Deceived, not Saved

We just began a contest called “The AWANA Tract Races” in my church’s AWANA club. This contest is set up so that every kid (called a “clubber”) receives one gospel tract, and they have to give that out to someone who they are pretty sure is not a Christian. The children don’t have to get into a long conversation with the other person, they just need to politely ask if the other person would accept something from them, then give them the tract (if they’re willing to take it), say thank you, and walk away. If they do this and then want more tracts, they just come on back to the next meeting and get some more. In this way, the clubbers “get their feet wet” in evangelism and now we can talk about witnessing in a new and more real way because they have all tried it.

About one hour after I had given out these tracts and encouraged the 3rd – 6th graders that it is easy to share your faith, I was sitting in my livingroom talking with my three year-old son about his memory verses when there was a knock at the door. My wife and I walked to the front door and were greeted by two young gentlemen who were dressed in shirts and ties and wearing backpacks. Before any words left their mouths, I knew what was happening…I was going to be witnessed to by two Mormon missionaries.

I was tired, hungry, and I just wanted to relax, so before the Mormons could get into their presentation, I shut them down by saying something to the effect of this, “Hey guys, I’m a Christian, not a Mormon, and I really don’t want to get into a theological wrangle tonight.” I didn’t say it in that exact way (there were a few comments back and forth between us), but that was basically what was said. After that, they asked if they could do anything for us, I declined and I wished them saftey on their travels.

It had not been more than 2 minutes when I looked at my wife and the reality of what I just said and done had slammed into my conscience. Not more than 1 hour earlier I had encouraged children to witness to people, and now two people came to my door and wanted to engage me in a spiritual conversation! I felt so ashamed of my selfish and thoughtless actions. Why oh why did I send them away instead of giving them the good news? I said as much to my wife and she looked at me and she surprised me by saying, “Why don’t you go out and find them? They’re probably not that far down the street.” It surprised me, not because she was encouraging me to go witness (which I am so thankful that she did), but because it was such a “duh” resolution to the problem that I had created by my inaction.

I threw my shoes on, said goodnight to my son, and went out the door. I quickly saw the two Mormons one door down and across the street. As God would have it, they were just leaving the front step and making their way further, and so I called to them to see if I could speak with them.

I began our conversation by apologizing for not interacting with them before and I restated my desire not to get into a super deep theological wrangle, but I wanted to ask them one question. “Ok guys, let’s pretend that I have a knife in my back, I’m dying and I only have about 45 seconds to live. I come up to you, and I have no knowledge of Jesus or anything, and ask you ‘Help me, I’m dying. I don’t want to go to hell. What do I need to do?’” I expected to hear some half-sentences come out and then abruptly stop, or some stuttering and stammering, but that is not what happened. They both looked a little shocked, but then the shorter of the two (standing to my left) looked me in the eyes and said, “You can’t be saved in 45 seconds.” I knew that this is the truth of their doctrine, but to hear it so plainly, so simply from the mouths of these two young guys (late teens, early twenties) shocked me to the core. This statement made me even sadder because of the hopelessness of their works righteous system. Here is a representation of our interaction that followed:

EJ: You are saying that [you can’t be saved in 45 seconds] because you believe that I must be baptized, right?
Mormon: Yes.

EJ: The theif on the cross was not baptized, and Christ saved Him.
Mormon: (rhetorically) But that was Jesus who did that, right?

EJ: Yes, of course. And it is Jesus who saves us today. It doesn’t change because He isn’t here in the flesh.

EJ: Let me ask you a quesiton. (to both of them) Would you consider yourself to be a good person?
Mormon: I try to be.

EJ: Have you ever told a lie?
Mormon: Yes.

EJ: What would that make you?
Mormon: A Liar.

EJ: Have you ever stolen anything regardless of it’s value?
Mormon: Yes

EJ: What would that make you?
Mormon: A theif.

