You may have heard the question "Do Mormons
believe in the Bible?"
The answer is yes.
Mormons--more properly referred to as Latter-day Saints,
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints--consider the Bible to be holy scripture mainly
because of what it teaches and testifies about God and His
Son, Jesus Christ.
And what does the Bible teach?
It helps us understand more about Jesus Christ as a divine
being.
Nowhere else do we get such a clear understanding
of what Jesus Christ was like as a person on this earth.
The Bible is full of stories and examples of how He treated,
served, and taught people.
It is also full of examples of His miraculous power
and how He used it to change people's lives for the better.
And most importantly, the Bible demonstrated that the Savior
performed the Atonement--or, in other words,
provided a way for each and every one of us to be saved
from death and sin: the clearest example of how much God loves
us all.
The Bible, which came into its current form
somewhere around the fourth century,
has impacted countless lives since it was assembled,
growing from its humble origins to all of Europe
and eventually to all the world.
The full Bible has been translated
into almost 700 languages and the New Testament
into over 1,500 languages.
It has converted millions of people to Christianity,
taught us to pray, and given us examples
that model how we can make better choices in our lives
and help us find our Savior.
The Bible itself declares that the word of God
is a great tool to bring others to the truth,
more powerful than any other method of persuasion.
This book of scripture has instructed, corrected,
and helped people to live their best lives for centuries.
For these reasons and many more, Latter-day Saints
are encouraged to read and study the Bible.
They do this not only at home but also in their Church
meetings, youth seminary, institutes at the university
level, and throughout their adult lives in Sunday School.
When you understand its emphasis,
there's no question that Latter-day Saints
both believe in the Bible and follow its teachings.
What is unique about members of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints is that we also
believe that there are more scriptures than the Bible
alone.
The Bible tells the story of how God and Jesus Christ dealt
with the people in the Old World and mainly the Middle East.
Latter-day Saints understand that God also
loved and led the people in the New
World, the people of the American continent,
both before Christ's birth and after.
That record of God's love for the people in the New World
is called the Book of Mormon.
We believe both the Bible and the Book of Mormon
to be the word of God.
Some have misunderstood the Book of Mormon
to be the Mormon Bible, but that is not the case.
The Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible.
It complements and supports it and stands as another witness
of Jesus Christ.
And what do both books teach us?
They both witness of Jesus Christ.
They both teach that He is the Son of God.
They help us to know more about the incredible example
He gave us of how to live a life guided by truth and love.
The Bible and the Book of Mormon act
as powerful testimonies of Christ's Atonement
for all of us.
They strengthen our understanding
of the powerful impact of His death on the cross
and how He rose again three days later as the resurrected
Lord, the Savior to us all.
They both speak powerfully that God has always been
watching over the whole world.
These testimonies from both sides of the globe
confirm the love He has for all of us.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul
laid out a principle to help each
of us come to an understanding of the truth.
He said, "In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word be established."
Along these lines, Latter-day Saints
view both the Bible and the Book of Mormon
as powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ and God's plan for us.
They teach us that God loves all of His children,
that He is watching over each and every one of us,
that He has watched over His children throughout the ages,
and that no matter where we live or what our background is,
He is mindful of us.
They teach us that He wants us to have joy in this life
and to return to live with Him and that to make this possible,
He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to teach us
and to atone for our sins.
As John wrote in the New Testament,
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."
So let's review.
Do Latter-day Saints believe in the Holy Bible?
Absolutely.
Latter-day Saints are encouraged to study all of God's word
so we can apply what we've learned
and feel the peace in our hearts that
comes from knowing and living God's plan of happiness.
The Holy Bible: what we believe, how we study it,
and why it's important.
Now you know.