Are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Christian?
They quote this
They stole the word ‘Christian.’ In scripture it means disciples of Christ, not subscribers to Nicea.
King James Version
And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
NRSVUE
And it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians.'
How we read it
“Christian” in Acts is a nickname for disciples of Christ at Antioch. No creed had been written. If the word now means “subscribes to Nicea,” the first Christians fail their own test. We are baptized in Jesus’ name and take His supper every week. That is the New Testament use of the word.
The Bible answers
The apostolic test is the Incarnation, not a fourth-century password.
King James Version
Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.
NRSVUE
Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.
The Book of Mormon answers
2 Nephi 25:26
We talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ. That is the name on the building.
And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.
Dead Sea Scrolls and related extra-biblical texts that illuminate the same pattern the Restoration restores.
1 Enoch 48; 4 Ezra 13 — a named, preexistent Messiah
Second Temple Jews could already imagine a named, pre-mundane Messiah without the later Nicene glossary.
Christian identity is confession of the risen Lord, not subscription to a fourth-century metaphysical formula.
Gospel Topics
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We are not a creedal Protestant church. We are a church named for Jesus Christ, baptized in His name, taking the sacrament of His body and blood, and preaching the New Testament gospel plus the Restoration. Critics who define 'Christian' as 'Nicene' are using a late ruler. By the New Testament’s own tests — Jesus is the Christ, come in the flesh, risen from the dead — we qualify without remainder.
We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ. That is not a footnote. That is the book.
Teachings of Presidents of the Church
Parley P. Pratt
Pratt never asked permission to be called Christian. He preached the crucified and risen Jesus, baptism for remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and a church with apostles again. The insult “not Christian” is a creed test. Pratt’s test is the New Testament pattern. By that test we are not a cult on the porch. We are the family trying to get the furniture back in the house.
We are Christians the way Peter was: Jesus is the Christ, and the church still has living witnesses.
Faithful voices only. Most of these are independent — not official Church productions unless marked as such.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Be the first to tell us if this case is strong.
