Our Mormon Friends

 [If you want a copy of this in its original format email me at The401stprophet@gmail.com and I will send you one.  It will be formatted in a better way and is easier to understand.  But if you can follow this it has all the original material.]

Our Mormon Friends

By Phil Mitchell

Table of Contents

Page

An Open Letter to One Considering Mormonism                                                           3

An Open Letter to Our Mormon Friends                                                                        5

How You Can Know Christ Personally

           and Spend Eternity with Him in Heaven                                                            6   

Introduction and Historical Sketch of Mormonism                                                      8                                                                                                                                         

DOCTRINAL COMPARISON

God                                                                                                                                   10         

Christ                                                                                                                                 15

Salvation                                                                                                                          18

Revelation                                                                                                                         24

Church                                                                                                                               26

Appendix B – Terminology Difference                                                                          30

Appendix C – Smithsonian Institution Statement                                                        34

Appendix D – D.J. Nelson and the Papyrus Incident                                                      35

Annotated Bibliography                                                                                                  36

An Open Letter To One Considering Mormonism

           I am always encouraged by those individuals who are sincerely seeking to know God. I appreciate your interest in spiritual things and it is my purpose to assist you in your quest.

           You may very well have been impressed by your contact with Mormons. I share your positive impression. I have had Mormon friends since childhood. Most are hard-working, honest and concerned about others. Many have fine families and their attention to family life is a positive attribute.  Their attention to the needy in their midst and to providing social activities for everyone is commendable. Their dedication to their religious beliefs is admirable.

           I have nothing but love and appreciation for the Mormon people. In my twenty-five years of contact with them that appreciation has deepened. My purpose in writing is not to cast a shadow over Mormon people. Rather, I want you to consider the doctrinal system that lies under the surface of the LDS church.

           Certainly, careful thought should go into making a decision on what religion to give your allegiance. Truth can bear a thorough examination. Before signing a contract one should read the fine print carefully. So, I would encourage you to take the following steps before making any decision to be baptized into the Mormon Church. Be sure and take all the time you want in following them. Do not allow yourself to be rushed into a decision of this magnitude.

Step 1: Read the comparison of Christian doctrine and Mormon doctrine in this         pamphlet. A first reading will take about 20 minutes. Then, if you wish, re- read and study the points of most importance to you, checking the Bible         references.

Step 2: Read the Bible independent of specific doctrinal considerations. Begin with   Romans in the New Testament. Read with a pen in hand, jotting down your      questions and comments. Determine what the Bible is teaching.

Step 3: Be wary of making a decision based on feelings. Remember, getting a warm   feeling about something does not make it true. Satan is the Prince and Power       of the air (Ephesians 2:2). It would be to his advantage to give us a warm       feeling about something untrue. The Bible-method of determining truth is the      opposite of getting a warm feeling. Jesus challenged those who questioned                 Him to “search the Scriptures” (John 5:39). The people in the city of Berea  were called more noble than others because they “examined the Scriptures     daily” to determine truth (Acts 17:11). As we can see, the Bible is the test for truth, not warm feelings.

Step 4: Consider alternatives to Mormonism. You may not have been fortunate to be in a strong Christian church, but there are many that are outstanding. Visit           several. I think you will find one that offers a program as good or better          without the doctrinal weaknesses of Mormonism.

Step 5: Investigate the person of Jesus Christ. He and He alone can meet your needs. No human organization can do for you what Christ can. Have you been born     again? If you died today would you go to heaven? Only Christ can provide                   answers to these questions. (For an explanation of how you can know Christ       personally turn over the page headed with “How Can You Know Christ            Personally and Spend Eternity with Him in Heaven”.)

Step 6: Encourage your LDS friends to follow these same steps. Many of them are      not certain that if they died today they would be with Christ in heaven. You           might ask them if they have that assurance. Also, many of them do not know  what Christians believe, nor do they possess a very good understanding of           the Bible.

           Thank you for taking time to read this letter. I am praying that the Lord will use it to challenge and eventually comfort you. Remember: you have everything to gain and nothing to lose by following the above steps. May God guide you as you do.

An Open Letter to Our Mormon Friends

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, have not submitted themselves into the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”

Romans 10:1-4

           Although the Apostle Paul wrote these words with His Jewish brethren in mind, the words describe very well my feelings toward my Mormon friends.

           I want you to know that I do not write in a spirit of criticism or ridicule but of sympathy and appreciation.

           Yes, I appreciate you greatly. How I admire your zeal and dedication, you desire to do good works to please God. I am impressed with your heritage, social solidarity, and emphasis on family.

           But my great fear is that your zeal is “not in accordance with knowledge,” (Romans 10:2). It appears to me that your have done that of which Paul warned his Jewish brethren. You are attempting to establish your own righteousness (Romans 10:3).

           It is my desire for you to spend eternity with the Lord in heaven and for you to come to that assurance today. So, I would appreciate your reading of the next page headed “How You Can Know Christ Personally and Spend Eternity with Him in Heaven.” Then, would you investigate the doctrinal survey in the following pages. I think you will find you may possess all of the advantages of your Mormon background without succumbing to its doctrinal weaknesses.

           May God be with you.

How You Can Know Christ Personally and Spend Eternity with Him in Heaven

1. The Problem

           First we must understand why we do not possess a personal relationship with Christ.

           Our problem is sin. Sin is doing what we know is wrong (1 John 3:4), not doing what we know is right (James 4:17), or simply refusing to acknowledge our need for God (Romans 1:18-20).

           Who has sinned? The Bible says, “All have sinned,” (Romans 3:23).

           But we have done more than sin. We are sinners by nature. We were born sinful (Psalms 51:5). Our heart is “desperately wicked,” (Jeremiah 17:9). Jesus said we are evil (Luke 11:13). There is not a single one of us who is righteous in God’s 

sight (Romans 3:10). As a result we are separated from God (Isaiah 59:1,2) we are dead spiritually (Ephesians 2:1), and deserving of condemnation (John 3:18).

           The Bible’s assessment of our sinful condition is borne out in our daily existence. Which one of us does not sin many times each day? In Matthew 5:21-22 Jesus says that anytime we lose our temper and desire harm on others we have committed murder. In Matthew 5:28 He says that whoever lusts in his heart has committed adultery. We may not commit murder or adultery outwardly, but who has escaped it in his heart?

