[SelwayPacker]

I stated earlier that I believed the Bible prophesied of additional scripture. Here is the first, with more to come:

Ezekiel 37:15-20
15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? 19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. 20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

The “Stick of Judah” is the Old and New Testaments. The "Stick of Joseph/Ephraim" (Ephraim is one of Joseph’s sons, the Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the patriarch with the coat of many colors) is the Book of Mormon, another testament of Christ.

The Lord made it clear to Joseph Smith that the Book of Mormon is the stick of Ephraim:

Doctrine & Coventants 27: 5 Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore, marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim;

The tribe of Judah were to be the rulers until the Messiah came (Gen 49:10). The tribe of Ephraim will carry the message of the restoration of the gospel to the world and gather scattered Israel in the latter days (Deut 33:13-17).

All nations of Israel are “chosen” (covenant people). There are actually TWO nations of Israel discussed in the Bible. After the division of the ten- tribes Kingdom of Israel in 721 BC, the southern kingdom was called Judah (or David) and the northern kingdom, or ten-tribe nation was called Israel. The Bible came to us from the southern nation of Judah. The link between the Book of Mormon and the northern kingdom of Israel is Lehi and his family who were blood descendants of Joseph of Egypt (2 Nephi 29:7). Lehi lived in Jerusalem as a branch of Joseph until commanded to leave in 600 BC, just before the Babylonian captivity.

Joseph of Egypt saved the house of Israel, all twelve tribes, from perishing in the famine. He was given the priesthood birthright responsibilities of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel. Joseph was promised a multitude of posterity through Ephraim in a blessed and promised land (Gen 48:15-20, Deut 33:15, 1 Chron 5:1-3, Abr 1:2-4 2:8-11).

2Nephi 29:7-9 Know ye not that there are more anations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

So there you have it, “when the two nations run together”, which is of course happening now, the two testaments of Christ, the Bible and the Book of Mormon, “shall run together also”. Like the prophet Ezekiel prophesied:

Ezekiel 37:15-19: 15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? 19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

 

[SelwayPacker]

One more thing to ponder: Can the Bible alone accomplish the task of "coming to the unity of the faith"?

EPH 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Consider the need for another witness of Christ, the "stick of Joseph" to be combined with the "stick of Judah":

2 Nephi 3:12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

 

[williamlayton]

Galatians 1:6-9
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which really is no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than that we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned, as we have already said, so I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such are the false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themelves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

Now the true unity of faith is, according to Christ Jesus, that he is GOD.

Most agree that this passage can be seen as the combining of the old and new covenant-the old and new testament, if you will. The new Covenant being Christ Jesus as Messiah/God.

Blessings

 

[SelwayPacker]

Most agree that this passage can be seen as the combining of the old and new covenant-the old and new testament, if you will. The new Covenant being Christ Jesus as Messiah/God.

"Most agree?!?" Does mainstream make truth? You are saying, then, that the New Testament does NOT come from the southern nation of Judah, the Jews??? Can you show me by scripture reference the lineage from Joseph of Egypt to the prophets of the New Testament?

 

[SelwayPacker]

Galatians 1:6-9
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which really is no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than that we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned, as we have already said, so I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned.

Who was Paul speaking to in these passages? Paul was speaking to the Galations. Paul’s epistles are written to answer the questions and solve the problems of specific groups of saints. And in the case of the Galatians, the problem is apostasy. These Galatians are Gentile converts. They were being contaminated by Jewish-Christians (called Judaizers) who told them they must also be circumcised and live the law of Moses to be saved. Paul's purpose is to call them back to Christ and his gospel.

Although this was not a prophecy of a future visitation of an angel from heaven carrying the everlasting gospel, as was Johns (Rev 14:6), I assume you are insinuating the possibility that Moroni was an angel from heaven who came to Joseph Smith and preached a gospel other than the gospel of modern Christianity. The LDS church, of course, claims that there was a great apostasy which occurred early in the church and many “plain and precious” truths were lost, and that the true gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in these latter-days in preparation for the gathering of Israel and the second coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In other words, the LDS church claims to teach the true gospel, the same gospel that Paul preached. What did Paul teach? The LDS church has Paul’s apostolic power. It has the gifts of the Spirit exhibited by Paul (Acts 13:8-11; 14:8-11; 19:11-12); the ministers with authority as Paul had (Acts 13:2-3); the power of the Holy Ghost (Acts 19:1-6); the Priesthood (Hebrews 1-12). And what about Paul’s doctrine of “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5)? The LDS’ stance exactly! Speaking of which…

