Chapter 7 - The Bible Perfect & Complete?
Is the Bible complete…
or is something missing?
Because the answer to that question changes everything.
Does scripture point us to more revelation…
or does it point us back to “only the Bible"?”
Chapter 7 - The Bible Perfect & Complete?
There are many Christian religions whose leaders teach that the Mormon Church does not believe in the Bible.
The often claim that:
“The Bible is the only word of God, it is complete and perfect. It contains no errors.”
At the same time, many of these leaders teach their followers that Mormons believe:
“The Bible is corrupted, all texts are essentially flawed, inaccurate, and cannot be trusted. At best, it is incomplete, at worst, it is tainted beyond reliability. It plays a small part in the religion, and little or no LDS theology is really derived from it.”
But what did Joseph Smith actually teach?
“We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God”[1]
According to many traditional Christian positions, the Bible should fully support:
All doctrine
All teachings
All claims made against other religions
Meanwhile, the LDS position acknowledges three things:
There may be contradictions
There are missing writings
Additional scripture is possible
Up to this point in our series, we have examined topics such as:
Apostasy
Restoration
The Church should be one in unity
Priesthood
The Holy Ghost
The organization of Christ’s Church
And in each case, the Biblical Support Chart has shown 100% alignment with Joseph Smith’s teachings.
Now we ask:
What does the Bible actually say about itself?
A detailed look at Joseph Smith’s position on the Bible will shed light as to how close his belief is to the Bible.
Part 1 - Bible Contradictions
The following passages are examples of potential contradictions in the Bible. If these contradictions actually do exist, then Joseph Smith’s belief that the Bible is the word of God as long as it has been translated correctly is closer to the truth.
Example 1: Did Saul’s Companions Hear the Voice?
The next two scriptures are two that need to have the whole chapter studied in order to understand what is going on. This subject is when Saul was converted to the Lord. In Acts, it is taught that the men journeying with Saul heard a voice, but again in another account, they did not hear the voice.
Acts 9:7
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
Acts 22:9
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Questions:
Which account is correct?
Did the men journeying with Saul hear the voice of the Lord or not?
Which verse is wrong?
Most Christian responses on this contradiction is that “this does not pertain” to our salvation and does not “affect the word of God” from the Bible. We totally agree with these answers. These responses are both true, but they do not address the real topics:
That “the Bible is the word of God as long as it is translated correctly” is valid.
Is the Christian position that “the Bible is complete and perfect.”
The verses quoted above are contradictions.
Example 2 - A Missing Epistle
The next scripture is from the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. This is supposed to be the first time Paul wrote to the Saints (members) in Corinth.
I Corinthians 5:9
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Question:
How can this be the first epistle to the Corinthians when he has already written to them?
This strongly suggests:
There was another letter that is not included in the Bible.
Example 3: How Did Judas Die?
In Matthew, the actual account of Judas’s death, after the betrayal of Christ, is that he “hanged himself.” But when compared to another account in Acts, we find that he died from “all his bowels gushed out.”
Matt 27:5
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Acts 1:18
Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
Questions:
Which account is correct?
How did Judas actually die?
Again, it is agreed that this contradiction does not affect the word of God to mankind. But it is another contradiction, which again, undermines the official position that the Bible is perfect and complete.
Example 4: Grace vs. Works
These next passages, unlike the first three examples, do affect a follower’s salvation because the scriptures talk about the real doctrine of Jesus Christ.
Paul taught:
Ephesians2:5-9
5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Yet, when compared to other teachings, not only Paul but also other apostles taught the opposite. They stated:
Galatians6:7,8
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
James 1:22
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 2:14-20
14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?
15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17. Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble.
20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Questions:
Are these teachings contradictory?
Or are they misunderstood?
Could misunderstanding this meaning… affect a person’s salvation?
