By Sandra Tanner
Introduction
Whenever an evangelical Christian and a Latter-day Saint engage in a doctrinal discussion they encounter the problem of terminology. LDS leaders use the standard vocabulary of Christianity but with radically different definitions. A Christian should never take for granted that his/her LDS friend understands common Christian terms in the biblical way.
Because the Bible has many warnings about false prophets (Matthew 24:11, 24; 2 Corinthians 11:4, 13; 1 John 4:1) and people teaching strange doctrines (2 Peter 2:12; Galatians 1:6-8; Hebrews 13:9), it is essential that we understand what the Bible says on various doctrines.
The references below will demonstrate that the LDS Church is indeed teaching a different god and a counterfeit gospel, thus offering a false hope.
In the following, Christian terms will be defined first by LDS sources and then by biblical verses. While this is not a complete list of terminology differences, it will cover the most basic ones.
List of LDS Sources:
- Book of Mormon
- Doctrine and Covenants [D&C]
- Pearl of Great Price [PGP]
- Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce R. McConkie, 1979
- Doctrines of Salvation, by Joseph Fielding Smith
- Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [Teachings], by Joseph Fielding Smith
- Gospel Principles, published by the LDS Church, 1995
- Doctrines of the Gospel — Student Manual, published by the LDS Church, 2000
Godhead
LDS:
- Father and Son are resurrected men with physical bodies.
- Holy Ghost is a separate man with a spiritual body.
- Three totally separate Gods.
- God is married.
- Other Gods for other worlds.
(Doctrine and Covenants [D&C] 130:22; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [Teachings], pp. 345-346, pp. 370-373; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 10-12)
BIBLE:
- God is not a man.
(Numbers 23:19) - He has always been God.
(Psalms 90:2; Malachi 3:6; Habakkuk 1:12; Romans 1:22-25) - Only one God.
(Isaiah 43:10-11; 44:6; 45:21-22) - Father is Spirit and invisible.
(John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17)
Jesus Christ
LDS:
- Literally our elder brother, born to Heavenly Parents in the premortal life.
- Jesus, Lucifer and humans are all the same species and are brothers and sisters.
(Gospel Principles, pp. 11, 17, 18)
BIBLE:
- Fully God, not a subordinate deity.
- Eternal.
(Isaiah 9:6; John 8:58; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 13:8; John 1:1-4, 14; Colossians 1:16-17)
Pre-Mortal Life
LDS:
- Teach that everyone existed in heaven before being born on earth.
- We have existed eternally.
(D&C 93:29;Pearl of Great Price [PGP]: Book of Abraham 3:21-22; Teachings, pp. 352-354)
BIBLE:
- Only Christ existed before mortality, not man.
(John 8:58; Colossians 1:17) - Our existence started on earth.
(Zechariah 12:1; 1 Corinthians 15:46)
The Fall
LDS:
- The fall was a blessing.
- It brought mortality, ability to have children and physical death.
- Adam was given conflicting commandments and was supposed to fall.
(Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 111-116; Gospel Principles, pp. 31-33; 2 Nephi 2:25; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 268-269)
BIBLE:
- God intended obedience.
(Genesis 1:28) - God tempts no one.
(James 1:13-14) - Man is sinful.
(Romans 5:12; 8:5-8; 1 Corinthians 2:14)
Virgin Birth
LDS:
- Believe God, as a resurrected physical man, is the literal Father of Jesus—in the same manner by which men are conceived on earth.
- Believe Matthew 1:18 is in error.
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 546-547, 742)
BIBLE:
- Mary was “with child of the Holy Ghost.”
(Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:30-35)
Sin
LDS:
- Specific acts, not man’s basic nature. Must know act is wrong to be a sin.
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 550, 735-736)
BIBLE:
- We are in spiritual rebellion until conversion.
(Ephesians 2:3; Romans 5:6) - We do not just commit sins; we are basically sinful.
(Jeremiah 17:9; Luke 5:32)
Forgiveness
LDS:
- Granted at end of a process of repentance and reformed behavior.
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 292-298; Gospel Principles, pp. 75-77, 123; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 133-134)
BIBLE:
- Complete forgiveness granted the moment we turn to Christ.
(Mark 2:5; Colossians 2:13-14; Ephesians 1:6-7)
Salvation by Grace
LDS:
- Believe Christ’s death brought release from the grave and universal resurrection. Salvation by grace is universal1 resurrection. Beyond this, man must earn his place in heaven.
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 669-671) - Saved by grace after all we can do.
(Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 25:23)
BIBLE:
- Salvation is not limited to universal resurrection but is gift of God to those who believe.
