AboutMichael Kelley Expertise For a different viewpoint on Mormonism for your questions, try me. I am a staunch believer in the Book of Mormon and belong to another church (the Church of Christ)that is set up identically to the Biblical church. If there are things about traditional Mormonism that trouble you or you have questions about, just ask and you might find the answers from the Book of Mormon to be quite surprising. I have been studying the scriptures diligently for 16 years under the school of hard knocks... I may not have all of the answers but will sure go find them if I don`t. I`m strongest on Biblical and Book of Mormon doctrines, and am also somewhat familiar with Mormon history and archaeology.
Question How can the Bible contain the fullness of the everlasting
gospel if it has had covenants and plain and precious
parts deleted of the which causes mankind to stumble
because of an incomplete gospel rendering?
Book of Mormon Introduction
“The Book of Mormon....contains, as does the Bible, the
fulness of the everlasting gospel. ...
THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI HIS REIGN AND MINISTRY-CHAPTER 13
25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the aJews in
purity unto the bGentiles, according to the truth which is
in God.
26 And after they go forth by the ahand of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews bunto the Gentiles,
thou seest the formation of that cgreat and abominable
dchurch, which is most abominable above all other
churches; for behold, they have etaken away from the
gospel of the Lamb many parts which are fplain and most
precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they
taken away.
27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the
right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and
harden the hearts of the children of men.
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone
forth through the hands of the great and abominable
church, that there are many plain and aprecious things
taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of
God.
29 And after these plain and precious things were ataken
away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles;
and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the
Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast
seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of
captivity, thou seest” because of the many plain and
precious things which have been taken out of the book,
which were plain unto the understanding of the children of
men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of
God” because of these things which are taken away out of
the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do
stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over
them.
30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have
gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by
the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of
the land which is choice above all other lands, which is
the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father
that his seed should have for the aland of their
inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will
not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the
bmixture of thy cseed, which are among thy brethren.
31 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall adestroy
the seed of thy brethren.
32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles
shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness,
which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and
most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have
been kept back by that aabominable church, whose formation
thou hast seen.
33 Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be amerciful
unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the
house of Israel in great judgment.
34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake
unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I
have avisited the bremnant of the house of Israelā€”and
this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father”
wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and
smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the
Gentiles do cstumble exceedingly, because of the most
plain and precious parts of the dgospel of the Lamb which
have been kept back by that abominable church, which is
the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb” I will be merciful
unto the eGentiles in that day, insomuch that I will
fbring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my
ggospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the
Lamb.
35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself
unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I
shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and
precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and
dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren,
behold, athese things shall be hid up, to come forth unto
the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
36 And in them shall be written my agospel, saith the
Lamb, and my brock and my salvation.
37 And ablessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my
bZion at that day, for they shall have the cgift and the
dpower of the Holy Ghost; and if they eendure unto the end
they shall be flifted up at the last day, and shall be
saved in the everlasting gkingdom of the Lamb; and whoso
shall hpublish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how
beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the
seed of my brethren, and also the abook of the Lamb of
God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew,
that it came forth from the Gentiles bunto the remnant of
the seed of my brethren.
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld aother
bbooks, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from
the Gentiles unto them, unto the cconvincing of the
Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and
also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the
earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb are dtrue.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These alast
records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall
bestablish the truth of the cfirst, which are of the
dtwelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the
plain and precious things which have been taken away from
them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and
people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal
Father, and the eSavior of the world; and that all men
must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
41 And they must come according to the words which shall
be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of
the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed,
as well as in the arecords of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in bone;
for there is cone God and one dShepherd over all the
earth.
42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto
all nations, both unto the aJews and also unto the
Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the
Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest
himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the
blast shall be first, and the cfirst shall be last.”
Answer Hi Mike,
I will be happy to answer your questions. Please note I am ex-LDS and belong to the original Church of Christ that believes in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
I am not sure where that comment came from about the Book of Mormon AND Bible containing the fullness of the Gospel (perhaps the author intended that comment to mean both books combined). That may be in the LDS version, I do not think the Church of Christ version has that in it's introduction. Even if the comment is in the LDS version it is an opinion of the editors for their modern day introduction, not a part of the original Nephite text.
It is true the Book of Mormon claims to be the fullness of the Gospel. Ironically many LDS teachings which I do not agree with such as polygamy, baptism for the dead, celestial marriage, 1st Presidency, a changing God, man becoming God, 3 degrees of glory are all utterly absent from the Book of Mormon, and in many ways are even taught AGAINST. I find it difficult to believe the fullness of the gospel would omit such key doctrines if they were actually doctrines from God.
While the Book of Mormon does mention many plain and precious things were taken out of what would become the Bible... the Book of Mormon also states that it was NOT intended to replace the Bible... but to be used in conjunction with the Bible as "one in thine hand" and "in order to establish peace, put down contentions and false doctrines". The Book of Mormon claims the words of the Jews are true... only that the great and abominable church (of the dark ages) removed some plain things. Some things that may have been plain but no longer are are baptism by immersion, and that for adults, not infants. While the Bible does teach correct baptism, it is not very plain at all. There are 10,000s of Christian Bible professing churches today, but they each have diverse doctrines and argue with each other about what is right and not right. If the Bible were plain and simple there would be far fewer divisions in the Bible only churches.
There are also many internal evidences in the Bible of missing books such as the book of Iddo the Seer, Book of Jasher, missing letters of Paul and others. We don't know if these were lost in history, the great and abominable church removed them so that they could more easily practice their false doctrines, or that those who compiled the Bible merely thought they were not scripture.
I hope this helps answer your questions, feel free to ask other questions if you like.
