Enemies of Christ

1. Enemies of Christ Alma 30,31

2. Orson F. Whitney . . . was a great man to concentrate. One day when he was traveling by train, he was so preoccupied that he did not notice the train pass the station where he was to get off. So he had to [be driven] back to where he should have been. Meanwhile the stake president waited and waited. . . . Finally when he decided that something had more than likely happened to Brother Whitney and he was not going to make it, they commenced the meeting. As Elder Whitney approached, he was greeted by the opening hymn, which was "Ye Simple Souls Who Stray"

3. First half of the Book of Alma What was Mormon teaching us here? Alma 5-16 Alma’s missionary work Alma 17-28 Ammon’s missionary work Alma 29 Oh, that I were an angel… Alma 30 Korihor, the Anti-Christ Alma 31 The Zoramites Alma 32-35 Alma’s missionary work THE FOILS

4. How would you define “anti-Christ”? The word antichrist is the Bible term for the false teachers in the Church who taught a false Christ instead of a true Christ. the Greek preposition anti, roughly translated, means instead of. It also carries the meaning of "face to face" or mirror image. The image in the mirror, looking back at you, is face to face with you. It looks like you. Yet it has no substance. It is a counterfeit of you, in a sense. It only appears to be you.

5. Two types of Anti-Christ Non-Religious: Korihor Religious: Zoramites

6. Were they really that different? KorihorZoramites foolish traditions of your fathers childishness of their fathers I say ‘this people’ are in bondage “Thou hast elected us to be thy holy children;” every man prospered according to his genius every man prospered according to his election caused them ‘to lift up their heads in their wickedness,’ they did pervert the ways of the Lord

7. The Zoramites Alma 31 “had gathered themselves together in a land which they called Antionum” “were dissenters from the Nephites” “they would not observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes, according to the law of Moses.”

8. The Rameumptom, Alma 31 13 For they had a place built up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head; and the top thereof would only admit one person. 14 Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards heaven

9. What do we learn from the prayer? Alma 31: 16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren, which was handed down to them by the childishness of their fathers; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there shall be no Christ. 17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee, our God. 18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen.

10. King Solomon 1 Kings 11:7 4…when Solomon was old… his wives turned away his heart after other gods: … 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess…, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab

11. President Benson "The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ.  It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention.  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 philosophical concepts of our time." 

12. We must remember- Today’s anti-Christ is not just a critic of Christ They are a replacement for Christ

13. TV and Movies Popular music Business Politics Ministers who deny the atonement Ministers who make church about them Those that refuse to help the poor Those who use church for their own goals Modern Anti-Christs Non-Religious Alternatives? Religious Alternatives?

14. Elder Carlos E. Asay When we read about the anti-Christs of former days, we marvel at how perverted their thinking became and we marvel at how successful they were in deceiving men and women. We also wonder why some of the people were so gullible—so easily misled. And with all this marveling and wondering, we tend to niche the anti-Christs in some corner of ancient history and go about our unguarded ways. This is dangerous. It could result in loss of faith; and, in a spiritual sense, it could put us out of existence. . . . "Many anti-Christs are still among us. . . . These faith-killers and testimony-thieves use personal contacts, the printed word, electronic media, and other means of communication to sow doubts and to disturb the peace of true believers."

15. President Kimball May I say again: when you include in the gospel plan of Christ the family, there is nothing else in all the world worth bothering with. Everything else is incidental only. Assume that you become the world leader of Socialism and in it have marked success, but through your devotion to it you fail to live the gospel. Where are you then? Is anything worthwhile which will estrange you from your friends, your Church membership, your family, your eternal promises, your faith? You might say that such estrangement is not … a result of your political views, but truthfully hasn't your overpowering interest in your present views already started driving a wedge?