In an age of information overload and media consumption, the influence of popular culture on our perspectives and beliefs cannot be overstated. It’s not uncommon for prominent figures within the public sphere to shape or even reshape our understanding of faith and theology, subtly or overtly. Consider the charismatic television personality and political commentator, Glenn Beck, a known Mormon, whose engaging persona and conservative viewpoints have won him a considerable following. He often weaves his religious beliefs into his rhetoric, thus subtly introducing Mormon theology to the broader conservative audience.

Similarly, the rising popularity of shows like “The Chosen,” a series centered around the life of Jesus Christ, has captured the attention and admiration of diverse Christian audiences. Yet, it’s producer, Dallas Jenkins, is an outspoken ally of the Latter Day Saints and closer scrutiny of the show reveals the subtle infusion of Mormon theology within its narrative, despite its overt Christian veneer. It’s essential to approach such influential media with discernment, ensuring that our understanding of our faith remains firmly rooted in the inerrant Word of God.

“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 (ESV)

It is upon the foundations of this sacred Scripture that we build this exposition, examining a question that continues to stir the hearts of many within Christendom: Can we ever assume that a Mormon might be truly saved? There is an urgent need to address this question with utmost scriptural accuracy and honesty. This article attempts to boldly, yet with great respect, argue from an decidely biblical perspective that the answer to this question is an unequivocal “no.” It will grapple with a series of common arguments, then biblically refute each of them, elucidating why belief in Mormon doctrines prevents adherents from receiving the true saving gospel.

Before delving into these arguments, it is essential to affirm the sovereignty of God over salvation, a fundamental belief held by biblical Christianity. Scripture is clear that “salvation belongs to the Lord” (Psalm 3:8), and therefore, God can save whoever He pleases. Yet, as God’s chosen vessels, we are called to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). This mandates us to critically examine the professions of faith that any so-called believers make not just via their own words an actions, but also through their affiliation with religious organizations.

Let us then address the Mormon view of God, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and their doctrine of works-based salvation.

The Mormon View of God and the Trinity

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church, does indeed profess a superficial belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, a close examination of their doctrinal statements and foundational texts reveals an interpretation vastly divergent from traditional Christian orthodoxy.

The Mormons’ conceptualization of God the Father is a stark departure from orthodox biblical Christianity. Their fifth Prophet and President, Lorenzo Snow, famously espoused, “As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be,” implying a fundamentally different conception of God the Father, presenting Him as an exalted, perfect man with a physical body.

This false teaching finds its grounding in the Doctrine and Covenants, one of the canonical texts of Mormonism, which states, “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). In stark contrast, the biblical portrayal of God is of a spiritual, not physical, being: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

Furthermore, Mormonism rejects the orthodox Christian doctrine of the Trinity—one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Instead, Mormons propose that these three are separate and distinct beings. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, stated, “I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 370).

Contrarily, the Bible clearly affirms the oneness of God: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). This divine tri-unity is consistent throughout the New Testament as well. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands His disciples to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” indicating a singular name and essence for the three Persons of the Trinity.

The Mormon concept of a plurality of gods further compounds the divergence. Mormonism teaches that there exist countless gods in the universe, with God the Father merely being the god of our particular world. Brigham Young, the second Prophet and President of the LDS Church, stated: “How many Gods there are, I do not know. But there never was a time when there were not Gods” (Journal of Discourses 7:333). Yet, the Bible firmly insists upon monotheism: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

Therefore, despite superficial similarities, the LDS Church’s doctrines represent a drastic departure from orthodox Christianity. The mischaracterization of the nature of God in Mormon theology deviates significantly from the Christian understanding, thereby demonstrating a core misalignment with the biblical truth. These deviations, particularly concerning the nature of God, the Trinity, and the plurality of gods, erect an insurmountable barrier to reconciling Mormonism with orthodox Christianity. The Scriptures warn us against such divergences: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:

The Deity of Christ

Mormonism’s view of Christ introduces further divergence from Christian orthodoxy. While Mormons affirm Jesus as a divine being, their understanding of His nature, relationship with the Father, and eternality differ markedly from the biblical revelation of Jesus Christ.

