📖 Wagalatia — Somo la Kina — Sehemu ya 10: Injili Nyingine — Wamormoni (Watakatifu wa Siku za Mwisho)📖 Galatians Intensive — Unit 10: Another Gospel — The Latter-day Saints

Kifungu cha msingi: Wagalatia 1:6-9 — pamoja na Wagalatia 1:8, 11-12; 2:16, 21 (SUV)Anchor: Galatians 1:6-9 — with Galatians 1:8, 11-12; 2:16, 21 (NKJV)

Neno Kabla HatujaanzaA Word Before We Begin

Kama ilivyokuwa katika sehemu iliyopita, tunaanza kwa kuilinda roho yetu. Wamormoni kwa ujumla ni watu waliojitoa, wenye maisha safi, na wanaopenda familia, wanaosifiwa kwa maadili yao, huduma yao, na bidii yao ya kimisionari. Tunawapa adabu na heshima ya kweli kama majirani zetu na kama watu ambao Kristo aliwafia. Lengo letu hapa si dharau wala dhihaka, bali kuyapima mafundisho yao kwa Neno la Mungu na, pale yanapoachana na Injili, kusema hivyo waziwazi na kwa upendo (Waefeso 4:15). Kumwambia mtu mnyofu kweli kuhusu Mungu na kuhusu Kristo ni jambo la upendo zaidi tunaloweza kufanya.As with the previous unit, we begin by guarding our spirit. The Latter-day Saints are, by and large, devoted, clean-living, and family-loving people, admired for their morality, their service, and their missionary zeal. We owe them courtesy and genuine respect as our neighbors and as people for whom Christ died. Our aim here is not contempt or ridicule, but to weigh their teaching by the Word of God and, where it departs from the gospel, to say so plainly and in love (Ephesians 4:15). To tell a sincere person the truth about God and about Christ is the most loving thing we can do.

Wamormoni Ni Akina Nani?Who Are the Latter-day Saints?

Wamormoni, washiriki wa Kanisa la Yesu Kristo la Watakatifu wa Siku za Mwisho, wanafuatilia mwanzo wao hadi kwa Joseph Smith huko Marekani katika miaka ya 1820 na 1830. Wanafundisha kwamba Ukristo wa kweli ulianguka katika "Ukengeufu Mkuu" baada ya mitume na ukarejeshwa kupitia Joseph Smith. Wanaongozwa na nabii aliye hai na mitume, wanatumia maandiko yao wenyewe ya ziada, wanajenga mahekalu kwa ajili ya ibada takatifu (maagizo), na wanajulikana sana kwa wamisionari wao vijana. Mengi katika mwenendo wao yanastahili kupongezwa. Hoja yetu si bidii yao bali ni kile wanachofundisha kuhusu Mungu, kuhusu Kristo, na kuhusu wokovu.The Latter-day Saints, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, trace their beginning to Joseph Smith in the United States in the 1820s and 1830s. They teach that true Christianity fell into a "Great Apostasy" after the apostles and was restored through Joseph Smith. They are directed by a living prophet and apostles, use their own additional scriptures, build temples for sacred ordinances, and are widely known for their young missionaries. Much in their conduct is admirable. Our concern is not their diligence but what they teach about God, about Christ, and about salvation.

Wanachofundisha, kwa Maneno Yao WenyeweWhat They Teach, in Their Own Terms

Kuhusu Mungu, Wamormoni wanaukataa Utatu. Wanafundisha kwamba Uungu ni viumbe watatu tofauti, kila mmoja akiwa mungu, wameungana kwa kusudi; kwamba Baba ana mwili wa nyama na mifupa; na, kwa kushangaza zaidi, kwamba Mungu Baba hapo zamani alikuwa mwanadamu ambaye, kwa nyakati ndefu, aliendelea mpaka kufikia hali ya kuwa mungu. Rais wao wa tano aliliweka kwa ufupi: "Kama mwanadamu alivyo sasa, Mungu alikuwa hivyo zamani; kama Mungu alivyo sasa, mwanadamu anaweza kuwa." Kwa hiyo wanafundisha kwamba miungu mingi ipo, na kwamba Wamormoni waaminifu wanaweza wenyewe siku moja kuwa miungu.Concerning God, the Latter-day Saints reject the Trinity. They teach that the Godhead is three separate beings, each a god, united in purpose; that the Father has a body of flesh and bones; and, most strikingly, that God the Father was once a man who, over long ages, progressed to godhood. Their fifth president summarized it: "As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may become." They teach, therefore, that many gods exist, and that faithful Latter-day Saints may themselves one day become gods.

