Joseph Smith Jr. (1805–1844) was the founder and first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism).
Smith claimed that in 1820 he received a direct vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, who told him that all existing Christian churches had fallen into total apostasy and that he was chosen to restore the true church.
He later claimed an angel named Moroni revealed the location of golden plates, which Smith said contained an ancient record of Israelites who migrated to the Americas. Smith claimed to translate these plates by divine means, producing the Book of Mormon (published 1830), which Mormons regard as Scripture equal to the Bible.
In 1830, Smith organized a new church and claimed ongoing prophetic revelation, producing additional texts such as Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. He taught doctrines that sharply diverge from historic Christianity, including:
- God was once a man who progressed to godhood
- Humans may become gods
- The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are separate beings (not the Trinity)
- Continuing revelation that can modify or override prior teaching
Smith secretly practiced and later openly taught plural marriage (polygamy), including relationships with multiple women, some already married to other men. His leadership led to significant social and legal conflict.
In 1844, Smith was killed by a mob while imprisoned in Carthage, Illinois.
Evaluation
From the standpoint of historic Christianity, Joseph Smith is not regarded as a true prophet because:
- He introduced new Scripture beyond the Bible (Gal. 1:8–9; Rev. 22:18–19)
- He taught a different doctrine of God than the biblical Trinity (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19)
- He claimed a total apostasy contradicting Christ’s promise to preserve His church (Matt. 16:18; Jude 3)
Joseph Smith remains revered by Latter-day Saints as a prophet but is viewed by orthodox Christianity as the founder of a new religious system, not a restorer of biblical Christianity.
False Teaching
The heart of Joseph Smith’s false teaching was that he put his own authority over the authority of Scripture. He added his own revelation to the Bible’s revelation and took it upon himself to identify and correct what he claimed were errors in Scripture.
Smith believed that the Bible was corrupt and insufficient and for that reason both took away from, and added to, God’s written revelation. Regarding the Bible’s corruption he said, “I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors.” These errors were both typographical and doctrinal. To address the Bible’s shortcomings, Smith produced his own translation of the Bible, making many corrections and additions to a variety of Old Testament and New Testament books.
He also claimed that his own revelations from God were the only access point to the true gospel that had apparently been lost. Mormon historian Richard Bushman says the “signal feature” of Smith’s life was “his sense of being guided by revelation.” He placed himself above all previous revelations and interpretations of the Bible—even those of Christ himself.
Followers and Modern Adherents
Joseph Smith gained many devoted followers during his lifetime. Immediately after his death, his followers split into two main groups: those who followed Brigham Young to Utah to become the modern “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” and those who coalesced under Smith’s eldest son, Joseph Smith III to become the modern “Community of Christ” (formerly known as the “Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”).
These are the two main groups who follow Joseph Smith today. They continue to adhere to his false teachings about the Bible and countless doctrines contained within it. They continue to deny the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture while elevating personal experience above the authority of the Bible. In total they number approximately 15 million and their ranks continue to grow through constant and systematic proselytization.
What the Bible Says
The Bible claims that it is the authoritative, infallible, inerrant, sufficient revelation of God. “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:5-6). It offers this dire warning: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).
There is no historical evidence that the Bible was missing information or that it had been corrupted before it was compiled into the Old and New Testaments. The fact that Jesus quotes the Old Testament with such confidence and without any hint that it is lacking or misrepresentative is reason enough to accept it as the pure and true word of God (John 17:17). The New Testament has also been repeatedly proven as unchanged and undefiled since it was first given by God.
The diversity of interpretations and sects among those who claim to follow the Bible, the very context which so confused Smith and led him to create an entirely new religion, does not provide warrant to say that the Bible itself is ambiguous or lacking in any way. We are told to expect divisions and factions among the body, “in order that those who are genuine … may be recognized” (1 Corinthians 11:18-19). Mormonism itself has been cut by endless in-fights and divisions, showing that the problem with the fractured church is not corrupted Scriptures but corrupted hearts.
