What Do Mormons Believe? – God the Father

There seem to be a lot of people these days, that get all wound up when we try to claim we’re Christians. We say, “We believe in Jesus Christ; isn’t that the basic thing that distinguishes us from, say Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, and Hindus?”

“No! You believe you can become Gods,” they retort.

They view this as heretical; we don’t see the problem. I think it boils down to our conception of who God is.

Many outside our faith see Him as a faceless, nebulous essence, which has no personality, passions, body parts, etc. He has all power and can therefore be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. He is often represented as an unknowable, and unpredictable force and he created all of us for the purpose of having worshipers.

Let me assure you, Mormons do not hope to become this sort of “God.”

We view Him as a parent. He is a nice person. He has a distinct face and a real, corporeal body. Although He is omniscient and omnipotent, we know that he uses this power primarily for the advancement of his sons and daughters. His work and His glory, he tells us, is “to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man.” Moses 1:39

He loves us because we are His children. We are not just ‘things’ he created so that we would constantly worship Him. As children and heirs (instead of creations) we have the capacity, inherent within us, to become like Him. Each of us does — not just Mormons.

Where Do Babies Come From?

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:

-William Wordsworth

We lived as spirits before we were born. This is one of those truths that many people accept and believe when they hear it, yet very few Christian ministers will teach it. It surprises me.

What was it like to live as a spirit? We don’t have all the details, but we do know that we had a Father who loved us. In His hopes for our futures he saw us growing up in integrity and character. To help us in our education and progression, he created the world and offered each of us the chance to live on it in physical, mortal bodies.

The physical realm was a step up for us. It meant becoming a bit more like Father, since his body was physical, immortal, and perfect. Of course, mortality, as we’ve all found out, has its pitfalls. Disease, poverty, hunger, death, and other misfortunes of many kinds are the tests we’ve been given to help us grow, both collectively and individually.

Central to Father’s plan was a Savior, a person who would not only mitigate the challenges of mortal living, but also vanquish death itself. Permanently. He would also bridge the chasm of sin…the chasm we help dig by our own poor decisions.

Jesus Christ, then known as Jehovah, was the first-born of the Father, and the obvious candidate for the job. We shouted for joy at the thought of our eldest brother leading us into this new frontier. We knew we would be fine if He was our Savior. We already had faith in him.

Another of Father’s most clever sons also came, vying for the position. Lucifer’s campaign promises included saving all people from sin and death (by removing their free will). He must have been persuasive, because he drew a third of all spirits with him, but rather than getting their demands, they were denied entrance into physical bodies of their own.

We know that since we are here, we made the right choice. Before we were born we had faith in Jesus Christ, and we can have faith in him still. He will do everything he set out to do, and we can make the choice every day to be on His side.

See “The Plan of Salvation“

What Do Mormons Believe? – The Book of Mormon

bomThe Book of Mormon is remarkable.

The book is filled with amazing histories, noble people, and fascinating doctrinal insights, but the aspects I’ve thought about most are two promises, one at the beginning, and one at the end:

1) From the Introduction :

“[The Book of Mormon] puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.”
(emphasis added)

It isn’t just about some far away pearly gate. We can have peace now. And those who read the book do feel peace. It isn’t a conspicuous leap into serenity. It’s gradual, so you have to pay careful attention.

I recall one particular week I got busy and every single morning I overlooked my usual study of the Book of Mormon. By Friday I was in a notably sour mood, and when I went to give a friend some spiritual advice nothing came. I couldn’t think. The well I was used to drawing from had gone dry.

2) From Moroni 10:3-5

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Countless sermons have been given, dissecting every word of these three verses, but I just want to point out the obvious:

  • This book claims to be scripture; it claims that holy prophets transcribed it under God’s inspiration.
  • God knows whether this claim is true or false.
  • It matters to Him: if it’s false he’ll want to warn you against it; if it’s true he’ll want you to read it.
  • He will wait for it to become important enough for you to ask Him yourself.
  • He will give you the answer by the power of the Holy Ghost.