Kuhusu asili yetu, wanafundisha kwamba watu wote waliishi kwanza kama watoto wa kiroho wa Baba wa Mbinguni (na wa Mama wa Mbinguni). Yesu, wanasema, alikuwa mzaliwa wa kwanza wa watoto hawa wa kiroho, na hivyo ni kaka mkubwa wa kiroho wa wanadamu wote — na wa Lusifa pia, kwa kuwa Shetani naye anahesabiwa kuwa mwana wa kiroho wa Mungu aliyeasi. Kisha Yesu alifanyika mungu kabla ya kuzaliwa kwake katika mwili.Concerning our origin, they teach that all people lived first as spirit children of Heavenly Father (and a Heavenly Mother). Jesus, they say, was the firstborn of these spirit children, and so the elder spirit brother of all humanity — and of Lucifer as well, since Satan too is held to be a spirit son of God who rebelled. Jesus then became a god before His mortal birth.

Kuhusu Yesu, wanamheshimu kama Mwokozi, wanathibitisha kifo chake cha upatanisho na ufufuo wake wa kimwili, na wanamwita Mwana wa Mungu. Hata hivyo, ndani ya mfumo wao Yeye ni mmoja wa miungu kadhaa, kiumbe ambaye Yeye mwenyewe aliendelea mpaka kufikia hali ya kuwa mungu, mkubwa wa watoto wa kiroho wa Baba — si Mungu Mwana mmoja wa milele.Concerning Jesus, they honor Him as Savior, affirm His atoning death and His bodily resurrection, and call Him the Son of God. Yet within their system He is one of several gods, a being who Himself progressed to godhood, the eldest of the Father's spirit children — not the one eternal God the Son.

Kuhusu mamlaka, wanaikubali Biblia "kadiri ilivyotafsiriwa kwa usahihi," na wanaongeza juu yake Kitabu cha Mormoni, Mafundisho na Maagano, na Lulu ya Thamani Kuu, pamoja na ufunuo unaoendelea kupitia nabii aliye hai.Concerning authority, they accept the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly," and add to it the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, along with continuing revelation through a living prophet.

Kuhusu wokovu, wanafundisha kwamba karibu watu wote "wanaokolewa" kwa neema kuingia katika mojawapo ya falme tatu za utukufu kupitia ufufuo wa watu wote. Lakini wokovu wa juu kabisa, unaoitwa kuinuliwa (exaltation) au uzima wa milele — hali ya kuwa mungu katika ufalme wa selestia — lazima upatikane kwa kuikubali injili iliyorejeshwa, toba, ubatizo unaofanywa na ukuhani wao, maagizo ya hekaluni, zaka, na utii kwa amri. Maandiko yao wenyewe yanasema tunaokolewa kwa neema "baada ya yote tuwezayo kufanya." Tumeyaeleza mambo haya kwa haki kadiri tuwezavyo. Sasa ni lazima tuyapime kwa Maandiko.Concerning salvation, they teach that nearly all people are "saved" by grace into one of three kingdoms of glory through the universal resurrection. But the highest, called exaltation or eternal life — godhood in the celestial kingdom — must be obtained by accepting the restored gospel, repentance, baptism by their priesthood, temple ordinances, tithing, and obedience to the commandments. Their own scripture says we are saved by grace "after all we can do." We have stated these things as fairly as we can. Now we must test them by Scripture.

