Mormonism
Part of What's the Difference?
January 8, 2023

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Mormonism

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”
1 Peter 3:15

The most difficult system of beliefs to discern are those that on the surface appear to be the same as Christianity.

When talking about different religions it comes down to 3 things:
Die For, Debate, Discuss

With Latter Day Saints the language is much the same as Christianity but the difference is in the interpretation of the language.

“Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Alma 37:33, The Book of Mormon

Christianity began 2,000 years ago with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Mormonism began in upstate New York in 1823 when a man named Joseph Smith claimed that an angel named Moroni came down from heaven and gave him a new revelation.

Christianity and LDS are both religions but they do not worship the same God.

Authority

LDS believe that the revelation that Joseph Smith received from Moroni actually trumps the Bible.

  • LDS actually receive their authority from 4 books.
    -The Bible,
    -The Book of Mormon,
    -Doctrine and covenants
    -The Pearl of Great Price

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!”
Galatians 1:6-8

Same words, different meanings.

Christianity teaches that God is eternal with no beginning and end.

LDS teach that God evolved from a man who progressed to become God himself.

Salvation

LDS say that you are saved by faith in Christ, but you must also…

  • Be baptized into the LDS Church
  • Faithfully attend an LDS church
  • Obey all LDS Doctrines and Covenants.

Proxy Baptism
Getting baptized in the place of a dead relative so that witnesses in the afterlife will speak on the behalf of the person’s salvation.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:1-5

First be confident and be bold in your faith because Jesus is our rock.

Second be discerning.

Third always be prepared to speak the truth in love.