Breaking News: Mormons ARE Christians

/ October 9, 2014

Chris·tian

: a person who believes in the teachings of Jesus Christ

 

Even Merriam-Webster gets it.

 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also nicknamed the ‘Mormon Church’ has been attacked and persecuted since it was founded in 1830.  Because its founder Joseph Smith claimed revelation from God the Father and Jesus Christ, he was imprisoned multiple times and eventually murdered for his beliefs.

The prejudice and hatred continued.  State after state pushed followers out of their territory, one government official even led an extermination order against Mormons as if they were rodents.

The saints fled West to find religious freedom and a place they could follow Jesus Christ.

 

  • Members of the church (aka Mormons) believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior

  • Mormons believe Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for humanity is the only way anyone could be saved

  • The Church has over 80,000 missionaries throughout the world preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Missionaries proudly carry the name of the Savior on their name badges.

 

 

The Church of Jesus Christ

  • The Church believes and teaches out of the Old and New Testament and scripture revealed through modern prophets.

  • Mormons pray in the name of Jesus Christ

  • Mormons give blessings by the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus Christ

  • Mormons baptize the truly penitent as commissioned by Jesus Christ

 

Why don’t Mormons…?

 

1. Have crosses in their churches?

We focus on the life of the Savior and we believe He still lives today.  We believe he died on the cross for us but our focus is on the living Christ.

cross

2. Believe in the trinity?

The Trinity simply isn’t scriptural.  It was a doctrine that was adopted in 325 AD at the Nicene creed by men, hundreds of years after the Savior lived. Let’s look into when Jesus himself was baptized.  As Jesus came up out of the water the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and Heavenly Father proclaimed “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) This is a classic example that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are 3 distinct beings.

3. Worship Jesus? They worship Joseph Smith.

We do worship Jesus Christ.  We revere Joseph Smith as mainstream Christianity reveres prophets such as Moses, Abraham, and Noah.

4. Let others believe what they want.  They just try to convert people.

We invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel.  We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

 

When Jesus Christ was on the earth he established a church.  He commissioned his apostles to go out and preach the gospel.  People killed the apostles (ever thought why the Bible had an end to it?) and teachings were perverted and changed to man’s desire.  As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we believe there needed to be a restoration, a bringing back to its original state, the church that Jesus himself established 2,000 years ago.

I assure you Mormons are Christians. And we believe He lives!

 

To learn more go to Mormon.org and lds.org

 

 

 

 

 

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17 thoughts on “Breaking News: Mormons ARE Christians”

  2. Although your answer to the question as to why we don’t use the cross was partly true in most members eyes, the fact is that in the days of the restoration most non- Catholic Churches did not have crosses on or in their buildings. That was considered a papist (or catholic) symbol. Over the years Protestant churches adopted the cross, but we did not. We DO think of Christ on the cross suffering for us. Hopefully at LEAST during the sacrament. He sufferered in Gethsemene AND on the cross for us. AND other Christian faiths DO think of Him living when they think of him. When I have given questioning non- members the answer you provided, they think that we discount Christ’s suffering on the cross, which is, of course, NOT true. Anyway, just some info for you in case you didn’t know.

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  4. I used to mind mainstream Christianity’s exclusion of Mormonism, but I don’t so much anymore.

    Merriam-Webster might say one thing, but when most people think Christian, while they do think “believer in Christ…” they probably also think “…a member of the Trinity.” There are other mainstream “essentials,” too – salvation/grace stuff, Biblical sufficiency stuff, etc. – that Mormons don’t align on. We can stand behind M-W, but we really know, deep down, that when most folks say “Christian,” we don’t fit their definition.

    But I’m okay with it, now. I read something by Joseph Fielding McConkie that I think is awesome. Best three paragraphs on the subject I’ve ever read:

    “Our inconsistencies may be more apparent to others than they are to us. A letter recently addressed to the editor of a Utah Valley newspaper by a local pastor illustrates this point. Bearing the title “On Common Ground,” it chided Latter-day Saints for not knowing where they stood. “Most Mormons I meet,” the minister wrote, “seem to be looking for common ground with the Christian community at large. Mormonism then relates to the outside world in two ways. On the one hand, there is the desire for acceptance, the desire to be able to say, ‘We are Christians too.‘ [The not-too-subtle implication here is that Mormons are not Christians.] On the other hand, there is the actual theology of Mormonism that grows out of the idea of the Apostasy and the belief that the LDS Church is the restoration of Christ’s one true Church. This theology motivates the missionary movement of the LDS Church, which seeks to win converts from churches that are a part of apostate Christianity. The two different approaches are not compatible. What I find myself asking is why the LDS Church is so intent on finding common ground with the very churches it considers to be apostate? Why does it seek acceptance from the very people it seeks to convert?”

