Terminology Differences Between LDS and the Bible

by: Sandra Tanner

GODHEAD
LDS: Father and Son are resurrected men with physical bodies. Holy Ghost is a separate man with a spiritual body. Three totally separate Gods. God is married. Other Gods for other worlds.
Bible: God is not a man. He has always been God. Only one God.

JESUS CHRIST
LDS: Literally our elder brother, born to Heavenly Parents in the premortal life. Jesus, Lucifer and humans are all the same species and are brothers and sisters.
Bible: Fully God, not a subordinate deity. Eternal.

PREMORTAL LIFE
LDS: Teach that everyone existed in heaven before born on earth. We have existed eternally.
Bible: Only Christ before mortality, not man. Our existence started on earth.

THE FALL
LDS: Fall was a blessing. It brought mortality, ability to have children and physical death. Adam was given conflicting commandments and was supposed to fall.
Bible: God intended obedience. God tempts no one. Man is sinful.

VIRGIN BIRTH
LDS: Believe God, as a resurrected, physical man, is literal Father of Jesus - same manner in which men are conceived on earth. Believe Matthew 1:18 is in error.
Bible: Mary was "with child of the Holy Ghost."

SIN
LDS: Specific acts, not man's basic nature. Must know act is wrong to be a sin.
Bible: We are in spiritual rebellion until conversion. We do not just commit sins; we are basically sinful.

FORGIVENESS
LDS: Granted at end of process of repentance and reformed behavior.
Bible: Complete forgiveness granted the moment we turn to Christ.

SALVATION BY GRACE
LDS: Believe Christ's death brought release from grave and universal resurrection. Salvation by grace is universal resurrection. Beyond this, man must earn his place in heaven. Saved by grace after all we can do.
Bible: Salvation is not limited to universal resurrection but gift of God to those who believe.

REDEEMED
LDS: From mortal death only. Not same at Eternal Life.
Bible: Redeemed from more than mortal death; redeemed from spiritual death & given Eternal Life.

GOSPEL
LDS: Doctrines and commandments of the LDS Church. True gospel restored by Joseph Smith.
Bible: Good news of Christ's death and resurrection as atonement for our sins.

BORN AGAIN
LDS: Baptism into the LDS Church.
Bible: We are spiritually dead until our spiritual birth.

TRUE CHURCH
LDS: Only the Mormon Church. The true church was taken from the earth until Joseph Smith restored it.
Bible: Not an organization; as born-again Christians we are part of God's Church.

AUTHORITY-PRIESTHOOD
LDS: Believe only LDS have authority to baptize, ordain, etc. Have two-part system of priesthood - Melchizedek and Aaronic.
Bible: Christ brought end to Aaronic priesthood and is the only High Priest after the manner of Melchizedek.

BAPTISM
LDS: Must abe performed by LDS priesthood.
Bible: Emphasis is on Believer - not on priesthood authority.

SONS OF GOD
LDS: We were all born in heaven, prior to earth, as literal spirit children of God and his wife.
Bible: Spiritually adopted at conversion.

ETERNAL LIFE
LDS: Exaltation in Celestial Kingdom; godhood and ability to bear children in heaven. Must have a temple recommend and be sealed in Mormon temple.
Bible: Not limited to certain ones in the top part of heaven. No mention of parenthood or temple marriage but is given to all true believers.

IMMORTALITY
LDS: Universal gift. The ability to go to heaven and live forever but not same as Eternal Life. Lower level of heaven and unable to bear children.
Bible: Makes no distinction between immortality and eternal life. No second class citizens in heaven.

HELL
LDS: Hell as an institution is eternal - inmates come and go as in jail, but do not spend eternity there. Temporary. After debt is paid they will go to the Telestial Kingdom.
Bible: No mention of people getting out of Hell.

HEAVEN
LDS: Divided into three kingdoms - Celestial, Terrestial and Telestial. A place for almost everyone.
Bible: Only mentions two conditions - everlasting punishment or eternal life.

KINGDOM OF GOD
LDS: Means Celestial Kingdom. Only those in the Celestial Kingdom are in God's presence. Those in the Terrestial or Telestial Kingdoms are not in the presence of the Father.
Bible: All redeemed will be in God's presence.