Mormon Doctrine

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Blue Tick

Puritan Board Graduate
I'm going to list some excerpts from the official LDS Church website.



God is your loving Heavenly Father

God is your Father in Heaven (Matthew 6:9). We call God Heavenly Father because He is the Father of our spirits and we are created in His image ( Genesis 1:27).

God has a body that looks like yours, though His body is immortal, perfected, and has a glory beyond description. He knows you personally and loves you more than you can comprehend. To help you find happiness in this life and guide you to return to live with Him, Heavenly Father provided a plan called the gospel? of Jesus Christ, a guide based on the life and teachings of His Son, Jesus Christ.

From the beginning, Heavenly Father has called prophets? to testify, record His word, and provide His plan for His children on the earth. The teachings of prophets are found in sacred? books called scriptures? ( Amos 3:7).

Your Heavenly Father knows you and loves you and wants to help you return to Him. Your life on Earth is part of His plan for you to gain a body, learn, grow, and find joy. Sometimes life is hard, lonely, or frightening, but your Heavenly Father is always there. He sorrows when you suffer and rejoices when you do what is right. He wants to communicate with you as you sincerely pray to Him, and He stands ready to give you comfort, peace, and guidance in your life.

Jesus Christ taught that you must know the only true God to have eternal life ( John 17:3). As His child, you must know who He is and what He is like to find greater peace and joy, both in this life and in the life to come.

The Gospel Blesses Families and Individuals

God has established families to bring happiness to His children, allow them to learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and prepare them to return to Him after they die. Because families are ordained of God, they are the most important social unit in time and in eternity.

Marriage (Genesis 2:18) and family ( Genesis 1:28) are central focal points in God’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. Your Heavenly Father wants you to do all you can during your time on Earth to prepare yourself to live in an eternal family.

Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on sound principles, like those that Jesus Christ taught. These principles include faith in Jesus Christ, prayer, repentance?, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. A home established on gospel principles is a place of refuge and safety, where the Spirit of the Lord? can abide, blessing family members with peace, joy, and happiness (“ The Family: A Proclamation to the World”).

No marriage or family is perfect. When dealing with challenging relationships, it may help to remember that each person on this earth is a beloved son or daughter of God and has a divine nature and destiny. Learning to love and serve your family members, as Christ taught, will help you become more like your Heavenly Father and will help you prepare to live with Him again in an eternal family.

Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel to All

Throughout history God has revealed His gospel through prophets?, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter and others, and has endowed them with divine authority, which is priesthood?, to speak and act in His name (Amos 3:7). These prophets teach the people the gospel and direct His Church. They teach and testify about the character of God and the special mission of Jesus Christ, inviting all to partake of the blessings of the gospel.

You can find the testimonies of prophets in the Old Testament?, the New Testament?, and in the Book of Mormon?.

Through revelation from God, the Old Testament prophets knew that the Savior Jesus Christ would come to the earth. These prophets knew that the Savior would come to provide the way for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven, and they recorded their witnesses for us to study and to pray about so that we can have faith in Jesus Christ.

The New Testament records the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and contains the words of prophets and apostles who were witnesses that He is the Son of God. John the Baptist was a prophet who prepared the way of the Savior ( Luke 1:76). Peter, James, John, and the other Apostles also testified of Him. As you read the accounts of these prophets and apostles, your understanding and faith in Jesus Christ will grow.

Throughout the Book of Mormon, there are examples of many prophets who testified of Jesus Christ. Among these prophets are men named Lehi, Nephi, Benjamin, Mosiah, Alma, Abinadi, Helaman, Mormon, and Moroni. Book of Mormon prophets bore fervent testimony of Christ so later generations could also develop faith in the Savior and look to Him for redemption. As the prophet Nephi wrote, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" ( 2 Nephi 25:26).

Those who follow the prophets receive the blessings God has promised, while those who reject the gospel and God's prophets lose those blessings and distance themselves from God—placing them in spiritual darkness, which eventually leads to a condition called apostasy?. Widespread apostasy occurs when God's priesthood authority to teach and administer the ordinances of the gospel is withdrawn.

