There are four standards of works in Mormonism:
"By the standard works of the Church is meant the following four volumes of scripture: The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price...These four volumes of scripture are standards, the measuring rods, the gauges by which all things are judged. Since they are the will, mind, word and voice of the Lord...they are true...When the living oracles speak in the name of the Lord or as moved upon by the Holy Ghost, however, their utterances are then binding upon all who hear..." (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., pp. 764-65).
The King James Version of the Bible is considered the most accurate:
"...the King James Version is by all odds the greatest of the completed English translations...It is no wonder that the King James Version has been and remains the official version of the Church..." (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., pp. 422-23).
The Bible is full of errors:
"...acceptance of the Bible is coupled with a reservation that it is true only insofar as translated correctly...The other three, having been revealed in modern times in English, are accepted without qualification" (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., p. 764).
"As all informed persons know, the versions of the Bible do not accurately record or perfectly preserve the words, thoughts, and intents of the original inspired authors" (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., p. 383).
The sound doctrine of
sola scriptura is foolish:
"...many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible...Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible...because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written" (BOM, 2 Nephi 29:3, 6, 10).
The Four Standards of Mormonism restore many facts that were taken away from the Bible:
"BOOK OF MORMON: One of the standard works of the church that has an account of God's dealings with the people of the American continents from about 2200 [B.C.]...to 421 [A.D.]...It was translated from gold plates by Joseph Smith and contains the fulness of the gospel" (Gospel Principles, 1992, p. 375).
The only right interpretation of the Bible is in light of Mormon teaching:
"When the Bible is read under the guidance of the Spirit, and in harmony with the many latter-day revelations which interpret and make plain its more mysterious parts, it becomes one of the most priceless volumes known to man" (Mormon Doctrine, 1977 ed., p. 83).
In the next session we shall study how these doctrines of special revelation in Mormonism contradict the Holy Scriptures, for its in the Divine Word that we find the knowledge of eternal life.
