By Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson

When teaching on the cults, rarely do we encounter someone who hasn’t had a Jehovah’s Witness come knocking on their front door. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are notorious for their aggressive door-to-door evangelistic strategy. And while many people might view the Jehovah’s Witnesses at their door as an annoyance, they are literally a mission field at our doorstep. Therefore, we try to encourage Christians to view their visits as an opportunity, an opportunity to open their eyes to the truth and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.

The next time the Jehovah’s Witnesses comes to your front door, instead of simply turning them away, why not spend five minutes and sow some simple seeds of truth into their lives? You may not convert them to true Christianity right there at your doorstep, but you can give them some important truths to consider, truths which may eventually bear genuine fruit of repentance and conversion in their lives.

The basic error of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is what we call a “theology of denial”. Jehovah’s Witnesses basically deny all of the central doctrines of the Christian faith; most significantly, they deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. Jehovah’s Witnesses wrongly believe that Jehovah alone is God almighty, Jesus is only a god- a created being (actually the archangel Michael), and the Holy Spirit is simply an active force. This is a far cry from the true biblical doctrines of the Trinity and the Deity of Jesus Christ.

Now, if you only have five minutes to spend with a Jehovah’s Witness, try walking them through the following passages of scripture, passages that bear witness to the reality of the Deity of Jesus Christ (You can even use the Jehovah’s Witnesses false version of the Bible, the New World Translation):

1) Begin by reading with the Jehovah’s Witness from Revelation 1:8.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “Who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

After reading this verse together, ask them the following question, “Who is the Alpha and the Omega?” They will respond by saying something like, “Well, it says right there, the Alpha and the Omega is the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation).”

2) Next, ask them if they will read another passage of scripture with you, and read from Revelation 22:13.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”

After reading this verse with them, ask them, “Now, who exactly is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last?” And they will probably respond by saying something like, “We just saw who the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last is, he is the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation).

3) Lastly, ask them if they’ll look at one more passage with you, and read with them from Revelation 1:17-18.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last (stop here and ask again, ‘who is the First and the Last?’). I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!”

After reading this last passage of Scripture with them, ask the Jehovah’s Witness, “So, when exactly did the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation) die?” And many Jehovah’s Witnesses will just curiously look at that passage, having never seen this connection before. The Bible is clear in identifying Jesus Christ as the Lord God (or Jehovah God). If you want to demonstrate this reality even further, read with them from Revelation 22:13 & 16, where the Alpha and the Omega says, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.”

While this this series of passages may not convince every Jehovah’s Witness, walking them through these verses can be a powerful tool in witnessing to them. These passages demonstrate that Jesus Christ is the Lord God, or Jehovah God. Jesus Christ is not simply a god, a created being; he is the eternal Lord God.

The next time the Jehovah’s Witnesses come to your front door, instead of simply turning them away, why not try sharing these three passages with them? God could use you to powerfully impact the life of a Jehovah’s Witness… and it only takes five minutes!

By Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson

The October 17, 2005 issue of Newsweek magazine featured a cover story titled, “The Making of the Mormons”. In 2005 the Mormon church celebrated the 200th birthday of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism, which Newsweek describes as a “Christian denomination”.

As part of their reporting on the Mormon church Newsweek interviewed the man who was then President of the Mormons, Gordon B. Hinckley (1995-2008). Unfortunately, though, Newsweek failed to ask Mr. Hinckley the tough questions and therefore did not provide its readers with an accurate understanding of what Mormons truly teach and believe.

This Newsweek interview provides a classic example of why our ministry labels Mormonism a “pseudo-Christian cult”. A religion that looks and sounds like genuine Christianity, while in reality is far different.
In order to provide a more helpful analysis of what Mormons truly teach and believe, we’d like to offer the rest of the story, the truth that Newsweek failed to document. Let’s examine just two of Newsweek’s questions and the responses provided by Mormon President Gordon B. Hinckley. When seen in the light of Scripture, it becomes quickly apparent that Mr. Hinckley is promoting something much different than historical, biblical Christianity.

Newsweek: “What do you believe is Smith’s most meaningful contribution, not only to the church but also to the world?”