The scriptures? record the pattern wherein God repeatedly reaches out to His children by revealing His gospel through a prophet, who in turn teaches the people. Some people follow, then become disobedient; others reject it outright. The Lord then takes away His priesthood and the gospel is lost. When there are those prepared to follow Him again, the Lord reveals anew His gospel and restores His priesthood. Such periods when prophets are commanded to teach the gospel, often involving a restoration, are called dispensations?. The periods of time headed by a prophetic leader, such as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Moses and so forth, are called dispensations.

The divine truths your Heavenly Father desires you to know have been restored by God for the final time—never to be removed from the earth again—through the latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. As Moses and other biblical prophets received revelation from God, so Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ and was chosen to testify of Them and to restore the gospel and His Church.

In June 1844, Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this dispensation, was murdered in Carthage, Illinois. The leadership of the restored Church of Jesus Christ then passed to Brigham Young, who was the senior Apostle? of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became responsible for leading the Church under Jesus Christ's direction. Throughout the 33 years Brigham Young led the Church, he:

Led the first group of pioneers across 1,000 miles of unsettled plains, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
Supervised the subsequent immigration of more than 70,000 people from the U.S. and Europe.
Founded over 350 settlements, including communities in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Canada, and Mexico.
Brigham Young was called by God as the next prophet after Joseph Smith. Just as Brigham Young was called of God to succeed Joseph Smith, so this pattern of succession of prophets, as directed by Jesus Christ, continues today. The current prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Gordon B. Hinckley. He is assisted by two counselors?: Thomas S. Monson and Henry B. Eyring. Together, they make up the First Presidency? of the Church (much like Peter, James, and John in Christ's time).

The current Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are:

Boyd K. Packer
L. Tom Perry
Russell M. Nelson
Dallin H. Oaks
M. Russell Ballard
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Richard G. Scott
Robert D. Hales
Jeffrey R. Holland
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
David A. Bednar
Quentin L. Cook
Just as God led the Israelites out of slavery and to a better place through His prophet Moses, He leads His children today into happier, more peaceful lives when they choose to follow Jesus Christ by following His living prophet. You are invited to read or listen to the words of living prophets and consider how knowing God's will can benefit your life.

Jesus Christ established His Church

A few hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ, people had fallen into apostasy?. When the Savior began His mortal ministry, He restored His gospel and established His Church again on the earth. He built His Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, He himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).

Jesus Christ called twelve men to be His Apostles?—including Peter, James, and John—and laid His hands on their heads to give them priesthood authority ( Matthew 10:1; John 15:16; Matthew 28:19-20). Before the Savior’s death and Resurrection?, He gave His Apostles priesthood authority? to teach His gospel?, perform the ordinances? of salvation?, and continue to establish His Church in the world.

The Savior's coming fulfilled prophecy. He set a godly example and showed men what Heavenly Father was like. Yet He was rejected of men and crucified. He made the Atonement? by suffering for the sins of all men. After His Resurrection?, Jesus Christ guided His Apostles through revelation?, making the Church of Jesus Christ a church led by God and not by men ( Acts 10; Revelation 1:1).

In addition to the Twelve Apostles, Christ appointed other leaders to assist the Apostles in the work of His Church. These included:

Seventies (missionaries)
Evangelists (patriarchs)
Pastors (presiding leaders)
Elders?
Bishops?
Priests?
Teachers?
Deacons?
These officers were given the authority (or priesthood) necessary to do the work of Christ’s Church. They did missionary work, performed ordinances such as baptism?, presided over congregations, and instructed and inspired Church members. As long as those who had the priesthood were alive, the Church grew and prospered.

When His followers asked Jesus Christ what kind of people He wanted them to be, His answer was simple: “Even as I am” ( 3 Nephi 27:27).

Jesus showed you by His example and His teachings how you should live to be able to return to your Father in Heaven. Although you make mistakes, as you sincerely repent of your mistakes and try to follow the example of Jesus Christ, your life will be filled with peace and inner joy, regardless of the circumstances around you.

