Hello MH,

Thanks for visiting our website. And thanks for writing!

I think you have perfectly legitimate questions and concerns. So let me address them.

1. Discovering the errors of the cult you were raised in can indeed be devastating. I've attached Chapter 2 of my book, The Long Way Home: Moving from a Pseudo-Christian Cult into Genuine Christianity for you to take a look at. There I describe in great detail typical emotional and spiritual reactions to the kinds of discoveries you've been engaged in. As you read through this chapter, you'll see that you are far from being alone! In fact, you are right in the mainstream. And you are right, Biblical Christianity has been perverted down through the centuries by many charismatic leaders who have led many others astray. Joseph Smith was hardly the first, and he certainly wasn't the last. This has led you to wonder if even the Bible itself can be reliable. This is why I have also attached chapter 7 of my same book. Entitled 'The Bible,' in this chapter I explain that the Bible is indeed reliable, and is the most thoroughly attested book in the history of the world. The wealth of manuscript evidence — and their remarkable agreement — documents the absolute reliability of the Bible. So there, you don't have to wonder any more — the Bible is in fact reliable. And as the Apostle Paul told Timothy, "The holy Scriptures, ... are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:13). Let this now be said of you.

2. You say that many RLDS (Community of Christ) members now carry NIV Bibles to church instead of Joseph Smith's Inspired Version. You also say that RLDS/CofC leaders now openly admit many of Joseph Smith's sins, like polygamy and his 'stone in the hat' to produce the Book of Mormon. Indeed, these kinds of honest admissions would have been unthinkable in the RLDS church only a few short years ago. And so you wonder if all this may be leading them to be a genuine Christian church. I think that is a wonderful question. And one that many people are deeply confused about. But here is the simple reality: carrying an NIV Bible to church does not make you a Christian. Neither does acknowledging Joseph Smith as a false prophet. Nor does leaving a cult — like you have done — make you a Christian. That is why I have also attached chapter 5 from my book for you to read. It is entitled simply 'Salvation.' There I explain salvation, and what makes you a genuine Christian. I explain it 3 different ways. Because it is vitally important. Simply put, you only become a Christian by sincerely and humbly acknowledging your helplessness, fallenness and sin before God, asking Him and trusting Him for complete forgiveness, and then committing your life to following and obeying the real Jesus of the real Bible. And part of the sin you would seek forgiveness for is being deceived by Joseph Smith, and participating in his heresy. This is big. Even though you may have been sincere, you were sincerely wrong. And this is sin.

So in this process it is vitally important to distinguish between the Jesus of Joseph Smith, and the Biblical Jesus. Joseph Smith created a Jesus of his own imagination — one that does not exist in reality. And this counterfeit Jesus established a counterfeit gospel which cannot save. I cannot overstate this distinction. Many Latter Day Saints try to bring their counterfeit Jesus with them. They simply do not understand that there is a difference, which is a large part of their dilemma.

And what is true for you personally is true for the institutional RLDS/CofC church as well. Merely distancing themselves from Joseph Smith does not make them a Christian church. Nor does mimicking Christian vocabulary, or perhaps even allowing the use of a different Bible. The fact is that the RLDS church has been openly practicing and promoting blasphemous heresy for a very, very long time. And they still are. They need to come clean — publicly — for all of the skeletons in their closet. But instead of leading their church into a deep state of contrition and repentance for these grievous sins, they make matters even worse by adopting theological pluralism. Pluralism teaches that there are no right or wrong religions, because God authored all religions and is at work in all of them today. This includes not only Christianity, but Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and countless other lesser-known religions. According to pluralism, our job as humans is therefore to respect and appreciate the rich diversity God has authored. A most significant tenet of pluralism is that no one religion can claim to be superior to the others, even Christianity, because salvation can be found in all religions. That means that Jesus is no different — and no better — than Buddha or Mohammed. But Jesus said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:4). And so by promoting pluralism Community of Christ leadership make an open mockery of Jesus. Such depravity!

No, my friend, today’s RLDS /CofC church is no closer to the real Jesus than they were in 1830. In fact, they may be even farther away. Just like individuals, cults have choices to make when discovering the depth of their sin. And the Community of Christ has made all the wrong choices. Instead of confessing their error as sin, repenting of it and then embracing the real Jesus of the real Bible, they have embraced ultra-liberal humanist religion which has a very low view of the Bible, and an even lower view of Jesus. This is all in stark contrast with another cult of our time which did it the right way: The Worldwide Church of God. After their founder, Herbert Armstrong, died, their leadership repented of their heretical errors and did their best to bring the entire church into a saving relationship with the Biblical Jesus. You can watch a DVD which chronicles their process. Titled ‘Called to be Free,’ you can get a copy of it our website http://www.help4rlds.com/DVDs.htm.

Our prayer for the so-called Community of Christ is that they would repent of their sin and come to the Biblical Jesus in faith — in Spirit and in Truth. And lead their members to do likewise, as did the Worldwide Church of God. Then, and only then, can they be considered a genuine Christian church. We continue to pray that they would do this very thing. We earnestly seek their salvation, not their condemnation. But they have their own choices to make.

May the Lord bless you and bring you to a deep and abiding faith in Himself.

Paul Trask

Hello Dianne,

Thank you so much for writing. I was moved as I read your letter. I admire your courage and integrity for exploring your faith, and coming to some very difficult decisions.

