Mormonism was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830, who claimed the Trinity appeared to him and declared that all existing religions were incorrect. Shortly after, Smith said that the Angel Moroni revealed to him the true gospel inscribed upon golden plates, that, after translating, became known as the Book of Mormon. Fast forward to the 21st century, and Mormonism has grown significantly, boasting an estimated membership of approximately 17 million.¹

​

Followers of Mormonism often produce family-friendly content, such as the Outdoor Boys, Brooklyn & Bailey, Studio C, and the Piano Guys. Many Mormon churches are beautiful in their design, and the accompanying grounds are meticulously maintained. Often, you hear of members of the church being successful in business and politics, such as the 2008 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Even some of their standards reflect conservative values—abstaining from alcohol, prioritizing church and family, and more. Yet, a closer examination of Mormonism reveals several doctrinal errors contrary to the Bible.​

 

Consider the first error regarding salvation, found in 2 Nephi 25:23 in the Book of Mormon, the Mormon holy book: "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."² (emphasis added) As is a common theme with other religions, the Book of Mormon promotes a combination of good works and a belief in Jesus Christ to attain heaven.

 

Truth: By contrast, Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Even our supposed "good works" in the sight of God are as filthy rags: "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isaiah 64:6). Only through Christ’s work can one be saved; it is not the result of human effort or works.

​

A second error in Mormonism is the teaching that man is not born with a sin nature, and that children cannot sin. Moroni 8:8 says: "Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me."³ (emphasis added)

 

Truth: The Bible teaches that not only are all born with a sin nature, but all are conceived in sin: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5) Consider additionally how quickly evidence of man's sin nature is revealed post-birth: "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies." (Psalm 51:5) Not only do children have a sin nature, but eventually reach the age of accountability before both God and men: "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." (Proverbs 20:11) 

 

Another error in Mormonism is the belief that the Bible is incomplete. 1 Nephi 13:26 records: "And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away."⁴ (emphasis added)

 

Truth: The claim that the Bible is incomplete presents at least two major problems. First, it contradicts God’s promise to always preserve His Word: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8). Secondly, teaching that part of the Bible was lost opens the door for man's belief to shape the church. In fact, the whole religion of Mormonism relies on this premise. Smith justified the publication of the Book of Mormon by claiming that the true gospel had been lost. Quite on the contrary, however, is the truth of God's perfect preservation promise: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). We can trust that what we have today is fully inspired and perfectly preserved in the 66 books of the Bible. We need - and ought not to - add nor subtract from Scripture. 

 

Error: As is common with other world religions, Mormonism attacks the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Pearl of Great Price, one of the four major Mormon holy books, it records: "And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. And there stood one among them that was like unto God [Jesus], and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell" (Abraham 3:23–24).⁵ (emphasis added)​ In this chapter, The Pearl of Great Price falsely claims that Abraham and Jesus were both created spirits that existed at the same time. ​ 

 

Truth: First, this teaching is a contradiction of John 8:58: "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Secondly, Jesus was never created, but rather, He was the Creator of everything. (Colossians 1:16–17, John 1:3). Most importantly, teaching that Jesus was a created spirit like Abraham attempts to strip away His deity by comparing him to a sinful man, Abraham. Scripture repeatedly affirms that Jesus is God: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Jesus Himself said: "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30), and those around Him understood exactly what He was saying: "The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God" (John 10:33). 

​

Error: Mormon doctrine teaches that Adam and Eve needed to sin in order to know what joy is and be able to procreate. The Pearl of Great Price records: "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:22–25).⁶ (emphasis added)

 

Truth: This teaching contains two errors, to name just a few. First, it asserts that Adam and Eve could not have children before sinning, a contradiction of the Genesis creation account: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:27–28). Clearly, God not only intended, but commanded humanity to have children in the pre-fall era.

 

Secondly, the idea that Adam and Eve could not experience joy had they remained sinless is a fallacy. It is similar to saying, "You cannot know what it's like to be healthy until you've first had cancer." Contrary to Mormon teaching, peace and joy comes by simply obeying God's Word: "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." (Psalm 119:165) The truth is that all Adam and Eve needed to do was trust God that they were already in a perfect, joyful state - and heed His warnings about the consequences of disobedience (Genesis 2:16–17). 