One of the central tenets of Mormon theology is the belief that Jesus Christ, like all human beings, was a spirit child born to God the Father and His wife in a pre-mortal existence. As expressed in the Gospel Principles, an official LDS publication: “The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ (see D&C 93:21), so he is literally our elder brother” (Gospel Principles, p. 11).

This concept presents Jesus as a created being, fundamentally at odds with the Bible’s affirmation of Christ’s eternality. John 1:1 proclaims, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This passage explicitly affirms Jesus (the Word) as being with God in the beginning and as being God Himself, possessing the same eternal nature as God the Father.

Further, Mormonism posits that Jesus, while divine, is separate and distinct from God the Father, reducing Him to the status of a lesser god. Joseph Smith declared: “I will preach on the plurality of Gods… I have always and in all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods” (History of the Church, 6:474).

However, Jesus Himself made claims that contradict this separation. In John 10:30, Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one.” He further asserted His deity when He told Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). These are not the claims of a lesser god or a separate entity but the declarations of the one true God, one with the Father in essence and being.

Moreover, the Bible emphasizes the deity of Christ throughout its text. Colossians 2:9 declares: “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” In Revelation, Jesus identifies Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13), attributes exclusively ascribed to God.

Thus, Mormonism’s portrayal of Jesus Christ as a separate god, a created being, and a firstborn spirit child of Heavenly Parents is in stark contrast to the biblical testimony of Christ. He is depicted in Scripture as the eternal Word made flesh, one with the Father, the self-revealing Yahweh of the Old Testament, and the one true God. We must affirm with John the Baptist: “He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all” (John 3:31). It is this Jesus, the one true God from above, who is the Savior of the world. Not a separate god, not a created being, but the eternal Word who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

Works-Based Salvation

Mormonism presents a perspective on salvation that fundamentally contradicts the biblical gospel. While Christians firmly believe in the doctrine of sola fide—salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9)—Mormon doctrine introduces an element of human effort into the equation, proposing a synergistic view of salvation that is both unbiblical and spiritually precarious.

A core tenet of Mormon soteriology, as articulated in the third article of the LDS Articles of Faith, states: “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3). Here, Mormonism acknowledges Christ’s atonement but insists that obedience to laws and ordinances is essential to attain salvation. Furthermore, the Doctrine and Covenants, a canonical LDS text, states: “For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:23). The phrase “after all we can do” effectively establishes a works-based element in the LDS understanding of salvation.

The Bible, however, firmly and repeatedly refutes this synergistic view of salvation. It declares that we are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24), emphasizing the gracious nature of salvation, predicated solely on the work of Christ, not our own efforts. Furthermore, Titus 3:5-7 explicitly declares: “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, rebukes the idea of a works-based salvation, warning: “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose” (Galatians 2:21). Indeed, if our works or adherence to the law could contribute to our salvation, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross would be rendered unnecessary.

Mormonism’s insistence on a synergistic salvation—combining faith in Christ with obedience to laws and ordinances—fundamentally misrepresents the gospel message. This deviation not only distorts the essence of Christianity but also effectively nullifies the power of the gospel, replacing the liberating truth of salvation by grace through faith with a burdensome system of works-righteousness. As believers in the biblical gospel, we must confidently assert with the Apostle Paul that “a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16). The gift of salvation is just that — a gift, freely given by God, unmerited and unearned, to those who place their faith in Christ alone.

An examination of these points reveals an undeniable truth: the core beliefs of Mormonism are fundamentally irreconcilable with the doctrines of Christianity. A profession of faith within the Mormon church inherently implies acceptance of its heretical doctrines, which are diametrically opposed to the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.

Although we acknowledge that God can save whom He wills, we must also discern the faith professed by individuals based on their expression of faith—their religious affiliations. Given the nature of the LDS Church’s doctrines, it is the safest bet, from a biblical perspective, to assume that a person affiliated with the Mormon Church subscribes to these soul-damning beliefs. Therefore, our mission should be clear, to call them to repentance and guide them towards the true gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone.

In all circumstances, whether it be Mormonism, Jehova’s Witnesses, or any other cult, we must remain committed to the truth, as we heed the Apostle Paul’s warning: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8). As we stand on the inerrant truth of the Bible, let us continue to spread the undiluted gospel of Christ, praying that those entrapped in these false doctrines will encounter the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.