Matt's Testimony

            Through our walk with Christ, many of us have had our curiosity in other religions and sometimes this leads to thoughts of conversion or further research into the religion. We start to question our own faith sometimes and sometimes we slip away from God. One faith that often grabs the attention of believers is Mormonism. This is because, from the outside, the Mormon Church seems so much like Christianity. But, once you actually begin to learn what it's about, you will see that it is the polar opposite. 

             A couple weeks ago, while working with my dad, I met a gentleman named Matt Covert. He has a website all about cars: Fast Lane Review. He shared with me a powerful testimony about his interest in the Mormon faith and his turning to God for the right answers. You may think that the voice of God talking to him is just his own thoughts, but I believe differently. God speaks directly to us sometimes, it's just a matter of us paying attention and opening the ears of our hearts.        

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Several months ago I was genuinely interested in joining the Mormon Church, for obvious reasons. I was really excited about similar it was to traditional Christianity (God is the only God, the Bible is the authoritative word of God, etc.). At that point, it didn't really seem like a far-fetched idea to consider converting. One by one, however, red flags started popping up as I learned more and more about the Mormon faith.

Throughout this time I talked extensively with nine LDS (Latter Day Saints) missionaries about every question I had. To my surprise, they had no answers to the majority of the issues I was raising. Their answer was always, "INSERT TESTIMONY, END WITH: ...read The Book of Mormon, and pray that God will reveal it to you as truth." This repeated answer did two things: A) It did not address any of the questions B) It required me to overlook some very basic points that no one seemed to understand.

From here, I studied everything I could get my hands on for a few months. It all became too frustrating and confusing, and in desperation I laid it all out on the table with God. I asked him some very important questions regarding Mormonism, and I was amazed at the manner in which he answered my prayers.

A large part of my studies included testing the spirits to make sure that they, and the information they are giving you, are genuinely representing God. I have no doubt that God speaks to every one of us on a personal level, and he used this part of my study in an incredible way.

Summary:
1. I was interested in the LDS church
2. I studied everything I could find and talked to many people about it
3. It all becomes a giant mess in my head
4. I went to God in a desperate attempt to get these things sorted out
5. God answered back


The following describes an intense experience that I can never deny. It sounds crazy, but I had an incredible conversation with our Creator. Below are two excerpts from an email I sent to my pastor back home, who has been a part of my studies for quite some time.

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"I recently experienced one short moment that I will never, ever forget. I have no doubt that my entire life led up to this one single moment. All of my experiences, ambitions, prayers, studies, and relationships radically pale in comparison to this one event.

The second she left my room that first night I began to pray. I prayed on a level I had never experienced before. I poured out my soul to God, praying that he might see fit to touch the heart of my wonderful, wonderful friend. I prayed in hopes that I had presented these ideas in a way that was intriguing and nonabrasive, and that she might experience just the slightest amount of curiosity. I knew that my duty to share this information with her had ended, and from then forward I had to be hands off. She had to take the next step. And if God saw fit to step in, now was the time. When I finished my thoughts, I started over and prayed them again, and again. I prayed for ten of fifteen minutes, and then stopped.

These thoughts continued to race around my mind for a few seconds. Suddenly my mind stopped, and became completely empty. Then out of nowhere, my mind filled with a new voice. It was quiet, but clearer than anything I've ever heard. The voice said, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

At that point I absolutely lost it. Did God actually speak to me? Did he tell me that Matt Covert had actually done something that warranted such approval?"

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"This week, my five month study culminated in such an insane way. I met with the LDS missionaries again last Tuesday, and we talked about prophets. Kathryn was very involved this time, though I could tell she was very frustrated at some of the things I said. Many times her head dropped and she just shook her head while I spoke.

At this point, I would like to officially modify one of my beliefs. Until recently, I missed something very important in 1 John 4. It does indeed say to test spirits to see whether they are of God, but then it goes on and gives us the exact method by which to test those spirits. In short, if the spirit confesses that Christ has come in the flesh, then that is the spirit of truth. I have not been testing spirits in the proper manner.

I read this passage so many times, and I couldn't get past the fact that the spirit that has visited many LDS members, saying the Book of Mormon is true, DOES confess that Christ is come in the flesh.

