Is Mormonism Christian?

~~ Is Mormonism Christian? ~~
To fairly and accurately resolve this question we need to carefully
compare the basic doctrines of the Mormon religion to the basic doctrines of historic, biblical Christianity.

"In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ.' 'No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages.'" (LDS Church News Week ending June 20, 1998, p.7 )

1. The Bible teaches that there is only one True and Living God and apart from Him there are no other Gods (Isa. 43:10,11; 44:6,8; Mk. 12:29-34).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that there are many gods, and that human beings can become gods and goddesses in the Celestial Kingdom (History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 306). According to the Mormon Church, those who achieve godhood will have spirit children who will worship and pray to them, just as we worship and pray to God the Father (Gospel Principles, p. 290).

2. The Bible teaches that God is Sprit (John 4:24; 1Tim. 6:15,16), He is not a man (Num. 23:19), and He has always (eternally) existed as God ... omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient (Psalms 90:2; 139:7-10; Rev. 19:6; Mal. 3:6).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that God the Father was once a man like us who progressed to become a God and presently has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine & Covenants 130:22). It teaches that God himself has a father, and a grandfather, ad infinitum (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 373; Mormon Doctrine, p.577).

3. The Bible teaches that Jesus is God and the Creator of all things (John 1:1-3; Col. 2:9).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ is our elder brother who progressed to godhood, having first been procreated as a spirit child of the Father and a heavenly mother, and later conceived physically by God the Father and an earthly mother. It affirms that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers (Gospel Principles, pp. 15-16).

4. The Bible teaches that God the Father is the almighty Creator and loving Provider, eternal King and Judge of the universe. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Savior, Lord, and eternal Redeemer of all who truly believe. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in believers - convicting, converting, teaching truth, prompting obedience, bearing fruit, distributing gifts, and empowering witness.

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three separate Gods (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 370).

5. The Bible teaches that the Fall was a great evil, and that through it sin entered the world bringing all human beings under condemnation and death. (Rom. 5:12-21).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that Adam's sin was "a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all mankind" (Gospel Principles, p. 31).

6. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace alone, apart from our own self-righteous works (Eph. 2:8,9).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that works are necessary for ultimate salvation, which comes by obeying LDS laws and ordinances (Gospel Principles, pp. 291-292).

7. The Bible teaches that the true Church was divinely established by Jesus Christ and can never and will never disappear from the earth (Matt. 16:18).

By contrast, the Mormon Church that there was a great and total apostasy of the Church as established by Jesus Christ; this state of apostasy "still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" of the Mormon Church (Gospel Principles, pp. 100-101).

8. The Bible is the unique, final and infallible Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:1,2; 2 Pet. 1:21) and it will stand forever (1 Pet. 1:23-25).

By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that the Bible has been corrupted and is missing many "plain and precious parts" (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 13:26-29).