Ravi Zacharias: Popular Christian Apologist Speaks to 3,500 at Mormon Temple; Asks Faiths to Oppose 'Lost Morality' Together
Christian apologist and writer Ravi Zacharias addressed 3,500 evangelicals and Mormons at the LDS Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, asking that people from the two faiths stand together to oppose "relativism" and "lost morality."
The two-day "Freedom and Friendship" event held last Friday and Saturday marked the second time that Zacharias had spoken at the Tabernacle. The apologist's first meeting occurred 10 years ago, when he became the first non-Mormon speaker in the Tabernacle in 105 years.
Zacharias' talk was presented by Standing Together, a coalition of evangelical Churches who seek to "be a catalyst for uniting the Utah Christian community through relational efforts of prayer, worship, and strategic evangelism."
Among its outreach efforts are organizing "LDS/evangelical scholarly dialogues" and providing "resources for interfaith dialogue." The coalition also helped organize Zacharias' 2004 event.
Church elder and former president of Brigham Young University Jeffrey Holland introduced Zacharias and credited Mormons' and Christians' "shared love for the Lord Jesus Christ" for bringing them together "in true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always."
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Christian apologist?
A "Christian apologist" who disregards the foundational scriptural doctrine of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ? Say what? Why the very notion of such a thing is a classic oxymoron. It is a contradiction in terms. To claim to be one who can offer an apologetic of biblical Christian doctrines, while at the same time denying the very foundation of those doctrines - that Christ Jesus the Lord is in fact God - as is apologetically denied by Mormon doctrine (without apology it should be noted), is an absolute absurdity [1Cor. 3:11]. But, as seen here, this is exactly what "Christian apologist" Ravi Zacharias has done in sanctioning the non-biblical 'Jesus' of Mormonism by his LDS Tabernacle appearance and non-apologetic call-for-unity speech. To do this is 'against' Christ - it is 'anti'-Christ.
For one professing Christianity to speak in a Mormon temple is highly problematic to begin with, but to do so under a banner of "shared love for the Lord Jesus Christ...in...true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always" (note especially the use of the word "true")...is something that would not be possible for a man who truly believes the Word of God that he professes to have a scholarly knowledge of. Nor for any man that would speak with the unction of the Holy Ghost. Can the third person of the Godhead, God the Holy Ghost, deny the second person of the Godhead, God the Son - the Lord Jesus Christ? [Col. 2:8-9]. The answer is obvious - an emphatic 'no'. If a "Christian apologist" can acknowledge "a shared love for Jesus Christ [and] a true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always" with those that have 'another Jesus', as does the Mormon religion, you can be absolutely certain that that man is not speaking by the Spirit of God [1 Cor. 12:3]. No, no, no, a thousand times no.
No, this false unity can come only from "another spirit" [2Cor. 11:4]. That spirit is the spirit of antichrist - 1John 4:3. It is that spirit that seeks the 'brotherhood of man....always' - all the world, united, bowed before his Satanic will.
Look again at the picture. Zacharias and 3500 evangelicals and Mormons at the LDS Tabernacle pledging to "stand together"...to make it happen. The global religion of antichrist. It is happening.
