Christianity & Mormonism
Christianity and Mormonism
What Does
the Mormon Church Teach?
This is an educational religious response
From the perspective of a Biblical Christian
Paralleling the teachings of Christianity and Mormonism
From the following sources:
Mormonism 101
by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson
Baker Books Publishers, 2000, PO Box 6287,
Grand Rapids, MI, 49516-6287
The Facts on The Mormon Church
by John Ankerberg and John Weldon
Harvest House Publishers, 1991, Eugene, OR 97402
The Mormon Scrapbook
by Daniel G. Thompson
Providence Publications, 2004, PO Box 882, Kokomo, Indiana 46903-0882
Media Resources concerning Mormonism
“The Bible vs. Joseph Smith”
“The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon”
“DNA vs. The Book of Mormon”
“Lifting the Veil of Polygamy”
Some of the above DVD (or video) titles can be viewed as streaming video online at:
or ordered from:
http://sourceflix.com/ online, or mail order from:
SourceFlix Mail Order PO Box 606 Brigham City, UT 84302
“The Lost Book of Abraham”
Can be viewed as streaming video online at
http://irr.org/mit/book-of-abraham-page.html
Or order as a DVD (or video) from:
The Institute for Religious Research 1340 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
“Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith”
Order DVD or book from either online or mail at:
Good News for LDS, PO Box 1176, Tooele, UT 84074
What Does the Mormon Church Really Teach?
It is important to know what you believe!
Those who call themselves Christians must validate their faith from one Foundation – their belief in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, in the Jesus Christ of the Bible, and their holding to the definition of the Biblical Gospel, found in
1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…
Mormons are Wonderful People…with Non-Biblical Doctrine
Some of the nicest people in the world might be Mormons.
Their emphasis on good families, a desire to support our country, to be healthy contributors to the community, and to be personally successful are very commendable traits that should be healthy aspirations for any progressive individual or family of any faith. The interesting thing in Mormonism is that a primary reason for the followers of Joseph Smith to do these good works is so that they will one day earn a position of godhood (heavenly father or heavenly mother)! To “become a god” in one way or another (Genesis 3:5), is the goal of various new age or eastern mystic religions in the world, but becoming “a god” (in any definition!) is not the goal of any who truly call themselves Biblical Christians.
Mormonism is not a Christian Religion. Latter Day Saints (LDS) want others to believe that they are Christian. But Mormons actually believe that all Christian Churches are apostate and they are the only Christian religion that has not become apostate!
Joseph Smith’s “First Vision”
Joseph Smith, in a “visitation” from a “Jesus”, was forbidden to join any other church, since all were said to have become “apostate”.
“I must join none of them for they were all wrong…all their creeds were an abomination...were all corrupt.” Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith - H 1:19 ).
This led to his writing (through “divination”) the Book of Mormon and subsequent documents. He was then led to begin his own church which he supposed to be the “true church”.
The Bible and Mormonism
The Book of Mormon is a story of the supposed appearance of Jesus to the ancient American Indians. The LDS leadership officially includes the King James Version of the Bible as a part of their “Standard Works”, but, at the same time, they say it can only be true inasmuch as it is “translated correctly”. A statement by Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt, in The Bible an Insufficient Guide, 47, may give further insight on how LDS leadership may view the Bible:
“Add all this imperfection to the uncertainty of the translation, and who, in his right mind, could, for one moment, suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide? Who knows that even one verse of the whole Bible has escaped pollution, so as to convey the same sense now that it did in the original?”
After effectively discounting the validity of the Bible (through these broad, inaccurate, non-verifiable, and derogatory statements), the LDS introduced the “Restored Gospel” on which they rely. So, since the Bible is fundamentally “unreliable” to the Mormon, this leaves them only a few more recent “revelations” of their “trustworthy books” and “prophets” to teach doctrine.
The Bible and the Book of Mormon – No Comparison
If one parallels the historicity of the Bible to the Book of Mormon there is no comparison. The introduction to the Book of Mormon says that it is the “most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of our religion”. But, contrary to what it declares, the Book of Mormon is not an independently verifiable historical document. There is not one historical person, artifact or location verifiable by any archeologist (non-Mormon), of the times, places, battles and peoples spoken of in the Book of Mormon. Not one. The Bible, on the other hand, is replete with many thousands of independently verifiable archeological discoveries. There is no comparison whatsoever, historically, between the validity of the Bible and the Book of Mormon!