2. The Solution

           We can see how hopeless our condition is. Left to ourselves we say with Paul, “O wretched man that I am,” (Romans 7:24).

           But at this point God intervenes. He became flesh in Jesus Christ so He could take away our sinful condition, remove sin’s penalty, and reconcile us to Himself

(II Corinthians 5:18).

           Jesus Christ was perfect so He did not have to die for His own sin

 (II Corinthians 5:21). He died in our place, taking our sins on Himself so that we would not have to die for our own sins (Romans 5:8-10). Because of His shed blood He can wash away our sins (Romans 5:9) and give us His righteousness since we were incapable of being righteous on our own (Romans 3:21-24).

3. Application of The Solution

           It is not enough to know that Christ died for us. We must personally ask Him to apply His blood to our sin.

           Before going further we must understand how not to apply the solution. The solution to our sin problem is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 5:15). A gift is not earned or else, as Paul says, it is not longer a gift (Romans 4:1-5). Thus the Bible says we cannot earn Christ’s righteousness (Romans 3:28; 4:5; 10:1-4; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5). So, if we try to earn God’s favor by doing good works we will fail.

           So how do we apply the solution? Through simple faith. We must admit to God we are a helpless sinner (I John 1:9), and acknowledge Jesus as Lord of our life (Romans 10:9). The simple decision to cast ourselves on Christ’s mercy is all that ever reconciled anyone to God. Attempting to do more than this saves no one. 

           Where you sit right now, regardless of church affiliation, past life, good or bad deeds, you may ask Christ to give you His righteousness. If you make that decision sincerely Christ will enter your life, you will know Him personally and you know – on the basis of His Word – that you will spend eternity in heaven with Him

(I John 5:11-13).

           You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by giving your life to Christ.

           A number of years ago I asked Christ to give me righteousness. I prayed a prayer something like this:

           “Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. Please forgive me of my sin, come into my life and take control.

                                   In Your name, Amen.”

           Can you sincerely pray a prayer similar to that right now? Do you want to give your life to Christ? Do not another minute. Give your life to Christ right now.

INTRODUCTION

           Have you ever answered your door and found yourself staring at two neatly dressed young men who call themselves “missionaries”? They introduce themselves as representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They desire to present the claims of their religion. And, if you are like most Christians, you know very little about the “Mormons.” It is the purpose of this material to help Christians better understand Mormons, and to assist our Mormon friends in better understanding us.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF MORMONISM

           The LDS church was organized by a young man named Joseph Smith in April of 1830.

           Joseph claimed to have a unique experience with God. He reported that at age fourteen the Father and Son had appeared to him while he was praying in the woods. He was told at that time to join none of the churches of his community because they were all corrupt.

           At age sixteen Joseph said he was visited by an angel named Moroni who told him where some gold plates were buried. At age twenty-one the angel permitted him to dig up the plates – they were buried in a nearby hill.

           Joseph went to the spot where the plates were buried and unearthed them. They were in a chest which contained two stones, which Joseph called the Urim and Thummim. Peering into these stones the translation of the figures on the plates (the language of the gold tablets was Reformed Egyptian) appeared. Joseph then dictated to a secretary what appeared in the stones. The book that emerged Joseph called The Book of Mormon. It chronicled the events of the lost tribes of Israel who sailed across the Atlantic and became the forefathers of the American Indian.  

           Joseph was the head of the church he started and claimed to be a prophet of God, capable of giving revelations from God. In the subsequent years he gave many such revelations, which are recorded in the Doctrines and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, two books of Mormon scripture.

           Joseph and his followers moved from New York, to Ohio, to Missouri, and to Nauvoo, Illinois, not able to stay long in one place because of persecution.

           In 1844 one of Joseph’s followers, William Law, broke from him over the issue for polygamy, which Joseph practiced. Law set up an opposition newspaper in Nauvoo that attacked Joseph. Joseph ordered the press burned. For this he was arrested and taken to the nearby city of Carthage for trial. On June 27 a mob broke into the jail and murdered him.

           The leadership of the Mormons fell into the hands of Brigham Young. (There were several divisions in the Mormon Church at this time. One group followed Joseph Smith’s son and eventually became the reorganized LDS. This group has several hundred thousand adherents and is head-quartered in Independence, Missouri. Our focus will be on the group that followed Brigham Young, the Utah Mormons.)

           Because of persecution, Brigham Young led the Mormons to Utah in 1847. In that location the Mormons prospered greatly and have grown into the organization they are today.

           The Mormon Church has about 4.7 million members worldwide, the majority of which are located in the western U.S. It has been said that they are the wealthiest church, per capita, in the world. They currently send approximately 30,000 missionaries around the world. Their headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah.

GOD

           What one believes about God governs one’s entire existence. Every decision, emotion, thought, and attitude is predicated on our conception of the Supreme Being in the Universe. Although the LDS (Latter-Day Saints, Mormons) are theists – they believe in God, their conception of His nature is radically different from that of Christians.

The Mormon Doctrine of God

The Christian Doctrine of God and Response to the Mormon Doctrine of God.

A. God is a material, physical being with a body much like ours. 

1.    Joseph Smith was visited by God the Father and he saw that God had a physical body just like ours. (Doctrine & Covenants 130:22.) See also the account of Joseph Smith’s first vision (Pearl of Great Price, book of Joseph Smith, chapter 2).

2.    Scripture teaches that man was created in God’s image. If as physical beings we are in the image of God then God must have a body as we do (Genesis 1:26; 5:13; 9:6; James 3:9).

3.    Scripture describes God as having physical characteristics.

a.    Exodus 33:11 – God spoke to Moses “Face to face”. (See also Genesis 32:30).

b.    Exodus 33:23 – Moses saw God’s “back parts”

c.    Numbers 12:8 – Moses and God spoke “mouth to mouth”.

d.    Hebrews 1:3 – Jesus sits on God’s “right hand”.

e.    Deuteronomy 4:28 – Moses says that idols “neither see,…hear,…eat,…smell”. Thus, the true God must be able to do these things and to do them he must have a body. 

A. God is a Spirit and does not have a physical body.

1.    Christians disagree with Joseph Smith’s alleged vision of a physical God. It did not come from God.

a.    It is diametrically opposed to Scriptural teaching as we shall see below.

b.    It leads to contradiction and problems concerning the nature of God (as we shall point out below).

c.    The LDS record of this vision is unclear and contradictory.

