Jesus’ ascension in Mormonism Hi, I’m Danny and I was an active Latter-day Saint for 60 years. I recently posted a video titled “Book of Mormon Jesus kills and destroys,” which drew critical attention from some LDS viewers. That video examined the destructive events caused by Jesus leading up to His visitation to the Nephites in the New World. In today’s video, I will continue with the Book of Mormon narrative - analyzing the repeated personal visitations of Jesus to the Nephites, shortly after His ascension from Jerusalem in Israel - into heaven. If you are an unsuspecting Latter-day Saint, you might wonder – how can that be a problem? I’m about to show it’s a huge problem and in contradiction with the Bible. Let’s first establish what the New Testament tells us about Christ’s “ascension.” We read in the Bible that after Yeshua’s resurrection, He appeared to His disciples in Jerusalem. Acts 1:3 “To whom also He shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Before He left them, Yeshua commissioned the disciples to begin spreading the news about Him to all the world. After which Yeshua ascended into heaven as recorded in Acts 1:1–11, and the angels telling the apostles in Acts 1:11 “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Then ten days after His ascension, the apostle Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost - that when Yeshua ascended into heaven, He was exalted at God’s right hand. Acts 2:33–35 “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.” Later, Peter explained in Acts 3:21 “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Christ’s ascension is recounted in Luke 24:50–52 and is also mentioned in John 3:13; 6:62; 20:17; Acts 2:34–36; and Ephesians 4:8–10. Christ has resurrected and ascended; His people are to begin the process of spreading the gospel throughout the world; and Yeshua is with the Father ruling from heaven. Speaking of Yeshua in 1 Peter 3:22 “Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” He will stay there until He returns at His Second Coming at a time for the restoration of all things. “For he must reign (in heaven) until he hath put all enemies under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25).” Of course, we know that Yeshua did appear from heaven in visions to people like Stephen in Acts 7, to Paul in Acts 9, and to John in Revelation 1. However, in none of these heavenly visions did Christ descend from heaven to earth and physically interact with those individuals. Okay, that is what the Bible has made certain about the doctrine and principle of Christ’s ascension. Now, let’s turn our focus to the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon contains at least seven references to the “ascension” of Jesus Christ. And these passages all refer to one single event that followed Christ’s resurrection. Let me recite them in part: Mosiah 15:8-9 “having gained the victory over death . . . having ascended into heaven.” Mosiah 18:2 “his resurrection and ascension into heaven.” Alma 40:22 “the resurrection of Christ and his ascension into heaven.” 3 Nephi 10:19 “soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven.” 3 Nephi 11:12 “after his ascension into heaven.” 3 Nephi 15:1 “before I ascended to my Father” Moroni 7:77 “Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sit down on the right hand of God.” It is clear, these Book of Mormon verses refer to that one-time event also known in Christianity as “the ascension” - the event of Christ departing physically from the earth in Jerusalem, rising-up, and entering into heaven. The Book of Mormon agrees with the New Testament up to that point, at least. But here is where the Book of Mormon takes a drastic turn from a proper understanding of the biblical doctrine of Christ’s ascension. The Nephite prophet Mormon, who is abridging the Book of Mormon plates – writes about the appearance of Jesus to the Nephites soon after, His “ascension.” Because 3 Nephi 10:18-19 is a key passage, I’m going to read it, “And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold I will shew unto you that the people of Nephi which were spared, and also they which had been called Lamanites, which had been spared, did have great favors shewn unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven, he did truly manifest himself unto them, shewing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter.” This initial visitation to the Nephites apparently takes place on one long day, recorded in 3 Nephi chapters 11–18. We must note the nature of these appearances. The Book of Mormon repeatedly presents Jesus as having descended from heaven to earth and physically interacting with the Nephites in various tangible ways. Jesus’ first visit is introduced with the statement that the Nephites in 3 Nephi 11:8 “saw a man descending out of heaven.” He immediately invites the multitude to feel the marks of His crucifixion in His side, hands, and feet - so that in 3 Nephi 11:14 “they did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands.” Before the visit ended in 3 Nephi 17:9-21, a couple thousand individuals took turns kissing His feet, and He blessed their children one by one. Afterward in 3 Nephi 18:36 “he touched with his hand the disciples whom he had chosen, one by one.” Then Jesus in 3 Nephi 18:38-39 “he ascended again into heaven.” The next day in 3 Nephi 19:15 “Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them.” This second visitation, runs for a period of three days as recorded in 3 Nephi 19:15–26:15. And after this second visit, Jesus again in 3 Nephi 26:15 “ascended into heaven.” These repeated appearances are not visions of Jesus in heaven like with Stephen, Paul, and John in the Bible - but literal, embodied, physical, and tangible appearances of Jesus on earth. I trust you