***
Compare: One World Religion: Billy Graham, Franklin Graham Hold Prayer Meeting With Mormon Romney 10-11-12 "ASHEVILLE, N.C. — GOP nominee Mitt Romney and Rev. Billy Graham discussed policy and personal connections Thursday at a meeting at the evangelical leader’s home that ended with the men praying together"...Romney during [the first presidential debate] stated that America is "a nation that believes we're all children of the same God"...Obviously the statement was strategic. The fact of the matter is that that 'theology' comes from the New World Order One World Religion handbook. That handbook calls for the 'christianizing' of Mormonism, or more correctly, the de-christianizing of true biblical Christianity to the point that the false Mormon Jesus and the false Mormon gospel are no longer anything to be concerned about. As long as they use the name "Jesus" that is all that matters - even though the doctrine of the Mormon Jesus is that he is the spirit-offspring of the 'father God' who used to be a man on another planet before becoming God; that it was through actual physical sexual relations with 'Mary' that 'Mormon Jesus' was conceived [link]; and that he also is the spirit-brother of Lucifer [it gets much worse; see 'Joel Osteen' - link]; all of which is a wretched perversion of the true biblical doctrine of the "only begotten of the Father" who "was made flesh" [John 1:14]. But don't worry about all that, it doesn't matter because the two Jesus's have the same name so they must be the same right? So say Billy Graham and Franklin Graham [and Chuck Smith - link], proving themselves once again to be - to the still incredulous unbelief of many who have long been blind to the "Billy Graham" reality...false apostles - The 'Mormons are Christian' agenda is set to go big, and many of the biggest names in apostate Christendom are already on board, a virtual who's who. No excuse can be made for any involved. The reality is that what pretends to be the Christian Church in this world is an infiltrated counterfeit - infiltrated by the ministers of Satan [2Cor. 11:14-15] in every sphere. Truly we are witnessing the days of which the book of Jude speaks - the final apostasizing of Christianity - when certain men would have crept in unawares, and made themselves to be leaders, only to then deny "the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ" [Jude 4] - as Franklin and Billy Graham just did openly. And they have not crept in alone:
See: Apostasy Gone Wild: Catholics, Jews, 'Christians', And 'Mormon' Glenn Beck - "Under God Indivisble" 7-27-12 " Confirmed speakers: Franklin Graham; Dr. Ravi Zacharias; Ps. Robert Morris; Rev. Robert Sirico; Dr. Ken Hutcherson; Dr. Jim Garlow; Dr. Tony Evans; Kenneth Copeland; Rabbi Aryeh Spero; Dr. Richard Land; James Robison; Dr. David Jeremiah; Rev. Samuel Rodriguez; Ps. John Hagee; Bishop Harry Jackson; David Barton; Fr. Jonathan Morris; Jay Richards" - "all joining in "indivisible spiritual unity under God". And very important to note, that is exactly what will happen. Of course it should also be clearly understood that it will be the 'god of this world' under which this 'indivisible worldly unity' will be achieved" [see post]
Global government with global religious system under the 'seed of the serpent', i.e. the very Antichrist [Gen. 3:14-15]. The Word of God is true - do you believe it? Rev. 18:4
***
It's nothing new for RZ; see also: How bad is it? Ravi Zacharias, Dobsons Head Up Apostate "National Day Of Prayer" (Jesus is out, to whom then dost thou pray?) 4-24-08
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1John 2:22 'Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son'
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| Zacharias preaching one-world-religion doctrine at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. Photo: christianpost.com |
The two-day "Freedom and Friendship" event held last Friday and Saturday marked the second time that Zacharias had spoken at the Tabernacle. The apologist's first meeting occurred 10 years ago, when he became the first non-Mormon speaker in the Tabernacle in 105 years.
Zacharias' talk was presented by Standing Together, a coalition of evangelical Churches who seek to "be a catalyst for uniting the Utah Christian community through relational efforts of prayer, worship, and strategic evangelism."
Among its outreach efforts are organizing "LDS/evangelical scholarly dialogues" and providing "resources for interfaith dialogue." The coalition also helped organize Zacharias' 2004 event.
Church elder and former president of Brigham Young University Jeffrey Holland introduced Zacharias and credited Mormons' and Christians' "shared love for the Lord Jesus Christ" for bringing them together "in true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Christian apologist?
A "Christian apologist" who disregards the foundational scriptural doctrine of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ? Say what? Why the very notion of such a thing is a classic oxymoron. It is a contradiction in terms. To claim to be one who can offer an apologetic of biblical Christian doctrines, while at the same time denying the very foundation of those doctrines - that Christ Jesus the Lord is in fact God - as is apologetically denied by Mormon doctrine (without apology it should be noted), is an absolute absurdity [1Cor. 3:11]. But, as seen here, this is exactly what "Christian apologist" Ravi Zacharias has done in sanctioning the non-biblical 'Jesus' of Mormonism by his LDS Tabernacle appearance and non-apologetic call-for-unity speech. To do this is 'against' Christ - it is 'anti'-Christ.
For one professing Christianity to speak in a Mormon temple is highly problematic to begin with, but to do so under a banner of "shared love for the Lord Jesus Christ...in...true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always" (note especially the use of the word "true")...is something that would not be possible for a man who truly believes the Word of God that he professes to have a scholarly knowledge of. Nor for any man that would speak with the unction of the Holy Ghost. Can the third person of the Godhead, God the Holy Ghost, deny the second person of the Godhead, God the Son - the Lord Jesus Christ? [Col. 2:8-9]. The answer is obvious - an emphatic 'no'. If a "Christian apologist" can acknowledge "a shared love for Jesus Christ [and] a true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always" with those that have 'another Jesus', as does the Mormon religion, you can be absolutely certain that that man is not speaking by the Spirit of God [1 Cor. 12:3]. No, no, no, a thousand times no.
