Christianity was born out of the faith of ancient Israel—a religion centered on personal, covenant-making God who acted in history, delivered His people, and guided them through prophets. As the gospel spread into the Greek-speaking Roman Empire, Christians began to describe their beliefs using Greek philosophical ideas, a process known as the Hellenization of Christianity. This shift helped Christians communicate with the wider world, but it also introduced new concepts that differed from original Hebrew thought.

Interestingly, when we examine the Bible and the writings of early Christians, we find that many teachings closely match what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) teaches today.

Greek Philosophy Meets Christian Faith

By the time of Jesus, Greek philosophy had spread across the Mediterranean world. Philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics taught that behind our changing world there was an ultimate reality: perfect, eternal, and unchanging. They saw God (or the divine) as the Unmoved Mover—changeless, beyond time and space, defined by abstract qualities like substance (ousia) and essence. In this view, the soul was seen as immortal, trapped in the body, and longing to return to the divine realm.

As Christianity spread, believers began to use these ideas to explain their faith. Concepts like the Trinity and terms like “one substance in three persons” arose from this blending of philosophy and theology. But these weren’t part of how the earliest Jewish Christians understood God.

The Simpler, Hebrew View of God

The God of the Bible isn’t described in abstract philosophical terms. Instead, He is known through His actions and relationships with His people. The famous words of Deuteronomy 6:4—“The Lord our God, the Lord is one”—call for exclusive loyalty to God, not a definition of His essence. The Old Testament describes God as the one who brought Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 20:2), made covenants, judged with justice, and showed mercy. In the New Testament, Jesus prays to the Father as a separate being (John 17:3), and tells His followers, “My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). This relational, covenant God differs greatly from the abstract being of Greek philosophy.

Early Christian Writers Echo These Biblical Ideas

Although Greek influence grew over time, many early Christian writers expressed beliefs that reflect these biblical roots—and align closely with LDS teachings today.

On the Father and Son as distinct beings, Justin Martyr taught, “There is said to be another God and Lord subject to the Maker of all things” (Dialogue with Trypho 56). This view matches the Bible’s depiction of Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55), and mirrors the LDS belief that the Father and Son are separate beings united in purpose (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).

On humanity’s divine potential, Irenaeus declared, “If the Word became a man, it was so men may become gods” (Against Heresies 3.19.1), while Clement of Alexandria wrote, “The Word of God became man, that you may learn from man how man may become God” (Exhortation to the Greeks 1.11). This teaching echoes scriptures like Psalm 82:6—“I said, you are gods; you are all sons of the Most High”—and 2 Peter 1:4, which speaks of becoming “partakers of the divine nature.” These ideas align with the LDS doctrine of eternal progression (Doctrine and Covenants 76; 132).

On pre-mortal existence, Origen taught, “The soul has neither beginning nor end… it existed from the beginning in the essence of God” (De Principiis 1.4.1). This connects with Jeremiah 1:5, where God tells the prophet, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,” and with Job 38:7, which describes the “sons of God” rejoicing before creation. This view resonates with the LDS belief in a pre-earth life (Abraham 3:22–23).

On baptism by immersion, the Shepherd of Hermas wrote, “They went down into the water dead, and they came up alive” (Vision 3). Paul taught the same in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that… we too may live a new life.” This matches the LDS practice of baptism by immersion (Articles of Faith 1:4).

On the need for priesthood authority, Ignatius of Antioch said, “Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist which is administered by the bishop, or by one he has entrusted” (To the Smyrnaeans 8). Hebrews 5:4 affirms, “No one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.” Latter-day Saints likewise believe that ordinances must be performed by proper priesthood authority (Doctrine and Covenants 42:11).

On apostasy and corruption, Origen warned, “Certain among Christians have dared to reinterpret the Gospel in a way not agreeable to the intentions of Jesus” (Against Celsus 3.29). Paul foretold that “the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3), and that Christ’s return would not come “until the rebellion occurs” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). This fits the LDS understanding of the Great Apostasy and the need for a restoration of truth (Joseph Smith—History 1:19).

Was Hellenization a Help or a Change?

Greek philosophy gave early Christians new ways to explain their faith, but it also shifted the focus. The God of the Bible—the God of relationships, covenants, and action—was gradually described in terms of essence, substance, and abstract perfection. For Latter-day Saints, the Restoration is seen as God’s way of bringing back the original truths about His nature, our divine potential, and the plan of salvation—truths found in both the Bible and the writings of early Christian leaders, before Hellenization reshaped Christian doctrine.

Works Cited

• The Holy Bible, NIV
• Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho
• Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Greeks, Stromata
• Irenaeus, Against Heresies
• Origen, De Principiis, Against Celsus
• Ignatius of Antioch, To the Smyrnaeans
• Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 3

Didache, chapter 7