LDS Doctrines

Mormonism is at odds doctrinally with orthodox Christian faith in a multitude of ways. Here, however, we have included only a few core doctrines. These are not addressed in depth; they are instead presented very briefly as a list. For comparison and clarity the biblical position is also stated for each point of doctrine.

God

Mormonism teaches:

• There are many true Gods throughout the universe, but in this world we worship but one. (Book of Abraham 4:3ff)
• God the Father was once a man on another planet who achieved Godhood by obedience to laws and ordinances. (Achieving a Celestial Marriage Student Manual, 132)
• God is now an exalted Man of flesh and bones. (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22)

The Bible says:

• There is and ever will be only one God. (Isaiah 43:10, 11)
• God has eternally existed as God -- He is not a man. (Psalm 90:2; Psalm 50:21; Hosea 11:9)
• God is Spirit. (John 4:24; 1 Timothy 6:15, 16)

Trinity

Mormonism teaches:

• The doctrine of the Trinity is an invention of corrupted Christianity. (Evidences and Reconciliations 1:58)
• The Trinity is incomprehensible and therefore untrue. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 370, 372)
• The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are three Gods, one in purpose only. (Church News 4 July 1998)

The Bible says:

• There is one God manifest in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:8; Romans 1:7; John 1:1; Acts 5:1-4; Matthew 28:19)
• We are unable to comprehend God completely. (Job 11:7-9; Psalm 145:3)
• Father, Son and Holy Ghost--one God in essence or nature--are also one in purpose. (Ephesians 1:4-10)

Christ

Mormonism teaches:

• Jesus is the first-born spirit child of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and therefore the eldest spirit-brother of all mankind (Gospel Principles, 1988 edition, 9)
• Jesus is also the spirit-brother of Lucifer -- the devil (The Gospel Through the Ages, 15)
• Jesus was not always "a God," but reached perfection and a fullness of godhood after His resurrection (The Gospel Through the Ages, 51, 200; Ensign, November 1995, 87)

The Bible says:

• Jesus is eternally God, having existed as God forever (John 1:1-2, 14)
• Jesus created all things (including Lucifer) and therefore Satan's Creator, not his brother (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17; Ephesians 6:12)
• Jesus presented Himself to men as God during His earthly ministry (John 5:18, 10:30-33)

Humanity

Mormonism teaches:

• Humans are co-eternal with God, uncreated, having pre-existed in a spiritual world in the presence of Heavenly Father (Gospel Principles, 1988 edition, 9; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 353)
• Humans are of the same species as God -- "gods in embryo" (We Believe, 537; Achieving a Celestial Marriage Student Manual, 130)
• Adam's Fall was "a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us" (Gospel Principles, 1988 edition, 33)

The Bible says:

• Humans are created by God, having their beginning on earth, not in a spiritual realm (Zechariah 12:1; 1 Corinthians 15:46)
• God foreknew all humans before their birth (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:15-16)
• Humans, through faith, become children of God by virtue of adoption; they do not share a divine nature with God (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:16-17, 23; Galatians 3:26; Isaiah 46:9)
• Through Adam's Fall sin entered the world, bringing all humanity under condemnation and death; humans are now born with sinful natures and will be judged for the sins each commits individually (Ezekiel 18:1-20; Romans 5:12-21)

Temples

Mormonism teaches:

• Only worthy Mormons with temple recommends (special passes) are permitted inside dedicated LDS temples (Gospel Principles, 1988 edition, 235-236)
• The endowment ceremony provides temple patrons handshakes and passwords necessary for entrance into God's presence -- Heaven (Discourses of Brigham Young, 416)
• Marriages "sealed" in LDS temples bind the couple as husband and wife beyond the grave and are necessary for attainment of the best spiritual reward (We Believe, 548)
• Ordinances (baptisms, endowments, sealings) are performed for deceased people who had no opportunity to receive these ordinances while they were on earth, giving them opportunity to be "set free" in eternity (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 366-367)

The Bible says:

• The temple was a place for blood sacrifices and burnt offerings to be offered for the sins of God's people (Leviticus 1:1-3)
• Temple sacrifices foreshadowed the future sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:1-9)
• Christ made the final and sufficient sacrifice for sin; there is no longer a need for an earthly temple (Hebrews 10:12-14)
• There is no chance for repentance after death (Hebrews 9:27; Psalm 49:7)

Salvation

Mormonism teaches:

• There are two kinds of salvation: General and Individual (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:160)
• General salvation (resurrection from the dead to judgment) is a free gift from God given to all as a result of Christ's atonement (Gospel Principles, 1988 edition, 68)
• Individual salvation (spending eternity in the presence of God) is attained by a combination of God's grace plus the individual's works (Gospel Principles, 1988 edition, 68-69)
• Christ's sacrificial atonement is not sufficient to cleanse the penitent from all sin -- there are some sins beyond the reach of the work of Christ and must be atoned for by the individual (Journal of Discourses 3:247)
• There are six levels of "glory" to which people are assigned after death (Doctrine and Covenants section 76; 131:1 )
• Those obtaining the highest level become Gods, create worlds and accept worship from their children (Doctrines of Salvation 2:48; The Seer, 37)

The Bible says:

• All people will be resurrected to face God's judgment and will be consigned to either Heaven or Hell for all eternity (Matthew 25:31-46)
• Salvation (i.e., redemption from sin and reconciliation to God) is a gift of God by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 3:21-26)
• Christ's sacrificial atonement is sufficient to cleanse believers from all sin (Hebrews 9:12; 1 John 1:7)
• Christ will be of no benefit to those who seek to gain salvation on their own merits (Galatians 5:1-6; Romans 3:10-20)
• There is but one true God and there never will be any others (Isaiah 43:10-11)
• Men will not receive worship in the eternal world, but instead will give worship to the only One who is worthy to receive it (Revelation 5:12-13)

Truth

Mormonism teaches:

• The only way to know spiritual truth is to ask God in prayer to reveal it through personal revelation (Moroni 10:4-5; The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 63)
• This revelation comes in the form of a good feeling, sometimes described as a "burning in the bosom" (Uniform System for Teaching the Gospel, Instructions for the Discussions, 8)
• God gives truth a little at a time; therefore, the investigator need not learn the "deeper doctrines" before joining the LDS Church (Gospel Truth 2:8)

The Bible says:

• Feelings are deceptive and should not be trusted (Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 28:26; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12)
• All spirits should not be believed, but must be tried and tested to see whether they are of God (1 John 4:1)
• Any proclamation of spiritual truth is to be measured against God's Word -- the Bible (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15; Isaiah 8:20)
• The way to discern between true and false prophets is by applying God's tests give in the Bible (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, 18:20-22)
• Believers are not to withhold information, but instead are to always be ready to answer all questions about their faith and preach the full message of new life in Christ (1 Peter 3:15; Acts 5:20; 2 Corinthians 4:2)