Hinckley: “His greatest contribution I think is defining the nature of deity. He saw the Father and the Son. He spoke with them. They were beings of substance. They were in the form like a man. And they could express themselves and he could speak with them. Such an interpersonal relationship. And such a warm and reassuring thing to know the nature of God.”

The Truth: Joseph Smith was the founder of the Mormon church. Smith was a polytheist, as are all Mormons today. Mormons believe that there are literally millions of gods; these gods populate their own planets and rule over them. Joseph Smith taught that the god of planet Earth has a body of flesh and bone, he was once a human being like us and he evolved to become a god himself. They believe god is married to a goddess wife and that they sexually begot all people on earth, whom previously were spirit children waiting for bodies on Earth to possess. Joseph Smith taught polygamy in the early years of Mormonism as an eternal and everlasting covenant (until 1890, when they received a “revelation” from god calling for its abolishment, conveniently after the U.S. federal government declared that it was not legal). Polygamy was for the purpose of mass-producing human bodies on earth for these spirit babies to possess, so that they could also evolve to godhood, just as mother god and father god did. Joseph Smith taught that the goal of every male Mormon is to strive to become a god. In fact, Mormon prophet Lorenzo Snow described this official doctrine like this, “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may be.”

These Mormon doctrines are in direct conflict with the truth that God has revealed to us in Scripture. First, God has told us that he alone is God; there are no other gods besides him (Isaiah 44:4-8; Isaiah 45:5-22; Isaiah 46:9). Second, God has told us that he is not a man, he does not have a body of flesh and bone; he is spirit (John 4:24; Luke 24:39; Matthew 16:15-17). Third, God has told us that he has not evolved; he has always been the one and only God (Malachi 3:6; Psalm 90:2). Finally, God has told us that nobody ever has or ever will evolve to become a god (Isaiah 43:10).

When you examine the truth found in Scripture, the real truth about God’s nature and his distinctiveness from humanity, it becomes apparent that the Mormon doctrine of God is absolutely false. Mormons have adopted a heretical view of God and a heretical view of man’s ability to become a god. They have bought into the same lie that Satan used to get Adam and Eve kicked out of the garden of Eden. Satan said, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).

Newsweek: “Are Mormons Christian?”

Hinckley: “Of course we are Christians. He’s the whole cornerstone of our faith. His name is in the name of the church. And this book [the Book of Mormon] is another testament of him.”

The Truth: Mormonism is far different from biblical Christianity. Calling themselves “The Church of Jesus Christ” is really false advertising on their part. They are the church of Joseph Smith, a false prophet who taught that Jesus is the literal spirit brother of Satan and was not born of the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary, but was conceived through physical incest. Mormons claim to follow Jesus Christ, but theirs is a different, false Jesus Christ. This shouldn’t surprise us, Christ himself warned us of false religions that would come seeking to deceive us, using the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:23-24). Jesus also warned, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). So, simply appealing to Christ’s name does not by any means make you Christian.

Second, to claim that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ is truly amazing. The book of Mormon does not bear any of the marks of Divine inspiration that we find in the Old and New Testaments (except for the 25,000 words and whole chapters Joseph Smith plagiarized verbatim, word for word, out of the King James Bible). Since 1830 the Book of Mormon has undergone over 4,000 changes. The Book of Mormon does not find any corroboration in history, archaeology, geography, or anthropology. Though they claim it is a real history of the western hemisphere, the Mormons refuse to produce a map of anything found in the Book of Mormon. Mormonism’s claim in the Book of Mormon, that American Indians are Jews who came from Jerusalem has absolutely been destroyed by modern DNA studies. The Book of Mormon has been shown to be an absolute fraud, a collection of fictional stories and plagiarisms written by Joseph Smith with no Divine inspiration whatsoever.

Finally, if Mormons are truly Christian, then why is it that you will never find a cross on any Mormon church or temple? The cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14). Without the cross the Christian faith is meaningless. Yet, Mormonism is totally devoid of the cross of Jesus Christ. Mormons have created a system of works and human effort whereby they believe that they might attain their own personal godhood. Mormons are taught that salvation (elevation to godhood) comes through the Mormon church, by baptism into the Mormon church, obedience to the Laws and Ordinances of Mormonism, temple works, good works, plus membership in the Mormon church. This is a far cry from true Biblical Christianity. For true Christians, our faith is found in the proclamation of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 5:11-13).

