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Are Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses Christians?
Hello, Church Family!
As followers of Christ in today’s world, we've likely encountered friends, neighbors, or family members who identify as Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness. Often, you'll hear comments like, "We all worship the same Jesus, right?" or "Don't we essentially believe the same thing?" These sincere questions deserve thoughtful, loving, and biblically accurate answers—so let's unpack this important issue together.
At first glance, Mormons (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) and Jehovah's Witnesses (the Watchtower Society) might seem similar enough to traditional Christianity. They use many familiar terms, talk about Jesus, and reference the Bible. But digging a bit deeper, we find significant and essential differences that set these groups fundamentally apart from biblical Christianity. Here are three major areas that help clarify why traditional, biblical Christians cannot rightly categorize Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses as fellow Christians in the historic sense.
First, revelation. Those of us who trust in the historic Christian faith believe the Bible alone is God's inspired, infallible, and final revelation to humanity. Scripture like Revelation 22:18–19 warns strongly against adding new revelations once God's Word is given, and Hebrew 1:1–3 reminds us Christ alone is the full and final Word. In contrast, Mormons significantly add to God's revelation by accepting multiple authoritative books (the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price) alongside modern-day prophets who claim ongoing revelation. Meanwhile, Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to follow the Bible exclusively—but insist every translation except their specific one (the New World Translation) is corrupted. This translation dramatically alters important doctrines, especially diminishing Jesus’ divinity.
Second, consider the doctrine of God. Biblical Christianity affirms that one God has eternally existed as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—what we call the Trinity. Both Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses explicitly reject this historical biblical teaching. Mormonism claims separately that God was once an ordinary man who attained divinity, Jesus (Jehovah) is physically distinct and subordinate, and the Holy Ghost is merely a powerful spirit-person. Jehovah’s Witnesses straightforwardly deny Christ’s eternal deity, claiming Jesus is God's first created being—the archangel Michael—famously changing John 1:1 in their translation to call Jesus merely "a god."
Finally, look at salvation and eternity. In Mormon theology, people advance through three heavenly kingdoms based upon works and rituals alongside faith in Christ. Jehovah’s Witnesses speak of salvation as belonging to a limited 144,000 who reign in heaven, and a larger "great crowd," who live forever in paradise on earth. Both groups replace the beautiful New Testament message of salvation through grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–10), with complex works-based scenarios.
So, Church, are these groups traditional, biblical Christians? Clearly, no. Yet let's always engage these differences from a place of gentleness, kindness, respect—and clarity. Our aim isn't to win theological arguments, but to graciously point seekers toward the true and complete Jesus—the eternal Son of God whose death and resurrection alone are sufficient to save.
Let's stay informed, loving, and anchored in the truth!
Pastor Justin Wyckoff |
