The basic Mormon beliefs are those doctrines believed by members of the Mormon Church, properly called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. First and foremost, Mormons believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of the World. Some other Christians do not believe that Mormons are Christians, since some doctrines of Mormonism differ from those of other Christian denominations.
Central to Mormon belief is the Godhead: God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They are three distinct persons united in power, glory, and attributes. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfect. He is the creator of the world. Humans are the spirit children of God, the Father, and He has created this earth and placed mankind upon it as a place for testing and personal growth. God has a plan to provide mankind with experiences and growth, but because we all sin during this process, Jesus Christ came as Savior to redeem mankind from the Fall and to save us from death. This plan is called the Plan of Salvation.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is central to man’s relationship to God and is an integral part of the Plan of Salvation. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ’s mission to save mankind from the physical and spiritual deaths which are the result of our sins. Through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, baptism by immersion in His name, laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end by following the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, a person will be saved from their sins. All mankind will be resurrected. This constitutes the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is the core of Mormonism.
Mormons have many other beliefs, some of which are shared by other Christians and some of which are not. Some of the more notable differences are that Mormons believe in continuing revelation through living prophets.Joseph Smith was the first prophet since the days of the Bible. Mormons believe that there are other scriptures besides the Bible; the Book of Mormon is one of them. Mormons also believe in Eternal Marriage, a ceremony performed in Mormon temples. Also in Mormon temples, baptism for the dead is performed to give those who died without it a chance for salvation.
A summary of basic Mormon beliefs was written by the Prophet Joseph Smith and is called, the Articles of Faith.