Joseph Smith, 1844 wrote: President Joseph Smith read the 3rd chapter of Revelation, and took for his text 1st chapter, 6th verse—“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father: to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
It is altogether correct in the translation. Now, you know that of late some malicious and corrupt men have sprung up and apostatized from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they declare that the Prophet believes in a plurality of Gods, and, lo and behold! we have discovered a very great secret, they cry—“The Prophet says there are many Gods, and this proves that he has fallen.”
Brother Joseph! Shulem here, hear me, please. I’m not here to tell you that you’ve fallen but I have a problem with you teaching the plurality of Gods when that is something you did NOT teach prior to 1835. You always maintained the teachings of the Bible and Book of Mormon with regard to the Father and Son being one God manifesting in their respective roles. How can you begin to wonder how so many of the brethren have fallen away from the Church ever since you’ve been preaching this strange doctrine of the plurality of Gods?
Joseph Smith, 1844 wrote: It has been my intention for a long time to take up this subject and lay it clearly before the people, and show what my faith is in relation to this interesting matter. I have contemplated the saying of Jesus (Luke 17th chapter, 26th verse)—“And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” And if it does rain, I’ll preach this doctrine, for the truth shall be preached.
Just how long is a long time? You didn’t preach these things in 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, and 1834! The doctrine of plurality of Gods is causing quite a stir, even today, is it not?
Joseph Smith, 1844 wrote: I will preach on the plurality of Gods. I have selected this text for that express purpose. I wish to declare I have always and in all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It has been preached by the Elders for fifteen years.
Not quite 15 years, brother Joseph! In the early days of Kirtland you never preached these things as you do now and when your own hand penned the 1832 account of the First Vision you did not write anything like you did later in 1838. The story changed, did it not? Brother Fredrick G. Williams was your scribe and brother Cowdery was your right-hand man and they knew nothing about you seeing Two Persons in your First Vision at the grove. No one ever said anything about Two Persons or that the Father pointed to the Son when they appeared to you until you declared these things in 1838. Not even your own mother was told such a thing.
Joseph Smith, 1844 wrote: I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods. If this is in accordance with the New Testament, lo and behold! we have three Gods anyhow, and they are plural; and who can contradict it?
No sir, you have not always declared these things. You came up with these ideas much later. The Lectures on Faith teach that the Father is a Spirt but the Son is made flesh. They are one God and that is what you originally taught. You never said anything about “Three Gods” in your earlier teachings. Everyone understand your teachings to agree with the Bible and Book of Mormon that teaches the Father and Son are one and the Book of Mormon teaches that Jesus is the very Father in Heaven manifested in the flesh.
Joseph Smith, 1844 wrote: Our text says, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father.” The Apostles have discovered that there were Gods above, for Paul says God was the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. My object was to preach the scriptures, and preach the doctrine they contain, there being a God above, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am bold to declare I have taught all the strong doctrines publicly, and always teach stronger doctrines in public than in private.
Sir, the Book of Revelation does not say there is a God above the Father of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t say that and there is not a Christian sect or religion that teaches such a thing. Not even the Book of Mormon which teaches there is only one God. I urge you to open the Adam Clarke Commentary and read what is said with regard to Revelation 1:6. Nothing is said about the Father having a Father as you imply.
Joseph Smith, 1844 wrote: John was one of the men, and apostles declare they were made kings and priests unto God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It reads just so in the Revelation, Hence the doctrine of a plurality of Gods is as prominent in the Bible as any other doctrine. It is all over the face of the Bible. It stands beyond the power of controversy. A wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein.
No, brother Joseph, that is not what it says. It says no such thing! It says, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father” meaning that we are a kingdom of priests unto God who just so happens to be Christ’s Father. Recall Jesus in the Bible saying, “I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.” Hence, we are to become a kingdom of priests unto God who is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Your declaration that the passage in Revelation implies that the Father has a Father is totally unfounded and you are the only Christian on this earth that teaches such a thing ever since you converted to the doctrine of the plurality of Gods. Your new doctrine is not Christian.
Sir, you have turned Mormonism on its head!
To be continued...