    “The minister’s criticism is a little embarrassing. It gives us the feeling that we have been caught. Certainly we want to avoid giving offense and of course we want to be accepted as Christians, but at what cost? Should we trade our birthright to be thought acceptable by a corrupted form of Christianity? And what becomes of our faith if we embrace the notion that we are sharing common ground with the churches of the world? In religion classes that I teach at Brigham Young University I have found with some consistency that if I say, “We are members of the only true and living Church on the face of the earth,” not even a ripple passes through the classroom. If, on the other hand, I say, “We believe all other churches to be false,” I can expect someone to take offense at my intemperate and intolerant expression. It is as if we thought we could stand for something without being against anything. It is as if we could pick up one side of a stick while leaving the other undisturbed.

    “The message of the Restoration centers on the idea that it is not common ground we seek in sharing the gospel. There is nothing common about our message. The way we answer questions about our faith ought to be by finding the quickest and most direct route to the Sacred Grove. That is our ground. It is sacred ground. It is where the heavens are opened and the God of heaven speaks. It is where testimonies are born and the greatest truths of heaven are unveiled. It is of this sacred ground that we say, here we stand.”

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    • Thank you sir! I am not Mormon, I used to be, but that is a different matter completely. But thank you for getting it. Thank you for realizing that saying you are a Christian is more than just believing in Jesus, that it has to do with what you believe about him. Thank you for being ok that many Christians find it insulting when a Mormon says “I’m a Christian just like you; but…”

      I wish there were more Mormons like you!

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      • I appreciate it!

        Still, I’m not really “ok that many Christians find it insulting” when Mormons call themselves Christian. I *understand* their discomfort, but I don’t *condone* it. Frankly, I think it’s a bit childish. When a Latter-day Saint says that, it comes from a very personal love for the Jesus of the New Testament and His atoning sacrifice, which is the most important element of Christianity. Sure, there are nuances, but offended Christians need to cool their jets.

        This comment is aimed not at mainstream Christians, but at Latter-day Saints more concerned with fitting in than testifying of the Jesus they know – the Jesus who appeared to Joseph Smith, the Jesus who restored His gospel, the Jesus who continues to speak to prophets today, the Jesus who’s teachings allow for family relationships to be eternal… And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Those things are far too important to get lost in the noise of trying to be just like every other Christian.

        Probably lost your support there, but I think it’s an important thing to clarify.

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  5. If I said Jesus was a zombie, who didn’t do miracles, didn’t pay for sin on the cross, was crucified because he was gay and asked us to sacrifice our babies….would you say I am a Christian just because I said so? I am very serious. I have heard people who claim to be Christians say these things.. Or does WHAT we believe about God and Christ matter? Of course it matters and just like putting ‘law office’ on my front door does not make me a lawyer, the name of the organization doesn’t make LDS Christians. Their theology makes them not Christian. They reject the core doctrines of Christianity (trinity, atonement on the cross, salvation by grace alone – they even redefine grace to include works contrary to the Bible).

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    • i have one thing to say to you prove that we are not Christians. are you a Mormon? Do you know the true teachings of our gospel? Do you have about knowledge our church besides having many wives(we don’t)?
      I tell you this now, not all Christians are the same.There is one thing that is the same with all the Christians.
      We all believe in God the father and his son Jesus Christ. I should give you a list on those who are believers of Christ. These are the teachings and words of the 5 major Christian Churches:
      Catholic- The Roman Catholic Church (commonly known as the Catholic Church) is the Christian Church which is led by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, currently His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
      The Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the ‘one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ.’ Section 8 of the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Church, Lumen Gentium [1] states that ‘the one Church of Christ which in the Creed is professed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic’ subsists ‘in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him’ (the term successor of Peter refers in Roman Catholic understanding to the Bishop of Rome, the Pope).

