Mormonism, the Trinity, the Nature of God, and Contradictions in Latter Day Saints Teachings
Introduction
One of the most important theological differences between historic Christianity and the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) is the nature of God. Christianity teaches one eternal God in three Persons (the Trinity), while LDS theology teaches three separate Gods and introduces doctrines such as God once being a man and humans becoming gods.
This information provides a structured summary of what Mormons are taught and LDS teachings, compares them with biblical Christianity, and highlights internal tensions within LDS sources themselves especially regarding the Trinity and the nature of God.
1.) LDS Teaching: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Are 3 Separate Gods
LDS doctrine explicitly teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct Gods, not one God in essence.
Key LDS Sources:
* Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chapter 2
[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-2?lang=eng]
Robert L. Millet (BYU scholar), The Ministry of the Father and the Son
[https://rsc.byu.edu/book-mormon-keystone-scripture/ministry-father-son]
* History of the Church, Volume 6, p. 474 (Joseph Smith, Sermon of the Grove)
[https://byustudies.byu.edu/online-book/history-of-the-church-volume-6/volume-6-chapter-23]
* “Trinity According to LDS Prophets & Leaders” (compiled LDS quotes)
[https://mrm.org/trinity-in-their-own-words]
Summary:
Joseph Smith and later LDS leaders rejected the historic doctrine of the Trinity and instead taught that:
* The Father is a separate embodied being
* The Son is a separate embodied being
* The Holy Spirit is a separate spirit being
This results in three distinct Gods, not one God.
2.) The Book of Mormon Teaches a Form of the Trinity
Despite LDS teachings, the Book of Mormon contains passages that sound strongly Trinitarian, affirming one God.
Key Passages:
* 2 Nephi 31:21 – “the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God”
* Alma 11:44 – speaks of ”Christ the Son, God the Father, Holy Spirit, one eternal God"
Summary:
These passages align more closely with historic Christian monotheism, where God is one in essence.
3.) The Book of Mormon Also Contains Modalism Language
At the same time, other passages in the Book of Mormon appear to teach Modalism the idea that Jesus is the Father.
Key Passages:
* Ether 3:14 – Jesus says, “I am the Father and the Son”
* Mosiah 15:2–4 – describes Christ as both "Father and Son"
* Alma 11:38–40 – identifies Christ as “the Eternal Father”
* Helaman 14:12 – identifies Christ as “the Father of heaven”
* Ether 4:12 – identifies Christ as “the Father”
* Mosiah 16:15 – identifies Christ as “the Eternal Father”
Summary:
These passages reflect Modalism language, which historically has been rejected as heresy in Christianity.
4.) Internal Tension: Trinity vs Modalism vs Three Gods
When comparing LDS sources, we see three different teachings:
1. Trinitarian language (one God) – Book of Mormon
2. Modalism language (Jesus = Father) – Book of Mormon
3. Three separate Gods – Joseph Smith and LDS doctrine
Conclusion:
These positions are mutually exclusive and cannot all be true at the same time. This creates a significant internal inconsistency within LDS theology and what Mormons believe.
5.) LDS Teaching: God Was Once a Man
Another major doctrine in Mormonism is that God the Father was once a man who became God.
Key Sources:
*Lorenzo Snow – Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow
[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-lorenzo-snow/chapter-5-the-grand-destiny-of-the-faithful?lang=eng]
*Joseph Smith – King Follett Discourse: History of the Church Volume 6, pages 304-306
[https://byustudies.byu.edu/online-book/history-of-the-church-volume-6/volume-6-chapter-14]
* Additional LDS Quotes
[https://mrm.org/does-mormonism-still-teach-god-the-father-was-once-a-man]
Summary:
Joseph Smith taught:
* God was once a man
* He progressed to become God
* There are many Gods
This directly contradicts the Bible, and historic Christian belief that God is eternal and unchanging.
6.) LDS Teaching: Humans Can Become Gods
Closely connected is the LDS doctrine of exaltation that humans can become gods.
Key Sources:
* Doctrine and Covenants 132:18–25
* Pearl of Great Price (Book of Moses)
* Gospel Principles, Chapter 47
[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-47-exaltation?lang=eng]
* Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, Chapter 3
* Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, Chapter 33
[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel-student-manual/33-kingdoms-of-glory-and-perdition?lang=eng]
Summary:
The LDS teaching can be summarized by Lorenzo Snow’s famous statement:
“As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may become.”
7.) LDS Scripture Also Says God Is Eternal
Interestingly, LDS scriptures also affirm that God is eternal and unchanging.
Key Passages:
* Doctrine and Covenants 20:17 – God is “infinite and eternal”
* Doctrine and Covenants 76:4 – God is “eternity to eternity”
* Moses 1:3 – God has “no beginning and no ending”
* Moroni 8:18 – “God is not a changeable being”
* Mormon 9:9 – “God is the same yesterday, today, and forever”
Summary:
These passages align with the biblical view of God’s eternal nature, but they conflict with the idea that God was once a man who progressed to godhood.
8. The Core Issue: A Different God
When all LDS teachings are compared, several contradictions emerge:
* One God vs. many Gods
* God is eternal vs. God became God vs Men become Gods
* Jesus is both the Father and the Son vs. Jesus is distinct person from the Father
Biblical Christianity Teaches:
* One eternal unchanging God, God has always been God (Deuteronomy 4:35, Deuteronomy 4:39, Nehemiah 9:6, 2 Kings 19:15, Psalm 90:2, Psalm 93:2, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:8)
* The Trinity: one essence, three distinct persons as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Conclusion:
Because LDS theology:
* Redefines God’s nature
* Teaches multiple Gods
* Teaches God progressed from man to deity
* Teaches men can become Gods
It presents a fundamentally different view of God than the Bible.
Final Thoughts when engaging with Latter-day Saints, it is important to:
* Be respectful and patient, be bold and firm, and show them love
* Use their own sources alongside the Bible to help them see the truth
* Clearly show the differences in God’s nature from the Bible vs LDS teachings
The goal is not simply to win an argument, but to point to the true, eternal, unchanging God revealed in Scripture, and help them come to trust in the biblical God and be saved
Thank you for reading this I pray this helps you in talking with Latter Day Saints, and share this resource with Christians and others interested.
Lord bless,
Kelly Powers, Berean Perspective
