Pastor Jeff has put out his latest video commenting on the Book of Mormon, in which he discusses the book of Jacob, which is one of the shorter books, containing only 7 chapters. Skipping his initial introductory remarks, at around 4:40 minutes into the video he says the following:
“Now the Nephites are starting to devolve into unrighteousness; and in chapter 1:15 something really interesting stuck out to me, and that is, that the Nephites are being called out for indulging in all kinds of wicked practices; and one in particular that is called out is desiring many wives and concubines. … and there again in chapter 2 verses 23 through 35 there is a clear condemnation of polygamy; and it is called wicked, and it is called an abomination, it is called whoredom; and I think you can get why this is sticking out to me, because as far as I understood, polygamy has been a significant part of the heritage of Latter-day Saint belief and practice at least in America over the past 180 years. And I know that there is a little bit of debate as to whether or not Joseph Smith is the one who instituted it. There is some Latter-day Saints that I have talked to that say, he did toward the end of his life; and others that say that he didn’t; it was actually Brigham Young, but who retroactively made it look like it came from Joseph Smith. Either way, I think it is pretty well known that polygamy was very much interwoven into Latter-day Saint doctrine, and theology, and practice. So this is just sticking out at me, as to how this is being condemned, and essentially being called sin; and that even gets us into chapter three, where the the Nephites are just continuing to descend into this place of unrighteousness; and again in verse 5 of chapter 3, talking about the the commandment of the Lord is that one man needs to be married to one wife, and monogamous families will be blessed, and obedient children will be blessed. So there is a big emphasis on the family; and again this just really stuck out to me, because I wasn’t quite understanding how such a condemnation of polygamy matches up with that practice that existed in the Latter-day Saint Church in America for so many years.”
Again, he has not read the text carefully enough. He has overlooked Jacob 2:30 for example: “For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people [i.e. to practice polygamy]; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.” What is being condemned in the book of Jacob is the abuse of polygamy, not the mere practice of polygamy as such. Polygamy (like monogamy) can be abused. The abuse of any kind of marriage relationship is condemned by God, be it polygamy or monogamy. David and Solomon are condemned in the text for their practice of polygamy because they abused the practice. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and many others are not condemned, because they didn’t abuse the practice. It is the abuse of polygamy that is being condemned in the Book of Jacob, not the practice of polygamy when commanded and approved by God. As far as the practice of polygamy by Joseph Smith and in the early Church history is concerned, he has got that all badly wrong and mixed up as well, because he is getting his information from the wrong sources. The practice of polygamy in the early history of the Church was revealed by God, as recorded in section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It is a long section that needs to be read carefully. It talks about two concepts that are sometimes conflated, and need to be distinguished. The first is the eternity of the marriage covenant, and the second is plural marriage, or polygamy. It is the first that is mandatory for exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God, not the second. It is eternal marriage that is a requirement for exaltation, not how many wives you have got. And eternal marriage is a sacrament that requires proper priesthood authority to be performed, and which exists only within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Polygamy is permitted under the celestial law, but is optional, and is not a requirement for exaltation. Now if you deny the doctrine after it has been revealed by God, that is a separate issue, and you come under condemnation for denying the truth of God. But the practice of polygamy is not mandatory for obtaining exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God—only eternal marriage is. Then he continues on the same theme as follows:
“And if you don’t mind, I would actually like to share with you a little bit of the dialogue that I shared with some Latter-day Saints on this topic, as I was asking some Latter-day Saints in the comments section of some of my videos, how they reconcile this? And one comment in particular that stuck out to me pertaining to polygamy, was an individual that was explaining that, ‘as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I would like to clarify that polygamy was commanded by God to you Joseph Smith, later on the Lord suspended it, by the Lord again; the Lord authorizes it, and he suspends it.’ And I think this just kind of points out a difference that exists with Latter-day Saint belief, as opposed to mainstream Christianity; and that is within God’s holiness. You are not going to see him from our vantage point, and biblically speaking, calling something sinful, and calling it wicked, calling it abominable, and suspending it, and telling people they should not involve themselves in it, only to then reinstitute something that he previously had said was sinful. If it is sinful, that means that it is not of God. And I think that is where we would see a pretty significant difference between how a Protestant views what God calls sin, versus what he calls righteousness, and either allows or actually commands people to do. And I know it might seem like that I am kind of picking on the idea of polygamy, but really in the first three chapters of Jacob, when talking about the unrighteousness of the Nephites, polygamy really was central, or taking many wives. So that is a reason why I am kind of zeroing in on that. And I have to say, this is probably one of the areas that is looking very different, just when it comes to the nature of God, and how he institutes or prohibits things; how I see this playing out in the Book of Mormon, versus the ministry of Joseph Smith.”