Mormonism has several “Standard Works” that it calls “scriptures” (…and Understanding Biblical “Translations”)
o The King James Bible (which Mormonism declares has been totally corrupted through many translations*),
o The Book of Mormon,
o The Doctrines and Covenants,
o The Pearl of Great Price.
*Mormons are not taught that with each “translation” Biblical scholars use the oldest, most reliable manuscripts in existence. Mormons instead, often say that each translation of the Bible is retranslated from a recent translation, multiplying any scribal “error”. Contrary to Mormon teaching, all faithful modern English “translations” of the Bible are derived directly from the earliest (oldest) Hebrew and Greek manuscripts, and translated to the most understandable modern English. Invite Mormons to compare modern texts of the Book of Mormon with the original Book of Mormon and they will find significant changes, even doctrinal changes!
Questions about the authenticity of the Pearl of Great Price
In the mid-1830s, when Joseph Smith purchased a papyrus from an itinerant salesman, few Egyptologists in the world could even read or understand Egyptian hieroglyphs (the Rosetta Stone was used to break the code in 1822). Joseph Smith’s supposed “translation” of “reformed Egyptian” (also the supposed language of the original Book of Mormon), led Joseph Smith to tell his followers that the papyrus he purchased contained a lost “Book of Abraham”. The “translated” Book of Abraham was subsequently published as part of Mormon scripture in “The Pearl of Great Price”. Mormon, non-Christian doctrines are also established because of this dubious “revelation”.
Sources are available to review these discrepancies. Streaming video of, “The Lost Book of Abraham,” can be viewed online at http://irr.org/mit/book-of-abraham-page.html. Others can be viewed at http://sourceflix.com/ or purchased in video or DVD format from addresses noted previously.
Biblical Response to Non-Biblical “Revelation”
Hear what the Bible says about “revelations” that counter the Biblical Record – even if they are given by an angel from heaven:
Galatians 1:8, 9
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Mormonism then, is a religion that gives token respect to the Bible, but draws little from sound Biblical doctrine, instead replacing it with Mormon teaching which can be found primarily within the Book of Mormon, the “Doctrine and Covenants” and “the Pearl of Great Price”, with other authorized Mormon literature and the continuing “revelation” of Mormon leaders.
The following is an interesting dialogue between a Mormon and a Christian taken from The Mormon Scrapbook.
o Mormon: “What religion do you belong to?”
• Christian: “I am a Christian. What are you?”
o Mormon: “I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints, and we’re Christians too.”
• Christian: “Why do you think the LDS Church is Christian?”
o Mormon: “Because we believe in Jesus. His name is even in the title of our church.”
• Christian: “May I ask you a question? I don’t believe that the Book of Mormon is inspired scripture, nor do I believe that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. Would it be honest for me to tell people that I am a Mormon?”
o Mormon: “Of course not!”
• Christian: “Why not?”
o Mormon: “Because you don’t believe what we believe!”
• Christian: “That is why you shouldn’t call Mormonism a Christian religion. Your church doesn’t agree with any of the fundamental doctrines that Biblical Christianity has held since the time of Christ!”
****
Mormons do not think they are far apart from Christianity…
Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie said in Mormon doctrine, 513:
“Mormonism is Christianity; Christianity is Mormonism; they are one and the same, and they are not to be distinguished from each other in the minutest detail…Mormons are true Christians; their worship is the pure, unadulterated Christianity authored by Christ and accepted by Peter, James, and John and all the ancient saints.”
This statement from Apostle McConkie can only be accepted by Mormon devotees, because actually there are huge, irreconcilable differences between Mormon doctrine and Biblical Christianity.
Biblical Christians must know what the Bible teaches!
What Does Mormonism Teach?
Review the following parallel of the doctrines taught and determine for yourself if Mormonism is the same as Christianity! The Latter Day Saints might use the same terms as Bible Believing Christians, but the definitions of those terms are totally different from Biblical Truth.
Let it be said very clearly: you must understand what the Bible teaches on the basic doctrines of Christianity. Mormons assert that they too believe the following doctrines such as: “Salvation, Redemption, the Gospel, Grace, God, Eternal Life, Heaven, Hell, the Godhead, Creation, the Fall, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, etc., etc.”, but LDS definitions of these terms are not the same as Biblical Christians. They are totally different, as you will continue to see throughout this booklet!
For instance, the Bible teaches that we are “saved by grace, through faith…not by works….”
Ephesians 2:8, 9 in the Bible specifically says…
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The Mormons define “grace” totally differently through their scripture.
In 2 Nephi 25:23 the emphasis of the definition of “Grace” is changed to read:
“…for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do….”
Moroni 10:32 “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him…if you shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might mind and strength then is his grace is sufficient for you.”
The LDS also holds to doctrines in addition to similar sounding Biblical doctrines (with non-similar definitions), some of these Mormon teaching topics, which are foreign to Christianity.
Other Doctrines Distinctive to the Mormon Gospel
o The Law of Eternal Progression
o Celestial Marriage – for time and eternity
o Exaltation
o Baptism for the dead
o Celestial Kingdom
o Endowments
o Differences between the Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit (Spirit of the Lord)
o Eternal Families
o Plural Marriage (not currently condoned by mainstream Mormons but practiced by early Mormons and now by splinter groups – doctrine consistent with celestial marriage)
o Preexistence of Spirits
o Priesthood
o Sons of Perdition
Bible Believing Christians must continue to remember and hold to the instruction given to us by Paul in Galatians:
Galatians 1:8, 9
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Examining the LDS Concept of God
“As man is, God once was, as God is, man may become” – This is a well-known LDS couplet explaining who the Mormon god is.
(God was once a man, so the LDS say, and men too, if they work hard enough, may become a god like Him – creating, populating and governing their own “planet or earth”.)
“How many Gods there are, I do not know. But there never was a time when there were not Gods and worlds, and when men were not passing through the same ordeals that we are passing through. That course has been from all eternity, and it is and will be to all eternity.” – Brigham Young, in Watt, ed., Journal of Discourses, 7:333
• The God of Christianity
(Jehovah/Elohim)
o The god(s) of the Mormons
(Elohim)
-
• = Biblical Christianity
o = Mormonism
• God is the First Cause (Creator) of all things
o Was not the first god and created only this earth not everything
• God is a Trinity/ Monotheistic
o Many gods/polytheistic
• God created the world ex nihilo (out of nothing)
o Organized already-created matter in the creation of the world
• God is Spirit (Immaterial)
o Material (physical)
• God is Infinite
o Finite
• God is omnipresent – is fully present everywhere
o Cannot be in more than one place at once
• God is Sovereign
o Dependent on previous gods
• God is Eternally Holy
o Required salvation, and attained perfection
The Same Name, but Not the Same Jesus
On January 1, 2000, the LDS Church News published a declaration signed by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that testified to their belief in “The Living Christ.” The one-page statement mentioned how Jesus was “the Only Begotten Son in the flesh,” “the Redeemer of the world,” and “the immortal Son of God.” While on the surface the declaration sounded very orthodox, it conspicuously failed to specifically state what the LDS leaders meant by these terms.
Mormon leaders have questioned the Jesus of Christianity…
“And virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ” – Apostle Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 269
Christians unashamedly worship The Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how Mormons may view Him, because the Risen Jesus Christ of Christianity is certainly not the same Jesus as is found in Mormonism.
Jesus is but one of many “saviors” in many “worlds” according to Mormon doctrine.
“Consequently every earth has its redeemer, and every earth has its tempter; and every earth, and the people thereof, in their turn and time, receive all that we receive, and pass through all the ordeals that we are passing through.” - Brigham Young, in Watt, ed., Journal of Discourses, 14:71-72
From the following definitions of “Jesus”
would you say they are
the same spiritual being?
• Concerning the Jesus of Christianity
o Concerning the Jesus of Mormonism
-
• = Biblical Christianity
o = Mormonism
• Born of the virgin Mary by being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit
o Born of a (physical) sexual relationship between “God the Father” and Mary
• God in the flesh
o “Elder brother” of the human race
• Eternal God
o A Created Being
• Jesus created all the angels, including Lucifer; therefore, He cannot be Lucifer’s brother.
o Jesus and Lucifer are brothers
• He has been eternally perfect
o Reached perfection (to become a “god”) at some particular point in time
• He is unique, the Second Person of the One Godhead, Creator of the world, the Sole Provider of Redemption for those who believe
o One of many gods
• Unmarried
o Polygamist (in early Mormon teaching)
• As Eternal God, Jesus never required salvation or so-called ”exaltation”
o Achieved exaltation
The Mormon “Jesus” is different from the Biblical Jesus.
Mormons teach non-Biblical Preexistence and non-Biblical Afterlife
Preexistence
Mormon theology explains the non-Biblical doctrine that all human beings lived prior to this life in what is called the “preexistence” – a time when they believe all mankind were spirit children of heavenly parents prior to an earthly existence.
Life after Death
Mormon doctrine also teaches a non-Biblical afterlife:
• Afterlife, from a Christian Viewpoint
o Afterlife, from a Mormon Viewpoint
-
• = Biblical Christianity
o = Mormonism
• Our full payment for sin is through the atonement of the blood of Christ, by God’s Grace through faith alone
o After death, a person may “suffer” for their sins for a time in a “spirit prison” or temporary hell. - Mormon Doctrine, pg 349
• Eternal heaven or hell
o Three kingdoms – degrees of glory
• Redemption through Jesus Christ is not universal, but individual, personal
o Almost Universal - most people (except the “Sons of Perdition”) eventually go to one of the three “kingdoms”
• Eternal salvation is for those who are Redeemed by Christ “by Grace alone”, through faith – not by “righteous works”
o Exaltation comes after enduring in faithfulness, keeping all the “Lord’s commandments” until the end of one’s life on earth.
Salvation
In Biblical Christianity, Salvation is obtained only through the Blood Atonement and Redemptive, Sacrificial Death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, received by Grace through faith.
In Mormonism, salvation is twofold: General Salvation is “Resurrection”- which comes to all men, by “grace”, irrespective of their belief; and Individual Salvation – that which man merits through his own acts throughout life and by obedience to the “laws and ordinances of the gospel” – Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, Joseph F. Smith, pp 133-134.
• Salvation as Defined by Christianity
o Salvation as Defined by Mormonism
-
• = Biblical Christianity
o = Mormonism
• Salvation is by God’s Grace alone, through faith in Christ’s atone-ment – not by works
o By “grace”, but including works of righteousness and personal merit
• Affirms Atonement by Jesus Christ alone through His Redemp-tive, Sacrificial Death on the Cross, not before
o Denies Biblical Atonement, says it may be primarily completed before the cross, in the Garden of Gethsemane
• Salvation impossible after Death
o Salvation possible after Death
• Baptism follows Salvation as an act of obedience
o Baptism by official in the Mormon church necessary for salvation
• Salvation is totally dependent on Christ’s Redemptive Blood, by grace through faith
o Salvation is not complete unless the person demonstrates total obedience
What Must One Do to Be Biblically “Saved”?
The following is a specific example of the Apostle Paul’s response to the Philippian Jailer’s question of “salvation” in Acts 16:30-34. Baptism then, consistently follows belief, but is not part of salvation (the believing thief on the cross was not baptized).
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” [Philippian Jailer] 31 And they [Paul and Silas] said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
See also John 3:14-18; 5:24
John 17:3
3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Specific Ordinances must be received to be “exalted” in Mormon Doctrine
o One must be baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church of Jesus Christ.
o One must receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Mormon “Holy Ghost”.
o One must receive the temple endowment.
o One must be married for time and eternity.
In Addition to receiving the required ordinances there are numerous various commands to be followed by LDS members to evidence total obedience as prerequisites for “exaltation”.
Also included in that list Mormons must:
o Pay honest tithes and offerings
o Obey the Word of Wisdom (no coffee, tea, etc.)
o Search for their kindred dead and perform the saving ordinances of the gospel for them.
o Etc.
It is interesting that the Book of Mormon itself does not mention many of these requirements at all in its pages. Neither does it mention temple endowments, marriage for time and eternity, paying tithes, the Word of Wisdom, or baptism for the dead as prerequisites for exaltation. Since this is the case, how can it honestly be said that “the Lord’s requirements for salvation” are found completely within its pages?