I struggled with this for a couple days. At this point, I saw two separate faiths that were potentially legitimate after testing the spirits. This was annoying, distressing, confusing, and spiritually disorienting. I sat at my computer for hours, deliberating through scriptures and reasoning with myself. Eventually it overwhelmed me, my mind was tore itself to pieces. I dropped everything, went outside, and ran for quite a while. I was really upset that the Word of God wasn't clearer, and I was so desperate to get this sorted out that I started to cry. I just prayed "help."

Eventually I calmed down and returned home. God must really know how to time things, because when I sat back down at my computer I saw that I had a new email from you. You introduced me to 1 Corinthians 3:10-13, and I dove back in.

God says (through Paul) that others will build on the foundations that Christ laid. He also says that the foundations of Christ can never be changed.

In the midst of this portion of my study, Kathryn said she couldn't understand why I hadn't asked God directly, regarding these difficult issues. My caution regarding spiritual affirmation made me skeptical. But, as a genuine seeker of truth, I branched off to research what the Bible says about asking God for help. I was stunned at how many times God says in the Bible that he will provide you with wisdom and guidance. He also says that if you ask him anything in his name, he will answer. After spending a couple hours on this topic, I decided it was my privilege to seek help from God. These months of studying, the last two days in particular, had turned into somewhat of a burden. Shouldering the search for truth, not only for myself but for Kathryn as well, had become almost unmanageable.

I walked into my dark bedroom, shut the door, and fell to my knees with powerful emotion. As a believer in God's promises throughout the Bible, I had faith that God would openly hear what I was about to say.

As you know, a couple weeks ago I believed that God spoke to me. The following experience infinitely reinforces that belief, and I will never question it again. I haven't shared this with anyone else.

I lowered my head and quietly began speaking to God. I said something close to the following:

"Gracious Heavenly Father....Creator of everything....this is all just a big mess in my head. I am your servant, and I want to know you so that I can serve you. I have been studying everything I can get my hands on. I'm ashamed to admit this....but I just now learned that as a believer, I can go right to the source. I need clarification. I need to sort this out. I accept You, let the Spirit fill me....Give me wisdom and discernment as I continue to learn about you. I know that you said I could ask you anything, and you will answer me. I don't know how I'm supposed to hear your answer, so I'm just going to ask the question. Is the Book of Mormon true? Is Joseph Smith true?"

I opened my eyes and sat there for a moment. I almost got up from the floor, but I felt compelled to stay where I was. I closed my eyes again. The same voice from a couple weeks ago spoke to me again.

It said, "The Book of Mormon is (I fought the answer for several moments before the last word was spoken, because I could tell what the coming answer would be)....true. Joseph Smith is (I fought this answer too)....true."

I became so emotional. From this moment on, I prayed in silence. I prayed, "Lord....a spirit just spoke to me. I've learned that I need to test this spirit to make sure it is representing you. Do I need to test this spirit?"

The voice said, "Yes."

I knew that in the next few moments, everything could be clarified. Like a computer, my mind raced through and arranged everything I had learned in the past five months. In silence, I continued to pray, "Father....First the spirit said the Book of Mormon is true. The Book of Mormon says that Christ came in the flesh. The second thing the spirit said was that Joseph Smith is true. Joseph Smith also said that Christ came in the flesh. He built on the foundations of Christ, but I believe his building materials were weak....he changed what you taught in the Bible. He said you are not the only God, not eternal, and that you Word needs changing. I believe that You, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are the same being. Since You are one and the same, changing You also changes the foundations of Christ, which means that Joseph Smith was not a true prophet, for you taught that the foundations of Christ can never change. If a spirit confesses that Christ has come in the flesh, and then suggests that the foundations of Christ should be changed, that is not the spirit of truth."

The voice spoke to me again in a lighthearted and pleased tone, “ Well done, my good and faithful servant."

What relief I felt in that one moment! I was so overwhelmed by what was happening, and so hungry for more! I continued to pray in silence, "My incredible God....thank you! Thank you! Please tell me....so that I may hear it from your very lips....Are you from everlasting to everlasting? Are you the only God? Is the Bible meant to be read literally?"

Fearing that I had overstepped the boundaries of faith, I waited. But the voice spoke again, "I am from everlasting to everlasting. I am the only God. The Bible is literal."

Saturated with passion, I asked one final thing. In silence I prayed, "What do I do now? Do I tell Kathryn about this? What do I do about Kathryn?"

