Early Influencer:
Joseph Smith Jr
Mormonism is a psuedo- Christian religion that began in 1830 in the New England area. It’s origin is rooted in witchcraft.
It is also a term that defines the religious beliefs and practices of members of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints; also known as Mormons.
Mormonism is indeed a cult that blasphemes the Lord’s truth and tries to disguise itself as Christianity, but in actuality they worship man and not Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ).
The cult belief system of Mormonism has blurred the lines of true Salvation of Yeshua the Messiah. It is every believer’s responsibility who trust in Yeshua as Messiah to have a clear understanding of who He is by the Living Word (Bible) and the testimony of the Holy Spirit. The begotten Son, Yeshua alone is our salvation! There is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved, this understanding comes from Adonai alone (Proverbs 2:6).
1. What footprints of atheism has been seen in the Body of Christ?
Salvation in works
Mormons do not believe that it is by the sacrificial death and resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus) alone that we are saved. They believe that in addition to Yeshua’s atonement they have to be ‘good’ people in order to be saved. Somehow after we say yes to Yeshua we believe that we become responsible for handling and delivering the work of the Lord. As if His plan didn’t begin until we repented. We conjure up our own ideas as to how Christians should be and how they should look (in order to be saved) and then we act on them, promoting them to others. We don’t realize that it was Yeshua who called us to himself (John 15:16) and that the plan of salvation was established long before we existed. This erroneous thinking lead many away from Christ instead of to Him. Acts 15:1-18
Cult like behavior
Cult is defined as a religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. It is also defined as obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle or thing and lastly, it is a misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing. Our exaltation and admiration belongs to G-d alone! We can see this in the Body of Christ when we get overly excited about a ‘person’ who claims to be a servant of God instead of getting excited about the Word of God itself. True servants of God are not looking for recognition. They follow in the footsteps of Yeshua (Jesus). Those who love having their names exalted are not true servants of God, but instead they are charismatic leaders. 1 John 4:1 tells us not to trust every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God. Every leader that claims to be called by God is not.
2. How has atheism impacted believers?
Mormonism has impacted believers in the way that success is defined. Mormons are very big on outward appearances. They paint a picture perfect scenery in regards to family, careers and beliefs. Some believers in Yeshua have adapted to this same ‘whitewashed’ appearance, thinking that if our family looks like it’s in order, and if we appear to be doing well financially and if we’re saying and doing all the right things then we are ‘blessed’. God calls this being like white washed tombs, appearing to look fine on the outside but inside being dead (Matthew 23:27). God is more concerned with our hearts than with the way we appear to others. We are blessed when we follow the Way of the Lord!
Also, the Mormon religion has added to and subtracted from the Word of God. They have a variety of other books that they depend on to teach them (Mormon Doctrine, Doctrine and Covenants, Articles of Faith, Book of Mormon, and Pearl of Great Price). Believers in Yeshua should never depend on anything other than the Word of God to teach, but sadly, we read one book after another in hopes of cultivating our relationship with God.
3. What do you recognized as the stronghold or strongman of this cult or religion?
The strongman of this cult is the Spirit of Absalom (2 Samuel 13:1- 19:8) and the outward manifestations of this spirit are: lying, diabolical alliance, self-exaltation,pretense and underminig ministry. This religion has its foundation in Satanism. Since the beginning of time the Adversary has tried to undermine God’s plan. He is the Father of lies (John 8:44), he had an overestimated view of himself (Isiah 14:13-14), and he has tried to twist God’s Word (Genesis 3:1-5). This spirit operates in stealth mode, but nothing is hidden from God.
Lying– concealing the truth for one’s own gain. This keeps a person in bondage.
Diabolical alliance– of, concerning, or characteristics of the devil, satanic bond or tie
Self- Exaltation– an excessively intensified sense of well- being, power or importance; thinking one can stand on their own merits
Hypocrisy-the practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness
Pretense– a false appearance or action intended to deceive
Undermining ministry– a deliberate and underhanded effort to defeat or do harm to the Body of Christ
4. In recognizing the spiritual warfare, what characteristics of Yeshua should we pray to be released in the Body of Christ?
We should pray for the spirit of submission to Adonai, integrity, purpose, heart of a servant, humility, obedience, wisdom, and truth to be released in the Body of Christ. (1 Peter 5:6, Philippians 2:5-7, 1 Peter 2:16, Deuteronomy 30:20)