No, this false unity can come only from "another spirit" [2Cor. 11:4]. That spirit is the spirit of antichrist - 1John 4:3. It is that spirit that seeks the 'brotherhood of man....always' - all the world, united, bowed before his Satanic will.
Look again at the picture. Zacharias and 3500 evangelicals and Mormons at the LDS Tabernacle pledging to "stand together"...to make it happen. The global religion of antichrist. It is happening.
***
Compare: One World Religion: Billy Graham, Franklin Graham Hold Prayer Meeting With Mormon Romney 10-11-12 "ASHEVILLE, N.C. — GOP nominee Mitt Romney and Rev. Billy Graham discussed policy and personal connections Thursday at a meeting at the evangelical leader’s home that ended with the men praying together"...Romney during [the first presidential debate] stated that America is "a nation that believes we're all children of the same God"...Obviously the statement was strategic. The fact of the matter is that that 'theology' comes from the New World Order One World Religion handbook. That handbook calls for the 'christianizing' of Mormonism, or more correctly, the de-christianizing of true biblical Christianity to the point that the false Mormon Jesus and the false Mormon gospel are no longer anything to be concerned about. As long as they use the name "Jesus" that is all that matters - even though the doctrine of the Mormon Jesus is that he is the spirit-offspring of the 'father God' who used to be a man on another planet before becoming God; that it was through actual physical sexual relations with 'Mary' that 'Mormon Jesus' was conceived [link]; and that he also is the spirit-brother of Lucifer [it gets much worse; see 'Joel Osteen' - link]; all of which is a wretched perversion of the true biblical doctrine of the "only begotten of the Father" who "was made flesh" [John 1:14]. But don't worry about all that, it doesn't matter because the two Jesus's have the same name so they must be the same right? So say Billy Graham and Franklin Graham [and Chuck Smith - link], proving themselves once again to be - to the still incredulous unbelief of many who have long been blind to the "Billy Graham" reality...false apostles - The 'Mormons are Christian' agenda is set to go big, and many of the biggest names in apostate Christendom are already on board, a virtual who's who. No excuse can be made for any involved. The reality is that what pretends to be the Christian Church in this world is an infiltrated counterfeit - infiltrated by the ministers of Satan [2Cor. 11:14-15] in every sphere. Truly we are witnessing the days of which the book of Jude speaks - the final apostasizing of Christianity - when certain men would have crept in unawares, and made themselves to be leaders, only to then deny "the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ" [Jude 4] - as Franklin and Billy Graham just did openly. And they have not crept in alone:
See: Apostasy Gone Wild: Catholics, Jews, 'Christians', And 'Mormon' Glenn Beck - "Under God Indivisble" 7-27-12 " Confirmed speakers: Franklin Graham; Dr. Ravi Zacharias; Ps. Robert Morris; Rev. Robert Sirico; Dr. Ken Hutcherson; Dr. Jim Garlow; Dr. Tony Evans; Kenneth Copeland; Rabbi Aryeh Spero; Dr. Richard Land; James Robison; Dr. David Jeremiah; Rev. Samuel Rodriguez; Ps. John Hagee; Bishop Harry Jackson; David Barton; Fr. Jonathan Morris; Jay Richards" - "all joining in "indivisible spiritual unity under God". And very important to note, that is exactly what will happen. Of course it should also be clearly understood that it will be the 'god of this world' under which this 'indivisible worldly unity' will be achieved" [see post]
Global government with global religious system under the 'seed of the serpent', i.e. the very Antichrist [Gen. 3:14-15]. The Word of God is true - do you believe it? Rev. 18:4
***
It's nothing new for RZ; see also: How bad is it? Ravi Zacharias, Dobsons Head Up Apostate "National Day Of Prayer" (Jesus is out, to whom then dost thou pray?) 4-24-08
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1John 2:22 'Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son'
26 comments :
Unbelievable. Yet actually quite believable. These guys like Ravi Zacharias are false teachers, we just didn't know it until they showed their hand by who they are willing to associate with and work with.
re: false teachers
and today 2014, they are legion -
Mark 5:2,9 'And when he (the Lord Jesus Christ) was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many'
***
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." - Rev. 18:4
I see this "Mormons are christians" agenda heading in the direction of full on mainstream acceptance of the mockery of Christianity. There is a broadway play called "Book of Mormon" which is a mocking play on Mormonism from the creators of South Park. I feel like it is to test the waters of what they can "get away with". They will edge closer and closer to plays/tv shows that mock things like the apostle Paul's conversion, Noah, Jonah etc. Check this link out:
http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=13214753
You obviously know little about Mormonism. The Mormon Tabernacle is not a 'temple.' Mormon doctrine is centered on the fact that through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ can mankind be saved. The Book of Mormon teaches that plainly.
