Do Mormons believe in Jesus?
Mormons, more properly referred to as Latter-day Saints or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, believe in Jesus. Like all Christians, Latter-day Saints believe in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and believe that salvation comes only through Him. They believe He is the Son of God whose birth and ministry was prophesied in the Old Testament. Latter-day Saints 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, and later resurrected as a glorified being. They also believe Jesus, as the prophesied Messiah, was anointed by God the Father to be the Savior of humanity. They believe Jesus lives in heaven with God the Father and will return to earth in the latter days in an event often referred to as the Second Coming. The core conviction of Latter-day Saints is that by living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and striving to obey His commandments, one may be redeemed through His grace, be reconciled to God, and receive salvation.
While Latter-day Saints have many beliefs in common with most Christian denominations, they also hold many unique beliefs regarding Jesus Christ. They believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are two distinct beings. They believe the two are united in their perfect love for us but that each is a distinct personage with His own perfect, glorified physical body of flesh and bone (see Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Latter-day Saints believe that all men and women ever to be born, including Jesus Christ, lived with God as His spirit children before this mortal life. They also believe that Jesus Christ was chosen to be the Savior of humankind during the premortal existence. Members of the Church believe in the life and teachings of Jesus recorded in the Holy Bible. They also believe in additional scripture, including the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, which tells of His dealings with other Christians in ancient times. In the Book of Mormon, after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, He visited the Americas and ministered to His followers there. Latter-day Saints believe that in 1820, God the Father and Jesus Christ both appeared to Joseph Smith. The Savior restored His Church and divine authority to humankind through revelation that continues today with God's chosen prophet. Latter-day Saints believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all humankind can be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel (see Articles of Faith 1:3).
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