Criticism of the Mormons
1 . Mormons teach God the Father Was Once a Man?
One of the most distinctive teachings of Mormonism is that God the Father was once a mortal man who lived on another planet, progressed in righteousness, and eventually attained godhood. This belief is commonly summarized by a statement from Lorenzo Snow, a former LDS president:
"As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be."
This doctrine is derived from the teachings of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. In his King Follett Discourse(1844), Smith taught:
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret.”
What the Bible Teaches:
1. God Is Eternal and Unchanging
The Bible clearly teaches that God has always been God and has never been a mortal man.
Malachi 3:6 – “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”
This verse directly contradicts the idea that God was once something else and later became divine.
Psalm 90:2 – “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
This passage establishes that God has been God from everlasting to everlasting, meaning He has never gone through a process of progression.
2. God Was Never a Created Being
Mormonism teaches that God was once a man who had to progress to godhood, but the Bible teaches that God has always been self-existent.
Isaiah 43:10 – “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
This verse refutes both the idea that God was once a mortal man who became a god and that humans can one day become gods.
Isaiah 44:6 – “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
God is the only God and has always been so—there was never a time when He was not God.
3. God Is Not a Man
The Bible makes it clear that God is not a man and does not change into something else.
Numbers 23:19 – “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
This verse not only rejects the idea that God was once a man but also denies the idea that God progresses or changes.
Hosea 11:9 – “For I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.”
This is another clear biblical declaration that God was never a mortal man.
4. Jesus Reveals the True Nature of God
Jesus Himself gives a direct statement about God’s nature:
John 4:24 – “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
If God is a spirit, then He was never a flesh-and-blood man who had to become a God.
John 1:1-3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
This affirms that God was already God from the very beginning, not a man who became God later.
Conclusion: The Biblical God vs. The Mormon God
The Bible presents God as eternal, unchanging, and completely separate from humanity in His divine essence. The LDS doctrine of God contradicts numerous scriptures by claiming He was once a mortal man who progressed to godhood.
This fundamental difference reshapes the entire view of God in Mormon theology, making Him more like a glorified human rather than the self-existent, all-powerful, eternal being described in the Bible.
2 . Mormons teach Humans Can Become Gods
Mormonism teaches that humans can progress to godhood through obedience, temple ordinances, and exaltation. This doctrine is often called "eternal progression."
Lorenzo Snow (5th LDS President) stated:
"As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be."
Doctrine & Covenants 132:20 (LDS Scripture) states:
"Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them."
The LDS Church teaches that faithful Mormons can eventually become gods, rule their own worlds, and have spirit children, just as they believe God the Father once did. This doctrine is central to Mormonism but is entirely absent from the Bible and contradicts biblical monotheism.
What the Bible Teaches:
1. The Bible Teaches That There Is Only One God
The belief that humans can become gods contradicts the core biblical teaching that there is only one true God.
Isaiah 43:10 – “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
This directly refutes the idea that humans can become gods.
Isaiah 44:6 – “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
If no other gods exist, then humans cannot become gods.
Isaiah 45:5 – “I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me.”
There are no gods before or after Him, disproving Mormon claims of future gods.
2. The Lie of the Serpent: “Ye Shall Be as Gods”
The first deception in history was Satan telling Eve she could become like God.
Genesis 3:5 – “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.”
Satan’s original lie was that humans could be like God—a false doctrine that Mormonism teaches today.
3. Humans Will Always Be Created Beings, Not Gods
The Bible teaches that humanity is created by God and will never become divine.
Psalm 100:3 – “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
This verse teaches that we are God’s creation, not future gods.
Ezekiel 28:2 – “Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God... yet thou art a man, and not God.”
This condemns the prideful belief that a man can become God.
4. Believers Will Be Glorified, But Not Gods
Some Mormons argue that being "like" God means becoming a god, but the Bible teaches that believers will be glorified, not deified.
1 John 3:2 – “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
Being “like” Christ means being morally pure and resurrected, not becoming gods.
Philippians 3:21 – “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
We will receive glorified bodies, but nowhere does the Bible say we will become gods.
5. Worship Belongs to God Alone
If men could become gods, then others could worship them, but the Bible teaches that worship is for God alone.
Revelation 22:8-9 – “And I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”
Even an angel refused worship, meaning men cannot become divine.
Conclusion: The Biblical God vs. The Mormon View
The LDS doctrine of eternal progression and godhood is entirely unbiblical. The Bible consistently teaches that God is the only God, has always been God, and that humans will never become gods.
