"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father
and the Son."
(The Holy Bible, 2 John 1:9)
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."
Agency "'Agency' refers both to the capacity of beings "to
act for themselves" (2 Ne. 2:26) and their accountability for those actions."
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."
Angels "Latter-day Saints accept the reality of angels as messengers for the
Lord."
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."
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."
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)."
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."
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"
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)."
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."
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)."
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)."
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."
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."
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.
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."
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."
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)."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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)."
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."
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)."
Intelligence
"According to latter-day scripture, "The glory of God is
intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth" (D&C 93:36)."
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)."
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."
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)."
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."
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."
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."
Murder
"In LDS doctrine, murder is second in
seriousness only to the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost."
Oaths "Oaths are solemn declarations used to affirm a
statement or strengthen a promise."
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)."
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."
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."
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)."
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."
Concept of a
Promised Land "From the beginning, the Lord has reserved choice lands for righteous
followers."
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."
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."
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."
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."
Teaching
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."
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."
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"
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."
Suicide "From an LDS perspective, suicide is a moral issue and is to be
handled with particular sensitivity and human caring."
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)."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
Zion "Latter-day Saints use the name Zion to signify a group of God's
followers or a place where such a group lives."