Other Important LDS teachings not mentioned
in the Book of Mormon,
but accepted as church doctrine
o The Mormon Church organization, and emphasis given to it by its leaders
o The “three degrees of glory”
o The so-called order of the “Melchizedek Priesthood”
o The so-called order of the “Aaronic Priesthood”
o The plurality of gods
o That God is an exalted man
o That people may become gods
o “Preexistence”
o The plurality of wives
o A “Heavenly Mother”
o “Eternal progression”
o A “temporary hell”
A Brief Summary of the Beliefs of Mormonism
The goal of every devout LDS couple is to become a god and goddess exactly like their Heavenly Father and Mother (an LDS doctrine called exaltation). An essential step is to be married for time and eternity in an LDS temple. Achieving godhood involves obeying all the Mormon laws on earth, and also continuous work in the afterlife until, at some unknown point in eternity, the LDS couple will have finally earned the right to rule their own world. Every worthy LDS man will then become a god with many celestial wives populating his world. Children of his world will then one day worship and pray to him.
Spiritual Elements in Christianity and Mormonism
As in any religion, the spiritual dynamic is a key component of Mormonism, without which Mormonism would not exist.
The very nature of “spiritual life” demands a supernatural, “spiritual force” behind the beliefs, doctrines and authority of any religion. Every religion in the world has this or it would not be a religion!
In Christianity, the power and authority of the Redemption from sin that Jesus Christ (God the Son) purchased for us on the Cross, is Spiritual. The power and authority of Christ’s resurrection over death (giving us the hope of resurrection), is Spiritual. And, the power and authority of regeneration given to the believer in Christ so he or she can be “born again into God’s Family” through the power of the Holy Spirit, is Spiritual. These are key components of Biblical faith, all begun and initiated in the life of the one who “Believes”, with saving faith, in Jesus Christ! These are “spiritual works” through “spiritual power” from God Himself.
Other religions of the world are also given strength and resource from other spiritual powers which are in the world. This includes the spiritual dynamics seen in Mormonism.
We can seek to logically show discrepancies in the Book of Mormon and/or other Mormon teachings, but this may or may not cause one to disbelieve in the fallacies of Mormonism. The primary cause holding a person to the belief and teachings of Mormonism is spiritual. This can only be changed by the Power of the Spirit of the Living God and the breaking of the authority of the other gods of this world.
“Spiritual Acts” reveal the spiritual nature of Mormonism
o Joseph Smith was directed to translate the Book of Mormon by spirit beings which taught “spiritual” doctrine, on which the Mormon Church is based. These spirit beings have channeled their doctrine through Joseph Smith and the other Mormon leadership to the rest of the world to this day.
o To become a Mormon one is told to seek a “burning in the bosom” – a personal “spiritual” confirmation.
o To be a Mormon one must be baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church of Jesus Christ – a “spiritual” act of submission to the authority of that “faith” (and spirit).
o To be a Mormon one must receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the “spirit” – another act whereby one chooses to receive the spirit of Mormonism.
The Bible warns us to not believe every spirit that presents itself! It also encourages us to “know the truth and it will set us free”.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Galatians 1:8, 9
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
John 8:31, 32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
May each of us be noble like those in Berea, seen in Acts 17:11, who received God’s word with all eagerness, examining the Biblical Scriptures daily to see if these things were true.
“Examine everything carefully;
hold fast to that which is good!”
1 Thessalonians 5:21
Dialogue with a Mormon…
Mormon: “What religion do you belong to?”
Christian: “I am a Christian. What are you?”
Mormon: “I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints, and we’re Christians too.”
Christian: “Why do you think the LDS Church is Christian?”
Mormon: “Because we believe in Jesus. His name is even in the title of our church.”
Christian: “May I ask you a question? I don’t believe that the Book of Mormon is inspired scripture, nor do I believe that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. Would it be honest for me to tell people that I am a Mormon?”
Mormon: “Of course not!”
Christian: “Why not?”
Mormon: “Because you don’t believe what we believe!”
Christian: “That is why you shouldn’t call Mormonism a Christian religion. Your church doesn’t agree with any of the fundamental doctrines that Biblical Christianity has held since the time of Christ!”
