Be Aware: 2 Corinthians 11:4, Galatians 1:8-9
What is God?
LDS View:
God the Father is an exalted man with a physical body of flesh and bones. D&C 130:22 states, “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s […]” In a funeral sermon for a man named King Follett, Joseph Smith explained that God was once a man as we are now, but he was exalted to godhood, and we can do the same. Any attributes God the Father has today were given to him as he perfected. Furthermore, God is not eternal, but there was a time when he was not God. The 5th Prophet of the LDS church, Lorenzo Snow, famously quipped, “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.” Other LDS Prophets and leaders have quoted this to the point that it is now enshrined as an unofficial LDS doctrine. Furthermore, there are many gods in the LDS view. D&C 132:20 says, “[…] they shall be gods, because they have no end” but it is not concerned with eternality also having no beginning. The 4th and 5th chapters of the Book of Abraham describe a council of gods or multiple gods creating the world.
What Does the Bible Say?
Exodus 3:14, Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 4:35, Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Samuel 15:29, 1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 90:2, Psalm 102:25–27, Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 43:10–11, Isaiah 44:6–8, Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 45:5–6, Isaiah 46:9, Hosea 11:9, Malachi 3:6, Matthew 28:19, John 1:1–3, John 4:24, John 17:3, Romans 1:22–25, 1 Corinthians 8:4–6, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Galatians 4:8, Colossians 1:15–17, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:15–16, Revelation 1:8, Revelation 4:11
LDS View:
Jesus is the firstborn spirit child of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. He was born in the pre-mortal existence or pre-existence. Lucifer (Satan) is Jesus’ younger spirit brother, just as are all other humans. Jesus is the same as all humans in every way. Jesus became a god through progression and obedience and is counted among the Godhead of separate beings that also includes the Father and the Holy Ghost. He entered Earth to receive a body, just as all humanity expects to do. Satan and all the spirit children who followed Satan in rebellion against Heavenly Father are denied a body. (Gospel Principles, ch. 2; Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph Fielding Smith, vol. 1)
What Does the Bible Say?
Genesis 1:26, Deuteronomy 6:4, Numbers 23:19, Micah 5:2, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 46:9, Matthew 28:19, John 1:1–3, John 1:14, John 3:31, John 8:58, John 10:30–33, John 14:16–17, John 15:26, John 20:28, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Philippians 2:5–8, Philippians 2:6–7, Colossians 1:16–17, Colossians 2:9, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 1:8, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:26, Hebrews 13:8, Revelation 22:13
LDS View:
The Holy Ghost (the preferred LDS term) is an influencing force. According to the 4th Article of Faith, it is transmitted to a person by laying on hands. To the one who has not yet received the Holy Ghost, this force confirms the truth of the Book of Mormon and the validity of Prophet Joseph Smith by a “burning in the bosom” to those who genuinely seek this sign. The Holy Ghost is not to be worshipped and serves mainly as a messenger, personal guide, or guiding influence.
What Does the Bible Say?
Genesis 1:2, Matthew 28:19, John 14:26, John 16:13–14, Acts 5:3–4, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 12:11, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Ephesians 1:13–14, Ephesians 4:30, Hebrews 9:14, Titus 3:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:13
What is Man?
LDS View:
All humans are literally the children of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. They were all born prior to the creation of the Earth and were all present at the creation. D&C 93:29 says, “Man was also in the beginning with God […].” In the pre-existence, every human freely chose to follow God or join Satan in rebellion against God. Those who did not rebel are given the opportunity to come to earth to receive a body and progress toward exaltation (Book of Moses 4:1-4 and Book of Abraham 3:26-28). According to the 2nd Article of Faith, they do not have a sin nature but are accountable for their own sins committed after their 8th birthday. Like Heavenly Father and Jesus, they have the opportunity to become a god.
What Does the Bible Say?
Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:6–24, Psalm 8:4–5, Psalm 51:5, Psalm 100:3, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Isaiah 43:7, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:6–8, Isaiah 46:9, Hosea 11:9, Acts 17:25, John 1:12–13, John 3:3–6, Romans 3:10–12, Romans 5:8, Romans 5:12, Romans 8:7–8, Romans 8:14–17, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Corinthians 15:45–47, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 4:4–7, Ephesians 2:1–3, Colossians 1:16, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 9:27, 1 John 3:1–2, Revelation 4:11
Where Did We Come From?
