WHAT MORMONS BELIEVE

1. Authority.
Mormons believe that the Bible is the Word of God, if it is translated correctly, and they believe the Book of Mormon (BofM) is the Word of God. No Mormon can tell you when and where the Bible was or wasn not translated correctly, leaving them to rely on their leaders to interpret it for them). They also believe in apostles and prophets continuing in the church. The Mormon Prophet—the visible head of the Church of the Latter Day Saints (LDS)—allegedly gets revelations from God which LDS are bound to follow.

2. Theology.
Mormons believe in three gods, not a Trinity, but as we shall see, none of their three gods is a true God. They also believe in the existence of many other gods, but they are not to worship them. They have only one Godhead that they worship. They also believe that they all have the potential of becoming gods themselves.
2a. The Father: Mormons believe that the Father is the spirit father of all, but the physical father of one: Jesus Christ. They believe that the Father is an exalted man of flesh and bones. They believe he in turn was born to spiritual parents. This tells us several things: 1. God is not eternal: there was a time when he came into being. 2. God is not unchangeable: there was a time when he became a god, before which he had lived in existence as a man. Indeed, some LDS leaders have said that God had to work his way to godhood, as Mormons must. 3. God has not created all things, because the planet or earth on which he was born and the parents to whom he was born were not created by him. They existed before him. The question also arises: if God's parents begat God on an earth, where are they? Why do we not worship them, since they are the first? 4. God is not a spirit, because he has a body, he is a physical man. That is against what Jesus affirms in John 4:24.
2b. The Son: Jesus Christ according to LDS is the first son of God, that is he was the one whom God begat first, before begetting all others, God and his wife (oh yes, God has a wife; indeed some LDS say he has many wives) begot the entire human race and all angels and spirits. We all existed as spirit beings before we were physically born on earth. Therefore all people are the children of God according to Mormonism. Incidentally, Lucifer was the second begotten son of God, so Lucifer and Jesus are spirit brothers! This tells us also that Jesus is not eternal. Jesus was begotten as a physical person when God the Father with his body of flesh and bones came down to have a literal sexual relationship with Mary. Many LDS will deny that this is taught by their church, but documentary proof is easy to find. They do not believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit as the Bible says. They believe also that Jesus worked his way to godhood as did the father before him. 2c. The Spirit. The Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are two separate beings. The Holy Spirit is another of the Father's spirit children. He has no body, unlike the other two gods in the godhead and therefore he can be everywhere at once unlike the other two. He is also not eternal.

3. Salvation.
Mormons believe that God sent Jesus to make the resurrection of the dead possible for all people, but that is all that Calvary accomplished. It did not accomplish salvation and forgiveness of sins for anyone. If people are to be saved, they must obey the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, ie. salvation is by faith in the LDS god, repentance, baptism, obedience to the laws and ordinances of LDS and perseverance to the end. LDS believe in freewill, universal atonement, reject predestination and believe in salvation by works.

4. The Afterlife.
Mormons believe that there are three levels of heaven and one hell. Mormons who have been faithful go to the celestial kingdom and are exalted and made gods on their own planets. They beget spirit children with their wife / wives (marriages sealed in an LDS temple ceremony are said to be eternal). Less faithful Mormons go to the terrestrial kingdom, a kind of glorified earth; and most sincere religious people and even many wicked people will go to the telestial kingdom, a lesser form of afterlife, but not hell. Those who die in ignorance and all non Mormons go to the spirit prison where a second chance at repentance is offered. Stubborn cases may spend a Millenium in hell and then be offered another chance depending on what Joseph Smith decides. He is the judge. Only the devil and his angels and apostate Mormons and the really stubborn cases go to the hell of eternal torment. (Mormons baptise the dead because in order to have the possibility of salvation in the afterlife one must be baptised by LDS church).

Quotes from LDS sources, which seem to contradict official Mormon teachings, indeed they seem to teach many orthodox Christian beliefs. I wonder what Mormons make of them.

DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST.

Official Mormon teaching opposes the Biblical truth that Jesus is eternally God manifest in the flesh, the 2nd person of the Blessed Trinity. In these passages from the BofM etc. a confused teaching is presented, that Jesus is God and is the Father. The disctictiveness of the Persons in the Godhead is missing here, but it is certainly more orthodox than the beliefs about Jesus described above.

BofM = Book of Mormon; D&C= Doctrine and Covenants; Pearl = Pearl of Great Price.

2 Nephi 9:5 Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is expedient that it should be among them; for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become subject unto him.

D&C 19:16-18 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit - and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink.

1 Nephi 19:13And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, they shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel.

2 Nephi 6:9 Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should return again. And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who spake it unto me.

2 Nephi 25:29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.

2 Nephi 26:12 And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God

Mosiah 3:5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. 6 And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men. 7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. 8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

Mosiah 7:27And because he said unto them that Christ was the God, the Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man, and it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning; or in other words, he said that man was created after the image of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the earth

Mosiah 15:1And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. 2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son -- 3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son -- 4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth. 5 And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.

