"Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it and see if it will stand the test"
(Brigham Young, May 18, 1873, Journal of Discourses, vol. 16, p. 46.)
Following is a comparison between Christian doctrine and Mormon
doctrine. It will become very obvious that Mormonism does not agree
with the Bible. In fact, Mormonism has simply used the same words found
in Christianity and redefined them. But with a proper understanding of
what Mormonism really teaches, you will be able to see past those
definitions into the real differences between Christianity and
Mormonism.
The difference is the difference between eternal life and damnation.
Topic
|
Christian
|
Mormon
|
| GOD |
There is only one God (Isaiah 43:11; 44:6,8; 45:5). |
"And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light: and there was light (Book of Abraham 4:3). |
| God has always been God (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 57:15). |
"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). |
| God is a spirit without flesh and bones (John 4:24; Luke 24:39). |
"The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's,"
(Doctrine and Covenants 130:22; Compare with Alma 18:26-27; 22:9-10).
"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). |
| TRINITY |
The Trinity is
the doctrine that there is only one God in all the universe and that He
exists in three eternal, simultaneous persons: The Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. |
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). |
| JESUS |
Jesus was born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:23). |
"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).
"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). |
| Jesus is the eternal Son. He is second person of the Trinity. He has two natures. He is God in flesh and man (John 1:1, 14; Col. 2;9) and the creator of all things (Col. 1:15-17). |
Jesus is the literal spirit-brother of Lucifer, a creation (Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15). |
THE
HOLY
SPIRIT |
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is not a force. He is a person. (Acts 5:3-4; 13:2) |
Mormonism distinguishes between the Holy Spirit (God's presence via
an essence) and the Holy Ghost (the third god in the Mormon doctrine of
the trinity).
"He [the Holy Ghost] is a being endowed with the attributes and powers of Deity, and not a mere force, or essence," (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 144). |
| SALVATION |
Salvation is the forgiveness of sin and deliverance of the sinner from damnation. It is a free gift received by God's grace (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 6:23) and cannot be earned (Rom. 11:6). |
Salvation has a double meaning in Mormonism: universal resurrection and . . .
"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). |
| Salvation (forgiveness of sins) is not by works (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 4:5; Gal. 2:21). |
"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). |
| BIBLE |
The inspired inerrant word of God (2 Tim. 3:16). It is authoritative in all subjects it addresses. |
"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). |
This is only a sample of many of the differences between
Christianity and Mormonism. As you can see, they are quite different
doctrines. God cannot be uncreated and created at the same time. There
cannot be only one God and many gods at the same time. The Trinity
cannot be one God in three persons and three gods in an office known as
the Trinity, etc. These teachings are mutually exclusive.
This is important because faith is only as good as the object in
which it is placed. Is the Mormon god the real one? Or, is the God of
historic and biblical Christianity the real one?
Mormonism is obviously not the biblical version of Christianity. It
is not Christian, and Mormons serve a different god than do the
Christians -- a god that does not exist. Paul talks about this in Gal. 4:8,
"when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature
are no gods." Only the God of the Bible exists. There are no others.
Mormonism puts its faith in a non-existent god.
The Following article is taken from CARM a Christian apolagetics ministry.