I was enjoying a late autumn motorcycle ride when I felt a nudge from God to swing by the home of a friend and former Mormon bishop. We began a gospel discussion which was amicable but not particularly productive. Shortly after the discussion began, his adult son pulled into the drive. From the start, he was incredibly angry. I assured him that I would listen if he wanted to explain why he was so offended or aggressive or whatever that was. He refused! Several times I extended my hand in an offer of friendship. Each time, he stiffened, glared, and stoically refused any offer of reconciliation. Sadly, our conversation ended on that angry note.

What follows is a note to my friend and former Mormon Bishop.

Dear Friend,

Judge Not

God’s command, judge not, rang in my ears as I rode home from your house. I appreciate that you took the time to speak with me when I stopped by, but I returned home deeply troubled. As I rode along that day, a few scriptures rolled over and over in my mind.

¹Judge not, that ye be not judged. ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. ³And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? ⁵“Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:1-5, KJV

Judge Not but Be a Fruit Inspector

It seems clear that we are not to judge not the heart of another. I suspect this is because only God truly understands the faith, desires, and intentions of every man. However, as we continue reading, we see similar but decidedly different verses.

¹⁵Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ²⁰Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7: 15-20, KJV

It appears that the balance between unrighteous judgment and proper testing according to a man’s fruit is a fine line indeed. Consequently, we can judge a man’s actions (fruit) by testing according to the pattern set forth by God in Deuteronomy 13 & 18, Acts 17, Gal 1, and Rev 2, to name a few. However, we must judge not a human heart because only God can know it. Equally important, when we self-righteously judge another, God will judge us by the standard we establish.

So, when you accused me of leaving Mormonism because of pride, how did you test and confirm your accusation? I know you never asked me about the reasons, so how can you know? If you did not make this judgment by my testable fruits, have you not pushed Jesus aside to stand in his place as my ultimate judge? That, my dear friend, is blasphemy.

Pride mostly died in me when I stopped relying on my own righteousness for salvation. Paul taught of those who would be saved by works of the law.

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Galatians 5:4, KJV

If we would seek salvation in whole or in part by works of the law, Christ has become of no effect, and we “are fallen from grace”. This passage seems to gut the Article of Faith that claims you are “saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel”.

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

Mormonism’s 3rd Article of Faith

For me, peace came, and pride slipped away when I recognized my wretched nature and leaned on Jesus alone to save me. The cost has been so high. Most of my family and nearly every friend, including you, have turned away. The peace I now have with God has been worth every cost.

Judge Not and Hate Not Your Brother

I was so saddened when your son appeared and interjected himself into our conversation. His anger was shocking. Anger has poured from his mouth liberally for years. He refused to tell me why he was offended and repeatedly refused my extended hand. It is all so sad.

As I rode home, I kept replaying the hate in your son’s eyes, words, and actions. I don’t deny that I may have offended him. It’s just that don’t know how I did it, and he won’t say. Another passage played and replayed in my mind relative to him.

¹⁹We love him, because he first loved us. ²⁰If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ²¹And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:19-21, KJV

All Liars

The Apostle Paul is clear, if your son treats me as he does and simultaneously claims to love God who he has not seen, he is a liar. Mormon doctrine says liars will inherit the telestial world, Doctrine & Covenants 76:103. Revelation 21:8 clearly says, “all liars have their part in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death”.

It is interesting to note that Joseph Smith made many changes to the Book of Revelation. He changed chapters 20 and 22, but he passed over 21 and left it untouched. My point is, regardless of the passage you choose to believe, your son is screwed. I am his friend, and I will help him in any way I can. You, however, are his father. He desperately needs you to stand and boldly lead.

Be Ready Always to Give an Answer

You will not sit with me, whom you consider a lost lamb, and open your books of scripture to seek the face of the one true God. Two volumes of scripture require that you must do what you have refused.

⁷Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest. ⁸Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord. ⁹Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you—there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; ¹⁰And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time.

Doctrine and Covenants 71:7-10

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

1 Peter 3:15, KJV

I have a question. You claim to be a man of God, a holder of the priesthood, a member of the only true church, and you claim to be led by a living prophet. Having all these advantages and being unwilling or unable to reason with me, how will you ever be a godly example for your son?

I fear that this letter may offend you because the truth has always offended many. But, I lovingly challenge you to weigh and test these words and prove them wrong if you are able. Regardless of your choice, I am your friend, now more so than ever before.

Lance