In light of Biblical truth it is apparent that Mormonism is not another “Christian denomination” as Newsweek and Mormon President Hinckley would have us believe. It is not the fastest growing denomination in America. In fact, they are at zero growth in the United States, with probably half their members no longer active. When Mormons claim growth statistics, this is growth outside the United States, largely in Catholic countries like the Philippines and Central and South America where people have easily been led astray by their false teachings cloaked in Christian terminology.

Mormonism is a false religion that has enslaved millions of men and women into a system of human works that cannot save anyone. For those of us who know the truth, we need to be in prayer for our Mormon friends and neighbors, but even more so, we need to be willing to share the truth with them about the real God of the Bible- who is not a man, who is not evolving and changing- and we need to introduce them to the grace of Jesus Christ found at the cross of Calvary and in Christ’s shed blood for our sins.

By Ron Carlson and Jason Carlson

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus’ disciples came to him and asked, “Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” In responding to this question, it’s very interesting what Jesus identified as the foremost sign of his second coming and of the end of the age, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”

Today we are seeing the fulfillment of this warning sign as never before. Our world is literally flooded with false “christs” and false messiahs. It is estimated that there are over 1,000 cults in America alone with some 25-30 million followers!  And each of these false cults promotes their own man-made version of “Jesus Christ” who is not the Jesus of the Bible.

So, who is the “Jesus” of the cults?

Jehovah’s Witnesses say that Jesus is actually Michael, the Archangel. He was the first creation of God. He came to Earth as a man, died on a stake, and rose from the grave invisibly as a spirit. Jesus then returned invisibly to Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1914 to head-up the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) teach that Jesus is the spirit brother of Satan. He was once a human being like you and I, but through good works he evolved spiritually to become a god. However, Jesus is just one god amongst a pantheon of gods, all of who were once human and evolved to become gods themselves. Jesus was born to Mary through physical incest when his father god had sexual relations with her. And Mormons teach that the blood and cross of Christ is foolishness and cannot fully atone for our sins (ever notice how there’s no cross on any Mormon church or temple?).

Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy say that Jesus was only a man and that Christ is a Divine idea.   Furthermore, Jesus never did any supernatural miracles; he simply showed people their mental illusions of sin, evil, illness and disease. Christian Science says that Jesus did not die and his resurrection was only in a spiritual sense.

Sun Myung Moon (the Korean messiah) claims that Jesus was a man who failed his divine mission and he, Rev. Moon, is the second coming of Christ to unite the world under the banner of the Unification Church.

The Bahai say that Jesus is only one of nine great world manifestations; he is not a unique path to salvation and all religions are basically the same.

Unitarians believe that Jesus was a good man who was mistakenly deified by his followers.

Freemasonry teaches that Jesus was only a moral teacher. He was no better than Buddha, Confucius, Moses or Mohammed. They deny that Jesus was the light of the world and claim that Freemasonry is the true light of humanity.

Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard claim that Jesus is a false dream.

Spiritists say that Jesus is an advanced medium in the 6th sphere of the astrological projection (wherever that is?).

Unity teaches that Jesus is a man who perfected a divine idea.

Rosicrucians claim that Jesus is a manifestation of cosmic consciousness.

Maharishi and Transcendental Meditation says that Jesus was an enlightened guru who never suffered or died for anyone.

The more you study the false cults, the more you realize that the “Jesus” of the cults is not the Jesus of the Bible. All of the cults promote their own false, man-made versions of Jesus Christ; they are counterfeits and cannot save anyone.

So, who is the real Jesus?

In John 1:1 we read, “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  A few verses later in John 1:14 we learn, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

In Colossians 1:15 Paul tells us that Jesus “is the visible image of the invisible God…”  In Colossians 2:9 Paul says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…”

The real Jesus is the one true God of all creation. He is the second person of the eternal Triune Godhead. He loves us so much that He broke into human history and split history into B.C. and A.D. to personally reveal Himself to us. The Bible says that Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10; John 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-9). And as Acts 4:12 declares, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Have you put your faith in the real Jesus Christ?