The Cults

Lesson 1: A General Introduction

INTRODUCTION:

1. It is the Christian's responsibility to be ready to, "Give an answer" for the hope within (1 Peter 3:15).

2. The phrase, "give an answer" is translated from the Greek word apologia that means "1) verbal defense, speech in defense 2) a reasoned statement or argument" (Thayer's Greek English Lexicon).

3. The Cults have been around for many years, but there has been a major resurgence of the cults since 1965.

4. If we are to be prepared to give an answer we need to be acquainted with the peculiar beliefs of the cults.

5. During this study we will study the major cults that the child of God may encounter.

6. With each cult we will follow the following general outline:

1.    The history of the Cult under study.

2.    The peculiar doctrines of the cult.

3.    A Biblical response to the cult.

DISCUSSION:

I. A Definition of terms.

A.    Dictionary Definition (RANDOM HOUSE WEBSTER'S UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY, 1996)

"cult n.

1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.

3. the object of such devotion.

4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5. Sociol. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.

6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

7. the members of such a religion or sect.

8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

—adj.

9. of or pertaining to a cult.

10.   of, for, or attracting a small group of devotees: a cult movie."

B.    For this study we will define a cult in the following manner.

1.    A high degree of control and power resides in one man or a small group of men. The members of the cult are required to follow the peculiar interpretations of scripture set forth by the leader or leaders.

2.    Doctrines that are highly unorthodox.

3.    A high degree of control or manipulation of the daily lives of the members.

C.    Some better known cults are:

1.    Jehovah's Witnesses

2.    The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (Mormons)

3.    Hare Krishna (and new age philosophy).

4.    The Unification Church (Moonies).

5.    The Church of Scientology.

6.    The International Churches of Christ (Boston movement, Crossroadism, discipling ministries, etc.).

7.    Christian Scientists.

8.    The Beha'i.

D.    This class is intended to be practical in application. therefore we will only discuss those cults that one might be likely to encounter in daily life.

E.    It might also be noted that until recently the Seventh Day Adventist church was classified by scholars as a cult. However, in recent years, the Adventist have labored to enter the denominational mainstream.

THOUGHT QUESTION:

1. What passages of scripture have been brought to your mind by this discussion?

The Cults

Lesson 2: The International Churches of Christ

INTRODUCTION:

1. The International Churches of Christ have been called by several different names as it has evolved over the years:

Crossroadism, the Crossroads Philosophy, Campus Ministries, The Total Commitment Movement, Multiplying Ministries, Discipling Ministries, The Boston Movement.

2. At first the movement was embraced be congregations desperate to reach lost souls. However, today they consider themselves separate from the Churches of Christ.

DISCUSSION:

I. Historical Background.

A.    Neo-Pentecostal roots.

1.    The movement actually has it roots in the Charismatic Shepherding Movement lead by Bob Mumford and others on University Campuses. This movement was popular on college campuses in Florida and is probably where Chuck Lucas borrowed his ideas.

2.    The movement experienced rapid growth in the 60's and early 70's. However it lead to such strife and division in Pentecostal denominations and congregations that it was eventually rejected by them. In the late 80's Bob Mumford--one of the movement's founders--made a public confession of sin for the problems caused by the movement, before a national convention.

3.    Flavil Yeakley writes,

"In a recent conversation with a leader of Maranatha Ministries, I was told, 'What you are experiencing in the Church of Christ is what the charismatic movement vomited up'" (p. 136, The Discipling Dilemma).

II. Chuck Lucas and Crossroads.

A.    Chuck Lucas was the minister of the Crossroads Church of Christ in Gainesville Florida.

B.    The University of Florida is located nearby.

C.    He borrowed the methods of Campus Crusades, for the Crossroads' Campus ministry and eventually even applied them to the members at Crossroads.

D.    He continued in the work until several years ago when the elders read a public statement and letter of resignation from Chuck Lucas confessing serious, secret, recurring sin.

E.    At that point he left the Crossroads church and went into secular employment.

F.    Soon after Chuck's departure, the Crossroads congregation began to gradually withdraw from the movement. They eventually publicly renounced the tenants of Crossroadism and the Boston Movement. When Kip McKean announced the Pillar Church concept the elders at Crossroads publicly disavowed the concept and the movement. In response Al Baird (one of the two elders at Boston) made a special trip to Gainesville to try to convince the staff and members to leave and start another church.

