My mom recently gave me a good book for Christmas called The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. Lee was a hardened journalist and could see no reason to believe in God or Jesus. To prove his point that there is not a way to prove that Jesus was the literal Son of God, he describes various bible scholars he visits and evidences that he finds that prove various aspects of Jesus’ life to be true from both christian and secular historical documents. It is a very interesting book and very informative from a historical standpoint.
In the book he poses the question: “Are there writings outside the gospels that affirm or support any of the essentials about Jesus or early Christianity?” (pg. 97) He then goes on to discuss ancient records of people who talk about the three days of darkness during the time the Savior died, ancient jewish records that prove that there was a Jesus and he claimed to be the Son of God, that he raised people from the dead, and more.
As I read this, I thought about his corroborating evidences and appreciated his discoveries and his research. However, I thought to myself how much time he could have saved if he had simply read the title page of the Book of Mormon states that one of the main purposes of the Book of Mormon is for the “convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God…”
The Book of Mormon is “the case for Christ” because it confirms and clarifies every point of doctrine that is discussed in the Bible for salvation. The Book of Mormon contains many witnesses that Mr Strobel discusses in his book such as: three days of darkness after His death, evidences of the Gospels, evidences that there is a Bible written by the Jews and apostles. In addition, the Book of Mormon contains accounts of the personal ministry of Jesus to the inhabitants of the American continent and the saving doctrines of faith, repentance, baptism, and recieving the Holy Ghost are confirmed and support what is in the Bible.
President Gordon B Hinckley said of the Book of Mormon “…I read its words. I have read Joseph Smith’s explanation of how it came to be. To the unbelieving it is a story difficult to accept, and critics for generations have worn out their lives writing books intended to refute that story and to offer other explanations than the one given by Joseph the Prophet. But to the open-minded, this critical writing has only stimulated them to dig deeper; and the more deeply they dig, the greater the accumulation of evidence for the validity of Joseph Smith’s story. Still, as has been demonstrated for a hundred and fifty years, the truth of the Book of Mormon will not be determined by literary analysis or by scientific research, although these continue to be reassuring. The truth about the origins of the Book of Mormon will be determined today and tomorrow, as it has been throughout the yesterdays, by reading the book in a spirit of reverence and respect and prayer.” ( “Praise to the Man,” Ensign, Aug. 1983, 4)
It is true that despite many evidences that The Book of Mormon is a legitimate book and the history is accurate (see Book of Mormon Evidences, Evidences of the Book of Mormon, Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, and many other websites) many decide to ignore it’s truth. However, there are many who decide to embrace the book’s truths as well and they find as I have found that the Book of Mormon, together with the Bible provide the most accurate case for Christ there is.
The introduction of the Book of Mormon gives us an invitation to “all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
I have read the Bible and I have read the Book of Mormon. I know the Bible is the word of God and contains a witness of Jesus Christ as our Savior. I know the Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus and confirms and clarifies the truths in the Bible. To all those who are searching for a “case for Christ” I invite them to read the Book of Mormon.
Grace for Grace 
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February 3, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Becca
I have the fun job of teaching Sunday School to 14 and 15 year olds, and this year our study is on the Book of Mormon. As I was preparing for the lesson one day, I came across a great scripture that also talks about this:
1 Nephi 13:40
These last records . . . shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb . . . and shall make known to all kindreds tongues and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Fater, and the Savior of the world; and that all me must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
God knew that people in our time would be disbelieving of things that happened so long ago, of things they could not prove, and so he set things up so that we would have another source of truth, to support the Bible. I’m grateful for his foresight, which shows His love for us and His desire to understand truth and to come unto Him. The Book of Mormon has definitely been that support for me in my life. I’d like to end with the words of PResident Benson from the lesson manual,
“The moment you begin a serious study of [the Book of Mormon, you] will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. … When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance”. This is definitely true for myself, and all others I have seen who have begun this SERIOUS study, and know it applies to all willing to put forth that effort.
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February 7, 2008 at 12:57 am
Billy Budd
No!
The Book of Mormon is a case against Christ!
It is a case against the New Testament — the one true revelation of Christ, which tells the world not to add or take away from its prophecies, which the Book of Mormons does in spades (like the spades Joseph Smith used to dig up his golden tablets from the pits of hell!
“Woe to you [Joseph Smith and those who follow your false teachings] who call good evil and evil good!” [and who] “add to the prophecies of [this Old and New Testament] book of revelations.”
“Woe to you scribes [Joseph Smith] and hypocrites [Joseph Smith and his followers], for you heal the wounds of my people lightly saying ‘Peace, peace!’ where there is no peace.”
Get a life!
The One True Life that comes from true faith in Jesus Christ — the Jesus Christ of the original two covenants, not the false one of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon!
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February 7, 2008 at 1:00 am
Billy Budd
P.S. JOHN HINCKLEY’S claim that the Book of Mormon is hard to understand because they are unbelievers is the nicest piece of self-fulfilling prophecy itself.
Perhaps, instead, they do not believe because it is inconsistent, unreliable, incredible and contradicts the previously revealed word of God — the individual and combined books and teachings of the Old and New testaments — just as does the Qu’a’ran!
Go figure!
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February 8, 2008 at 12:56 am
ZeeZrom
I’ll reiterate my statement on that “About” post.
‘Whoa. Aaron, dude, you’ve unleashed the wrath of the evangelicals. That’s another reason I’m glad I’m no longer Christian (I do see the LDS as Christians). Most are mean, un-Christlike people… at least in my experience. No offense to you, Aaron, as I do find you to be a very kind person.’
Seriously,
I’m so happy that I don’t have to worry about hell, jesus, god, judgment, etc., etc.
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April 30, 2008 at 11:18 am
Miguel
To Billy Bud:
So you think that the Bible after Det. 4:2 is also false? Is the Book of Revelation the last chronological book written by the Lord’s Apostles in the Eastern Hemisphere?
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