This promise has stood against the test of my experience. For two solid years I introduced hundreds of strangers to the book and pointed them to this promise. A large proportion did not read it at all, and fewer people prayed about it. But out of every single person who did pray, 100% told me that they felt the answer was yes.

You can find out too. Get a copy for yourself. You can order a free copy online here, or read the entirety of it online here. You can even download mp3’s of the audio book here.

Find Out for Yourself: Are Mormons Christians?

If you’re still wondering about the “Christianity” of Mormons, I suggest you ask yourself what a true Christian is. Make a list. What are the beliefs that define Christians? What kind of behavior would you expect to see? Who are the prime examples of Christians you have met in your life?

Write out the list on a piece of paper. Or, write it below in the comments.

visitors-welcomeThe best way to see if Mormons match your list is to meet some for yourself. We are everywhere, but we blend in, so you might have to watch carefully. Your best bet is to locate an LDS meetinghouse in your area and pay them a visit this Sunday. Our churches often have tall steeples, and neatly kept grounds. You won’t see crosses or illuminated signs, but you will invariably see the name of our Church followed by the two words, “Visitors Welcome.”

A Mormon service consists of three meetings, one after another. 1) Sacrament meeting is for the entire congregation. We sing hymns, say prayers, listen to sermons, and most importantly, we partake of the sanctified bread and water to remember the sacrifice of our Lord.

2) Sunday school is a smaller group setting where we learn from a teacher about doctrines of the gospel. It’s a good place to get involved and ask questions, and ideal for your “Christianity” investigation here. In fact, most congregations have a class called “Gospel Principles” which is geared primarily toward those who are just getting their feet wet in the Church, and those who are just curious.

3) Priesthood and Relief Society are separate meetings for the men and women respectively. The priesthood quorum can be thought of as a brotherhood. Our lessons focus on the unique challenges and responsibilities we face as men in the Church and in our families. Likewise, the sisters have lessons devoted to their roles. I personally, have never attended a Relief Society meeting, but from what I hear the sisters love it.

I should add that all the sermons, lessons, and leadership I mentioned are provided by members of the congregation without pay. We are all called to serve in various positions for a period of time. For example, my bishop (pastor) works at the hospital as an orthopedic surgeon.

Once you’ve met a few Mormons and listened to their talks and lessons, you may decide for yourself if we are Christians. I’d love to hear your verdict.

What Do Mormons Believe? – Baptism

I met a man once who thought that baptism was a good idea, but not necessary for salvation. He suggested it was sufficient just to “believe in Jesus,” and you’ll be fine. And then there are some others who say that once you’re baptized you’re good to go (to heaven, that is).

Mere belief (which is a much smaller thing than faith), is like believing that a college can make you an attorney. It can. Your belief is right, but there’s still the matter of being accepted. Getting baptized, and baptized properly, is like the ACT or the SAT. And as any attorney can tell you, getting into college is not the same thing as getting out.

The purpose of college, like the purpose of life, is to emerge from the struggle a different, better person. Sure, you could theoretically learn everything a lawyer or a doctor knows through diligent, independent study at a local library. But there are at least two problems with this:

1) Do you really think you’ll study as hard if you never commit to it? Will you push yourself to learn the integumentary system if you aren’t in classes and there are no final exams?

2) Who will hire you? Your knowledge and experience may be high, but your sheepskin is still unofficial and unauthorized.

Now, this is just a simple analogy, but it helps get the point across. Baptism is a rebirth; a new starting point, and for most people it is the disposal of a sinful life in favor of one devoted to God and to godly living. It exhibits your commitment to Jesus Christ, both in His eyes and in yours.

jesusbaptizedJust like in the SATs, you aren’t allowed to cheat, either. The exam must be proctored by a testing official appointed by the head of the testing organization. Similarly, baptism must be administered by a person who holds the authority to act in behalf of God. This is why people went to John the Baptist. He had the Levitical priesthood.

Baptism is a requirement for salvation. Consider the baptism of Jesus Himself. He was not turning from a life of sin, nor committing Himself to follow His own path. He had two reasons for doing it: 1) because it is a required step to salvation for all people and 2) to show us how important it is. (see Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 31:9)