THE CROSS Newsletter
Concerned Christians
September 2024
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF SOULS
Concerned Christians has identified six major theological deviations when comparing Biblical Christianity with the Latter-Day Saint (LDS) teaching.
- Who is God? 2. Who is Jesus? 3. How was/is mankind created? (Pre-existence). 4. What is Melchizedek Priesthood? 5. What is the purpose of the temple? 6. What is Heaven and how is salvation attained?
In previous newsletters we have discussed the Priesthood and the Temple. Pre-existence is a comparison of mankind’s creation. The LDS concept of humanity is vastly different from the Bible.
Regarding pre-existence one writer states that:
The pre-existence is a difficult topic to discuss with LDS people because this topic is emotionally charged. LDS people really like the doctrine of pre-mortal life. If the preexistence is not true, the entire worldview of Mormonism crumbles. (Daniel Thompson, Witness to Mormons in Love, p. 92)
From Genesis to Revelation there is NO mention of pre-existence in the Bible except for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Pre-existence refers to life before earthly existence. This realm is reserved for the Godhead only.
The concept of souls being generated in the heavenlies before their earthly existence is man-made idea. It places man on the same level as God with the potential of being a god. Its origin can be found shortly after the resurrection of Jesus. It is the first heresy of the Christian church. It is called, ‘gnosticism’. It is commonly agreed among Christian scholars that the Apostle John wrote his Gospel and three Epistles to demonstrate the fallacy of gnosticism.
GNOSTICS (pronounced nostiks) was a religious sect which developed after the death and resurrection of Jesus. GNOSTICISM is a collection of religious and philosophical ideas that emerged in the first and second centuries AD among early Jewish and Christian sects. Gnostics believed that humans contain a piece of God, a divine spark which places them on the same plain as God. They also believed that the earthly world is inherently evil because it was created by lessor gods who were not perfect. Their view of earthly life was pessimistic. The earthly world was a prison which only a few could escape. Gnostics believed they had superior knowledge or ‘gnosis’, the Greek word for ‘knowing’.
Joseph Smith partially adapted this philosophy into Mormon theology. The LDS “council of the gods” was developed in the book of Alma and Doctrine and Covenants. It is like ‘gnostic’ thought the LDS theology refers to individuals before birth as “intelligences”. Each individual on earth is a former ‘intelligence’. Hence, the old heresy of the first century is reintroduced through the idea that Mormonism thinking is more complete.
Logically pre-existence has the possibility of three different paths.
- The soul has always existed
- The soul was created at a former time where it will wait for the creation of a body to inhabit.
- The soul inhabited a body previously in past time and will inhabit a new body in the future.
If Bible scripture is considered problems arise immediately with all three of these possibilities.
THE BIBLE and BIBLICAL CREATION OF MANKIND
- Genesis 2:7 – – – the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Adam was not premortal but formed from earthly elements. Eve was formed from Adam’s DNA in 2:22. The initial man and woman were NOT pre-mortal.)
- Zechariah 12:1 – – – This is the word of the Lord concerning Israel. Yahweh (Lord), who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, – – – (Man’s spirit is formed by God-not pre-mortal, but at the time of conception.)
- Jeremiah 1:5 – – – Before I (Yahweh) formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nation. (God forms in the womb. Jeremiah was spiritually set apart for his mission before birth. God also formed his body in the womb. God did this by Himself, not a council.)
- Isaiah 44:24 – – – I am Yahweh (the Lord) says your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb; I am Yahweh (the Lord) who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, – – – (God forms all Israel in the womb. This passage is addressed to Israel by way of Isaiah, which would include the birthing of all Israel.)
- Psalm 139:1, 13-16 (David reveals his physical and spiritual relationship to God) – – – (1) O, Yahweh (Lord), you have searched me and know me. – – – (13-16) For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (God formed David in his mother’s womb, both body and spirit. This is David’s understanding.)
- Hebrews 9:27 – – – Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people – – – (God has appointed all men to die once, eliminating the possibility of re-inhabitation of another body.)
- Colossians 1:15-17 – – – He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him – – – (Jesus is the only baby born into this world who existed before his birth. This is confirmed in John 1:1-14. John 8:57-58 again confirms this, where Jesus stated, ’Before Abraham was born, I am’.)
Many other Bible passages are available indicating that God gives every human-being one life. That life begins at conception, not in a birthing nursery in the heavenlies. The body and the spirit are supplied by God at conception. Each life is required to physically die once, as required by God. This eliminates the possibility of reincarnation. In Deuteronomy 32:50 God instructed Moses, “there on the mountain that you have climbed, you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your bother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.” This is a popular phrase in the Old Testament when someone dies. It is a further indication that when life ends, it is transferred to the afterlife. Physical life is over.
There are many Scriptures showing that physical and spiritual life begins at conception. God is involved. The only Scriptures indicating pre-existence are about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. This is a major difference between Biblical orthodox Christians and those who believe the Mormon theology.
Gary Keating
THE WILDER FAMILY CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
Concerned Christians of Arizona has been a strong supporter of the Wilder Family Christian Ministries. I am discussing this publicly because it is now well-known that the Adam’s Road Ministry, led by Micah Wilder, is now defunct.
Concerned Christians has no association with the former Adam’s Road Ministry. Concerned Christians no longer provides Micah’s personal testimonial book, Passport to Heaven. The book is no longer published by Harvest House Publishers. We are praying for the former members of the Adam’s Road Band as their lives are headed in a new direction.
MICHAEL AND DR. LYNN WILDER
Other members of the Wilder family still have ongoing and active Christian ministries which Concerned Christians supports. Michael and Lynn Wilder have their own Christian ministry, from which they have taken a sabbatical. Their ministry, podcasts, and Unveiling Grace book are temporarily unavailable. Also, their websites and You Tube channels are currently unavailable as they seek God’s direction in their ministries.
Michael and Lynn currently have limited time availability for teaching and presentation of their personal testimonies until 2025. Contact information for their ministry will be posted later in our monthly newsletters.
MATT WILDER
Matt Wilder, the very accomplished pianist, also has a very active piano concert and Christ-centered testimonial ministry. He is currently filling his calendar for Christian concerts during 2025. Matt may be contacted at:
www.handsandfeetpianoministry.com
Concerned Christians of Arizona strongly supports the ministry of Michael and Lynn Wilder! Likewise, we encourage churches to value the piano concert and testimony ministry of Matt Wilder!
Gary Keating,
General Manager
Concerned Christians of Arizona
Each of us has a different style to begin our day. Some of us have breakfast and devour the newspaper. Some of us begin the day with our favorite beverage and feed on the word of God. The point is to read the Word daily. My prayer is that you practice what you enjoy most.
Lord’s Blessings,
Paulette
| LDS CARE AND SOCIAL GROUP Our hope at this ministry is to love and support all who have ties to the LDS church. Many of our loved ones attend the LDS church, are raising children in that faith, or we ourselves grew up in the LDS religion and culture. We may have questions about the ever-changing policies and doctrine of the church. We might have friends and neighbors who are LDS and have questions about the information and changes that have recently occurred in the LDS church.We are rekindling a group that we held regularly in the early 2000s but with renewed focus and leadership. The LDS Care Group is a safe space for both former and current LDS Church members to share, encourage, wrestle, and grow in their Christian faith journeys with others who have similar life experiences, challenges, and culture. Currently, we meet near Dobson & Ray in Chandler. Please email Kristine Nelson at [email protected] if interested. Or call: 480-833-2537 |
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