Please know that you are not alone. While they may not be visible to you right now, there are thousands of people who have been down the path you are on right now. We will pray for you as you take your next steps.

I believe you are wise in formally resigning from the Community of Christ church. Below I have included a section on this matter from chapter 6 in my book The Long Way Home: Moving from a Pseudo-Christian Cult into Genuine Christianity. You can view this entire book online on our website. I hope this passage will discuss some things for you to consider as you draft your letter of resignation. And as I mention below, I would be honored to read your letter before you send it, should you want me to.

"Remove Your Name. Part of unpacking your bags—breaking the spiritual bonds and entanglements with your old church—is requesting your name be removed from its membership records. As long as your name is on the official membership roster of your old church you are still connected to it spiritually—and, in a sense, legally. I’m not saying you need to do this the day after leaving. You’ll know when the time is right. My wife and I picked times that were right for each of us but months apart from the other. That’s okay. It’s not a race to see who can be first. Give it plenty of thought and prayer. It is a truly sober experience that you only do once in your life. It may be especially sobering if you spent a substantial part of your life there, and if your family has a long history in it.

When the time is right, find out the proper administrative procedure to have your name removed from your old church’s rolls. You will likely have to write a letter expressing your desire. It can be short, sweet and to the point. The only thing they really need to understand is that you want out. Or you can go into more detail if you prefer. Some people take the opportunity to vent their anger and frustration with the church’s leadership for deceiving them and others, for perpetuating a fraud. I have read a number of letters like this. I say, if it makes you feel better, let it rip. If their leadership gets enough letters like this, perhaps some of them will evaluate their own faith. But remember, it is all right to express your anger and frustration, but reflect Christian character as you do so.

Other people may want to take the opportunity to explain why they believe the church is wrong and not truly Christian—why they can’t remain a part of it and retain their spiritual integrity. If you do this, tell them how the Lord worked with you to understand those problems, and how He led you to the truth. This is the best of testimonies. You are simply testifying to what the Lord has done in your life. And because the Holy Spirit Himself did this work, perhaps He will also carry your testimony into the heart of the official reading your letter. You never know what good can come from this. You may very well end up being a missionary to them!

You might find it useful to wait a day or two before you send your letter. That lets you cool off a bit and maybe edit out some inappropriate comments. You may also ask someone else read your letter before you send it. This is a good idea, and creates a sense of accountability. They may recommend you alter some wording or perhaps make other changes. They may just help keep you from saying something you might regret later. Sometimes it’s just good to let someone else know what you’re doing. The Lord will lead you here.

Writing a letter like this may seem like a small step to take, but it is a significant one. You will likely experience greater spiritual freedom and freshness after you do. It is a gesture that closes the door officially on a part of your life to which you will never return. Be happy the Lord led you out, and be prepared to move on to a much better place."

Please feel free to write again if you would like to discuss things further. And please let us know how we can pray for you in the months ahead.

May God’s richest blessings be yours,

Paul Trask

Hello Kelly,

Thanks for visiting our website, and thanks so much for writing. As a current member of the RLDS/Community of Christ church, I can certainly understand your outrage at our ministry. Years ago, I would have felt much the same way. Believe it or not, I’m actually encouraged by your outrage. For many people, outrage has been the first step in discovering truth, and then responding to it. So I hope you won’t stop with just one outburst, but that you will follow it up by diligent study to prove me wrong. My greatest fear for you is that you will stop your quest after this initial foray. You may feel you’ve given me ‘a piece of your mind,’ and that may make you feel better for the time being. That would be the greatest tragedy of all.

So I encourage you to really ‘let me have it,’ with ‘both barrels.’ That will require you to carefully study and reflect on what I have written. And then give a reasoned response as to why you believe I am wrong. I have three chapters in my book Part Way to Utah on the Book of Mormon. I suggest you start your study there. When you’re done with that, I would recommend you work through my six chapters on Joseph Smith’s priesthood system. Remember, don’t hold anything back. Let me have all your scientific and Biblical evidence for your beliefs. We’ll then have something we can discuss in depth.

You are understandably sensitive that I have found fault with your church. I truly understand that; faith is a very intimate, personal thing. And so you feel that I am personally attacking you and all other members of the RLDS/Community of Christ church. But that would be like characterizing a doctor with a scalpel as a vampire for removing a life-threatening cancer from your body. Or mistaking rescuers in life boats as hostilely attacking a sinking ship. If I didn’t love you, I would callously let you go your own way. What difference would it make to me? It is because I do love you that I want to do my best to help save you from your heresy. Because your church does, in fact, preach ‘another Jesus’ and ‘another gospel,’ which the apostle Paul warns us about in 2 Cor. 11:4. And this other Jesus and other gospel cannot save you. You do not have the Biblical Jesus and His Biblical gospel; yours are the product of Joseph Smith’s fertile imagination manifested in his Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants. Here is an important truth for you to understand—being nice doesn’t make you a Christian. You become a Christian only by coming into right relationship with the Father through the Jesus of the Bible, in Spirit and in Truth. The Jesus of Joseph Smith’s creating is a figment of his own imagination, and can therefore do nothing for you at all.

Dispelling the grievous errors of Joseph Smith is hard work for people. But those who have stayed with that struggle have been rewarded by a rich relationship with Jesus Christ, which they simply could not have conceived of while they were still RLDS. They have a genuinely new life in Christ, which will last throughout all eternity. I would encourage you to read some of their testimonies on the website. Better yet, you can experience this new life for yourself—but you will need to let go of Joseph Smith first. And if you’ll engage in that struggle, I know God will reward you, too, with victory in Christ.