It is disingenuous for any that hold to the 'Book of Mormon', and Mormon doctrine in general, to claim that the 'jesus' of the Mormon religion and the "Jesus" of the Bible are one and the same. As Mormons know well, this is not the case. The 'jesus' of the Mormon religion is an absolute denial of Christ:
re: (quoted from above post) "...the doctrine of the Mormon Jesus is that he is the spirit-offspring of the 'father God' who used to be a man on another planet before becoming God; that it was through actual physical sexual relations with 'Mary' that 'Mormon Jesus' was conceived; and that he also is the spirit-brother of Lucifer"
As to the Christian belief of the person of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14) - meaning that he IS very God, the Mormon interpretation misses that by a million miles Perloo. 'Moroni' did not tell the truth (Gal. 1:8; 2Cor. 11:4).
Mormons should admit the difference openly rather than trying to conceal it.
***
re: temple - I stand corrected. Looked that up and discovered that the Mormon Tabernacle is a separate building from the Salt Lake City Temple. Apparently they stand side by side. The title and the post will be be corrected.
Rev. 18:4
I think your treatment of this subject is all wrong. #1 Mormons would never let a non Mormon in good standing into their "temple", so there's no threat of Ravi going there. #2 Mormons do not "know well", as one commenter said, that their Jesus and our Jesus are different. #3 Mormons have been blinded to the truth by satan, and have received a whole host of false teachings rootd in their religious history and family life that is difficult to cut through. Pray that God's spirit would break through indeed. #4 I wish Christians would stop throwing stones at other believers. "They will know us by our LOVE" #5 Pray that God uses people willing to speak the truth in love, to those who will listen, no matter what the venue is. I for one have a strong sense that God is going to work from the top down in the LDS church to bring people to the real Truth. Please join me for a powerful move of His spirit to lift the curtain of falsehood.
To Rose Farmers Wife,
The issue in question here is really very simple, and this is not a personal attack, but you have missed it entirely. The main issue is what you have stated in your second point:
"#2 Mormons do not "know well", as one commenter said, that their Jesus and our Jesus are different"
Is it not then the responsibility of a "Christian apologist", as RZ claims to be, if he is going to address an assembly of Mormons who have been "blinded to the truth by Satan" (your point 3#), to make quite clear to them that there is in fact an irreconcilable difference between the 'Jesus' of the Mormon religion and the truth of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed by Holy Scripture?
Without question it is. No other answer to that question can be even suggested - which is your 5th point actually - "speaking the truth in love".
"Speaking the truth in love" is not calling for "unity" with those who reject the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as in himself being very God, the second person of the Godhead (Col. 2:9) - as do Mormons, whether they know it or not (this point is debatable, i would suggest that the majority do undoubtedly know this as becomes very clear when they come to your door) - for "what concord hath Christ with Belial?" (2Cor. 6:15)
The answer to that question in 2Cor 6:15 is also very clear - no concord whatsoever.
Ravi Zacharias though is calling for "concord", rather than "speaking the truth" about the Mormon religion's spirit-brother-of-Lucifer whom they also call 'jesus'.
This is the point, and RZ's attempts to this end are not in any possible way defensible. How then does bringing to light the serious error of those who would lead the outward professing Christian Church into such apostasy then become "throwing stones at other believers"?
To begin with, and very important to consider, seeking 'unity' apart from truth must, and rightly so, call into question the reality of that person's professed Christian belief. In other words are they really a believer? How can they be if they will deny the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for the sake of a 'unity' with "another Jesus" (2Cor. 11:1-4), which is exactly what Zacharias has done and is doing? The book of Galatians says that any man who does this is to be "accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9).
The book of Jude warns us about this very thing: Jude 4 "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ?
Certainly no one would accuse Jude of 'throwing stones'...and he called these 'leaders' who deny the truth of the triune God "ungodly men".
