How do I, as a Christain, share the gospel with my Mormon friend?

Question

Mormons always try to use the similarities between Christianity and Mormonism to convince Christians to become Mormons. How can I kind of work it backwards and point out the differences between Mormonism and Christianity to my Mormon friend in a way that makes it clear that I think Mormonism is a later revision of Christianity?

Answer 1

This really depends on how long your friend has been in the church. If they were born into it you may have a tougher time. If they are adult converts it may be easier to talk to them about the differences. You have to keep in mind that they are taught to not trust anything that doesn't come from an LDS source. That means even the Bible. Anything that doesn't put a happy spin on the LDS doctrine is anti-Mormon. Even if it is simply telling the truth. I've found that mostly LDS have to come out of the church on their own. Something has to wake them up inside, and tell them that something isn't right. Maybe just enjoy hanging out with your friend, and if they bring it up you can try to bring them to the real Jesus.

Answer 2

Because I have quite a few friends that are Mormons, I've researched this topic EXTENSIVELY and the absolute best answer I've found, I found it at:

credenda.org/index.php/Theology/how-to-witness-to-mormons.html

The important thing to remember is that it's not about "winning the argument", but winning our Mormon friends for the Lord Jesus Christ with love, grace and truth.

Here's just the introduction of the article:

"There are basically two ways Christians witness to Mormons. One is to demolish Mormonism in an apologetic way, the other is to expose Mormonism in a theological way. The former deals with Mormon history, false prophecies, archaeology, DNA, etc. The latter deals with sin, repentance, atonement, the gospel, etc.

"Most people take the first approach, but we, the Oasis ministry in Utah, take the second. The first may make many ex-Mormons, but it doesn't necessarily make believers. Actually, it can be counter-productive.

"Once Mormons realize Mormonism is false they typically move into atheism because it is almost impossible for them to disassociate their knowledge of God, the Bible and Jesus from their Mormon worldview. They are so wounded from having been lied to that they hesitate to trust any religious consideration afterward and default into heavy skepticism.

"Also, destroying the historical foundations of Mormonism isn't preaching the gospel. The message we are called to preach is the same message for all people whether they are Mormon or not: we are called to preach Christ crucified, the only salvation for sinners."

Answer 3

As long as you aren't trying to convince us that we are NOT CHristians.

Mormons know that there are major differences between what we believe and what other CHristians believe. A good many Mormons are converts, and were probably raised in other Christian denominations. So, it's not like we are totally ignorant.

I think that, as long as both sides are not hostile, a good discussion of the differences and similarities is a good thing.

Answer 4

I agree with straightup - why point out what you don't believe? Share what is similar... afterall, no one likes to be "shown" or "told" they are wrong, that might just upset the person. Look into Mormonism yourself, you might actually find out there are a lot of similarities and that most of the "contradictions" aren't really contradictions at all, rather one pastor's interpretation...
See what your faith lacks. We as LDS believe that most if not all religions have some good, just not all of it. We believe the fulness of the gospel was restored back to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith by the power of Almighty God.

Answer 5

there has been a lot of nonsense written in the solutions above, so i visit target to shrink by it. My history is that of an evangelical Christian, my (now ex) husband replaced right into a minister, and that i have skills in theology and biblical study. i replaced into section director for an anti-Mormon corporation for 5 years. i'm now a Mormon, and performance been for over ten years. praise the Lord, i ultimately got here across Christ's real and living church. enable me also say that exceedingly a lot each of the products of Matt D's answer replaced into as incorrect because it may nicely be, and shows how little human beings learn about Mormons. i idea a number of that nonsense too. yet Mormons do be counted on Christ, and they do position self assurance in him as their Saviour. per chance, as in any church, you get some old human beings that've ignored the point in that respect and imagine they're one way or the different earning their salvation, yet exceedingly a lot each of the Mormons i know love the Lord Jesus Christ and attempt to worship and serve Him in each portion of their lives. This likely is going on your buddy too. you do not favor to introduce her to Christ - she already is universal with him, or ought to do, if she ever truly listened to the missionaries and meant the dedication at the same time as she replaced into baptised. What she needs to understand is that's His church, or the position she feels closest to Him and may best progression spiritually. particularly than basically invite her for your church, why no longer meet her midway and bypass to hers too? That way you may have a more beneficial open communicate about what she does and does unlike about the LDS church. An Evangelical buddy and myself did this, and we both got here across it a really exciting and enriching journey - I went to her church one week (a lot of handraising and conversing in tongues) and she got here to mine the subsequent (a lot of reverence and hugging).

Answer 6

I say dont do what your friend is doing to you (trying to get you to believe what he believes about mormonism and christianity.) Cuz if you two are really friends you should be friends no matter what.... keep the religion outta of it. See im a christian but have some friends who claim to be athiest and some who believe differently about relgion than me and some of them try to tell me otherwise but i dont try to convince them to believe my beliefs. (does this make sense) friends should be friends cuz of personalities not cuz they wanna conform others. (which i dont think ur triyn t conform him at all)
i hope what i said helps you in some way.

Answer 7

By standing on your principles and living with integrity. What you do will speak louder than words. Using logic and the word of God may not work because they have been schooled to answer every question. This has been placed there from youth up and is embedded in them. So the only weapon you have is the life that you lead, it is your greatest testimony

Answer 8

We Mormons are Christians but we are not a later revision of Christianity but rather a restoration of the original Christianity as Jesus Christ himself organized his church.

Sometime after Jesus died all of the Apostles were killed off, then the Catholic church set themselves up as being the guys in charge. But by the time this happened, all of the power and authority that Christ had brought was lost to the Apostasy that the Apostles foretold.

Throughout the centuries, many good Christians began to realize that the true Christian faith had been lost. Many of the founders of todays churches declared that they did not have the authority from God and that they believed the authority of God had been lost. They started their churches for two reasons. They no longer wanted to live under Catholic oppression. They did not know where to get the true authority from God. They did the best they could in anticipation of the restoration promised in the new Testament.

Mormons believe that that very restoration began when God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and through out the rest of his short life, he restored the true Gospel of Jesus Christ line upon line, precept upon precept, until we have now received the fullness of Christ's Gospel.

It is our differences that make other Christians claim that we are not Christian. But it is by virtue of the restoration of God's authority on earth that makes us different.

My challenge to you is to honestly check out what your Mormon friend believes.

Answer 9

As an LDS person, I have to agree that if someone was trying to disprove my religion, or just point out what's wrong with it - I wouldn't be very inclined to want to listen.

But I love learning about other beliefs, so a simple sharing of what your beliefs are is always welcome. I remember last Easter, me (the LDS one), a Catholic and an non-denominational Christian - we're all at work and sharing our thoughts and feelings on Christ and His suffering and ressurrection - and it was a wonderful, positive, few minutes for all of us.

Answer 10

I have mormon friends and I show them the differances between our Holy Bible and there so called teachings of joeseph smith. There are contradictions in there writings and I've shown my friend who claims to believe in Jesus and is mormon these. I then ask why would Jesus change what he has written before if you Believe in Jesus. There are also books out there to help. It's a good idea to buy one or 2 and study up on mormonism. Here are a couple of them.
Mormonism Unmasked; by R.Phiip Roberts
Is Mormonism Christian; by Harry L. Ropp