So the LDS are a religion and all the other denominations are churches, “body of Christ” as Godzilla put it?
SZ
LDS is only related to Christianity because it was developed out of it. Its doctrines are contrary to that of Christianity. Many of the terms LDS use are similar to those used by Christianity (salvation, grace, etc) - however their definitions are not the same as Christians use.
The Apostle Paul discusses this in 1 Corinthians 12 -
12 ¶ For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 ¶ Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Jesus didn’t set up a church or religion - He set up an opportunity to reestablish our relationship with God
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
In order to establish that relationship, we have to be cleansed of our sins. That is an act that only God was qualified to do - numerous verses in the Bible show that our works just don’t cut the mustard. Jesus came out of that great love God has for us to provide that reconcilation to us free of charge - because He paid the debt in full and offers it to us by grace-unmerited favor.
Keeping you in my prayers. Feel free to FReepmail me at any time.
Well...
It's kind of hard to pin down in a few sentences here on FR.
Way back when all the far-flung 'churchs' were getting started, differing ways of worship evolved because there was no central power dictating which way to do it.
Acts 15 shows a bit of what was going on at certain places away from Jerusalems influence.
Obviously, differing peoples and lifestyles would influence HOW folks worshipped, while the WHY and WHAT would hopefully remain fairly uniform between the groups.
It's interesting that Paul addresses just about all of these problems in his letters to various 'churchs'.
However, the things were STILL being fussed over 2-3 centuries later.
That's why these difering councils got together to distill what was the ESSENCE of Christianity - the CREEDs that we now have - that illustrate the core princples, beliefs, that would tend to make a 'christian' church.
If a group does NOT have these essentials, I would question them as to really being Chrsitian.
Some go so far as to call the CREED an ABOMINATION, yet cannot point to a single thing in them that is wrong!
Church history is a fasinating subject and takes lots of time to chase down, because at each split BOTH sides tell their tale in a light that'll make them look good.
Much discernment is needed; to say the least!
Anyway, today's 'denonminations' will ALL have central things they agree on, which will unite them into the body of Christ (the church) and others they may rigorously DISagree about; which may not have much to do with faith in Christ at all.
Domestic disturbances are the thing cops HATE to go to; for they know that in a moment, the separte warring factions will unite in a common bond to fight off the intruders.
To outsiders looking at 'church' fights; intramural or intermural; will think there is NOTHING these folks have in common, but watch the 'fight' get set aside when a COMMON foe shows up on their doorstep!
Anyway - Catholics and Protestants both agree on the essentials - but the Mormons have chose other things to rely upon; going back into the OLD Testement for some of their practices, doing things that early Christianity defined as un-christian and even making up new ones on their own.
As a group, they have STRONG family values and their Conservatism is to be admired; but theologically - they are not Christian.
The Bible clearly warned about listening to things other than the Lord, and the two Personages that alledgely talked to Joseph Smith surely fall into the category of false doctrine.
Hope this helps a little.