Details of this apparent contradiction can be found in Chapter 10, on “Saved by Grace.” In Chapter 10 we will find that this “Saved Christian” interpretation is indeed a major contradiction and will definitely affect the salvation of the followers who embrace these teachings. Also in the chapter “Saved by Grace,” Joseph Smith’s interpretation of these passages will be discussed.
Example 5 — The Personality of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.
Most Christian churches believe that God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are all one entity and they do not have a body of flesh and bone. There are several passages that mention the oneness theory. One example is:
John 10:30
I and my Father are one.
Other passages in the Bible teach that man was actually created in the image of God and that God has a body. A few scriptures that teach this doctrine are:
Genesis 1:26,27
26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 32:30
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Acts 7:55,56
55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Here we have God creating man in His own image. The image of man is man, a person with a body.
We also have an account of Jacob seeing God face to face. So, God has a face.
We also have an account of the apostle Steven seeing Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
Now, Jesus is standing on the right hand of God. So Christ has feet and legs to stand on. If God has a right hand, he must also have a left hand and arms attached to those hands!
If one believes that God and Christ are both one in the same, then there is a major contradiction in their interpretation!
Questions:
How can the Bible be perfect when it teaches such conflicting doctrine?
Is it the Bible that contains such conflicting doctrine or is it the teachings of men that teach such conflicting doctrine?
Would a mistaken belief in the actual personality of God and Jesus Christ be critical to one’s salvation?
Question:
How could knowing that God and Jesus Christ are two distinct persons with glorified bodies affect a person’s life and salvation?
According to what Christ taught in John, a person must not mistaken their personality because knowing God and Jesus Christ is life eternal!
John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God; and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
More details on this doctrine are presented in the:
Chapter 9a - The Personality of God - Body of Flesh and Bones
Chapter 9b - The Personality of God - One God?
Chapter 9c. - The Personality of God - See God.
Example 6 — Can Man See God?
Another contradiction, one that is critical to ones salvation, is the concept of a person seeing God.
The basic foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that Joseph Smith actually saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.
The normal Christian position in reference to Joseph Smith’s first vision where God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him, is that Joseph Smith could not have possibly seen what he claimed. That this vision of the prophet Joseph Smith’s, is a contradiction to what the Bible teaches. The Christian reference the apostle John for this belief:
John 1:18
“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
Much of the Christian principle belief depends on the correctness of this interpretation of this passage. Unfortunately, further study of the Bible reveals that this interpretation is in conflict with other teachings of the Bible. The following passages are examples where other men in the Bible have actually seen God.
Genesis 12:7
And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
Genesis 32:30
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Exodus 24:9-11
9. Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
10. And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
11. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
These three passages name Abram, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel have all seen God and lived! There are now seventy-seven witnesses, including Joseph Smith that have seen God and lived.
Questions:
Does the Christian doctrine of “no one can see God” contradict the doctrine that people have seen God?
Does the first Joseph Smith vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ conflict with the Bible?
The answers to these questions are detailed in Chapters 9a, 9b, & 9c – The Personality of God.
Part 2 — Missing Scriptures
Another major issue:
If “the Bible is the complete word of God,” then why does it reference approximately nineteen other potential writings of prophets that are not included in the Bible.
From 1 Corinthians 5:9, we found that there was at least one other epistle to the Corinthians that is not included in the Bible.
Is it possible that there are other lost scripture out there like:
The Book of the Covenant
The Book of the Wars of the Lord
The Book of Jasher,
The Book of Mormon?
How could there be all of these missing scriptures if the Bible were perfect and complete? Here are a few scriptures that are mentioned that are not included in the Bible.
Examples:
Exo. 24:4, 7
4. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel…
7. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.
Numbers 21:14
Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red Sea, and in the books of Arnon.
Josh. 10:13
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not his written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
2 Sam. 1:18
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
Ezekiel’s Two Sticks
Ezekiel 37:15-17
15. The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,
16. Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
17. And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
According to Joseph Smith’s interpretation, this passage is where Ezekiel prophesies the coming forth of the Bible (the stick of Judah) and the Book of Mormon (the stick of Ephraim).