This Mormon doctrine originates from the serpent’s lie in the Garden of Eden and is refuted by the entirety of Scripture.
3 . Mormons teach Jesus was created
Mormonism teaches that Jesus Christ is the firstborn spirit child of God the Father and a Heavenly Mother in a pre-mortal existence before coming to Earth. In this view, Jesus is the literal, spiritual offspring of God, just like all other humans, but He was the firstborn among them and held a higher status.
LDS President Joseph F. Smith stated:
“Among the spirit children of Elohim, the firstborn was and is Jehovah or Jesus Christ to whom all others are juniors.” (Gospel Doctrine, p. 70)
Doctrine and Covenants 93:21 (LDS Scripture) states:
“And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn.”
According to Mormon doctrine, Jesus was created as a spirit being before the world was made. He was the first of God's billions of spirit children. This means:
Jesus is not eternally God but was brought into existence by Heavenly Father and an unnamed Heavenly Mother in the pre-mortal realm.
Jesus and Lucifer (Satan) are spirit brothers because both were created as sons of God in this pre-mortal existence.
Jesus had to progress to become a God, similar to how Mormons believe they can progress to godhood.
LDS leaders have taught that Jesus eventually attained full divinity, but He had to work His way up to it, rather than always being God.
Milton R. Hunter (LDS General Authority) stated:
"Jesus became a God and reached His great state of understanding through consistent effort and continuous obedience to all the Gospel truths and universal laws." (The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 51)
What the Bible Teaches:
1. Jesus Was Never Created—He Has Always Been God
John 1:1-3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
If Jesus created everything that was made, then He Himself was not created.
Colossians 1:16-17 – “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible… all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
If all things were created by Jesus, He cannot be a created being—He existed before all things.
2. Jesus and Lucifer Are Not Spirit Brothers
Mormons teach that Jesus and Satan were both created as spirit sons of God, but the Bible says Jesus is the Creator of all things—including Lucifer.
John 8:44 – “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.”
The Bible says Satan was a liar and Murderer from the beginning, not a righteous son of God who later rebelled.
Ezekiel 28:15 – “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”
Lucifer was a created angelic being who fell, not Jesus’ brother.
3. Jesus Is Fully God and Always Has Been
Mormonism teaches that Jesus had to progress to godhood, but the Bible teaches that Jesus has always been fully God.
Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Jesus did not progress to godhood—He has always been God.
Philippians 2:6 – “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”
Jesus is already equal with God; He did not need to work His way up to godhood.
4. Jesus Is Not the Literal Firstborn Spirit of God but the Eternal Son
Mormons often misunderstand the term “firstborn” in the Bible to mean that Jesus was created first, but in biblical context, it refers to first resurrected in the glorified body, not birth order.
Colossians 1:15 – “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.”
“Firstborn” means firstborn of the resurrection because if we look at verse 18 it gives us the context….
Colossians 1:16-18 - “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.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
1 Corinthians 15:20 - But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Revelation 1:5 – “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.”
the firstborn from the dead is Jesus, he is the first of all creation to be resurrected in the glorified body. It’s called firstborn, first fruits and first begotten! It’s not referring to firstborn creation of God, we need to read the context properly.
4 . The Book of Mormon as Scripture
Mormons believe that The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and claim it is scripture on the same level as the Bible. They also believe that it was translated by Joseph Smith from golden plates given to him by an angel named Moroni in 1827. However, the Bible teaches that God’s Word is complete, unchanging, and sufficient. The Book of Mormon contradicts this, raising serious concerns about its authenticity as scripture.
2 Nephi 29:6-9 (Book of Mormon)"Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible… Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written."
- This passage mocks the idea that the Bible is sufficient and suggests that God has more scripture beyond the Bible.
Mormons believe:
The Book of Mormon is divinely inspired and was given to the prophet Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni in 1823.
It was translated from golden plates and is considered “the most correct book on Earth.”
It is equal to the Bible and provides another record of Jesus Christ, mainly about a group of Israelites who supposedly traveled to the Americas.
The Bible has been corrupted, while the Book of Mormon is pure.
Article of Faith #8 (LDS Church) – "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."
What the Bible teaches:
The Bible is complete
Hebrews 1:1-2 - “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”
The Bible states that God used prophets in the Old Testament to get his word out but in the last days (or New Testament) have spoken to us through his Son who is the word of God the Bible (John 1:1-2), and that there is no extra revelation or prophets needed after Christ!
