Mormons vs. Baptists: How do they differ

Last week, there was a discussion among some members of my congregation concerning the difference between Mormons and Baptists. The point of contention in the conversation was that one person claimed that Mormons and Baptists are both Christians who believe in God and can attend the same church, whereas the other person contended that Mormons and Baptists do not have the same things in common and thus cannot attend the same church. I found the conversation quite interesting, and as a pastor, I decided to address it during this week’s fellowship meeting. So, ‘Mormons Vs. Baptists: How do they differ?’

In this article, I will highlight the differences between Mormons and Baptists and so much more. Join me on this informative journey as I unravel this subject matter.

Mormons vs. Baptists: Difference in definition

Mormons refer to a cultural and religious group affiliated with Mormonism which is the key arm of the Latter-Day Saints Church. It was established in the 1820s in upstate New York by Joseph Smith, who claimed to have gotten an angelic vision that informed him of the locality of golden plates holding God’s revelation. He published it in 1830, and it became the Book of Mormon. According to the doctrine of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon is a companion to the Bible and divulges matters that have been omitted from the Bible. For instance, Mormons follow a strict health code and do not consume alcohol, coffee, or tea. In addition, they do not smoke. They also have a distinct way of their perception of the afterlife in that upon death, every individual is received into discrete kingdoms of glory. To attain this, Mormons believe that they must accept Jesus Christ, practice repentance, and receive baptism.

Baptists refer to a major branch of Protestantism that is distinguished by its practice of baptism to professing Christian believers through a complete submersion in water. They affiliate themselves with the Protestant movement or denomination of the Christian Church. Baptists have similar belief systems to Christians for instance, salvation is the emancipation from sin and a gift from God. They carry out the doctrine of a believer’s baptism, which should only be performed upon individuals who profess their belief in God, contrary to the conventional baptism of infants.

Difference between Mormons and Baptists

Parameters of Comparison	Mormons	Baptists
Teachings	Follow the teachings of the Bible, The Book of Mormon, and scriptures authored by John Smith	Believe in and follow the teachings of the Holy Bible only
God	God was less powerful, just like human beings when he initially came. Through his experiences and living a righteous life, he attained the state of “Godhood.”	God is supernatural and omnipotent and has always been God the supreme being.
Human Beings	Human beings were pre-mortally existing as God’s “spirit children” and received bodies here in the world to undergo hardships, learn and experience happiness.	Human beings are born normally human with flesh and blood
Baptism	Baptism is to be carried out at the age of eight and is vital for salvation and entering the kingdom of God.	Baptism is performed on individuals that accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and hence it is symbolic but not mandatory for salvation and to enter the kingdom of God.

How are Baptists’ and Mormons’ beliefs different?

Book of Authority

Baptists believe in and adhere to the doctrines of the Bible as the only book of authority. In contrast, Mormons read both the Bible and the Book of Mormon and consider that only then will they attain happiness in life.

God

Mormons believe that God exists in three separate entities, which are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. On the other hand, Baptists believe that only one God exists in three simultaneous entities, i.e., the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Mormons acknowledge God to be like a human being with a physical body comprising of flesh and bones who lived like the rest of humanity. God then attained the state of ‘Godhood’ after living a righteous life. Baptists acknowledge God as a spiritual being and not a human being with flesh and bones.

Baptism

Mormons practice the belief system of individuals being baptized from eight years of age. After this, people are considered to enter the age of culpability. Conversely, Baptists believe that baptism must only be performed on persons that have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Mormons’ viewpoint of baptism is both symbolic and crucial for salvation, whereas Baptists’ viewpoint of baptism is symbolic but is not crucial for salvation. An individual cannot be accepted into the Mormon Church unless he is baptized whereas baptism is voluntary for Baptists.

Jesus Christ

Mormons believe that Jesus Christ had a natural birth, whereas Baptists believe that Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary. Mormons do not believe that Jesus became part of the Holy Trinity after his earthly mission. Rather, they believe that he exists as a distinct and separate personage from God the Father. On the other hand, Baptists believe that Jesus is a member of the Holy Trinity of God and exists as God the Son.

The Afterlife

Mormons believe that an individual’s soul goes to either a paradise or a prison to await judgment upon one’s death. Baptists believe that an individual’s soul rests upon death. They further believe that one’s soul will ascend to Heaven when Jesus Christ returns or resurrect on Judgment Day to face judgment.

Eternal Life

According to the Mormon worldview, Mormonism is the only true church whose followers will ultimately have eternal life. However, according to the Baptist worldview, an individual does not have to be a Baptist to gain eternal life. Instead, they believe that the only way one can attain eternal life is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

Similarities between Mormons and Baptists

Both Mormons and Baptists believe in God. Additionally, both Mormons and Baptists carry out baptism via submersion in water. Mormons and Baptists consider themselves Christians because they adhere to numerous Christian teachings. Both groups believe in the sanctity of the Bible and adhere to its doctrines. Lastly, both Mormons and Baptists believe in the significance of family.

How do Baptists view Mormons?

Baptists view Mormons as having a bizarre theology and warn their adherents of being ensnared by the alluring nature of Mormonism but are oblivious to its unbiblical doctrines. In 1998, Baptists in Salt Lake City dispatched 3,000 missionaries to Mormon households to spread the Southern Baptist faith and achieve converts among the Mormons whom they deemed as lost.

Additionally, Baptists view Mormons as being members of a cult religion. This is because Mormons claim to be the restoration of the true church of Jesus Christ rather than being a branch of Christianity. In the 1980s, many of the Mormon’s domestic growth emanated from converted Baptists. This resulted in the Baptists supplying educational materials for its missionaries, clergymen, and congregation to confront the beliefs of Mormonism.

Baptists equally contend that the Mormonism founder Joseph Smith is a false prophet and that his teachings and ideologies are discordant with biblical Christianity.

Can I be both Baptist and Mormon?

No, you cannot be both Baptist and Mormon. Both groups have diverse ideologies and belief systems that are contrary to one another, such as differing on The Book of Mormon, the Holy Trinity of God, baptism, the identity of Jesus Christ, the afterlife, and eternal life. Thus, you cannot be a follower of both groups because of their opposing viewpoints. In addition, the clash between the two groups stems from the fact that the Baptists claim Mormons to be members of a religious cult that follow a false prophet and have a weird theology with unbiblical doctrines.