III. Crossroads' distinctive doctrines.

A.    The primary doctrines of Crossroadism were 1) Lordship Baptism, 2) Soul Talks 3) Prayer Partners 4) Daily quiet time 5) Total commitment (as defined by the leaders).

B.    Most evangelistic work was done on the campuses.

C.    New converts were assigned a prayer partner.

D.    The junior prayer partner was required to confess sins every day to the senior prayer partner.

E.    The convert was to rise very early every day for quiet time. This was the time when one studied, prayed and listened to God.

F.    Each convert was required to attend a weekly Soul Talk which was overseen by a Soul Talk Leader.

G.    There was a chain of confession that ascended from the junior prayer partner through the senior prayer partner, the Soul Talk Leader, The Campus Minister, to Chuck Lucas.

H.    Campus ministers were trained and sent out to other congregations.

I.    Through their techniques many college students were usually converted.

J.    It should be noted that with many modern cults (Moonies, Krishnas, etc.) the bulk of the converts come from college campuses.

K.    At first, there would be great excitement in the local congregation at the rapidly increasing numbers.

L.    Eventually they would discover that the new converts were not under the local eldership. Instead, there was a chain of command that lead through the campus minister (bypassing the pulpit minister and the elders) to Chuck Lucas.

M.    Eventually the members of the congregation would be told that their baptisms were invalid because they were not properly discipled and totally committed when they were baptized (Lordship baptism).

N.    Those members who did not participate in the soul talks and did not accept "Lordship Baptism" were not considered true disciples.

O.    Tensions would eventually increase until a split would take place in the congregation.

IV. The Boston connection.

A.    Kip McKean was converted at the University of Florida and trained by Chuck Lucas. After leaving Gainesville, he tried developing discipling ministries in several congregations unsuccessfully.

B.    In the spring of 1979 he moved to a small church of about 40 to 50 in Lexington Mass (a suburb of Boston). He brought 10 young people with him. About half of the original congregation eventually left the Lexington church.

C.    In 1980 they baptized 170. By 1987 they were baptizing about 1,000 per year.

D.    They now rent the Boston Gardens for Sunday services.

E.    In addition to Sunday services, all members are also required to attend one of the 62 house churches on Wednesday evening and at least one of the 260 Bible talks on yet another night.

F.    Since nearly all of the congregations touched by Crossroads trained ministers had experienced a split, Kip decided to concentrate on planting new churches in major cities with large university student bodies.

G.    Their congregations are usually named after the city they are in ie. the Chicago Church, the LA. Church, etc.

H.    The vast majority of their converts are university students or young professionals.

I.    Hierarchy of churches (see chart).

J.    The local hierarchy (see chart).

K.    In this plan, the elders oversee the finances of the congregation but the staff answers to the lead evangelist who answers to the evangelist of the local pillar church who answers to Kip McKean. Kip answers to God.

L.    It is taught that in the New Testament there would be numerous house churches in a city but only one eldership.

M.    They appeal to Titus 1:5 to teach that the evangelist is not under the elders. He answers directly to God. The staff answers to the preacher instead of the elders.

N.    Kip has the authority to demand that the staff of a congregation come to the nearest Pillar church for a period of months to be retrained. The local congregation is then ordered to willingly receive a temporary staff sent in by Kip until the regular staff is retrained. If the elders or members resist these instructions they are charged with having prideful hearts. The staff is told to leave with any followers they can recruit and be a "Faithful remnant" and start a new church that will obey Kip. This actually happened to the Atlanta Highlands church which had a membership of over 500.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

1. Does James 5:16 teach the prayer partner concept as taught by the Boston movement? Explain you response.

2. What does the Bible say about the idea that the staff answers to the evangelist who is not under the local elders?

3. Does the Bible teach that all of the churches in one town are to be under one eldership?

4. Does the fact that Boston churches baptize more people that "mainline churches" do prove that God is with their movement?

