Where Did The Bible Go?

Written by John Carson

 

I happened to notice a significant change made to the Introduction of the Book of Mormon.

 

In the 2006 and 2013 digital editions, the first paragraph reads that the Book of Mormon...

 

  • “contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel.”

 

Prior to the 2006 edition, it used to say that the Book of Mormon...

 

  • “contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.”

 

Why this removal?

 

  • Do Mormon leaders no longer want to declare that the Bible contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel?

  • Was this a mistake Mormon officials had corrected from their past editions?

  • Or was this removal a non-intended typo in their newest editions?

 

I remember watching Latter-day Saint television commercials where they would show the Bible and the Book of Mormon side by side, indicating they gave (at least in those days) equal value to both. Mormonism definitely declared back then that the Book of Mormon and the Bible both contained the fullness of the everlasting gospel. So there was no mistake about how the Introduction read in past editions, since it agreed with the Mormon commercials.

 

What about this being a typo in the 2006 and 2013 digital editions?

 

You have four words in-between two commas. It would be really far-fetched (especially in these days) to conclude this was some sort of a typo. No… this change was intended, and it is exactly how the LDS church had decided the Introduction should read.

 

The only explanation (see page 10) I could find from their official Mormon source, says:

 

  • Intro., par. 1, sent. 2—Delete the phrase “as does the Bible” to provide clarity and accuracy so that the last clause reads: “... and contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel.”

 

There was nothing to correct in regards to clarifying what the sentence meant. The conclusion was simple; both the Book of Mormon and the Bible were to be viewed as containing the fulness of the everlasting gospel. What this means, is they no longer want the Introduction to declare that the Bible contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel as it did in the past.

 

Ok, so why this significant change, then? If the Mormon leaders no longer want to declare this about the Bible, then why did they make this declaration about the Bible in the first place?

 

This has more to do with audience than it does accuracy. While the Bible was being revered by most people as being the Word of God, introducing the Book of Mormon as equal with the Bible was a good commercial pitch. But they never really believed the Bible and the Book of Mormon were equal to each other.

 

 

I’ll give you some examples. Their 8th Article of Faith states:

 

 

  • We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

 

Joseph Smith, who is believed by Mormons to have translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God, declared that:

 

  • the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.

 

The Book of Mormon itself says that the Bible…

 

  • hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of Godbecause of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them. [1 Nephi 13:28 and 29]

 

What does this mean? Sounds like Mormons believe the Bible is a polluted word of God, doesn’t it? And that Satan even has great power over people who trust in it.

 

 

To believe this about God’s Word, is to think that the Lord God Almighty failed to preserve and protect His Word from the hands of the Enemy. God is omnipotent… He is all powerful. Satan has no power over the Bible… none!

 

 

We at Doorway Christian Outreach believe...

 

 

 

 

 

I have a problem with dishonest religious leaders who would declare something they never really believed in in the first place, just so they can be more appealing to a Bible believing audience. That, I believe, is satanic.

 

 

 

Whether you’re a Mormon or a not, if you believe the Bible is truly God’s Word, then you need to line up your faith with what it says and stop listening to Satan’s lies that he has any power over it.