​

Even Satan used similar lies in the Garden of Eden, tempting them that the only way to know good and evil was to disobey God: "Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4–5). Again, Satan persuaded Adam and Eve that god-like knowledge required disobedience. How much better off man would be if we could simply learn that it is truly just trusting God's Word that brings peace and joy (Psalm 1:1; Psalm 19:8; Psalm 119:165; James 1:15).

 

Error: Consider this statement by Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, in his King Follett Sermon: "We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see... It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God... and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; and I will show it from the Bible."⁷ (emphasis added) Smith never could prove this claim of God's former manhood from the Bible. Rather, the Bible clearly teaches of God's eternal nature: "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" (Psalm 90:2). Number 23:19 states that "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent." Genesis 1:1 is crystal clear that God is the Creator of everything: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

​

Believing that God was once a man undermines the entire foundation of the Christian faith. Consider how Paul, in his argument to the pagans on Mars Hill, began with establishing that God is God! Acts 17:24-25: "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;" Paul recognized the utmost importance of establishing the true eternal nature of God. Had God once been a sinful man just like us, He would not be capable nor qualified to provide salvation to the world. Thankfully, we can rest in the fact that God has and always will be God, who gave us the gift of salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 

 

In closing, consider also how Smith subtly added in that Jesus was once a man, too. However, the Bible leaves no room for doubt that Jesus is and has always been 100% God: "16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Colossians 1:16-17)  Consider also the truth of 1 Timothy 1:17 regarding the deity of Christ: "Now unto the King [Jesus] eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." Had Jesus been simply a man, that too, would have ruined the salvation plan. Only a spotless that Lamb could provide salvation for the world, the Lord Jesus Christ: "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) We can trust in the fact that Jesus is fully God (John 1:1, 14), separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:26), and is the only true way of salvation (John 14:6). 

​

​

Summary of Key Doctrinal Errors in Mormonism

​

A. Salvation by Works – Teaches eternal life is earned through obedience rather than received by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8–9).
B. Denial of Sin Nature in Children – Rejects that humans are born with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5).
C. Bible Is Incomplete – Claims the Bible is insufficient and relies on extra-biblical texts like the Book of Mormon (Isaiah 40:8).
D. Jesus Was Created – Teaches Jesus is a spirit-child of God, not the eternal, uncreated Son (John 1:1).
E. The Fall Was Necessary – Views Adam and Eve’s sin as needed for joy and procreation, rather than the entrance of sin (Psalm 19:8; Genesis 1:16–17; Romans 5:12).
F. God Was Once a Man – Claims God was once mortal and became divine, contradicting His eternal nature (Psalm 90:2).

​

Endnotes

​

1. Decoo, Wilfried. “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons).” Atlas of Religious or Belief Minority Rights in Europe, Atlas of Religious or Belief Minority Rights, 2025, https://atlasminorityrights.eu/rbm/Church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-mormons.php. Accessed 26 July 2025.

2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints. “Chapter 25, 2 Nephi.” Book of Mormon, ChurchofJesusChrist.org, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/25?lang=eng. Accessed 26 July 2025.

3. Moroni 8. Book of Mormon, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/moro/8?lang=eng&id=p8#8. Accessed 26 July 2025.

4. 1 Nephi 13. Book of Mormon, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/13?lang=eng&id=p26#26. Accessed 26 July 2025. Originally found in: Book of Mormon Contradictions. Christian Defense, https://christiandefense.org/mormonism/book-of-mormon-contradictions/. Accessed 26 July 2025.

5. Abraham 3:23–24. The Pearl of Great Price, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/abr/3?lang=eng. Accessed 26 July 2025.

6. 2 Nephi 2:22–25. Book of Mormon, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/abr/3?lang=eng. Accessed 26 July 2025.

7. Joseph Smith. The King Follett Sermon. Joseph Smith Foundation, https://josephsmithfoundation.org/docs/the-king-follett-sermon/. Accessed 26 July 2025.