My five-year-old son has spent a month memorizing the 6th Article of Faith.
“We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.”
As I was helping him learn and understand what he was reciting, I began to reflect on similar beliefs I have with my friends of other Christian faiths. Below is a list of some fundamental doctrines members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, share with all Christians.
Godhead
Three beings, God the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, make up the Godhead. They preside over this world and all other creations of our Father in Heaven. They are one in purpose and unity.Bible: “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55-56)
Book of Mormon: “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen” (2 Nephi 31:21).
Mission of Jesus Christ
The Bible and the Book of Mormon testify of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and His Atonement. They witness of his ministry and teach that the Savior took upon Himself our sins and overcame death.Nativity
Bible: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:18).Book of Mormon: “And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God” (Alma 7:10).
Life and Ministry
Bible: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13: 34-35).Book of Mormon: “But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another” (Mosiah 4:15).
Atoned for Our Sins
Bible: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).Book of Mormon: “Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered” (2 Nephi 2:7).
Conquered Death
Bible: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20).Book of Mormon: “Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up” (Mormon 7:5).
The Creation, Adam and Eve, and the Fall
Under the direction of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth. God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they became mortal, that is, subject to sin and death, and were cast out of the Garden of Eden.Bible: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:1, 27).
Book of Mormon: “Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was about to explain. Now we see that Adam did fall by partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people” (Alma 12:22).
Baptism
Baptism is the first saving ordinance of the gospel. The Savior set the example and was baptized even though he was sinless. As He explained to John the Baptist, He needed to be baptized in order to “fulfill all righteousness” (see Matthew 3:13-17).Bible: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
Book of Mormon: “Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:20).
Faith
Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying on Him and trusting in His infinite power, wisdom, and love.Bible: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Book of Mormon: “And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21).
We feel connected with our Christian brothers and sisters to know that there are others who have similar values and that we can be bound together by a common belief in Jesus Christ and a desire to follow His teachings.