·     Joseph Smith said nothing of this vision until 18 years after he said it occurred.

·     There are two different accounts of the vision given by him. In the first he said an angel visited him. In the second he saw the Father and Son.

2.    It is true that Scripture teaches that man has been created in God’s image. But an image does not reflect what it represents in all details. Even Mormons would agree. Male and female are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), but we would not conclude that God is bisexual. 

·     We are in God’s image in the sense that   we have the capacity to reason, make moral judgments, and possess a spiritual nature.

3.    The Bible describes God as having physical characteristics, but these are only figures of speech used to explain God’s activities in ways we can understand.

a.    For example, God is said to shelter us with His wings in Psalm 91:4. This does not mean that God has feathers.

b.    God is said to be a consuming fire in Deuteronomy 4:24. Do we take this literally?

c.    In Isaiah 48:13 God’s hand is said to “span the heavens”.

d.   Consider the following biblical data on the nature of God:

·     John 4:24: “God is a Spirit” This verse does not say God has a spirit but that He is one.

·     In Luke 24:39 Jesus makes it clear that a Spirit does not have flesh and bones.

·     Exodus 33:20 – No man can see God and live.

·     John 1:18 – No man has ever seen the Father.

·     I Timothy 1:17; 6:15, 16;

·     Colossians 1:15 all say that God is invisible.

B. God is Continually Progressing.

1.    God was once a baby, born as we are, and worked His way to His current position by doing good works in His earthly existence. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345 – 346.) “He became God – an exalted being – through obedience to the same Gospel truths that we are given opportunity today to obey.” (Milton R. Hunter, Gospel Through the Ages, p. 104)

2.    God had a father and mother just as we do. (Doctrine of Salvation, Vol. I, p.12)

B. God is without limitation, imperfection.

1.    Psalm 90:2 – “from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.” There was never a time God was not God. (Genesis 1:1)

·     Isaiah 41:4 – God is first and last.

2.    God has no parents, but always existed (Psalm 90:2; Genesis 1:1).

C. Men may become Gods by following the same path He did.

1.    By obedience to the whole Gospel we earn our way to Godhood. (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p.12)

2.    Many have already followed this path – e.g. Abraham and Jacob. (Doctrines and Covenants 132:37).

3.    Lorenzo Snow, a former President of the LDS church, said, “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.” Naive

C. Men cannot become God.

1.    We see here the unbiblical outgrowth of believing God is a physical creature.

2.    & 3. This is the basic temptation Satan put before Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:5). Numbers 23:19 and Hosea 11:9 both emphasize the distinction between God and man. No place does the Bible remotely suggest that men are becoming or can become Gods.

D. Mormonism is polytheistic – they do not believe there is one God but many.

1.    This is a logical outgrowth of Joseph Smith’s teaching that God is physical, progressing, etc.

2.    This is obvious since any of us can become a God and many before us have.

3.    Joseph Smith in The Pearl of Great Price, Book of Abraham, chapter 4, over and over again refers to the creators of this world as “Gods”, with a capital “G”.

4.    The Mormons claim that the Bible teaches that there is more than one God.

·     The Hebrew word for God in the first chapter of Genesis is “Elohim” and is in plural form.

·     In I Corinthians 8:5 Paul says there are “many gods and many lords.”

D. There is one God.

1.    Polytheism is another unbiblical outgrowth of Joseph Smith’s vision.

2.    & 3. The Bible teaches beyond any doubt the uniqueness, the oneness of God. Deuteronomy 4:39 – “there is not other.” Deuteronomy 6:4 – “The Lord is our God is one Lord.” Psalm 90:2; I Kings 8:60; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6; I Timothy 2:5.

4.    As we have noted above, if the Bible said there was more than one God it would be a contradiction.

·     The fact that “Elohim” in Genesis 1 is a plural is simply a Jewish literary device emphasizing God’s majesty. Ask any Jew for the last 4,000 years how many Gods there are. They have never interpreted “Elohim” as meaning more than one God and it is their language.

·     The Mormon use of I Corinthians 8:5 is an example of taking a verse out of context. It is obvious that Paul is emphasizing that there is only One true God. “For us there is but one God.” I Cor. 8:6.

E. Other Mormon beliefs about God.

1.    Mormons believe that since there is a God the Father there must be a mother – god.

2.    Brigham Young taught that Adam is God. (Journal of Discourses, Vol. I, p. 50).

3.    God is not eternal in the normal sense of the word for He had a beginning. It is matter that is eternal. (Doctrines and Covenants, 93:33).

4.    If matter is eternal it logically follows that God did not create the world ex nihilo – out of nothing. Rather, He, along with several other Gods, simply organized matter, “the same as a man would organize material and build a ship.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 350-2) Thus, the earth was “created” by organizing matter into its current form.

E. Response to Other Mormon Beliefs about God.

1.    A mother – god is unnecessary if God creates instead of procreates sexually.

2.    The Bible does not teach that Adam was God.

3.    God is eternal. (Psalm 90:2)

4.    The word “create” means just that; create. There are other words that mean organize. Furthermore, to say God “organized” the world makes Him dependent on matter.

CHRIST

           Jesus challenged the Pharisees with the question, “What think ye of Christ?” (Matthew 22:42). Our answer to this question is crucial. Our eternal destiny depends on it. Let us now compare the Mormon and Christian beliefs about Jesus Christ.

The Mormon Doctrine of Christ

A. The Mormons believe that Jesus is one Son of God.

1.    He was conceived in the “Virgin” Mary as a result of her sexual intercourse with God the Father. (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p. 18)

2.    Jesus is God’s “only Begotten” Son in that He alone was physically procreated by a union of the Father with a human mother.

3.    Jesus existed as a spirit in heaven previous to His physical birth in Bethlehem.

4.    His spirit was born as a result of a union between God the Father and a mother-god.

5.    The spirits of all humans were born the same way. (Hebrews 12:9) However, Jesus’ spirit was born first. This makes Jesus our older brother (Doctrines and Covenants, 93:21-23)

6.    Satan, a spiritual creature, was born the same way and is also Jesus’ younger brother.

7.    Jesus has worked His way up to being a God the same way God the Father did, and the same way we can. (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p. 33) This includes marriage, since it is necessary to achieve Godhood. Jesus was said to be a polygamist by Orson Pratt, Mormon Apostle.

