1. Was Jesus conceived by the Holy Ghost?

Biblical response: Matthew 1:18-21; Luke 1:35.

Mormon response:

Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon Church, once stated:

“Now remember from this time forth and for ever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost” (Journal of Discourse, vol. 1, p.51).

Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Twelve Apostles, has denied that the Book of Mormon and the Bible teach that Christ was begotten by the Holy Ghost. He stated as follows:

“They tell us the Book of Mormon states that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost. I challenge that statement. The book of Mormon teaches no such thing! Neither does the Bible.” (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1. p. 19).

2. Was Jesus born of a virgin?

Biblical response: Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 7:14.

Mormon response:

In a discourse delivered, April 9, 1852, Brigham Young declared:

“When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family;…I could tell you much more about this; but were I to tell you the whole truth, blasphemy would be nothing to it, in the estimation of the superstitious and over-righteous of mankind. However, I have told you the truth as far as I have gone. … Jesus our elder brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the Garden of Eden, and who is our Father in heaven. Now, let all who may hear these doctrines, pause before they make light of them, or treat them with indifference, for they will prove their salvation or damnation.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, pp. 50-51).

This same type of reasoning led the Apostle Orson Pratt to say:

“The fleshly body of Jesus required a mother as well as a father. Therefore, the father and mother of Jesus, according to the flesh must have been associated together in the capacity of husband and wife; hence the virgin Mary must have been, for the time being, the lawful wife of God the Father: we use the term lawful wife, because it would be blasphemous in the highest degree to say that he overshadowed her or begat a Saviour unlawfully:….He had a lawful right to overshadow the Virgin Mary in the capacity of a husband, and begat a son, although she was espoused to another: for the law which he gave to govern men and women was not intended to govern himself, or to prescribe rules for his own conduct. It was also lawful in him after having thus dealt with Mary, to give her to Joseph her espoused husband. Whether God the Father gave Mary to Joseph for time only or for time and eternity, we are not informed. Inasmuch as God was the first husband to her, it may be that he only gave her to be the wife of Joseph while in the mortal state, and that he intended after the resurrection to take her as his wife in eternity. (The Seer, p. 158).

Brigham Young explained the birth of Christ as follows:

“The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children: it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood—was begotten of his Father, as we are of our fathers” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 115).

Heber C. Kimball, who was a member of the First Presidency of the Mormon Church, made this statement:

In relation to the way in which I look upon the works of God and his creatures, I will say that I was naturally begotten; so was my father, and also my Saviour Jesus Christ. According to the Scriptures, he is the first begotten of his father in the flesh, and there was nothing unnatural about it” (Journal of Discourse, vol. 8, p. 211).

3. Is Jesus the only source of Salvation?

Biblical response: John. 14:6; Acts 4:12.

Mormon response:

“Unconditional or general salvation, that which comes by grace alone without obedience to gospel law, consists in the mere fact of being resurrected…This kind of salvation eventually will come to all mankind…This is not the salvation of righteousness, the salvation which the saints seek. Those who gain only this general or unconditional salvation will be judged according to their works…They will…be dammed…in eternity (they) will be ministering servants to more worthy person” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 669).

Immortality not eternal life: “Conditional or individual salvation, that which comes by grace coupled with gospel obedience consists in receiving and inheritance in the celestial kingdom, however, those who do not go on to exaltation will have immortality only, and not eternal life…They will live separately and singly in an unmarried state…

“Full salvation is attained by virtue of knowledge, truth, righteousness, and all true principles…Without the atonement, the gospel, the priesthood, and the sealing power, there would be no salvation. Without continuous revelation…there would be no salvation. If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation.

“There is no salvation outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 669-670).

4. Are there sins too great for the blood of Christ to atone?

Biblical response: 1 Peter 2:20-24.

Mormon response:

In the book, Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph Fielding Smith states:

“Joseph Smith taught that there were certain sins so grievous that man may commit, that they will place the transgressors beyond the power of the atonement of Christ. If these offenses are committed, then the blood of Christ will not cleanse them from their sins even though they repent. Therefore their only hope is to have their blood shed to atone, as far as possible, in their behalf…

“And men for certain crimes have had to atone as far as they could for their sins wherein they have placed themselves beyond the redeeming power of the blood of Christ” (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 135-136).

5. How can such sins be forgiven?

Biblical response: John 3:16; Gal. 2:20; 1 John 1:7-9.

