What the Bible says about Jesus vs. what Mormonism says about Jesus:
The Bible
- He is the virgin-born Son of God, conceived by the Holy Ghost (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:34-35).
Mormonism
- Jesus "was born in the same personal, real and literal sense that any mortal son is born to a mortal father" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 547, 742).
- "When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten Him in His own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family (Adam)" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. I, p. 50).
- Christ had a "unique status in the flesh as the offspring of a mortal mother and of an immortal or resurrected and glorified Father (Adam)" (James Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 473).
The Bible
- Satan is a created - and fallen - angel (Isaiah 14:12).
Mormonism
- "Lucifer - this spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind" (Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of Seventy, The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15).
The Bible
- Jesus did not marry.
Mormonism
- "Jesus was the bridegroom at the marriage of Cana - We say it was Jesus Christ who was married, to be brought into relation whereby he could see his seed" (Orson Hyde, apostle, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 2, p. 82).
The Bible
- Jesus is the foundation of the true church (Matthew 16:18; Acts 4:11-12; Colossians 1:18).
Mormonism
- Joseph Smith: "I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet" (History of the Church, Vol. 6, pp. 408-9).
The Bible
- Jesus is the judge of all (John 5:22).
Mormonism
- "No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith - Every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, Junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 289).
The Bible
- Jesus is the one who resurrects all (John 5:28-29).
Mormonism
- Joseph Smith will receive the keys of the resurrection. "If we ask who will stand at the head of the resurrection in this last dispensation, the answer is - Joseph Smith, Junior, the Prophet of God. He is the man who will be resurrected and receive the keys of the resurrection, and he will seal this authority upon others, and they will hunt up their friends and resurrect them" (Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 116).
The Bible
- Jesus is the eternal Son of God, the Creator, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and Holy Spirit (John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-13).
Mormonism
- A "council of the Gods" created the world. "In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it … In all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods" (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, pp. 308, 474).
What the Bible says about the Holy Spirit vs. what Mormonism says about the Holy Spirit:
The Bible
- The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the triune Godhead (Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19-20).
Mormonism
- Joseph Smith taught that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit "constitute three distinct personages and three Gods" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 370).
The Bible
- The Holy Spirit is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son (Acts 5:1-11).
Mormonism
- The Father has a body of flesh and bones. So does the Son. But the Holy Ghost is "a personage of spirit" (Doctrines and Covenants 130:22).
The Bible
- The Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are two Biblical names for the same person.
Mormonism
- "The Holy Ghost - is a personage distinct from the Holy Spirit. As a personage, the Holy Ghost cannot any more than the Father and the Son be everywhere present in person" (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p. 76).
The Bible
- The Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost is God (Acts 5:3-4).
Mormonism
- "The Holy Ghost is yet a spiritual body and waiting to take to himself a body as the Saviour did or as the gods before them took bodies" (Joseph Smith, April 6, 1843; see Discourses on the Holy Ghost compiled by N.B. Lundwall, p. 73).
What the Bible says about the Gospel of Jesus Christ vs. what Mormonism says about the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
The Bible
- Christ's death at Calvary paid our sin debt and purchased our salvation so that everlasting life is received by grace through faith in the Person and work of Jesus (John 3:16, 5:24; Romans 4:4-5; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).
Mormonism
- Jesus' death, burial and resurrection made it possible for mankind to be resurrected, but "men will be punished for their own sins" (Article of Faith #2 by Joseph Smith). Through the atonement of Christ "all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel" (Article of Faith #3 by Joseph Smith).
- "There is no salvation outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 670).
- "Baptism - is for the remission of sins - (and) is the gate to the celestial kingdom of heaven" (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 70).
- There is "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith - No man can eject that testimony without accepting most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, p. 188).
The Bible
- The Bible teaches that at death, man's eternal destiny is fixed in one of two places: heaven or hell (Luke 16:19-31).
Mormonism
- Virtually all men are saved in "General Salvation - meaning resurrection" (Contributions of Joseph Smith by Stephen L. Richards, p. 5).
- Then, based on works, all men will spend eternity in one of three levels of heaven - telestial, terrestrial or celestial. A few "sons of perdition" will not be saved/resurrected.
The Bible
- All men are sinners by nature and by volition (Romans 3:23, 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
Mormonism
- There is no such thing as original sin. All men are gods in embryo. "God and man are of the same race, differing only in their degrees of advancement" (Apostle John Widtsoe, Rational Theology, p. 61).The Bible
Rob Phillips is director of communications for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
