The other day, I purchased Sperry Symposium Classics: The New Testament (SLC: Deseret Book, 2006) edited by Frank F. Judd Jr. and Gaye Strathearn. I have only read two chapters so far – chapter 6, “The Book of Mormon As An Interpretive Guide To The New Testament” by Dennis L. Largey and chapter 19, “Walking In Newness Of Life: Doctrinal Themes Of The Apostle Paul,” by Robert L. Millet.

Dennis has a section of his paper entitled, “The Book of Mormon Confounds False Doctrine.” In the conclusion of this particular section, a number of doctrines are exposed for their falseness: “those who preach only for money (see Alma 1:3, 20; 2 Nephi 26:31); infant baptism (see Moroni 8); systems of religion that deny miracles, revelation, and prophecy (see 2 Nephi 28:4-6; 3 Nephi 29:5-6); systems that preach that salvation comes exclusively through obedience to the law (see Mosiah 13:27-32); being saved by grace alone and supposing that discipleship is not necessary (see 2 Nephi 25:23); and the philosophy that mercy can rob justice (see 2 Nephi 28:7-8). The Book of Mormon also offers a sober warning to those who refuse to receive additional revelation and scripture to that which they have already received (see Nephi 28:27-29)” (p. 72).

But what fascinates me is the preceeding paragraph by Dennis. Let me first include the BoM verse to preface his thought. “After describing the corruption of latter-day churches, Moroni spoke directly to his latter-day audience: ‘Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing’ (Mormon 8:35). The implication is that those responsible for the major work of compilation saw our day and, thus aided, selected what was needed based upon what they saw. With this thought in mind, it is interesting to ask ourselves why certain parts of the Book of Mormon were included. For example, why would the abridger give us Alma 31, a story about an apostate people who would go to a particular spot once a week to offer up a repetitious creedal prayer which proclaimed God to be a spirit forever? The Zoramites believed they were ‘elected’ to be saved, while others were ‘elected’ to be damned. The Zoramites’ belief in predestination to heaven or hell predates Calvin and exposes this belief as a false doctrine” (p. 72).

Now, I know Joseph Smith didn’t like the Calvinism of his day (in fact, there seems to be a little bit of caricature in one of the first Work and Glory DVDs); but is Dennis actually saying that Alma saw our day to warn us of the sweeping resurgence of Calvinism in America (see one of the recent front covers of Christianity Today – “Reformed and Restless”). Are such men as John Piper, John MacArthur, Al Mohler, Mark Dever, and C.J. Mahaney leading Zoramites in 2006? If they are such culprits, why does Robert Millet warmly, appreciatively quote rather than warn of John MacArthur (an internationally known, conservative Calvinist) in chapter 19? This seems to be a reoccuring theme that I simply don’t understand. What reasons are there that I should not interpret this as only outreach chrestologia?

And for those concerned that Christians might be promoting a gospel of salvation by grace alone to the exclusion of discipleship, please read John Piper’s new book, What Jesus Demands From The World (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2006).