|
| Accountability |
| "In LDS doctrine, to be "accountable" means that one must
answer to God for one's conduct. Answering for the deeds done in mortality
is not simply an administrative requirement but an aspect of human nature
itself: to be a child of God is to possess agency, which is both the power
to choose between obedience and rebellion and the accountability for how
that power is used." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Agency |
| "'Agency' refers both to the capacity of beings
"to act for themselves" (2 Ne. 2:26) and their accountability for those
actions." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Amen |
| "Among Latter-day Saints the saying of an audible "amen"
is the seal and witness of all forms of worship and of priesthood ordinances."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Angels |
| "Latter-day Saints accept the reality of angels as messengers
for the Lord." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Anti-Christs |
| "Antichrists are those who deny the divinity of Jesus Christ
or essential parts of his gospel and actively oppose the followers of Christ
or seek to destroy their faith." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Apostasy |
| "Latter-day Saints believe that apostasy occurs whenever
an individual or community rejects the revelations and ordinances of God,
changes the gospel of Jesus Christ, or rebels against the commandments
of God, thereby losing the blessings of the Holy Ghost and of divine authority."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Authority |
| "The LDS belief has been well stated by President Joseph
F. Smith: 'As to the question of authority, nearly everything depends upon
it. No ordinance can be performed to the acceptance of God without divine
authority. No matter how fervently men may believe or pray, unless they
are endowed with divine authority they can only act in their own name,
and not legally nor acceptably in the name of Jesus
Christ, in whose name all things must be done' (Smith, p. 102)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Blasphemy |
| "Blasphemy denotes sacrilegious actions, speech, or thoughts
that mock or revile God. A person blasphemes who, understanding the gravity
of this behavior, willfully belittles or maligns God, the Godhead,
or that which is of them, such as the commandments,
covenants, ordinances,
revelation, scriptures,
and prophets."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Calling
and Election |
| " The
Prophet Joseph Smith explained that "the more sure word of prophecy
means a man's knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation
and the spirit of prophecy,
through the power of the Holy Priesthood" (D&C 131:5)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Charity |
| "Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever;
and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with
him" Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Chastening |
| "Latter-day Saints view chastening as a manifestation of
God's love and concern. "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth
every son whom he receiveth" (Heb. 12:6)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Commandments |
| "Latter-day Saints believe that commandments are divine
directives for righteous living; bring happiness and spiritual and temporal
blessings; and are part of God's way to redeem his children and endow them
with eternal life." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Confession
of Sins |
| "Confession of sins is a necessary beginning step in the
process of repenting and gaining
forgiveness. It is a test of true repentance: "By this ye may know
if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake
them" (D&C 58:43)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Consecration |
| "The Lord revealed several purposes for the law of consecration:
to bring the Church to stand independent of all other institutions (D&C
78:14); to strengthen Zion, adorning her in beautiful garments, as a bride
prepared and worthy of the bridegroom (D&C 33:17; 58:11; 65:3; 82:14,
18; etc.); and to prepare the Saints for a place in the Celestial
Kingdom (D&C 78:7)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Contention |
| "Whether at home, at church, in business, or in the community,
'[contention] should be done away' (3 Ne. 11:30). This is fundamental to
the teachings of Jesus Christ." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Covenants |
| "Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
speak of themselves as a "covenant people," both collectively and individually.
Entering into righteous and authorized covenants with God is one of the
most important aspects of their lives." Encyclopedia of
Mormonism |
|
| The
Creation |
| ".... Latter-day Saints understand that Jesus
Christ, acting under the direction of God
the Father, created this and other worlds to make possible the immortality
and eternal life of human beings who already existed as spirit children
of the Father." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Cursings |
| "Cursings are the opposite of blessings
and may be expressed as (1) the use of vulgar or profane language by people;
(2) words or actions by God or his representatives expressing divine displeasure
with or warning against wickedness; or (3) God's chastisement of mankind."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Difficult
Doctrinal Teachings |
| W. John Walsh talks about how to resolve apparant conflicts
in doctrine. |
|
| Meaning,
Source, and History of Doctrine |
| "Scripturally, then, the term "doctrine" means the core
message of Jesus Christ—that Jesus is
the Messiah, the Redeemer. All other teachings are subordinate to those
by which all people "know how to come unto Christ and be saved"—that is,
to the "points of doctrine," such as faith,
repentance, baptism,
and receiving the gift of the
Holy Ghost." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Equality |
| "Equality among persons is understood by Latter-day Saints
as essential to divine love, which explains and justifies all other ethical
virtues and principles (Matt. 22:37-40). All persons are of equal value
in the sight of God. Each person (of every nation and every race) is as
precious to him as another (2 Ne. 26:33; Alma 26:37)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Evil |
| "Evil is traceable, alternatively, to the choices of other
autonomous agents (such as Lucifer, the Devil) who are also coeternal with
God, and, perhaps, even to recalcitrant properties of uncreated chaotic
matter." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Fall
of Adam |
| "Latter-day Saints recognize the Fall of Adam and Eve as
an actual event that occurred in the Garden of Eden and has affected the
entire earth and everyone in the human family. The Fall was a necessary
step in the eternal progress of mankind and introduced the conditions that
made the mission of Jesus Christ absolutely necessary for salvation." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Freedom |
| "The gospel of Jesus Christ
does not represent freedom merely as a philosophic concept or abstract
possibility, but establishes it at the foundations of the creation of the
world and as the fundamental condition of God's dealings with his children."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Gambling |
| "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints condemns
gambling, games of chance, and lotteries as moral evils and admonishes
its members not to participate in them in any form." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Grace |
| "LDS doctrine contains an affirmative sense of interaction
between grace and works that is unique not only as to these concepts but
also reflects the uniqueness of the restored gospel's view of man's nature,
the Fall of Adam, the Atonement,
and the process of salvation." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Holiness |
| "In LDS thought, as in most religions, it is God who invests
a person, place, or object with holiness: "For I am able to make you holy,
and your sins are forgiven you" (D&C 60:7)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Humility |
| 'True humility is the recognition of one's imperfection
that is acquired only as one joyfully, voluntarily, and quietly submits
one's whole life to God's will." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Individuality |
| "It is LDS doctrine that every human being has an eternal
identity, existing from the premortal state and continuing forever (Abr.
