This One Belief Proves Mormonism CAN'T Be True

Colossians 1 · 1 Corinthians 8 · Romans 11

I'd argue that Mormonism's purpose of life is not only catastrophically in error. It actually proves that Mormonism can't possibly be true. This is one of the biggest differences between Mormonism and Christianity. LDS scripture says that God's work and glory is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man. But we believe that God's work is to bring himself glory. What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. Everything that the Lord has done, from creation to Israel, to Christ, to the church, has been about bringing himself glory. This is what God has revealed.

And Mormonism takes this idea and flips it 180° into something completely false. Let me prove that to you. First, let's consider, why did God create anything in the first place? The Bible tells us that all things come from him, were made through him, and are for him. You can see that right here in this verse. All things, all matter and intelligence was from him and was for him, that is, for his glory. Colossians 1 and 1 Corinthians 8 say the same exact thing that Romans 11 says. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him.

So when God called into existence the things that do not exist, he did so for himself. In 1 Corinthians, Paul acknowledges, not only do all things exist generally for God's sake, but we were particularly made for God. There is one God, the Father, for whom we exist. We exist for God and not the other way around. The author of Hebrews agrees and indicates that God both creates and redeems for his own glory. For it was fitting that he for whom and by whom all things exist should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. And he says, I will tell of your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation, I will sing your praise.

Matter, energy, intelligence, the cosmos, they exist by his will and for his sake. All of the cosmos were created for him. Mormonism simply can't claim this. Because in LDS theology, all matter and intelligence is as self-existent as God is. LDS leaders and scripture teach that God didn't create matter, he organized it. So, why does matter and intelligence exist at all? Is there any singular purpose for it all? In Christianity, everything exists for one singular purpose. Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone. Number two, why did God save his people despite their sin? The Old Testament prophets are crystal clear about why God created and redeemed his people.

Ezekiel 20 · Psalm 106

Speaking about Israel, God refers to everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. When Israel sins, God says to them, "For my name's sake, I defer my anger. For the sake of my praise, I restrain it for you that I may not cut you off. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it. For how should my name be profaned? My glory, I will not give to another." In Ezekiel 20, God recounts how Israel had consistently rebelled against him throughout multiple different eras of history. And God explains why he didn't just destroy them outright. "But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me.

None of them cast away their detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I acted for the sake of my name that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived. So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. And then after they left Egypt, God says essentially the same thing. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes, but rejected my rules.

Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, but I acted for the sake of my name. And then again later in Israel's history, I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, but I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name. And then when God does save them, he makes it clear that he's not about to act for their sake, but for his own name. It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. Think about what a profound statement that is.

God is saying that he did not work redemption for them. He saved them for himself. We're just the objects of his greatness. We show off his goodness and his glory by simply receiving things that we don't deserve. The Lord then doubles down on this idea later on in the chapter. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God. Let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. Psalm 106, which walks through Israel's history, makes the same exact point. Yet he saved them for his name's sake that he might make known his mighty power. What God did for Israel pointed forward to what God was going to do in the new covenant.

Ephesians 1 · Psalm 23 · Psalm 25

God saved Israel out of slavery to Egypt and he saves us out of slavery to sin. If God redeemed Israel for his own sake, how much more then does he redeem us from sin for his own sake? This is really where Christianity and Mormonism begin to starkly diverge from one another. We simply have a different view about why God did what he did. And I think that Mormonism's view proves that it's false. Number three, why does God save us despite our sin? Isaiah prophesies about this future glory that Israel would experience, a perfected kingdom under a Messianic Davidic king. God describes it like this, "Your people shall all be righteous.

They shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified." The perfecting of God's people, called the work of his hands, is done that he may be glorified. He says the same thing a chapter later. "To grant those who mourn in Zion, to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit, that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified." God works for God's glory. In the New Testament, Paul is clear that God began the redemption of his people before the foundation of the world to the praise of his glorious grace.