From the beginning, God has called special witnesses, known as prophets, and commanded them to keep records of His dealings with His children. Both the Holy Bible? and the Book of Mormon? are such records. The Holy Bible contains a record of Jesus Christ’s dealings with and ministry to the people in the Holy Land. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is a record of Christ’s dealings with and His appearance to the people of ancient America. Both books teach about our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and of Their love for us.

The Great Apostasy

Following the death of Jesus Christ, wicked people persecuted and killed many Church members, and other Church members drifted from the principles taught by Jesus Christ and His Apostles?. The Apostles were killed and the priesthood authority—including the keys to direct and receive revelation? for the Church—was taken from the earth ( 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3). Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority and revelation, error crept into Church teachings. Good people and much truth remained, but the gospel? as established by Jesus Christ was lost, resulting in a period called the Great Apostasy?.

This apostasy led to the formation of many churches with conflicting teachings. Without the full gospel or the priesthood authority, people relied on human wisdom to interpret the scriptures? and the principles and ordinances? of the gospel of Jesus Christ. False ideas were taught as truth, and much of the knowledge of the true character and nature of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost was lost. The doctrines of faith? in Jesus Christ, repentance?, baptism?, and the gift of the Holy Ghost? became distorted or forgotten. Each generation inherited a state of apostasy, as people were influenced by what previous generations passed on, including changes to Christ’s gospel. Some inspired people, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, recognized that practices and doctrines had been changed or lost and tried to reform the churches to which they belonged. Without the priesthood authority, however, Christ’s gospel could not be returned to its original form.

After centuries of spiritual darkness, a restoration? of truth was needed. Under the Direction of our Heavenly Father, the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored on the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. God has promised it will never be taken from His children again.



Apostle
One sent forth to serve as a special witness of Jesus Christ. There are fifteen Apostles living on the earth today. They make up the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church.


Revelation
The making known of divine truths by communication from God.


Gospel
The “good news” of God’s plan for the salvation of mankind. At the center of His plan is the Atoning sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ, in whom alone salvation is possible. In its fulness, the gospel includes all of the commandments, principles, ordinances, and covenants whereby human beings can be forgiven of sin, overcome the world, and attain immortality and eternal life in the kingdom of God.


Apostasy
1. A condition of spiritual withdrawal from our Father in Heaven.
2. A period of time when the priesthood and the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness were not on the earth.


Scripture
A sacred writing or book; the word of God as revealed to His inspired prophets.


Ordinance
A sacred rite or ceremony performed by the power of the priesthood and intended to bless God’s children. Some ordinances, such as baptism, are essential for salvation. Other ordinances, such as administering to the sick, constitute gifts from God to His children which are not essential for salvation. Many ordinances have symbolic meaning.


Repentance
The process of experiencing sincere regret or sorrow for wrongdoing, confessing one’s sin and asking for forgiveness, making restitution for any damage done, and committing not to repeat the sin. Repentance is made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, who paid the price for the sins of all humanity.


Restoration, The
A series of events, beginning with Joseph Smith’s First Vision in 1820, that marked the restoration or restitution of Jesus Christ’s Church and gospel to the earth.


Faith
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ( Hebrews 11:1).


Baptism
An essential step in receiving forgiveness of sins. Through baptism and confirmation by priesthood authority, we become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Baptism is by immersion, meaning that the person being baptized is briefly submerged in water. Baptism shows our willingness to follow Christ’s example and to make covenants with God.


Gift of the Holy Ghost
The “gift” of the Holy Ghost is the privilege of enjoying His constant companionship if God’s commandments are followed. It is given after baptism to members of the Church by a priesthood holder who puts his hands on the head of the baptized person and blesses him or her to receive the Holy Ghost.

The Restoration of the Gospel

In 1820, as He had done throughout history, Father in Heaven again chose a prophet? to restore the gospel? and the priesthood? to the earth. He called a young man named Joseph Smith, and through him, the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth.