Mosiah 16:15 Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.

Alma 11:38-40 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father? And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are;he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last; And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.

Mormon 3:21 And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God.

Ether 2:12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will butserve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

Ether 3:14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

Ether 4:12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me -- that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

D&C 19:1 I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.

D&C 29:1-2 Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins; Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer.

D&C 38:1-4 Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made; The same which knoweth all things, for all things are present before mine eyes.

D&C39:1-2 Hearken and listen to the voice of him who is from all eternity to all eternity, the Great I AM, even Jesus Christ . The light and the life of the world; a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

Again, many of these passages contradict the Mormon denial of the eternal unchangeableness of God. The idea that God is a glorified man is missing in the BofM, in fact the very opposite is taught. Whence come then the modern beliefs of Mormonism?

1 Nephi 10:18 For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

Alma 18:26-27 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit? And he said, Yea. And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?

I thought Mormons denied that God is a Spirit? They say the Father has a body of flesh and bones

2 Nephi 2:4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

D&C 3:1-3 The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught. For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round. Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men

Again, Mormons do not believe God's purposes are unchangeable, or do they? Also, the D&C says that God does not change His revelation, but Mormonism is based on the premise that He does!

D&C 19:10-12 For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore --Eternal punishment is God's punishment. Endless punishment is God's punishment.

D&C121:32 According to that which was ordained in the midst of the Council of the Eternal God of all other gods before this world was, that should be reserved unto the finishing and the end thereof, when every man shall enter into his eternal presence and into his immortal rest

D&C130:22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us

So does God have a body or is He Spirit, would the Mormons make up their mind?

D&C20:17 By these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them.

Pearl of Great Price: Moses ch 1:3 And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless?

Pearl: Moses ch 1:6 And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all.

Pearl: Moses ch 7:35 Behold, I am God; Man of Holiness is my name; Man of Counsel is my name; and Endless and Eternal is my name, also. Pearl: Abraham 4:1 And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.

So, is God eternal and unchangeable, is there one God or are there many Gods, does Mormonism have a clear answer? Not if you read their so-called ''sacred writings''. The Book of Mormon is clearly monotheistic. The D&C and Pearl of GP are more contradictory. It goes without saying: the Bible is monothestic!

THE TRINITY

Although modern Mormons are not Trinitarians their sacred writings are again unclear. Modern Mormon spokesmen are clearly anti-Trinitarian. One wonders -- Have they read the BofM properly??!

2 Nephi 31:21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen

Alma 11:44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil

Mormon 7:7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

3Nephi 11:27 And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one.

D&C 20:28 Which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite and eternal, without end. Amen

SALVATION

Mormons have another gospel, which is a mixture of grace and works. I would point out that Mormons believe their prophet, Joseph Smith received this gospel from an angel called Moroni. Mormons should read Galatians ch 1:8-9 and shudder. Works and faith and grace cannot be mixed as Romans 11:5-6 prove. Read some Mormon statements on salvation, again from their sacred books

2 Nephi 25:23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

1 Nephi 22:31 Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.

2 Nephi 31:17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

D&C 42:18 And now, behold, I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.

D&C42:24-26 Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast out. But he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive; But if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out.

Hmmm . . .not 70 times 7. You have one chance?

D&C 137:7-10 Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts. And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven

ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.

It is unclear whether modern Mormons believe in eternal punishment, but again the official sacred writings are clear

2 Nephi 9:19 O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

Jacob 6:10 And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment

Mosiah 2:37-39 I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples. Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment

3 Nephi 27:17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

Moroni 10:26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not

Miscellaneous

Jacob 2:27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none

Alma 7:10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

That's a pretty silly mistake for Joseph Smith to make. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, every Sunday School child knows that, yet when Joseph Smith was translating this ''prophetic book'' he made that blunder!

Alma 46:15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come

The footnote in the BofM says that this period was in the time before Christ. If we compare this and the Bible, Acts 11:26 we can see an obvious contradiction. The Bible says the believers were first called Christians in Antioch in the time of the Apostles, how can the BofM be right here?

D&C 9:8-9 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.

Typical Mormonism. They ask you to pray about the Book of Mormon and to ask God if it is His Word. That is to tempt God. Would we ask God if Mein Kampf, by Adolf Hitler, or The Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin, or The Koran, or the Karma Sutra or The Satanic Verses, or Das Kapital by Karl Marx are the Word of God? No, we would read them and compare their teachings with the Bible. That is how to know that the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price are NOT the Word of God, not by testing one's feelings about it!

D&C 27:11 And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days

This seems to teach that Adam was God. Early LDS leaders did teach that heresy. Modern Mormonism denies it

D&C129:1-9 There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones. For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. Secondly: the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory. When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you. If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand. If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear. Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message. If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him. These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.

That was laughable, it really was, shaking hands with spirits, angels and devils, please! I am not making this up! This is actually in the D&C!

D&C132:61-63 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood - if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else. And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified. But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be glorified.

Pearl of Great Price: Moses ch 4:1-4 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying:Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me:Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. 3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; 4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.

