Moses
Overview
The Book of Moses, presented as a direct revelation to Joseph Smith restoring the 'lost' words of the biblical Moses, serves as a foundational theological text for Mormonism. It begins with an apocalyptic vision where Moses speaks with God face-to-face, requiring physical transfiguration to endure the divine glory. Following a confrontation with Satan, Moses is shown the creation of the world. The text heavily modifies the traditional Genesis narrative by introducing several distinct Latter-day Saint doctrines. It asserts that all things were created 'spiritually' before they were physical. It introduces a 'Council in Heaven' where Satan and the Beloved Son (Jesus) presented competing plans for human salvation, resulting in Satan's rebellion and expulsion. Crucially, the text reinterprets the Fall of Adam and Eve not as a catastrophic rebellion that plunged humanity into depravity, but as a 'Fortunate Fall' (Felix Culpa)—a necessary transgression without which Adam and Eve could not have procreated or experienced joy and redemption. Furthermore, the text retrojects fully developed Christian theology into the antediluvian world, claiming that Adam, Enoch, and Noah explicitly knew the name of Jesus Christ, received the Holy Ghost, and preached baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. This text fundamentally shifts the biblical timeline of progressive revelation and alters the orthodox Christian understanding of sin, the nature of God's commandments, and the origin of the Gospel.
Key Figures
- God the Father (The Almighty): Presented as the Endless Creator who possesses a physical glory that requires humans to be transfigured to behold Him.
- The Only Begotten (Jesus Christ): The Savior, full of grace and truth, who created the worlds under the Father's direction and was chosen in the pre-mortal council.
- Moses: The prophet and visionary who receives this revelation, casts out Satan, and is commanded to write these restored truths.
- Satan (The Devil): A pre-mortal spirit who sought to destroy human agency, demanded God's honor, was cast down, and actively tempts Moses, Adam, Eve, and Cain.
- Adam: The first man, who rejoices in his transgression because it allowed him to have children and understand joy.
- Eve: The first woman, who also celebrates the Fall as the necessary mechanism for human procreation and eternal life.
- Cain: The son of Adam who makes a covenant with Satan, murders his brother Abel for his flocks, and is cursed as a vagabond.
- Abel: The righteous son of Adam whose acceptable sacrifice provokes Cain's jealousy.
- Noah: A prophet who preaches faith, repentance, and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ before the global flood.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
The Fortunate Fall (Felix Culpa)
Assertion
The transgression of Adam and Eve was a positive, necessary step in God's plan, enabling human procreation, the knowledge of good and evil, and the capacity for joy.
Evidence from Text
And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy... blessed be the name of God for my transgression, for in this life I shall have joy... And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying, were it not for our transgression we should never have had seed, and should never have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption
Evangelical Comparison
In strict Evangelical theology, the Fall of Man (Genesis 3) is the ultimate tragedy. Romans 5:12 states that 'sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin.' God's command to 'be fruitful and multiply' (Genesis 1:28) was given prior to the Fall, meaning procreation was not dependent upon sin. The Fall brought spiritual death, total depravity, and a curse upon creation, necessitating the substitutionary atonement of Christ to rescue humanity from righteous wrath. In stark contrast, this text posits that Adam and Eve could not have fulfilled the command to multiply without first breaking the command not to eat the fruit. The Fall is celebrated by Adam and Eve as a necessary mechanism for human existence and spiritual progression. This creates a theological paradigm where God issues conflicting commandments, and where breaking God's law is viewed as a wise, necessary, and ultimately praiseworthy act that unlocks 'the joy of our redemption.'
Pre-mortal Council and Satan's Rebellion
Assertion
Satan and Jesus Christ existed in a pre-mortal state and presented competing plans for the salvation of humanity to God the Father.
Evidence from Text
Satan... came before me, saying, behold me; send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost... wherefore give me thine honour. But, behold, my Beloved Son... said unto me; Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine for ever.
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Christology, rooted in passages like John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-17, maintains that Jesus Christ is the eternal, uncreated Second Person of the Trinity. He is the Creator of all things, including the angelic beings (which includes Satan before his fall). There is an infinite ontological gap between the Creator (Christ) and the creature (Satan). This text introduces a narrative where Satan and Christ are presented as peers in a pre-mortal council, both offering proposals to God the Father regarding how to save mankind. Satan's sin is depicted as seeking to destroy human agency and demanding God's honor for a plan of forced universal salvation. This diminishes the unique, eternal, uncreated nature of Christ by placing Him in a competitive pre-mortal dynamic with Lucifer.
Retrojection of Christian Ordinances
Assertion
The fullness of the Christian Gospel, including the name of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and the ordinance of baptism, was explicitly known and practiced by Old Testament patriarchs from Adam to Noah.
