Mormon Beliefs and Practices

Bible Answers

THE BIBLE ANSWERS MORMON BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

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LDS QUESTIONS: Answering Questions Your Mormon Friends Ask

  • Christian Beliefs vs Mormon Beliefs
  • Prayers About the Book of Mormon
  • Prophets and Apostles in the Church
  • Priesthood Authority
  • Bearing Your Testimony

Why Biblical Christians Reject the Mormon Doctrine of Premortal Life

Bible-based Christians reject the Mormon belief in a premortal life because it is not found in traditional Christian teachings and contradicts key doctrines of the Bible. Here's a breakdown of why:

  1. Biblical Silence on Premortal Existence: The Bible does not explicitly teach that human souls existed before birth. According to traditional Christian doctrine, God creates each soul at the time of conception or birth (this view is known as "creationalism"). Passages like Genesis 2:7, which describes God breathing life into Adam, emphasize the creation of human life at a specific point on earth, rather than preexistence. 1 Corinthians 15:46 clarified mankind's origin on earth when it stated: "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." Jesus likewise rejected the idea that we existed prior to coming to earth when He provided a clear distinction between His premortal life (from above) and our origination occurring on earth (from below) at John 8:23: "Ye are from beneath; I am from above; ye are of this world; I am not of this world."
  2. Hebrews 9:27: This verse states, "It is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment." Bible-based Christians believe that life begins at conception and the next significant event for the soul is physical death, followed by judgment. Premortal existence isn't mentioned or suggested in this framework.
  3. Different Views on God's Nature and Human Relationship: Mormons believe in a pre-earth life where human spirits lived with God as His literal children. Traditional Christianity, however, teaches that humans become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:12) and adoption into God's family (Romans 8:15), rather than through premortal existence.
  4. Lack of Biblical Support for Mormon Doctrine: The concept of a premortal life is taught in LDS scripture (such as in the Book of Abraham and Doctrine and Covenants), but not in the Bible. Bible-based Christians rely solely on the Bible as the inspired Word of God (sola scriptura) and do not accept LDS scriptures as authoritative.
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Do Mormons Honor Joseph Smith at Christmas?

Christmas Lights

It is significant that Joseph Smith was born on December 23rd.  Although Mormons honor Christ at Christmas and their Christmas programs focus mainly on Christ during this time of year, it is noteworthy that Joseph Smith was born very close to Christmas, and as a result, in 2005 at the 200th-year birthday of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Church gave reverence to him along with Jesus at Temple Square that year.

The Mormon Church website states:

“Here on December 23, 1805, a baby with the responsibility of restoring to the earth the fullness of the everlasting gospel, was born,” a descendant of Joseph Smith said. ("Apostles Express 'Deep Reverence and Appreciation' for Prophet Joseph Smith and His Birthplace in Vermont" article, from the Mormon Church website)

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Purpose of Life - Mormon Questions Answered

Purpose of Life

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.:THE PURPOSE OF LIFE QUESTIONS ANSWERED - Mormonism vs. Biblical Christianity

WHO ARE WE? WHERE DID WE COME FROM?

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PREMORTAL LIFE – Is Mormon Pre-existence Taught in the Bible?

1 Corinthians 15:46: “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.”

MORMON POSITION

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) teaches that humans were first born as spirits to a Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother in a spirit world called “premortal” life, prior to coming down to earth to receive earthly bodies in what they call “mortal probation.”

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Do Mormon Temples Restore Biblical Christianity?

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MORMON TEMPLE AND THE BIBLICAL JEWISH TEMPLE

Ancient Temple in Jerusalem
Ancient Temple in Jerusalem

Throughout the United States and worldwide, the Mormon Church is opening temples that they claim are a restoration of the ancient Biblical Jewish temple. But the facts prove otherwise. Did you know that not a single ritual performed in the Mormon temple was practiced in the Jewish temple? While Mormonism claims to restore Christianity, it is "another gospel" condemned by God (Galatians 1:6-8) because it requires temple works which make Christ's sacrifice insufficient for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 11:6).

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Did Jesus Say that Men Can Become Gods?

Jesus and Godhood

DID JESUS SAY THAT MEN CAN BECOME GODS?

JOHN 10:34: “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”

If God is the only God, why did Jesus say “Ye are gods”?

