Church Organization

The organization of the Mormon Church is not taught in the Bible. They have in their organization: The First Presidency, Apostles, Evangelists, High Priests, Seventies, Ward and Presiding Bishops, Elders, Priests, Teachers, Deacons and the Aaronic Priesthood.

The Bible organization for the church is simple:

1. Jesus Christ serves as head (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23).

2. Each church is independent, having its own elders and deacons (Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5).

3. The oversight of the elders is over the local church where they have been appointed to serve (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2).

Mormon Elders

Young, unmarried Mormon men call themselves "elders." By no stretch of the imagination could they be elders in the Bible sense. A casual reading of the qualification for elders will soon show this to be true. One of the "musts" for a man to be an elder in the church is that he must be married and have children (1 Tim. 3:2-5; Tit. 1:6). They sometimes try to say that there is a difference in an elder and a bishop. The Bible makes no such distinction (Acts 20:17, 28).

Bible elders were to oversee the flock among them (1 Pet. 5:2; Acts 20:28). It would be interesting for the Mormon elders to tell us where the flock is that they are. overseeing. How can these young men, who are not qualified and are constantly moving around, oversee the flock of God?

Mormon Deacons

The Mormon Church appoints young boys (age 12) to the office of deacon. The Bible qualifications for a deacon is, among other things, that he must be married and have children (1 Tim. 3:12). Mormon deacons do not meet these qualifications.

Social And Recreational Activities

The Mormon Church sponsors from its treasury, social and recreational activities. This can be observed by the facilities in Mormon meeting places.

1. The work of the Lord's church is spiritual, not social (Rom. 14:17; Jno. 18:36; 1 Cor. 11:20-34).

2. The Bible teaches that Christians should practice hospitality. (I Pet. 4:9). But these activities are of the home and not of the church.

The Lord's Supper

Mormons use water in the Lord's Supper instead of fruit of the vine. Joseph Smith says that it does not make any difference what we take in the communion (D. & C. 27:1-4).

1. The Bible teaches that the two elements to be used in the Lord's Supper are unleavened bread and fruit of the Vine (Matt. 26:26-28).

2. Where is the authority for using water in the communion? One Mormon told me that it was Indian legend.

The Badge Of Authority

The apostles of Christ in the New Testament performed miracles as a badge of authority for what they taught (Mk. 16:15-20; Heb. 2:1-4). Mormons claim to have apostles who can do just what the apostles did in the New Testament. It would be good for a Mormon to perform a miracle to prove that they are from God, if they really are!

Truth Magazine XXIII: 34, pp. 552-553
August 31, 1979