The voice replied one last time. It said, "Do nothing. You have done your part. It's my turn now."

I thanked God a final time. And since He was not physically in the room with me, I kissed the back of my own hand in an attempt to express how much I loved Him in that moment.

I stood up, and my burdens were gone. I was filled with a joy that our language cannot do justice. I outstretched my arms, looked to the sky and proclaimed aloud, "I'm free!" I remained like this for several minutes to bask in the presence of the Lord.

Hours later, I returned to speak with God again. In silence I prayed, "My undeniable Heavenly Father....I know that I can always ask you for wisdom and discernment. I don't know if I'm allowed to ask for wisdom and discernment on behalf of others. But if I am, here is it: Father, I pray that you would fill my wonderful friend Kathryn with the Holy Spirit and that she would overflow with wisdom and discernment."

Again, the voice spoke to me, "Do nothing. I will help."

Sounds a bit crazy, yeah? It's all true though. I spoke about this at a church a couple months ago. People were shocked and enlightened. I'd love to get up in front of another church or youth group and speak again.

The Deceit of Mormonism

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

-Matthew 7:15

                I am not interested in attacking an individual, so please do not be defensive, but I do feel that it needs to be shown why Mormonism is not from God. Please seriously consider what I have to say; I feel the evidence is overwhelming; people just need to be made aware of it. But it will take more than just evidence to show you the truth. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit convicting people of the truth. I hope that He will partly use this evidence in doing so. The question is not what do the facts say, the question is, are you willing to accept them and turn to the true Jesus Christ under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary

to that which we have preached to you, let him be cursed.”

-Galatians 1:8

                The Mormon church teaches a different gospel than the Bible. The Mormon book is a direct contradiction to the Bible, but then they try to use the Bible to back up their beliefs. It is merely a vehicle to substantiate their ideas. In order to justify its aberrant theology, Mormonism has undermined the authority and trustworthiness of the Bible.

                Second John 9 tells us that "Anyone who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. Anyone who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son."

The Bible also tells us: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God"--1 John 4:1-2. The doctrine of the Mormon church goes ahead, leaving the true Jesus Christ behind - the Mormon teachings on Jesus squarely contradict what the Bible tells us about Him. Mormon teachings also contradict Biblical truth on many other issues.

                The Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ was not God in His very nature and essence from all eternity, but a preexistent spirit, as they say we all were, and that He was simply the firstborn of God's spirit Children. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God-He is 100 percent God and 100 percent man.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

-John 1:1…14

                This clearly shows that the Word (Jesus) did not become God, but was God. The Word was God and Jesus was the Word, hence Jesus is God. Jesus, being God, was not created like we are created. In John 8:58, Jesus says that He was before Abraham. If Abraham was preexistent than how could Jesus be before Him? In addition, if Jesus is not Eternal, Almighty God, how could He say that He was still in existence before Abraham? The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is God, the Mormon Church does not; therefore, the Mormon Church leaves the doctrine of Christ behind.

                The Mormons believe in many gods (Journal of Discourses 6:5). The Bible states that there is only one God: "...we know that there is no such thing as idols in the world and that there is no God but one"-1 Corinthians 8:4. Hence, we see that there is one God who exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and eternal, the one God; three distinct persons in one essence. The Mormon Church denies this Trinity.

                The Mormon Church teaches that God himself was once a man: "As man is, God was." Mormon theology teaches that God is only one of countless gods, that he used to be a man on another planet, that he became a god by following the laws and ordinances of that god on that world, and that he brought one of his wives to this world with whom he produces spirit children who then inhabit human bodies at birth. The first spirit child to be born was Jesus. Second was Satan, and then we all followed. But the Bible teaches that God is immutable (He cannot change).

"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the

Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow"

-James 1:17

                If God was once man, then He changed, but if He changed from man to God, He is not immutable. And since God is eternal (Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:2), He is free from succession of time and cannot therefore "become" anything. He simply is, always has been, and always will be everything that He is: "I am who I am" He said to Moses in Exodus 3:14. This verse emphasizes God’s self-existence. To say that God was once man is to deny His self-existence, which by definition would have to be from all eternity. This is quite frankly a very low view of Almighty God -- He said, "I am who I am," not, "I am who you want me to be." Also, it says in Genesis 1 that God created man, therefore who could not have been a mere man himself.

