One of the most shocking things I have learned from my interactions with other Christians is how many of them believe doctrines only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches. Often they believe their church teaches and believes them also, but they don’t.
These doctrines just make sense to our souls and people naturally believe them, unless taught otherwise. Here are three examples of doctrines that almost every Christian believes, yet only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches.
1st. We Are Literal Children Of God.
If you ask any Christian “Are you a literal child of God?” they will almost unanimously reply “YES!” But if you ask the Pastors/Priests “Does your church teach you are literal children of God?” They will start to backtrack on their unashamed belief that they are Children of God. Explaining that He is only our Father through the adoption of grace and that we are not really His children.
Every doctrine within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rests upon the doctrinal foundation and belief that we are literally spirit sons and daughters of God. It is the main doctrine underlining the entire Plan of Salvation! We believe that we lived with our Heavenly Father in heaven before we were born (also a unique belief). And because of Jesus Christ and His atoning grace, we can return home to heaven! All of this rests on the foundation that this is all possible because we are His children! Think about a doctrine or principle and quickly you will be able to connect it to this foundation. That is why Satan seeks to get us to identify by anything other than as children of God.
“It is essential that our preeminent identity is as a child of God.”
Donald L. Hallstrom
2nd. Eternal Families.
Building off the doctrinal foundation that we are children of God, comes the belief in eternal families. I don’t think I’ve ever met a mother who did not believe they would be with their children in heaven. Or a husband who truly loves his wife who did not hope, pray, and believe his love was eternal. Yet like being children of God, no other church will teach that in heaven we are families. They believe he who decries divorce in this life, will be the great divorce lawyer in the heavens separating every family from one another.
That thought makes reason stare! God’s joy comes from being with His family, and so does ours! So why would a loving God deny His children the very things that bring Him happiness and joy? Simple, he does not. Plus, when God joined Adam and Eve together there was no death, it was an eternal marriage. Jesus did warn though that in heaven man is not given in marriage, so therefore all matters of marriage must be taken care of on earth.
3rd. Hope For The Dead.
Building off being children of God leads to asking the question: “What about the millions who die without the gospel?” Are they lost? Is God batting a losing average? As far more have died without hearing about the gospel than die with it. Does he not love the billions in China? Are they not His children also?
As universal as a belief that we are God’s children is hope, even if ever so faint that there is hope for the dead. But once again, The Church is the only church that believes God still loves and is merciful to the dead who die without the law. After all, even the Bible teaches about both Baptisms for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29), and also Christ leading the missionary work among the souls of the dead (1 Peter 3:19-20 and 4:6).
The truth is simple. God is a both loving and fair, merciful and just. He truly is our loving Heavenly Father. He did not send billions of His children to earth without hope of coming home. He has provided the means whereby those who have not heard the gospel in this life can be taught the gospel hereafter (before the resurrection), to allow them to accept Christ. Truly this is what a loving Father would give His children.
“Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy.”
Joseph Smith
If you like this article you might also enjoy this one, The most comforting doctrine Joseph Smith taught.
Joseph W Miller
Wednesday 5th of February 2020
Thanks Scott for your post. I have passes one on. Joseph Miller
Sande Cheney
Wednesday 7th of August 2019
People love contention, I see that with so many responses from them.I think it is a human condition. I love your responses, I believe they are patient, non-threatening & complete. I feel like screaming at some of the responses, "Are .you stupid, did you read the article?" And, yes, one of the rhings I am working on is patience .
Mark Cobbold
Thursday 4th of July 2019
Very well explained. Thank you!
Bruce C Hiatt
Sunday 30th of June 2019
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5.)
Recollecting this, we were comforted, for this sovereign promise is not to the few, nor to those of high degree only, but to every one of us, high and low, rich and poor, who live on God's footstool; it is universal, unrestricted—to you and to me, to our neighbor and to his neighbor, and to our loved ones afar off. God will give liberally to each and all who properly come to him and to the established Church of his Son. Reflecting thus, we had joy in our hearts, for here was great hope.
But we now remembered the further words of James, teaching us how we might make certain to gain the promised wisdom:
"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
"For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." (James 1:6-7.)
Wondering, almost doubting, we thought, have we the faith necessary to gain the wisdom we seek? We recalled Paul's discourse to the Hebrews on the power of faith, and the mighty works done through the ages by this all-compelling force, even since the beginning days when "through faith ... the worlds were framed by the word of God." (Heb. 11:3.)
We felt we had not the faith that performed the great wonders of which Paul told, yet we recollected that faith is a gift of God, and that Jesus speaking to the multitudes on the mount said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matt. 7:7; Luke 11:9.)
Then there was borne in upon us the everlasting truth that the Lord stands always ready to help; that all spiritual aid comes from him; that this we may always have if we go to him in such way that we can receive his blessings. We know he has unnumbered blessings to give to every one of his children, if they but put their lives and their spirits in such tune with his that he may bestow his gifts, and that we may so attune our lives and spirits with his if we keep his commandments.
Then recollection brought us the memory of his great commitment to us:
"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." (D.C. 82:10)
Odiri Daniel
Monday 10th of June 2019
Hmmmmmmm!...... That's was beautiful.Indeed this is true.