The Bible is God speaking to man, making His will known. The best demonstration of this fact comes in the introduction to the 10 commandments, where the Bible says,

And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Exodus 20:1-2)

The moral authority of the Decalogue grows out of the claim that “I am the LORD thy God.” Everything that follows – “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,” “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain,” “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy,” “Honour thy father and thy mother,” “Thou shalt not kill,” “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” “Thou shalt not steal,” “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” “Thou shalt not covet,” are all binding on the conscience because “the LORD thy God” commanded them.

The Bible’s moral authority is always clear and expressed. The prophets declare it repeatedly: “Thus saith the Lord,” appears in 413 verses of the Old Testament (348 times in the prophets). Prophets didn’t draw moral authority from a vision they had. They declared the Word of God. Everywhere in Scripture, this moral authority is proclaimed as central to the authority of Scripture. The men of the Bible don’t attempt to bind the conscience with their own experiences of visions. They boldly declared the words of God.

From start to finish, God’s presence and glory are the Bible’s central focus. The book of Revelation (which is “the revelation of Jesus Christ”) ends with praise for God. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:21). The opening lines of Scripture – “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” – make it abundantly clear that the Bible isn’t a book about men, it is a book about God. The Bible isn’t the word of men; it is the word of God. All the writings of Scripture are God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). Though the Bible tells the stories of many famous men and heroes of the faith like Noah and Abraham and David and Isaiah and Daniel, yet the Bible isn’t about those men. Their stories tell us about God. When we read their stories, we learn what God did.

God’s claims on man are proclaimed repeatedly in every book of the Bible. God sets forth His authority as the moral foundation of all of Scripture. Satan challenged that authority: “Hath God said.” Adam and Eve sinned against that authority. Noah prepared an ark to the saving of his house at that authority. Abraham was called by God. David was anointed by God. Jesus Himself was sent by God, anointed by God, and saved the world through His perfect obedience to His Father.

Jesus came to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37); He is the truth (John 14:6); His Word is truth (John 17:17); His truth sets us free (John 8:32). Jesus declares God to us and is the clearest expression of God.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9)

God’s holy law is a beautiful thing, a glorious thing. The Psalmist carries us into raptures of glory in his descriptions of it.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. (Psalm 119:97)

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11)

The holiness of God is the central feature of the Bible. All that is good in the world springs out of God as the fountainhead, and He is altogether lovely and good and gracious.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. (Psalm 145:17)

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah. (Psalm 50:6)

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. (Psalm 89:14)

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Any honest comparison between the Bible and the Book of Mormon will demonstrate that the Book of Mormon doesn’t have the same focus. The Genesis of the Book of Mormon – the story of Lehi and his family as narrated by Nephi – makes this abundantly clear. The Book of Mormon is a book about men, about Nephi and Lehi and Laman and their descendants. God is peripheral to the story. He shows up with visions from time to time, but the meat of the story has to do with the men who had the vision and the men who opposed those visionary men.

Consider Nephi’s introduction to the entire Book of Mormon, as recorded in I Nephi 1:1-3. In that introduction, Nephi speaks of himself primarily (he uses the 1^st person pronoun 16 times in the first 3 verses and never mentions God).

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days. Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

Nephi insists that his record is true and that he makes it “according to my knowledge” (v. 3). In the Bible, God initiates any kind of meeting with men (consider Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3, for example). But in the case of Lehi, God doesn’t initiate anything. Nephi relates how Lehi prayed down a pillar of fire and a vision that eventually led to him seeing a book (vv. 5-11). God doesn’t speak at all in the chapter, but Nephi relates the words Lehi read in the book and the things Lehi said in response.

When God finally speaks in chapter 2, Nephi relates Lehi’s third-hand account of God’s message. God doesn’t speak directly. And most of what God says is praise for Lehi.

