Why Mormons Believe Evangelicals Are Wrong

 If you were to ask the average evangelical, “what do you think a Mormon thinks about you?”, I believe the normal response would be, “they think we’re Christians just like them”.

The overwhelming attitude from evangelicals is that Mormons just want to be a part of our group. The reality is quite the contrary. Mormons do not believe that evangelicals are “good” Christians, they think evangelicals are wrong. They don’t want to be a part of the group.

Sure, you will run into a Mormon, and they will act like your bud, but it’s not any different from when a secular conservative runs into you, and what you think about them. If they're unrepentant, they’re damned. Mormons have the same perception of us.

I want to reflect upon their doctrine of apostasy. Mormons have a strong view against the historical and creedal church.

The Great Apostasy

Apostasy- the abandonment or renunciation in belief

After the deaths of the Savior and His Apostles, men corrupted the principles of the gospel and made unauthorized changes in Church organization and priesthood ordinances… This apostasy lasted until Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820 and initiated the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel. — Apostasy (churchofjesuschrist.org)

Mormons believe that the period from the Apostles until the revelation of Joseph Smith, was a great apostasy. I defined apostasy above so that you could see the significance of what is being said. Mormons believe that what we call church history (Apostles, church fathers, medieval church, protestant reformation, etc.), was a grand renunciation or abandonment of Christianity.

The church fathers and their creeds, apostasy. The formulation of the Trinity, apostasy. The protestant reformation of the Church, apostasy. It was all apostasy. Therefore, in the Mormon's mind, evangelicals are apostates. They are unrepentant and unfaithful.

The manual gives guidance and says the historical and creedal Church was without “divine guidance” from “divine prophets”, namely Joseph Smith. In 1820, when Joseph Smith received divine revelation, the “fulness” of the gospel was restored. Hmmmm. I didn’t know it ever left.

Restored vs. Reformed

from the 1830s to the present, converted from other Christian denominations. None of these converts thought they were leaving Christianity; they are simply grateful to learn about, and become part of, the restored Church of Jesus Christ, which they believe offers a more complete and rich Christian Church spiritually, organizationally, and doctrinally. — Apostasy (churchofjesuschrist.org)

The manual plays on the distinction between restored and reformed. The Mormon Church is the restored Church, in contrast to, the protestant reformation that seeks (semper reformanda) to reform the Church.

In typical Mormon fashion, this play on words is a way to dilute the division between them and evangelicals. Although they seek to convert evangelicals to Mormonism, they prefer to focus on their gnostic knowledge that their doctrines are superior, revitalized, and restorative.

Mormons see evangelicals as a misinformed stepchildren. An evangelical is an unenlightened prodigal, even though, they shroud the bashing in mystery.

Objective truth is important here.

This light attack, of calling Mormonism superior, is really its falsification. Mormonism is ambiguous, as I study other religions this is a commonality. Religions opposed to Christianity, are based on moralism and tension-less relational ambiguity.

Christianity is based on bombastic and historical claims. As CS Lewis famously said, “Jesus is either liar, lunatic, or lord”. There is no middle ground that so many false religions impose.

The denial of the Trinity

we testify that these three members of the Godhead are three separate and distinct beings. — Elder Dallin H. Oaks (April 1995, general conference)

Mormons, and other religions, often offer a rebuttal in light of the many denominational differences within Protestantism.

They say, “You orthodox Christians don’t agree on anything.”

It’s important to perceive, that though there are differences, the differences are distinctions. All orthodox Christians affirm the Church's creeds.

Mormons do not believe in the Trinity. Making them distinct and therefore separate from Orthodoxy.

Heresy- opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted

Mormonism is not a branch or a restoration of the Church, it’s a separation. They have severed themselves from the fundamentals of creedal Christianity.

If the Mormon Church and its divine prophets, were to recant, repent, and affirm the creeds, they would be Christians. But they won’t, and since they won’t, they are not a Christian sect. They are a false Church, pretending to be superior.

Just the beginning

There is a lot to unravel. The Mormons have tons of beliefs that evangelicals know nothing about. Where we need to start, is to put forth the truth. Mormons aren’t as nice as you think they are. This isn’t a friendly exhibition, it’s a war.

You might question, “where is the war?”. I would respond by saying, “in the heart and mind”.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. (2 Corinthians 10:3–4)

Until evangelicals wake up to the spiritual war around us, we will continue to be oblivious to the dangers.

The majority of evangelicals are like drunks walking down the street in the middle of a war zone. They are completely incapacitated to see the bullets whizzing by.

We must put on the full armor of God so that we can fight back in love, and for the sake of truth.

Please take the time to read this passage. It’s so crucial to meditate upon. God has called us to be loving warriors for him. There is no peace in plurality, only confusion, and chaos.

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:10–20)