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Keep it simple saints

The authority of Scripture as over against experiences and false revelation.
The nature of God and Christ.
Man the creature and his fallen condition.
The Good News.

Stay focused on what’s important! Do not deviate from the above four points.

Basic pointers:

Start your witnessing opportunities by stating that the word of God in the Old and New
Testaments are the authority for all of your life and beliefs. Make it clear that you do not
accept any other so-called revelations. Let the Mormon know that you would love to talk
with them and hear what they have to say. Also tell them that you know that they would
like to see you give up your beliefs and adopt theirs. Take control of the situation by saying:
"if you want me to give up my beliefs and adopt yours you will have to convince me from the
Bible." Make it clear that Bible is the only authority that you accept. Restrict your discussions
to the Bible. If the Mormon attacks the reliability of the Bible ask them "Can you tell me what
the ordinary standards are for evaluating ancient historical documents?" If they do not answer,
then raise the question: "why do you feel qualified to make statements attacking the historicity
and reliability of the Bible?"

For the most part Mormons use the same theological terms that Christians use. You must get
beyond these surface similarities. Ask questions such as "What do you mean?" Or, "How do
you know that?" The question "What do you mean?" forces the individual to define their terms.
This gets beyond the surface similarities or the "language barrier." The question "How do you
know that?" forces the Mormon to give a basis for their beliefs. It will show that their beliefs
are based upon sources outside of the Bible. These questions are extremely important when
dealing with the nature of God.

Make sure that the Mormon understands where you are coming from. Have them restate your
position so that you know that they understand you.

1. The question of authority:

The Christian must be committed to the sufficiency and absolute authority of Scripture. The
Mormon is committed to Joseph Smith. The Mormon religion stands or falls with Joseph Smith.
It is necessary to apply the Biblical test of a prophet Deut. 13:1-5; 18:20-22 to Joseph Smith.

How do we know truth? Should we let feelings or experiences guide us? The Mormon testimony
is nothing more than a strong feeling that what they believe is right. "There is a way which seemeth
right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12. "He that trusteth in
his own heart is a fool." Proverbs 28:26. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked; who can know it." Jeremiah 17:9.

The Bible gives us clear answers to the above two questions. "Whoso despiseth the word shall
be destroyed; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded." Proverbs 13:13. "The
grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever." Isaiah 40:8.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall never pass away." Matthew 24:35.
"The Scriptures cannot be broken…" John 10:35. "These were more noble minded than than
those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched
the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11. Hebrews 1:1,2 are important
verses on the cessation of prophecy.

1 Corinthians 4:6 warns us not to go beyond what is written (NIV).

2. The doctrine of God:

Discussion of the doctrine of God is of the utmost importance. Remember the above two questions that force the Mormon to define and defend their beliefs. As you proceed to probe the Mormon’s doctrine it will be clearly seen that the Mormon deity is one finite god among many others and is definitely not the God of the Bible. Be prepared with Biblical passages such as Isaiah 43:10; 44:5,8; and 46:9 to refute the Mormon doctrine of the plurality of gods. In addition, Mormons literally believe that God and man are of the same family. Use passages of Scripture that make it clear that God is not a man and never has been. "God is not a man…" Numbers 23: 19. Call the Mormon to repentance for the idolatry of believing in a false god. Romans 1:22,23 are important verses for this.

3. Man’s condition:

Mormons reject the doctrine of "original sin" (Romans 5:12-19) and man’s depravity (Romans 3:9-19). There are many passages in Scripture such as Ps. 51:5 and Jeremiah 17:9 that establish the fact of man’s fallen condition and guilt before a Holy God. Use these and other passages frequently in your witnessing to Mormons.

4. The Good News:

Mormons have a warped degenerate view of grace. In 2 Nephi 25:23 on page 92 in the Book of
Mormon in we find this incredible doctrine set forth:

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God, for we know it is by grace that we are saved, after all that we can do.

The Mormon can never know if they will be saved. How could anyone be sure that they had done enough? Grace does not take over in their system until you have done "all that we can do." This is not grace, but a system of works. The Mormon is working to obtain grace. This is the sin of Cain Genesis 4:3.

Give a Biblical definition of grace that shows that grace is unmerited favor. Use passages such as
Ephesians 2:8,9 to show that salvation is a gift from God.

Ask the Mormon, "do you know if you have eternal life?" 1 John 5:13 reads: "These things have I
written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." Tell the Mormon that God will reject his doctrine of works just like Cain’s. God has provided redemption for sinners in Jesus Christ. It is not some kind of general salvation that gets man out of the grave. It is a real redemption set forth in Romans 5:8-10.

Bibliography

Popular:

James R. White. Letters to a Mormon Elder. Southbridge, MA: Crowne Publications Inc., 1990. Based upon years of witnessing experience with Mormons.

____________. Is The Mormon My Brother?. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1997. Clarifies the essential differences between Mormons and Christians.

David A. Reed and John R. Farkas. Mormons Answered Verse by Verse. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1992. Good practical handbook dealing with various verses.

Jerald & Sandra Tanner. Mormonism Shadow or Reality?. Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, fifth edition 1987. An important work to understand Mormonism.

Scholarly:

Charles M. Larson. …by his own hand upon papyrus. Grand Rapids: Institute for Religious Research, revised edition 1992. Exposes Smith’s fraud as a translator.

Stan Larson. Quest For The Gold Plates. Salt Lake City: Freethinker Press, 1996. Excellent study dealing with Mormon Archeology.

Francis J. Beckwith and Stephen E. Parrish. The Mormon Concept Of God: A Philosophical
Analysis. Lampeter, Dyfed, Wales: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1991. Demolishes philosophically
the Mormon concept of God.

Publications:

Jerald & Sandra Tanner. Salt Lake City Messenger. Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, twice yearly. The latest current research on Mormonism.

James R. White. Alpha and Omega Ministries Newsletter. Phoenix: Alpha and Omega Ministries, quarterly. Specializing in various cults and Roman Catholicism.

The above books with the exception of the Beckwith and Parrish title can be obtained from the
Utah Lighthouse Ministry at P.O. Box 1884, Salt Lake City, UT 84110 or by phone at
(801)-485-0312.

* The title, the K.I.S.S. Method of Witnessing comes from my friend Dick Baer, of Orangevale, CA.

Mr. Kettler is an elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Chairman of the Waco Committee with Citizens for the Constitution. Mr. Kettler is also a member of the John Birch Society.