Sunday afternoon session, April 6, 1975
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism
Elder LeGrand Richards
Of the Council of the Twelve
“I was very much thrilled with President Kimball’s closing remarks in our meeting last Thursday with the Regional Representatives of the Twelve, for he said that he looks for the day when we will bring in thousands of converts. Then I said to myself: Why not? We have the greatest message in all this world. The message we have for the world today is just as important in the sight of the Lord for all of his children as the message was that Peter delivered on the day of Pentecost, when the multitudes were pricked in their hearts and they cried out: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37.) You remember Peter’s answer:
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:38–39.)
Could there be any greater offer to a searcher after the truth today than to answer the same call that Peter gave to those people upon that occasion when 3,000 were baptized?
Now the church was established by the Savior with the calling of the Twelve in his day, but the holy prophets foresaw that it would not remain upon the earth, but that there would come a latter day when the Lord would finish his work.
The apostle Paul said that the Lord had revealed the mystery of his will to him, “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times [and we live in that dispensation] he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” (Eph. 1:10.) Now we have that message and that is why the people of the world can’t adequately and properly find their way back into the presence of the Lord unless they are willing to heed the message that we have.
I just completed reading the New Testament, and I have been impressed with the words of the Savior and the apostle Paul and others of the brethren as I read the teachings of their day. The apostle Paul said there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (Eph. 4:5.) Then I thought, I wonder what Paul would say if he were here today and knew how many churches there are.
My secretary checked for me the other day and she learned that last year in May a census was taken and it was found that there were 697 different churches here in the United States alone. If Paul were here, to which church would he go, for he said there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” And so we have to look for divine guidance to know where to go to find that true church if there is only to be one church, and that is our testimony.
Our message to the world today is the restoration of the gospel. Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8.) Now that is quite a statement, but Paul was not at all backward in indicating what he thought of those who didn’t teach the truth that had come to them through the Savior and his teachings.
Now I realize, as I stand here today before this great multitude and all those who are listening in on television and radio, that I will come under the condemnation that Paul spoke of if I am not preaching the same gospel that Paul preached; but I bear witness to you today that we have the only true, living church upon the face of the earth that the Lord recognizes that has divine authority to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel.
Great was the day when the Church was organized in the days of the Savior, but it is more glorious when the final or finishing touches are added. Of course, we couldn’t have that without the great redemption work that he wrought. But Paul saw “that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.” (Eph. 1:10.) We are the only church in the world that has that and that is the finishing touch. We are in the dispensation of the fulness of times.
It was a glorious thing when the Savior, following his resurrection, ascended to heaven in the presence of 500 of the brethren, and two men in white apparel said: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11.) Now if the world believes that, then they should be waiting with open arms for the prophet of God to come and declare that this has had its fulfillment.
We read the words of Amos: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7.) In other words, if he were to establish his work in the earth in the latter days, in that dispensation of the fulness of times, in order to bring together in one in Christ all that which is in heaven above and that which is in the earth beneath, he would have to have a prophet.
There has never been a time, when God has had a work in the earth, that he has recognized without a prophet at its head. We sing in our song, “We thank thee, O God, for a prophet To guide us in these latter days” (Hymns, no. 196), for we have living prophets; we don’t have to depend on the dead prophets alone. We have the living prophets to guide and direct us.
Jesus was quite definite in his statements too. He said: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21.) Then he adds:
“Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt. 7:22–23.)
Now that is Jesus’ pronouncement upon churches that he hasn’t authorized and that don’t have the divine authority to labor in his name.
Then Jesus made this further statement. He said: “And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matt. 15:14.) He didn’t say that, just because they were blind, they would arrive at their destination. And so we have to be sure and prepare ourselves and know that we have found that one and only true church that Paul spoke about. In order to do that, we have to turn to the words of the holy prophets.
Jesus said: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39.) And this is by studying the scriptures. Then he said to two of his apostles as they were on their way to Emmaus following his resurrection, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” (Luke 24:25.) And commencing with Moses and the prophets, he showed them how that in all things the prophets had testified of him. And then Luke tells us he opened their understandings that they might understand the scriptures.
That is what he has done today by the sending of living prophets and through a visit of the Father and the Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Could any other message go out to the world that could be compared with this? How could the people of the world, if they love the Lord, hear such a message and then not want to know whether it is true or not?
We have a good many people who have been in the ministry join this church. I had a call last week from a minister who lives in Los Angeles, who served, as he told me, for 20 years as a Baptist minister. Then he met the Mormon elders and they taught him the gospel as it has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he gave up his ministry and became a member of the Church. He is now working in the temple there, and he called me to thank me for writing the missionary book that helped him to understand what the Lord has done in restoring his truth to the earth in this dispensation.