No adding to Gods Word
Revelation 22:18-20 - For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: [19] And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. [20] He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
there’s no extra revelation after Jesus, and the word is complete, Jesus is the word and there isn’t anymore we need than what’s in the Bible, it tells us Gods nature, his plan, why he made us, our down fall and our salvation to reunite with God, it’s all there, how God wants us to live, it’s all there, what more can learn? A New Testament that is contradictory to the word of God?
Preaching another gospel
Joseph Smith said it was an angel Moroni that gave him the extra revelation and this is a common thing for false religions to say an angel told them, but the Bible tells us if it contradicts it ain’t of God!
Galatians 1:8-9 (KJV) - “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
The Origins of the Book of Mormon Are Suspicious
No archaeological evidence supports the Book of Mormon’s historical claims about Nephites, Lamanites, or battles in the Americas.
Joseph Smith changed many revelations in later editions of the Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants.
The Book of Mormon contains large sections copied from the KJV Bible, including errors from the 1611 edition.
5 . Baptism for the Dead
The LDS Church teaches that the living can be baptized on behalf of the dead, allowing deceased individuals to accept or reject the baptism in the afterlife. This doctrine is a key part of Mormon temple rtuals and is based primarily on 1 Corinthians 15:29, which they interpret as supporting the practice.
What the Bible Teaches
Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
There’s no saving people after they die?
1 Corinthians 15:29 - Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
If you use this verse alone then it looks like they have a point, but first what is the apostle Paul getting at? Why is he talking about this, what is the context, is he saying that we have to get baptized for the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:12-13 - Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
This is the context that people believe that there is no resurrection, if that is true that Jesus rise not why are we being baptized if we die and rise not like Christ? We are we baptized for the dead or baptized to die, when baptism is about resurrecting to life eternal?
So this is a wild doctrine to make as your main teaching because now your making all the laws around this and creating a whole doctrine out of one verse meaning you have to add extra words and teaching to define it since there’s no teaching on it? But this is common in many false religions and these things we should look out for.
6 . Salvation by Works and Grace
Mormonism teaches that grace plays a role in salvation, but works are essential for exaltation (eternal life with God).While Mormons often claim to believe in salvation by grace, their doctrine contradicts the Bible’s teaching that salvation is by grace alone, through faith, not works.
Mormons believe in three heavenly kingdoms:
Celestial Kingdom – For faithful Mormons who obey LDS teachings, receive temple ordinances, and keep Mormon commandments. They can become gods(Doctrine & Covenants 76:50-70).
Terrestrial Kingdom – For moral non-Mormons and unfaithful Mormons. They receive some glory but not the presence of God the Father (D&C 76:71-80).
Telestial Kingdom – For the wicked, liars, adulterers, and unbelievers. They are separated from God the Father and Jesus, but still receive a degree of glory(D&C 76:81-89).
The LDS Church teaches that to reach the Celestial Kingdom (highest heaven), a person must:
✅ Be baptized into the LDS Church
✅ Keep the Word of Wisdom (Mormon dietary laws)
✅ Receive temple ordinances (such as endowments and eternal marriage)
✅ Follow the prophet and LDS leaders
✅ Tithe 10% of income to the LDS Church
✅ Perform good works and avoid sin
📖 Joseph Smith (Doctrine & Covenants 132:21-22, LDS Scripture):
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory."
Mormon Apostle James Talmage (Articles of Faith, p. 92):
"Redemption from the effects of the fall is unconditional. But salvation, meaning exaltation, must be earned."
This means that, according to Mormonism, Jesus’ atonement is not enough people must "earn" their place in the highest heaven.
Mormons often quote 2 Nephi 25:23 (Book of Mormon):
"It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
This means that grace only comes after a person has done everything in their power to be obedient. This contradicts the Bible, which says that grace is given freely to those who believe.
Romans 4:4-5 "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Romans 11:6 - And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Salvation cannot be of works, or its not of grace meaning we didn’t deserve it, if Salvation is a free gift why is there a payment on our behalf involved, Nowhere do we see levels of Heaven as they proclaim from 1 Corinthians 15:38-44…
1 Corinthians 15:38-44 - But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
It doesn’t say there are 3 different levels of glory, one for those that obey the LDS teachings faithfully and one for those who are Mormons but are not now, and lastly one for the unsaved? Thats nowhere to be seen, again abusing scripture and adding to what the bibles actually trying to say. It’s talking about only 2 types of bodies, one celestial bodies, and the other bodies terrestrial, so I’m not sure where the 3rd Telestrial bodies come from? But this passage is just saying that our bodies now are terrestrial (physical and corrupted) but the celestial bodies are spiritual and incorruptible. Nowhere is this talking about 3 heavens Or kingdoms?
