What do you accept as scripture?

by Jared D. Edson

I can write in just a few words something that many professing Christians might find so offensive as to cause them to stop reading and condemn me as a heretic. True Christians are those who investigate to see if such a preconception is warranted, so you must decide for yourself whether to read further:

I believe the Book of Mormon is true.

There, I said it and I’m not ashamed of it. Let me take this time to say a few other things that will possibly confuse you.

Yes, I also believe the Bible is true.

No, I am not a Mormon.

Yes, I am a Christian because I believe in Christ, his divine nature, his birth, life, ministry, teachings, doctrine, death and resurrection. Not just believe, but try to live according to that belief.

Suppose I were to tell you that because you believe in the Bible as the Holy Word of God, that you must therefore be Catholic? Or Greek Orthodox, or Baptist? How silly would it be to say that belief in the Bible makes you a member of a specific denomination?

So it is with the Book of Mormon - belief that it is the Holy Word of God does not make me a Mormon, and for the same reasons. Just as the Bible says you should only pray to God, and yet Catholics pray to Saints, so also does the Book of Mormon call polygamy an abomination and yet some Mormons either practice or believe it to be acceptable to God.

So let me tell you a few things -- just a few -- about what I believe because of what the Book of Mormon tells us:

You can only be saved by the grace of Christ
You will be judged according to your works
You must be baptized in water and by the Holy Ghost
God can reveal himself to anyone
There will be two ultimate outcomes: eternal life or the lake that burns with fire

The list goes on, but if these things sound familiar, they should: the Book of Mormon is in agreement with the Bible.

What is it about the Book of Mormon that makes it a useful book, besides having only the Bible?

There is continuity between the old testament and new testament time periods. The people in the Book of Mormon times were keenly aware of the law of Moses and its terminus in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, but also the purpose and intent of the law.
The global impact of God’s dealings with Israel and other people. The Book of Mormon describes three distinct groups that left the middle-east area and how they were led to the western hemisphere - what we now call the Americas. There are divine promises laid upon the land of the Americas that continue to have importance in world affairs.
While many prophecies and events in the Bible are sometimes difficult to understand, inspired men in the Book of Mormon were given understanding and explained those prophecies in simple terms that anyone can grasp.
Key new testament ordinances are explained and the functional aspects of a working church are described as they took place over a 1,000 year period of time, more than 200 years of which took place after Christ visited the inhabitants of this land following his resurrection from the dead.
The origin of the Book of Mormon is well described within its pages. The modern-day English translation was from the original material engraved on metal plates, which did not diminish over time, and the act of translation was performed by the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was a single translation, not a sequence of different translations into different languages. This means the text is far closer to the original content and meaning than many of the books of the new or old testaments as compared to their original (no longer existent) author’s writings.
The doctrine of Christ is explained in clear terms. The action of faith is shown by additional witnesses of God’s dealings with his people.
If you believe in Jesus Christ and love him for what you read about him in the Bible, don’t you want to learn as much more about him as you possibly can?

These are just a few of the things that I think about, but you can certainly find others.

Now, this all being said, what is my point?

You can read books like Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, or Isaac Asimov’s robot novels, or you can even read the Hunger Games books, but let me ask you - did it make you think about your life? about how you deal with others? about how God deals with you? about how you want to improve your life and the lives of others?

Stephen King’s books are well-noted for being lengthy novels, and truthfully I have read some of them and have not been very impressed with the quality of the writing. You can feel dirty for being a human after reading some of that. Frankly, there are plot holes you can drive through, and characters that are much less bright than a 60 watt bulb.

The Book of Mormon -- even if you just read it as a novel -- has intelligent and courageous people, fascinating explanations of divine truth and momentous events. It also has villains and ne’r-do-wells. It even gives you ways to test its validity.

If you happen to let it be known that you are reading it, you can expect people to make fun of you, criticize you and even condemn you. Let me ask you this: are those your friends? They evidently don’t want you to be able to think for yourself or make your own decisions, but would rather judge you for reading a book that they themselves have never read. Yet they wouldn’t have any problem inviting you to go watch a rated R movie or go the bar and get drunk. If those are the kinds of friends you have, I want to personally tell you to think about your choices and to make some choices. Make your own choices, that is.

It is one thing to read a book and believe it is true, but quite another to read a book and live according to its teachings. You don’t become a better person for just having read the Book of Mormon, any more than it would be for having read the Bible. But if you live according to the principles of the Gospel of Christ and his doctrine, you will become a better person. It is a promise.

Reading the Book of Mormon doesn’t mean you will become fabulously wealthy or have all your troubles disappear, but you will know more about Christ. If you adhere to the principles of the doctrine of Christ, you will become more confident in the knowledge you have received, and your faith will increase.

You don’t have to take my word for it. Find out for yourself.