Kelly, may you hunger and thirst for truth, and may God richly bless your desires,

Paul Trask

PS — By the way, you are wrong. I do plan to post your letter on my website, as well as this response.

Because it deviates from Biblical Christianity in a number of irreconcilable ways. I will mention just a few here. For a more in-depth explanation of why the RLDS church is a cult, see Carol Hansen's book Reorganized Latter Day Saint Church: Is it Christian? See the section entitled Anatomy of a Cult, particularly chapter 4, Earmarks of a Cult.

Joseph Smith's priesthood system is a serious and complex subject. I have devoted six chapters (11-16) to it in my book Part Way to Utah: the Forgotten Mormons. It is complex because Joseph Smith combined several Biblical concepts into a tangled hierarchy, and presented it as a restoration of primitive first-century Christian priesthood. Nothing could be further from the truth. For a discussion of actual ministry in the first century see chapter 12 in my book, Ministry in the Early Christian Church. Presented below is a very brief summary of some of the problems with Joseph Smith's priesthood.

I want to thank you very much for writing. I very much appreciate the question you are raising. I think it is a very good question, and not subject to a simple answer.

In the final analysis, God blesses us because of who He is, not because of who we are. If God blessed us only when we were right, where would be the grace? Jesus tells us to "Love our enemies" (Matt. 5:44), and goes on to explain that God Himself "causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matt. 5: 45). In fact, God's greatest blessing to us came when we were at our worst, "When we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son" (Rom. 5:10). All this because "God's kindness leads [us] toward repentance" (Rom. 2:5). I would invite you to read through the gospels and look at the people Jesus blessed there, the sick, the lame, the dead, the demon-possessed. It is clear that He was not endorsing their theology, or their righteousness. He was displaying His own holiness by doing good to them. Indeed, Jesus says He healed a blind man "so that the work of God might be displayed in his life" (John 9:3). So it is with us. None of us merit the blessings of God. They are simply a demonstration of His great love for us.

I, too, experienced the Lord's blessing while an RLDS member, over a period of 19 years. I may have felt much the same way then as you do now. But the greatest blessing He gave me during that time, was deliverance from Joseph Smith. That may well be the same blessing you are beginning to experience. But you may not experience the full extent of that blessing in a day or two. For most people, it is a growing, evolving experience that takes some time to develop. My wife, Leslie, and I both feel that the depth and power and beauty of our personal relationship with Jesus far and away transcends anything we experienced in the RLDS church. We could have never conceived of such a relationship while we were RLDS members. Now that's a blessing!

Please know that you will be in our prayers.

May God continue to richly bless you,

Paul Trask

Hello Diana.

Thanks for visiting our website. And thanks for writing. You've asked a wonderful question. In its simplest terms, the Christian Church is made up of people who, through repentance and forgiveness, have given their lives over to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Over the years, the church has also developed the doctrine of the "visible" versus the "invisible" church. The visible church is made up of the organized, institutional churches on earth, together with their formal members. Very "visible." The invisible church is made up of all those who have a personal saving relationship with Jesus Christ, but may not be a part the "visible" church on earth. They might be traveling "incognito" if you will. There is considerable overlap between the visible and the invisible church, but not all institutional church members may truly be Christians in their heart, and not all true Christians may take part in an institutional church. I hope that's not too confusing.

Beyond that, there are pseudo-Christian cults. The word "pseudo" means "not genuine, but having the appearance of." Pseudo-Christian cults may look like Christian churches on the surface, but underneath they distort the Bible, the gospel and the teachings of Christ. This is dangerous, because the gospel is "the power of God unto salvation for all who believe." But if the gospel becomes perverted, it loses its power to save. That's why the writers of the New Testament placed such an emphasis on accurate teaching. Pseudo-Christian cults, then, are dangerous for individuals on two counts. First, because the cult has distorted the teachings of Christ, the person may not have responded to the genuine gospel, and may not actually be saved. Pretty important. Second, the person may take part in promoting the distorted teachings of the cult, encouraging others to believe the cult teachings. This is sin, very serious sin, because they are actually leading others away from an accurate understanding of Christ.

Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." And He has been faithful to His word. His has extended His church ever since, in every age, to the most remote parts of the world. And He is doing the same today. In every age there have also been counterfeit, cult, churches to distract and detract from His genuine message. "Satan prowls around looking for whom he may devour." But Christ's church continues to grow in spite of those detractions. Our website and ministry are dedicated to helping cult members understand the error of their ways before it is too late.

Thanks again for writing Diana. Please let us know if there is any other way we can help.

Blessings to you,

Paul Trask

You ask about the RLDS understanding of Christ, of salvation, what their major error is, and how to lead them to faith in Christ. I address much of this in the final 2 chapters of my book, Part Way to Utah: the Forgotten Mormons, chapters 17 & 18 "Understanding the RLDS Dilemma," and "Helping RLDS to Victory." You might want to check out these 2 chapters for some ideas. Their major error is that they have accepted the leadership of a false prophet, Joseph Smith, and thereby have accepted his false scriptures and doctrines as well. Instead of correctly discerning that Joseph Smith was in error, they hold his doctrines up as God's ultimate truth. And because they have accepted Joseph Smith, they have also accepted the counterfeit Jesus who is portrayed in Joseph Smith's own scriptures, who is not the Jesus of the Bible. They therefore have a distorted view of Jesus, and of salvation. They mistake Joseph Smith's scriptures and doctrines for the gospel. And since they have responded to Joseph Smith's teachings, they therefore feel they have responded to the gospel and to Jesus Christ, and therefore have salvation.