Evidence from Text
Noah continued his preaching unto the people saying, hearken, and give heed unto my words, believe and repent of your sins, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, even as our fathers did, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical theology relies on the concept of progressive revelation. Hebrews 1:1-2 declares that God spoke in the past through prophets in various ways, but 'in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.' Ephesians 3:4-5 explicitly states that the mystery of Christ 'was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.' Old Testament saints were saved by faith in God's promises looking forward, but they did not possess the explicit details of the incarnate Christ or New Covenant ordinances. This text completely collapses the timeline of redemptive history. It claims that Adam, Enoch, and Noah preached the exact name 'Jesus Christ,' understood His substitutionary atonement, and practiced baptism by immersion in His name. This undermines the biblical narrative of progressive revelation and the unique, historical inauguration of the New Covenant by Jesus during His earthly ministry.
Spiritual Creation
Assertion
God created all things, including humanity, plants, and animals, in a spiritual state before they were physically created on the earth.
Evidence from Text
For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground, for in heaven created I them
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, based on a literal-grammatical reading of Genesis 1 and 2, God created the physical universe *ex nihilo* (out of nothing). Human beings do not have a pre-mortal spiritual existence; a human soul comes into existence at the moment of conception/creation. Zechariah 12:1 states that the Lord 'forms the spirit of man within him.' This text asserts a dual-creation model: a spiritual creation in heaven followed by a physical creation on earth. It claims that 'all the children of men' were created in heaven before there was flesh upon the earth. This doctrine of pre-mortal existence fundamentally alters biblical anthropology, suggesting humans are eternal or semi-eternal beings who existed as spirits before their earthly probation.
Transfiguration for Divine Encounter
Assertion
God possesses a physical or localized glory that would destroy a mortal human unless they are temporarily transfigured or strengthened by the Spirit to endure His presence.
Evidence from Text
mine own eyes, but not mine eyes, for mine eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him.
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Theology Proper maintains that God is Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. He does not possess a physical body. When the Bible speaks of seeing God, it is understood as a theophany or a vision of His glory, but His essential nature remains invisible (1 Timothy 6:16). Exodus 33:20 states, 'You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live,' which Evangelicals attribute to the absolute holiness of God consuming sinful flesh. This text suggests that God's presence is a literal, overwhelming physical glory that can be endured if a human is 'transfigured'—meaning their physical body is temporarily upgraded or shielded. This implies a localized, anthropomorphic view of God where the barrier between God and man is primarily one of physical glory/capacity rather than purely moral holiness and spiritual nature.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text fundamentally alters the nature of the Fall from a tragic rebellion to a necessary progression, introduces a pre-mortal existence where Christ and Satan were peers presenting plans, and retrojects New Testament ordinances into the Old Testament.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological chasm between this text and Evangelical Christianity is profound, primarily centering on Hamartiology (the doctrine of sin), Christology, and the timeline of Redemptive History. Evangelicals hold to the biblical teaching that the Fall of Man was a catastrophic rebellion against a holy God. Romans 5:12 makes clear that sin and death entered the world as a tragedy, bringing total depravity and a curse upon creation. This text, however, teaches a 'Fortunate Fall' (Felix Culpa). Adam and Eve explicitly praise God for their transgression, claiming that without it, they could not have procreated or known joy. This implies that God gave conflicting commandments (multiply vs. don't eat) and that sin was a necessary mechanism for human progression, fundamentally distorting the biblical view of God's holiness and the nature of sin. Furthermore, the text's Christology diverges sharply from orthodox Trinitarianism. By depicting a 'Council in Heaven' where Satan and the 'Beloved Son' present competing salvific plans, the text reduces the ontological supremacy of Christ. In Evangelical theology, Christ is the eternal Creator (Colossians 1:16), not a pre-mortal peer of Lucifer participating in a heavenly presentation. Finally, the text violates the biblical principle of progressive revelation by retrojecting New Covenant realities—such as the explicit name of Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the ordinance of baptism—into the antediluvian era of Adam and Noah. This anachronistic insertion undermines the historical unfolding of God's covenants as recorded in the 66-book Bible.
For All Ages
Imagine you broke a very important rule your parents gave you, like 'Don't play in the street.' In the Bible, breaking God's rule (called the Fall) was a terrible, sad thing that brought death into the world, and Jesus had to come to rescue us from it. But in this story, Adam and Eve say that breaking God's rule was actually a *good* thing! They say if they hadn't broken the rule, they couldn't have had a family or learned how to be happy. Also, the Bible tells us that Jesus is God who created everything, and Satan is just a fallen angel. But this story says that before the world was made, Jesus and Satan were in a meeting together, both offering plans to God on how to save people. This makes Jesus seem less like the Almighty Creator and more like just a really good older brother who won a contest against a bad brother. Finally, this story says people like Noah were getting baptized in the name of Jesus thousands of years before Jesus was even born on earth, which the Bible never says.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text claims the Bible is corrupt and missing plain truths, requiring modern prophetic revelation to restore the 'true' history of Genesis.