(Romans 1:16; Hebrews 9:28; Ephesians 2:8-9)
Redeemed
LDS:
- From mortal death only. Not same as Eternal Life.
(Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, pp. 10-15)
BIBLE:
- Redeemed from more than mortal death; redeemed from spiritual death and given Eternal Life.
(Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; Galatians 4:4-5)
Gospel
LDS:
- Gospel is dependent on the doctrines and commandments of the LDS Church since the true gospel was restored by Joseph Smith.
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 331, 334; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 156-159)
BIBLE:
- Gospel is the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection as atonement for our sins.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Galatians 1:6-8; 1 John 2:2)
Born Again
LDS:
- Comes from baptism into the LDS Church.
(Mormon Doctrine, p. 101)
BIBLE:
- We are all spiritually dead until our spiritual birth from faith in Christ.
(1 Peter 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 3:7, 14, 15)
True Church
LDS:
- Only the Mormon Church is true.
- The true church was taken from the earth until Joseph Smith restored it.
(D&C 1:30; 115:3, 4; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 133, 136)
BIBLE:
- Not an organization; as born-again Christians we are part of God’s Church.
(1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Matthew 16:18; 18:19-20)
Authority / Priesthood
LDS:
- Believe only LDS have authority to baptize, ordain, etc.
- Have two-part system of priesthood—Melchizedek and Aaronic. (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, pp. 80-81; D&C 107:1-21)
BIBLE:
- Christ brought an end to the Aaronic priesthood and is the only High Priest after the manner of Melchizedek.
(Hebrews 5:9-10; 7:11-17, 24-27; 1 John 2:2)
Baptism
LDS:
- Must be performed by LDS priesthood.
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 69-72)
BIBLE:
- Emphasis is on the believer being baptized—not on any priesthood authority of the baptizer.
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:37-41; 16:30-34)
Sons of God
LDS:
- We were all born in heaven, prior to earth, as literal spirit children of God and his wife.
(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 589-590)
BIBLE:
- Believers are spiritually adopted at conversion.
(John 1:12; Galatians 3:26)
Eternal Life
LDS:
- Deemed as exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom; godhood and ability to bear children in heaven.
- Must have a temple recommend and be sealed in Mormon temple. (D&C 131:1-4; 132:19-25, 30, 55)
BIBLE:
- Not limited to certain people in some highest level of heaven.
- No mention of parenthood or temple marriage; it is given to all true believers.
(1 John 5:12-13; Luke 20:35-36)
Immortality
LDS:
- Universal gift, which gives everyone the ability to go to heaven and live forever.
- Not the same as Eternal Life.
- Only comprised of the lower levels of heaven (Terrestrial Kingdom or Telestial Kingdom), without the ability to bear children as gods.
(D&C 14:7; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 237, 376-377, 670)
BIBLE:
- Makes no distinction between immortality and eternal life. There are no second class citizens in heaven.
(2 Timothy 1:10; John 3:15-16)
Hell
LDS:
- Hell as an institution is eternal—inmates come and go as in jail, but do not spend eternity there.
- Temporary. After debt is paid they will go to the Telestial Kingdom. (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 349-351)
BIBLE:
- No mention of people getting out of Hell.
(Revelation 21:8; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-50; Luke 16:26)
Heaven
LDS:
- Divided into three kingdoms—Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial. A place for almost everyone.2
(D&C 88:16-20 — misuse of 1 Corinthians 15:40-41)
BIBLE:
- Only mentions two conditions—everlasting punishment or eternal life.
(Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10)
Kingdom of God
LDS:
- Means Celestial Kingdom. Only those in the Celestial Kingdom are in God’s presence.
- Those in the Terrestrial or Telestial Kingdoms are not in the presence of the Father.
(D&C 76:50-88; 131:1-4; 132:16-17)
BIBLE:
- All redeemed will be in God’s presence.
(Revelation 21:1-3) - All believers are part of the Kingdom.
(Matthew 13:41-43)
Related reading:
- LDS View of God Contradicts the Bible
- Sharing Your Faith with Latter-day Saints
- Contradictions in LDS Scripture
- 41 Unique Teachings of the LDS Church (PDF book)
- “The Eternal State of Mankind,” chp. 10, Mormon Claims Answered
Footnotes:
- On the LDS teaching of universal salvation (viewed as universal resurrection) see: Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 288 (as cited in Brigham Young Sermon: Joseph Smith’s Consent Needed to Enter Heaven). ↩︎
- See our Eternal Progression Chart ↩︎