Joseph Smith lived in the United States, which was perhaps the only country to enjoy religious freedom at the time. It was at a time of great religious excitement in the eastern United States, and Joseph Smith’s family members were deeply religious and constantly sought for truth. The Holy Bible? taught that there was “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” ( Ephesians 4:5), but many ministers claimed to have the true gospel. Joseph attended different churches, but he was confused about which church he should join and desired “to know which of all the sects was right” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:18). He later wrote:

“So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was . . . to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. . . . In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:8, 10).

As Joseph sought truth among the different faiths, he turned to the Bible for guidance. He read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” ( James 1:5). Because of this passage, Joseph decided to ask God what he should do. In the spring of 1820 he went to a nearby grove of trees and knelt in prayer. He described his experience: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17). In this vision God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith. The Savior told Joseph not to join any of the churches, for they “were all wrong.” The Savior stated, “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” ( Joseph Smith—History 1:19).

Although many good people believed in Christ and tried to understand and teach His gospel, they did not have the fulness of truth or the priesthood authority to baptize and perform other saving ordinances? at that time. They had inherited a state of apostasy?, as each generation was influenced by what the previous one passed on, including changes in the doctrines and in ordinances, such as baptism.

Joseph Smith’s First Vision? marked the beginning of the Restoration? of Jesus Christ’s Church to the earth. In subsequent years, Christ restored His priesthood and reorganized His Church. He has continued to reveal truths to His prophets and to restore the blessings that were taken from the earth for a time.

The Apostle Peter prophesied of the “restitution of all things” before Christ’s Second Coming ( Acts 3:19–21). The Restoration of Christ’s Church on the earth has made available the opportunity for all to once again receive all of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Restoration of the Priesthood

Throughout time, God has given His servants, the prophets, the authority to act in His name. This authority? is called the priesthood?. Jesus Christ gave the priesthood to His original Twelve Apostles, and they directed the work of His Church after Jesus ascended to heaven. After the Apostles were killed, the priesthood gradually disappeared from the earth.

In 1829, Joseph Smith received the restored priesthood authority to organize Christ’s Church. John the Baptist appeared and conferred upon Joseph Smith and his associate Oliver Cowdery the Aaronic Priesthood?, which includes the authority to perform the ordinance? of baptism?. Later, Peter, James, and John (three of Christ’s original Apostles) appeared and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood? upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, restoring the same authority given to Christ’s Apostles anciently. In 1830, with this priesthood authority, the same Church of Jesus Christ that existed centuries ago was organized and restored to the earth by Joseph Smith.

A living prophet—the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—is the authorized successor to Joseph Smith. He and the present Apostles? trace their authority to Jesus Christ in an unbroken chain of ordinations through Joseph Smith.

All male members of the Church who are worthy and prepared may receive the priesthood to help lead the Church and serve Heavenly Father’s children. A man with the priesthood might serve by leading congregations of the Church, performing the ordinances of the Church (such as baptism), and blessing those who are sick. God expects those who hold this sacred priesthood authority to follow the example of Jesus Christ and serve with love, gentleness, and kindness.

The Book of Mormon

As part of the Restoration? of the gospel?, God brought forth the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ?. By the power of God, Joseph Smith translated this book from an ancient record written on gold plates?. The Book of Mormon is “a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible?, the fulness of the everlasting gospel” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon).

The Book of Mormon is a powerful witness of Jesus Christ. It helps us understand His teachings, including those in the Bible. Examples of Book of Mormon witnesses of Christ include:

Nephi, who saw the birth and death of Christ in a vision ( 1 Nephi 11:13–15).
The brother of Jared, who saw the Lord because of his great faith ( Ether 3:7–16).
The prophet Samuel the Lamanite, who prophesied of Christ’s coming and gave the signs of His birth and death ( Helaman 13–14).
Christ Himself, who, after His Resurrection, appeared to the people of ancient America and invited them to come forward one by one to see and touch Him until “they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves” ( 3 Nephi 11:13–17).
In the Bible, Jesus told His Apostles?, “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” ( John 10:16). Soon after He was resurrected, the Lord visited these “other sheep”—the inhabitants of ancient America. During this visit to the American continent (recorded in the Book of Mormon), Jesus Christ:

Invited people to feel the wound marks in His hands and feet and side.
Taught His gospel.
Called twelve disciples to teach His gospel.
Healed the sick.
Prayed for the people.
Performed miracles.
In September 1823, Joseph Smith was visited by a heavenly messenger named Moroni?, in the same way that angels often appeared to Church leaders in the New Testament. Moroni informed Joseph that God had a work for him to do and told him that a record of the ancient inhabitants of the American continent was buried in a nearby hill. He stated that the record contained the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ ( Joseph Smith—History 1:27–34).

