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Mormon Beliefs Articles
The Mormon religion centers on Jesus Christ. In fact, the name of the church shows this, but because the nickname “Mormon” has been continually used, that is the term the general public seems to identify with the most. The name of the church which other people call the “Mormon Church” is officially The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Latter-day Saints (or “Mormons”) are trying to teach people that the term “Mormon” is a misnomer and that the people to whom the term often applies are followers of Jesus Christ.
Mormonism, as the world religion is now identified, was organized during a period of religious revival in the United States in the early 1800s. A young farm boy named Joseph Smith grew up in a religious home and was confused by the many differing Christian sects which surrounded him, which each claimed to be the only church which had the truth, and which all seemed to disagree with each... Read the rest of this article »
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often nicknamed Mormons) believe that the Book of Mormon is scripture. This does not mean, however, that they do not accept the Bible as scripture as well. Most Christians accuse Latter-day Saints of having a “Mormon Bible.” This is not true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses the King James Version of the Holy Bible as its English Bible all over the world. Obviously, different translations are used in different languages, but the KJV is considered the most accurate translation available in English. Latter-day Saints do have their own edition of the KJV published with footnotes and references to other scripture, but the translation is the same as any other copy of the KJV.
The Bible is considered to be the word of God by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, it has been revealed that many plain and precious truths have been lost from the Bible... Read the rest of this article »
Personal revelation is inspiration given to us personally, by God, through the gift of the Holy Ghost. Everyone arrives on earth at birth with the light of Christ. People often call this “conscience.” This light dims when we commit sin, or when we reject it. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, and being spirit, can dwell within us. The Holy Ghost testifies to us when things are true, leads us toward God and Christ, warns us of danger, and comforts us. After baptism by immersion by the proper authority, the “gift of the Holy Ghost” can be conferred by the laying on of hands. This is a permanent gift, as long as the person receiving it remains worthy. The gift of the Holy Ghost is something that is always with us, guiding us through life. Through our actions, we chose whether to listen to that guidance or to drown it out with the voices of the world, beckoning us to join in its sin.
How does one recognize revelation from God? While... Read the rest of this article »
When Jesus Christ walked this earth, He performed many miracles. After His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, His apostles continued to perform miracles in His name. The power by which these miracles were performed was the same as it had been in the Old Testament, when prophets such as Moses and Elijah did mighty miracles. This power is the priesthood, or the power and authority to act in God’s name. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church) is the only church on the earth today which has this power.
The power of the priesthood was lost from the earth due to the wickedness of men who did not believe in Jesus Christ and killed His apostles. After the martyrdom of the twelve apostles, there was no man who had the authority to lead and guide Jesus Christ’s church on the earth. This period is referred to in Mormon doctrine as the Great Apostasy. Great men such as Origen and Augustine recognized... Read the rest of this article »
After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His twelve apostles ran the affairs of the Church and governed it with the authority of the priesthood which Jesus Christ had bestowed upon them. However, once the twelve apostles were dead, the Church went through its own dark ages, called the Great Apostasy, which lasted for nearly two thousand years. During this time, the authority to act in God’s name was lost from the earth. This was due to the wickedness and apostasy of many members of Christ’s Church. Over the course of several hundred years, many Church members and leaders despaired about the loss of authority and the adopting of many of the world’s elements into the gospel.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church) differs from all other Christian denominations because it is the only one which claims and has direct authority from God. While good men such as Martin Luther lamented over... Read the rest of this article »
If you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church) and have had a Latter-day Saint friend get married in a Mormon temple, you may be wondering what the big deal is and why anyone would choose to get married in a place where so many of their friends and family could not attend the wedding. After all, a person’s wedding is one of the biggest days of their life. Why wouldn’t they want all of their loved ones to be there and to be a part of it? Understanding a little bit about the Mormon doctrine of eternal families should help resolve this question.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a unique doctrine from other Christian denominations: eternal families. While many people believe that they will be with their loved ones again after they die, it is not part of their church’s doctrine. In fact, many people are shocked when they learn that their church teaches that... Read the rest of this article »
Why do Mormons wear special underwear?
There is a lot of confusion about the Mormon temple garment and what it means. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (as the Mormon Church is officially known) builds temples. These Mormon temples are literally dotting the earth, and more are being built every year. These beautiful edifices are very sacred to Latter-day Saints and their idea of worship. So where does the underwear come in?
Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, stand apart from the world in several ways. Their standards are living are very high, and are often at odds with the world’s standards of living. For example, Mormon doctrine teaches that Latter-day Saints should not partake of alcohol, tobacco or other harmful drugs, coffee, or tea. In addition, we should take care of our bodies by eating healthy food, going to bed early and getting up early, exercising and taking care of our bodies. Other standards include the law of chastity, which... Read the rest of this article »
The fourth Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states that baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands (or confirmation) for the gift of the Holy Ghost are the first two ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If a person is going through the temple for him- or herself, he or she will have already been baptized and confirmed a member of the church. Why do baptisms take place in the temple, then, and why for the dead? Paul taught this concept, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:29). The concept is a simple one. Not everyone who has lived or who will live on this earth has had the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ. Should they be sent to an endless torment in hell because they never had the opportunity to be baptized? Of course not.
Mormon doctrine teaches that all... Read the rest of this article »
The Thirteen Articles of Faith are considered to be scripture and distill some points of Mormon doctrine. They were written down by Joseph Smith in response to a query from John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat, about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (as the Mormon Church is officially called) and its beliefs. They are listed below, with an explanation of each point following.
We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We... Read the rest of this article »
By Roy.
Health is one of the vital elements that contribute to the happiness of God’s people. The body is compared to the temple of God in sacredness, so it is important that it should be treated with great respect (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
The “Word of Wisdom” is the Lord’s law for health. It includes vital information about how to take care of the body, like what substances should not be taken or what to be avoided, substances that are essential and are good for health, and the blessings one can enjoy if the commandments were obeyed. It also explains why certain things should be avoided, like drinking alcoholic drinks, smoking cigarettes, drinking “hot drinks” (meaning coffee and tea) and other harmful substances. The word of wisdom is the “will of God in the temporal salvation of all the saints in the last days” and it is also “given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak, and the weakest... Read the rest of this article »