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What Are Mormon Covenants?

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WHAT ARE MORMON COVENANTS?

“What does the word ‘covenant’ mean to Mormons? My LDS friend talks a lot about keeping his covenants in Mormonism. I don’t know what he’s talking about and I would like to know what these covenants are in the Mormon Church. I would like to know what they are for, who they are between and what each party of the covenant has to do in the covenant.”

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Mormon Baptism for the Dead

ldsbaptism.: Is Baptism for the Dead a Christian Practice?

1 CORINTHIANS 15:29: "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?"

MORMON POSITION

Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe that water baptism by immersion “is the first saving ordinance of the gospel … All who seek eternal life must follow the example of the Savior by being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost” (True to the Faith, 2004, p. 21). Baptism, according to Mormonism, is the prerequisite to receiving the “gift of the Holy Ghost” and is a necessary step in the process of being exalted to the highest level of heaven. Believing that non-Mormon dead relatives will have an opportunity to receive the Mormon restored gospel in spirit prison, Latter-day Saints take it upon themselves to help “save” them by engaging in proxy baptism on behalf of their dead ancestors. Mormon Apostle Bruce R McConkie explains:

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Mormon Beliefs and History

 

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.:WHO ARE MORMONS? – Their History, Beliefs and Practices

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Doctrines of the Book of Mormon vs. the Bible and Mormon Teachings

Bible Scripture

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.:THE BOOK OF MORMON VS. THE BIBLE AND LDS DOCTRINE Reference Chart

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE BOOK OF MORMON VS. THE BIBLE

ISAIAH 8:20: "If they speak not according to this word ... there is no light in them."

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Is Jesus the first-begotton son of God?

jesussonofgod.:IS JESUS THE FIRST-BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD? - Is Jesus the product of a physical act between Heavenly Father and one of His Wives?

PSALM 2:7: “…Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

MORMON POSITION:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that humans have the same origin as Lucifer (now known as Satan) and his “eldest brother,” Jesus Christ. Claiming that we are all the spiritual offspring of an exalted Man called “Heavenly Father” and his spiritual Goddess wife, known as “Heavenly Mother,” they claim: “Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ … so he is literally our elder brother … Because we are the spiritual children of our heavenly parents, we have inherited the potential to develop their divine qualities.”—Gospel Principles, 1995, p 11

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Is Grace Too Easy? Saved or Unsaved?

 

Prayer Group

.:SAVED OR UNSAVED? — THAT IS THE QUESTION - A detailed analysis of the Mormon "Gospel" Salvation Requirements

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Should we trust the Bible?

.:SHOULD WE TRUST THE BIBLE? — A Response to Mormonism’s Attack Upon the Bible’s Accuracy

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WHAT IS THE BIBLE?bible

The Bible is a compilation of 66 books that we call the “canon” (rule or standard) of Scripture. The Bible is divided into two sections: The Old Testament which covers the period of human history from Creation to the Hebrew prophet Malachi in about 445 B.C., and the New Testament which covers the period from the Birth of Christ at about 4 B.C. to the Revelation of John at about 95 A.D.

The majority of the Old Testament was canonized long before Christ’s birth with two marginal books being solidified into the final Jewish canon at the Council of Jamnia in 90 A.D. Most of the New Testament books were accepted by 100 A.D., with the exception of six debatable books that were officially recognized into the Christian canon at the Third Council of Carthage in 397 A.D. 1.

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Are Prophets and Apostles for the Christian Church today?

Bible Scripture

ARE PROPHETS AND APOSTLES FOR THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH TODAY?

1 CORINTHIANS 12:28: “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets.”

MORMON ARGUMENT

  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) points to a number of Biblical Scriptures to contend that God leads the true Church through “prophets” and “apostles” just as He did in Biblical times. Thus, Christian churches that do not claim to be led by living “prophets” and “apostles” are ridiculed by Mormons as not having the fullness of authority that the LDS Church claims to possess today. Some of the most common Scriptures used by Mormons to support this belief are:
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Mormon Doctrine Exposed

Shining God's Light on Mormon Beliefs 

Reference Chart exposing the doctrinal errors of the Mormon Church in parallel form by comparing Mormon doctrine against the clear teachings of the Bible.

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MORMON DOCTRINE EXPOSED - Reference Chart

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