Terminology Differences
 

Some Terminology Differences between Christianity and Mormonism

 
NOTE: Mormons use the same words as Christians; however, with altogether different meanings. Often, Mormons do not have a clear understand their own teachings, or will purposely obscure them.
 

 
GOD - Christianity

  • God has eternally been God and will eternally continue to be God (Genesis 21:33; Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 41:4; Psalm 90:2; Malachi 3:6; John 5:26; 8:58).
  •  No other being was, is, or ever can become, God (Isaiah 42:8; 44:6, 8).
  •  God the Father is an invisible Spirit (John 4:24; Colossians 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17).
  •  God exists as One God in a co-equal Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16,    17; Mark 12:29; John 14:6; Acts 5:3, 4; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Col. 2:9).
  • God’s nature and standard have always been, and always will be, perfect (James 1:17; Matthew 5:48).
  • God created all that exists outside of Himself (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:15-16).
Mormonism
. God was not always god, but was once a man who earned his way to godhood. God the father  
 and god the son are “exalted men” each of whom now exists in a body of flesh and bone.
. The holy ghost, although a god, does not have a physical body; is an impersonal force.
. God, and all other forms of matter, are eternal, but are subject to the laws of the universe.
            . Father, son, and holy spirit are separate, individual gods; not triune; not a trinity.
. There are many gods, each of whom rules over his own universe with his wives.
. Some Mormons believe that the original god achieved godhood because he had more  
 “intelligence” (eternal matter) than other intelligences. He is now the chief god among a  
 hierarchy of other gods, one of which is the god over our earth.

 

 

JESUS - Christianity

  • Jesus has always been and always will be God and is the Second person of the Holy Trinity (John 1:1-3, 18; 8:58; Hebrews 1:8; 5:26; 2 Cor. 13:14).
  • Jesus took on a human nature via miraculous birth of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-23; John 5:27).
  • Jesus retained his full Godhood while yet being fully man (Romans 1:3, 4).
  • Jesus created all things (Colossians 1:16).
  • Jesus was tempted in all things, yet did not ever sin (Hebrews 4:15).
  • Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24).
  • Jesus gives eternal life in heaven as a free gift to the true believer (Romans 6:23).
  • Jesus is our only mediator and High Priest (1Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:1).
 
 

Mormonism

. Jesus was not always god the son, but is the firstborn spirit son of god the father.
            . Jesus is a separate and distinct god from god the father and not a person of the Trinity.
. Some Mormon leaders denied the virgin birth of Jesus by teaching that Jesus was the literal
 offspring of god the father’s literal, physical union with Mary.
            . Jesus suffered for sins primarily in the Garden of Gethsemane, not on the cross.
. Jesus’ death and resurrection provide humankind only resurrection.
            . Jesus requires that each human earn his/her place in a heaven by religion and good works.
            . The current LDS prophet said that the Jesus of Mormonism is not the Jesus of Christianity.
 
 

MAN - Christianity

  • God created man at a specific time in history on the earth; and created him sinless, for His glory, and  in His image, i.e., with mind, will, and emotions (Genesis 1:26, 31; Isaiah 43:7).
  • Man was enticed and deceived by Satan and chose to disobey God (Genesis 3). 
  • Adam’s rebellion brought sin and death into the world, and humankind’s nature became depraved with a natural desire to sin continually (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18; 5:12).
  • Natural (unsaved) man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God, is “dead in trespasses and  sins,” and is “condemned.” (1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:1-4; John 3:18).
  • No person can save himself from his sinful condition (Matt. 19:25-26).
  • Man can be restored to fellowship with God, and saved from God’s righteous judgment of man’s sins  only by God’s grace that comes through faith in Jesus Christ (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 15:16). 
 

Mormonism

. All humans originally existed in a state of unorganized matter (“intelligences”) along side
             the intelligence that is now god and the intelligences that are now Jesus, Lucifer, and angels.
. God, with his wife/wives, created “spirit bodies” for all these “intelligences.”
. Thus, Jesus, Lucifer, the angels, as well as all former, current, and future humans are literally
 the spirit sons or daughters of god and are literally all spirit brothers or sisters.
. Since man is of the same basic substance as god, he is good by nature, not a sinner by nature,
 and was created to have joy, and to become a god; women can be a god’s wife.
          . Man was created (given a spirit body) by god, given complete free will or “free agency,” and
 the ability to earn godhood by his own efforts.
. Adam did not sin in the Garden of Eden, but “fell upward” to earn a body, and to pass other  
 tests that are necessary for all men to develop into gods.
 
 

Salvation - Christianity

  • God does all the work of salvation (John 6:28-29; Romans 8”:28-39; 2 Cor. 5:21; Titus 3:5-7).
  • Man believes (trusts) God and receives salvation as a free gift (Romans 3:23-28; 4:3-8; 10:9-13).
  • Salvation has always been by grace through faith (Genesis 15:6; 6:8).
  • Jesus saves completely and forever (Hebrews 7:25; 10:10-17).
  • Keeping the Law, or any set of rules, does not result in salvation (Acts 15: 10; Galatians 3:21-26)
  • Salvation, or eternal life, is sure in Christ (John 6:37-47; 1 Peter 1:4-5).
                  
 

Mormonism   

. The biblical, Christian doctrine of salvation by grace alone is a false idea originated by Satan.
. There are three levels of salvation. A) “Unconditional or general salvation” is resurrection only,   
 which Jesus freely gives to all mankind, so that good non-Mormons (Christians and others) and
 lax Mormons will freely go to the second-class heaven, and evil people to a third-class heaven.
. B) “Conditional or Individual Salvation” is only for Mormons who earn, by good works, the first-
 class heaven – the “Celestial Kingdom.”  “Conditional salvation” with its emphasis on good
 works, is what most Mormons think of when they use, or hear, the term “salvation.”
. C) “Exaltation” or “Eternal Life” is salvation in the fullest sense in the Celestial Kingdom. It is the 
 earning of godhood by only the most diligent Mormons via a difficult process of continual
 repentance, self-perfection, and enduring to the end in strict obedience to the rules and leaders
 of the LDS Church, participation in temple rituals, lifelong service in the LDS church, etc. Also
 known as full or complete salvation, godhood, becoming a god, living forever as a family, etc.
. “Outer darkness” is a lack of both resurrection and salvation. It is outside of any heaven, is an 
 existence of eternal torment, and is For Satan, his followers, and apostate Mormons.
 
Mormon sources: Doctrine & Covenants, 1971; Pearl of Great Price, 1971; Gospel Principles, 1997; Doctrines of Salvation, 1954; Mormon Doctrine, 1979; The Miracle of Forgiveness 1981; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 1973; LDS Church News website.                                
 
Prepared by Bruce F. Levi   ICARE Ministries Inc. 2007