul. Jesus said in Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (KJV). The evidence demands a verdict. What will you give in exchange for your soul?

     Let’s look at the other option. Though heart-broken and scared, you drive your car to the police station. You submit the evidence to your will and choose instead to lose it all so that justice can be served. You ask God for the grace to endure all the loss and you begin to experience something you didn’t expect! You begin to hear God! It’s not what you expected, but it is more than you could have ever imagined! As you cry out to God for mercy, you realize that God really did send his only begotten son! You realize that he shed his blood for your sin and that there is nothing you could ever do to earn that kind of love. He rose from the grave so that you could be assured that where he is, you will be. He is your redeemer. He is your loving God who chose to save you by his power! Can you put your trust in that God? Is Jesus enough?

     This is your story. I cannot write its ending. The two options are simple, but far from easy. Will you go on rejecting the God of the Bible for the god that you knew so well? Or will you reject the one you once held dear for the living unfamiliar One who exists in truth. Is He worth getting to know? Is He worth losing everything for?

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

                                                                                     -Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:24-25 KJV)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Index

 

 

Here is a list of New Testament quotes I personally recognized in the Book of Mormon. How is this possible?

New Testament Passage
Book of Mormon Passage
Matthew 24:6
1Nephi 14:15
Romans 11:23
1Nephi 15:12-13
Malachi 3:2
1Nephi 20:10
Romans 3:20
2Nephi 2:5
Romans 8:23
2Nephi 2:8-9
John 8:44. Revelation 12:9
2Nephi 2:18
Galatians 4:4
2Nephi 2:26
John 1:13
2Nephi 2:29
Romans 7:24
2Nephi 4:17
Mark 16:16
2Nephi 9:24
Romans 8:6
2Nephi 9:39
Acts 4:12
2Nephi 25:22
Matthew 7:13-14
2Nephi 33:9
Mark 10:24
Jacob 2:18
Acts 4:12
Mosiah 3:17
1Corinthians 15:58
Mosiah 5:15
1Corinthians 15:55
Mosiah 16:7
John 5:29
Mosiah 16:11
1Corinthians 15
Alma 5:15
John 3:16
Alma 5:49
Matthew 3:10, Luke 3:9
Alma 5:52
Hebrews 12:1
Alma 7:15
Matthew 11:24
Alma 9:15
Hebrews 9:27
Alma 12:27
1Corinthians 15:55
Alma 22:14
Hebrews 6:6
Alma 24:30
John 4:35
Alma 26:5
1Corinthians 15:54
Alma 27:28
2Corinthians 6:2, John 9:4, Revelation 12:11
Alma 34:3, 33, 36
Philippians 2:12
Alma 34:37
1Corinthians 1:28
Alma 36:6-7
Luke 22:31
Alma 37:15
Matthew 10:22
Alma 38:2
Acts 4:12
Alma 38:9
Luke 18:10
Alma 38:14
1Corinthians 15:50
Alma 40:2
Matthew 8:12
Alma 40:13
Revelation 22:17
Alma 42:27
John 4:23
Alma 43:10
Matthew 23:26
Alma 60:23
Matthew 6:20
Helaman 5:8
Acts 4:12
Helaman 5:9
1Peter 1:8
Helaman 5:44
Matthew 6:20
Helaman 8:25
Matthew 16:19
Helaman 10:7
Matthew 23:30
Helaman 13:25
John 1:12
3Nephi 9:17
2Peter 3:10
Mormon 9:2
Hebrews 6:19, 1Corinthians 15:58
Ether 12:4
1Corinthians 13:4-7
Moroni 7:45
1John 3:1-3
Moroni 7:48
James 4:4
Mosiah 3:19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author:

     Samuel Martin was raised in Laramie Wyoming. He grew up in a Pastor’s home and later joined the Navy after graduating from Laramie High School in 2000. Sam served on the USS Tucson (SSN 770) in Pearl Harbor Hi. where he began to understand his call to ministry. Sam Maried his Wife Erin during that time and they had their first of 4 children while stationed there.

     After being honorably discharged in 2005, Sam attended the University of Wyoming where he continued a lifestyle of evangelism and raised a growing Family. Sam then attended The West Institute Seminary in Laramie Wyoming (a teaching sight of Shepherd’s Theological Seminary in NC). Sam was hired as a Youth Pastor during his time at the University and later hired as the Associate Pastor at Laramie Valley Chapel.

     Throughout Sam’s life in Wyoming his heart for reaching Mormons has grown. You cannot live in Wyoming long without meeting and befriending many Mormons. After speaking with many missionaries of the LDS Church, Sam decided to research the Book of Mormon in a deep and meaningful way. Ulitmately, Sam’s heart is to make Disciples of Jesus Christ. His hope is that this book will remove the barriers that exist between Mormons and Jesus so that they can clearly understand the Gospel and respond to its hope.