In September 1827, Joseph received the record, which was written on thin plates of gold. Joseph translated the book into English by the inspiration? of God and called the book the Book of Mormon. It is named after Mormon?, an ancient prophet who compiled the sacred? record. The book verifies, as another testament of Christ, the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ. It is, then, a second witness that affirms the truth of the Bible. Since its publishing in 1830, the Book of Mormon has blessed the lives of millions of people through its powerful message about Jesus Christ and His gospel.

How can I know this is true?

Your Heavenly Father is the source of all truth. He loves you and wants to answer your questions. Therefore, He will help you recognize the truth as you sincerely seek it and ask Him for guidance. You can know if the things you are learning are true if you ask your Heavenly Father in prayer. He desires for you to know the truth, and you can receive an answer from Him through the Holy Ghost. As taught in the Bible, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance” (Galatians 5:22–23). These feelings from the Holy Ghost are personal revelation to you that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is true. You will then need to choose whether you will live in harmony with the knowledge you have received.

As the Savior taught in the Bible, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you ( Matthew 7:7). Feelings from the Holy Ghost are personal revelation to you that confirm the truth of the Book of Mormon and the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The last prophet of the Book of Mormon?, a man named Moroni?, gave this remarkable promise to anyone who wants to know whether the Book of Mormon is true: “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?” ( Moroni 10:4).

You can discover for yourself that what you’ve been learning is true by:

Sincerely praying? to your Heavenly Father and asking Him if what you are learning is true.
Continuing to study and give thoughtful consideration to what you are learning.
Listening with your heart for the Holy Ghost to whisper the truth to you.
Following God’s commandments? so you can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost.
What would you like to do next?

Chat live with a missionary
Request missionaries to visit you
Come worship with us
 
Mormonism appears to be quite semi-Pelagian from those quotations. Like Pentecostals, they also believe in on-going revelations, except that they are non-trinitarian. Overall, they are trying to pass themselves off as pretty evangelical. It's interesting to see how they hold to many "smaller errors" that mainstream evangelicals make, and yet make such huge blunders that they come out completely anti-Christ. If one is immune to mild heresies, he will also be immune to more serious ones.
 
I think I feel a burning in my bosom. O, wait. Maybe it was just that pesky pepperoni. How man-centered can you get?
 
I think it may be more accurate to say that the LDS church leadership "teaches" such and such said things, as opposed to saying "you know, those Mormons believe yada yada". I've observed some major doctrinal differences in social Mormonism. Many have a very synergism-like view of salvation, while some others hold to doctrine which is similar to that which places God as the initiator of a life of holiness.

This is in no way to retract any notion that what is taught in their buildings and homes is complete and total heresy.
 
Mormonism appears to be quite semi-Pelagian from those quotations. Like Pentecostals, they also believe in on-going revelations, except that they are non-trinitarian. Overall, they are trying to pass themselves off as pretty evangelical. It's interesting to see how they hold to many "smaller errors" that mainstream evangelicals make, and yet make such huge blunders that they come out completely anti-Christ. If one is immune to mild heresies, he will also be immune to more serious ones.

It's not semi-Pelagian it IS Pelagian Mormons also teach that man will become a God with there own planet which they will populate with there Goddess wives and then die for there spirit children also Mormons teach that The Atonement only takes effect after the believer does everything in his power to sanctify himself and then if you dig deeper there is the old mormon doctrine of Adam God and God the Father having "relations" :eek:with Mary to conceive Jesus who became God a lot of other stuff to but thank God I got out after two years it is a cult dont lethem tell you otherwise
 
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