What is Mormonism? - Article of Faith #8.
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.
The Bible
The Holy Bible is a marvelous book of holy writ. Contained within its pages are many of the teachings, prophecies and revelations of the ancient prophets, and even those of Christ himself. Four of the books are of the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Truly this is a sacred volume of scripture.
So why do we say it is the word of God only so far "as it is translated correctly"? One must understand that the scrolls and documents and other manuscripts that are now recorded in the Bible are thousands of years old. The New Testament took place approximately 2,000 years ago, and the Old Testament before that. These books have been rewritten time and time again for centuries. In addition, these scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Greek. They have been translated numerous times before they have become what they are today, in our English. As the Bible was translated more and more, some of the passages have been altered.
To learn more on this we can go the words of Nephi, an ancient prophet that was shown the history of the Bible.
"...Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
"Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
"And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away."
- 1 Nephi 13:24-26 -
In summary, some passages have been lost to time, some have been removed by people, but the Holy Bible, if read and understood correctly, contains the word of God and is a book of holy scripture.
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
The Book of Mormon does not have the same history that the Bible does. It was not translated time and time again with time, but only once. After the records now called the Book of Mormon were complete, the prophet Moroni hid them where they would not be disturbed until the Lord wanted them to be found. That was approximately 420 A.D. In the early nineteenth century the Lord sent again Moroni, now as a an angel, to guide Joseph Smith to the place he hid these records.
Just as the Bible is a record of ancient civilizations, and the spiritual teachings, prophecies and revelations, etc., so is the Book of Mormon. The Bible is a record of the tribe of Judah and the Book of Mormon is a record of part of the tribes of Joseph. The Bible in the Old World and the Book of Mormon in the New World.
Together these two canonized books of scripture contain the full gospel of Jesus Christ, and are the words of God.
To learn more about Mormonism, visit here: http://mormontopics.org/eng/christ
More on Mormonism's belief of the Bible: http://www.squidoo.com/mormonisms-take-on-the-holy-bible
Ask any questions you have here: http://mormon.org/chat
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