EJ: Have you ever taken the name of the Lord in vain?
Mormon: No.¹

EJ: Have you ever looked at a girl with lust?
Mormon: Yes (restrained, nervous chuckling).

EJ: Have you ever been angry with or hated someone?
Mormon: Yes.

EJ: Then by your own admition, you’re lying theives, and adulterous murderors in your heart. And God will not be pleased by any good works that you do.

Before I could continue with this process of walking them through the law, they interupted and said that they agreed with that – that people are guilty before God and that is why they strive to be better people. I then told them that if the situation were reversed and they came up to me with 45 seconds to live that I would say, “If you’ve ever lied, stolen, or looked at someone with lust, God sees you as a lying adulterous theif. These things deserve the just punishment of eternal damnation. However, Jesus Christ, who is God Himself – not the brother of the devil² – came to earth, suffered and died to pay for sins. All that He requires of you is to see yourself in light of His law (as a wretched sinner worthy of condemnation), and throw yourself at His feet to save you completely. And then, those good works that you’re trying to do will not be in an effort to make yourself more presentable toward God, but they will be the natural outflowing of the new life that He has given you. You will then see and hate sin, desire to not sin, and be able to resist sin.”

After I presented the biblical gospel, we began speaking of different things, but of all of the tangents that we briefly went down on (modern day prophets, the book of Mormon, the scroll of Abraham, etc), I kept on bringing us back to one simple point. If they are right, and the Mormon doctrine is true, then when we die, I will go to one of the three levels of heaven (Terrestrial, Cellestial, or Telestial) and so will they. If, however, I am right about Christ and His gospel and we die – I will be in heaven with Christ, and they will be in everlasting torment for their sins. I made these “if you’re right” and “if I’m right” statements not because I am wavering on the truth of the gospel in the Bible, but I did it in order to show them that we have very different gospels.

The only rabbit trail that we went on that I would like to briefly go into here is dealing with their Christology (doctrine of Christ). I have had a few encounters with Mormons as well as I have seen or heard various programs where current Mormons or former Mormons (now true, born-again believers) have discussed this very issue. Two things have been very clearly articulated in all of those encounters:

1. Mormons believe that Jesus is a created being, the first natural child of “heavenly father”


2. The statement “As man is, God once was; as God is, man can become” is an accurate way to communicate the transition that can occur from man to God.

Other than the initial statement that one couldn’t be saved in 45 seconds, I was very shocked to find out that these two Mormon missionaries had never heard the Mormon teaching that Christ is a created being. I don’t believe that they were lying to me about this, they truly seemed like they had never heard of this before. I told them that they needed to search their teachings, ask the elder (or whoever) who is over them and find out truly if the Mormon church teaches this. The taller of the two kept that Jesus is “from everlasting to everlasting” (which is a phrase used throughout the Old Testament in reference to God and His eternality) when refering to Chirst’s “age”. I tried to explain that the doctrine of the Mormons has not been what they were espousing. I asked that if they found out that thir church taught that, if they would run from that church. I received a pseudo-hesitational-non-commital answer that was something to the effect of, “If we find that it is not true.” I closed our conversation by saying, “When you find out that your church teaches that Christ is not eternal and that He was created, you run from that place. If you can think of nowhere else to turn for some Spiritual help (turning and pointing to my house) you can come right back here.”

I left them, shaking their hands, wishing them safety on their travels. I hope that one day there will either be a confused and convicted soon-to-be ex-mormon on my doorstep or a former Mormon who found His salvation in the Christ of the Bible, not the false Mormon Jesus and false gospel.

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¹ We went back and forth on this question for a while, but they both insisted that they had never (a) used God’s name in vain, or (b) said or done anything that caused God’s name to be cursed or brought down by others.

² Mormon doctrine is that Jesus is the first spirit child of “heavenly father” and that Lucifer was another one. Consequently we are of the same lineage in that we are spirit children of “heavenly father”. This is totally contrary to the Christ of the Bible who is eternal, with no beginning or ending.