5. What lessons can we learn from the Boston Movement?

The Cults

Lesson 3: The Witnesses

INTRODUCTION:

1. The Witnesses are probably the best known cult in America.

2. Note: these notes will refer to them as Witnesses because of the author's conviction that they have not established that they are Jehovah's Witnesses.

3. They are the cult that we are most likely to encounter.

DISCUSSION:

I. The History of the Witnesses.

A.    The Witnesses were founded by Charles Taze Russell, commonly called Pastor Russell. Russell was a man of questionable character. His wife sued him for divorce. He told the court that he could not pay alimony because he was penniless. It was later revealed that he had transferred $317,000 to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, of which he was president, to avoid alimony payments.

His wife obtained the divorce on the grounds of unmanly conduct and gross familiarity with other women. Open court testimony concerning his character recorded him as saying, "I am like a jelly-fish; I float 'round here and there; I touch this one and that one, and if she responds, I take her to me, and if not, I float to others."

On yet another occasion his truthfulness came into question when under oath he claimed to be a Greek Scholar. However, when he was given a Greek alphabet, he couldn't even name the letters of the alphabet. He was eventually forced to admit that he quit school at the age of 14 and had no formal training.

In 1870, at the age of 18 he organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh, Pa., which in 1887 elected him Pastor. He began his first publication in 1879. In 1908 the movement was transferred to Brooklyn, NY. He continued his teaching until his death on October 31, 1916. He was known for his vitriolic attacks on other religions (especially their clergy). His moral, ethical, and legal problems were such that most Witnesses are told that Russell was never part of the movement.

In one case he had been selling "Miracle Wheat" for $1.00 a pound. Among other claims was the claim that it would produce five times as much as the best wheat seed. The seed was tested for a local newspaper by the government and found to be of poor quality. Russell sued the Brooklyn Daily Eagle for liable and lost. After loosing his libel case and his divorce he decided to embark a world tour. Glowing reports of large crowds and eloquent sermons were cabled to papers in the U.S. When the Brooklyn Daily Eagle investigated the glowing reports of the Honolulu speech they learned that the ship had stopped for three hours to take on coal and no such speech had ever been delivered.

B.    After his death he was succeeded by Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford. He eventually declared that he was the mouthpiece of Jehovah for this age and that God had selected his words as the expression of divine mandate. He predicted the return of the Jesus in 1924, 25 and 26. In his book Millions Now Living Will Never Die he said that any faithful witness alive at the end of 1925 would never die. After the close of 1925, the text of the book was altered to remove the claim about 1925. The Witnesses have a long history of predicting the Lord's return. The last date predicted was in 1975. At his death Rutherford was replaced by Nathan Knorr who died in June of 1977. Frederick W. Franz then replaced him.

C.    When studying with Witnesses one must be careful about the way they use sources and definitions of terms. The watchtower is notorious for misquoting sources or quoting them out of context. They often prove their tenants by using tailor-made definitions. Although the witnesses study with non members from other translations, they have made their own translation for their own study. A review of the names of the men involved in their translation reveals that not one of them had any training in biblical languages. It appears that they just reworded the King James translation to put some of their favorite false doctrines into the Bible.

II. Peculiar Doctrines of the Witnesses.

A.    Jehovah is the only eternal God.

B.    Jesus was the first of God's creations. He is "a god." He was Michael the Archangel until his birth.

C.    Man's soul is his breath. When he breathes his last he ceases to exist.

D.    Hell is the common grave.

E.    Eternal punishment is eternal annihilation.

F.    Jesus returned from Heaven in A.D. 1914, expelled Satan from Heaven and is now in the process of expelling him from the Earth.

G.    There can be no allegiance to an earthly kingdom.

H.    Since the soul is in the blood and it is a sin to eat blood man cannot have blood transfusions.

I.    The Holy Spirit is not a personality. It is the power of God.

J.    One hundred and forty four-thousand Redeemed of the Earth will live eternally in heaven the rest of the faithful witnesses will live eternally on a refurbished earth.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

1. The Witnesses point out that in John 1:1 Jesus is called God without the definite article (the). They teach that any time we have the word god without the definite article "the" we must translate "a god" (with a small "g"). This is supposed to prove that Jesus is not eternal. He is "a god" created by the God the Father to be his agent for the rest of creation. What problems do you see with such a theory.

