Spirtual Direction: Was Jesus A Liar?

Matthew 28: 20

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

What did Jesus mean when he said, “And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world?”

If you believe in the scriptures as the sole source of the Truth, would this not mean that Jesus would not leave us to suffer without his help or presence until the end of time? Would not anything else be a lie?  Would not anything else make Jesus a liar here?  If that is the case, would not this present a major problem for all people who were or are still now- Protestants or Restorationists? Why would you have to restore or jumpstart a Church that Jesus established when he clearly said that he would be with us until the end of time?

The answer is plain and clear- you would and the problem is twofold here. Either Jesus is a liar or since Jesus said he would be with always then the people who wanted to jump-start the Church, Protest, or Restore the Church have to be liars.  Today we are going to expand on the latter account.  We are going to look at the heart of the restoration story with one church, one church that has had a lot of difficulties telling the truth. 

The church is The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith and his followers.  Most people may know them better by the name Mormons.  This was because of their book, “The Book of Mormon.”  However, today we are going to look at the “First Vision” and the changing accounts of this incident.

Before looking at the First Vision please consider the idea expressed in Matthew 28:20.  If Jesus said he would not leave us until the end of time, why would he come back to a man-any man- and tell him something different?  If he would not come back to man would he come back to a 14,15, 16, or 17-year boy?  Would he come back and reveal things to this young man that constantly change?

And the story goes like this: Joseph Smith at age 14 went to the secluded place and prayed.  There God and Jesus appeared to him and told him to join no church.  They were all abominations to them. 

Well, wait, that is a later version of the story, the first vision of the story there was the only being- God.  You see at the beginning of the LDS Church they were Trinitarians.  It wasn’t until more than ten years later that the story changed and there were two people- God the Father and Jesus Christ that appeared to him.  Now, logically even though stories over course of time get embellished, would it not make the most sense that the story closest to the original date was the most correct?  It was also amazing that by 1842 the LDS Church was no longer Trinitarian in belief and at the time the First Vision story was changed to fit their new narrative. Was this convenient by coincidence or by choice?  You look at the facts and make up your mind.  These accounts come directly from primary sources.

1832 account

1835 Account

1838 Account

1842 Account

Changing accounts normally means that something was not right, correct?  Let us go back to the premise of their argument and this article- if Jesus did say as recorded in Matthew 28:20 that behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world would we need to change the Church that he set up or established?   Can men truly be allowed to change God’s Church?  These are the questions we should be asking next time you discuss this topic with your protestant or restoration friends.  Brothers and sisters you know the truth, talk to these people and tell them the truth too.  If not you, who and if not now, when?  Amen