The Christian Doctrine of Christ and Response to the Mormon Doctrine of Christ

A. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, God come in the flesh.

1.    He was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18)

2.    Jesus is God’s only begotten son in that he alone is God come in the flesh. (John 1:1, 14, 18)

3.    Jesus has always existed as member of the Godhead (John 1:1,2)

4.    There is no mention of a mother-god in the Bible, and is unnecessary in the Jesus Christ had no beginning.

5.    God created, not procreated us (Genesis 1:27). Jesus is our creator (John 1:3) not our older brother.

6.    The Bible nowhere teaches that Satan is Jesus’ brother.

7.    Jesus Christ began as God and has no need to work toward anything. He is the same “yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) The Bible nowhere hints that Jesus was married and if He was a polygamist He could not serve in the New Testament church (I Timothy 3:2).

B. The Mormons Deny the Trinity

1.    The Mormons refer to verses in the Bible that show the distinction between the Father and Son (Mark 1:9-11)

2.    The Mormons argue that the doctrine of the Trinity is a logical absurdity. (Articles of Faith, p. 48).

3.    The Trinity is, indeed, impossible if God the Father is a physical creature. (Articles of Faith, p. 39).

B. The Christian church believes un the Trinity of the Godhead; God is one in essence, existing in 3 persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

1.    Christians do not deny that there are distinctions between the persons of the Godhead. We are quite capable of reading and understanding the verses that show these distinctions. Why do we still insist that God is one essence, three persons? It is the only possible way to explain the biblical data.

a.    There are numerous passages that refer to Jesus as God or apply to Him titles that apply only to God.

·     John 1:1,14 Jesus the Word is God.

·     John 1:18 Jesus is only begotten God

·     Romans 9:5 Christ is over all, God blessed forever.

·     Revelation 17:14; 19:16 Jesus is “King of Kings and Lord of lords.”

·     Titus 2:13 Christ is the God who will appear.

·     See also: Hebrews 1:8, 3; Colossians 1:19; 2:9; Ephesians 5:5; II Peter 1:1; I John 5:20; John 8:58; 10:30; 14:9; 12:45; 20:28; Matthew 1:23)

b.    From the beginning to end the Bible teaches that Jesus possesses the same attributes as the Father.

·     Omnipresence. Matthew 18:20; 28:20

·     Omniscience. John 16:30

·     Unchanging. Hebrews 13:8

·     Creator. John 1:3; Colossians 1:15, 16

·     Perfect holiness. John 3:46; II Corinthians 5:21

·     Omnipotence. Matthew 28:18; Colossians 1:17

·     Judgment. John 5:22

·     Eternal. Micah 5:2, John 1:2

c.    Jesus Himself says clearly that we are to worship God alone (Luke 4:8), as is taught throughout the Bible (Deuteronomy 4:6; Exodus 34:14; II Corinthians 11:2; Isaiah 42:8). Yet Scripture says in numerous passages that we are to worship Jesus Christ.

·     Matthew 2:2. Wise men worshipped Him.

·     John 20:28. Thomas worshipped Him.

·     Hebrews 1:6. The angels.

·     Philippians 2:10,11. Everyone (compare with Isaiah 45:23)

d.    Many Bible passages associate the Father, Son & Spirit in a way best explained by the Trinity. Isaiah 48:16-17; 61:1; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; I Corinthians 12: 5-7; I Peter 1:2; Jude 20-21

2.    The Trinity is a mystery, not an absurdity.

3.    Since God is not a physical creature the Trinity is quite possible.

SALVATION

Mormon Doctrine of Salvation

The Christian Doctrine of Salvation and Response to the Mormon Doctrine of Salvation

A. Law of Eternal Progression

1.    We are eternal creatures and existed as spirits previous to our earthly existence (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, pp. 56-7)

a.    Christ existed before His birth. (John 1:1)

b.    So did Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 1:4,5)

2.    We were born into physical bodies by earthly parents.

a.    A “veil of forgetfulness” keeps us from remembering our life in heaven (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p. 60)

b.    The way we lived in our pre-existence determines our station in this life. (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p. 61)

3.    We are now in the process of working toward Godhood, and will continue after death.

A. The LDS Doctrine of eternal progression is diametrically opposed by the Bible.

1.    & 2. We did no exist as “spirit – creatures” before our birth. Genesis 2:7

a.    Christ is God and has always existed, to prove our pre-existence by Christ’s is more evidence of the tendency to reduce Christ to our level.

b.    God knew what Jeremiah would be called to do before he was born, but this no more means that Jeremiah pre – existed than you did when your mother was a little girl and dreamed of having children.

3.    The idea of working toward Godhood is not taught by the Bible as we shall see later.

B. General Salvation

1.    Because of Christ’s atoning death, all people will be “saved”. By this the LDS mean that all will be resurrected at the end of the millennium. (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p. 123)

2.    Christ’s death delivers us from Adam’s sin. I Corinthians 15:22 (Articles of Faith, p. 85)

B. Christians do not believe, nor does the Bible teach, that all will be saved. John 3:16-18, 36; 5:24; 29; I John 5:11, 12

C. Individual or Personal Salvation

1.    By this, the LDS mean exaltation of the highest level of heaven. (Articles of Faith, pp. 91-2)

2.    Exaltation is given only to those who have earned it by keeping all of God’s commandments – obeying the Gospel. (Articles of Faith, p. 89; Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. II, p. 6)

a.    Romans 2:6-11 Those who persevere in doing good will receive eternal life.

b.    Book of Mormon, II Nephi 25:23 “by grace we are saved after all we can do.”

c.    The doctrine of justification by faith alone is a wicked doctrine and has “exercised an influence for evil.” (Articles of Faith, pp. 107, 479)

C. We are saved from hell by simple faith in Christ plus nothing.

1.    In the Christian view there are no “levels” of heaven.

a.    II Corinthians 5:8-10 absent from the body, present with the Lord.

b.    Luke 16:19-31; Philippians 1:23,24; Luke 23:43 all speak of the Christian’s life after death and no degrees of heaven are mentioned.