2. How does John 8:58 relate to a discussion of the deity of Christ and Witness doctrine.

3. Witnesses teach that only 144,000 will live in Heaven (Rev. 7:4). What does the Bible say about such a theory.

4. Witnesses teach that the Baptism of Romans 6 and Gal. 3:27 is only for the 144,000. Suggest a response.

5. What evidence do you find to suggest that the Holy Spirit is a person and not an it or just the power of God in each of the following passages:

1.John 14:26

2.Acts 8:29

3.Eph. 4:30

4.Acts 5:3

6. Is the Holy Spirit ever called God and if so where?

7. Does the Bible teach that most of God's children will live forever on the earth?

8. Are people conscious after death?

9. What would you say to the claim that Luke 16:19ff. is a parable and does not teach that we are conscious after death?

10. How would you respond to the claim that the Lord's Supper is to be taken once a year

11. Witnesses claim that Jesus did not experience a physical resurrection, respond with scripture.

12. Witnesses say that since Jesus' resurrection was not physical, his return was not physical. They affirm that he returned to the temple in 1914 and cleansed it by 1918. Respond with scripture.

13. What positive or negative lessons do you think we can learn from the Witnesses?

The Cults

Lesson 5: The Mormons

INTRODUCTION:

The Mormon church began April 6, 1830, at Fayette, NY. It's founder was Joseph Smith who was known by his neighbors as, "Peep Stone Joe" because following in his father's footsteps he had been a water-witcher and a treasure hunter. While digging a well he had found a translucent stone which he would put in his hat. He would then cover his face with the hat and claim to see water or buried treasure. He and his father were particularly obsessed with finding Captain Kidd's treasure.

When he was 14, he claimed he retired to the woods to decide whether to join the Methodists or the Presbyterians. While in the woods he saw a vision of Christ and God. When he asked them which church to join, they told him not to join either one.

Smith claimed that the angel Moroni appeared to him at the age of 16 and promised him a book of gold plates and two stones (the Urim and Thummim) to translate the plates with. He would place the stones in his hat and peer into it. On the stones would then appear an inspired, infallible translation of the gold plates from the Reformed Egyptian into English. No such language as "reformed Egyptian ever existed. But before the discovery of the Rosette Stone, Egyptian Hieroglyphics could not be translated. So Smith could fake any translation of various Egyptian texts without fear of exposure.

Their sacred books are The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine of Covenants, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Bible (as far as it is accurately translated). To them the Bible has been corrupted by translators but their three books were inspired translations. Their own members do not know that there have been 4,000 corrections in the Book of Mormon since its original release.

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdrey were made Priests of the order of Aaron by John the Baptist in May 1829. Shortly afterwards, they were made priests after the order of Melchizedek and apostles by Peter, James and John.

Strong opposition arose to Smith's movement because of his unsavory reputation among the local people. So, they moved the entire movement from New York To Kirtland, Ohio. When a large sum of money disappeared from his bank and persecution arose they left for Illinois. In 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother were imprisoned for destroying a press that printed anti-Mormon literature. Here an angry mob broke into the jail and shot the two brothers.

After the death of the brothers their followers split into several groups. The main body of Mormons followed Brigham Young who lead them to what is now Salt Lake City Utah, which according to new revelation was the new promised land.

DISCUSSION:

I. Mormon doctrine of God.

A.    "A general assembly, quorum or grand council of the gods, with their president at their head constitute the designing and creating power" (Key to Theology, p. 52).

B.    "There is no other God in heaven, but that God who has flesh and bones. The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's." (D. & C., 130:22).

C.    "God, angels and men are all of one species one race, one great family. . . Wisdom inspires the gods to multiply their species." . . ."Each god through his wife or wives, raises up a numerous family of sons and daughters." (Key of Theo. p. 41,52; The Seer V. 1, p. 37).

D    "He (Adam) is Michael, the archangel, the Ancient of Days, about whom holy men of old have written and spoken. He is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do."

E    "God himself was once as we are now and is an exalted man and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. . . And you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves. . . the same as all gods have done before you."