3:22-23). Moreover, all individuals are responsible for their own choices,
and all will stand before the Lord to present an accounting of their lives
at the Judgment Day (A of F 2;
Moro. 10:27)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Intelligence |
| "According to latter-day scripture, "The glory of God is
intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth" (D&C 93:36)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Joy |
| "The
Prophet Joseph Smith declared, 'Happiness is the object and design
of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that
leads to it' (TPJS, p. 255). The concept of true joy to be experienced
in this life and in the life to come lies at the core of LDS thought. The
Book of Mormon prophet Lehi taught, 'Adam fell that men might be; and
men are, that they might have joy' (2 Ne. 2:25; cf. Alma 42:8)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Justice
and Mercy |
| "Justice and mercy are attributes of deity....The competing
demands of justice's claim for punishment and mercy's claim for forgiveness
are reconciled by the unifying power of the Atonement
of Jesus Christ." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Justification |
| "As with all other doctrines of salvation, justification
is available because of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, but it becomes
operative in the life of an individual only on conditions of personal righteousness."
Mormon Doctrine |
|
| Knowledge |
| "Latter-day Saints believe that certain forms of knowledge
are essential for salvation and eternal life (John 17:3)." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Teachings
About Law |
| "Three types of laws exist: spiritual or divine laws, laws
of nature, and civil laws. Latter-day Saints are deeply and consistently
law-oriented, because laws, whether spiritual, physical, or civil, are
rules defining existence and guiding action. Through the observance of
laws, blessings and rewards are expected, and by the violation of laws,
suffering, deprivation, and even punishment will result." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Life |
| "Life is manifest in four distinct states of existence."
Elder Bruce R. McConkie |
|
| Martyrs |
| "The term "martyr" (Greek martys, "a witness") in
Christianity refers to a person who has suffered death because of his or
her Christian witness or commitment and who subsequently has been accorded
honors by a church." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Military
and the Church |
| "The Church considers being loyal citizens to be a duty
of its members, irrespective of nationality. Responding to a call for military
service is one appropriate manner of fulfilling this duty of citizenship."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Murder |
| "In LDS doctrine, murder is second
in seriousness only to the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Oaths |
| "Oaths are solemn declarations used
to affirm a statement or strengthen a promise." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Obedience |
| "Obedience in the context of the gospel
of Jesus Christ means to comply with God's will, to live in accordance
with his teachings and the promptings of his Spirit, and to keep his commandments.
Disobedience means to do anything less, whether it be to follow Satan and
his will, to live in accordance with one's own selfish wants and desires,
or to be a "slothful" person who must be "compelled in all things" (D&C
58:26)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Opposition |
| "Opposition and agency are
eternal and interrelated principles in the theology of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. Agency is man's innate power to choose between
alternative commitments and finally between whole ways of life. Opposition
is the framework within which these choices and their consequences are
possible." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Patriarchal
Order of the Priesthood |
| "To Latter-day Saints, the patriarchal order of the priesthood
is the organizing power and principle of celestial family life." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Perfection |
| "Through all generations, God has commanded his children
to be perfect. His mandates to Abraham,
"Walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Gen. 17:1), and to the Israelites,
"Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God" (Deut. 18:13), were one with
his charge, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven
is perfect" (Matt. 5:48; cf. 3 Ne. 12:48)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Physical
Body |
| "Latter-day Saints believe that the physical human body
was created by God in his express image, and that one of the most important
purposes of earth life is for the spirit
children of God to obtain a physical body and grow through the experience
of mortality." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Concept
of a Promised Land |
| "From the beginning, the Lord has reserved choice lands
for righteous followers." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Remission
of Sins |
| "Remission of sins" is the scriptural phrase that describes
the primary purpose of baptism: to obtain God's forgiveness for breaking
his commandments and receive a newness of life." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Repentance |
| "Repentance is the process by which humans set aside or
overcome sins by changing hearts, attitudes, and actions that are out of
harmony with God's teachings, thereby conforming their lives more completely
to his will." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Righteousness |
| "Righteousness is ultimately synonymous with holiness or
godliness." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Salvation |
| "Salvation is the greatest gift of God (D&C 6:13).