Hamartiology (Doctrine of Sin)
The text teaches that breaking God's law (the Fall) was a good, necessary, and praiseworthy act required for human progression.
Christology
Presents Jesus and Satan as pre-mortal peers presenting competing plans to the Father, denying the eternal, uncreated supremacy of Christ.
Progressive Revelation
Retrojects New Testament ordinances (baptism) and explicit knowledge of Jesus Christ into the antediluvian world.
Anthropology
Teaches the pre-mortal spiritual existence of all humanity before their physical creation.
Theology Proper
Implies God has a localized, physical glory that requires physical transfiguration to endure, rather than being an omnipresent Spirit.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"The Fall / Transgression"
In This Text
A necessary, positive step downward that allowed humanity to move forward, procreate, and experience joy.
In Evangelicalism
A catastrophic rebellion against God's law that brought spiritual death, physical death, and total depravity to the human race.
"Only Begotten"
In This Text
A title for Jesus Christ, but contextualized within a pre-mortal council where He is distinguished from other spirit children (like Satan) by His obedience and selection.
In Evangelicalism
Monogenes; indicating Christ's unique, uncreated, eternal nature as the Second Person of the Trinity, sharing the exact essence of the Father.
"Salvation / Redemption"
In This Text
Attained through faith, repentance, and specific ordinances (baptism) taught since the days of Adam, leading to eternal life which is tied to obedience.
In Evangelicalism
Deliverance from the righteous wrath of God by grace alone through faith alone in the finished work of Christ.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Redemption from the Fall and the attainment of eternal life, which God gives 'unto all the obedient.'
How Attained: Through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and obedience to ordinances, specifically baptism by immersion.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on obedience to the commandments and reception of the Holy Ghost following baptism.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text contradicts Sola Fide by explicitly tying salvation to obedience and ritual. Noah preaches that men must 'believe and repent of your sins, and be baptized... and if ye do not this, the floods will come.' Eternal life is explicitly said to be given 'unto all the obedient,' placing a heavy emphasis on human performance alongside faith.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Look and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands
- Worship God, for Him only shalt thou serve
- Get thou hence, Satan; deceive me not
- Call upon God in the name of mine Only Begotten
- Write these things which I shall speak
- Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it
- Have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowl of the air
- Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it
- Offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord
- Do all that thou doest in the name of the Son
- Repent and call upon God in the name of the Son for evermore
- Believe and repent of your sins
- Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God
Implicit Obligations
- Accept the necessity of the Fall as a positive step in God's plan
- Recognize Joseph Smith's authority as the restorer of these lost texts
- Discern between true divine glory and Satan's deceptive imitations
- Acknowledge human agency as a central, fiercely protected component of God's plan
Ritual Requirements
- Animal sacrifice (as a similitude of the Only Begotten)
- Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (taught by Noah)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In the story of Adam and Eve, Eve says that if they hadn't transgressed, they never would have had children or known joy. How do you reconcile that with God's command in Genesis 1 to 'multiply and replenish the earth' before the Fall ever happened?
- If the Fall was a necessary and good step for humanity to progress, why does the Apostle Paul describe it in Romans 5 as a tragedy that brought death and condemnation to all men?
- The text mentions that Noah preached baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Why do you think there is no mention of baptism or the name of Jesus in the Old Testament manuscripts we have today?
- If Satan and Jesus were both presenting plans in heaven, what makes Jesus uniquely God, rather than just a spirit brother who made better choices?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Animal Sacrifice as a Similitude
This provides a perfect bridge to discuss the Book of Hebrews. Evangelicals can agree that Old Testament sacrifices pointed forward to Christ. This can be used to pivot to Hebrews 10:10-14, showing that Christ's sacrifice was 'once for all' and sufficient, eliminating the need for ongoing temple rituals or works-based righteousness.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By teaching that the Bible has been corrupted and stripped of vital truths, the adherent is stripped of the objective anchor of historical Scripture. They must rely entirely on the subjective feelings of the 'burning in the bosom' and the absolute authority of modern leaders, creating anxiety about whether they are truly following God or just men.
Teaching that God gave conflicting commandments (multiply vs. don't eat) and that breaking a commandment was a righteous necessity creates deep moral confusion. It subtly teaches that the ends justify the means and that God's laws are sometimes meant to be broken for a 'higher good,' destabilizing a believer's understanding of absolute truth and God's holy character.
By retrojecting ordinances like baptism to the very beginning of time and stating eternal life is for 'the obedient,' the text reinforces that salvation is a cooperative effort requiring continuous human performance, denying the rest found in the finished work of Christ.