Kuupima Mzizi (1): Mungu Mwingine na Kristo MwingineTesting the Root (1): A Different God and a Different Christ

Kwa mara nyingine tena kila kitu kinategemea mzizi. Maandiko hayajui lolote kuhusu miungu mingi wala kuhusu Mungu aliyekuwa mwanadamu hapo zamani. BWANA anatangaza, "kabla yangu hakuumbwa Mungu awaye yote, wala baada yangu hatakuwako" (Isaya 43:10); "Mimi ni wa kwanza, na mimi ni wa mwisho; zaidi yangu mimi hapana Mungu" (Isaya 44:6); "Je! Kuna Mungu zaidi yangu mimi? Hakika hapana Mwamba; mimi sijui mwingine" (Isaya 44:8). Yeye ni Mungu "tangu milele hata milele" (Zaburi 90:2), naye anasema, "Kwa kuwa mimi, BWANA, sina kigeugeu" (Malaki 3:6). Mungu aliyekuwa mwanadamu zamani na kuendelea mpaka kuwa mungu, na viumbe wanaofanyika miungu, hawamo katika Biblia; kuna Mungu mmoja wa milele asiyebadilika, na mpaka kati ya Muumba na kiumbe hauwezi kuvukwa kamwe. Na Kristo wa kweli si kaka wa kiroho wa Lusifa aliyeumbwa bali ni Neno wa milele, "Neno alikuwa Mungu" (Yohana 1:1), ambaye "vyote vilifanyika kwa huyo" (Yohana 1:3) — "vitu vyote... ikiwa ni viti vya enzi, au usultani, au enzi, au mamlaka" (Wakolosai 1:16), maana yake ni kwamba nguvu za kimalaika, Lusifa akiwa miongoni mwao, ni viumbe vyake, si ndugu zake. Malaika wanamsujudu (Waebrania 1:6). Mungu na Kristo wa Wamormoni si Mungu na Kristo wa Maandiko.Once again everything turns on the root. Scripture knows nothing of many gods or of a God who was once a man. The LORD declares, "Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me" (Isaiah 43:10); "I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God" (Isaiah 44:6); "Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one" (Isaiah 44:8). He is "from everlasting to everlasting" God (Psalm 90:2), and He says, "I am the LORD, I do not change" (Malachi 3:6). A God who was once a man and progressed to godhood, and creatures who become gods, are not in the Bible; there is one eternal, unchanging God, and the line between the Creator and the creature can never be crossed. And the true Christ is not a created spirit brother of Lucifer but the eternal Word, "the Word was God" (John 1:1), through whom "all things were made" (John 1:3) — "all things... whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers" (Colossians 1:16), which means the angelic powers, Lucifer among them, are His creatures, not His brothers. The angels worship Him (Hebrews 1:6). The God and the Christ of the Latter-day Saints are not the God and the Christ of the Scriptures.

Kuupima Mzizi (2): Injili Nyingine ya WokovuTesting the Root (2): A Different Gospel of Salvation

Kushindwa kwa pili ndiko ambako Wagalatia uliandikwa kukujibu. Ili kupata kuinuliwa, Mmormoni lazima aongeze kwa Kristo orodha ndefu ya matendo — ubatizo unaofanywa na ukuhani wao, maagizo ya hekaluni, zaka, na utii wa maisha yote — na hata neema yao ni "neema baada ya yote tuwezayo kufanya." Lakini Paulo anasema, "mwanadamu hahesabiwi haki kwa matendo ya sheria, bali kwa imani ya Kristo Yesu" (Wagalatia 2:16); "Siibatili neema ya Mungu; maana ikiwa haki hupatikana kwa njia ya sheria, basi Kristo alikufa bure" (Wagalatia 2:21). Wokovu ni "kwa neema... kwa njia ya imani... wala si kwa matendo, mtu awaye yote asije akajisifu" (Waefeso 2:8-9); ni "si kwa sababu ya matendo ya haki tuliyoyatenda sisi, bali kwa rehema yake" (Tito 3:5); na "ikiwa ni kwa neema, haiwi tena kwa matendo" (Warumi 11:6). Uzima wa milele si tuzo inayopatikana kwa maagizo bali ni "karama ya Mungu... katika Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu" (Warumi 6:23), nao ni milki ya sasa na ya hakika: mwamini "amepita kutoka mautini kuingia uzimani" (Yohana 5:24) na anaweza "kujua ya kuwa mna uzima wa milele" (1 Yohana 5:13). Wala wokovu haupitishwi kwa ukuhani wa kanisa moja, "Kwa sababu Mungu ni mmoja, na mpatanishi kati ya Mungu na wanadamu ni mmoja, Mwanadamu Kristo Yesu" (1 Timotheo 2:5). Kuufanya kuinuliwa kutegemee matendo na maagizo ni kuubadilisha mzizi.The second failure is the one Galatians was written to answer. To gain exaltation the Latter-day Saint must add to Christ a long list of works — baptism by their priesthood, temple ordinances, tithing, and lifelong obedience — and even their grace is "grace after all we can do." But Paul says, "a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16); "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain" (Galatians 2:21). Salvation is "by grace... through faith... not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9); it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy" (Titus 3:5); and "if by grace, then it is no longer of works" (Romans 11:6). Eternal life is not a prize earned by ordinances but "the gift of God... in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23), and it is a present and certain possession: the believer "has passed from death into life" (John 5:24) and may "know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Nor is salvation channeled through one church's priesthood, "for there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). To make exaltation rest on works and ordinances is to change the root.

Kwa Nini Hii Ni "Injili Nyingine"Why This Is "Another Gospel"

Ujumbe unaotupa miungu mingi, Kristo aliye kaka wa kiroho wa Lusifa aliyeumbwa, na kuinuliwa kunakopatikana kwa maagizo si Injili ileile yenye nyongeza fulani; ni "injili ya namna nyingine; wala si nyingine" (Wagalatia 1:6-7). Onyo la Paulo ni zito, nalo linagusa chimbuko lenyewe la vuguvugu hili: "ijapokuwa sisi, au malaika wa mbinguni, atawahubiri ninyi injili yo yote isipokuwa ile tuliyowahubiri, na alaaniwe" (Wagalatia 1:8). Wamormoni wanafuatilia injili yao hadi kwenye kutembelewa na malaika; lakini Paulo anasema kwamba hakuna malaika, wala nabii wa kibinadamu, hata awe mnyofu kiasi gani, anayeweza kuleta injili nyingine zaidi ya ile iliyokwisha kutolewa. Kwa maana Injili ya kweli ni "imani ile waliyokabidhiwa watakatifu mara moja tu" (Yuda 3); haikuhitaji kufunuliwa upya katika karne ya kumi na tisa. Suala si maadili wala unyofu wa Wamormoni, ambavyo katika hivyo wao ni kielelezo. Suala ni kama kuna Mungu mmoja wa milele, kama Yesu ni Mungu Mwana huyo, na kama wenye dhambi wanaokolewa kwa neema. Kwa vipimo vyote vitatu, hii ni injili nyingine.A message that gives us many gods, a Christ who is a created spirit brother of Lucifer, and an exaltation earned by ordinances is not the same gospel with extra features; it is "a different gospel, which is not another" (Galatians 1:6-7). Paul's warning is solemn, and it touches the very origin of this movement: "even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). Latter-day Saints trace their gospel to the visit of an angel; but Paul says that no angel, and no human prophet, however sincere, may bring a gospel other than the one already given. For the true gospel is "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3); it did not need to be re-revealed in the nineteenth century. The issue is not the morality or sincerity of the Latter-day Saints, in which they are exemplary. The issue is whether there is one eternal God, whether Jesus is that God the Son, and whether sinners are saved by grace. On all three, this is another gospel.

