Are Mormons Christian?
Yes. Mormons, more properly referred to as Latter-day Saints or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, unequivocally affirm themselves to be Christian, or in other words, followers of Jesus Christ. Christianity is a religious belief centered on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the belief that salvation comes only through Him. While many Christian denominations exist, their creeds generally hold in common Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God whose coming was prophesied in the Old Testament. Latter-day Saints and other Christians believe Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, ministered in Jerusalem and surrounding regions until His persecution and death on the cross as well as His subsequent resurrection from the dead as a glorified being. They also believe Jesus, as the prophesied Messiah, was anointed by God the Father to be the Savior of humanity. It is also commonly believed Jesus lives in Heaven with God the Father and will return to Earth in the latter-days—an event known as the Second Coming. The core conviction of Christianity is that by following the gospel of Jesus Christ and receiving His grace, one may be redeemed, or reconciled, to God and receive salvation in the life after death.
Typically, Christian religions have been formed, or reformed, from a traditional line of Churches: Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox or Protestant etc. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, however, did not descend from any other faith. Latter-day Saints believe that after Jesus Christ and His apostles were killed, the Lord's authority and Church were lost from the earth. Then in 1820, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in answer to his search for truth. Latter-day Saints believe that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet of God and that through him, Jesus Christ restored His original Church to the earth, with apostles, prophets, and divine authority.
Latter-day Saints believe the first principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ are as follows: faith in Jesus, believing He is the divinely appointed Savior of humankind and striving to follow His teachings both ancient and modern; repentance of sin in order to be reconciled to God; baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, to be a companion of comfort and guidance through righteous living.
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