Anti-Christ

Ezra Taft Benson (President)

"Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat the false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time" ("The Book of Mormon is the Word of God," Liahona, May 1988).

Sherem - Jacob 7:1-23

  • Undermine prophecy. Cannot know of things to come. Prophets don't know. Deliberate attempt to undermine the Prophet

  • Denigrating or bringing into question the divinity of doctrine

  • Show me a sign - prove it.

  • Ignore the scriptures or use them in a superficial way.

  • Learned, flattery - appeals to people's wisdom, knowledge of the language to impress and coerce

  • Knowingly uses falsehoods to make their point.

  • Purpose is to create doubt in prophesy and in personal revelation

  • Purpose to overthrow the doctrine of Christ. There is no Christ, there hasn't been and never will be.

  • No new revelation (Law of Moses is the right way)

  • Effect on the people - verse 3, 23

Nehor (Alma 1:2-16; 14:14-18)

  • large, noted for his strength and boldness (vv 2, 11), loud and in your face

  • verse 3 - taught that which he determined to be the word of God (pride and arrogance). We decide what the word of God is (moral relativism)

  • Correction and guilt are wrong and should be avoided.

  • Attacks Gideon directly - an authorized servant of the Lord; Direct assault on God's servants when they teach truth to combat the philosophy being taught (Gideon and Alma and Amulek).

  • You live according to your own philosophy; no repentance is needed (Alma 15:15)

  • No repentance is needed

  • Rejoice in your decisions, which is artificial and no power or real joy

  • Change the Church from within, use the facade of the Church and the gospel to teach false doctrine.

  • Popularity driven - do what people like instead of what God wants (1 Tim 4:3-4)

  • God loves all and therefore saves all regardless of what they do.

  • Riches, honor, and influence become more important than the truth

Korihor

  • Preached against the prophets.

  • Used free speech as a justification to teach false doctrine

  • Purposefully tried to cast doubt on prophetic teachings and truth—create questions

  • Wants signs as evidence; Only believe what you can see.

  • Very quick to undermine the primary sources of truth—replace with that which is pleasing to the carnal mind. Truth comes from what you think is best according to your talents, strengths.

  • Attacks tradition and mocks that which has been taught and gone before. Characterizes learning from authoritative sources and past experience as foolishness and weakness.

  • Religion (commandments, teachings, doctrine, ordinances, commandments) are a yoke meant to control you and false traditions of your fathers.

  • Mock, make fun of, ridicule, and persecute those who believe and the doctrine itself—another attempt to create doubt

  • Falsehoods are actively spread under the guise of preachings for the welfare of your souls (when really it's all about them and their popularity).

  • No Christ, No Atonement, No life after death—everything is relative, there's no wrong or right, do what makes you happy.

  • vv 28-29 - "not make any reply" - sometimes this is the best approach when dealing with anti-Christs