The root of the word means to be saved, or placed beyond the power of one's
enemies (TPJS, pp. 297, 301, 305). It is redemption from the bondage of
sin and death, through the Atonement
of Jesus Christ." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Sanctification |
| "Sanctification is the process of becoming a saint, holy
and spiritually clean and pure, by purging all sin from the soul. Latter-day
Saint scriptures mention several factors that make sanctification possible."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Teachings
About Sexuality |
| "In LDS life and thought, sexuality consists of attitudes,
feelings, and desires that are God-given and central to God's plan for
his children, but they are not the central motivating force in human action.
Sexual feelings are to be governed by each individual within boundaries
the Lord has set." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Sin |
| "Sin is willful wrongdoing. James indicates that it can
also be the willful failure to do right: 'Therefore to him that knoweth
to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin' (4:17). Sin is transgression
of the law (1 Jn. 3:4), but one is not held responsible for sins against
a law that one has not had opportunity to know." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Soul |
| "In Latter-day Saint terminology 'soul' is used in various
ways, with diverse connotations found throughout the scriptures and in
other Church writings. However, the word also has a precise definition
given in latter-day revelation: the soul is the united entity of the spirit
with the physical body" Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Spirit |
| "The existence of both good and evil spirit beings is a
prominent doctrine in LDS theology. Spirits are intelligent, self-existent,
organized matter and are governed by eternal laws. Moreover, all living
things had a pre-earthly spirit existence." |
|
| Spiritualism |
| Spiritualism is against the teachings of the Church. |
|
| Stillborn
Children |
| "It would appear that we can look forward with hope and
anticipation for the resurrection of stillborn children." Mormon Doctrine |
|
| Suffering
in the World |
| "Latter-day Saints do not believe that pain is intrinsically
good. In their teaching there is little of asceticism, mortification, or
negative spirituality. But when suffering is unavoidable in the fulfillment
of life's missions, one's challenge is to draw upon all the resources of
one's soul and endure faithfully and well." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Suicide |
| "From an LDS perspective, suicide is a moral issue and
is to be handled with particular sensitivity and human caring." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Symbolism |
| "Symbolism plays a significant role in LDS life. The overriding
theme is that all things bear record of Christ, "both things which are
temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens
above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth,
and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things
bear record of me" (Moses 6:63)." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Temptation |
| "In other latter-day scriptures,
temptation usually refers to the enticement of human beings into attitudes
and actions that alienate them from God and jeopardize their salvation."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Testimony |
| "A testimony of the gospel is the sure knowledge, received
by revelation from the Holy Ghost, of the divinity of the great latter-day
work."Mormon Doctrine |
|
| Testimony
Bearing |
| "Testimony bearing among members of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints is a person's verbal expression of what he
or she knows to be true concerning the divinity of Jesus
Christ, the restoration of the fulness of his gospel in our time, and
the blessings that come from living its principles." Encyclopedia of
Mormonism |
|
| Thoughts |
| "Thoughts are the ideas, concepts, judgments, imaginations,
fancies, opinions, dispositions, and intentions that arise in the hearts
and minds of men. The power to think is an inheritance which all men receive
because they are the spirit children of an Omnipotent Father. It is the
spirit that thinks, not the mortal tabernacle." Mormon Doctrine |
|
| Transfiguration |
| "Transfiguration for mortals
consists of a temporary physical and spiritual change, allowing them not
only to behold the glory of God but to enter his presence." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| Truth |
| "The LDS conception of truth does not fit any of the categories
in which it has been discussed in the Western philosophical tradition.
For Latter-day Saints, truth is found in living the type of life exemplified
by Jesus Christ." Encyclopedia of
Mormonism |
|
| Unity |
| "The LDS concept of unity focuses primarily on three doctrinal
issues: the nature of the Godhead, relations
among members of the Church, and the relation between a person and God,
although it differs at some points from the tenets of traditional Christianity."
Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Unpardonable
Sin |
| "To commit the unpardonable sin, a person "must receive
the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then
sin against Him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is
no repentance for him…. he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens
have been opened to him, and to deny the Plan of Salvation with his eyes
open to the truth of it." Encyclopedia of Mormonism |
|
| Zion |
| "Latter-day Saints use the name Zion to signify a group
of God's followers or a place where such a group lives." Encyclopedia
of Mormonism |
|
| (See Basic Beliefs home page) |
|