2.    The concept of ”earning” heaven of being “worthy” of it is contrary to the biblical view of God’s grace and men’s depravity.

a.    There are verses that suggest salvation can be earned. But read in context it will be seen that we are judged on the basis of our works. If Paul has meant that some had earned salvation in Romans 2:7 then why did he say there are none righteous in Romans 3:10?

b.    The passage from the Book of Mormon, II Nephi 25:23, is a distortion of and contradiction to Ephesians 2:8,9.

c.    Rather than being a “wicked” doctrine, justification by faith alone has been an anxiety – quenching comfort to those who realize their sinful condition and trust God’s grace alone for their salvation. It is also clearly a Bible doctrine:

·     Men are hopelessly lost when left to themselves. (Romans 3:10-18)

·     Thus, we must depend totally upon Christ for Salvation. Romans 3:24; 3:28; 4:5; 4:19-22; 5:1; 11:5,6; Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8,9; I John 5:11, 12; John 3:16-18; 3:36

·     If we can earn our salvation it is no longer God’s gift to us. A gift is free. Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 11:5,6; 3:24

·     If the LDS are correct and we are saved by keeping all the commandments of God, then who can be saved?

·     If salvation is earned then who can be certain they have done enough? There cannot be the assurance of salvation we read of in I John 5:13 and Romans 8:1

D. The Mormon “Gospel” – what one must do to be exalted.

1.    Faith – it is granted to those who work for it. (Articles of Faith, pp. 105,107)

2.    Repentance – sorrow for sin and a determination to do good works. (Articles of Faith, p. 109)

3.    Baptism – an individual must be immersed for the removal of his sins. (Articles of Faith, p. 128) John 3:5; Mark 1:4 – so essential that if a person dies without being baptized a person can be baptized for him. (I Corinthians 15:29) This is known as “baptism for the dead.”

4.    Laying on of hands for the gifts of the Holy Ghost – a proper LDS authority places his hands on you and this allows the Holy Ghost to enter. Acts 8:14-17.

D. The Christian Response to the Mormon “Gospel” – it is no gospel (good news) at all, but rather a burdensome, impossible, endless list of rules no one can live up to.

1.    Faith – it is not earned but rather simple trust that God will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. (Hebrews 11:1; Romans 4:20, 21)

2.    Repentance – from the Greek word metanoia, meaning a change in mind of attitude toward yourself and God. It is not a determination to do good yourself, but rather a commitment to let God live His life through you. It is a confession of sin to God. (Acts 2:38; I John 1:9)

3.    Baptism – Water baptism is a symbol of what has occurred in the believer’s heart and has no value independent of the faith of the person baptized.

a.    John 3:5 – the passage nowhere refers to baptism. Jesus is speaking of physical birth, which is clearly shown by the context – 3:6.

b.    Mark 1:4 – Johns’s baptism is very different from believer’s baptism as is seen in Acts 19:1-5

c.    Romans 6:4-6 teaches that water baptism is a symbol of our identification with Christ. In the New Testament it always follows saving faith.

d.    There are many passages in the New Testament that speak of salvation with no reference to baptism. e.g., John 3:16, 36; Romans 10:9,10; I John 5:11,12 and dozens of others.

e.    If baptism were necessary for salvation how could the thief on the cross be saved? Luke 23:43

f.     If baptism saves us then we are saved by works, for baptism is a work. As we have noted before, we are not saved by works.

g.    Baptism for the dead:

·     The practice is unnecessary since baptism does not wash away sin.

·     It is contrary to the biblical teaching that men and women are responsible for their own salvation. Romans 14:4

·     I Corinthians 15:29 – the subject of this whole chapter is resurrection. Paul is simply stating that there are those who prove they believe in the eventual resurrection of the dead. Who are these that are doing this baptizing? It must be a non-Christian religious group because Paul refers to them in the third person “they” (he switches back to the “we” in v. 30). And he never commands the church to practice it.

4.    Laying on of hands – this was an Old Testament ritual meant to show a special consecration for services, as in our ordination services.

a.    In Acts there are two occasions when the Holy Spirit comes upon those who are having hands laid on them. Acts 8:14-19; 19:1-6

b.    In Acts 2:4, and 10:44 it shows the Spirit being poured our without hands being laid on.

c.    In Acts 9:2 and 13:3 you have hands being laid on in connection with events other than the filling of the Spirit.

d.    As can be seen the laying on of hands was done in various ways, for different reasons. For the LDS to inisist that one of these is the normal practice of the church and that one cannot be saved without it is misuse of Scripture. (For a good explanation of these texts see Baptism and Fullness of the Holy Spirit, by John Stott.)

E. Other “Works” essential for LDS exaltation (Personal Salvation)

1.    Word of Wisdom – Found in Doctrines and Covenants, Section 89, it forbids the use of alcohol, tobacco, and hot drinks. Eating of meat is forbidden except in winter and famine. This is said to be a part of our “salvation”.

2.    Tithing – giving 10% of income to the church. Violators will be “burned” when Christ returns. (Doctrines and Covenants, 64:23)

3.    Marriage in the Temple – to be exalted one must be married in the Temple. (Doctrines and Covenants, Section 132). This marriage is binding for eternity. Whoever does not obey this law is damned. (132:6)

4.    Membership in LDS Church – ALL churches but the Mormon Church are false, corrupt, and an abomination in the sight of God. (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:18-19). Mormons consider themselves the “Best people on earth …and in many ways superior to any other people.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p. 236). There is “no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, pp. 189-90)

5.    “We must accept the infinite atonement of Christ.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. II, p. 3) The atonement will be applied to one’s personal sin only “by individual effort…” (Articles of Faith, p. 84.)

6.    We must serve God with all our heart, mind and strength and keep all His commandments (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. II, pp. 4,6)

E. Christian Response to Mormon works of “salvation”. This whole discussion demonstrates the enormity of the difficulty in saving yourself by law-keeping. It makes one thankful that we are saved by faith alone apart from keeping the law. (Romans 3:24, 28; 4:5) this is our basic response to each of the six points below. However, some additional comments:

1.    Joseph Smith himself did not keep the Word of Wisdom and drank freely, often heavily, after he gave it. (See Fawn Brodie’s biography of Smith, No Man Knows My History, pp. 166-67; be sure to see footnote on the bottom of p. 167.)

