Mormon Doctrines vs. the Bible
'' There are a great number of differences between Latter-day Saint doctrines and historical Christianity. Here are some that are traditionally more well-known.
Baptizing dead non-Mormons by proxy to save them.
Indians descended from Jews who came to America. Their skin was darkened when they became wicked.
Glass-looking occultism conviction of Joseph Smith
Polygamy used to be 'required' to become a god.
Reformed Egyptian translation of Joseph Smith's Book of Abraham scripture was proved a hoax.
Only approved 'Temple Mormons' can enter a consecrated Mormon temple (about 20% or so).
Blacks could not become gods like whites, until 1972.
LDS must hold to impossible New World archaeology.
English people came from the northern Israelite tribes.
Mormons and Brigham Young taught that Adam was our god and father.
Serious sins, like adultery or leaving their Church, used to require death by their blood being spilled to be saved (Mormons called this 'blood atonement').
However, these and other doctrines, important as they are, still are not nearly as big of differences as the Fatal Four: Mormons have a different god, a different Jesus, a different salvation, and different scriptural authority.
1. A Different God
'' Mormons have a doctrine called 'eternal progression'. They have summarized it as 'As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become.'
Where did God come from' A Christian says He always existed. A Mormon says from his mother and father gods. These are different gods.
'' Mormonism denies the Trinity, as most Mormons will tell you. However, I have encountered a few Mormons who say they believe the Trinity, but I was not sure if they really understood what it meant, or that it is incompatible with more than one God.
The Bible says that God is NOT a man, or a descendant of a man in Numbers 23:19 and 1 Samuel 15:24. There is only One God, and when you look at all the stars, you are looking at what the One God made, not different gods ruling over different stars and planets, as Isaiah 40:25-26, 43:10, and 44:6 teach. Is God all-knowing? Even if you didn't believe that, would you at least believe that He is somewhat intelligent? If God had a brother or sister God, do you think God would know it? Yet Isaiah 44:8b says, 'IS there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.' (NKJV)
Mormons respond sometimes with 1 Corinthians 8:5 where it says there are many gods. But you have to also look at 1 Corinthians 8:4 and 8:6, the context is idolatry, and Paul is contrasting the one true God for us vs. the false idol gods for them. Mormons have said there are many gods but only one god of this world, and they worship the god of this world. However, Paul identifies the God of this world/age as Satan in 2 Cor 4:4. We don't want to worship the god of this world.
2. A Different Jesus
LDS says that Jesus and Satan are brothers. They say Satan tried to modify salvation by taking away free will, and when the council rejected that, he rebelled.
In the Bible Jesus was from the beginning in John 1:1, and all things were created through Jesus in John 1:3; Colossians 1:16. He is worshipped in Revelation 5:9-14 and Hebrews 1:6. Like Thomas in John 20:28 we call Him our Lord and our God. We honor the Son just as we honor the Father in John 5:23.
3. A Different Salvation
Different Goal: LDS teaching has three heavens: the highest where good Mormons go to be gods, goddesses, and angels. The middle heaven where Jesus reigns, where bad Mormons and good Christians go, and the lowest, a little worse than this earth, where most of the others go. One evening a Mormon came up and starting chatting with me, and asked what I looked forward to when I died. I told him about being in heaven forever, worshipping and serving God in glory, etc. He just said 'Oh' rather unimpressed. So I asked him what he looked forward to. He said he looked forward to becoming his own god, over his own planet, and he thought he could do things a bit better than the god of this world did.
'' Once a Christian invited a young Mormon man and his fianc'e over for dinner. The girl was a Baptist who was planning on converting to Mormonism before marrying in the Mormon temple. She also invited a Christian ex-Mormon over. The ex-Mormon did not say much during the dinner, but at the end she said to the girl, 'I understand that you and John are going to be married in the Temple.' The girl said, 'Oh yes, and John and I are so happy.' The ex-Mormon said, 'You realize though, that in Mormon theology after death you will only be one of hundreds or thousands of wives, don't you?' She replied, 'Oh John, wouldn't want anyone else besides me, would you John?' John didn't say anything. This started an argument between them, and the girl later broke up with John and did not become a Mormon. Sometimes what Mormons don't tell you is more important than what they do tell you.
Different Means: The Book of Mormon says ''for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.' (2 Nephi 25:23). A Mormon missionary told me that it is like we are in a deep pit, and Christ lowers down a rope and we build a ladder to climb up to grab it. Another told me that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, and by our lives we pay Him back.
Different Institution: A Mormon is saved, or can become a god, by being obedient to the laws and ordinances, but like the god of this world, who did when he was just a man. Even gods had to follow the laws and ordinances.
The Bible says when we were dead in sin, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.' Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV) Works are a part of salvation, but they are an output, not an input. Romans 4-8 go into much more detail on this.
4. Different Scriptural Authority
The Mormon Church has four scriptures:
1. Doctrines and Covenants,
2. The Pearl of Great Price,
3. The Book of Mormon (mostly just fake history), and
4. lastly the Bible, in so far as it is translated correctly.
'' In addition, they have the Journal of Discourses and other official writings of their prophets.
'' However, Mormons say that the most important prophet is the current prophet, as Ezra Taft Benson taught in a 2/26/1980 address at BYU.
'' It is not just that they have extra books extra history, or even extra teachings, but some of these teachings or false with really bad consequences. These are the root cause of the big problems given at the beginning.
The Bible says we are not to add to God's word, lest God reprove you and find you a liar in Proverbs 30:6. Mormon scriptures teach doctrines, such as eternal progression that are against what the Bible teaches.
'' Revelation 22:18 pronounces curses any anyone who would add to this book. A Mormon pointed out that this refers to Revelation. However, Joseph Smith also made his own 'corrected' translation of the Bible, and yes, he changed the Book of Revelation too. The LDS church does not use it though, because the Reorganized LDS Church (a different organization out of Missouri) holds the copyright.
Conclusion
'' While Mormons will tell you they are Christian, and even have literature emphasizing the similarities to Christianity, what they really have officially believed is not Christian at all. With the Fatal Four of a different god, a different Jesus, a different salvation, and different scriptural authority, they are a group that attracts falsely claims the name 'Christian'
'' We don't need a fake prophet and scriptures, a do-it-yourself salvation, a created Jesus, or a small god of this world. Worship the highest, Supreme Being, who was before all the heavens that He created. We all have fallen short of God's commands, and we do not deserve and cannot even get to heaven, at least not on our own. But Jesus became the way to heaven for us, dying on the cross for our sins, and physically rising from the dead. We need to commit our life over to Him as our Lord and Savior; not to a church or mere men who err, but to God in the Name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
'' Even a church organization can be an idol! Follow God first, and fellowship with those who likewise are seeking God first.
For Further Reading
Tanner, Jerald and Sandra. The Changing World of Mormonism. Moody Press 1979.
www.carm.org/mormonism''' www.watchman.org
www.jashow.org'''''''''''''''''''' www.biblequery.org
www.mormonsneedhope.com'''''''''' www.hismin.com
www.shieldandrefuge.org'''''' www.utlm.org
Mormon site: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/1981/06/fourteen-fundamentals-in-following-the-prophet?lang=eng