Mormon response:

Brigham Young, the second President of the Mormon Church, said:

“There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood split upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins, whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and remain upon them in the spirit world.

“I know, when you hear my brethren telling about cutting people off from the earth, that you consider it is strong doctrine, but it is to save them, not to destroy them…

“And furthermore, I know that there are transgressors, who, if they knew themselves, and the only condition upon which they can obtain forgiveness, would beg of their brethren to shed their blood that the smoke thereof might ascend to God as an offering to appease the wrath that is kindled against them, and that the law might have its course. I will say further; I have had men come to me, and offer their lives to atone for their sins.

“It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins which it can never remit. As it was in ancient days, so it is in our day; and though the principles are taught publicly from this stand, still the people do not understand; yet the law is precisely the same. There are sins that can be atone for by an offering upon an altar, as in ancient days; and there are sins that the blood of a lamb, or a calf, or of turtledoves, cannot remit, but they must be atoned for by the blood of the man. That is the reason why men talk to you as they do from this stand; they understand the doctrine and throw out a few words about it. You have been taught that doctrine, but you do not understand it.” (Sermon by Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 53-54; Desert News, 1856, p. 235).

6. Can individuals be saved in their sins—without repentance and confessions?

Biblical response: Acts 16:30, 31; Acts 3:19,20.

Mormon response:

Brigham Young, the second President of the Mormon Church, states:

“Let me suppose a case. Suppose you found your brother in bed with your wife, and put a javelin through both of them, you would be justified, and they would atone for their sins, and be received into the kingdom of god. I would at once do so in such a case; and under such circumstances, I have no wife whom I love so well that I would not put a javelin through her heart, and I would do it with clean hands…

“There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it…” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, p. 247).

What about the present? Joseph Fielding Smith, official historian of the Mormon Church in recent years, has been the “spokesman” for many years through his writings. He says:

“But men may commit certain grievous sins…that will place him beyond the reach of the atoning blood of Christ…Therefore their only hope is to have their own blood shed to atone…” (Doctrine of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 134-135, Joseph Fielding Smith)

Does this mean the individuals’ blood must be shed?

Joseph Fielding Smith, the Mormon historian, makes this statement concerning the doctrine of “Blood atonement”:

“Just a word or two now, on the subject of blood atonement. What is that doctrine? Unadulterated, if you please, laying aside the pernicious insinuations and lying charges that have so often been made, it is simply this: Though the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel…

“But man may commit certain grievous sins—according to his light and knowledge – that will place him beyond the reach of the atoning blood of Christ. If then he would be saved he must make sacrifice of his own life to atone – so far as in his power lies—for that sin, for the blood of Christ alone under certain circumstances will not avail.” (Ibid. pp. 133-134).

Bruce McConkie, of the First Council of Seventy, stated as follows in his book, Mormon Doctrine: “…under certain circumstances there are some serious sins for which the cleansing of Christ does not operate, and the law of god is that men must have their own blood shed to atone for their sins…” (p. 87).

B. H. Roberts, who was a Mormon Church historian, described the doctrine of blood atonement as follows: “…what is needful for the salvation of the soul where one’s sins place him beyond the reach of vicarious means of salvation—then it is the shedding of the sinner’s own blood that must here be referred to” (A Comprehensive History of the Church, by B. H. Roberts, vol. 4, p. 129).

7. Is this love?

Biblical response: 1 John4:8-10, 19-21.

Mormon response:

This is loving your brother: “(S)uppose that he is overtaken in a gross fault…that he knows will deprive him of what exaltation…that he cannot attain to tit without the shedding of his blood, and also knows that by having his blood shed, he will atone for that sin, and be saved and exalted with the Gods, is there a man or woman in this house but what would say ‘shed my blood that I may be saved and exalted with the Gods?”

“Will you love that man or woman well enough to shed their blood? I could refer you to plenty of instances where men have been righteously slain, in order to atone for their sins…the wickedness and ignorance of the nations forbids this principle’s being in full force, but the time will come, when the law of God will be in full force.

“This is loving our neighbor as ourselves; if he needs help, help him; and if he wants salvation and it is necessary to spill his blood…that he may be saved, spill it…That is the way to love mankind” (Prophet Brigham Young, discourse delivered February 8, 1857. Printed in Desert News, February 18, 1957. Also Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp. 219-220).

The Mormon Question

Major Doctrinal Misunderstandings

Doctrinal Difference About Jesus