For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life. (I Nephi 2:1)

Nor is this praise of Lehi particularly true. A few verses later (2:7), Lehi builds an altar and offers a sacrifice to the Lord. God insisted that the Tabernacle of Moses was the exclusive place for worship until that Tabernacle was replaced by Solomon’s temple (see Deuteronomy 12:1-14 and Leviticus 17:2-6). Given that Lehi built this altar in the wilderness by the Red Sea around 600 B.C., long after Solomon’s Temple was established, this was an act of blatant disobedience to the Lord he claimed to worship. From the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Lehi leads his sons to disregard God’s word. Jeremiah forbade the people from leaving Jerusalem and fleeing to Egypt during this same time  (Jeremiah 42:19-20), and Lehi claims that God gave him an exclusive vision to the contrary. Lehi doesn’t at all live up to Nephi’s claim.

Nephi’s brothers, the sons of Lehi, are praised or censured based on their willingness to take Lehi’s word for things. When they reject Lehi’s visions or resist making dramatic life changes based on Lehi’s claim to have had a vision, they are painted as the villains in the story. For instance, I Nephi 2:11 says

Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.

And I Nephi 7:6-7 tells us,

And it came to pass that as we journeyed in the wilderness, behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us; yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and his wife, and his three other daughters. And it came to pass in the which rebellion, they were desirous to return unto the land of Jerusalem.

And in perhaps the most glaring example of this imposed requirement that Laman and Lemuel embrace every claim their father has to a vision, I Nephi 8 records a vision Lehi had about these two “wayward” sons, who fall further into his displeasure because, in his vision, they refused to eat the fruit he dreamed about.

And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them. And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.

And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father. And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord. And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them. (I Nephi 8:17-18, 25-37)

In what might be one of the most telling examples of disregard for God’s law recorded in the Book of Mormon, Nephi leads his brothers to return to Jerusalem to demand that Laban give them the plates of brass with the family records. This story illustrates the blatant disregard for God’s law that is excused by claims of a vision. When Laban refuses to surrender the plates of brass, I Nephi 4 tells us,

And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine. And when I came to him I found that it was Laban. And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel. And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him. And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property. And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands; Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief. And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass. And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments. Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

So, we are to believe that “righteous” Nephi was commanded to kill a man while that man is fallen down drunk and totally incapacitated – an act of cowardice and murder – because “the Spirit” told him to do that. This is what I mean in saying that the Book of Mormon has a different moral authority. Not surprisingly, adherents to Mormonism, such as Ron and Dan Lafferty, have followed Nephi’s example.

The Book of Mormon consistently claims to bind the conscience based on a private “revelation” of some sort. We find many examples of the insistence that visions and revelations must come from God, that the righteous are the ones who receive such visions, and that others in their realm of influence are morally bound to believe the ones who claim to have had visions. 2 Nephi 5 provides us with a related example to what we see in I Nephi –an extension really of Lehi’s earlier claims.

Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family, and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go with me. And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words.

And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their ruler and their teacher. Wherefore, I had been their ruler and their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until the time they sought to take away my life. Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And behold, they were cut off from his presence. And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities. And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it, and it was done. And because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey. (2 Nephi 5: 6, 19-24)

The curse here, which is black skin, is given because the Lamanites refuse to believe Nephi’s vision. Visions in the Book of Mormon are all the rage, and those who have them, apparently, have a moral claim on everyone else. In fact, it seems that quite a few things that we are bound to believe are confirmed through visions and revelations. This would include even faith in Jesus Christ, which is not argued at all on the matchless worth or glory of Jesus Christ but on a personal revelation of His truth.

And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness. (2 Nephi 33:10-11)

Even something as simple as right and wrong, which the Bible insists is established by God and must measure up to the standard of His holiness (e.g., Romans 7:12), is subjective in the Book of Mormon.

For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. (Moroni 7:15-16)

Clearly, the Book of Mormon itself teaches us to mediate every moral claim through visions and revelations, relying on “inner light” (Moroni 7:18-19) rather than on the perfect standard of God’s Word. This is a very different moral authority than what we find in the Bible, where God points to Himself as the authority and standard of all things. The Bible doesn’t invite us to sit in judgment of God but warns us against rejecting Him. The heavens declare His glory; He is God, and there is none else. We do not need such thin, hollow things as visions and revelations to know the truth. We need only look to Christ, “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

Let the reader understand.