Lastly, you mention a "powerful move of His Spirit to lift the curtain of falsehood" with regard to the LDS religion. How is it supposed that this could ever come about when the 'leading international Christian apologists' like Zacharias will not tell Mormons that their 'christ' is not the Christ of the Bible...and cannot save anything?
Answer: it will not.
The bottom line here is as stated in the title of the post, and we do well to face the truth of that: The only spirit moving to bring about Mormon-christian unity is the spirit of "anti" Christ.
Rev. 18:4
http://www.rzim.org/blog/media-2/prayer-request-programs-with-glenn-beck-on-november-10/
Ravi is an excellent communicator and good arguments for topics like why would God allow suffering.
He reminds me of C.S. Lewis in his style, both deep and interesting and he speaks with gentleness and respect in his apologetics as we are told to do in 2 Peter 3:15. I have read some of his book "Jesus among other gods"
He has stated his position that Jesus is God even from the title of his book which I have started reading.
But we need to look deeper than that.
What he has
I pray that all those deceived by the doctrines of Mormonism would come to see the truth that Jesus is God of one being with the Father and the Holy Spirit and it by faith in Christ's finished work on the cross and faith in Christ alone that one can be saved by grace. I pray that the Holy Spirit would work in the hearts of those deceived even those in high positions to show them the truth.
ABarnes,
re: "Ravi is an excellent communicator...He has stated his position that Jesus is God..."
Professing a belief..if not backed by "works"...is dead.
Ravi Zacharias's "works" at this conference (as well other occasions) were in fact an absolute denial of the Lord Jesus Christ [Jude 4]. There is no way around that.
Nothing excellent about it.
Rev. 18:4
What message he has sent by doing this appears to be that Mormons should focus on their good works in taking a stand for morality. But that's actually part of the problem. Good works are not a problem but trusting in good works to save you in addition to the Christ's death is a problem. The Mormon believes he or she is saved by grace after all he or she can do. Unfortunately this means that the Mormon is not saved. Ravi must have overlooked this.
No it is possible to be an excellent communicator and still deceive people. It does seem true what you are saying but hard to believe it is Ravi being deliberately deceptive. I suppose the more eloquent the speaker the more convincing he is.
ABarnes,
re: "Ravi must have overlooked this..."
You are defending something that can not be defended. The Mormon question does not hang on being saved by works vs. grace, it hangs on the clear fact that the Mormon religion has "another Jesus" (it is "another gospel", with "another spirit also - as the title of this post points out: it is the spirit of Anti-christ)
The Word of God says this about that:
2Cor. 11:4 'For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Will you "bear with" Zacharias as he promotes the "another Jesus" of Mormonism...because he is, you say, a "good communicator"?
The Word of God says this on that subject:
Gal. 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Good as an angel? Is not Zacharias actually preaching the gospel of the 'angel Moroni' when making no difference between Christianity and Mormonism, which flat out denies Christ - which makes them anti-Christ: 2John 7?
He most definitely is, and the Spirit of God says any man who does this is to be accursed (2x).
The Holy Spirit of God has left no wiggle room on this.
Best thing you can do is just accept the fact. If not, the danger is to be found "bearing with" RZ as he preaches "another Jesus".
Final note: all things considered, it actually would be much harder to believe that RZ's doings are not deliberate than that they are.
Either way though, it matters not. Knowingly or ignorantly, it is horrible apostasy:
"Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues"
Yes so even if the Mormon were to understand salvation by faith in Christ alone they would also need to change their understanding of Christ. I'm slowing pieces things together.
Looking at his words in his book for evidence of this. Pages 89-95 of Jesus among other gods talk about Jesus and what it means that died on the cross. One concerning quote "In that act every barrier is broken - the barriet of sin between us and God, the barrier between body and soul as the physical and spiritual connect, the barrier between life and death, the barrier of race and prejudice - for we all stand before Him at the same meal." It sounds like he's saying that all are saved because of Jesus. The barrier between us and God is just one thing in the list. He doesn't really explain the Gospel. He doesn't talk about Hell or how to be saved. It seems kind of new agey but I don't know enough to be sure.
Yeah seems like a dangerous book.
Mormonism is of the devil. Ravi is not. Ravi has never backed away from calling Mormonism a cult. But Ravi also understands that Christians need to beat the devil at work in cults. When Ravi calls upon us Evangelicals to get cozy with Mormons, he is calling us to love them as Jesus told the Jews to love the Samaritans. Love them, then convert them. They are struggling since they are of their father the devil.
