I was wondering what the deal is with salvation according to Mormon faith? If I believe in Jesus but not in Joseph Smith, does that mean I don't got to heaven? Is salvation based on Jesus or on Joseph Smith according to Mormon's?
2007-05-28 13:19:46 · 17 answers · asked by Super G 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints aka Mormons, believe that salvation comes only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Joseph Smith is a prophet of God who was instrumental in restoring the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth in the 19th century, complete with the same organization and authority that existed in the original church.
2007-05-28 13:32:35 · answer #1 · answered by Bryan Kingsford 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Depends on your definition of "salvation"...which there can be several. Every person who ever lived or will live gains immortality because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that is a gift that comes to all. Eternal life with God and Jesus Christ is also a definition of "salvation". We as LDS members believe that it is through the Atonement, the grace of God and after we have done all we can do - obeying the commandments basically and enduring to the end - that salvation (eternal life with God in the highest degree of glory) comes to those who are worthy of it.
We do not really believe in "being saved" in the typical Christian sense because we believe a person must do more in this life than just accept Christ as their Savior. That is an important step, but we believe there is much more: baptism, repentance, and performing certain sacred ordinances and covenants and keeping those covenants.
That is it in a nut shell. There is a really good talk at LDS.org called "Have You Been Saved" given by an apostle...it explains in great detail how we as LDS feel about salvation and "being saved". You should read it if you have time. You may choose not to believe it, but at least you would know what we believe.
2007-05-31 10:06:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whenever someone asks a question about salvation I first ask myself, what is salvation to that person? Salvation means to be saved, but saved from what? What is heaven to you?
The short answer is that you must believe in Jesus in order to be saved from your sins. Mormons believe you will be saved from physical death no matter who or what you believe in. People were saved long before Joseph Smith was born.
If you had lived at the time of Moses the way to be saved would have been to believe in Jesus who was to come. However, if you had refused to follow the prophet Moses you would have also rejected Jesus.
God is the judge of who He will save and who he will not save. Jesus paid the price so that we can be saved. Since God chose Joseph Smith to re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth, I leave it to God to determine what becomes of you if you reject His prophet.
2007-05-30 11:34:35 · answer #3 · answered by Doctor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Salvation is based on Jesus Christ. Belief in Joseph Smith's role as prophet will allow you to accept the truth in the Book of Mormon, and learn to be closer to God. Also, you will be willing accept the necessary saving ordinances of the Gospel, such an authorized baptism.
2007-05-29 02:59:43 · answer #4 · answered by je_apostrophe 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
According to the LDS Missionaries I spoke with, everyone except the super bad people will go to 1 of 3 forms of Heaven.
1) Celestial , For temple Mormons only, you become a god.
2)Telestial, For non temple worthy Mormons and "Other " Christians or otherwise good people.
3) Terrestial , For all others except the super bad.
It dont matter anyway because Joseph Smith made the whole thing up anyway and is on his way to Hell.
Good Riddance.
2007-05-30 05:59:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Founder of the LDS Church: Joseph Smith Jr.
HEAD of the LDS Church (whom Mormons give worship): Jesus Christ.
Though we believe that Joseph Smith Jr. did something far more important than any other Christian denomination founder, he in essence is just that: our founder, our prophet, and NOT our God, just what Martin Luther is to Lutherans, what John Calvin is to Calvinists, what Charles Wesley is to Methodists, etc.
(From the Articles of Faith):
We believe that all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances to the Gospel.
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: (1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (2) Repentence, (3) Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, (4) the Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
2007-05-29 16:16:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
First of all, a word of advice: for those who really desire to understand the beliefs of the Mormon church, why would you go to the anti-mormons? It is best to converse with mormons to really find out what they believe.
The answer to your question is simple. Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. No one can come unto the Father but by Him.
Joseph Smith on the other hand, was a prophet of God. In other words, he was like a spokesperson for God on the Earth. This is nothing new. God has used prophets since the beginning to communicate His gospel to His children (us). Adam, Noah, Enoch, and Moses are just a few examples. Joseph Smith can be thought of literally as a Moses in our day... a prophet who communicates with God and relays His messages to us. In fact, Joseph Smith taught of the divinity of Christ and the need we have to come unto Him (Christ) to be saved.
To worship Joseph Smith would be blasphemy, just as the worship of any other human being besides Jesus or the Father would be blasphemous. And Mormons do not, I repeat, do NOT worship Joseph Smith.
However, to say that you believe in Jesus but you don't believe in what Joseph Smith taught doesn't make much sense, because he taught and testified of Christ just like the prophets of old. See for yourself. Read the Book of Mormon (which was translated by Joseph Smith). It not only teaches of Christ but it clarifies many of the misunderstandings that were brought about by the great apostasy, aka the dark ages.
The Mormons believe that even today there is a prophet of God on the Earth. His name is Gordon B. Hinckley. Pretty cool, huh? To see what he has to say, just listen to the next General Conference of the church, or you can go to www.lds.org to read some of his talks.
2007-05-28 18:31:41 · answer #7 · answered by Ja 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Too many people outside our church tend to confuse salvation with exaltation. We don't believe that you either go to heaven or hell, as most Christians do. We beleive that all men will be rewarded for the good they did, and how well they followed the commandments of Christ.
While it is certainly possible to believe that Jesus is the Christ and not believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, it is impossible to believe that Joseph SMith was a prophet and NOT believe that Jesus is the Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
2007-05-28 14:24:13 · answer #8 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
The deal with salvation is that what the Mormon church does not line up with the book of mormon or the Bible.
If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and God the Son and you trust in Jesus for your salvation, this will work.
Trusting in Joseph Smith is as effective as trusting in any other human (be it Mary or anyone else) for salvation.
2007-05-29 00:48:36 · answer #9 · answered by Buzz s 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You get salvation through Jesus Christ.
Joseph Smith was a prophet just as was Moses.
Do you salvation through Moses? No but his teaching help you. Do you salvation through Joseph Smith? No, but his teachings help you.
2007-05-28 17:57:15 · answer #10 · answered by J T 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