The Holy Trinity - Latter-Day

Some phrases in the scriptures, and some references to the Savior have caused confusion about the nature of the Godhead. By way of prophets and scripture, the latter-day Church brings forth new knowledge to help answer these questions.

Jesus: The Father and The Son

There are places in the scriptures where the Savior is referred to as “The Father”. Not understanding what this refers to may have helped to create confusion in the world about the nature of the Godhead. In the Book of Mormon, there's a prophet by the name of Abinidi who taught, “...God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in the flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son – The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son , because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and the Son – and they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth...” (Mosiah 15:1-4)

All of these references to “Father” and “Son” are in fact references to the same being: Jesus Christ, the Son.

Mormons believe Jesus was chosen before He was born to be conceived by the power of God and become the only Begotten Son. The Son was begotten by His Father. By virtue of that calling, Jesus became the Father of the plan of salvation, and the Father – or creator – of the heavens and the earth and of all things that in them are. So his being born as the only Begotten Son of God made him the Son because of his Flesh, and the Father of all things because of His calling to be conceived by the power of God, becoming the Son of God, who would suffer and die to bring about His eternal purposes as the Father of the plan of salvation.

King Benjamin, also a Book of Mormon prophet, put this same idea a little more succinctly: “...and he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning...” (Mosiah 3:8)

The Brother of Jared Saw Jesus, We Are Created in the Image of God

More than 2,500 years before the birth of the Savior, a prophet and his brother, Jared, departed the tower of Babel, headed for a land which the Lord had promised unto them. During their journeys, the brother of Jared spent a lot of time in prayer, and was allowed to see Jesus in spirit form:

“...therefore I show myself unto you. Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son... never before have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold, his body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.

Abinidi: Man Was Created in the Image of God

"...he said unto them that Christ was the God, the Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man, and it should be the cimage after which man was created in the beginning; or in other words, he said that man was created after the image of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the earth..." (Mosiah 7:27)


Nephi, Great-Grandson of Alma the Younger

Nephi recounts the experience of the inhabitants of America in his time, immediately following the signs of the Savior's death, which had been given by the prophets. The Father introduces His resurrected, immortal Son:

"And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn. And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not. And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came. And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them: Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him. (3 Nephi 11:3-7)

Joseph Smith Saw the Father and the Son

Finding himself full of questions, and having been unable to get answers from local churches or from the Bible, young Joseph Smith decided to pray and ask God. As a result of that prayer, according to Joseph's own record, the following occurred:

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the noon day sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... when the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other – This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1:1-17)

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ, there is no question that the Father and the Son are in fact two separate and distinct Personages.

Jesus: Our Advocate with the Father

"I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father." (Doctrine & Covenants 110:4, see also D&C 45:3, D&C 29:5)


The First Article of Faith

Early in the history of the restored Church, Joseph Smith was asked to send a description of the beliefs of the Latter-Day Saints for publication in a local newspaper. In that description, Joseph Smith summed up our beliefs concerning the nature of the Holy Trinity this way: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” (Articles of Faith 1)




The Kingdoms of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost

The Lord told Joseph Smith about how the Father, Son and Holy Ghost reign over their respective glories.

Celstial glory:


"...we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever" (Doctrine and Covenants 76:92)


Telerrestrial glory:

"These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father. Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun." (Doctrine and Covenants 76:77-78)

Telestial glory:

"These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial..." (Doctrine and Covenants 76:86)

LDS Lowerlight: What's in the Doctrine & Covenants? Immortality, Heaven & Hell, Judgement & Resurrection, Three Degrees of Glory 

In other words, each member of the Godhead has individual responsibility over one of the three kingdoms of glory.


Latter-Day Revelation

Ultimately however for us, the reasons for our belief that God the Father, His Son, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons derive from the experience of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove - an experience that was not unlike that of Stephen of old:

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"  (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17) 


Concerning this experience, Joseph later said:

"I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.  So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation." (Joseph Smith History 1:23-25)

To me, this statement bears no resemblance whatsoever to the kind of arrogance we expect of a cult leader making such claims in order to subjugate his followers. To me, this bespeaks a humility, an obedience, a willingness to face the scorn of men and bear witness of the Father and the Son in spite of it. For Latter-Day Saints, this account firmly cements the doctrine of three distinct personages and prefaces our understanding of pertinent scripture.