In ancient times, according to Joseph Smith’s teachings, the prophets wrote on scrolls with sticks on the top and bottom. These ancient scrolls were nicknamed “sticks.”
These sticks mentioned by Ezekiel are actual scriptures that contain the inspired word of God.
Mormons believe the Bible or “stick of Judah,” is the history of the tribe of Judah, and the Book of Mormon or “stick of Ephraim,” is a history of the tribe of Ephraim.
Both are testimonies of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
More can be learned of the Book of Mormon and if there is any biblical support in the next chapter.
Part 3 — “All Scripture”
Additional writings of prophets that are mentioned in the Bible, but are not included in the Bible, are:
The Book of Statutes
The Book of the Acts of Solomon
The Books of Nathan and Gad
The Prophecy of Ahijah
The Visions of Iddo
The Book of Shemaiah
The Book of Jehu
The Acts of Uzziah, Written by Isaiah
The Saying of the Seers
The other missing epistles of Paul
The missing epistle of Jude
The Prophecies of Enoch.
Another important missing scripture that is not included in the Bible is the book of the prophet Esaias! This book is important in that Jesus himself read out of it!
Luke 4:17-20
17. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias, and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Questions:
How can the Bible be complete when there are so many missing scriptures that were used by the religious leaders, prophets, and even Christ?
Where in the Bible does it state that the Bible is complete?
All Scriptures Are Acceptable.
The apostle Paul taught a very important concept about “all scripture.” One must understand that when Paul made this statement, the Bible was not yet in existence.
The religious leaders of the time taught out of the separate writings and scrolls of the prophets. Many of those writings are contained in the Bible, and many were previously mentioned here. Therefore, from Paul’s teachings we learn the followings:
2 Tim 3:15-17
15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
According to Paul, “all scripture” is given by inspiration of God. Therefore, “the stick of Judah” and “the stick of Ephraim”, or the Bible and the Book of Mormon, would be included as scripture and “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
So “all scripture” would include:
Existing writings
Possibly lost writings
Future writings
With the Christian stated position, pertaining to the perfection and completeness of the Bible one must ask him/herself:
Is the Christian position that “the Bible is perfect and complete” in contradiction with the actual circumstance with the Bible?
Is the Mormon position that “the Bible is the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly” in contradiction with the above passages?
The Biblical Support Chart.
Is the following topic supported in the Bible? Yes or No
1. Does the Bible support Joseph Smith’s teaching that we believe that “the Bible is the word of God as long as it is translated correctly?” Yes
2. Do the six Biblical contradictions listed in this chapter support Joseph Smith’s teaching that there are contradictions in the Bible? Yes
Author’s Note — Is the Bible Declared “Complete”?
As of this writing, there has not been a firm scripture presented by the Christian position that states the Bible is perfect and complete, or that the Mormons are incorrect to believe that there can be more scripture. The closest scripture quoted that would suggest that there were to be no more scripture, is John’s final statement in Revelation.
Rev 22:18
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Many Christians use this statement by John to dispel the existence of any new scripture like the Book of Mormon. In reality, the meaning of this passage is taken out of context and misinterpreted by the Christian leaders.
The setting for the Book of Revelation was when the apostle John was on the island Patmos. He received this revelation long before the Bible was compiled.
Therefore, John warned against adding to the “words of the prophecy of this book” meaning that it pertains to the Book of Revelation only. Not the Bible.
To support Joseph Smith’s interpretation of this a similar statement was made by Moses in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
If the same Christian interpretation of John’s Revelation passage is applied to this passage, then every word between Deuteronomy and the end of Revelation would have to be discounted from the Bible and not used.
Final Thought
If these teachings are from man, then one must be aware of the following teachings of Paul. In explaining the organization of the church to the Ephesians, he said:
Ephesians 4:11-14
11. And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Paul was very clear that apostles and prophets were given for the specific purpose of perfecting the saints “til we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God.”
[1] The Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph Smith, 8th Article.