I posted this to my Facebook page today:
TL;DR: How bad does the world need to get before people will start investigating the Book of Mormon? (This might offend some people. Hopefully, you’re not one of them. ;) )
The long-winded version:
At the end of February, I decided to make March my "Invitation to Read the Book of Mormon" month. I planned on posting either a verse or a few verses each day. This came after a conversation I had with someone who insisted that, because it was extra-Biblical, the Book of Mormon could not possibly be of God.
I've had more than a few conversations like this, and it always leaves me scratching my head. Surely these people find "good" things outside the covers of the Bible, and anything that is "good" is of God, is it not? We should seek after and think on these things, should we not? (Phillipians 4:8-9)
In those conversations, people will say that they refuse to read the Book of Mormon because it contradicts the Bible––a debatable claim, in my opinion. When I question them further, what I find is that they hold opinions about the Book of Mormon that come from what they have heard about the beliefs of the LDS church. The two are not necessarily the same. Even though it publishes the Book of Mormon, the LDS church's teachings don't always align with what is in the Book of Mormon, and people who might find the Book of Mormon's teachings to be of God should not assume that that would mean becoming a member of the LDS church. This should be obvious to any Protestant. The Reformation was based on the idea that, even though the Bible came through the Catholic church, the public teachings of the Catholic church stood at odds with what was found in the Bible. Protestants were able to separate themselves from the organization specifically because they believed the teachings of the Bible.
I have a strong conviction that any seeming contradictions between the Bible and the Book of Mormon arise from the misunderstandings and misinterpretations of men, which shouldn't be surprising since there are a number of things, in the Bible alone, many Christian denominations can't seem to agree upon.
People will say that the Book of Mormon adds to the word of God. Maybe, but given that Christian denominations can't seem to agree on some things, you would think that they would be more grateful for something that might provide additional understanding and clarification to what they have already. Supposing, for just a moment, that the Book of Mormon is of God, why would you deny, from Him, that gift to you?
For the last seven days, I've posted scriptures from the Book of Mormon that confirm and corroborate the teachings of the Bible, and I will continue to do that through the end of March, but there are more within the Book of Mormon's pages than can be posted daily for a month. If the verses I quote ring true to you, I invite you read the Book of Mormon and to think on it as you do so. If you read it with the same earnestness and sincerity you do when you read the Bible––asking God, all the while, if it is something that is meant to draw you closer to Him––I testify that it will. It is meant to do just that. It testifies of Christ. It informs the humble followers of Christ of the love God has for them and of the promises that He has made to them and that He has every intention of keeping.