In chapter 17 of my book I speak of spiritual immunization. In his commentary on the book of Hebrews, Biblical scholar F.F. Bruce says,

"People are frequently immunized against a disease by being inoculated with a mild form of it, or with a related but milder disease. And in the spiritual realm experience suggests that it is possible to be 'immunized' against Christianity by being inoculated with something which, for the time being, looks so like the real thing that it is generally mistaken for it."

This is precisely the dilemma facing RLDS people. Joseph Smith borrowed just enough material from the Christian church, for his own church to be mistaken as Christian. And since RLDS people feel they already have God's ultimate truth, why should they listen to you? It's you who should be listening to their superior revelation. People come out of the RLDS church and come to Christ generally in one of two ways. (1) If they are not overly steeped in Joseph Smith's teachings, they may sense a different "Spirit" among genuine Christians than they do in the RLDS church. In response to God's Spirit, they may leave the RLDS church behind and join with genuine Christians. While this does happen, it doesn't happen all that often. (2) Most RLDS leave their church and seek out genuine Christianity only after becoming disillusioned in Joseph Smith, his scriptures, church, etc. This is often a painful process, and many RLDS people simply don't have the personal courage to go through with it. It takes an unswerving commitment to the truth--no matter the cost-and a deep faith that God will get you through it. When confronted with their own personal moment of truth, many RLDS simply put their head back in the sand. I've had some tell me as much.

If you want to lead an RLDS person to faith in Christ alone, you may first have to lead them away from Joseph Smith and his teachings. So you should become familiar with their beliefs and be able to demonstrate precisely why they are un-Biblical. But above all, you'll need to pray for them. Perhaps for a long time. The battle for the souls of RLDS people is primarily a spiritual battle.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6:12)

Paul Trask

Thanks for visiting our website, and thanks for writing. First, I must applaud your interest in your RLDS friends. They are lucky to have a conscientious Christian like you for a friend.

Your RLDS friends tell you that the Book of Mormon verifies the Bible. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Book of Mormon actually contradicts the Bible in a number of serious ways. In my book Part Way to Utah: the Forgotten Mormons I have 3 chapters on the Book of Mormon (chapters 5-7) which demonstrate many of these contradictions. You can either get a copy of my book or just review these chapters online; the entire book in on the website under Resources/Online Books. A good place to start would be chapter 7, under Book of Mormon Anachronisms. Chapter 15, The Heresies of Joseph Smith’s Priesthood, also documents how the Book of Mormon seriously contradicts the Bible when it comes to priesthood. Look under The Building Blocks of Heresy, and scan down to the Book of Mormon heading to read more.

They also say King James had the Bible translated for his own purposes, and that it contains many errors. Ask them to show you these errors. And then ask them to explain how they know they are errors, and what their significance might mean. Chances are they will point to passages which Joseph Smith himself altered in his Inspired Version of the Bible. I have an entire chapter on the Inspired Version in my book (chapter 9), which you might find helpful. The Bible is the most well-attested book in human history. There exist over 5,000 manuscripts of the New Testament alone. And there is remarkable agreement among them all. The slight variations which do exist are inconsequential when it comes to Christian faith and practice. To underscore this fact I would recommend the book The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by Biblical scholar F.F. Bruce. The Dead Sea Scrolls—which predate Christ by 2–300 years—also underscore the accuracy of the Old Testament. One of these scrolls contains the entire book of Isaiah, and is nearly identical with the Masoretic text, from which the Old Testament in today’s English Bibles has been translated. So in reality, it was Joseph Smith who did what they accuse King James of: he altered the Bible to suit his own purpose.

I very much appreciate your dilemma as you talk with your RLDS friends. It is hard to accurately discuss Christianity with one who rejects the authority of the Bible. After all, what other legitimate authority could there be? But Joseph Smith was not the first one to reject the authority of the Bible in order to establish his own doctrine. There is another man who did the exact same thing many, many years ago. He was so successful that he ended up creating a whole new religion, just like Joseph Smith did. This new religion became so successful that his followers now number 1.2 billion people! His name was Mohammed, and we are dealing with the result of his religious innovations today in the Middle East. There are striking parallels between Joseph Smith and Mohammed. I have summarized a number of these parallels in my Article “I will be a second Mohammed.”

To be successful with your RLDS friends you will most likely have to shake their confidence in what they already believe. As long as they feel they have the ultimate truth they will continue to feel that it is you who should listen to them. That can change only if their confidence becomes shaken in what they already believe. So you need to be prepared to do just that—shake their confidence. My book will help you do that on the points you raised above, and a whole lot more. Many Christians have been successful by talking to RLDS about their un-Biblical priesthood system. Once you understand what the Bible has to say about priesthood, it is very easy to show how wrong the RLDS system is. And the RLDS priesthood issue cuts right to the very foundation upon which their church was built. So once their priesthood system falls, the rest of the church falls right along with it. I devote 6 chapters of my book to a Biblical analysis of the RLDS priesthood system, chapters 11–16. The final 2 chapters of my book also deal with Understanding the RLDS Dilemma, and Helping RLDS to Victory.

