Chapter 27 (BOMC)

The Mormon Godhead makes up the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They are each God, making up three Gods or Beings in total. This is odd to see since their own Book of Mormon teaches the opposite. You may be surprised but the Trinity is taught. It is written, “and now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.” (2 Nephi 31:21) How interesting. What lesson did this verse just teach us? Answer: The Holy Trinity. That God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three persons in one God. They work together in perfect unity. Too bad this is not taught in the Mormon Church. The evidence is in their own book, but they deny it. Instead, they make up a God to be what they want, which is three individual Gods.

This teaching of the trinity is biblical. John taught, “for there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” (1 John 5:7,8) So the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three persons, but still one. These verses are similar to what I quoted in the Book of Mormon. I am not saying that the Book of Mormon is true, but that Joseph Smith once believed in the Trinity. However, the Mormon church has shunned the Trinity doctrine and calls it heresy. The Bible says there is only one God, and they deny this also. One example comes from the book of Isaiah.  It reads, “remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9) As there is only one God, this confirms the Trinity is true. We may not totally understand how God works, but we have faith in Him nonetheless.

Problems begin when the Trinity is spoken against, and the Mormon Godhood is accepted. Instead of believing that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God, people now believe they are individually God.  This makes three Gods in the Godhead.  Christians believe that they are three persons in one being, who is God. Mormons would disagree and say they are separate beings and three Gods. On their official church website, LDS teach this.  It reads, "like many Christians, we believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. However, we don’t believe in the traditional concept of the Trinity. We believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings who are one in purpose.” (Do Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Believe in the Trinity) How interesting they speak against the Trinity, while contradicting their own Book of Mormon. We see the Trinity in the following verse.  It is written, “and now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.” (2 Nephi 31:21)

Let's read from 1 John, chapter 5, once again. It reads, “for there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” (1 John 5:7,8) The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three persons in one God just as the Jews believe in one God. James even said this when he wrote, “thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19) This agrees with the teachings of Isaiah.  It is written, “fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.” (Isaiah 44:8) Therefore, there is only one God. This is because the Father is Spirit, and He and the Holy Spirit dwell perfectly with the Son.  Speaking of the Father, Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) Therefore, we hold to the Trinity.  This doctrine is not man-made, but the description and doctrines are found in the Bible.

The Book of Mormon teaches that God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God, like unto the Trinity. However, this contradicts their belief in the Godhead. In Alma, chapter 44, it teaches the following about the Trinity. It is written, “now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.” (Alma 11:44) What we just read is the Trinity spoken of in the Bible. How the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God. These three bear record in heaven. The Father leads the Son, as the Holy Ghost leads us into all truth. This happens since the Father and Holy Spirit are Spirit. They are then able to lead and guide our lives.

Here is the official doctrine of the Mormon church, which contradicts their own Book of Mormon and the Bible. “The true doctrine of the Godhead was lost in the apostasy that followed the Savior’s mortal ministry and the deaths of His Apostles. This doctrine began to be restored when 14-year- old Joseph Smith received his First Vision (see Joseph Smith—History 1:17). "From the Prophet’s account of the First Vision and from his other teachings, we know that the members of the Godhead are three separate beings. The Father and the Son have tangible bodies of flesh and bones, and the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit (see Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).” (Godhead) This teaching is false.  The Father is a Spirit and this is why He is able to dwell in the Son. Jesus said, “believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” (John 14:10) Lastly, the Trinity is from God as Paul also spoke of.  It is written, “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14) Who will you believe? Mormon doctrine or the Bible?

In 3 Nephi, chapter 11, we find the teaching of the Trinity being taught. Jesus is supposedly speaking, as He recently touched down in America. In this account, Joseph Smith adds flare to the story to make it sound real. It might sound interesting on paper until we look at the verse in detail. It is written, “and after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one.” (3 Nephi 11:27) From this verse I see three persons that are said to be one. It doesn't say one in purpose. The phrase, “the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one” comes from 1 John 5:7. It reads, “for there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7) This is the Trinity being taught. Where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as three different persons in one God. The Father is not the Son or the Holy Spirit and vice versa. However, Mormons would disagree with this interpretation of the verse.  Therefore, they add "one in purpose" when it says "one".

This Jesus figure also said that “I am in the Father, and the Father in me”. This comes from John, chapter 14. This passage reads, “believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” (John 14:10,11) As Christians, we use 1 John 5:7 and John 14:10,11 as proof texts for the Trinity. How interesting that we see the same teachings in the Book of Mormon, but still reject the Trinity. Those who are LDS will say that they are one in purpose and not one God. But how do Mormons deal with Jesus saying the Father dwells in Him? This is clearly talking about the Father’s Spirit dwelling in the Son, which makes Him Spirit. This is a contradiction to Mormon teachings, not the Bible. The question I have is why don't the Mormon people believe what their own book teaches. I am not saying the Book of Mormon is true, but this is interesting to see them add to their book so it fits their belief system.

The doctrine of the trinity is taught in the Bible.  Surprisingly, it is in the Book of Mormon also. I am not saying the Book of Mormon is from God, but it is interesting that it teaches this core Christian doctrine.  It is odd, however, to see Mormons hate the doctrine of the trinity when their own book speaks of it loud and clear. I wonder what they think when they read verses in their Book of Mormon that refer to the Trinity. I am speaking of 2 Nephi 31:21, Alma 11:44, 3 Nephi 11:27,35,36, and Mormon 7:7. These verses have one thing in common and that is that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. Not once do the verses say, "one in purpose". I’ve spoken of the other verses except for the one in 3 Nephi. Let’s read it now to see if it speaks of the trinity also.  it is written, “verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost. And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.” (3 Nephi 11:35,36) Therefore, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. I am not adding to these verses by saying one in purpose, the same way I do with the Bible.

When Mormons see the phrase, "the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are one", they see "one in purpose". It is written, “like many Christians, we believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. However, we don’t believe in the traditional concept of the Trinity. We believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings who are one in purpose.” “We call them the Godhead.” (Do Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Believe in the Trinity?) The Godhead is taught in the Bible. It is written, “beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:8,9) This is speaking of Christ’s body, of which the Father's Spirit dwells. Jesus said, “believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” (John 14:10) Lastly, John wrote, “for there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. ” (1 John 5:7) God is one, not one in purpose.

The teaching of the Trinity has been popular among Christians throughout the centuries, and since Jesus was on earth. It makes sense that it is in the Book of Mormon.  It is written, “and he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.” (Mormon 7:7) So three persons in one God, or one being. However, the Mormon church doesn’t believe this. They say, “the Trinity of traditional Christianity is referred to as the Godhead by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Like other Christians, Latter-day Saints believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). Yet, Church teachings about the Godhead differ from those of traditional Christianity. For example, while some believe the three members of the Trinity are of one substance, Latter-day Saints believe they are three physically separate beings, but fully one in love, purpose and will.” (Godhead)

Joseph Smith once believed in the trinity.  This is why the teachings are found all throughout the Book of Mormon. The Mormon church may not believe in the Trinity, but their early beliefs included it.  It is also taught in their Book of Mormon. Speaking of the Trinity, the Bible says, “and God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) The "us" in this context is Elohim, being one God in a plural nature. This being the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is written, “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) Jesus said, “go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28:19) All three being one God. John said, “for there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7) Therefore, the Trinity is Biblical as the definition is found in scripture. Amen.

Let us pray:
Oh Lord and my God, hear me now as I call upon Your Name. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I worship You.  You are God, three in one.  You deserve our praise, glory, and honor. You are mighty to save, Jesus, and I am grateful that You have come into my life.  You have saved a wretch like me, and I am so grateful. I don’t deserve Your love, but You show it just the same. In my tears, did You come and wipe them all away. You are the bearer of joy and continue to remove all the sadness from my heart. I have been down and depressed at times in my life, and You always came through, while bringing me peace and comfort.  I never knew how much I needed You in my life until now. My life may not be perfect, but in You presence, I am much better off.  This world is dark, and I need You every moment. I still have some pretty rough days, but You continue to swoop in and carry me when I am unable to walk on my own. Lord, because I have breath, You I give You praise. I am truly alive because of You. Thank You for trusting in me as Your servant, and witness on this earth. Help me to achieve the things that You desire for my life. I love You, Lord. You are my God and my King. I worship You. Amen.