The Mormon Church’s Dangerous Claim to Be the Only True Church



The LDS Church claims it is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30) and teaches that “all men must come unto this church or be damned” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 136). That’s not a casual statement—it’s a bold, dangerous claim. By saying this, the Church places itself above Christ, above the Bible, and above every faithful Christian who has followed God for centuries.

But the Bible is clear: God alone has ultimate authority. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Salvation is through Christ alone—not any human institution. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Bible alone is sufficient for faith, doctrine, and living a righteous life (Grudem, 1994; Erickson, 2013). Yet the LDS Church claims that its leaders hold “keys of the priesthood” necessary for salvation (Doctrine and Covenants 107:18–20), elevating humans above God’s Word.

The Church enforces this authority ruthlessly. Question it, and you’re labeled rebellious or under Satan’s influence (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 136). That’s not following Christ—that’s control. The Bible warns, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23). When a church places itself above God’s Word, it’s no longer worshiping God—it’s worshiping itself (Sproul, 2005; Packer, 1993).

The LDS hierarchy dominates every aspect of a member’s life. Joseph Smith even said, “the salvation of all men is in the church, and outside of it there is no salvation” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 136; Smith, History of the Church). But the New Testament says the Church is Christ’s body, not a human institution (Ephesians 4:4–6; 1 Corinthians 12:12–13). Paul warned believers, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you” (1 Corinthians 1:10). Claiming exclusive authority causes division, not unity.

Then there’s the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith, with little formal education, claimed to translate it in 65 days. But the text relies heavily on the King James Bible, View of the Hebrews (1823), and The Late War (1816), and it even repeats KJV translation errors (McDowell, 1999; Stand to Reason, 2018). That points to a human, not divine, origin. It claims multiple authors, yet there is zero historical evidence for its people, places, or events.

Real Christian worship puts God first and follows Christ alone. Any church that claims exclusive authority, labels dissenters as evil, and seeks control over members is not worshiping God—it’s worshiping itself. Scripture warns, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Christians are called to test every teaching against God’s Word and worship Christ alone (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1).

Christian apologetics equips believers to discern truth. Grudem (1994) and Erickson (2013) reaffirm Scripture’s sufficiency. McDowell (1999) documents the historical reliability of the Bible. Sproul (2005) highlights the danger of human institutions claiming ultimate authority, and Packer (1993) emphasizes that true knowledge and worship of God comes from Scripture, not church leaders. Hitchcock (2020) equips believers to discern truth from false claims of divine authority.

The LDS Church claiming it alone has God’s authority isn’t just a difference in belief—it’s a direct challenge to Christ and the Bible. Christians must stay alert, test every claim against Scripture, and refuse to let any institution take God’s rightful place in their lives.

Sources 

Christian Sources







Mormon Sources 





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