2.    II Corinthians 9:7 – We do not give out of “necessity”, because the Lord loves a “cheerful” giver.

3.    Jesus said that in heaven people would not be married (Luke 20:35). Paul himself was unmarried and encouraged celibacy (I Corinthians 7:8ff)

4.    Faith in Christ, not membership in a church saves a person (Ephesians 2:8).

5.    I wish my Mormon friends would give their whole heart to Christ and trust Him and nothing else for salvation. Instead, they merely acknowledge He died on the cross, “saving” everyone, regardless of their faith.

6.    Joseph F. Smith himself is lost if keeping the whole law is necessary for salvation (James 2:10).

REVELATION

Mormon View of Revelation (that which has been revealed to us by God.)

The Christian Doctrine of the Word and Response to the Mormon View.

A. The difference of opinion among Christians shows the inadequacy of the Bible to settle disputes between Christians.

1.    The LDS argue that the Bible cannot be trusted because so many errors have been made in its translation. When we read it we must ask the spirit to help us “discern between truth and the errors of men.” (Articles of Faith, p. 237)

2.    Only a “fool” would argue that the Bible alone is sufficient to guide us to God (Book of Mormon, II Nephi 29:6).

A. The difference of opinion about the Bible among denominations shows the inadequacies of Christians not the Bible.

1.    Christians believe that the Bible in its original form was without error and that Almighty God Himself has protected the Bible in its translation down through the centuries. We have 4,000 copies of the New Testament that were written before 400 A. D. These all agree on over almost all the minor points of no great importance (such as spelling of words). No single major doctrine of the Bible is in question on textual grounds. I have yet to meet a Mormon who is familiar with any of the data defending the accuracy of the Bible.

·     One Further Point: What kind of God would we have who would allow His precious Word to become so corrupted that it would be of no value to His people? Our God would never, never permit this to happen!

·     (For further information on this topic see F.F. Bruce’s book, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?)

2.    Millions of God’s greatest saints down through history have believed that the Bible alone is sufficient to guide us into all truth. Are these people fools? Paul (Galatians 1:8,9); Peter (II Peter 3:16); Martin Luther, John Calvin, George Whitefield, John Bunyan, John Wycliffe, John Wesley, D.L. Moody, C.H. Spurgeon, C.S. Lewis, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Francis Shaeffer, and millions of others.

B. The LDS believe that God has given them the solution to the Bible’s inadequacies by providing a prophet to speak for God. Only the LDS president and chief apostles possess this prophetic gift. (Articles of Faith, pp. 302 – 4)

1.    Thus, there have been many revelations given by LDS prophets, that are superior to the Bible because they do not suffer from translation (Joseph Smith was the first prophet).

2.    The current LDS hierarchy speaks for God.

B. We believe men with the gift of prophecy speak for God today (Romans 12:6). It is unfair for the LDS to claim exclusive access to this office. Furthermore, a modern day prophet cannot contradict the Bible, otherwise God would be contradicting himself.

1.    Even a brief reading of LDS revelations shows that Mormons hold many doctrines not in the Bible, or dogmas that contradict Bible teaching; e.g., God is physical; Jesus was born from intercourse between God and Mary; universal salvation; eternal marriage; no hell; three heavens; salvation by works, etc.

2.    Current LDS revelations say nothing new about the nature of God, the world, man, etc. So why are they needed? The last major “revelation” received by an LDS prophet was in 1890 and forbade the practice of polygamy, which Joseph Smith had commanded in Doctrines and Covenants 132. So modern prophets either say nothing of consequence or contradict old prophecies.

C. Despite LDS warnings about Bible errors and inadequacies the LDS still claim to believe the Bible and consider it one of their “foremost” works. (Articles of Faith, p. 236)

C. It seems to us to be highly inconsistent to call the Bible a book of erros and then refer to it as your “foremost” work and use passages form it to defend doctrinal positions.

CHURCH

The LDS Doctrine of the Church

The Christian Doctrine of the Church and Response to Mormon Doctrine of the church

A. The original church, founded by Christ and the twelve apostles underwent a total apostasy and was “literally driven from the earth”. (Articles of Faith, p. 203)

1.    The Mormons argue that this total apostasy was predicted in the Bible. (Galatians 1:7; II Thessalonians 2:3,4; I Timothy 4:1,2; II Timothy 3:1-5)

2.    Proof of the total apostasy is seen in that no church claimed direct revelation from God after the first century. (Articles of Faith, p. 200)

A. The Christian church was established by Jesus Christ. He said the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) It demeans Christ to say that the church He founded lasted less than 100 years while Joseph Smith’s lasted at least 150 years.

1.    The Mormons fail completely to show scripturally or historically that the church was “literally driven from the earth.”

a.    Not one verse in the Bible teaches total apostasy. Apostasy? Yes. Total? Absolutely not.

·     I Timothy 4:1 says only “some” will fall away. Not all.

·     II Timothy 3:12-17 says that difficult times will occur but that the Lord delivers.

·     Careful exam will show in each case the LDS use Scripture to argue total apostasy the passage either does not teach total apostasy and/or does not refer to the church.

b.    Throughout history God has always had a group of people who were faithful to Him. Between 100 A.D. and 1830 A.D. there were tremendous revivals all over the world with millions won to Christ. All this done without the benefit of Joseph Smith’s church.

2.    We claim direct revelation from God that is sufficient. It is the Bible! It is profitable to furnish us unto “every good work.” (II Timothy 3:15-17)

B. The LDS Church is the restoration of the true church upon the earth.

1.    Joseph Smith was baptized by John the Baptist in 1829 and received the Aaronic priesthood. Later on he had the Melchizedek priesthood conferred upon him through the laying of hands by the apostles Peter, James, and John.

a.    The Aaronic priesthood is necessary to properly baptize and confer the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. “No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” (Hebrews 5:4)

2.    The LDS claim to possess the same organizational structure as the New Testament church. This they say is the “distinguishing characteristic” of the true church. (Articles of Faith, p. 199)

a.    The organization of the church founded on Christ “must be ever the same. In searching for the true church, therefore, one must look for an organization comprising the offices established of old the callings of apostles, prophets, evangelists, high priests, seventies, pastors, bishops, elders, priests, teachers, deacons.” (Articles of Faith, p. 199)

b.    This organization “has been impressively compared to a perfect body.” (Articles of Faith, p. 199)

3.    The LDS church is the only true church. Membership in it is necessary to achieve personal salvation.

a.    All other churches are the “church of the devil…the mother of abominations… the whore of all the earth.” (Book of Mormon, I Nephi 14:10)

b.    All other church creeds are an “abomination” in the sight of God and are “all corrupt.” (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:18-19)

c.    “There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. I, p. 189)

4.    The true church will be known by its name. Since the LDS is the church of “Jesus Christ” this is a sign of its authenticity. (Book of Mormon, III Nephi 27: 1-8; Ephesians 5:23)

B. Since the Christian church never left the earth it did not need to be “restored”. Even at that, what the LDS have “restored” bears faint resemblance to the New Testament church.

