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When the Gospel Never Needed a Nineteenth-Century Restoration

There is one thing in this article that I completely agree with: the discussion should ultimately come back to Jesus Christ and the gospel preached by His apostles. That is where every Christian discussion about Mormonism ought to begin and end. The question is not whether Mormon people are sincere, moral, hardworking, or devoted to their families, because many certainly are. Sincerity, however, has never been the biblical test of truth. A person can sincerely believe something and still be sincerely wrong, which is why Scripture tells us to examine what we believe rather than simply trusting our feelings, traditions, or religious authorities. That principle applies just as much to Mormonism as it does to every other religious system. The real question is not whether Joseph Smith believed he was a prophet. The real question is whether the message attributed to Joseph Smith agrees with the revelation God has already given through Jesus Christ and His apostles. Scripture tells us to “...
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When the Gospel Needs to Be Restored

There is a point in any serious discussion about Mormonism when the conversation has to move beyond Joseph Smith, church history, priesthood authority, temple ceremonies, and competing claims about which institution possesses the proper authority. Eventually, all of those questions have to give way to something much more fundamental: Who is Jesus Christ, and is the gospel taught by Mormonism the same gospel that Jesus Christ and His apostles preached? From a Christian perspective, that is where the examination should begin. This is not an argument against Mormon people. Many Mormons are sincere, moral, hardworking, devoted to their families, and genuinely convinced that they are following God. There is no reason to question the sincerity of every person who belongs to the Mormon church. Sincerity, however, is not a test of truth. A person can sincerely believe something that is not true, which means that religious claims have to be examined by something more reliable than personal c...
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What Does the Book of Mormon Actually Say About the “Skin of Blackness”?

One of the more controversial subjects in the Book of Mormon is its description of a “skin of blackness” being placed upon the Lamanites. This subject is sometimes explained very differently by modern Mormons, so it is important to go back to the actual text and look at what it says rather than simply accepting a modern explanation. In 2 Nephi 5, the Book of Mormon describes a separation between Nephi and his followers and the Lamanites. The text says the Lamanites had become hardened because of their rebellion, and then states that the Lord caused a “skin of blackness” to come upon them so they would not be enticing to the Nephites. The passage then calls this a “curse” and describes the physical difference as a way of distinguishing the two groups. The language is important because the text does not simply say that the Lamanites were spiritually different. It specifically describes a change involving their skin and connects that change with the curse placed upon them. Alma 3 contains...
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Why do Christians consider Mormonism a cult?

Not merely because Mormons believe differently, but because Mormonism fundamentally changes the biblical doctrines of God, Christ, salvation, Scripture, and revelation while claiming to restore original Christianity. Biblical Christianity teaches one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5). Mormonism teaches the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are separate beings, teaches that God the Father has a physical body and was once a mortal man, and teaches that faithful humans can eventually become gods. Yet Scripture says, “from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalm 90:2) and “before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me” (Isaiah 43:10). Mormonism teaches Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers. Scripture says Jesus is the eternal Word through whom “all things were made” (John 1:1–3). Mormonism also makes exaltation dependent upon faithfulness to ordinances, covenants, temple ceremonies, and works. Biblical Christianity says, “By grace are ye saved through faith... not ...
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Ten Teachings of Mormonism That Conflict With Christianity

When the differences between Mormonism and historic biblical Christianity are examined carefully, the disagreement goes far beyond different traditions, worship styles, or interpretations of secondary doctrines. At the heart of the matter are fundamentally different teachings about who God is, who Jesus Christ is, what Scripture is, how salvation is received, and what the gospel actually means. Those are not minor differences, because the answers to those questions determine what kind of God we worship and what kind of hope we place in Christ. This is why Christians should approach the subject seriously but also with love. Mormons are not being criticized because they are insincere or because they do not care about Jesus. Many sincerely believe that they are following Him, and many live lives marked by admirable qualities such as family devotion, moral discipline, service, and religious commitment. Sincerity, however, does not establish the truth of a doctrine. The question that ultima...
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Where Doctrine Ends and Another Gospel Begins

One of the most important questions that comes up when Christians and Mormons discuss theology is where the line should be drawn between a legitimate doctrinal disagreement and a difference so fundamental that the teaching becomes another gospel. That question deserves a biblical answer, because simply saying that the Trinity is the line in the sand does not really explain why Christians regard certain differences as essential while treating other disagreements as secondary. The better question is whether the doctrine in question preserves the God, the Christ, and the gospel that were proclaimed by the apostles. Scripture does not teach that every disagreement between Christians creates another gospel. Believers have disagreed about baptism, church government, spiritual gifts, prophecy, and many other subjects without necessarily abandoning the gospel. Paul, however, makes it clear in Galatians 1:6–9 that there is a point at which a doctrinal change becomes something much more serious ...
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The Historical Record: Mormons and Slavery

If someone says “Mormons never had slaves,” the historical record says otherwise. Even the Mormon Church's own official history acknowledges that some early Mormons owned enslaved people. It specifically names Green Flake, Hark Lay, and Oscar Crosby, who were enslaved to Mormon families and traveled with the 1847 Mormon pioneer company to Utah.¹ The National Park Service confirms the same history. Green Flake was born enslaved, converted to Mormonism, and was brought west with the Mormon pioneers. His labor was even accepted by the Church as part of the Flake family's tithing.² And this wasn't just a few people passing through Utah. Slavery was legally permitted in Utah Territory. In 1852, Mormon leaders serving in the Utah legislature debated slavery. Brigham Young and Orson Spencer supported legalizing and regulating slavery, while Apostle Orson Pratt strongly opposed it. Young and Spencer's position won, and the legislature authorized a form of Black slavery.¹ S...
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