A: Wow, this question is one big can of worms! It opens up a lot of discussion and could be quite controversial.
Firstly, please visit THIS site. It's from CARM (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry) and will give you an overview of Mormonism and may answer some questions you have.
I want to focus on what CARM says about the teachings of Mormonism. You can go HERE and follow along.
Salvation (point #18 on the website above) - Mormonism teaches that Jesus' sacrifice was not enough to save us from our sins (c), that good works are necessary for salvation (d), and that there is no salvation if we do not accept Joseph Smith as the prophet.
Those 3 points (among others), contradict the Protestant teachings on salvation and are directly related to the question at hand.
Firstly, Jesus' sacrifice was not only ENOUGH, it is the ONLY act that could save us from the sins that hold us captive.
Secondly, because we are were not able to save ourselves from those sins and we were not also able to keep the laws that God gave us, Jesus Christ was given to us t save us from those sins and reconnect us back to God. THUS, there is nothing we can do on our own terms to gain us salvation. The gift of salvation is just that - a gift. All we have to do is accept, and we don't work for it.
Thirdly, the cleansing of sins (atonement) can only be granted to us by someone who is without sin, and that ONLY someone is Jesus Christ. Thus, we believe in no one else because everyone is fallible, other than our Saviour.
I've also taken the time to skim through the official Mormon website (www.mormon.org). Here are some of my responses to what they are teaching:
The following is a quote from their website on Jesus Christ as their Saviour:
"Faith in Jesus Christ and repentance prepare you for baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ taught that everyone must be baptized of water and of the Spirit for the forgiveness of sins. Through baptism by one who holds God’s priesthood authority and through receiving the Holy Ghost, you will be spiritually reborn. After baptism, God promises to give you the gift of the Holy Ghost, who will guide, comfort, and help you know and recognize truth. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through revelation from God to the Prophet Joseph Smith and other prophets. You can know for yourself that these things are true by asking Heavenly Father in prayer." (http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/jesus-christ-our-savior/jesus-christ-our-savior#d)
There are many things that I find wrong with this statement. Let's break it down:
Firstly, faith in Jesus Christ, yes, does prepare you for baptism as baptism should be the natural reaction of accepting Christ. However, the "gift of the Holy Ghost" (also known as the Holy Spirit) does not come AFTER accepting Christ. The Trinity comes as a whole: Father, Son the Holy Ghost and does not break down during the process of accepting Christ.
Also, the forgiveness of sin is done through believing in Jesus Christ...and NOT through baptism. For Christians, atonement comes in the form of accepting Christ as God's Son and our Saviour and does not include baptism as a prerequisite for salvation. Furthermore, it's not AFTER the baptism that you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost...that "gift" is available immediately after accepting Christ.
As Christians, we believe that Jesus and salvation is available to all of us who receive and who believe. Baptism is NOT the way to receive eternal life.
The following is another quote from their website:
"As you continue to exercise faith in Christ, repent from your sins, and renew your covenants, you will enjoy continued guidance from the Holy Ghost. If you endure to the end of your life and stay true to your covenants, you will receive eternal life." (http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-commandments/endure-to-the-end)
Heaven is a gift given to us through grace. As in, we are not required to do anything to receive it because we simply do not have the capacity to make our wrongs right. And so what this should actually say is: 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,a]">[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16).
THUS, after reading their teachings what they do in order to gain salvation, my conclusion would be that those adhering to the Mormon faith and believe in their teachings, will not end up in heaven.
Their teachings simply go against the Christian doctrine and the true teachings of the Bible. Christianity is a monotheistic faith (meaning we believe in one God), but throwing Joseph Smith, their prophet into the mix, as well as teaching good works will gain salvation is blasphemous.
Bottom line: salvation is given to anyone who believes Jesus Christ as the Saviour. We do not have to do anything to gain this free gift and we certainly do not have to believe in another person as a prophet. Christ is the ONLY Saviour who is without sin, and therefore, could take our sins away for us.
[answered by Pastor KJT]