can see that the Book of Mormon is establishing a serious contradiction with the Bible. Later, the twelve Nephite disciples are traveling through the land baptizing and ministering - when Jesus appeared and spoke to them. And then departed as recorded in 3 Nephi 27:1–28:12. Up to this point, the book of 3 Nephi claims at least three separate physical visitations of Jesus descending from heaven to earth to mingle with the Nephites – and then Jesus, ascending back to heaven again. Do you see the problem? The issue is that: Whereas the Book of Mormon says Jesus visited the Nephites personally after His ascension at least three times - the Bible states that following His official ascension from Jerusalem, Yeshua was going to remain in heaven at the right side of the Father until, as recorded in Acts 3:21 “the times of restitution of all things” at His Second Coming. And to complicate the issue even more - the gospel of Mormonism interprets Acts 3:20–21 as the “restoration” they believe was initiated with Christ’s visitation to Joseph Smith in 1820. For example, consider the following statement in its “Proclamation,” From the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, April 6, 1980, in General Conference. “We testify that this restored gospel was introduced into the world by the marvelous appearance of God the Eternal Father and his Son, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. That most glorious manifestation marked the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise of Peter, who prophesied of “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,” this in preparation for the coming of the Lord to reign personally upon the earth.” More recently, the same point was made by, President Russell M. Nelson at General Conference in April 5, 2020 “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,” – “In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible.” Then, Mormon apostle, David A. Bednar, “The Times of Restitution of All Things,” General Conference, April 2025. “I testify the visitation of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith was the initiating event in the grand “restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began.” According to Nelson and Bednar, to correct what Peter MEANT to say - was “that after a period of apostasy, and 1800 years – THEN a restoration would come.” But, at the core of both the Book of Mormon story, and the claim of the LDS restoration through Joseph Smith – there is an obvious contradiction with what we learn from the New Testament about Christ’s ascension. The LDS interpretation of Acts 3:21 is certainly wrong. The “restoration of all things” refers to God's plan to restore the universe to its original state at Christ’s Second Coming, when Yeshua will return to judge the world. Christ was not to return to the earth until then. And this exposes a direct contradiction between the Bible and the central claim of the Book of Mormon and statements of LDS Church leaders. Whereas the book of Acts teaches that Christ would remain in heaven and would not return bodily or physically to the earth until the future - the Book of Mormon presents Jesus leaving His Father’s right side to visit earth, and ascending back to His Father, at least three times in the very first year. Up and down, back and forth! Doesn’t make sense. And to make it worse - while visiting the Nephites, Jesus also said in 3 Nephi 16:1-3 “And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land (speaking of the Americas), neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister. For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them. But I have received a commandment of the Father, that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one-fold and one shepherd; therefore, I go to show myself unto them.” I have to say here, that since “sheep” are animals that were not indigenous to the Americas before the Europeans introduced them – these Nephites would have no clue, what Book of Mormon Jesus was anachronistically talking about. Then Jesus tells them in 3 Nephi 17:4 “But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them.” I wonder if this Book of Mormon Jesus also intends to cause destruction and the murder of more innocent children upon His visit to those Lost Tribes - like He did when appearing to these Nephites? How could Christ visit the New World and the Lost Tribes, if He was meant to stay in heaven after His ascension until, His final return? We must honestly ask ourselves - is the Book of Mormon presenting a different Jesus than what the Bible teaches? If so, is it safe to say that its message is anti-Jesus? That term might seem offensive to Latter-day Saints, but if the Jesus of the Book of Mormon isn’t real – and these stories of a Christ, descending and ascending are made-up fables – I think the label is appropriate. Yeshua Himself, taught in John 8:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples; indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” I want all of us to know the truth - so we can be free of deception and from false doctrines. Joseph Smith made the bold claimed that the Book of Mormon was “the most correct book on earth, and the keystone of our religion.” Ezra Taft Benson declared, “Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.” In other words, if the Book of Mormon is true – the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. But if the Book of Mormon isn’t true – the LDS Church isn’t true. You see, it ALL hinges on a book. A book replete with contradictions, plagiarisms, and anachronisms - which we will continue to examine in future videos. Thanks for watching. Find more videos like this on You Tube or at Talking to Mormons.com. God Bless!
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