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How do I Reach Mormons for Christ?

Who are they?

The Mormon religion (also called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) was started by Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830, at Fayette, New York, with six members. Today they number more than ten million, with about 50,000 short-term missionaries on the field.

What do they believe?

About sin?

Mormons believe that men will be punished for their own sin, not for Adam's.

Biblical view:

Men are held responsible for Adam's sin as well as their own (Romans 5:15; Romans 3:23).

About the Bible?

Mormons believe that the Bible is to be considered God's Word (if it is translated and interpreted properly). They also believe that The Book of Mormon is God's Word, according to James E. Talmage.

Biblical view:

The Bible alone is the word of God. It is without error. It cannot be added to or subtracted from (2 Timothy 3:16-4:4; Revelation 22:18-20).

About the Trinity?

Mormons do not accept the Trinity. They believe in three separate gods (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). Mormons also believe that men can become gods some day! According to Lorenzo Snow, fifth president of the Mormon church, "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become."

Biblical view:

There is one God and yet three Persons (Isaiah 45:5; Deuteronomy 6:4; James 2:19).

About Jesus?

Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the literal, physical offspring of a sexual union between God the Father and Mary.

Biblical view:

Jesus is fully God and fully man. He was placed in Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit of God. It was not by sexual union, but by a supernatural act (Luke 1:35; John 1:1,14,18;10:30).

About salvation?

Mormons believe that "through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel" (AF,3). "The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; repentance; baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins; and laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost" (AF,4).

Biblical view:

Salvation is by faith in Christ on the basis of His death on the cross. Good works have nothing to do with being saved (John 3:16,17,36;6:47; Romans 4:1-5; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5).

How to witness to them:

  • Read My Difficult Friend
  • Use the four basic questions as outlined in My Difficult Friend
  • Get common ground.
    • Say something like this, "You believe in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Would you mind if we limit our conversation just to the Bible so we both can be standing on common ground?"
  • Remember that Mormons use "Christian" terminology to hook Christians, but their definitions may vary greatly from the Bible's.

For instance:

The Mormon Jesus was a spirit-child of Elohim, brother of Lucifer (Satan), and was born physically through a sexual relationship between Elohim (the Father) and Mary. The Biblical Jesus is the eternally self-existent second Person of the Trinity who is co-equal with God the Father and one with Him in essence. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary after the Holy Spirit placed the fertilized egg in Mary's womb. Jesus is fully God and fully man, yet without sin! Do you see how vastly Mormons and Christians differ in their view of Jesus, even though both use the same term?

Another example:

Many Mormons say that they believe that we are saved by faith. But in their definition, faith means more than trust. It means obedience. Although they may say salvation is by faith, they mean that it is by faith and good deeds.

Various questions to ask a Mormon:

"If the Book of Mormon is true, then why...

  1. ...is there not one shred of archeological evidence for the Lamenites and Nephites?"
  2. ...is much of the Book of Mormon plagiarized from the King James Version?" (24,000 words minimum taken from the KJV; i.e., Moroni 10 vs. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and 2 Nephi 12 vs. Isaiah 2.)

"If going to heaven is by good deeds, then why...

  1. ...does the Bible use the word 'faith' or 'believe' over two hundred times in the New Testament as the sole requirement for salvation?"
  2. ...does Ephesians 2:8,9 say that it's 'not by works'?"
  3. ...does Romans 4:5 say that a man must not work if he wants to be justified?"

"If Jesus Christ is not co-equal with God and one with God in essence, then why...

  1. ...does John 1:14,18 make it clear that Jesus Christ has the same nature as God?"
  2. ...does Jesus say 'I and the Father are one' in John 10:30?"
  3. ...does Jesus use the personal name of God as a title for Himself in John 8:58?"
  4. ...does Paul call Jesus 'our great God and Savior' in Titus 2:13; when Isaiah 45:21 says, '...and there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me'?"

Recommended Reading:

  1. The Kingdom of the Cults, Dr. Walter Martin. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany Fellowship, 1968.
  2. The Four Major Cults, Anthony A. Hoekema. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1963.
  3. Is Mormonism Christian?, Gordon H. Fraser, rev. ed. Chicago: Moody, 1977.
  4. Confronting the Cults, Gordon R. Lewis. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1966.
  5. Fast Facts On False Teachings, Ron Carlson and Ed Decker. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1994.
  6. Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons, Ron Rhodes and Marian Bodine. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1995.
  7. A Ready Defense, Josh McDowell. San Bernardino, CA: Here's Life Publishers, Inc., 1990.