GENUINE

The doorbell rang and I answered it to find two young men well dressed and eager to speak with me. They wanted to see if they could visit with us. So I invited them in and Kathleen provided them something to drink.After initial pleasantries, I asked them if Jesus was created. They said He was and so I let them know we had a major theological disagreement. I showed them from Scripture how it is impossible for Jesus to be created. They then said they misspoke and that we are all eternal. I replied that now we had another impasse. They pointed me to verses in Scripture where God revealed His knowledge of us before we were born. I countered that just because God foreknew us did not mean our souls preexisted. Furthermore, if we were eternal and godlike we would not need Jesus to give us eternal life.One of the young men asked if I had ever prayed and asked God to reveal to my heart if the Book of Mormon was true. I said I had not and would not. I said, “If you really believe the Book of Mormon is true would you ask God to show you if Confucius’ writings were true? Furthermore, why would I ask God an unnecessary question? I already have revealed, sufficient truth in the Bible.” How can you follow a belief system that is based on the writings of a man convicted of breaking the law, a man with a shady reputation . . . a religion that changes its policies to fit its time (polygamy, which heaven blacks may enter, etc.)? How can you follow books that contradict Scripture and defend hokey theories about Jesus visiting ancient America, or the need for secret handshakes and other Masonic rituals to get into celestial heaven? The Bible stands on its own merit as truth. It is genuine. There is no need for another prophet to further enlighten us about salvation, and to claim there is actually makes Jesus to be a liar—contradicting the Bible. You cannot have it both ways (claim the Bible is true and Mormon teachings are true) when they make opposing claims. My two guests were not happy with me. They became visibly upset when I shared that “If you are right and I am wrong it does not matter because I will still get to heaven. But if I am right and you are wrong, then you are going to hell.” At this point they shared that they did not come to debate with me. Again I had to disagree. “Actually, you did come to debate with me. Your intent was that I would agree with you and want to become a Mormon. But if in fact we were to have a fair debate then you must listen to me share with you what is required to become a real Christian.” They could take no more and left with a parting statement that even if Joseph Smith had a bad reputation they still knew they were right and were proud that they were Mormons . . . I pray for those two young men. They were well taught. They had done a nice job memorizing Scripture. They were sincere and polite. Unfortunately they are blinded by the god of this age who hates Jesus. They used Christian verbiage which when challenged revealed heresy. They could not see the futility of their logic nor admit that their doctrine was full of holes. In truth, they acted like brainwashed actors playing for a master who loves to masquerade as an angel of light. Friends, either we believe the Bible or we don’t. It is the genuine Word of God that changes our lives, points the way to salvation, offers eternal hope and guides us in how we should live. Don’t play games with cute cults that try to sound better than the Real Thing. There is only one way to obtain joy and experience the fruit of the Spirit and that is to know the authentic Lord. Something to genuinely think about . . . in reveration.

Meditation
1 Peter 1:7—These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.Inspiration
There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools as to refuse good bank notes because there are false ones in circulation; and although we see here and there manifestations of what appears to us to be nothing more than mere earthly fire, we none the less prize and value, and seek for the genuine fire which comes from the altar of the Lord.—William Booth