Just a few years ago, we converted a minister from up in the Northwest. He sat in my office and he said: “Brother Richards, when I think of how little I had to offer my people as a Methodist minister compared with what I now have in the fulness of the gospel as it has been restored, I want to go back and tell all my friends what I have found. Now,” he said, “they won’t listen to me; I am an apostate from their church.” But he gave up his ministry and ran the elevator here in our capitol building so that he could support himself and join the Church. He sat in my office and said: “I can’t wait until I can go into that temple with my wife,” and I have since met him in the temple.
He also said: “When I joined the Church, I didn’t feel that I could say that I knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet, but I believed that he was a prophet.” Then he added: “But when Brother Burrows [and I know Brother Burrows] laid his hands on my head, and ordained me to the priesthood, something went through my being such as I had never felt before in all my life, and I knew that no man could do that for me. It had to come from the Lord.” That is what we find when people are open-minded enough to be willing to listen and understand what the Lord has really done in restoring his truth to the earth.
I would like to read a little statement here that I published in the book I wrote. It is taken from a pamphlet entitled The Strength of the ‘Mormon’ Position (Orson F. Whitney, Independence, Mo.: Zion’s Printing and Publishing Co., 1917). The late Elder Orson F. Whitney of the Council of the Twelve Apostles related the following incident under the heading, “A Catholic Utterance”:
“Many years ago a learned man, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, came to Utah and spoke from the stand of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. I became well acquainted with him, and we conversed freely and frankly. A great scholar, with perhaps a dozen languages at his tongue’s end, he seemed to know all about theology, law, literature, science and philosophy. One day he said to me: ‘You Mormons are all ignoramuses. You don’t even know the strength of your own position. It is so strong that there is only one other tenable in the whole Christian world, and that is the position of the Catholic Church. The issue is between Catholicism and Mormonism. If we are right, you are wrong; if you are right, we are wrong; and that’s all there is to it. The Protestants haven’t a leg to stand on. For if we are wrong, they are wrong with us, since they were a part of us and went out from us; while if we are right, they are apostates whom we cut off long ago. If we have the apostolic succession from St. Peter, as we claim, there is no need of Joseph Smith and Mormonism; but if we have not that succession, then such a man as Joseph Smith was necessary, and Mormonism’s attitude is the only consistent one. It is either the perpetuation of the gospel from ancient times, or the restoration of the gospel in latter days.’ ” (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, LeGrand Richards, Deseret Book Co., 1958, pp. 3–4.)
Now if the members of these 697 different churches could realize the consistency of that statement, they would want to know by what authority their ministers are performing the ordinances in their churches, because if the statement of this prelate is true, they either must be Catholics or Mormons. Then I always add that the Catholics and the Bible can’t both be right because the Bible definitely proclaims an apostasy from the original church and a restoration in the latter days.
You remember when John was banished upon the Isle of Patmos, the angel of the Lord said: “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” (Rev. 4:1.) This was 30 years after the death of the Savior. The angel showed John the power that would be given to Satan “to make war with the saints [and the saints were the followers of Jesus] and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (Rev. 13:7.) That doesn’t leave anybody out. That is a definite statement of a complete apostasy from the original church.
But the angel didn’t leave it at that. He then showed John another angel flying “in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6.) Now obviously no angel would need to come from heaven with the everlasting gospel if that everlasting gospel had remained upon the earth. The everlasting gospel is the only gospel that can save men. And so that is our message to the world, that we have that everlasting gospel.
Peter said the heavens were to receive the Christ “until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21.) We have that restitution and any lover of truth can know that as well as they live if they are willing to investigate. As Jesus said:
“My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:16–17.)
We have that restitution of all things and no one can believe that Peter was a prophet and look for the coming of the Savior until there is such a restitution. That is my witness to you, and I pray God to bless you that this work may spread abroad and fill the earth, and I do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

 

[SelwayPacker]

Peter said the heavens were to receive the Christ “until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21.) We have that restitution and any lover of truth can know that as well as they live if they are willing to investigate. As Jesus said:
“My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:16–17.)
We have that restitution of all things and no one can believe that Peter was a prophet and look for the coming of the Savior until there is such a restitution. That is my witness to you, and I pray God to bless you that this work may spread abroad and fill the earth, and I do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

RESTITUTION, by the way, means RESTORATION... restoring something to its original state.

 

[williamlayton]

Well now, I must agree with Paul, John, Peter and Thomas on the key issue here. Their confession is/was that Christ Jesus is God.
That is what Christ Jesus said also when he makes the statement you must believe I am who I say I am.
It is your call, but if you reference the bible as a source material for your stance then the material you use for comparison should agree in entirety or it is incorrect. The book of mormon does not agree in any of the essentials, it in fact denies them.
Remember, when you say something was lost, there must be proof and the witness of one man 1800 years after the fact is hardly reputable.
The bibles sources from 1500 years and so many varied manuscripts from so many different places all saying the same thing, even those found recently, is very difficult to dismiss.
I will stand by the two excerpts of scripture as being valid in this instance.
Blessings