Doctrine

Book of Mormon

Doctrine and Covenants

How many Gods are there?

One God Alma 11:27-39,44; 2 Nephi 31:21; Mormon 7:7; 3 Nephi 11:27; Testimony of the Three Witnesses; P.G.P. Moses 2 &3

Many Gods D&C 121:32; 132:18-20,27; P.G.P. Abraham 4 & 5 4:1 “… the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth.”

Is God a spirit?

Yes Alma 18:26-28; Alma 22:8-11; D&C 93:23

No D&C 130:22 “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also;” Yes D&C 93:23 “Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit ….”

Does God dwell in the heart?

Yes Alma 34:36

No D&C 130:3 “… the idea that the Father and Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.”

Does God change his word?

No Alma 41:8 “the decrees of God are unalterable”

Yes D&C 56:4,5 “Wherefore I, the Lord, command and revoke, as it seemeth one good; … I revoke the commandment which was given … and give a new commandment…” No D&C 20:17 “there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them.”

Can you curse someone?

No 3 Nephi 12:43,44

Yes D&C 103:24,25 “…as mine enemies come against you to drive you from my goodly land, … ye shall curse them. And whomsoever ye curse, I will curse and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies.”

Can God lie or participate in lying?

No Ether 3:12 “… Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.”

Yes P.G.P. Abraham 2:22-25 “the Lord said unto me… Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.”

Is Jesus the mediator between God and man?

Yes 2 Nephi 2:27 “men are free to choose eternal life through the great Mediator of all men” 2 Nephi 2:9 “inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.”

No Brigham Young Journal of Discourses Vol. 7 p 289 “No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith … Every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are …”

Is there a pre-existence life?

No Jacob 4:9 “For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth … if God being able to speak and man was created …”

Yes D&C 93:29 “Man was also in the beginning with God…”

Did God create everything?

Yes Jacob 4:9 (see above) 2 Nephi 2:14 “for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth.” 2 Nephi 2:13 “And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.”

No D&C 93:29 “…Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.”

Is there a chance for salvation after death?

No Mosiah 2:38 “…if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.”

Yes D&C 88:99 “And after this another angel shall sound, which is the second trump; and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ’s at his coming; who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh.”

Can murder be forgiven?

Yes 3 Nephi 30:2 “…repent of your … murders…that ye may receive a remission of your sins…”

No D&C 42:18 “…behold, I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.”

Is polygamy permitted?

No Jacob 1:15 “… the people… began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines…” Jacob 2:24, 3:5, Mosiah 11:2

Yes D&C 132:1 “I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David ….as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines.” D&C 132:37 “Abraham received concubines … and it was accounted unto him for righteousness…”

Are we justified by faith?

Yes 2 Nephi 2:5 “… And the law is given unto men, And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off.”

No 88:36-39 “All kingdoms have a law given; … and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified.”

Does Jesus fulfill the law?

Yes 2 Nephi 2:7 “Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law … and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.” No 3 Nephi 15:9 “Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.”

No 88:21-34 “And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom…”

Are there 3 kingdoms?

There are no references to any of the 3 Kingdoms in the Book of Mormon

Yes Celestial - 88:16-32 Telestial - 76:81-112 Terrestrial - 76:71-80

Are we to still keep ordinances?

No 2 Nephi 25:30 “And inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled which was given to Moses.” (see “Does Jesus fulfill the law?” 2 Nephi 2:7)

Yes 52:15,16 “Wherefore he that prayeth … the same is accepted of me if he obey mine ordinances.” 64:5 “And the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom shall not be taken from my servant Joseph … while he liveth, inasmuch as he obeyeth mine ordinances.”

Who was tempted by Satan in the garden?

Eve 2 Nephi 2:18 “Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, … Partake of the forbidden fruit …”

Adam 29:36, 40, 41 “And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil … the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment …I, the Lord God, caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, …” (Eve is not mentioned in this section)

Is adultery allowed?

No Mosiah 13:22 “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Alma 16:18 “… those priests … did preach against … committing adultery,”

No 42:22 “Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.” (emphasis mine) 42:24 “Thou shalt not commit adultery…” 42:80, 81 “If any man or woman shall commit adultery, he or she shall be tried before two elders … that they may be dealt with according to the law of God.” Yes 132:41-45 “And as ye have asked concerning adultery, … if a man receiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her by the holy anointing, she hath committed adultery and shall be destroyed. 132:61-65 “to the law of the priesthood - if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then he is justified: he cannot commit adultery.” No Official Declaration - 1 “We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice.”