The 13 Articles of Faith: LDS Core Beliefs Explained

The Articles of Faith stand as the most concise official summary of Latter-day Saint doctrine ever written. In just 13 brief statements, Joseph Smith distilled the core beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—beliefs about God, Christ, the Atonement, the priesthood, ongoing revelation, and virtue. Written in 1842 in a letter to a newspaper editor named John Wentworth, the Articles of Faith were later canonized in the Pearl of Great Price, making them official scripture alongside the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants.

Every LDS child memorizes the Articles of Faith as part of the Faith in God award (Primary's progress program). Members can recite them in Sunday school, refer to them in theological debates, and see them quoted in General Conference talks. They represent Mormonism in its purest, most distilled form—not elaborate theology, but essential beliefs any curious outsider should know about the faith.

What Are the Articles of Faith?

The Articles of Faith are a statement of belief, not commandments or doctrinal expansion. They assume the reader already knows basic Christianity and provide correctives to what Joseph Smith saw as missing or corrupted in traditional Christianity. They address what Latter-day Saints believe about God's nature (three separate beings, not one substance), how sin is understood (personal accountability, not inherited guilt), what ordinances are required (baptism, laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost), and why revelation continues (God still speaks).

Joseph Smith's letter was written in response to a request from John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat, who wanted to know what Mormons actually believed. Smith provided a brief history of the church and then the 13 Articles—a perfect summary for an outsider or a new convert.

The 13 Articles Explained

**Article 1** asserts that Latter-day Saints believe in "God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." This affirms belief in the Godhead but corrects traditional Christian Trinitarian theology—for Latter-day Saints, these are three separate, distinct beings, united in purpose but not substance. This distinction is foundational to LDS thought.

**Article 2** states: "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression." This rejects the doctrine of original sin—the idea that all humans inherit guilt from Adam and Eve's disobedience. In LDS theology, Adam's sin brought mortality (physical death) into the world, a necessary step in God's plan, but each person is individually accountable only for their own choices.

**Article 3** affirms: "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved." Christ's sacrifice covers all humanity; the gospel is universally available. This expands traditional Christian soteriology by implying that those who never hear the gospel (including children who die, the mentally disabled, and those in other dispensations) receive God's mercy.

**Article 4** lists the "first principles and ordinances of the Gospel: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." These are the entry steps into the church and the foundation of the LDS spiritual path.

**Article 5** emphasizes priesthood authority: "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." This corrects what Latter-day Saints see as a gap in Protestant Christianity—the absence of ordained priesthood authority traceable to God's delegation to Joseph Smith.

**Article 6** affirms that the church has "the same organization as was in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth" (1 Corinthians 12:28). Latter-day Saints claim continuity with the ancient church through restored organization, not merely theological alignment.

**Article 7** promises spiritual gifts: "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." Prophecy, healing, tongues, and revelation are not closed—God continues to speak. This is perhaps the most counter-intuitive claim for non-LDS readers.

**Article 8** addresses scripture: "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." The qualification—"as far as it is translated correctly"—leaves room for translation error but affirms the Bible's authority. The addition of the Book of Mormon makes this the most distinctly Mormon statement.

**Article 9** reinforces ongoing revelation: "All that God has revealed...and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things." This doctrine justifies the continuation of General Conference, modern prophets, and the evolution of church teaching (e.g., on race and priesthood, on women's roles).

**Article 10** speaks of Zion: "We believe all that God has revealed...concerning the building up of Zion in the last days." Latter-day Saints believe that an American "Zion" (Independence, Missouri, and surrounding regions) will be gathered and built up. This blends Old Testament imagery of Israel with American geography and Manifest Destiny, creating a uniquely LDS apocalyptic vision.

**Article 11** affirms religious freedom: "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege." This reflects the church's historical persecution and affirms that conscience, not state, determines worship.

**Article 12** teaches civic obedience: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." This resolved early LDS tensions with U.S. government and established the principle of political loyalty even when the church disagrees with specific laws.

**Article 13**, the most famous, sums up virtue: "We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." This closing is quoted frequently in LDS culture, appearing on logos, in hymns, and in mission statements.

Why They Were Written

Joseph Smith wrote the Articles of Faith to answer a simple question: What do Mormons believe? Rather than write a lengthy theology, he distilled doctrine into 13 plain statements. The letter was first published in the Chicago Democrat and later in the LDS newspaper Millennial Star. When the church reorganized its scriptures, the Articles of Faith were included in the Pearl of Great Price, signaling their canonical importance.

The Articles also served a public relations purpose—they made clear that Latter-day Saints were Christians (affirming Christ, the Atonement, and the Bible) while also being distinctly Mormon (emphasizing the Book of Mormon, ongoing revelation, priesthood authority, and American Zion).

Memorizing the Articles of Faith

LDS children begin memorizing the Articles of Faith in Primary (ages 3-12) as part of the Faith in God award progression. Children who complete the Faith in God award by age 12 earn a medal and are recognized for their spiritual commitment. Memorizing all 13 Articles is part of the spiritual foundation every LDS child receives.

Members often recite them in sacrament meetings, add them to personal scripture study, or teach them to their children. The cadence and language of the Articles make them memorable—they're written in a formal, almost biblical style that lends itself to memorization.