Again, his problem is that he is not reading it carefully enough, and he is also not familiar with the historical background to the practice of polygamy in the early history of the Church; and he is also not understanding correctly the information he has received from faithful Church members. To cut a long story short: (1) The Book of Mormon condemns only the abuse of polygamy, not the practice of polygamy when commanded and approved by God, see Jacob 2:30 quoted above. (2) In the early history of the Church, in the days of Joseph Smith, the practice of polygamy was commanded and approved by God, as revealed in section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants referenced above. That revelation is still doctrinally valid and in force. It has not been revoked. (3) Later on in the history of the Church, polygamy was made illegal by the US government in 1882 (fifty years after the Church was organized), as a result of which the practice of polygamy was discontinued in the Church in order to comply with the law, as we believe in obeying the law of the land (see Articles of Faith). That does not mean that practicing polygamy was declared inherently sinful. The doctrine is still theologically and doctrinally valid when approved by God, as taught in D&C 132. But the practice was discontinued to comply with the law, as we believe in obeying the law. The revelation legitimizing polygamy has not been revoked. It is still part of the canonized scriptures of the Church, meaning that it is still doctrinally valid. But the practice has been discontinued in order to comply with the law. Practicing polygamy is not a requirement for salvation. You don’t have to have more than one wife in order to be saved. So the doctrine itself is still valid. Only the practice has been discontinued in order to comply with the Law.
Then he spends some time again discussing the Lamanites and the skin color issue etc., which I had previously discussed in an earlier reply to him (Part III), and therefore need not be repeated again here. I will only repeat that the change of skin color of the Lamanites was not a “race” issue. It did not make them “racially inferior” to the Nephites. And they obtained a promise that when they repented and became righteous, the curse would be lifted, which it was later in their history.
Moving on, he continues to express surprise at the continued presence of what he calls “New Testament language” in the book of Jacob, by which he means the continued reference to the future coming, ministry, atonement, and redemption of Jesus Christ; and that salvation exists in and through him only, and in no other way. He would be even more surprised to find out that that is a common theme that runs throughout the rest of the Book of Mormon, not just in the bits that he has been reading so far. He has overlooked the following verses, which give the explanation for his observation (punctuation revised):
Jacob 1:
6 And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy; wherefore we knew of Christ, and his kingdom which should come.
Jacob 4:
4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.
5 Behold, they believed in Christ, and worshiped the Father in his name; and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness, to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.
6 Wherefore we search the prophets, and we have many revelations, and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.
• • •
12 And now beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?
13 Behold my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth, and lieth not. Wherefore it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.
The truth is that all the Old Testament prophets had a knowledge of Christ and his future ministry. The reason why we don’t have it in our current Bible is because the Bible as we now have it is not complete. A lot has gone missing from it. The prophet Zenos that Jacob is quoting from for example is actually an Old Testament prophet, whose writings existed in the copy of the Old Testament (known as the Brass Plates) that they possessed, but which no longer exist in our current Bible.
Then he goes into a discussion of the parable of the “olive tree” given by the prophet Zenos, and which Jacob quotes in chapter 5 of his book. This parable is a discussion of God’s dealings with the house of Israel vis-à-vis the Gentiles. The tame olive tree represents the house of Israel, whereas the wild olive trees represent the Gentiles. It depicts how God is able, by taking the gospel back and forth between the Gentiles and the Jews, to save and bring into his kingdom genuine converts from both groups. The Book of Mormon teaches that Lehi and his family were not the only branch of the house of Israel who were separated from the main body at Jerusalem, and settled in distant lands, where they developed as independent communities; there were many more; and their records have been preserved, and will be brought to light at some point by the Lord. The parable of the olive tree is an allegorical depiction of that. There is lots more of great doctrine and theology contained in the Book of Jacob of course, which cannot all be discussed here, of which the following verses are a few additional examples (punctuation revised):
Jacob 2:
18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.
Jacob 3:
1 But behold, I Jacob would speak unto you that are pure in heart: Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith; and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction.
2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment