Christian, Mormon doctrinal differences

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following information is adapted from the North American Mission Board's www.4truth.net apolgetics website.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon church) professes to be a Christian church. However, a careful comparison of basic doctrinal positions of that church to those of historical, biblical Christianity reveal many radical differences. This comparison utilizes Mormon doctrines as stated in LDS authoritative primary sources and those of historic Christianity as derived solely from the Bible.

The one God is a Spirit who is the personal, eternal, infinite Creator of all that exists. He is the only God and necessary for all other things to exist. He exists eternally as a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (see Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10; 44:6-8; Matt. 28:19; John 4:24; 17:3)

God (Heavenly Father) is an exalted man with a physical body of flesh and bone. LDS founder Joseph Smith said, "If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible -- I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). The trinity is denied with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost seen as three separate entities. "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us" (Doctrine and Covenants [D&C] 130:22).

Jesus Christ was the virgin born God incarnate who existed in all time with the Father and Holy Spirit in the eternal Trinity. As a man He possessed two natures -- human and divine. He lived a sinless life and willingly died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sin of all humanity. (see John 1:1-18; 8:56-59; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:13-22; Heb.1:3; 13:8)

Jesus was the spiritual "first born" Son of God in the preexistence. "Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ, so he is literally our elder brother" (Gospel Principles [GP], p. 11)."And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn" (D&C 93:21). He is also the "only begotten" physical offspring of God by procreation on earth. "Jesus is the only person on earth to be born of a mortal mother and an immortal father. That is why he is called the Only Begotten Son" (GP, p. 64). His atonement (death and resurrection) provides immortality for all people regardless of their faith. "Christ thus overcame physical death. Because of his atonement, everyone born on this earth will be resurrected ... This condition is called immortality. All people who ever lived will be resurrected, 'both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous' (The Book of Mormon [BOM], Alma 11:44)" (GP, p. 74). (See GP, pp. 11, 17-19, 61-77.)

The Bible (Old and New Testaments) is the unique, revealed, and inspired Word of God. It is the sole authority for faith and practice for Christians. (see 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21)

Recognizes the LDS Four Standard Works as authoritative. These include the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly" (Articles of Faith 1:8). It also includes The Book of Mormon (BOM) which Joseph Smith declared is "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 194).

The church also regards The Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) as Scripture. It "is a collection of modern revelations ... regarding The Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored in these last days" (GP, p. 54).

"It clarifies doctrines and teachings that were lost from the Bible and gives added information concerning the creation of the earth" (GP, p. 54).

The church's president is regarded as "a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet" (D&C 107:91-92).

Human beings are created in God's image, meaning they have personal qualities similar to God's. Every person is a unique, precious being of dignity and worth. (see Gen. 1:26-27)

People are the preexisted spiritual offspring of the Heavenly Father and Mother. "All men and women are ... literally the sons and daughters of Deity ... Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal (physical) body" (Joseph F. Smith, "The Origin of Man," Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, pp. 78,80, as quoted in GP, p. 11).They are born basically good and are "gods in embryo." A commonly quoted Mormon aphorism (attributed to fifth LDS president Lorenzo Snow) says "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become."

Human beings have chosen to sin against God, rejecting His nature and pursing life opposed to His essential character and revealed law. (see Rom. 3:23; 7:14-25; 1 John 1:8-10)

People sin by disobedience to God's laws. Adam's fall, a part of Heavenly Father's plan, caused a loss of immortality, which was necessary for mankind to advance, (see GP, pp. 31-34). As Eve declared according to LDS scripture, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have ... known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient"(PGP, Moses 5:11; see also BOM, 2 Nephi 2:22-25). Each person is responsible for his or her own sin.

Salvation is release from the guilt and power of sin through God's gift of grace. It is provided through Christ's atonement and received by personal faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. (see Rom. 3:20; 10:9- 10; Eph. 2:8-10)

Jesus' atonement provided immortality for all people. Exaltation (godhood) is available only to Mormons through obedience to LDS teachings: faith, baptism, endowments, celestial marriage, and tithing. "Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God -- Wherefore, all things are theirs" (D&C, 76:58-59).

1. They will live eternally in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see D&C, 76).

3. They will have their righteous family members with them and will be able to have spirit children also. These spirit children will have the same relationship to them as we do to our Heavenly Father. They will be an eternal family.

5. They will have everything that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have -- all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge (See GP, p. 302).

Baptism for the dead provides post-mortem salvation for non-Mormons, and is "by immersion performed by a living person for one who is dead. This ordinance is performed in temples" (GP, p. 375). (See also GP, chapters 18-23.)

Eternal life in heaven with God for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. Eternal separation from God's presence in hell for the unsaved. (see Matt. 5:12-30; 25:41; Rev. 20-22)

1. Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom for faithful Mormons where people may become gods or angels; "Then shall they be gods" (D&C 132:20).

2. Terrestrial Kingdom for righteous non-Mormons; "These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men. These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fullness" (D&C 76:75-76).

3. Telestial Kingdom for wicked and ungodly (not hell); "These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers ... who suffer the wrath of God on earth"(D&C 76:103-104). (See also D&C 76:57-119; 131:1-4.)

Christians congregate together in local bodies and along denominational lines sharing distinctive doctrinal and ecclesiastical concepts. There is no organization or denomination that can claim exclusive designation as the "one true church." The universal church consists of all the redeemed in Jesus Christ in all of the ages. (see Matt. 16:15-19; 1 Cor. 1:12-14; Eph. 2:19; 3:11-12)

Asserts that the LDS is the one true church on the face of the earth. Joseph Smith claimed Jesus Christ told him to join none of the existing denominations because "they were all wrong ... that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt" (PGP: Joseph Smith-History 1:19-20). Mormons claim only the LDS possesses the divine authority of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood as restored by God to Joseph Smith in 1829. (D&C 13; 27:8- 13; 107:1-20; PGP: Joseph Smith-History 1:68-73) --30-- Tal Davis is the strategic mentoring manager of the North American Mission Board's evangelization group.

Gospel Principles. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1992.

McConkie, Bruce. A New Witness for the Articles of Faith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1986.

Smith, Joseph, Jr. The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982.

Smith, Joseph, Jr. The Doctrine and Covenants. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982.

Smith, Joseph, Jr. History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 7 vols. 2nd ed. rev. Edited by B.H. Roberts. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-1951.

Smith, Joseph, Jr. The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982.

Smith, Joseph Fielding. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1977.

No compensation that I’m aware of, but I seem to recall that they would be judges during the resurrection. So there is the “promise” of authority to reign and rule so to speak.

However, I have larger issues with the “lay” leaders...

Besides living in the world on a daily basis;

No ecclesiastical/theological training.

No marriage counseling training.

No psychology training.

They are “lay” in every sense of the word.

I would say you get “what you pay for”.

Bogged down with ward administrative issues, family issues, work issues, etc. There is only so much time in a day to devote to the bishop’s duties. How then, can he be expected to do the job he’s been called to efficiently? How can he ensure the member’s spiritual needs are taken care of?

I can recall how difficult it was to get time with a bishop to discuss spiritual matters. I didn’t trust any others in the wards because they were just like me, trying to sort it all out and coming with as many interpretations as there were people.

I’ve sat and listened to speakers put forth erroneous interpretations of scripture and doctrine during their assigned talks and not once did I ever see one of these “lay” bishopric members stand and correct it.

When confronted afterwards, I would be told that since I wasn’t in the bishopric, I had no standing in attempting to correct the speaker.

### Then we find in 2 Thessalonians 2:15: ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοί, στήκετε, καὶ κρατεῖτε τὰς παραδόσεις ἃς ἐδιδάχθητε εἴτε διὰ λόγου εἴτε δι' ἐπιστολῆς ἡμῶν. "15 So then, brothers, dstand firm and hold to ethe traditions that you were taught by us, either fby our spoken word or by four letter." ### Had to take a break by obligations on the Lord's Day, Monday, and today, so it happened that I could not reply until now. And indeed, also as I indicated before that we would only find a profitable point of departure when you find any place in the Holy Scripture ordaining infants to be baptized. So I do not intend to strive, especially since the voluminousness of your responses only prove that you have found simple positive affirmation for paedobaptism in Scripture; and therefore you have only uninspired tradition, post-dating the completion of the canon, to lean on. Now, considering your reference to the passage above, there are three points: (1) Your Greek above is identical to that found in both Scrivener's TR and Nestle's 4th 1904 ed of WH. -- no fault there. But the translation you give is not merely imprecise, it is very misleading. Three faithful interchangeable English renderings are given by AV, ASV, and Douay-Rheims of which the following is representative: "(Therefore)(So then), brethren, stand (fast)(firm) and hold (to) the traditions which (ye)(you) (were taught)(have learned)whether by word, or (by) our epistle." The RV and NASB are discounted because seek to improve by adding to the sentence, embroidering the truth, thereby destroying the integrity. Yet they are modified not quite so much as the version you have given above. To "taught" you have added "by us", and to "word" you have added "our spoken." This lends a completely different and unwarranted complexion to the interpretation, not confirmed by a precise hermeneutic. (2) Even then, the traditions taught to the Thessalonians only comprise the teaching by word of mouth (inspired only during that limited phase of the development of NT canon), or by written embodiment of known _doctrine_ (Heb. 6:1)(logos); or by OUR letter (singular), which can only be the single previous letter written by Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy _together_ (who were all still then together in Corinth in 51 AD, with even the first Synoptic Gospel not yet widely distributed); and the NT ordinances to be held fast were only those derived from the OT, or directly from being discipled by The Christ, or just being written down. (Note that Paul saw The Christ, and was discipled by Him for 3 1/2 years in the Arabian desert). Now, I know that the transmission of oral precepts were permitted under the Mosaic/Davidic Covenant. In just one instance it is (now) _recorded_ that Joseph "... came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the prophets, 'He shall be called a Nazarene.' "(thus making what had been an oral tradition not found in the OT, into inspired Scripture by being written down by the Holy Ghost through Levi). But now, since the methods of mouth to mouth revelation or oral transmission from God to man are no longer taking place, your basis of these kind of post-canonical traditions is no longer relevant. The application of inspiration of the new orally-delivered precepts is limited to the time period concluded by the death of John. After that, the only new "traditions" formed were uninspired. Furthermore, if there were any supposed precepts formed in that time and holding over after the canon was closed -- if they were not clearly cited in the Holy Scripture, they were extra-Biblical, uninspired, anthropocentric, and invalid. Your citation above as you translated and used as you have done, only leads you to draw weak conclusions by referring to extrabiblical practices that are founded on false doctrine. (3) I have a bit of understanding of paradohses, such as the Ordinance of Honor, taught by Paul to the Corinthians in about 50 AD, his reminder set down by inspiration in 1 Cor 11:2-15, and which is now a flat-out order, not just to the Greeks of Corinth, but to all believers everywhere. It amazes me that the Greek bishop that you hold up as an example, regularly does (as the Pope does) directly disobey the clear precept that "... the head of _every_ man (male) is Christ; ..." v. 3, "Every man (male) praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head." What tradition of that bishop is it whereby he is able to supersede the direct command of the Holy Spirit in this matter by dishonoring The Christ??? I wouldn't lift _that_ up in defense of unscriptural tradition. I didn't miss the point of Jesus' talk to the Pharisees at all. I think perhaps that slipped right by you in your lecture on this principle. (3) One of the problems people have demonstrated in this thread is the implicit assumption that human-administered water baptism, even immersion and not merely topical, effects salvation: that man's determined wilful conduct forces The God to respond to that provocation by regenerating the person suffering the rite. This is a wholly incorrect and presumptuous doctrine. In fact, this does touch on the "Christian"/Mormon doctrinal differences, which baptism would be one topic of this thread. ***************************** So again (and this is my last attempt) find me a Scriptural ordinance for water-baptizing an infant -- yea, even a convert who has never become a disciple -- and I will be corrected. If not, you need to find someone who can disciple you into a productive maturity, whereby you may become a discipler according to Scripture. (2 Pe 3:15,16 unlearned = undiscipled) As a further note, be aware that I am not a Protestant, and am not a sectarian. I am a believer in the Scripture that alone The God uses to present His plan of redemption as executed by The Messiah The King, and His coming Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace; and his guidance for the churches in every age. I a constituent of an independent local assembly of fundamental immersionist believers. I believe that is the only manifestation of His true visible churches on earth. Also, you might check out: http://www.happyheralds.com/

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