Ephesians 1 goes on to say, "In him, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory." In the Psalms, this truth is something that God's people sing about. In perhaps the most well-known Psalm, Psalm 23, it says this, "He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Psalm 25, "For your name's sake, oh Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great." Psalm 79, "Help us for the glory of your name. Deliver us and atone for our sins for your name's sake." We can sing to God for the salvation that he's given us and acknowledge he did all this for the sake of his holy name.

He exemplified all of his mercy and justice and holiness and love and goodness in Christians. Before I consider how this is dramatically different from Mormonism, I just want to consider how is this true for non-Christians? If God glorifies himself through the salvation of sinners, then what about those who don't believe? Do they detract from God's glory? Number four, how do unbelievers glorify God? Simply put, everything exists to serve the purpose of God's glory, including the wicked. Proverbs says, "The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble." As Christians are trophies of grace, objects that point to God's graciousness, unbelievers are trophies.

Exodus 9 · Romans 9 · Moses 1

They serve to point out God's glory, but in a much different way. They point to God's justice, his holiness, and his wrath. Paul, quoting Exodus 9, says this, "For the scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed over all the earth.'" This verse, both in Exodus 9 and Romans 9, is saying that when God raised Pharaoh up, he gave him his power and his greatness, so that when God crushed him, God's own glory and might and greatness would be on display. Romans 9 goes on to explain that God both saves and condemns to show his wrath, to make known his power, and to show the riches of his grace for believers.

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory? God works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that he would be glorified either in showing his mercy and his love to believers or in showing his holiness and justice to those who remain in their sin. Number five. So then, what about Mormonism? Moses 1 makes clear that God's purpose in Mormonism is to bring about our immortality and eternal life.

12th president of the LDS Church, Spencer W. Kimball, said this, "Since immortality and eternal life constitute the sole purpose of life, all other interests and activities are but incidental thereto." Sixth president, Joseph F. Smith, said the same. "The object of our earthly existence is that we may have a fullness of joy, and that we may become the sons and daughters of God in the fullest sense of the word, being heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, to inherit glory, dominion, exaltation, thrones, and every power and attribute developed and possessed by our heavenly Father. This is the object of our being on this earth." LDS leaders have historically taught that we can become just like heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and that this is our very purpose for being here on this earth.

Doctrine and Covenants 132 says that we will pass by the angels, that we'll pass by their exaltation and glory and all things, and we shall be gods. But in the Bible, God is clear, "I am the Lord, that is my name. My glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. And also, my glory I will not give to another." Neither idols nor men share the glory that God possesses. And this is why this is such a problem for Mormonism. You see, the very first temptation in the Garden of Eden, given by the serpent to Adam and Eve, was for them to seize something they weren't given. They wanted to become like God.

They sought their own glory instead of living for God's glory. They exchanged the glory of the immortal God, the uncreated creator, for themselves, for creatures. Creaturely self-glory was the impulse behind the very first sin. And then Mormonism takes this and makes it the very purpose of life. But this is the exact opposite of our purpose and existence. It's a fundamentally different message than what Christianity is preaching. Mormonism as a religion falls for the exact same temptation that Adam and Eve fell for in the garden. God creates and saves so that we would be trophies of his greatness, so that he can exemplify his attributes and his nature, to glorify himself.

Paul says that God realized his purposes through Christ in the church, so that the heavenly beings would acknowledge the manifold wisdom of God. He works all history, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come and shall see my glory. Now, if God were a man like us, this would be narcissism. But God is not a man, nor a son of man. He is glorious and unique. For God to display his attributes and glorify himself is the greatest conceivable good for the cosmos. For God to prioritize anything other than his own glory would be for him to rob the universe of the fullness of his goodness.

This is why the psalmist writes, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory." You and I were created to be spotlights, to shine and point to and draw attention to the glorious goodness of God. This is the chief end of man, to glorify God and fully enjoy him forever. So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.