Mormonism

[Chad]

What does Mormonism teach?


The doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are very interesting. Most of the 'odd' ones are not initially taught to potential converts. But they should be. Instead, "they are revealed later as one matures and gains the ability to accept them." The LDS Church tries to make its official doctrines appear Christian but what underlies those Christian sounding terms is far from Christian in meaning.

Following are the teachings of its officials throughout the years. Please note that these teachings are documented from Mormon writers, not anti-Mormon writers.

Finally, many Mormons respond that most of the the citations below are not from official Mormon writings, as if that disproves the doctrines they teach. If they are not official, fine. But, if not, then why have the Mormon apostles and high officials taught them, written them, and why are their books sold in Mormon bookstores? The truth is, the following is what Mormons are taught.

Atonement

1. "Jesus paid for all our sins when He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane," (Laurel Rohlfing, “Sharing Time: The Atonement,” Friend, Mar. 1989, 39.)
2. "We accept Christ's atonement by repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obeying all of the commandments," (Gospel Principles, Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979, pg. 68.)

Baptism

1. Baptism for the dead, (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. II, p. 141.) This is a practice of baptizing each other in place of non-Mormons who are now dead. Their belief is that in the afterlife, the "newly baptized" person will be able to enter into a higher level of Mormon heaven.

Bible

1. "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. . ." 8th Article of Faith of the Mormon Church.
2. "Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God." (1 Nephi 13:28).

Book of Mormon

1. The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, 4:461.)

Devil, the

1. The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus "in the morning of pre-existence," (Mormon Doctrine, page 192.)
2. Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163.)
3. A plan of salvation was needed for the people of earth so Jesus offered a plan to the Father and Satan offered a plan to the father but Jesus' plan was accepted. In effect the Devil wanted to be the Savior of all Mankind and to "deny men their agency and to dethrone god." (Mormon Doctrine, page 193; Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, page 8.)

God

1. God used to be a man on another planet, Mormon Doctrine, p. 321. Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, Vol 5, pp. 613-614; Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, Vol 2, p. 345, Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 333.)
2. "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s..." (D&C 130:22).
3. God is in the form of a man, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 3.)
4. "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!!! . . . We have imagined that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you may see" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345
5. God the Father had a Father, (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 476; Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 19; Milton Hunter, First Council of the Seventy, Gospel through the Ages, p. 104-105.)
6. God resides near a star called Kolob, (Pearl of Great Price, pages 34-35; Mormon Doctrine, p. 428.)
7. God had sexual relations with Mary to make the body of Jesus, (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, p. 218, 1857; vol. 8, p. 115.) - This one is disputed among many Mormons and not always 'officially' taught and believed. Nevertheless, Young, the 2nd prophet of the Mormon church taught it.
8. "Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body . . . of flesh and bones." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 38).

God, becoming a god

1. After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 345-347, 354.)
2. "Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them," (DC 132:20).

God, many gods

1. There are many gods, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163.)
2. "And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light: and there was light (Book of Abraham 4:3)

God, mother goddess

1. There is a mother god, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 443.)
2. God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children, (Mormon Doctrine p. 516.)

God, Trinity

1. The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35.)

Gospel, the

1. The true gospel was lost from the earth. Mormonism is its restoration, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 182-185.)
2. Consists of laws and ordinances: "As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements -- 'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.'" (Articles of Faith p. 79)

Heaven

1. There are three levels of heaven: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, Mormon Doctrine, p. 348.

Holy Ghost, the

1. The Holy Ghost is a male personage, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, (Le Grand Richards, Salt Lake City, 1956, page 118; Journal of Discources, Vol. 5, page 179.)

1. Jesus
   1. The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus, (Mormon Doctrine, page 129.)
   2. Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163; Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15.)
   3. Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 247, 1856.)
   4. "Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body . . . of flesh and bones." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 38).
   5. "The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood - was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8: p. 115).
   6. "Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers" (Mormon Doctrine," by Bruce McConkie, p. 547).
   7. "Christ Not Begotten of Holy Ghost ...Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was God!" (Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph Fielding Smith, 1954, 1:18).
   8. "Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh ..." (First Presidency and Council of the Twelve, 1916, God the Father, compiled by Gordon Allred, pg. 150).

Joseph Smith

1. If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation [the context is the full gospel including exaltation to Godhood] outside the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 670.)

Pre-existence

1. We were first begotten as spirit children in heaven and then born naturally on earth, (Journal of Discourse, Vol. 4, p. 218.)
2. The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus, (Mormon Doctrine, page 129.)
3. The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus "in the morning of pre-existence," (Mormon Doctrine, page 192.)

Prophets

1. We need prophets today, the same as in the Old Testament, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 444-445.)

Salvation

1. "One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation." (Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206.)
2. A plan of salvation was needed for the people of earth so Jesus offered a plan to the Father and Satan offered a plan to the father but Jesus' plan was accepted. In effect the Devil wanted to be the Savior of all Mankind and to "deny men their agency and to dethrone god." (Mormon Doctrine, page 193; Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, page 8.)
3. Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 247, 1856.)
4. Good works are necessary for salvation, Articles of Faith, p. 92.)
5. There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, p. 188.)
6. "The first effect [of the atonement] is to secure to all mankind alike, exemption from the penalty of the fall, thus providing a plan of General Salvation. The second effect is to open a way for Individual Salvation whereby mankind may secure remission of personal sins (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 78-79.)
7. "As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements -- 'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.'" (Articles of Faith p. 79).
8. "This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts" (LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697).
9. "We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do," (2 Nephi 25:23).

Trinity, the

1. The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35.)
2. "Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God. I say that is a strange God [anyhow]--three in one and one in three. . .It is curious organization… All are crammed into one God according to sectarianism (Christian faith). It would make the biggest God in all the world. He would be a wonderfully big God--he would be a giant or a monster." (Joseph Smith, Teachings, 372).

Some Mormons may disagree with a few of the points listed on this page, but all of what is stated here is from Mormon authors in good standing of the Mormon church.

 

[4Given]

My sis in law dated a morman one time.They have some strange beleifs for sure!Thanks the Lord she broke up with him.God Bless

 

[B-A-C]

Priests

I have often wondered about Priests.

I know some "religions" like Mormons and the Roman Catholic church still have Priests. But I often wonder why.

There seem to be a LOT of things wrong with this.
1. All the priests were supposed to be Levites of the lineage of Aaron.
(Exod 2:1-10) (Exod 4:14)

There were two exceptions to this rule. One was a guy named Melchizedek (more about him later) and of course Jesus, who is our high priest now. Both of these guys were from the line of Judah, which is traditionally the line of the Kings (David, Solomon, etc..)

God appointed Aaron to be his priest (Exod 28:3)
and his sons (Exod 28:41, 29:28)

The purpose of priests are to give offerings (sacrifice's) for sin.
Only a priest can do this, and we've already established they had to be from the line of Aaron/Levi)
Lev 1:1-12, 2:8, 3:11, 3:16, Hebr 8:3, etc...

Eleazer, Phinehas, etc.. carried on he priestood from Aaron (his son and grandson) Num 25:11, Num 3:32, 4:16

Only the priests could make atonement for your sins.
Lev 5:6, 6:7, 16:32-33, etc...)

...and this was supposed to carry on through the generations...
Exod 28:43, 40:15,.

However this wasn't really a perfect plan.
Because the priests weren't perfect.
Sometimes priests had to make offerings for themselves.
(Lev 4:2-10)

and obviously, because they sinned, they didn't live forever (the wages of sin is death... hmm.. could that be why Jesus didn't "stay dead?")
So new covenant was needed.

Heb 7:1 Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Highest God. He met Abraham, who was returning from "the royal massacre," and gave him his blessing.
Heb 7:2 Abraham in turn gave him a tenth of the spoils. "Melchizedek" means "King of Righteousness." "Salem" means "Peace." So, he is also "King of Peace."
Heb 7:3 Melchizedek towers out of the past--without record of family ties, no account of beginning or end. In this way he is like the Son of God, one huge priestly presence dominating the landscape always.
Heb 7:4 You realize just how great Melchizedek is when you see that Father Abraham gave him a tenth of the captured treasure.
Heb 7:5 Priests descended from Levi are commanded by law to collect tithes from the people, even though they are all more or less equals, priests and people, having a common father in Abraham.
Heb 7:6 But this man, a complete outsider, collected tithes from Abraham and blessed him, the one to whom the promises had been given.
Heb 7:7 In acts of blessing, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
Heb 7:8 Or look at it this way: We pay our tithes to priests who die, but Abraham paid tithes to a priest who, the Scripture says, "lives."
Heb 7:9 Ultimately you could even say that since Levi descended from Abraham, who paid tithes to Melchizedek,
Heb 7:10 when we pay tithes to the priestly tribe of Levi they end up with Melchizedek.
Heb 7:11 If the priesthood of Levi and Aaron, which provided the framework for the giving of the law, could really make people perfect, there wouldn't have been need for a new priesthood like that of Melchizedek.
Heb 7:12 But since it didn't get the job done, there was a change of priesthood, which brought with it a radical new kind of law.
Heb 7:13 There is no way of understanding this in terms of the old Levitical priesthood,
Heb 7:14 which is why there is nothing in Jesus' family tree connecting him with that priestly line.
Heb 7:15 But the Melchizedek story provides a perfect analogy: Jesus, a priest like Melchizedek,
Heb 7:16 not by genealogical descent but by the sheer force of resurrection life--he lives!--
Heb 7:17 "priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek."

Heb 7:20 The old priesthood of Aaron perpetuated itself automatically, father to son, without explicit confirmation by God.
Heb 7:21 But then God intervened and called this new, permanent priesthood into being with an added promise: God gave his word; he won't take it back: "You're the permanent priest."
Heb 7:22 This makes Jesus the guarantee of a far better way between us and God--one that really works! A new covenant.
Heb 7:23 Earlier there were a lot of priests, for they died and had to be replaced.
Heb 7:24 But Jesus' priesthood is permanent. He's there from now to eternity
Heb 7:25 to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them.
Heb 7:26 So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with authority extending as high as God's presence in heaven itself.
Heb 7:27 Unlike the other high priests, he doesn't have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins. He's done it, once and for all: offered up himself as the sacrifice.
Heb 7:28 The law appoints as high priests men who are never able to get the job done right. But this intervening command of God, which came later, appoints the Son, who is absolutely, eternally perfect.

Heb 8:3 The assigned task of a high priest is to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and it's no different with the priesthood of Jesus.

Heb 8:12 They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean.
Heb 8:13 By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it stays, gathering dust.

If all of this is true, and...
Heb 8:6 But Jesus' priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he's working from a far better plan.
Heb 8:7 If the first plan--the old covenant--had worked out, a second wouldn't have been needed.

Heb 9:7 Only the high priest entered the smaller, inside tent, and then only once a year, offering a blood sacrifice for his own sins and the people's accumulated sins.
Heb 9:8 This was the Holy Spirit's way of showing with a visible parable that as long as the large tent stands, people can't just walk in on God.
Heb 9:9 Under this system, the gifts and sacrifices can't really get to the heart of the matter, can't assuage the conscience of the people,
Heb 9:10 but are limited to matters of ritual and behavior. It's essentially a temporary arrangement until a complete overhaul could be made.
Heb 9:11 But when the Messiah arrived, high priest of the superior things of this new covenant, he bypassed the old tent and its trappings in this created world and went straight into heaven's "tent"--the true Holy Place--once and for all.
Heb 9:12 He also bypassed the sacrifices consisting of goat and calf blood, instead using his own blood as the price to set us free once and for all.
Heb 9:13 If that animal blood and the other rituals of purification were effective in cleaning up certain matters of our religion and behavior,
Heb 9:14 think how much more the blood of Christ cleans up our whole lives, inside and out.
Heb 9:15 Through the Spirit, Christ offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God.
Heb 9:16 Like a will that takes effect when someone dies, the new covenant was put into action at Jesus' death. His death marked the transition from the old plan to the new one, canceling the old obligations and accompanying sins, and summoning the heirs to receive the eternal inheritance that was promised them. He brought together God and his people in this new way.
Heb 9:18 Even the first plan required a death to set it in motion.

Heb 9:24 For Christ didn't enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself, and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins.
Heb 9:25 He doesn't do this every year as the high priests did under the old plan with blood that was not their own;
Heb 9:26 if that had been the case, he would have to sacrifice himself repeatedly throughout the course of history. But instead he sacrificed himself once and for all, summing up all the other sacrifices in this sacrifice of himself, the final solution of sin.
Heb 9:27 Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences.
Heb 9:28 Christ's death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.

Then why would we still need priests? Who are they sacrificing? If it's Jesus, why are they still sacrificing him? Are all these priests really of the lineage of Aaron/Levi ?

 

[Br. Bear]

Is Mormonism Christian?​

A Comparison of Mormonism and Historic Christianity


Copyright © 2012 Institute for Religious Research

Is Mormonism Christian? This may seem like a puzzling question to ask. Mormons include the Bible among the four books they recognize as Scripture and insist that Jesus Christ is central to their faith as evidenced by their official name, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Furthermore, Mormons’ commitment to high moral standards and strong families is impressive. Doesn’t it follow that Mormonism is genuinely Christian?
The question here is not whether individual Mormons are saved (a question we cannot answer) or whether the LDS Church is “Christian” in the sense that any group that professes faith in Christ (as Mormonism does) is part of the world religion known as Christianity. Rather, we are asking whether Mormonism is an authentic form of Christianity that teaches the essential truths of the gospel. To resolve this question, we need to compare carefully the basic doctrines of Mormonism with the basic doctrines of historic, biblical Christianity. To represent the Mormon position fairly and accurately, in addition to the Mormon scriptures (Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price), we have relied on several well-known Mormon doctrinal publications currently published by the LDS Church, including its official magazine Ensign.

1. Is there more than one true God?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have always believed that only one true and living God created and rules all things and that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, though personally distinct, are one God, the Lord Jehovah (Genesis 1:1-31; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; 44:6-8, 24; Matthew 28:19-20; John 1:1; 10:30; 20:28; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 13:14).
By contrast, Mormonism teaches that many Gods made the world (Book of Abraham 4:1-31) and that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate Gods (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 41-42). It also teaches that the Father has a wife, our heavenly mother, and that we are “literally” the offspring of divine parents (Ensign, Jan. 1989).

2. Was God the Father once a man like us?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have always believed that God is Spirit (John 4:20-24; 1 Timothy 6:15, 16) and in His divine nature is not a man (Numbers 23:19; Hosea 11:9; Romans 1:22-23), and that He has always (eternally) existed as the all-powerful God (Psalm 90:2; 102:12, 25-27; Isaiah 40:28; 43:10; 1 Timothy 1:17).
By contrast, the LDS Church teaches that God the Father was once a man like us who progressed to become a God and has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). It affirms Joseph Smith’s teaching that God is “an exalted being” who “was once a man like us,” and Lorenzo Snow’s statement, “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may be” (Gospel Principles [2009], 275, 279; Presidents of the Church Student Manual [2003], 89; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith [2011], 71).

3. Are Jesus, Satan, and all mankind spirit brothers?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have always believed that Jesus is the unique Son of God, the only human being who came down from heaven to become a man (John 3:31; 13:3; 16:28; 17:5). As God, Jesus Christ made everything, including all spiritual powers such as the angels as well as Satan, who rebelled against Him (Psalm 148:2-5; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Human beings start to exist at the beginning of their physical lives (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7; Job 38:4-7).
By contrast, the LDS Church teaches that Jesus Christ, humans, angels, and fallen spirits including Satan are all eternal beings that were never created and that are all spirit brothers and sisters. In particular, Christ and Lucifer (Satan) were two spirit brothers; Christ supported Heavenly Father’s plan while Lucifer did not (Doctrine and Covenants 93:21-33; Gospel Principles [2009], 9-10; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 355; “I Have a Question,” Ensign, June 1986).

4. Was Jesus literally the physical offspring of Mary and God the Father?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have always believed that the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, became a man by being conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the supernatural creative agency of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-35).
By contrast, the LDS Church teaches that Jesus Christ is “the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the flesh,” meaning that He was the literal “offspring” of the Father and Mary, “sired” by Heavenly Father as his only son in the flesh, so that he had two literal, physical parents—his immortal Father and his mortal mother Mary. The LDS Church denies that Jesus was “begotten” by the Holy Ghost, since it understands “begotten” literally to mean sired by a physical father (Ensign, April 1997; Ezra Taft Benson, in Ensign, Dec. 2001; Gospel Principles [2009], 53; Ensign, Dec. 2010, 8).

5. Was the fall of Adam and Eve a great blessing?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that the disobedience of our first parents Adam and Eve was a great evil. Through their fall, sin entered the world, bringing all human beings under condemnation and death. Thus we are born with a sinful nature, and will be judged for the sins we commit as individuals. (Ezekiel 18:1-20; Romans 5:12-21).
By contrast, the LDS Church teaches that Adam’s sin was “a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us” (Book of Mormon—2 Nephi 2:14-26; Book of Moses 5:10-12; Preparing for Exaltation: Teacher’s Manual [1998], 13-14; Gospel Principles [2009], 29).

6. Can we make ourselves worthy of God’s forgiveness?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life in God’s presence is a free gift of God on the basis of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross (John 3:16; Romans 3:21-26; 5:6-11; 6:23; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 10:12, 19; 1 John 1:9). We cannot earn or be worthy of God’s forgiveness, but must receive this gift by acknowledging our helpless, sinful state and trusting solely in Christ (Luke 24:47; John 11:25-26; Acts 2:38; 16:31; Romans 10:9-13). Those who trust in God’s grace in Christ alone for their salvation will show their faith by their good works, but those works in no sense save them (Romans 6:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-10; James 2:14-26).
By contrast, Mormonism teaches that a person must become worthy in order to obtain forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the presence of God the Father through obedience to all the commands of the LDS Church, including exclusive Mormon temple rituals. Good works and ritual ordinances are requirements for this full, individual salvation, and Christ’s atonement makes up what is lacking in a Mormon’s best efforts (Book of Mormon—2 Nephi 25:23; Articles of Faith 3; Gospel Principles [2009], 62-65, 109-112, 277-78).

7. Does the atonement assure immortality for those who reject Christ?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that Christ’s atoning death on the cross provides the complete solution for humankind’s sin problem, but that those who reject God’s grace in this life will have no part in this salvation but are under God’s judgment for eternity (John 3:18, 36; Hebrews 9:27; 10:26-27; 1 John 5:11-12).
By contrast, Mormonism teaches that the atonement assures resurrection and immortality to all people, including those who reject Christ in this life. While only faithful Mormons and those who accept the Mormon gospel in the afterlife can live in God the Father’s presence, practically everyone else will be given immortality in a heavenly kingdom of lesser glory, even those who rejected Christ in this life (Doctrine & Covenants 76; 88:16-33; Gospel Principles, 61-62, 242-44, 271-73).

8. Are there scriptures more reliable than the Bible?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that the Scriptures that preserve the words of the ancient prophets and apostles and of Jesus Christ himself (contained in the Bible) are the unique, final, and infallible Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 3:15-16). God’s providential preservation of the text of the Bible was marvelously illustrated in the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
By contrast, the LDS Church teaches that the Bible has been corrupted, is missing many “plain and precious parts,” and does not contain the fullness of the gospel (Book of Mormon—1 Nephi 13:26-29; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 206; Gospel Principles [2009], 45-48). It also claims that the Book of Mormon is more accurate and reliable than the Bible (Articles of Faith 8; Book of Mormon Teacher Resource Manual [2004], 20).

9. Is the LDS Church the only true church?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that the true church was divinely established by Jesus and could never and will never disappear from the earth (Matthew 16:18; 18:15-18; 28:18-20; John 15:16; 17:11; Ephesians 3:21; Jude 3). Christians acknowledge that there have been times of corruption and apostasy within the church, but believe there has always been a remnant that held fast to the biblical essentials.
By contrast, the LDS Church claims to be the only true church on earth and that all other churches are part of a great apostasy that prevailed throughout church history until Joseph Smith. It teaches that only Mormons are authorized to preach the gospel or to perform baptisms and other ordinances (Doctrine & Covenants 1:29-30; Articles of Faith 4-5; Joseph Smith—History 1:18-19; Gospel Principles, 67, 92).

10. Can humans become gods just like their Heavenly Father?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that God is an absolutely unique being, existing from eternity to eternity as God (Psalm 90:2; 102:25-27; Isaiah 40:18, 25; 43:10). Redeemed human beings, though they will become perfected creatures bearing God’s image and like Christ in moral and physical perfection, will not become gods or beings of the same transcendent, divine nature as the Father, Jesus the Son, or the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:44-48; Romans 8:14-29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 5:17-21; Philippians 3:7-21; 2 Peter 1:3-7).
By contrast, the LDS Church teaches that faithful Mormons who fulfill all of their spiritual, moral, and ritual obligations can eventually attain the status of gods, beings of the same essential nature as God the Father ruling over their own worlds. “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be” (Lorenzo Snow, in Presidents of the Church: Student Manual [2004], 88, 90; Gospel Fundamentals [2001], 201; Gospel Principles [2009], 275-79; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith [2011], 71).

Conclusion
Mormons share some common beliefs and values with orthodox Christians. They believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose bodily from the grave. They are pro-life. We respect Mormons as good neighbors and good citizens. However, that respect should not keep us from recognizing the serious differences between Mormonism and historic Christianity. There are fundamental and irreconcilable differences between the two. The LDS Church’s founder, Joseph Smith, forced this issue when he claimed to be a prophet of God with new revelations that impugned the trustworthiness of the Bible, contradicted the teachings of historic Christianity, and claimed that only the LDS Church was the true church. Jesus Christ and his apostles specifically warned us about false prophets who would claim to speak in his name but who would teach “another gospel” (Matthew 7:15-23; 2 Corinthians 11:4, 13-15; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Peter 2:1). As documented here, Mormonism teaches a radically different view of God, Christ, and salvation. It denies the validity of all churches except itself and all baptisms other than its own. Based on this evidence, we are convinced that Mormonism represents just such a counterfeit gospel.

Mormons are free to believe as they choose—a freedom we have no desire to infringe—and to consider themselves to be the only true Christian church. By the same token, however, those who accept the historic Christian faith taught in the Bible have the freedom and responsibility to draw a clear line between authentic Christianity and the unbiblical religion of Mormonism.