God bless you as you continue to work with your RLDS friends. We will pray for both you and them.

Paul Trask

Thanks for visiting our website. And thanks for writing. By your comments and questions it sounds like there are some questions being asked by people in your branch. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to address them.

You ask what a member should do when leaving the Community of Christ church. Our principle concern is for the person’s spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. Their church affiliation, while important, is always second to this. When a person leaves the Community of Christ church they should first and foremost pay attention to their relationship with Jesus. This will involve confession and repentance for having been deceived by a false prophet and his false religious system, including false scriptures, false doctrines and a blasphemous priesthood system. If they have been in leadership positions or held priesthood this is especially critical, for they have not only been deceived themselves, but have most likely taught others the errors they themselves have followed. Jesus said,

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!" (Matt. 18:6–7)

It is indeed a grievous thing to teach others scriptural and doctrinal heresy in the name of Christ. These sins, while serious, will be forgiven—but only upon confession and repentance. I cannot stress this enough.

Regarding church affiliation, I would certainly never suggest that a person become unchurched, that is to cease attending church. However, choosing a good church with which to affiliate with can be challenging for a person who has newly left. They need to choose a sound Bible-believing, Christ-centered church. But they may not yet be scripturally grounded in order to evaluate such a church. Reading and studying the books available on our website could help in this area, because they will help a person recognize errors in doctrine. In particular, I would like to recommend my book, The Long Way Home: Moving from a Psuedo-Christian Cult into Genuine Christianity. In this book I take former cult members by the hand, and help guide them to Christ, and into genuine Christianity.

The new church should both preach and teach from the Bible and you should hear about many aspects of the salvation provided by Jesus, because without Him we have nothing, with Him we have everything. Such a church should enable all who attend to grow into spiritual maturity in Christ. There are many ways they can do this, but they all center around the work of Christ. If you don’t hear much about Jesus, keep looking until you find a church which talks about Him, and is centered on Him. There is no better sign to look for in a church.

You ask why a person can’t just stay in the Community of Christ church, and effect change from within, that is if they follow Christ’s teachings and witness to others in the church. There are many reasons why this doesn’t work. Perhaps the most important is that you simply can’t follow the teachings of Christ and remain a part of the Community of Christ church. That’s the whole problem to begin with! Your church seriously misrepresents Christ and His teachings. Now how in the world can you follow the teachings of Christ while still belonging to such a church, and being subordinate to its unscriptural spiritual authority? It’s an oxymoron. It’s like asking why you can’t stay dry while swimming in the ocean, or stay clean while crawling through a slime pit. You can’t. Neither can you be spiritually clean by continuing to promote spiritual uncleanness, which is exactly what you do by remaining a member. And how about witnessing to other members? The greatest witness you can provide is to come clean yourself, and then encourage them to as well. If you have ever flown on a commercial airplane, you will remember their instructions about oxygen masks. They always tell you to get your own mask on first, BEFORE you try to help others (children, the elderly, etc.) who are reliant on you for help. The same thing is true spiritually. You would like to change the church from within? Unless you are an influential leader in one of the leading quorums of the church, you simply won’t effect any change. They will (and have already) have more spiritual impact on you than you will on them. To think otherwise is just wishful thinking. Or an excuse to avoid the painful work of coming clean, and thereby witnessing to others the seriousness of their dilemma. And many people have chosen just such an excuse. (If you are in fact an influential leader in one of the leading quorums of the church, I want to talk with you further. I have some very serious things I want to talk with you about. Please let me know—seriously.) By the way, if you think ministry to RLDS from outside the church is “safe and non-confrontational,” you’ve got another think coming. You ought to see some of the email we receive. And some of the dialogues in which we engage, both by mail and in person. From this standpoint, it was much safer in the church.

You ask, “How can anyone claim that modern day revelations from God isn’t possible since all is possible for God?” I would answer that most Christians do believe God still reveals Himself today, in many ways, and for various purposes to continue blessing His people with His presence and with much needed guidance. What Christians reject are the revelations of Joseph Smith (or others) which establish radical new doctrines which flatly contradict what God has already said in the Bible. It is very important for you to understand that there is a big difference here! You can read more about this on our website.

You also ask, “Jesus Christ is proclaimed the Savior and Redeemer of us all by the World Headquarters of the Community of Christ Church. How can that be wrong?” It is one thing to proclaim Jesus Christ Savior and Redeemer, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder (James 2:19).” It is quite another to 1) follow Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23), and 2) to obey His commandments “Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say (Luke 6:46)?” The foundational scriptures, doctrines and priesthood system of the Community of Christ church all contain many serious errors which misrepresent Christ and lead people away from His truth. That, quite simply, is what is wrong with the Community of Christ church. I invite you to explore the books and other materials on our website to begin learning the scriptural truth about your church. We’re not talking about minor tweaks of doctrine here and there. We’re talking about wholesale spiritual fraud and heresy.

You have asked some legitimate questions here. I hope I have encouraged you to begin your own study to understand the many serious errors which separate the Community of Christ church from genuine Christianity. Please feel free to write again if you have additional questions along the way.

May the Lord bless you,

Paul Trask

Greetings! Thanks for writing, and thanks for your concern for RLDS people. You have asked why RLDS believe Jesus will return to Independence, Missouri. It all has to do with Joseph Smith's teaching that his church was literally "Latter Day Israel." I talk about this subject in depth in chapter 3 of my book, Part Way to Utah: the Forgotten Mormons. You might want to check out that chapter for a more thorough discussion. I will try to give a short answer here.