      Baptist-The Baptists comprise one of the largest and most diverse groupings of Christians in the United States… Baptists have insisted on freedom of thought and expression in pulpit and pew. They have insisted, too, on the absolute autonomy of the local congregation… Baptists are bound together by an amazingly strong ‘rope of sand’ in allegiance to certain principles and doctrines based generally on the competency of each individual in matters of faith.
      While they differ in certain minor details, Baptists generally agree on the following principles of faith: the inspiration and trustworthiness of the Bible as the sole rule of life; the lordship of Jesus Christ; the inherent freedom of persons to approach God for themselves; the granting of salvation through faith by the way of grace and contact with the Holy Spirit…the church as a group of regenerated believers who are baptized upon confession of faith; infant baptism as unscriptural and not to be practiced…the need of redemption from sin; and the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom.

      Methodist / Wesleyan-As United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church’s life and witness. To fulfill this obligation, we reflect critically on our biblical and theological inheritance, striving to express faithfully the witness we make in our own time.
      Two considerations are central to this endeavor: the sources from which we derive our theological affirmations and the criteria by which we assess the adequacy of our understanding and witness.
      Wesley believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason.

      Mormon / Latter-Day Saints-Some of the basic beliefs of the Church are:
      God is our Heavenly Father. He loves us and wants us to return to Him.
      Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is our Savior. He redeems us from death by providing the Resurrection. He saves us from sin as we repent.
      Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can return to live with God if we keep His commandments.
      The Holy Ghost helps us to recognize truth.
      The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
      The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth.
      The priesthood authority of God exists in His Church today, just as it did in the original Church.
      The Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God.
      God reveals His will to prophets today, just as He did anciently.
      Our life has a sacred purpose.
      Families can be together forever.
      Through serving others, we can experience joy and draw closer to God.

      Churches of Christ-We are undenominational and have no central headquarters or president. The head of the church is none other than Jesus Christ himself (Ephesians 1:22-23).
      Each congregation of the churches of Christ is autonomous, and it is the Word of God that unites us into One Faith (Ephesians 4:3-6). We follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and his holy Apostles, and not the teachings of man. We are Christians only!
      Why criticize on what we believe huh?Why? Don’t judge a book by its cover. We are followers of Christ and proud to be.

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    • Interesting comment.

      We do believe in the atonement: suffering on the cross, in the garden of Gethsemane and His resurrection.

      We do believe in salvation by grace. The reason we believe in works is not that we are ‘earning heaven’ but that we are ‘learning heaven.’ We are learning to become ‘even as my Father who is in heaven.’ http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966

      Please, please do your homework before you say something untrue about another religion.

      The Church of Jesus Christ is Christ’s only true church. He said it himself in the Bible: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” NOT ‘multiple christian faiths that vary in doctrine and practices’.

      If you truly believe in the Bible you believe in prophets, apostles, and one faith in addition to the wonderful beliefs we SHARE: the atonement, salvation by grace..

      If you have sincere desire to know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the true church (which is a big enough claim to warrant investigation) then you MUST seek that truth from God. Not with a desire to disprove the lds church but with a desire to know truth.

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  8. Pingback: 8ways2: Make a Mormon roll their eyes | 8ways2

    • The Bible itself speaks clearly of God as never changing; if he had prophets and revelation for thousands of years, who are you to say that he cannot reveal more evidence of His son?
      The Savior is clear that we are blessed when we receive a witness: “Blessed art thou.. for flesh and blood hath not made it known unto thee but my father who is in heaven.”
      Have you read the Book of Mormon?
      Have you prayed for the holy spirit to witness of it’s truth?
      If not, then you are simply listening to ‘flesh and blood’ telling you otherwise.
      The Bible prophesies about the Book of Mormon.
      The Book of Mormon prophesies about unbelieving gentiles who will reject the Book of Mormon because of their misbelief about the Bible.

      So the real question is, are you a sincere seeker of truth?
      The nicene creed defines God as a member without body parts or passions.

      I looked at the link:
      The Old and New Testament clearly show God and the Savior as separated exalted beings.
      (Christ prays to God as he is baptized, when he raises Lazarus from the dead, and Stephen sees Christ standing on the right hand of God).

      As far as the Bible having errors…
      Pretty simple the word of God is perfect, the translation is not:
      1 Samuel 16:14-15
      states, “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.”
      Hmmm.. The translation doesn’t make much sense..

      Mormons believe in grace. Period. Anything thing anyone else tells you is incorrect.
      Have you been saved by grace? Of course.
      More importantly have you been changed by grace?

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