1.    The Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood did not exist in the New Testament church. Thus, the LDS are “restoring” something that was not there in the first place.

a.    Hebrews 5:4 Does not say that the Aaronic priesthood is part of the New Testament church. It is talking about Christ’s function as our high priest (one who represents us before God.) At any rate, Aaron did not receive the high priestly office the way the LDS say we must – by the laying on of hands. Instead, he received it by God’s direct voice as it says in Exodus 4:27. (The Doctrines and Covenants 132:59 agrees with the Bible, and does not support current LDS practice.)

b.    The Melchizedek priesthood did not exist in the New Testament church.

·     Melchizedek appears twice in the Old Testament and is a special representative of God. (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 110:4)

·     In the New Testament his name appears only in Hebrews 5-7. In each case only Jesus Christ, no one else, is a priest of this kinds. So how can anyone else hold this priesthood of this kind. So how can anyone else hold this priesthood?

c.    Since there is no such thing as the “authority of the priesthood” in Christ’s church then the challenge to the Christian’s authority is pointless. However, when my Mormon friends question me on this I simply say my authority comes from the Spirit of God within, my acceptance of Christ and the infallibility of the Bible. If I have access to these who needs the ceremonies of an organization of humans? (As an interesting sidelight, even the Book of Mormon says that whoever challenges others to do good is “inspired by God,” Moroni 7:13-16).

2.    Nowhere does the Bible lock the church into one “correct” organizational structure. And even if this were the case, the LDS would be disqualified because they do not reflect the New Testament church in many areas.

a.    For example, the New Testament church had no high priestly office, nor an office such as priest. All Christians are “priests” in the sense that we have direct access to God, but this describes a privilege, not an office. Also, I have not encountered an LDS church that had the official offices of pastor or evangelist.

b.    If the organization was a “perfect” body why did the one Christ start less that 100 years ago? It must have been considerably less than perfect.

3.    A person must receive Christ to go to heaven. (John 1:12) Joining a church organization saves no one, contributes to no one’s salvation. In the New Testament church membership always came after conversion to Christ. (Acts 2:47)

a.    &b. The true church consists of all those who have trusted in Christ. (I Corinthians 12:13; Hebrews 12:23)

c.    There is no salvation except through Christ (Acts 4:12). Joseph Smith affects no one’s salvation except his own.

4.    In the New Testament churches were named after the city there were in (e.g., I Corinthians 1:2). There are many churches called Church of God, Church of Christ, etc. This is no indication of their validity, anymore than a person named a Christian is one. In I Corinthians 1:12 Paul condemns one faction of believers who insisted on being named after Christ.

APPENDIX B

Terminology Differences By S. Tanner 

(Reprinted by permission)

Holy Ghost

·     LDS: Is a separate God from Father and Son – different from Holy Spirit – Holy Ghost is a person – Holy Spirit is influence from Father.

·     Bible: Same Greek word uses for Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 3:16 and 6:19)

Pre – Existence

·     LDS: teach that everyone pre-existed – we all exist eternally.

·     Bible: Only Christ pre-existed, not man. (John 8:58; Col. 1:17) We didn’t have a spiritual existence prior to earth. (I Cor. 15:46)

Fall

·     LDS: teach it brought mortality and physical death, not fallen nature, believe Adam was given two conflicting commandments and was supposed to fall.

·     Bible: God tempts no one. (James 1:13-14) Man is basically sinful (Rom. 8:5-8; I Cor. 2:14)

Sin

·     LDS: Specific acts – not man’s basic nature

·     Bible: We are in spiritual rebellion until conversion. (Eph. 2:3; Rom. 5:6) We do not just commit sins – we are basically sinful. (Matt. 1:21)

Repentance

·     LDS: Repent of individual acts – not sinful nature.

·     Bible: Must repent of basic rebellion. (Jer. 17:9; Luke 5:32)

Atonement – Salvation By Grace

·     LDS: believe Christ’s death brought release from the grave universal resurrection. Salvation by grace is universal resurrection. Beyond this man must earn his place in heaven.

·     Bible: Salvation is not universal but based on belief of each individual. (Rom. 1:16; Heb. 9:28; Eph. 2:8,9)

Redeemed

·     LDS: from mortal death only – not sinful rebellion or spiritual death.

·     Bible: Christ redeems from more than mortal death – redeems us from spiritual death. (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1)

Gospel

·     LDS: Mormon Church system and doctrines

·     Bible: Message of Christ’s death and resurrection as atonement for our sins. (I Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8)

Born Again

·     LDS: Baptism into LDS Church

·     Bible: We are spiritually dead until our spiritual rebirth (I Pet. 1:23; II Cor. 5:17)

True Church

·     LDS: Only Mormon Church – true church taken from earth until Joseph Smith restored it.

·     Bible: As a born-again Christian we are part of God’s Church. (I Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 18:19-20; 16:18)

Virgin Birth

·     LDS: believe God, as a resurrected, physical man, is literal Father of Jesus – same manner in which men are conceived on earth – Matt. 1:18 error

·     Bible: says Mary was “with child of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt. 1:18)

Authority – Priesthood

·     LDS: believe only LDS have authority to baptize, ordain, etc. – Have two-part system of priesthood – Melchizedek and Aaronic.

·     Bible: Christ brought end to Aaronic priesthood and is ONLY High Priest after manner of Melchizedek. (Heb. 5:9; II Tim. 2:2)

Baptism

·     LDS: Must be performed by LDS priesthood.