Joseph Smith taught (erroneously) that his church was a latter-day restoration of the entire tribe of Joseph, comprised of the tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh. American Indians were held to be the remnant of the tribe of Manasseh, while the English speaking part of his church were held to be of the tribe of Ephraim. He further taught that Independence, Missouri was the Lord's "promised land" to these restored Israelites, the "New Jerusalem." His church would build the Lord's temple there, to which He will return at the end of time. The Lord's return to this temple is confirmed in Joseph Smith's own scriptures--but nowhere in the Bible. Here are two short quotes out of Joseph Smith's Doctrine & Covenants.

"...the New Jerusalem [Independence, Missouri] which is hereafter to be revealed, that my covenant people may be gathered in one, in that day when I shall come to my temple [in Independence]. And this I do for the salvation of my people." (D&C 42:10c)

"And the graves of the saints shall be opened, and they shall come forth and stand on the right hand of the Lamb, when he shall stand upon Mount Zion, and upon the holy city, the New Jerusalem [Independence, Missouri], and they shall sing the song of the Lamb day and night for ever and ever." (D&C 108:10d)

The Old Testament prophet Malachi records the Lord's own promise, that He would indeed return to His temple, " 'Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,' says the Lord Almighty" (Malachi 3:1). In fulfillment, Jesus, the promised messenger of the new covenant (Lk 22:20), did indeed already come to His temple -- Herod's first century temple -- in Jerusalem. Outside of Joseph Smith, there is no indication whatever that Jesus would ever come to a temple built in Independence, Missouri. It's just one of Joseph's many perversions, which keep his followers ensnared in deception and confusion.

Paul Trask

Hello Shauna,

You are correct that the term "free agency" is uniquely RLDS. The term roughly correlates with the concept of "free will" in Christian theology. In your note you explore the concept of free will and wonder how that fits together with the concept of the sovereignty of God. People have struggled with the tension between these two concepts for millennia. These two extremes are represented in the theologies of John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius. Calvin built his theology around the sovereignty of God, while Arminius built his around the free will of mankind. The five primary points of Calvin's theology spell the acronym TULIP, which stand for 1) the Total depravity of mankind, 2) the Unconditional election of God, 3) the Limited atonement of Christ, 4) the Irresistible grace of God and 5) the Perseverance of the Saints. It is Calvin's doctrine of Unconditional election which portrays the sovereignty of God; He alone decides our destiny for us, we have no voice or say in the matter. On the other end of the spectrum is the concept of mankind's free will, which is championed in the theology of Arminius. Many Baptist denominations follow Calvin's theology, while certain Methodists, the Assemblies of God and other Pentecostal denominations follow Arminian theology.

As I mentioned above, people have exhausted themselves over the centuries trying to reconcile the tension between these two extremes. This includes many Christian theologians. The theologies of Calvin and Arminius are useful in this regard primarily because they define the extreme positions, and thereby they help define the issues and the debate. But in reality, the truth likely falls somewhere in the middle, not at either extreme. As humans, we have trouble with things which leave us in tension. But when we consider a number of the attributes of God, we are left with no choice. For example, in this present sphere of existence, humans cannot adequately grasp the concept of eternity, in respect to either time or space. We may try to appreciate it, but in actuality we simply cannot apprehend it fully. The same is true of the Trinity, how the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit can all be separate in some sense, yet a complete unity in another sense. We try to display our understanding of this mystery by developing analogies which seem to make sense to us. But the truth remains that the concept is simply beyond our present level of understanding. That's what makes God the supreme creator, and what makes us humans, the created ones. " 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts' (Isaiah 55:8-9)." The fact is, we simply are not smart enough to figure out God, and His ways. We can try, and I think we should; God wants us to seek after Him. But we should also admit when He is far too big for us. Isn't it presumptuous to feel that we are bright enough to master the deep things of God, to "put Him in a box" if you will? In doing so, I feel we try to place ourselves at His level, which we simply are not.

As with the concepts of eternity and the Trinity, humans struggle with the tension between Predestination and Free Will. And yet we have to confess that harmony between the two escapes us in our present condition. Consider the following two statements of Jesus. "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Mark 8:34, KJV)." and "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him (John 6:44, KJV)." If we take either of these statements in isolation--and many other similar statements in scripture--we run the risk of ending up at one of the extremes. However, when we consider these statements together, we end up in tension. And I believe that until we see Him face to face we will just have to live with that tension, as uncomfortable as it may feel at the present time.

As you point out, Joseph Smith added to this tension by coming up with the erroneous concept of an American Zion, and then holding his church responsible for its fulfillment. As you say, God's "hands would be tied" until Latter Day Saints became good enough to bring about this God ordained condition. Joseph Smith's statements in this regard have made countless people across many generations feel guilty for not being "good enough" to bring about "Zion." "Were it not for the transgressions of my people...they might have been redeemed even now (D&C 102:2a)." This is so very unfortunate, and so very erroneous. It has been an extremely liberating experience for people to be released from this erroneous teaching once they realize that Joseph Smith was a false prophet, myself included. I explain Joseph Smith's unbiblical concept of an American Zion in chapter 3 of my book Part Way to Utah: the Forgotten Mormons.

