A question for Mormons?

Question

I know on here you are often told you are not Christians. So let me turn it around a bit. What do you think about other Christians? For instance I happen to be a Pentecostal Christian. Or Baptists. We reject Joseph Smith and the book of mormon. Do you believe we are Christians? Do you think we have a chance at the celestial part of Heaven?

Brian - I thought telestial was the second level. Thanks for clearing that up. Us Pentecostals can be a bit strange until you get used to us. We are definitely not a calm bunch but boy do we have fun serving God.

Answer 1

Yes, I think that those are Christian churches.

FYI, I was at a "investigator meeting" for non-Mormons one night. And this teenage girl was there with her bible. IT was so cool because she had it all marked with post it notes and stuff. You could tell that she used it A LOT! She told the guy conducting the meeting that Mormons aren't Christians. So he asked her, what do I need to do to be saved then? She told him that she had to accept Jesus Christ as his savior and accept that he died for our sins. The man said that he does that. Is he a Christians in her eyes now? She said No. Why he asked? Because the name of your church is Mormon. She said, "I am a Christian. Methodist are Methodists, Baptist are Baptist, Catholics are Catholics, but I am a Christian."

Do you see how messed up her thinking is? She was totally hung up on names! And no one could change her mind.

I feel that way sometimes here on YA. I am a Christian. I accept Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Answer 2

Belonging to this sect or that does not make one a Christian. To be a Christian, one needs a personal relationship with God and Jesus. Your sect (if you have one) should teach you how to create and foster that relationship.

As far as Joseph Smith Jr goes, he was leaning towards the Methodists, but wanted a confirmation first. He wasn't expecting the answer to not unite to any of the existing sects.

Mormons believe in a general apostasy after the Apostolic Age. The Priesthood bestowed upon the Apostles (who conferred it upon Bishops) was lost, and parts of the Gospel were either lost or corrupted. This is not to say that members and leaders of the various sects are evil, just that they don't have the fullness of the gospel.

We believe in three degrees of glory (Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial) and Outer Darkness. Those who die before reaching the age of accountability receive free passage to the Celestial Kingdom. LdS who are good Christians also inherit the Celestial Kingdom. Finally, the deceased who accept their proxy baptism can enter the Celestial Kingdom. Ther Terrestrial Kingdom is for the good people of the earth who never accepted baptism by someone with proper authority. The Telestial Kingdom is for the bad people of the earth, but who are not children of Perdition. The children of Perdition are cast into Outer Darkness.

Answer 3

Everybody has a chance at the celestial kingdom! You just gotta work for it. Since faith without works is dead.
I think Independent Baptists are awesome! Except when they start bashing Joshep Smith. They are really nice and so firm they would make great Mormons! I haven't been to many other churches much though I want to... but I think the true Christians who really have a testimony in the atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ and are trying their very best to be like the Savior are awesome. There are some Christians out there who just shout hallejuiah, bash, and condemn everybody to hell. Ugh. That is NOT Christlike. But basically anybody who accepts Christ as their Savior is a Christian. I think.

Answer 4

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior is a Christian. It's that simple. And yes, you'll have the opportunity of entering the Celestial Kingdom, if you accept baptism at the hands of an authorized servant of God (either in this life or the next).

Usually it's those Christians who subscribe to a more traditional or popular view of Christianity that criticize certain smaller groups of not being true Christians. But it must be remembered that being traditional or popular does not make something right.

I have seen many post lists of reasons why Mormons cannot be considered Christians. But let's suppose I could get away with saying the following....

True Christians believe that God is the literal Father of Jesus; that God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ are two unique and distinct individuals (Matt 26:39, John 17:21, Acts 7:56).
True Christians believe that repentance precedes the forgiveness of sins (Acts 3:19, Mark 11:26, 2Chr 7:14, 2Cor 7:10).
True Christians exercise faith unto repentance, and afterward receive baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38, 8:14-17, 19:1-6).
True Christians believe that a man must be called of God by prophecy and given authority by the laying on of hands to officiate in the Church (Heb 5:4, Acts 1:24, Acts 13:2-3).
True Christians believe in the same organization that existed in Christ's original church, including a foundation of prophets and apostles (Eph 2:19-20, 4:11-12, 1Cor 12:28-30).
True Christians receive revelation from God; this includes personal revelation given by the Holy Ghost as well as prophetic counsel given by God's chosen servants (Amos 3:7, 1Cor 12:3, Gal 1:2).
... and anything less than this is not Christianity.

This might sound surprising to most Christians, yet it is completely Biblical. The problem is that they are guided by the precepts of men rather than by revelation from God.

