Day 1: Alma 22:1–26 — Is There a God?

The Book of Mormon 21 Day Challenge

Day 1: Alma 22:1–26 — Is There a God?

Scripture Focus: Alma 22:1–26

LDS Quote: “The most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.”— Dieter F. Uchtdorf, You Matter to Him

his passage from the Book of Mormon recounts a dramatic exchange between Aaron, one of the sons of Mosiah, and King Lamoni’s father. Aaron begins to teach the king about God, the creation, the fall of man, and the plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The king is moved, prays a heartfelt prayer of repentance and desire for salvation, and then collapses as though dead. Later, Aaron revives him by the laying on of hands, and the king commands the gospel to be preached throughout the land.

At first glance, this passage seems to reflect biblical truths: belief in God, the fallen state of man, and the hope of salvation through Christ. It speaks of repentance and faith—doctrines that every evangelical Christian would affirm.

But while the terminology sounds familiar, the theology behind it diverges drastically. We must not assess this passage in isolation. To do so would be like tasting icing and assuming the whole cake is sweet, without testing its ingredients.

1. The “Great Spirit” – Is It the God of the Bible?

Aaron refers to God as “that Great Spirit.” This expression may sound poetic or harmless, even consistent with John 4:24 where Jesus says, “God is Spirit.” But this is where careful discernment must be applied.

According to official LDS doctrine:

“The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.”— Doctrine and Covenants 130:22

“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man... We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea.”— Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse, April 7, 1844

“As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.” — Lorenzo Snow, cited in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, p. 83

In other words, LDS doctrine teaches that God the Father was once a mortal man who became a god, and He possesses a physical body. Though Aaron uses language that may appeal to Christians, the doctrinal framework behind that language is not biblical. The God described in Mormonism is a finite being who attained godhood through progression—a teaching utterly foreign to Scripture, which describes God as eternal, unchangeable, and uncreated (Psalm 90:2; Malachi 3:6; John 1:1–3).

2. The Atonement: Gethsemane or the Cross?

Aaron tells the king that Christ “suffered and died to atone for sin.” At first glance, this appears sound. But LDS doctrine places the primary focus of the atonement not on the cross, but in the Garden of Gethsemane.

“In the Garden of Gethsemane... He took upon Himself the sins of the world... His agony in the garden was not less than the agony of the cross.”— Gospel Principles (2009), p. 52

“It was in Gethsemane that Jesus took on Himself the sins of the world.”— Bible Dictionary (LDS Edition), under “Gethsemane”

This reinterpretation stands in stark contrast to the historic Christian Gospel, which teaches that the atonement was accomplished on the cross, not in the garden. Jesus shed His blood as the sacrificial Lamb at Calvary, declaring, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The Garden was the place of agony, but the Cross was the place of atonement.

I explore this issue in much greater detail in my article, The Gospel of the Cross, which explains why the biblical Gospel centres on Christ’s crucifixion and the blood He shed on Calvary as the grounds of our salvation—not on His suffering in Gethsemane.

3. Are We Saved by Grace or After All We Can Do?

Aaron teaches that salvation comes through “faith and repentance.” Christians affirm this wholeheartedly. But LDS doctrine qualifies this grace with a troubling condition:

“For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”— 2 Nephi 25:23, Book of Mormon

“However powerful the saving grace of Christ, it brings exaltation only to those who obey the fulness of gospel law.”— Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 671

According to this doctrine, grace is not free—it is earned after personal effort. This stands in stark contrast to the Gospel of Christ, which teaches:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”— Ephesians 2:8–9

4. The Fall of Man: What Do Mormons Believe About Original Sin?

In verse 14 of Alma 22, Aaron says: “And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins.” This sounds aligned with Romans 5:12–19, but LDS doctrine officially rejects the idea of inherited guilt from Adam.

“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.”— Articles of Faith 1:2

Though LDS theology acknowledges that the Fall introduced mortality, it denies the imputation of Adam’s guilt, which is a cornerstone of orthodox Christian soteriology.

5. But Doesn’t This Sound Christian? Paul’s Warning

To the average Christian unfamiliar with LDS teachings, Alma 22 may sound doctrinally sound. It speaks of God, repentance, Christ, and salvation. But this is exactly why the Apostle Paul’s warning must be heard afresh today:

“I marvel that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel, which is really not another, only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!”— Galatians 1:6–9 (LSB)

Mormonism claims its origins from an angel (Moroni) who revealed golden plates. But the gospel proclaimed in the Book of Mormon, though dressed in Christian vocabulary, is a distortion—a completely different system that redefines God, grace, salvation, and the very purpose of life.

this passage in Alma 22 sounds inspirational. It tells a touching story of a pagan king coming to know “God” and desiring salvation. But without understanding what that “God” means in LDS theology, or how “salvation” is defined in their framework, you may find yourself embracing a different gospel altogether.

Test every spirit. Examine the whole system of Mormon doctrine—not just its heartwarming stories. The Book of Mormon uses Christian-sounding words, but those words carry radically different definitions.

Let us hold fast to the Gospel once delivered to the saints:

Christ crucified on the cross, risen from the grave, and reigning in Heaven and will return to Earth rule for 1000 years— He has given us the offering of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.