II. Mormon Doctrine of Christ.

A. "He Adam is our father and our God. . .When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten Him in His own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Spirit. And who is the Father: He is the first of the human family."

B. "The evangelists do not particularly speak of the marriage of Jesus, but one thing is certain, that there were several holy women that greatly loved Jesus, such as Mary and Martha, her sister, and Mary Magdalene; and Jesus greatly loved them, and associated with them much. . . if all acts of Jesus were written, we no doubt, should learn that these beloved women were his wives." (The Seer V. 1 p. 158,159).

III. Mormon doctrine about Joseph Smith

A. "Every spirit that confesses that Joseph Smith is a prophet, that he lived and died a prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is true, is of God, and every spirit that does not is of "Anti-Christ". Millennial Star, Vol. 5, page 118, Brigham Young.

IV. The Mormons Doctrine on marriage.

A.    There are two kinds of marriage, earthly and celestial.

1.    The earthly marriage bond is to have as many child-bearing wives as possible to insure a great kingdom in heaven. It is for life and eternity. Each God through his wife or wives, raises a numerous family of sons and daughters...for each father and mother will be in a condition to multiply forever and forever.

2.    The celestial marriage bond is a sealing of other men's wives to a man so that he may have enough wives in eternity. Women only who have proved their capacity in child-bearing here are desirable for celestial wives. That means men covet other men's wives. This is for eternity.

B.    That polygamy is a law to be obeyed and if disobeyed damnation is the penalty. "If none but God's will be permitted to multiply immortal children, it follows that each God must have one or more wives." (the Seer, V. 1, p. 158) All those who have this law (Plural or celestial marriage) revealed unto them must obey the same...and if ye abide not in that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory...as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fullness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fullness thereof must and shall abide in the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord, God. ( D. & C. Sec. 132:61,62).

V. The Mormon doctrine on communion.

A. They use water in the place of the fruit of the vine.

VI. Since the Mormon Church rejects the accuracy of the Bible, we offer the following Extra-Biblical reasons for rejecting Mormonism.

A.    Joe Smith said that the book of Mormon was, "The most correct book on Earth." However, there have been 3,013 changes since the original edition of the B of M was published. In fact, the first edition had an average of 7.6 errors on each side of each page. It was edited and re-edited until 1921; to "clean-up" the grammar. The present edition of the Doctrine of Covenants contains 2,786 changes.

B.    Their third inspired (?) book is The Pearl of Great Price. It is a small volume made up of three parts; the books of Moses, Abraham, and Joseph Smith. The Book of Abraham begins " A Translation of some ancient records, that have fallen into our hands from the catacombs of Egypt. The writings of Abraham while he was in Egypt, called the book of Abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus."

C.    Joseph Smith was supposed to have purchased the Papyrus from an Archeologist in an Alligator skin bag. In 1967 The Mormon officials allowed a transcribed copy of the Egyptian original to be published (assuming that it was accurate). Three independent Egyptologists translated it into about 70 words dealing with pagan Egyptian funeral rites. Joseph Smith had translated the document into over 4,000 words dealing with life of Abraham in Egypt. This is the same book from which Mormons got their doctrine that Blacks couldn't hold membership in the priesthood (Abraham 1:27).

D.    Another way of telling how old a document is, is by examining its scientific terminology. The BM makes the mistake of mentioning items that had not even been invented at the time the book was supposedly written (600 B.C. to 421 B.C.).

It is erroneous for a book supposedly written in North America at that time to mention bellows (1 Nephi 17:11), fine spring steel bow (1 Nephi 16:18), swords (2 Nephi 1:18, etc.), scimitars (Alma 2:12), sackcloth (2 Nephi 13:24), carts (2 Nephi 15:18, 28), chariots (Alma 18:12; 20:6; 3 Nephi 21:14), numerous large buildings (Ether 10:5, etc.), many highways (Helaman 14:24), cement (Helaman 3:7, 9, 11), javelin (Alma 51:34), bushel (3 Nephi 12:15), breastplates (Mosiah 8:10 and Alma 46:13), headplate and amour for the loins (Alma 46:13), compass (Alma 37:38, 44, etc.), spindles and spinning (Alma 37:40; Helaman 6:13), sickles, yoke (1 Nephi 13:5), strong cords (Alma 26:29), trumpet (3 Nephi 13:2), street corners (3 Nephi 15:12), chains (2 Nephi 1:13; 28:19; etc.), hoe (Ether 10:25), harp (2 Nephi 15:12), viol (2 Nephi 15:12), tabret (2 Nephi 15:12), plow (Ether 10:25), fuller's soap (3 Nephi 24:2), barns 3 Nephi 13:26), and candles (3 Nephi 8:21).

