Table of Beliefs

Comparison Table of Beliefs
Doctrine

Christians    Fundamental Beliefs

Jehovah’s Witnesses

      Mormons
 Authority

The Bible is divinely inspired Word of God.  Trustworthy in everything that it affirms and is the sole authority for faith and practice.
  • The JW Bible – the New World “Translation”. (as interpreted by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society).
  • Watchtower magazine.
  • “Awake” magazine.
  • Founded in 1897, Pittsburgh, by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916)
  • Note – based on the Bible (except “errors” according to Mormon teaching)
  • Believe the “Book of Mormon” to be the word of God.
  • Doctrine and Covenants
  • Pearl of Great Price
  • Revelations of the Mormon prophets.
  • Founded in 1830, New York, by Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844)
 God One supreme God, Creator and Lord of everything. Characterized by holiness, justice, and love.  Gen. 1; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19 One God (one person), properly called Jehovah. God the Heavenly Father is an exalted man with a physical body of flesh & bone. He was a man in a pre-existence.
 Trinity (God is three in one)   The trinity eternally exists as the God head (Three in One).                     Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is an impersonal force.Reject the trinity – The Trinity does not exist. Reject the trinity – The Trinity does not exist.
 Jesus     Son of God – fully God and man – Immanuel – God with us. Born to the virgin Mary and fully human. The living Word, revealing the Father and his love.  A created being with stages of existence:

  • Jesus Christ is not God. Rather, he is Michael the archangel or the Word.
  • Jesus, perfect man, became Messiah at his baptism.
  • Rose spiritually, became Michael again but retains the name Jesus.
 Jesus is the spiritual & physical offspring of God by procreation. Had a pre-existence as God’s spirit child and brother of Lucifer.
 Jesus work on earth  He lived a sinless life. He willingly died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind to redeem us to God. He is promised Messiah (Christ), Lord and Saviour. God raised him from the dead on the third day.He will return for his Church in power and glory,  Christ’s ransom (the sacrifice of his body on a “stake”) made salvation possible.                   Jesus Christ was not raised bodily from the grave, but was recreated as a new “spirit body.”   Jesus returned invisibly in 1914. There is no “visible coming” planned in the future. His death guarantees immortality to all regardless of their faith but one’s salvation must be completed by works. Suffered for Adam’s original sin.     Resurrection – rose bodily.Believe that there will be a Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth sometime in the future.
Man
  • Created in God’s image. Adam & Eve disobeyed God in Genesis.
  • Mankind freely chose to disobey God.
  • Every human being is a sinner, alienated from God and without hope apart from God’s gracious plan of salvation in Jesus.
  • Created in Jehovah’s image
  • A soul, Not immortal.Capable of responding to Jehovah.
  • Willfully rebelled against Jehovah.
  • Pre-existent spiritual offspring of God.
  • Basically good.
  • Disobedient to God’s laws.
  • Adam & Eve fall in Genesis was in God’s plan, this caused loss of immortality.
  • Each person is responsible for his or her own sin.
 Results of Fall Physical and spiritual death
entered the world		 Physical and spiritual death
entered the world		 Denied
 Free will
Free to do good or evil		 Free to do good or evil Free to do good or evil
 Holy Spirit
Third person in the Trinity, one with God the Father and Jesus His Son.		 God’s active force (impersonal) A spirit being who is a separate being from God and Jesus.
 Sin   Sin came into the world through Adam’s disobedience and death has passed on all men because all have sinned – broken God’s law. Sin Came into the world through Adam & Eve’sAdam was not sent to Eternal torment, but to Unconscious Annihilation in Dust of the Ground. “Mormons do not believe in original sin.
Salvation A gracious gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ and His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross. Provides eternal life as God’s child with freedom from the guilt and penalty of sin.  John 1:12; 3:16; Eph. 2:8-9 Jesus made it possible for us to earn our salvation.
Allegiance to Jehovah plus works (baptism, faithfulness in Kingdom Hall attendance and work)
Anyone ignorant of Jehovah given a chance to believe during millennium.		 Exaltation or godhood through obedience to Mormon teachings: repentance, faith, baptism, endowments, celestial marriage, tithing. Baptism for the dead saves some non-Mormons posthumously
Second Chance After Death No Yes Yes(during a period of “learning and preparation” after death)
Afterlife Eternal communion with God in heaven for those who have repented and confessed their sin, having trusted in Jesus as their Saviour. Believing that he died, was buried and rose from the dead to accomplish salivation for all who believe. Those who reject will be judged by God and eternally separated from God in hell.
  • The end of the world is soon.
  • 144000, the “elect”, to reign with Christ in Kingdom of God in heaven.
  • Other Jehovah’s Witnesses to live on glorified paradise earth.
  • Annihilation for all who reject Jehovah.
  • When you’re dead, you’re dead. Man has no eternal soul, any more than animals.
  • All spirits receive instruction, then enter one of three kingdoms:
  • Celestial renewed earth, where men become gods or angels – highest.
  • Terrestrial planet for righteous non-Mormons – middle.
  • “Telestial” planet for the wicked.
    Perdition is reserved for Satan and most wicked – lowest.
Daily Living Christian’s to live for Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Their lives should be a consistent witness to others by both deeds and words.
  • No blood transfusions.
  • No celebration of holidays.
  • No religious images.
  • All earthly organizations controlled by Satan.
  • Jehovah’s Witnesses required to obey Jehovah’s laws as explained by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
  • Are to obey the laws of God.
  • Are expected to observe the “Word of Wisdom” as instructed by Mormon teaching.
  • Temple garments worn under daily clothes.