SCOTT - In LDS practise, the wife/husband one is sealed to can be changed (e.g. re-marriage,etc). Doesn't Mark 10:10,11 go against this? Moreover, Jesus condemned re-marriage after divorce. Why doesn't the LDS Church enforce this?

JOEL - "And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her." (Mark 10:10, 11)

In verse 9 Jesus said:

"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

In a perfect world Jesus would not want anyone to get divorced, but there were and are times, as in the time of Moses, where divorce is allowed because of the "hardness of your hearts":

"And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept."(Verses 4-5)

Unfortunately in our day some members do not abide by the law of the gospel in its fullness, and so, as in the day of Moses, God has allowed divorce, when deemed necessary, although it was never intended to be.

SCOTT - According to LDS belief, on those married in a LDS temple 'for eternity' will receive greater glory than those who have not. Doesn't Luke 20: 34-36 go against this?

JOEL - "And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." (Luke 20:34-36)

Notice these are Saducees that are asking Jesus this question, who don't even believe in the resurrection, let alone eternal mariage(See verse 27).

Knowing this Jesus knew they were talking only about people who were married civilly and not those who have been sealed for time and all eternity. He was explaining that those civilly married on earth would no longer be married in heaven; could not get married while in heaven; and that they will only exist as ministering angels(verse 36). They can not be exalted as we have learned in our latter-day scriptures.

"Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory. "(D&C 132:16)

SCOTT - How come LDS believe Adam is Michael and Noah Gabriel?

JOEL - Adam/Michael-
This was revealed to Joseph Smith and recorded in our scriptures:

"And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days;" (D&C 27:11)
"And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel."(D&C 107:54)

Noah/Gabriel:
This is something that was also revealed to Joseph Smith although it is not found in any scriptures:

"Noah, who is Gabriel, … stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this office, and was the father of all living in his day, and to him was given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth, and then in heaven.” (History of the Church, 3:386)

SCOTT - How come the following is absent from LDS Worship -
Acts 17:11; 5:39 and 2:42,47?
And where are all the evangels that were in the ancient church if LDS is a restoration?

JOEL - "These were more noble 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)

"But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." (Acts 5:39)

"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:42, 47)

I don't see anything in these scriptures that contradicts what we do in our church now. We praise God in our church and homes when we pray and sing hymns to Him; we search the scriptures daily; we break bread in our Sacrament meeting; and we daily add hundreds of new members to the church through the missionary work.

About evangels- our own scriptures say:

"It is the duty of the Twelve, in all large branches of the church, to ordain evangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation—(D&C 107: 39)

An evangelist can be another name for someone who preaches the gospel like our church leaders, missionaries, and Sunday School teachers.
But more specifically, Joseph Smith taught that an evangelist was a patriarch (History of the Church 3: 381). We have Patriarchs(evangelists) in our church who are called and ordained under the direction of the Twelve Apostles to give special blessings called patriarchal blessings.

SCOTT - Doesn't 2 Nephi 26:25 contradict 3 Nephi 14:28?

Answer: "Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price." (2 Nephi 26:25)

"And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (3 Nephi 14:23)

JOEL - It is much easier to understand these scriptures if you don't pull them out of context. You have to consider who each statement was directed to and for what purpose He said them.
In the first scripture(2 Nephi 26:25) God is talking to the entire world in general, giving all an equal chance to come to Him and partake of His salvation(verse 27). He does not deny anyone the opportunity to do this if they repent and obey His commandments.

"and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.(verse 33)

So this scripture is simply an invitation that He provides to all mankind to come unto Him no matter who they are.

Later in that chapter He explains that those who commit sin will perish(Verses 31-32).

In the second scripture (3 Nephi 14:23) He is talking about false prophets(verse 15) who do not want to come unto Him and prevent others from being able to come unto Him by commiting sin and works of iniquity. These He will not allow to stay in His kingdom of Heaven.
So the first scripture is like sending an invitation out to everyone you know to come to your house for a party. The second scripture tells what will happen to any guest who decides to get rowdy and upsets the other guests; they will be asked to leave.

SCOTT - According to Joseph Smith and other LDS, there are missing books from the Bible. Doesn't Isaiah 40:8 and Matthew 5:18 negate such a belief?

JOEL - "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8)

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18)

These aren't talking about books of the Bible(which of course did not even exist at the time Isaiah and Jesus said this). They are talking generally about the word of God and His laws and prophecies whether written down or not. Besides this here are just a few examples of missing scripture:

- Where is the scripture that contains the prophecy that Christ would be a Nazarene, which is cited as fulfilled in Matt. 2:23?
- The book of Jasher (Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18).
- The acts or annals of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41).
- The book of Nathan the prophet (1 Chronicles 29:29).
- The book of Gad the Seer (1 Chronicles 29:29).
- The book of Nathan the prophet and the book of Samuel the seer(1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Chronicles 9:29).
- The prophecy of Ahijah, the Shilonite (2 Chronicles 9:29).
- The visions of Iddo the Seer (2 Chronicles 9:29).
- The book of Shemaiah the prophet (2 Chronicles 12:15).
- The story of the prophet Iddo (2 Chronicles 13:22).
- The book of Jehu (2 Chronicles 20:34).
- The Acts of Uzziah, by Isaiah, the son of Amoz (2 Chronicles 26:22)
- Sayings of the Seers (2 Chronicles 33:19)

The New Testament also refers to the Book of Enoch in Jude 14; a missing epistle of Paul to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:3); a missing Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9); and a missing Epistle to the Colossians, written from Laodicea (Col. 4:16).
If these writings were important enough to quote or refer to in subsequent writings preserved now as scripture why were they not included in the scriptures?

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