E.    The Mormon view of anthropology unscientific and bigoted.

2 Nephi 26:33 divides humanity into "black and white" and "Jew and Gentile" -- most unrealistic for the Americas at that time. The Book of Mormon teaches that Indians originated from Jewish settlers in the Americas that wandered away from the Lord. 1 Nephi 12:11 says that as the Jews wandered away in unbelief, "they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people." 1 Nephi 13:15 praises future Americans as being "white, and exceeding fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain." But Palestinian Jews did not have pale skin like the British. 2 Nephi 5:21, Jacob 3:3-9, and Mormon 5:15-17 say that anyone who marries an Indian "shall be cursed with the same cursing." If this were true, why do people who are only part Indian not look full Indian? 2 Nephi 30:5-7 predicts that when Indians accept the Mormon Gospel, that they will again become "a white and delightsome people."*** 3 Nephi 2:15 gives supposed examples of this.

F    .Shakespeare's Hamlet from 1564 is quoted in 2 Nephi 1:14.

G.    Solomon's temple took 185,000 workers 7 years to build. 14 people built one like it in Central America in 2 Nephi 5:16.

H.    The Mormon Inspired books are filled with contradictions.

1.    2 Nephi 5:15,16

2.    Polygamy is condemned in Jacob 1:15; 2:24-2,7 but in the D & C those who refuse to believe in Polygamy are condemned D & C. 132:38-39.

3.    BM teaches that man's fate is sealed at death (Alma 34:32-35) The D of C teaches baptism for the dead.

4.    The D of C 89:5-6 teaches the use of wine for communion but the Mormon church uses water.

I.    WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MORMONISM

1.    How much of the "FAITH" had been delivered by the end of the 1st century (Jude 3)?

2.    How much saving knowledge had God given to man in the 1st century (2 Peter 1:3)?

3.    After the writing of 2 Peter 1:3, how many things dealing with life and godliness were there left to be revealed?

4.    Joe Smith received his new gospel from the angel Moroni. What does the Bible say we are to do with those men and angels who preach another gospel (Gal. 1:6-9)?

5.    What happens to ones relationship with God if he receives another gospel (Gal 1:6)?

6.    Had the unity of the faith been achieved by the end of the 1st century (Jude 3)?

7.    Is there is any room or need for new inspiration, or further revelation?

8.    Could a flesh and blood man become God and inherit Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:50)?

9.    Does God really have flesh and bones (John 4:24; Luke 24:39)?

10.    Will we marry and have children in Heaven (Mark 12:25)?

11.    Is Adam our God (Genesis 1:27; 2:18, 20-25)?

12.    Did Adam ascend into Heaven as God the Father (John 3:13)?

13.    Is every verse of the Bible corrupted (Mark 13:31)?

14.    Does the Bible teach celestial marriages (Mark 12:25 Luke 12:35)?

15.    How long does the Bible teach that the marriage bond will last (Romans 7:2)?

16.    Does the Bible authorize the use of water for the Lord's supper (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; 1 Corinthians 11:20-34)?

17.    The second prophet of the Mormon church, Brigham Young said of the Black man, "Cain slew his brother, Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to the line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the FLAT NOSE AND BLACK SKIN..." (Journal of Discourses, 7:290,291). According to the Bible, what happened to the descendants of Cain (Genesis 7:21-22)?

18.    The Mormon church teaches that a boy can be a deacon if he is 13 and an elder if he is 16. Would a 13 year old deacon be likely to fulfill the requirements of (1 Timothy 3:12)?

19.    Would it be reasonable to call one who is 16 an elder?

20.    What negative or positive lessons can be learned from the Mormons?