LDS View:
Heavenly Father devised a plan for spirit children to come to earth, receive a body, and be tested for exhalation. This plan included the Fall. Jesus volunteered to be the Savior, allowing for agency (free will). Lucifer proposed a different plan that would destroy agency. When his plan was rejected, he rebelled. The Book of Moses 4:1-4 explains that this desire to destroy free will is how Lucifer became the Devil. One-third of the spirit children followed Lucifer and were cast out of heaven. The rest freely chose Jesus and earned the opportunity to be born on earth to get a body and be tested, as outlined in the Book of Abraham 3:27-28. The Fall itself is seen as a positive thing. 2 Nephi 2:25 says, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” All spirit children are waiting to come to earth so they may get a body. All angels are either pre-born spirit children humans or faithful human saints who have returned to heaven. Thus, there is no distinct species of angelic beings; instead, angels are humans in either a non-bodied or bodied state.
What Does the Bible Say?
Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:6–19, Exodus 20:11, Job 38:4–7, Psalm 51:5, Psalm 100:3, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Isaiah 14:12–15, Isaiah 46:9, Ezekiel 28:13–17, Hosea 11:9, Matthew 19:4, John 1:1–3, John 1:12–13, John 3:31, John 8:44, Acts 17:25–26, Acts 17:26, Romans 1:25, Romans 3:10–12, Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:45–47, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:1–3, Colossians 1:16, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 1:13–14, Hebrews 9:27, 1 Peter 1:12, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6
Where Are We Going?
LDS View:
When we die, every person enters the spirit world, which is divided into spirit paradise and spirit prison. Spirit paradise is for righteous members of the LDS Church, while spirit prison holds those who either rejected or never learned of God’s plan of happiness (Alma 40:11-14). In the spirit prison, there is one more opportunity to accept Jesus (D&C 138:10-34). While they will not have the opportunity to do the works of progression, their living family members may do them in proxy on their behalf (D&C 124:93-95, 127:5-9, 128:15-18, and an LDS interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29). These include baptism for the dead and marriage sealings. According to D&C 76:50-113, there will eventually be a final judgment, where people will be assigned to one of three degrees of glory: the Celestial Kingdom (for the faithful who received LDS ordinances), the Terrestrial Kingdom (for moral people who fell short of the full work of progression) or the Telestial Kingdom (for the wicked who eventually accepted Christ after suffering). Only those in the Celestial Kingdom can achieve exaltation, which includes becoming gods and having their own spirit children (D&C 132:19-20 and Book of Abraham chapters 4-5). A small group of people—called Sons of Perdition—are cast into outer darkness with Satan and his followers. In LDS eschatology, Jesus will reign personally on the earth during a literal Millennium, and the earth will eventually be Celestialized for the exalted to inhabit eternally.
What Does the Bible Say?
Genesis 3:19, Ecclesiastes 9:5–6, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 66:24, Daniel 12:2, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 25:31–46, Luke 16:19–31, John 3:16–18, John 3:18, John 5:24–29, John 14:1–6, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Romans 2:5–8, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:21–23, 2 Corinthians 5:6–10, Galatians 1:8–9, Philippians 3:20–21, Hebrews 9:27, Hebrews 10:26–31, 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9, Revelation 14:9–11, Revelation 20:11–15, Revelation 21:1–8, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:14–15
How Do We Get There?
LDS View:
To get to the Celestial Kingdom, a person must accept the LDS gospel and fully participate in all of the necessary ordinances. These include faith in Jesus, baptism by immersion by proper priesthood authority, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. They must also complete endowment ceremonies, temple marriage (sealing), and ongoing obedience to God’s commandments and the living prophet. According to LDS teaching, grace alone is not sufficient for exaltation. Instead, a person must prove their worthiness through a lifelong process of obedience and progression. 2 Nephi 25:23 says, “It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” Exaltation—living eternally as a god with a spouse, spirit children, and divine authority—is only for those who fully complete these requirements and endure faithfully to the end.
What Does the Bible Say?
Isaiah 43:10, John 1:12–13, John 3:16–18, John 5:24, John 6:28–29, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Acts 16:30–31, Romans 1:16–17, Romans 3:20–28, Romans 4:1–5, Romans 5:1, Romans 5:8–9, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9–13, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Galatians 1:6–9, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:10–14, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:8–9, Philippians 3:8–9, Colossians 1:13–14, Titus 3:5–7, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 10:14, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 5:11–13, Revelation 22:17