Swali la UshirikaThe Question of Fellowship

Hili linatuongoza kwenye hitimisho lilelile gumu lakini la lazima. Kwa sababu Wamormoni wanakiri Mungu mwingine, Kristo mwingine, na injili nyingine, hatuwezi kuyatambua mafundisho yao kuwa imani ya Kikristo, wala kuungana nayo katika ushirika na kazi ya Injili. Huu si uadui wa kibinafsi na kamwe si ruhusa ya kukosa wema. Tunawaheshimu kama majirani, tunawatendea kwa adabu na ukarimu, na tunafurahi kuwatendea mema. Lakini upendo haujifanyi. Maandiko hayaturuhusu kumwita Mungu mwingine na injili nyingine kuwa mapokeo mengine tu ya Kikristo: "Kila mtu apitaye cheo, wala hakai katika mafundisho ya Kristo, yeye hana Mungu... Mtu akija kwenu, wala hayaleti mafundisho hayo, msimkaribishe nyumbani, wala msimsalimu" (2 Yohana 9-10) — yaani, msimkaribishe kama mtenda kazi mwenzenu wala msiuunge mkono ujumbe wake. Hatupaswi "kufungiwa nira pamoja na wasioamini, kwa jinsi isivyo sawasawa" (2 Wakorintho 6:14). Kwa hiyo hatushiriki katika ibada yao wala katika utume wao, kwa maana umejengwa juu ya msingi mwingine; lakini tunafurahi kujadiliana nao kutoka katika Maandiko.This leads to the same hard but necessary conclusion. Because the Latter-day Saints confess a different God, a different Christ, and a different gospel, we cannot recognize their teaching as the Christian faith, nor join with it in the fellowship and work of the gospel. This is not personal hostility and never a license for unkindness. We honor them as neighbors, treat them with courtesy and warmth, and gladly do them good. But love does not pretend. Scripture will not let us call a different God and a different gospel merely another Christian tradition: "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God... If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him" (2 John 9-10) — that is, do not welcome him as a fellow worker or endorse his message. We are not to be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14). So we do not share in their worship or their mission, for it rests upon another foundation; yet we gladly reason with them from the Scriptures.

Lengo la UkomboziA Redemptive Aim

Na yote haya ni kwa lengo la ukombozi. Tunaweka mipaka hii si ili kuwafungia watu nje bali kwa sababu tunatamani Wamormoni waingie — kwa Mungu wa kweli na Kristo wa kweli. Habari njema tunayowaletea ni kuu kuliko injili waliyoipokea: hakuna miungu mingi bali mmoja, wa milele na asiyebadilika, ambaye hakuwahi kuwa mwanadamu na ambaye hamshirikishi mwingine utukufu wake; na Yesu si mungu aliyeendelea bali ni Mwana wa milele, Muumba aliyekuja katika mwili, anayetoa wokovu kamili, wa bure, na wa hakika kwa wote wanaomtumaini — bila agizo lolote la kuukamilisha wala shaka yoyote ya kuutia giza. Wamormoni wengi wanamtafuta Mungu kwa unyofu na kuishi maisha ya haki; tunaomba kwamba Mungu awaongoze wapumzike katika kazi iliyokamilika ya Bwana mmoja Yesu Kristo. Tunamchukulia kila mmoja kama mtu ambaye Kristo alikufa ili amwokoe — kwa uvumilivu, maombi, na Biblia iliyo wazi.And all of this is for a redemptive end. We draw these lines not to shut people out but because we long for the Latter-day Saints to come in — to the true God and the true Christ. The good news we bring them is greater than the gospel they have received: there are not many gods but one, eternal and unchanging, who was never a man and who shares His glory with no other; and Jesus is not a god who progressed but the eternal Son, the Creator come in the flesh, who gives full, free, and certain salvation to all who trust Him — with no ordinance to complete it and no doubt to cloud it. Many Latter-day Saints sincerely seek God and live upright lives; we pray that God will lead them to rest in the finished work of the one Lord Jesus Christ. We treat each one as a person Christ died to save — with patience, prayer, and an open Bible.

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