As you say, God will clearly bring His will to pass, with or without our cooperation. But at the same time He entices us to use our free will to join Him in His work on earth, and become the heirs of His wonderful salvation, a home in His eternal Kingdom. Until we see Him face to face in His Kingdom, however, we will likely not understand how both of these statements compliment each other; but will likely continue to see them in tension.

Hope this has been helpful Shauna.

God's blessings to you,

Paul Trask

Hello (name withheld by request),

Thanks for visiting our website, and for writing. Before our own departure from the church, we had been part of the Restoration Branch movement as well. We are well acquainted with the turmoil this causes in a variety of relationships. We applaud your willingness to stand for truth, in the face of opposition. Please pardon me for taking so long to respond. I’ve been putting in very long hours at work, and I’m also trying to get my book ready for a 2nd edition printing.

"Is Samuel the Lamanite in the Bible?" Your 11 year old daughter's question indeed highlights the difficult period you are in right now. The sad reality is that Joseph Smith mixed the truth of Christ and the Bible with his own lie. That's what makes his church a "psuedo-Christian" cult. At first glance it bears some similarity with genuine Christianity, but when examined closely it is exposed as a fraud. Your daughter's question is quite understandable. And now I need to tell you something you may not enjoy hearing. We have known a number of people who have left Joseph Smith's churches and joined genuine Christianity. And I've often seen them do a 'mental check' when a familiar quote has come to mind or has been brought up in conversation. So what is that 'mental check?' They are trying to remember where the quote came from. Is it from the Bible, or is it a carryover from their Joseph Smith days, from one of his books? Sometimes this happens for years. Perhaps it will never stop altogether, though it may subside as time goes on. It's quite unnerving to question your own recollections, or those of others. But one thing is certain: you will be very sensitive to correct doctrine from now on. You have been burned once. You are going to be careful you do not get burned again. You will be much more sensitive to doctrine than Christians who do not share your past.

You say it feels like you are starting from scratch. It's really worse than that. You would be better off if it were that easy. As it is, you have to unlearn a large body of scripture and doctrine, as well as learn the right thing. And you have to know how to tell the difference between the good and the bad. It's somewhat like learning to type at the age of 49, as I did. You have to break old habits, which to some degree are comfortable and familiar, replacing them with new, better ones. As I type this letter, I'm doing so the new way. In fact, it feels strange anymore to revert back to 'hunting and pecking.' And I now like the new way more, though it took some getting use to. And a whole lot of discipline at first. God loves you so much He was not willing to let you remain in heresy. He has drawn you out of that mess in order draw you closer to Himself. You must trust Him to complete the work He has already started in you. And He is faithful--He will do it!

Forgive me for getting a little 'preachy,' but I felt you might need to hear some of that.

Your actual question has to do with "Christ preaching in the prison house to those who have died without knowledge of the gospel." This apparent chance of salvation after death appeals to you as being fair, but you are concerned that it is not the view of Protestantism. You have an understandable concern. However, the fact of the matter is that there is no single Protestant view of this doctrine--there are at least three differing views of the fate of the unevangelized. And each of these views has had a broad array of notable adherents throughout the ages, including theologians and pastors across broad denominational lines. Even today there remains a variety of opinion within denominations. The view which does seem to get more 'air time,' however, is the view you are concerned about. It is called 'Exclusivism' or 'Restrictivism.' In a 'nutshell,' that view claims that each human needs to have a conscious saving relationship with Christ in this lifetime in order to inherit eternal salvation in the life to come. Those who have never heard the gospel are simply left out. But it is important to understand that there are at least two other formal viewpoints, 'Inclusivism' and 'Post-Mortem Evangelization' or 'Divine Perseverance.' 'Inclusivism' believes that salvation comes only through Christ, but that a person may end up being saved without consciously knowing Christ in this lifetime. That view holds that God will judge each person according to their response to the degree of 'light' which was available to them through the created order, conscience and human culture. 'Postmortem Evangelization' or 'Divine Perseverance' holds that people may consciously accept Christ in the life to come in response to hearing the gospel there. This last view is actually similar to the RLDS view you mentioned.

It is important to note that the fate of the unevangelized is but one of a variety of theological issues for which there does not appear to be only one conclusive answer. In this present age we struggle with limited scriptural information and even more limited capacity to completely grasp the Holy and Eternal God. He gives us enough information to respond to Him in faith. But we shouldn't be so presumptuous to believe that we have figured Him all out. He is far too big and Holy for that. He has reserved a complete knowledge of Himself for the coming age--not this one. That sometimes leaves us in a nagging state of tension on some issues, like the one at hand. But please note that Christians do not break fellowship over this issue, though they may share differing opinions. There are perfectly valid points made by adherents of each view. And weaknesses as well. We don't let our limited understanding divide us.

At this point I would like to recommend some books you might finding interesting and helpful. The first one deals with the topic at hand, and is entitled What About Those Who Have Never Heard: Three Views on the Destiny of the Unevangelized, edited by John Sanders and published by InterVarsity Press. There are actually three authors, each a theologian, who explain each of the three views I mentioned above. The other two then offer comment on the view described, so there are actually nine essays in all. My wife and I have read this book multiple times. It is very good.

A second book I would like to recommend is How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart and published by Zondervan. I feel that this book is actually a condensed seminary course of study—and a whole lot cheaper! The authors guide you through the variety of genres which comprise the Bible, and what to look for in each genre. They also talk about the development of the various translations and the strengths and weaknesses of each. And they teach you to be a demanding reader, to ask questions of the text, and how to read passages contextually.