                The Mormon Church teaches that, "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's" (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). But Jesus said "God is spirit" -John 4:24. The belief that the Father has flesh and bones also contradicts 1 Kings 8:27 and Acts 17:24. Who created God's body? What about God's omnipresence? (Psalm 139:7-12) Nowhere is there any support in the Bible for this Mormon doctrine, only support against it.

                The Mormon Church also teaches that man can attain godhood: As God is, man may become. But God said in Exodus 20:3 that there will be no other gods but him. In Isaiah 43:10 it is said that before God there were none, and after Him, there is none. They also teach that polygamy is ok. While polygamy is taught as something that can happen eternally in doctrines and covenants, the Bible teaches that two make one flesh and that a man should not have more than his one wife. Although most all Mormons are monogamous they can still, by doctrinal teachings, be sealed to more than one person.

                Mormonism teaches that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross itself (and receiving it by faith) is not sufficient to bring forgiveness of sins. It teaches that the forgiveness of sins is obtained through a cooperative effort with God; that is, we must be good and follow the laws and ordinances of the Mormon Church in order to obtain forgiveness. The book of Romans and Galatians tells us that faith is more important than the law and Abraham was made righteous through his faith. Christians believe that works reap reward and that serving God is good, and that it happens naturally when you are born-again in spirit, but that salvation is purely earned through faith in Jesus and his sacrifice and purification (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7, Romans 4:1-5).

"Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image

in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures...for they exchanged

 the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forevermore.”

-Romans 1:22-23…25

                Salvation is a free gift from God, and cannot be accomplished on the basis of works, but can only be received Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” Because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), everyone is separated from God and deserves death (eternal separation from God), and when someone tries to earn their salvation, because of their sin, all they are earning is death: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"-Romans 6:23. All that we need to do to receive this gift of God is believe in Jesus Christ, trusting Him alone to save us: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life"-John 3:16. There is no other way to be saved. When the people asked Jesus, "What shall we do to be doing the works of God?" (John 6:28), Jesus replied, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” Good works are a testimony to the accomplished fact of one's salvation, purchased not by works, but by the blood of Jesus Christ.

                Christ died to pay the death penalty we deserve for our sins -- He died in our place. Good works or believing in Joseph Smith cannot save because they cannot get rid of the death penalty we are under for our sin; only Christ can do that. In order for Christ to pay the death penalty He had to be perfect and in order to pay the death penalty for more than one person He had to be infinite. Only God is perfect and infinite and, therefore, Christ had to be God in order to be qualified to pay the death penalty. Also Christ must be human to pay the death penalty for a human, but also God to satisfy the righteousness of God. Therefore Christ must be 100% man and 100 percent God, and He is! To deny that Christ is God is in effect denying what He did for us at the cross. In order to be saved by Christ we must acknowledge that He is who He is, the God-man - both perfect God and sinless man. If you think you have asked Christ into your life but do not believe in Him for who He really is, by definition you have not asked in the real Jesus and therefore do not have Him in your life. Romans 10:9 declares, "If you confess with your lips Jesus as Lord and believe in you heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." Lord, or Yahweh, is the Old Testament name for God; thus he who confesses that Jesus is Lord affirms His deity. He who does not believe in Christ’s deity has not confessed Him as Lord, and therefore is not saved.

                Those who die without Jesus are still in their sins: "For unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins" -John 8:24. I AM is the divine name for God (Exodus 3:14), so believing that Jesus is the I AM, as He says we must do, is believing that He is God. This verse makes it very clear that He who does not believe in the real Jesus does not have God. It is not a pretty subject, but there are serious consequences for never trusting the True Jesus Christ, and Him alone, for your salvation, because those who die in their sins are responsible to pay their own death penalty: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on Him"-John 3:36. 1 John 5:12 says, "He who has the Son of God has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life."

                Mormons often refer to themselves as Christians, but a Christian person who has placed his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man, for forgiveness for all of their sins and right standing before God. The Christian has recognized that Christ died to satisfy God's penalty for his sins and rose again, and has received Christ by faith. That faith is more than an intellectual assent to these truths, but rather an active trust in Christ alone and the rejection of all other hopes of salvation. He believes in the words of the Bible and the prophecies proclaimed in it by God and lives according to the Word.

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,

because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

-1 John 4:1