Answer 5

I personally think pentecostal people(some) are crazy. That's not a view of the church and I was not taught that by the church, it's from my own experience when I went to the pentecostal church in town and I was severely frightened by what was going on and I felt it was fake and not by the grace of God...

I've never been to a baptist church, but 2 of my closest friends are baptist and I have no problem with them...

I think that ALL religion, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hindu, etc....has SOME truth, but that truth has been distorted into something else...not lies, just that it has gone off...like playing the game "telephone" where you say something at the beginning and whisper it down the line, and the person at the end says something completely different....everything started as the truth, but slowly people started believing different things...

Yes, I believe you are Christians, you are a follower of Christ, and whether you reject it or not is your choice, but we do not believe that your churches have the full truth.

And No. Unless you accept the gospel of Jesus and the book of Mormon and such, you will not be in the celestial, but in the terrestrial(second level).

Answer 6

If you believe you're a Christian, then that's good enough for me. What right do I, or anyone else have to question your testimony and faithfullness in Christ? That's between you and God.

Yes you have a chance at the Celestial part of heaven. Everyone has that chance. However, it will depend on your acceptance or rejection of the gospel.

Answer 7

Hey, great question! Thanks for being respectful, by the way!

I consider ANYONE who believes in Jesus Christ a Christian, regardless of your acceptance of Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon or whatever. You read the Bible, you're a Christian.

There are some people who claim to worship Jesus Christ but do not ACT very Christian, aren't there? (Westboro Baptists for example...what is THAT all about?) Jesus taught us to love each other and be good to each other and to do things which uplift and edify each other, not tear each other down. Spreading hate does not seem very Christ-like.

EDIT: Thank you for proving my point, Silverfox...

Answer 8

Great question.

According to tenth LDS president Joseph Fielding Smith, " Mormoninsm, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commisioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground.

I do not say anything more because I believe in the Bible teaching.

Answer 9

I've spent approximately 40 years in bishoprics, top councils, and clerk positions, and I've noticeable a quantity of men and women depart the Church. I've sat on a quantity of disciplinary councils. None of them left the Church on account that of "proof" towards the Church. There are a few who simply steadily waft away into inaction. Sometimes it's on account that of a lack of religion, precipitated via doubts precipitated via whatever they have learn. One of my brothers was once like that, despite the fact that he has seeing that come again to Church. He did not wish to inform me approximately his doubts on account that he had emerge as satisfied that there was once no reply to his doubts, and he did not wish to burden me along with his doubts. It is just too dangerous he did not speak to me, on account that there may be continually an reply. Part of his obstacle despite the fact that was once that he was once watching for a intent to not move on a challenge, and "blindly" comply with the instance of his older brothers. It was once in part a delight problem. I have a conception approximately folks that depart the Church and declare it was once on account that of proof. They fall into 3 agencies. (a million) Some are actually burdened via the arguments of guys. (two) Some appear for proof the Church isn't real, however deep down they realize the truly intent was once they had been angry or they felt responsible approximately their sins. (three) And others do not realize their possess explanations. In a psychology magnificence I as soon as took I heard of an exciting test related to this 3rd organization. A individual in yet another psychology magnificence was once hypnotized and given a publish-hypnotic proposal. The hypnotized scholar was once instructed that once the trainer coughed the scholar could rise up from his seat and open the window to the study room. He would not don't forget something he was once instructed while hypnotized. He was once then wake up from his hypnotic trance and instructed to return to his seat. The scholar remembered not anything of what he was once instructed at the same time hypnotized. The trainer after a couple of mins coughed, and the scholar acquired up and opened the window. Now here's the factor of this tale. When requested why he opened the window his mind instantly synthetic a intent. He stated he was once scorching, and surprisingly sufficient his frame proved it via getting pink and sweaty.

Answer 10

It will be interesting to see the answers. If they are being true to Joseph Smith's words, that is.

In 1820 Joseph Smith had seen two glorious personages, identified as the Father and the Son, and was informed that the creeds of all the “sects,” or various denominations, “were an abomination” and he was twice forbidden to join any of them.

Here's just a couple of quotes by Joseph Smith:

Joseph Smith stated that God told him: "they [other churches] were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt" (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History 1:19).

Joseph Smith continues: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History 1:12).

"What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

Furthermore... Mormon leaders profess that Joseph Smith gives the seal of approval to anyone's salvation. Christians accept salvation from Christ and Christ only.

Joseph Fielding Smith said: [There is] "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190).

Brigham Young stated: "no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith...every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p.289).

Brigham Young also declared, "he that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is anti-christ" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p.312).

Any amount of research for you would uncover as much and more about the founder and other leaders of Mormonism.