Recovery to Mormonism

Do Mormons worship Christ?

One of the favorite tactics of anti-Mormons is to claim that Mormons are not Christian.  Part of a former Mormon’s “recovery from Mormonism” involves such things as “accepting the true Christ,” implying (and often more than implying) that Mormons either do not worship Christ or worship the wrong one (somehow). 

Sometimes, anti- and ex-Mormons will even argue that Mormons only recently claimed to worship Christ, and truly worship something else (whether this be Joseph Smith or the devil or something else entirely depends on the accusation).  Of course, this is easily refuted: Christ has been the principal topic of Mormon doctrine since Mormonism was founded.  (Joseph Smith did, after all, see God and Jesus Christ in the First Vision.)  Christ’s name has always appeared in the official name of the Mormon Church—which was first the Church of Christ and, later, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  “Mormon” was a nickname that people who weren’t members of the Church came up with.

But if Mormons do worship Christ (or have always claimed to), why do people insist that they don’t?

Some of these differences can have little to do with worshipping Christ or not.  Because Mormons have additional scripture (like the Book of Mormon) beyond the Bible, some people claim that this works against them being Christian, since Christians only believe in the Bible.  Others might insist that, since Mormons have prophets, that they are not Christian, since there were no prophets after Christ.  We will cover these topics more in other articles—in Mormon belief, neither conclusion is true—since a person can worship Christ and believe in prophets and additional scripture, as long as those prophets and scriptures support a belief in Christ. 

But some of the accusations do focus more exactly on whether Mormons believe in Christ or pretend to. 

One of the more popular: Mormons believe that Jesus is Satan’s brother.  This presumably implies that Mormons, therefore, cannot worship Jesus, or, if they do, they put him on the same level as Satan, which is some sort of blasphemy.

Let’s put this in context.  Mormons do not believe in the Trinity (that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are aspects of the same person).  They believe that God, the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings, but one in purpose.  Mormons also believe that we are all the spiritual sons and daughters of God, the Father.  We are all his children.  This does include Satan and Jesus Christ.  However, Satan rebelled and was cast off.  Jesus Christ was the Lord’s Only Begotten, the one who atoned for our sins and led a perfect life, obeying the Father in all things, which no one else could have done.  He is not merely Satan’s brother, or our brother.  He is divine, which we are not and Satan is most assuredly not.  Jesus is our Lord.

Even on earth, two children within the same family can take wildly different paths.  But be that as it may, Mormons see Jesus Christ as Anointed, Savior, and God, and Satan as the Adversary.  They do not sympathize with Satan, nor see Jesus as “just a man,” any more than God’s position as Father in Heaven lessens him. 1

Another popular claim: Mormons worship a different Jesus.  This is a difficult claim to support.  As Mormons believe that Christ died for our sins, is the Son of God, and is divine (and performed all the miracles He did in the New Testament and so forth), how can they possibly believe in a different Jesus?  They may indeed believe more about Jesus than most other Christians, believing that He has yet more power and relevance than shown in the New Testament, but the basic, core principles remain the same.  Jesus is our Savior.  (And they might argue that the doctrine of the Trinity is also not found in the New Testament, but they do not argue that those who believe in it are not Christian.) 2

And lastly: Mormons worship Joseph Smith.  Mormons see Joseph Smith as the first prophet of this dispensation—he has the same status as Moses and the Twelve Apostles of Christ.  He is not worshipped, but he is revered and thought to have a special role beyond the grave.  This is not unusual.  Christ Himself promised His apostles this in Luke 22: 28-30.  But, as other Christians do not worship the Apostles or Moses, neither do Mormons worship Joseph Smith.

There is a statement made by Joseph Smith, often taken out of context, that he was able to hold a church together longer than Christ.  Although definitely boasting (the talk the quote is taken from was modeled after Paul’s talk in 2 Corinthians: 11), Joseph Smith is not saying that he is greater than Christ, but that he had held a church together longer.  The Lord himself said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12).

Christ’s life and atonement for our sins was the most significant act in human history.  As such, His primary purpose was not to hold a church together or do more miracles than anyone else or baptize the most people.  As far as works are concerned, others may do more in quantity, but not in quality or significance.  Jesus Christ’s ministry was short, and then He went to His father. As far as administrating a church, others would have to do more than He did. That was not His purpose.  But no one denies, Joseph Smith well included, what Jesus Christ accomplished for all of us.  Without Him, not a one of us would be saved. And His example, his perfect life, spurs us to do greater than we could on our own. 3, 4.

1. Jesus is the Brother of Satan (Fairwiki)

2. Worship different Jesus (Fairwiki)

3. Joseph Smith’s Status in LDS Belief (Fairwiki)

4. Is Joseph Smith Greater than Jesus Christ? (W. John Walsh, Stephen R. Gibson, Mike D. Parker)