Abraham 2:23-24 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say: She is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise: Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.

Not the same as the Genesis account. Here God tells Abraham to lie, in Genesis Abraham lied by himself.

Abraham ch 3:27-28 And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him.

MORE MORMON ERROR!

Here are some modern LDS writers, teaching that we can become Gods, that the Trinity is 3 Gods, but there are many more, that God was once a man, and other terrible heresies . . . .

God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!That is the great secret ..... . . It is necessary we should understand the character and being of God and how he came to be so; for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil , so that you may see . . . ...he was a once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ did.......you have got to learn to be Gods yourselves...the same as all Gods have done before you, namely from going from one small degree to another...(Joseph Smith, ‘King Follets Funeral Discourse’ cited in Joseph Fielding Smith’s Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pp. 342-362)

Three separate personages --Father, Son, and Holy Ghost --- comprise the Godhead. As each of these persons is a God, it is evident, from this standpoint alone, that a plurality of Gods exists. To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three are the only Gods we worship. But in addition there is an infinite number of holy personages, drawn from worlds without number, who have passed on to exaltation and are thus gods. (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 576-577)

The Gods who dwell in the Heaven from which our spirits came are beings who have been redeemed from the grave in a world which existed before the foundations of this earth were laid. They and the heavenly body which they now inhabit were once in a fallen state (Orson Pratt, The Seer, p23)

The important points of the doctrine for Latter Day Saints are that Gods and humans are the same species of being but at different stages of development in a divine continuum, and that the Heavenly Father and Mother are the heavenly pattern, model and example of what mortals can become through obedience to the gospel (Stephen Robinson, ‘God the Father’, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pp. 548-49).

Some Scriptures for Mormons and others to consider

1.Our wretched natural (fallen) state.

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one (Romans 3 v 10-12).
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51 v 5)
The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies (Psalm 58 v 3).
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5 v 12)
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous (Romans 5 v 20)
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8 v 7-8).
The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer 17 v 9)
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, that are accustomed to do evil (Jeremiah 13 v 23)
For there is not a just man upon the earth, that does good, and does not sin (Eccl 7 v 20)
But we are all as an unclean thing; and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64 v 6)
From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores (Isaiah 1 v 6).
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4 v 18)
Among whom (the children of disobedience) also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Ephesians 2 v 3)

God's Grace: not works.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved); and has raised us up together, and made us to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might shew forth the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2 v 4-9)
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident; for the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith, but, The man that doeth them shall live by them. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree (Galatians 3 v 10-13)
I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain (Galatians 2 v 21)
Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that does not work, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David describes the blessedness of the man, unto God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered, Blessed is the man to whom the LORD will not impute sin (Rom 4 v 4-8)
So likewise you, when oue shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do (Luke 17 v 10)
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. . .But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and I do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith (Philippians 3 v 4 and 7-9)
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3 v 5)
Who (God) has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1 v 13-14)
And you, being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances which was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross (Colossians 2 v 13-14)
When he (Jesus) had by himself purged our sins, (he) sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1 v 3)
For by one offering he (Jesus) has perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Heb10 v 13)
The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1 v 7)
He (Jesus) shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53 v 11)
You shall call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1 v 21)
I lay down my life for the sheep. . .but you believe not, because you are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand (John 10 v 15 and 26-28)

God

God is a Spirit (John 4 v 24)
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I (Jesus) myself: handle me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see me have (Luke 24 v 39)
You thought that I was altogether such an one as yourself (Psalm 50 v 21)
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting you art God (Psalm 90 v 1)
For I am the LORD: I change not (Malachi 3 v 6)
Before there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me (Isaiah 43 v 10b)
I am the first and the last; and beside me there is no God (Isaiah 44 v 6)
I am the LORD and there is none else, there is no God beside me (Isaiah 45 v 5)

Christ.

Out of you (Bethlehem) shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel: whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5 v 2)
For unto us a child is born. . .his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9 v 6)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1 v 1-3)
For by him (Jesus) were all things created (Colossians 1 v 16)
Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2 v 14)

Faith, Repentance, Perseverance: Conditions of Salvation or Divine Gifts?

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power (Ephesians 1 v 19)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2 v 8)
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake (Philippians 1 v 29)
For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2 v 13)
All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and him that comes unto me I will in no wise cast out. . .No man can come unto me, except the Father which has sent me draw him. . .Therefore I said unto you that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father (John 6 v 37, 44 and 65)
As many as were ordained unto eternal life believed (Acts 13 v 48b)
For who makes you to differ from another? And what have you that you did not receive? Now if you did receive it, why do you glory, as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4 v 7)
They glorified God, saying, Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life (Acts 11 v 18)
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance unto the acknowledging of the truth (2 Timothy 2 v 25)
You have chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn me and I shall be turned (Jeremiah 31 v 18)
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1 v 5)
Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1 v 6)
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen (Jude 24-25)
And I (Jesus) give them (my sheep) eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand (John 10 v 28)

Mormonism

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