Denomination Differences

There is no singular salvation for Mormons: Exaltation, or going to the highest of the three degrees of glory and becoming a god, is achieved by getting baptized, confirmed, ordained in the Melchizedek priesthood (if a man), endowed, and married and then by keeping the covenants for the rest of one's life.

Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved.

Yes, the promise of exaltation can be lost by breaking one's covenants, except for a select few couples who are chosen for a second anointing which guarantees exaltation unless one sins against the Holy Ghost or commits murder.

Understanding persons get baptized as the first ordinance, cleansing them of all sins.

Baptism should be by immersion.

The gift of the Holy Ghost is received at confirmation.

The Godhead comprises three separate gods—God the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

Humans are neither inherently good nor inherently evil.

No, "men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression."

No, the ceremonial laws of Judaism were fulfilled and done away with by Jesus.

No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life.

No, the elements merely symbolically represent the body and blood of Christ.

Yes, a living person can be a proxy for the dead to be baptized, who then can accept or reject it in the afterlife.

Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.

Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus.

Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers.

God has different periods of history where he has at least one authorized servant on earth.

Speaking in tongues is sometimes unintelligible and sometimes foreign human languages.

The Church has five saving ordinances: Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the Temple Endowment, and the Marriage Sealing. There are roughly a dozen other ordinances important for comfort.

Confession should be made directly to God unless the church might discipline for such sin, in which case it must be confessed to the bishop.

Wards should be governed by the president in that stake, who in turn is governed by the seventies, who are governed by the Twelve, who are governed by the President of the Church.

Christians worship on Sunday.

There are many sources of God's revelation.

There are 66 canonical books of the Bible—39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books—and three other canonical books: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

No, the Bible is not inerrant in any respect.

The President of the Church and the Twelve Apostles are prophets, seers, and revelators who speak for God and whose prophecies shall all be fulfilled.

The earth was created by God organizing matter which has existed eternally.

Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.

No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.

Divorce is permissible for any reason allowed by law.

Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce.

No established doctrine, but the church opposes elective abortions.

Yes, contraceptives are permissible.

Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.

No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.

No, alcohol should be totally avoided.

Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.

The Holy Spirit is a separate god.

The righteous await the resurrection in Paradise, part of the spirit world.