A third book is A Guide to Selecting and Using Bible Commentaries, by Douglas Stuart and published by Word Publishing. The author is a respected scholar from Gordon Conwell seminary near Boston. He surveys various types of commentaries and offers opinions on the very best commentaries for each book of the Bible. I use this volume each time I buy a commentary. It is priceless to me.

A fourth, and final book, is 1 Peter, by J. Ramsey Michaels and published by Word Publishing. This is a serious and scholarly commentary on 1 Peter. Mr. Michaels includes several pages of dense scrutiny of the passage on the ‘prison house.’ It is incredibly insightful, but heady. Tackle this one when you’re feeling particularly energetic!

God bless you, xxxxxxxx. I hope this helps. We would love to hear from you as your journey continues to unfold. Please feel free to write anytime.

Paul Trask

Hello Sandy,

Thanks for visiting our website. And thanks for writing. I’m so encouraged to hear how the Holy Spirit led you to my website. He certainly works in powerful ways. So few Christians are willing to work seriously with Mormons. I know that none ever worked with me! I applaud your diligence.

You ask if the same arguments against the RLDS church be used against the LDS church? Most certainly, Yes. In my book I primarily discuss the bedrock upon which both churches are built: their common history (in many cases this is myth, really), their scriptures and priesthood. And while knowledgeable RLDS and LDS members might pick at minor differences, the truly significant features of these elements are identical between the two. The two churches began moving apart upon Joseph Smith’s murder in 1844, and then with the Reorganization in 1860. You may have read about that in chapter 1 of my book, Part Way to Utah: the Forgotten Mormons. But the bedrock elements, which I mention above, remained the same. And they remain the same to this day. Neither church has ever repudiated its many serious errors.

I find it interesting that the Lord led you to study Melchizedek, which in turn led you to my website. In all my reading about Mormonism, I, too, have never come across a penetrating study of their priesthood structure. My book had its origin in an experience the Lord gave me regarding Mormon priesthood while reading in the book of Hebrews one morning. And when I started my book, I wrote the chapters on priesthood first. Since then, I, and a number of others I know, have had some of our most productive conversations with RLDS people on the priesthood issue. It’s an extremely powerful issue for them, and for Mormons alike. Both churches are built upon the premise that they alone possess God’s exclusive priesthood authority. And it’s very easy to speak with them directly from the Bible. It took just two meetings with one RLDS priesthood member for him to resign teaching Sunday School and tell his Pastor he didn’t want to function in his priesthood anymore. Soon afterwards, he left the RLDS altogether, and began attending a genuine Christian church. We just went through my chapters on priesthood together with his girlfriend. Understandably, he protested at first. But the Bible is very clear and easy to understand on this issue, and the points I make are simply irrefutable.

Thank you again for writing, Sandy. May God bless and prosper your witness to Mormons.

Paul Trask

Hello Marina,

Thanks for visiting our website. And thanks for writing. The Church of Jesus Christ headquartered in Monongahela, Pennsylvania is not an RLDS church, but it is most definitely a branch of Mormonism. There are well over 100 different church organizations which sprang from Joseph Smith original church. Since the term "Mormon" has come to identify the largest of these groups, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, none of these other groups likes to be called "Mormon," since they disagree with certain aspects of Salt Lake City Mormonism. But there are certain elements of faith which knit these groups together, nonetheless.

The Church of Jesus Christ (Monongahela) originated under the leadership of William Bickerton in 1862. Joseph Smith's murder in 1844 left his church in tremendous turmoil, and an intense power struggle ensued. As a result, the church broke into factions, as powerful leaders led groups in various directions, both theologically and geographically. The largest of these factions followed Brigham Young from Illinois to Utah, where the Mormon church settled and grew. Sidney Rigdon, a prominent leader under Joseph Smith, led a group to Pennsylvania which he called the 'Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion.' In 1845 William Bickerton joined this group. The group began to disintegrate soon thereafter, due to some theological innovations on the part of Ridgon. Left without a church, for a time Bickerton met with a Mormon congregation in the region. However, upon learning of the Mormon doctrine of polygamy, the Adam-God theory, and other strange doctrines, he left this group as well.

By claiming direct revelation from God, Bickerton ultimately felt he had authority to start his own church to promote 'the true doctrine of Christ,' that is, Joseph Smith's version. Their official bible is the King James version, but from your letter it sounds like at least some of the members prefer to use Joseph Smith's 'Inspired Version' of the bible, owned and published by the RLDS church (for more information on the 'Inspired Version' see chapter 9 in my book, Part Way to Utah: the Forgotten Mormons). They also believe in Joseph Smith's 'Book of Mormon,' and print their own version (for more information on the Book of Mormon, see chapters 5, 6 & 7 in my book). One doctrine which distinguishes this group from other branches of Mormonism is their practice of Washing of Feet. And as do most branches of Mormonism, this church claims to be the true successor of Joseph Smith's original church.

Marina, you can find more information about this church on their official website at www.the-church.org. You can also find more information in Steven Shield's book Divergent Paths of the Restoration, published by Restoration Research, Bountiful, Utah. Some of the information I have provided above came from this book.

I hope you have found this helpful, Marina. I pray God may use you to help open the eyes of your husband to the unChristian nature of the church he was raised in.

Blessings to you and your family,

Paul Trask