Mormonism vs Christianity: Mormon Beliefs, History and LDS Doctrine

By Mark Swarbrick

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Mormonism presents itself as the restored Church of Jesus Christ, but how do Mormon beliefs compare with biblical Christianity? What do Mormons believe about God, Jesus Christ, salvation, the Bible, and becoming gods? And what does the history of Mormonism reveal about its founder, Joseph Smith? This page provides an overview of Mormonism and serves as a guide to my more detailed articles examining Mormon history, Mormon beliefs, LDS doctrine, Joseph Smith, and the differences between Mormonism and Christianity. At the bottom of this page, you will find links to all of the articles on ChristianAnswerMan.com dealing with Mormonism and the teachings of the LDS Church.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints identifies itself as Christian and teaches that Joseph Smith was called by God to restore Christ’s church to the earth. Mormonism, however, introduced additional scriptures and doctrines that differ substantially from historic biblical Christianity. Those differences concern some of Christianity’s most fundamental teachings, including the nature of God, the identity of Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, and the means of salvation.

Joseph Smith’s Death and the History of Mormonism

Mormonism began with Joseph Smith in the early nineteenth century. Smith claimed that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and that the existing churches were wrong. He later claimed that an angel directed him to golden plates from which he produced the Book of Mormon. Smith eventually established a religious movement that grew rapidly and exercised considerable religious and political power.

The history surrounding Joseph Smith is considerably more complicated than the familiar story of a persecuted prophet. His life became entangled with plural marriage, political power, legal conflicts, and eventually violence. Smith was arrested in Illinois after ordering the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor, a newspaper that had criticized his leadership and exposed his practice of plural marriage.

He was later incarcerated in Carthage Jail, where a group of approximately thirty to forty armed men, including Missourians seeking to take Smith back to Missouri, approached under the leadership of troops from the Warsaw Militia. Missouri authorities had long sought Smith, who had previously escaped from custody there while being held for trial for conspiracy to murder Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs. Eyewitnesses described the men marching orderly in single file to the jail, rather than approaching as a wild mob, as LDS accounts have commonly portrayed them. According to accounts from the militia’s side, when the men reached the room where Smith and the other prisoners were being held, they fired a shot at the lock of the wooden door in an attempt to gain entrance. Smith then opened the door partially and began firing his smuggled six-shooter into the men outside. Three chambers discharged while three misfired, striking three men. Mormon apostle John Taylor, who was inside the room with Smith, later acknowledged that Smith fired the pistol and wrote that he was informed that two of the wounded men subsequently died. A gun battle followed in which Hyrum Smith was killed, Taylor was wounded, and Joseph Smith was eventually shot as he attempted to escape through the window.

Understanding that history is important because Mormonism rests heavily upon Joseph Smith’s claim to be a prophet of God. My article Mormon History examines the origins and historical development of the LDS movement in greater detail.

What Do Mormons Believe?

Mormon beliefs differ from biblical Christianity in several fundamental areas. Latter-day Saints accept the Bible, but they also recognize the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price as scripture. The LDS Church therefore does not accept the Bible as the sole written authority for Christian doctrine.

Mormon doctrine also differs significantly from historic Christianity concerning the nature of God. Biblical Christianity teaches that there is one eternal God who has always been God. Mormonism developed teachings concerning exaltation in which human beings may ultimately become like God. These differences are not peripheral theological disagreements; they concern the very identity and nature of God.

My article Unbiblical LDS Doctrines examines these Mormon beliefs and compares them with the teachings of the Bible.

Mormonism and the Bible

One of the most important differences between Mormonism and Christianity concerns the authority of Scripture. Christians historically recognize the Old and New Testaments as Scripture. Mormonism accepts additional books as scripture and also recognizes continuing prophetic revelation through LDS leadership.

This raises an essential question: if later revelation contradicts what God has already revealed, which authority should a Christian follow? My article Mormons and the Bible examines the LDS view of Scripture and compares Mormon teachings with the Bible.

Mormonism vs Christianity

The differences between Mormonism and Christianity ultimately go much deeper than church organization, terminology, or religious customs. Mormonism uses many familiar Christian words—God, Jesus, salvation, gospel, Scripture and eternal life—but gives some of those terms meanings that differ significantly from historic Christian doctrine.

This is particularly important concerning Jesus Christ. Latter-day Saints affirm Jesus as the Son of God and Savior, but LDS theology does not understand God, Christ, and humanity in the same way historic Christianity does. The biblical doctrine of one eternal God and the historic Christian doctrine of the Trinity differ fundamentally from the LDS understanding of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as distinct beings united in purpose. The LDS Church itself acknowledges this difference in explaining its beliefs about the Godhead.

Salvation is another critical area of disagreement. Biblical Christianity teaches that sinners are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works that earn salvation. Mormonism incorporates ordinances, covenants, obedience, temple practices, and exaltation into a much larger system concerning a person’s eternal destiny.

These are among the reasons I regard Mormonism as a non-Christian cult rather than simply another Christian denomination. That conclusion is based upon its departures from biblical teaching concerning God, Christ, Scripture, and salvation, not upon hostility toward individual Latter-day Saints.

Was Joseph Smith a Prophet?

Everything Mormonism teaches ultimately depends upon the credibility of Joseph Smith’s prophetic claims. If Smith truly was God’s prophet, his revelations demand serious consideration. If he was not, the religious system constructed upon those revelations loses its claimed divine authority. Smith’s prophetic claims, personal conduct, historical assertions, and teachings therefore deserve examination rather than unquestioning acceptance. In Debate With a Mormon, I address arguments offered in defense of Mormonism and compare them with biblical Christianity.

Can a Mormon Leave Mormonism for Biblical Christianity?

Leaving Mormonism can involve far more than changing churches. For someone whose family, friendships, marriage, and identity are connected to the LDS Church, questioning Mormon beliefs can carry enormous personal consequences. That makes it especially important for Christians to distinguish between challenging a religious system and attacking the people within it.

My purpose is not to condemn individual Mormons. It is to examine whether the claims of Mormonism are true and whether LDS doctrine agrees with the Bible. An Open Letter to Mormons addresses Latter-day Saints directly and explains why I believe they should examine those claims for themselves. The good news of biblical Christianity is that salvation does not depend upon belonging to an earthly religious organization or earning exaltation through religious achievement. Forgiveness and eternal life are found in Jesus Christ, and salvation is God’s gift of grace received through faith.

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