7 . What Are Mormon Temple Rituals?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) performs secret temple ceremonies that they believe are essential for salvation and exaltation (becoming like God). These include:
1️⃣ Endowment Ceremony – A ritual where Mormons make sacred covenants and receive special knowledge (including secret handshakes and passwords).
2️⃣ Celestial Marriage – A temple wedding that "seals" a couple for eternity, believed to be necessary to achieve godhood.
3️⃣ Baptism for the Dead – Living Mormons are baptized on behalf of deceased individuals, offering them a chance at salvation.
4️⃣ Washing and Anointing – A purification rite similar to Old Testament priestly anointings.
5️⃣ Second Anointing (rare) – A special ordinance performed for select faithful Mormons, guaranteeing their exaltation.
🔴 These rituals are performed in secret and only "worthy" Mormons with a temple recommend (given after an interview with church leaders) can participate.
🔹 Joseph Smith joined the Freemasons in March 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, and was initiated into the Nauvoo Masonic Lodge.
🔹 Within a day, he advanced to the highest rank, Master Mason—an unusual and rapid progression.
🔹 Just weeks later (May 1842), he introduced the Mormon "Endowment Ceremony"—which borrowed directlyfrom Masonic rituals.
📖 LDS Apostle Heber C. Kimball (a contemporary of Smith) admitted:
"We have the true Masonry. The Masonry of today is received from the apostasy which took place in the days of Solomon..."
🔹 This suggests early LDS leaders saw direct connections between Mormonism and Masonry.
📖 LDS historian Reed Durham (1974, LDS Church History Symposium) admitted:
"There is absolutely no question in my mind that the LDS Temple Endowment, as given by Joseph Smith, was strongly influenced by the Masonic Order."
8 . What Mormons Have Taught About Polygamy
Joseph Smith introduced plural marriage in the 1830s and claimed that:
✅ God commanded polygamy to allow men to reach the highest level of heaven.
✅ Polygamy was necessary for exaltation (becoming gods in the afterlife).
✅ A man with multiple wives could have more spirit children in eternity.
✅ Women who rejected polygamy would be damned.
Joseph Smith (Doctrine and Covenants 132:61-62, LDS Scripture)
"If any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another... then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery.
But if one or either of the ten virgins be given unto him by my word, he cannot commit adultery."
1. The Bible Teaches Monogamy, Not Polygamy
God’s original design for marriage was one man and one woman.
Genesis 2:24 (KJV) “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
🔹 One man, one wife—not multiple wives.
1 Timothy 3:2 (KJV) “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife.”
🔹 A leader in the church must have one wife—polygamy is not God’s plan.
Titus 1:6 (KJV) “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”
🔹 Paul emphasizes monogamy as the standard for Christian leaders.
2. Did God Allow Polygamy in the Old Testament?
🔸 Some Old Testament figures (Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon) had multiple wives. However:
✅ God never commanded polygamy.
✅ Polygamy caused problems
(jealousy, division, strife).
✅ Solomon’s polygamy led to his downfall (1 Kings 11:3-4).
Deuteronomy 17:17 (KJV)“Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away.”
🔹 God warned kings against polygamy.
Malachi 2:14-15 (KJV) Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
🔹 God intended marriage to be one man and one woman.
Matthew 19:5-6 (KJV) “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh.”“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
🔹 Jesus reaffirmed monogamy as God’s design.
3. The LDS Church’s Hypocrisy on Polygamy
🔴 The LDS Church officially renounced polygamy in 1890 to gain statehood for Utah. However:
✅ The doctrine is still in LDS scripture (Doctrine & Covenants 132).
✅ Mormon men can still be sealed to multiple wives for eternity in temple ceremonies.
✅ Fundamentalist Mormons (FLDS) still practice polygamy today.
💡 This shows Mormonism is inconsistent—if polygamy was “eternal doctrine,” why was it abandoned?
📋 Mormonism presents a false gospel by adding to God’s Word (Revelation 22:18-19) and teaching salvation by works instead of grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Its doctrines of polygamy, baptism for the dead, and exaltation to godhood contradict clear biblical teachings on monogamy, salvation, and God’s nature (Genesis 2:24, Hebrews 9:27, Isaiah 43:10). Joseph Smith’s so-called revelations, including the Book of Mormon and Doctrine & Covenants, contradict Scripture and have been altered over time. The Bible alone is the true and final authority, and salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ—not through Mormon ordinances or works (John 14:6, Romans 10:9). Mormonism is a deceptive man-made religion, not the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
