What Do Mormons Believe About Jesus Christ?

“When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt 16:13-16)

Just as Peter testified of Christ’s divinity through the power of the Holy Ghost, being revealed to him by the Father, Mormons believe in the divine nature of Jesus Christ. Christ is at the center of every teaching of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although there are countless ways that Jesus influences individual’s lives, it is easiest to talk about Mormon’s belief in Christ by describing His three distinct roles as Creator, Savior, and Mediator.

Creator

Mormons believe that Jesus Christ created the universe under the direction of the Father. As Jesus did while among mortals, He was about His Father’s business in His pre-mortal state.

During this time before His earthly ministry, Christ was referred to as Jehovah. As Jehovah, Christ was the God of the Old Testament. Truly, He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God of Israel. Everything we have in this life was created by The Son.

Savior

Christ was born of the mortal Mary to live with and teach mankind. Inheriting mortal qualities from His earthly Mother, but maintaining his Godly nature from His Father, Jesus led a sinless life. During his mortal ministry he taught us how to best live God’s commands and showed us the path to return to Him. At the close of His life, Christ offered his perfect life as a sacrifice for all sin. He saved man from sin and from physical death. Mormons testify that Christ is the Savior of the world.

Mediator

Mormons pray to The Father in the name of Jesus Christ. We believe He is our mediator with our Heavenly Father. At the Day of Judgment we will account for our time on earth. Christ will be our advocate for us with our Heavenly Father as is only through Him that we can enter into the peace that awaits us with God.

Christ is the center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and worship Him as such.

Mormons Trying to be Christians

Often contempt is held against Mormons from other faiths for not being “Christians”. When a member of the Church of Jesus Christ is confronted with this, the conversation generally goes something like this:

Other denomination: “You are not a Christian”

Mormon: “Yes I am, my church is named after Him”

Other denomination: “That doesn’t make you a Christian”

Mormon: “Well, we follow His teachings”

Other denomination: “That doesn’t make you a Christian, you have to believe in the same Christ I do”

Mormon: “Oh… I think we do”

Other denomination: “Well, you don’t”

This misunderstanding comes from both sides. Mormons use one common definition of the word Christian and other denominations use another. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ use the general definition found in any dictionary or used by Peter in 1 Peter chapter 4:7-19; that a Christian is simply a follower of Christ and His teachings. Because Mormons believe in the Bible and try to follow the teachings of Christ as they understand them, Mormons call themselves Christians.

What many Mormons don’t understand is that the Catholic and Protestant religions are using a more specific definition when excluding the Church of Jesus Christ from the ranks of the Christians. Their definition includes allegiance to a strict definition of the Trinity.

The idea of the Trinity, and even the word Trinity, was used shortly after the apostles’ deaths in the second century. The exact nature of the Trinity was still widely discussed and debated throughout the next few centuries. Near the first part of the fourth century, a political figure, Constantine, while trying to keep peace in the land Christianized Rome and Paganized Christianity.  When the debate over the true nature of the Trinity, whether they be of one substance or many, became heated, Constantine ordered a council to be gathered at Nicaea. This council was made up of over 300 bishops, most coming from the eastern orthodoxy. After much debate, all but 17 bishops agreed to sign the first Nicene Creed. Declaring that God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are inexplicably one being, this has been the standard definition of who God is and how the Trinity works for most Christians. Centuries later, when Luther and others left the Catholic Church because of its corrupt doctrines, many still hung on to this piece of doctrine.

So herein lies the difference. Catholics and Protestants believe God, the Son, and the Spirit to be one actual being. The Church of Jesus Christ believes God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit to be one in purpose, but three distinct beings. Because of that difference, Protestants and Catholics think that Mormons don’t believe in the same Christ as them and therefore they can’t be true Christians. Mormons sometimes don’t understand that difference. But, Protestants and Catholics also don’t understand what The Church of Jesus Christ proclaims in its first Article of Faith, that we do believe in God the Father, in His Son, and in the Holy Ghost. Mormons very much believe in the divinity of the Son and in His eternal nature as God.

If strict allegiance to a non-scriptural creed is what is necessary to join the ranks of Christendom, then count Mormons out. But, if trying one’s hardest to follow the precepts of Christ’s gospel as set forth in the Bible are what being a Christian is all about, then Mormons, Protestants, and Catholics alike can join together to make the world a better place.