One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2014 is to post at least one article every month from the Church’s monthly publication of Ensign so as I was perusing my choices of what to write about I couldn’t get past their article on OT prophets so here we go.

I would love to see any type of consistency in what Mormon leaders say or teach, alas, that is a far-fetched idea and especially true after reading the article they published on “OT Prophets: Adam”.  We’re going to show how they’re still teaching things they’ve said are false teachings and how Adam can’t possibly be an OT Prophet who proclaimed Jesus Christ.

The article is pretty short so let’s take a look at what they said and compare it with what God says in His word!

““Few persons in all eternity have been more directly involved in the plan of salvation … than the man Adam.””

Might I suggest that no one other than God created the earth? God in three persons created everything all on His own – Genesis 1:1-28.

“Most people know me as the first man to live on the earth, but many don’t know that I had a special responsibility before I came to the earth. In the premortal existence, I led God’s armies against Satan’s armies in the War in Heaven…and I helped Jesus Christ create the earth…I was known as Michael then, which means one “who is like God.””

1. Only The Triune God of the universe was in heaven before He created it and the earth – John 3:13, 8:23, 1 Cor. 15:44-47.

2. Adam was created and didn’t create anything but a mess for mankind – Genesis 2:7.

3. The “war in heaven” hasn’t taken place yet. This is actually a revelation the Apostle John had of what will take place in the future – Revelation 12:7.

4. Adam isn’t Michael the archangel because men can’t become angels nor can angels become men – Hebrews 1:13-14.

“God chose me to be the first man on the earth and placed me in the Garden of Eden, a paradise with many types of plants and animals. He breathed into me “the breath of life”…and gave me a new name: Adam.”

Adam’s only had one name – ever – Genesis 2:7.

“God told my wife, Eve, and me not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil…If we didn’t eat the fruit, we could stay in the garden and live forever, but we wouldn’t be able to “progress by experiencing opposition in mortality”…or have children…The choice was ours to make.”

1.Why would Adam want to “progress” in knowing evil?

2. The Bible gives no indication that Adam would fully appreciate the enormity of the consequences of his actions so knowing about mortality is unlikely.

3. The Bible does not say Adam and Eve wouldn’t have had children. On the contrary they would’ve had children in the Garden of Eden without knowing sin.

“Because we chose to eat the fruit, we had to leave the garden and God’s presence. This is known as the Fall. We became mortal, experienced both the good and the bad of life, and brought children to earth.”

This is all true.

“God knew that the Fall would happen—He sent Jesus Christ to atone for our sins and overcome death so that we and our children could return to Him…”

1. Yes, God knew the Fall would happen and yes, He sent Jesus to atone for our sins – John 3:16.

2. There’s no such thing as “returning to God” in the sense that Mormons mean this to be. We weren’t with God before He created us – see references about the pre-existence above.

“Eve and I learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ—including faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end—and we taught it to our children…”

Where in the Bible does it say these things?

“Because of my experiences, my eyes were opened, and I had joy in this life…Remember that you also can feel God’s love and return to Him if you follow Jesus Christ…just as I learned to do.”

Because Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened, aka they disobeyed God, and as a result they experienced death, despair, separation from God, thistles, thorns…they followed Satan, not God in their actions.

Adam and Eve already knew and enjoyed God’s love, His peace and joy so this was nothing new to them as sinners who were kicked out of the Garden of Eden.  Again, not being created before being created out of the dust of this earth they weren’t returning to God, but going to heaven.

“Fact Box: Adam

Names: Adam, Father Adam, Ancient of Days, Michael…

Age at time of death: 930…

Premortal roles: Led armies of God against Satan; helped Jesus Christ create the earth

Mortal roles: Patriarch, husband, and father; helped bring about the Fall; lived the gospel of Jesus Christ

Postmortal roles: Will visit his people at Adam-ondi-Ahman…assist in the Resurrection…lead the final battle against Satan…”

1. Father Adam comes from a teaching in the Brigham Young days implying that Adam was God the Father. The Church has since abandoned that theory and has cautioned members from teaching it.

2. The phrase “Ancient of Days” is used three times in Daniel chapter seven. It’s mentioned in one of Daniel’s visions and refers to Christ, not Adam.

3. Adam did lead armies of God, nor did he help Jesus create the earth – Colossians 1:16.

4. Adam-ondi-Ahman was supposedly a small hill in Missouri that Joseph Smith claimed is the original Garden of Eden. When he saw a pile of rocks in an open field he told followers that’s where Adam used to offer sacrifices to God.

5. The Bible says nothing about Adam “assisting” God in the resurrection! What is Adam supposed to do at that time? Bring back decayed bodies or pull people up out of their ashes?  This doesn’t make sense at all!

6. God in His omnipotence will have the capability of taking care of the events at the end of the world all by Himself. There’s nothing a mere mortal would be able to do but fall at God’s feet.

The Church can say all they want about not worshiping Adam anymore, but by all indications of this teaching they’ve placed him back upon the pedestal Brigham Young had him up on during his lifetime.

Pray for those who’ll be reading this edition of the Ensign that they’ll question this outrageous theology and place it where it belongs.

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Corinthians 1:18