Anon,
re: "Ravi has never backed away from calling Mormonism a cult"
Better re-read this post. Not only did Zacharias not make any mention of Mormonism being a cult, he is leading this Mormon-Christian interfaith movement "under a banner of "shared love for the Lord Jesus Christ...in...true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always"
Maybe he just forgot that the Mormon Jesus is "another Jesus" - Gal. 1:8. And maybe he forgot this verse:
2Cor. 6:14 "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
Rev. 18:4
This is a totally false write-up by "Tom M". Before anyone believes this piece please watch the full Ravi speeches at the Mormon temple in full yourself. Here is Ravi speaking about Mormanism and couldn't be more clear:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRyUycSmqIE
Anon,
re: "totally false write-up"; "Ravi speaking about Mormonism and couldn't be more clear"
First of all, the above piece is not an 'opinion piece', what is written are factual statements. Zacharias's platform at the event, as made very clear, was a "shared love for the Lord Jesus Christ..(between Mormons and Christians)...in true brotherhood and sisterhood tonight and always"
Simple indisputable fact: Mormons deny the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Very simply, the Mormon religion has "another Jesus" - 2Cor. 11:3-4
At the Mormon tabernacle Zacharias attributed the Mormon Jesus as being 'not another', but as one and the same. In the video you have linked, Zacaharis's defense of his appearance at the Mormon Tabernacle, he does very the same thing. The key points quoted from the video on the topic are these:
4:15 "In strict Christian terms (referring to to the Morrmon), yes, Christ was not sufficient (for salvation...because)...you bring in all the other doctrines....the Adam of God doctrine, the celestial marriage, the doctrine of the covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and all of these other additions..."
4:37 "I think it is critical we undestand the Jesus said we are complete in him, and that when you add or detract you can give yourself whatever name you want, but you are impugning the completed work of Christ on the cross....So there are other titles that one can give to those faiths, but it is not historic Christianity at that point"
It's an eight minute video, but these two statements are the whole of his defense. With a very subtle evasion of the issue of the Deity of Christ, in his explanation Zacharias makes the Mormon 'error' out as not at all about the Mormon religion having a false 'jesus', but only as a matter of adding things to the gospel. The way he presented his argument in this defense was in fact an endorsement of the 'Mormon jesus' as being no different. The truth of the matter is that Mormons impugning the "finished work of Christ", which according to Zacharias is the only real difference between Mormonism and "historic Christianity", means nothing when the Mormon religion has a false christ to begin with. Zacharias at no time makes this distinction.
Anon, the video you have linked actually further proves exactly the things stated in the above piece. To validate the Mormon 'jesus' is to deny Christ.
Zacharias then finishes his defense with a caution to his audience to avoid the use of the word "cult".
Apparently Zacharias does not want any members of the "true brotherhood and sisterhood" to be called a cult.
Rev. 18:4
It's clear that Ravi thinks that Mormonism is a cult but the wording is more like Mormonism just doesn't fall under the label of "historic Christianity". So he avoids saying it is Antichrist.
Some of the deceiving things to listen for are subtle messages: Mormons have a moral soil - actually Mormonism was not built on moral soil. Joseph Smith is not as dangerous as Jim Jones - actually he has caused more damage.
Sorry went off on a tangent there. What you are saying seems right. Where you say "makes the Mormon error out as not at all about the Mormon religion having a false Jesus" I think I understand. There are certain things he implies in his wording of it. He implies by saying that we shouldn't add or detract from the completed work of Christ on the cross that Mormons believe in Christ and extra requirements on top of that faith in Christ. So he implies that Mormons believe in Christ which is the deception. It is subtle.
AB,
That's it
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
It saddens me to see the display of hatred towards fellow Christians.
In response to Anon directly above:
re: "display of hatred"
To expose the fact that "Christian apologist" Zacharias has validated the Mormon false 'jesus', as cannot be denied, which ultimately is to also validate the false Mormon gospel of the 'angel Moroni' - this in no way is a "display of hatred".
Promoting a "perverted gospel", as is here the case, is a very serious issue. The scriptures make it very plain how this sort of thing is to be viewed:
Galatians 1:6-9 'I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.'
Who will charge the apostle Paul with "hatred" for saying of the gospel-perverter "let him be accursed" (2x)?
***
Be not removed by any man or 'angel' - like 'Moroni'
Rev. 18:4
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