·     Bible: Emphasis is on Believer – not priesthood authority (Mark 16:15-16)

Sons of God

·     LDS: We are all literal spirit children of God

·     Bible: We become a child of God at conversion. (John 1:12)

Eternal Life

·     LDS: Exaltation is Celestial Kingdom – ability to bear children in heaven – must have a Temple marriage.

·     Bible: Not limited to certain ones in heaven – no mention of parenthood or temple marriage but is given to ALL Christians. (I John 5:12-13)

Immortality

·     LDS: Universal gift – ability to live forever but not Eternal Life.

·     Bible: Makes no distinction between immortality and eternal life. (II Tim. 1:10)

Heaven

·     LDS: Divided into three kingdoms – Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial – place for almost everyone (misuse I Cor. 15:40-41)

·     Bible: Only mentions two conditions – everlasting punishment or eternal life. (Matt. 25:31-46)

Kingdom of God

·     LDS: Means Celestial Kingdom – only those in Celestial Kingdom are in God’s presence. Those in Terrestrial and Telestial Kingdoms aren’t in presence of Father.

·     Bible: All redeemed will be in God’s presence. (Rev. 21:1-3) All believers are part of Kingdom. (Matt. 13:41-43)

Hell

·     LDS: Hell as an institution is eternal – inmates come and go as in jail – don’t spend eternity there – stay until one has paid debt to God.

·     Bible: No mention of people getting out of Hell. (Rev. 21:8; Matt. 13:24-43; 13:47-50; Luke. 16:26)

Godhead

·     LDS: Father God is a resurrected man with physical body, Christ is a separate resurrected man with physical body, Holy Ghost is a separate man with a spiritual body – 3 totally separate Gods.

·     Bible: God not a man. (Num. 23:19) Only one God (Isa. 43:10-11; 44:6; 45: 21-22) Father is Spirit and Invisible. (John 4:24; I Tim 1:17)

APPENDIX C

           The following was taken from a letter written by the Smithsonian Institution; Office of Anthropology; Washington, D.C. 20560

STATEMENT REGARDING THE BOOK OF MORMON

           The Smithsonian Institution has received hundreds of inquiries in recent years regarding the use of the Book of Mormon as a guide to archeological researches. Answers to questions most commonly asked are as follows:

1.    The Smithsonian Institution has never used the Book of Mormon in any way as a scientific guide. Smithsonian archeologists see no connection between the archeology of the New World and the subject matter of the Book.

2.    The physical type of the North American Indian is basically Mongoloid, being most closely related to that of the people of eastern, central, and northeastern Asia. Archeological evidence indicates that the ancestors of the present Indians came into the New World – probably over a land bridge known to have existed in the Bering Strait region during the last Ice Age—in a continuing series of small migrations beginning about 30,000 years ago.

3.    Present evidence indicates that the first people to reach this continent from the East were the Norsmen who arrived in the northeastern part of North America around A.D. 1000. There is nothing to show that they reached Mexico or Central America.

4.    There is increasing evidence of the spread of cultural traits of MesoAmerica and the northwestern coast of South America across the Pacific, beginning several thousand years before the Christian era. However, these appear to be the result of accidental voyages originating in eastern and southern Asia and show no relationship to ancient Egyptian or Hebrew cultures.

5.    We know of no authentic cases of ancient Egyptian or Hebrew writing having been found in the New World. Reports of findings of Egyptian influences in the Mexican and Central American arease have been published in newspapers and magazines from time to time, but thus far no reputable Egyptologists has been able to discover any relationship between Mexican remains and those in Egypt.

6.    There are two copies of the Book of Mormon (and part of a third copy) in the United States National Museum, and another copy was sent by the Smithsonian library to the Library of Congress for deposit. Two of these were gift copies, and one was received by transfer from another government agency. One or two members of the staff have personal copies that were presented to them by Mormons.

APPENDIX D

           I have been asked on numerous occasions about the manuscript problems of the Pearl of Great Price, Book of Abraham. The following is a discussion of that problem.

           On November 27, 1967 the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art gave the Mormon Church the original papyri from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Abraham. (We are certain that these are the correct papyri because Joseph Smith copied down the figures and they are reproduced in the Pearl of Great Price on pages 28 and 34.) This is an important section of LDS Scripture because it contains the condemnation of blacks, prohibiting them from holding the priesthood in the LDS church.

           A number of Egyptologists translated the papyri and found it to be nothing but a burial service, not what Joseph Smith had translated. One Egyptologist, Professor D.J. Nelson of Brigham Young University, translated the papyri. As a result, he concluded that the Book of Abraham was not true and asked to have his name and the names of his family removed from the Mormon Church rolls.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MAJOR SOURCES

1. Articles of Faith, by James Talmage. A Mormon source, giving an understandable presentation of LDS doctrine. Best book for introduction to Mormon belief.

2. Book of Mormon. Considered scripture by Mormons. Written by Joseph Smith it is an account of the lost tribes of Israel coming to and dwelling in the Western hemisphere. Not recommended for understandable basic LDS doctrine. Many Mormon beliefs and practices are not found here.

3. Confronting the Cults, by Gordon Lewis. Written by one outside of Mormonism, the book gives seven basic questions to ask in discerning whether a group is Christian or cult.

4. Doctrines and Covenants. Mormon scripture recording revelations of Joseph Smith and others. Most LDS doctrine is found here.

5. Doctrines of Salvation, by Joseph Fielding Smith. This three volume set is a comprehensive treatment of LDS doctrine written by a church president, called by Mormons “the chief doctrinal authority of the church.”

6. The Four Major Cults, by Anthony Hoekema. Written by one outside Mormonism, a good treatment of major theological differences between Mormonism and Christianity.

7. Mormon Claims Answered, by Marvin Cowan. Written by a former Mormon this short, readable book is best introduction to differences between Mormonism and Christianity.

8. No Man Knows My History, by Fawn Brodie. Written by a former Mormon, turned secular historian, this is an exhaustive but readable treatment of the life of Joseph Smith. Extensively documented, this book is recognized by secular historians as one of the best biographies ever written by an American author.

9. Pearl of Great Price. Mormon Scripture that is a collection of translation and revelations by Joseph Smith. Some major LDS doctrines found here.

           In addition to these sources the Bible has been used extensively in this treatment. My recommendation of translations is the New American Standard, an excellent and accurate rendering of the Greek text.