Difference between revisions of "Jesus Christ/The "Mormon" vs. the "Christian" Jesus"

• Latter-day Saints believe that everyone is a spirit child of Heavenly Father, including Jesus. What is a spirit child? We don't have the details.
• Our eternal nature was organized into a spirit person, whatever that is. We don't know the details. We don't know the process in which we became a spirit person.
• The difference between us is that Jesus is divine, while the rest of us are not.
• Why the emphasis on the word "literal"? Apparently, to once again call attention to the subject of "Celestial Sex."

• Jesus Christ's conception

• Latter-day Saints do not claim to know by what method a spirit is "born."
• Christ is the "eldest," but what this means is not also not clear. Is it a question of temporality? (i.e., He came first in time) Is it a rank? Does it describe His relationship to us? We simply don't claim to know, since time is only measured unto man.
• Latter-day Saints do believe that Christ was not created ex nihilo at some moment; He is eternally self-existent.

• Creation in Colossians 1:16

• This is not a belief among Latter-day Saints, and is based entirely upon non-doctrinal statements made by Orson Hyde and Orson Pratt.
• It is surprising that this claim is still in the paperback edition. It was, however, removed from Becoming Gods.

• There is only one God. Christ is one of three divine beings in the Godhead. They are one in purpose, not one in person. John 17꞉3, John 17꞉20-22
• Regardless of this, a creedal Christian ought not to have a problem with one God consisting of more than one Person.

• Godhead and the Trinity

• This statement is completely false.
• The Book of Mormon teaches that Christ's sacrifice was "infinite and eternal." (2 Nephi) It could not be exceeded in any sense. Christ suffered for the sins, griefs, and pains of all humanity (Alma 7), whether or not they repent.
• The benefits of that atonement are restricted if we refuse to do that which He asks of us to accept it (i.e. have faith, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end.)
• Note that this statement was changed in Becoming Gods—The "Mormon Jesus" versus the "Traditional Jesus" to "Atoned only for Adam's transgression, thereby providing the opportunity for us to obtain "eternal life" by our own efforts. The change, however, didn't really do anything to correct this falsehood.

• Salvation by faith alone
• Neglect grace
• Early Christian views on salvation

• Again, note the emphasis on the word "literal." Latter-day Saints do not consider Jesus in any way to be Satan's "peer."

• Jesus Christ is the brother of Satan

• Latter-day Saints believe that only those who reject the atonement cannot be cleansed from all their sins. If one doesn't accept the atonement, then the atonement can't save him or her. But, that is a reflection on the sinner, and does not imply that Christ's atonement was "not able" to cleanse our sins.
• This is probably alluding to blood atonement.
• Jesus Christ Himself taught that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was an "unforgivable sin." Matthew 12꞉31-32

• Unforgivable sin

• Latter-day Saints believe that there is no salvation without accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Redeemer. Salvation is obtained by receiving Jesus and his atoning sacrifice. The statement presented in the book is nonsense. All save the sons of perdition are saved. All will be resurrected.
• A fullness of salvation requires accepting the words of ALL the prophets--including those who wrote the Bible, and including Joseph Smith.
• If one believes that you have to accept the Bible witness to be saved, then how can one fault Latter-day Saints for believing that another prophet's witness must also be accepted? LDS doctrine saves infidels and non-Christians in a resurrection of glory, and provides for their evangelization after death.

• Joseph Smith's status in LDS belief

Sites we recommend:

• Mormon Scholars Testify: Messages of faith from scholars who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints