Do Mormons Believe that Jesus Is God?

Understanding Jesus Christ’s Divinity: A Look at Latter-day Saint Beliefs

This article is here to help explain, in a simple and friendly way, how our friends in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints see this important question. We want to make it easy to understand, especially if you’re used to how other Christian churches talk about Jesus. It’s so important to talk about these things with respect, knowing that sometimes we might use the same words but mean slightly different things.¹ Our goal here is to build bridges of understanding by sharing the Latter-day Saint view from their own heart.

The very fact that people ask, “Do Latter-day Saints believe Jesus is God?” tells us that the answer might not be a simple “yes” that lines up perfectly with what many Christians have historically believed. And that’s okay! There are some differences in understanding that have been around for a while, and they just need a little explaining. We’re going to look into these points, using everyday language. Sometimes these big ideas can sound complicated we want to make it clear and helpful for everyone who’s looking to learn.

Do Latter-day Saints Believe in Jesus Christ?

Let me tell you, the answer to this is a big, wonderful “Yes!” Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in Jesus Christ with all their hearts. He is right at the center of everything they believe—you can even see it in the official name of their church!2 Believing in Jesus isn’t just a side note for them; it’s the main message!

They’ll tell you that every prayer they say, whether at home or in and every talk given, ends in the precious name of Jesus Christ. And each week, they take something called the sacrament, which is like communion, to remember His amazing sacrifice for us.²

Latter-day Saints believe all the wonderful things the New Testament says about Jesus: His miraculous birth, the beautiful way He lived and taught, His loving sacrifice on the cross, and the fact that He truly rose from the dead.² In fact, the very first of their “Articles of Faith,” which is like a summary of their main beliefs from their founder Joseph Smith, says: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost”.⁴ This powerful statement, right at the beginning, shows how much they testify of Jesus Christ.

Using the full name, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” isn’t just for show. It’s a constant reminder, a clear declaration, that their beliefs are all about Jesus. Sometimes people have wondered if they are Christian, so this name helps everyone know right away that Jesus Christ is incredibly important in all they teach and do.

Even though they believe so strongly in Jesus, that first Article of Faith—naming three distinct individuals in the Godhead—gives us a little hint. It suggests that how they see Jesus fitting in with God the Father and the Holy Ghost might be a bit different from what some other Christians believe about the Trinity. This prepares us to learn more about those differences, showing that even when we all believe in Jesus, we might not see every detail in exactly the same way.

Is Jesus Christ Considered God in Latter-day Saint Belief?

Yes, He absolutely is! Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ is God. They honor Him as a divine being, the true Son of God the Father, the One who saved the world, and the One who redeems all of us.⁵ Their scriptures and teachings are filled with powerful statements about Him being God.

Here are some important ways they describe Jesus, showing His divine nature:

• The Book of Mormon, a special book of scripture for Latter-day says right on its title page that one of its main goals is to convince everyone, Jew and Gentile, “that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations”.⁷
• They believe He is Jehovah, the God we read about in the Old Testament, who taught the ancient prophets and gave the Law of Moses.⁷
• In another of their sacred books, the Doctrine and Covenants, Jesus Christ Himself says He is divine. For example, He states, “I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world”.⁹ He’s also called “the Word, even the messenger of salvation”.⁹
• A title they use often, full of meaning, is “the Only Begotten of the Father” or “Only Begotten Son.” This highlights His special relationship with God the Father and His divine birth.⁵

A wonderful modern testimony about Jesus being God is found in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 76. Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon shared a vision they had: “And after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God”.¹⁰ This personal, God-given experience is like a crowning witness to all the other scriptures and prophets that testify Jesus is God.

When Latter-day Saints say that Jesus Christ, before He was born on earth, was Jehovah, the God of Israel from the Old Testament, that’s a big statement about His divinity.⁷ It means Jesus is the same divine being who talked with Adam, Abraham, Moses, and other prophets of old. For anyone familiar with Christian beliefs, this strongly confirms He is fully God, the One who was active all through Old Testament times. This shows they don’t see Jesus as some lesser being, even Although they believe He is distinct from God the Father.

At the same time, by always emphasizing Jesus as the “Only Begotten Son of the Father,” they’re doing two things.⁵ They’re confirming His special, divine place and His unique role in the Father’s plan. And, this specific wording also points out that He is a distinct individual, a Son in relation to the Father. This is key to understanding how Latter-day Saints see the Godhead. It shows a shared Christian belief in Jesus’s unique divine Sonship also a different way of understanding how that Sonship fits within the Godhead—as a separate person, not just a part of a single Trinitarian being.

What Do Latter-day Saints Mean by the “Godhead”? How Does It Differ from the Trinity?

To really get how Latter-day Saints see Jesus Christ as God, we need to understand their idea of the “Godhead” and how it’s different from the traditional Christian view of the Trinity.

The Latter-day Saint Godhead

Friends in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use the word “Godhead” to talk about a council of three amazing divine beings: God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.⁴ Their first Article of Faith tells us this is a core belief.

The biggest difference in their understanding is that these three members of the Godhead are separate and distinct individuals or beings.⁴ This is where their view really differs from traditional Trinitarian ideas. Latter-day Saints teach that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (who was resurrected), have wonderful, perfect, real bodies of flesh and bones.⁴ The Holy Ghost, also a distinct individual, is a being of spirit, without a body like that.⁴

Even though these three are separate individuals, they are perfectly “one” in their purpose, their thoughts, what they want, their teachings, and their mission.⁴ They are absolutely united as they work together to carry out Heavenly Father’s plan to help all of us, His children, be saved and live with Him again. Their scriptures say His work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”.⁵

Latter-day Saints see proof in the scriptures for these beings being distinct. Think about when Jesus was baptized, as told in Matthew 3:16-17. At that moment, Jesus Christ was in the water, God the Father’s voice was heard from heaven saying Jesus was His Son, and the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus like a dove.⁵ All three members of the Godhead were there, showing themselves separately but at the same time. Also, Joseph Smith’s first big spiritual experience, called the First Vision, was when he saw two distinct Beings—God the Father and Jesus Christ—who spoke to him.⁴ This vision is so important to how Latter-day Saints understand that the Father and Son are real, separate beings with bodies.

The Traditional Christian Trinity

For comparison, the main Christian belief in the Trinity says there is one God who has always existed in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons who share the same substance or essence: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.¹⁵ The old creeds, like the Nicene Creed, really stress that these three Persons share one divine essence that can’t be divided (the Greek word is homoousios).¹⁵ In Trinitarian belief, the three Persons tell us who God is, Although the one shared essence tells us what God is. The Persons are distinct in how they relate to each other (the Father is the source, the Son comes from the Father, the Spirit proceeds from them) but they aren’t separate beings or divisions of God; they are one single Being.¹⁵

Key Differences Summarized

To help make these different views clearer, here’s a table that shows the main differences:

The reason Latter-day Saints see things differently from the traditional Trinitarian creeds isn’t just random. They believe that these creeds, which were written in councils many years after Jesus (like the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325), moved away from what Jesus and His apostles originally taught. They feel this happened partly because Greek philosophical ideas got mixed in with Christian thinking.⁴ They believe the “true doctrine of the Godhead was lost” for a time, a period they call an apostasy, and that this understanding was brought back through modern revelations to Joseph Smith.⁴ For Christian readers, who usually see these historical creeds as very important summaries of biblical truth, understanding this Latter-day Saint idea of apostasy and restoration is key to understanding why their idea of the Godhead is so different.

Also, the Latter-day Saint belief that God the Father and Jesus Christ (after His resurrection) have real, physical bodies is a very big difference from the traditional Trinitarian idea that God is purely spirit and has no body.⁴ This belief in a God with a body has a big impact on their theology, especially how they see us (created in God’s image) and our amazing potential to become like God, who Himself has a glorious, physical form.¹² This link between a God with a body and our potential to have glorified bodies like His is a special part of Latter-day Saint belief that comes right from their unique understanding of the Godhead.

What is the Nature of Jesus Christ in Latter-day Saint Theology?

In Latter-day Saint teachings, Jesus Christ is seen as a divine being with a very special nature and role in the Godhead.

Divine Son of God: Jesus is, without a doubt, the Son of God the Father. They often talk about this sonship in a literal way, meaning there’s a real parent-child relationship in the Godhead. He’s often called the “Only Begotten Son of the Father” or the “Only Begotten Son in the flesh.” This highlights His unique birth into our world through Mary, while He kept His divine nature as the Son of God the Father.⁵

Distinct Personage: Staying true to their understanding of the Godhead, Latter-day Saints teach that Jesus Christ is a separate and distinct individual from God the Father. He has His own glorious, resurrected body of flesh and bones, just like God the Father’s body in form and substance.² This belief in a Son who is physically distinct and has a body is a key part of their view of Christ.

Perfectly United with the Father: Even though He is a distinct person, Jesus Christ is perfectly one with God the Father in purpose, mind, will, and teachings.⁴ He came to earth to do what the Father wanted, and His life was a perfect example of obeying and being united with the Father’s plans. Latter-day Saints often point to Jesus’s own prayers, especially in John chapter 17. There, He prayed “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.” They see this as explaining a perfect, relational oneness—being united in agreement and shared purpose, not becoming one single being.¹⁹

Possesses Divine Attributes: Jesus Christ is believed to have all divine qualities. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and filled with perfect love, mercy, justice, and grace, just like God the Father is.⁶ The Doctrine and Covenants, for example, describes Jesus Christ with titles like “Endless and Eternal,” showing His divine, unchanging nature.⁹

Fully God and Fully Man (Latter-day Saint Perspective): Latter-day Saints believe Jesus Christ was both fully divine and fully human. He was God, the Son of the Father, before He came to earth. He was born of a mortal woman, Mary, so He inherited the ability to experience life as a mortal, including suffering and death.⁵ But they explain how His divine and human natures were together in one person by seeing Him as an eternally distinct, embodied divine being who chose to experience mortal life. This is different from the specific philosophical words of the Chalcedonian Definition, which talks about two natures (divine and human) joined in one person or substance (hypostasis) within the idea of a Trinitarian God.²³ Latter-day Saints emphasize His perfect, sinless life as a mortal, His suffering for our sins, and His amazing resurrection, which brought His spirit and perfected physical body back together, never to be separated again.

Creator (Under the Father’s Direction): As part of His divine role, Jesus Christ was the Creator of the worlds. But, He did this work of creation under the specific direction and authority of God the Father.⁶ Jesus, as Jehovah, was like the Father’s agent in bringing the universe into being.

The Latter-day Saint idea of Jesus as a “literal Son” with a physical, glorified body, like His Father’s, gives a very real meaning to the scripture that says humanity is created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27).⁴ If God the Father and Jesus Christ have perfect, real bodies, then being created in Their image suggests that our physical form is patterned after a divine, embodied example. This understanding supports the Latter-day Saint belief in the eternal importance of our physical bodies and the amazing potential for faithful people to receive a similar glorified, embodied state when they are resurrected.¹⁸ This is different from many traditional Christian views where the “image of God” is seen more in terms of spiritual, moral, or thinking abilities, because they believe in a God who is purely spirit.

Also, the way Jesus relates to the Father—distinct yet perfectly united, with the Son always doing what the Father wants—is the ultimate example for how all of God’s children can try to be with their Heavenly Father.¹⁹ Jesus’s “oneness” with the Father isn’t shown as something only He could have as a model of spiritual unity we can reach by aligning our will and purpose with God’s. This relational theology, where divine unity comes through working together in harmony and sharing goals, extends from the Godhead to us, offering a path for believers to become “one” with God in a similar way.

How Do Latter-day Saints View Jesus’s Role as Creator and Savior?

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have specific beliefs about Jesus Christ’s roles as both the One who created the universe and the One who saves humankind. These roles are essential to how they understand His divine mission.

Jesus Christ as Creator

Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth, and everything in them.⁶ But this amazing work of creation was done under the direction of God the Father. In this way, Jesus was like the Father’s executive, carrying out the divine plan for creation.⁶ The Doctrine and Covenants shares a divine testimony that “by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created” (D&C 76:24).¹⁰ Similarly, the Book of Mormon calls Jesus Christ “the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning” (Mosiah 3:8). This title is understood in the context of Him acting for and in perfect unity with God the Father.⁷

Before He was born on earth, Jesus Christ was known as Jehovah. This is the God who talked with Old Testament prophets, gave the law to Moses, and guided the children of Israel.⁷ So, His role as Creator is deeply connected to His identity as the God of the Old Testament. This idea of Christ creating under the Father’s direction supports the Latter-day Saint view of a Godhead made up of distinct beings working in perfect harmony. The Father is seen as the ultimate planner and head, and the Son as the divine One who carries out the Father’s will. This allows for Christ’s full divinity and creative power while keeping a specific order and relationship within the Godhead.

Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer

The role of Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer is the most important thing in Latter-day Saint beliefs—it’s absolutely central.⁵ They believe He is the Savior of everyone, and His atoning sacrifice is how we can overcome both physical death and spiritual death.

His Atonement, which includes His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and His death on the cross, makes it possible for us to be forgiven of our sins. This happens through faith in Him, repenting, and obeying the principles and ordinances of His gospel.² This overcomes spiritual death, which is being separated from God.

His Resurrection overcame physical death. This guarantees that everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected and receive an immortal physical body.² This victory over death is a gift for everyone.

Jesus Christ is also known as our “Advocate with the Father” (D&C 45:3), pleading for those who believe in Him. He is the great Mediator between God and us.⁹ Latter-day Saints strongly believe the biblical teaching that salvation comes only through Him, and that “there is no other name given under heaven whereby a man can be saved” (Acts 4:12). Their leaders teach this very clearly.⁶

The many names and titles given to Jesus Christ in Latter-day Saint scriptures, especially in the Doctrine and Covenants (like Savior, Redeemer, Advocate, Mediator, Light of the World, the Great I AM, the Lamb of God, the First and the Last), do more than just describe what He does.⁹ This rich list of names constantly reaffirms His divine status, His many powers, and His vital importance in every part of God the Father’s plan for His children. For anyone reading, this shows how deeply Latter-day Saint scripture focuses on Christ’s divine qualities and His all-important saving work. It counters any idea that they might see Him as a secondary or less-than-divine figure in their beliefs.

If the Godhead Consists of Three Separate Beings, How Do Latter-day Saints Understand “Worshipping One God”?

The Latter-day Saint teaching that the Godhead is made up of three separate and distinct beings—God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost—naturally makes people wonder how this fits with the common Christian and scriptural focus on worshipping “one God.”

The Focus of Worship:

Latter-day Saints teach that when they worship, they direct it to God the Eternal Father, in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.⁴ The Father is always seen as the “ultimate object of their worship”.⁴ While Jesus Christ is deeply respected, loved, and followed as Savior and Lord, and His divine nature is fully believed, formal prayer and ultimate worship are offered to the Father, through the Son who acts as a mediator. The Holy Ghost is honored as a divine messenger and one who testifies of truth not usually as the direct one they pray to or worship in the same way as the Father.

Oneness in Purpose, Not Substance:

The “oneness” of God, as Latter-day Saints understand it, mainly refers to the perfect unity of purpose, teachings, mind, and will that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost share.⁴ They are one in their shared goal of bringing about the immortality and eternal life of all people. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of their Apostles, has said, they believe the members of the Godhead “are one in every major and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance, a Trinitarian notion never set forth in the scriptures because it is not true”.⁶ This way of seeing “oneness” is mostly about how they function and relate, stressing how the Godhead works in complete harmony, rather than an ontological oneness of a single divine substance that can’t be divided, as understood in traditional Trinitarian beliefs.

Addressing Polytheism:

From the Latter-day Saint viewpoint, believing in three distinct divine beings who are perfectly united isn’t the same as polytheism, which is usually understood as worshipping many competing or independent gods.⁶ Their worship is focused and singular: to God the Father, through Jesus Christ. The term “plurality of Gods” was used by some early Church leaders, including Joseph Smith, often when talking about a divine council or the potential for humans to be exalted to godhood.³⁰ But this refers to a perfectly united family or council of divine beings, not a group of different gods like in pagan beliefs. Even if other “gods” (meaning exalted, deified beings) exist, they are not who people on this earth worship. This approach can be seen as a type of monolatry (worshipping one god without denying others exist) or henotheism, where one main God is worshipped out of a group of divine beings.

Scriptural Analogies for Oneness:

Latter-day Saints often point to Jesus’s great prayer in John 17 as an example for understanding this type of oneness. Jesus prayed for His disciples, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21).¹⁹ They see this as a call for unity in agreement, purpose, and spirit, similar to the unity between the Father and the Son, rather than becoming a single being or substance.

One Godhead:

The term “Godhead” itself suggests a collective unity. Some Latter-day Saint thinkers, like Bruce R. McConkie, have offered a re-framed definition of monotheism for their beliefs: “Monotheism is the doctrine or belief that there is but one God. If this is properly interpreted to mean that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—each of whom is a separate and distinct godly personage—are one God, meaning one Godhead, then true saints are monotheists”.²⁰ This interpretation emphasizes the Godhead as the “one God” that is worshipped, understood as a perfectly unified divine council.

The Apostle Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him”) is also sometimes mentioned.³⁴ Some see this passage as supporting the idea of worshipping one God, the Father, while also acknowledging that other divine beings or “lords” exist, including Jesus Christ in His distinct role. Joseph Smith himself saw Paul’s words as supporting the teaching of a plurality of Gods working in unity.³¹

For Christian readers who are used to an ontological definition of monotheism (one divine substance), the Latter-day Saint explanation needs a shift in thinking. Their understanding of “one God” is based on the perfect unity and singular purpose of the distinct members of the Godhead, with worship specifically directed to God the Father.

What Do Latter-day Saint Scriptures Say About Jesus Being God?

Latter-day Saints believe that their special books of scripture, along with the Bible, give strong and clear testimony that Jesus Christ is divine. These texts are very important for understanding His nature and mission.

The Book of Mormon:

This foundational scripture is key to the Latter-day Saint witness of Jesus Christ.

• The title page of the Book of Mormon itself declares its purpose is for “the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations”.⁷ This statement right at the beginning clearly sets the theological stage for the whole book, identifying Jesus not just as the Messiah but as the Eternal God.
• Throughout its pages, ancient American prophets like Nephi, King Benjamin, and Abinadi teach that the God of Israel, the great Jehovah of the Old Testament, would come down to be born as a mortal, Jesus Christ.⁷ For example, King Benjamin, sharing a message from an angel, taught that “the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay… 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; and his mother shall be called Mary” (Mosiah 3:5-8).⁷
• The prophet Amulek taught that the Son of God would perform an “infinite and eternal atonement” (Alma 34).⁸
• Most powerfully, when the resurrected Jesus Christ appeared to the people in ancient America, He introduced Himself by saying: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world…” (3 Nephi 11:10-11).³⁶ He then clearly identified Himself as “the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth” (3 Nephi 11:14).

The Doctrine and Covenants:

This collection of modern revelations also strongly confirms Jesus Christ’s divinity, often through His own words.

• Many revelations start with Christ declaring who He is and His divine qualities. For instance: “Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins” (D&C 29:1). And, “I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world” (D&C 19:1).⁹
• Section 76, known as “The Vision,” records a powerful joint testimony from Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon: “…this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created…” (D&C 76:22-24).¹⁰ This is presented as a direct, modern witness of Christ’s living reality and His role as Creator under the Father.
• Throughout the Doctrine and Covenants, Jesus is called by many titles that confirm He is God, such as “Savior of the world,” “Only Begotten Son,” “Endless and Eternal,” “Firstborn,” “Advocate with the Father,” and “Light and Redeemer”.⁹

The Pearl of Great Price:

This book contains more scriptural texts that explain Christ’s divine nature and role.

• The Book of Moses includes stories of Jehovah (understood by Latter-day Saints to be Jesus Christ before He was born on earth) talking with Moses, declaring His works, and being the Creator under God the Father’s direction (e.g., Moses 1:32-33; Moses 2:1).
• The Book of Abraham similarly describes “the Gods” (a term referring to the council of divine beings including the Father and the Son) organizing the heavens and the earth, with Jehovah (Jesus Christ) playing a central role in these acts of creation (e.g., Abraham chapters 3 and 4).

These scriptural accounts, unique to the Latter-day Saint tradition, consistently show Jesus Christ as a divine being, Jehovah, the Son of God. He was actively involved in creation, revelation, and redemption in different times—from before He was born, through His mortal life (as told in the New Testament and similarly in the Book of Mormon’s account of His visit after His resurrection), and into His current glorified state. This continuous divine identity woven through all their scriptures builds a full and unwavering case for Him being God within their beliefs. The clear declaration on the Book of Mormon’s title page, for example, acts as an immediate and unmistakable statement of this core belief, showing it not as some hidden teaching but as a central, proclaimed truth essential to their faith.

Key Similarities and Differences: Latter-day Saint and Mainstream Christian Views on Jesus as God

When we compare what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes about Jesus Christ being God with what mainstream Christianity believes, we find some important things they agree on and some key differences. Understanding these points is so helpful for good conversations between faiths.

Shared Affirmations (Similarities):

Even with some different teachings, there’s a lot of common ground:

• Jesus is the Son of God: Both groups believe that Jesus is uniquely the Son of God.
• Jesus is Divine: Both believe Jesus has divine qualities and is God. Even if they understand how He is God differently, His essential divinity is something they share.
• Jesus is the Creator: Both recognize Jesus’s role in creating the world. Latter-day Saints say this was done under God the Father’s direction, while mainstream Trinitarianism sees creation as an act of the Triune God that can’t be divided.
• Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer: This is a cornerstone for both. His atoning sacrifice and resurrection are seen as vital for overcoming sin and death and making salvation possible.
• Key Life Events: Both believe in Jesus’s virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His crucifixion, and His literal, physical resurrection.
• Authority of the New Testament: Both accept the New Testament as scripture and as a record of Jesus’s life and teachings.

Points of Divergence (Differences):

The main differences come from different ways of understanding the nature of God and the Godhead:

Nature of the Godhead/Trinity:

• Latter-day Saints: Believe in a Godhead of three separate, distinct divine Beings (Personages): God the Father, Jesus Christ (His Son), and the Holy Ghost. They understand the Father and the Son to have glorified, real bodies of flesh and bones, Although the Holy Ghost is a Personage of Spirit.⁴
• Mainstream Christianity: Believes in one God who exists as three co-equal, co-eternal Persons within the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three Persons share a single, indivisible divine substance or essence and are usually understood as immaterial Spirit.¹⁵

Relationship within the Godhead/Trinity:

• Latter-day Saints: Jesus Christ is a distinct individual from God the Father, though perfectly united with Him in purpose, will, and mind. There’s an understanding that God the Father is supreme, and the Son works in perfect harmony with and often under the Father’s direction.⁶
• Mainstream Christianity: Jesus Christ (the Son) is consubstantial (of the same substance) and co-equal with God the Father. While distinct as a Person, He is not lesser in essence or divine nature.

Meaning of “One God”:

• Latter-day Saints: “One God” mainly refers to the perfect unity of purpose, will, teachings, and action among the three members of the Godhead.⁴
• Mainstream Christianity: “One God” fundamentally refers to the oneness of divine essence or being shared by the three Persons of the Trinity.

Historical Origin of Doctrine:

• Latter-day Saints: Believe their understanding of the Godhead is a restoration of original Christian truth that was lost or changed after the time of the apostles. They see traditional Trinitarian ideas, like the Nicene Creed, as later developments influenced by Greek philosophy.⁴
• Mainstream Christianity: Generally sees Trinitarian doctrine as a faithful development and explanation of scriptural revelation, formally defined by early church councils to protect against wrong ideas.

Understanding of Jesus as “Fully God and Fully Man” (Hypostatic Union):

• Latter-day Saints: Believe Jesus was fully divine (as a distinct, embodied God, the Son) and fully human (through His mortal birth to Mary). He experienced mortal life as this divine Personage. They don’t typically use or follow the specific philosophical idea of the Chalcedonian Definition (two distinct natures—divine and human—united in one person/substance without confusion, change, division, or separation) in the same way it’s understood in Trinitarian beliefs.²³
• Mainstream Christianity: The hypostatic union, as defined at the Council of Chalcedon, is the standard explanation for how Jesus can be both fully God and fully man—two natures in one divine Person of the Trinity.

The biggest difference often seems to be about ontology (the nature of being) versus relational unity. Mainstream Christianity stresses an ontological oneness of God—a single divine substance—within the Trinity. In contrast, Latter-day Saints stress a relational oneness within a Godhead made up of three distinct, individual beings who are perfectly united in all other ways. If “one God” is defined strictly as “one single, indivisible divine substance,” then the Latter-day Saint view might seem very different. But if “one God” can include a perfectly united divine council or family, led by the Father, then the Latter-day Saint view presents itself as a distinct form of monotheism or, more accurately, monolatry (worship of one God while acknowledging other divine beings).

Also, while both groups say Jesus is “fully God and fully man” (or use similar words), what this means is understood differently because of their different views on the basic nature of God (having a body versus being immaterial) and the structure of the Godhead. For Latter-day since God the Father also has a glorified physical body, Jesus having a body as a divine being who took on mortality is thought of differently than in traditions where an entirely immaterial God takes on human flesh. This difference affects how Christ’s divine and human characteristics are seen to exist together.

The following table gives a comparative overview:

Conclusion: Fostering Understanding

members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in Jesus Christ with all their hearts. They believe He is divine, that He is the Son of God the Eternal Father, and that He is incredibly important as the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In how they see Him and how they worship, Jesus Christ is God.

It’s also clear that their understanding of how Jesus is God—especially about His relationship with God the Father and the Holy Ghost in the Godhead—is different in some important ways from the Trinitarian ideas that have been central to mainstream Christian belief since the early centuries after Christ. Latter-day Saints believe in a Godhead of three separate and distinct personages—the Father and the Son having glorious bodies of flesh and bones—who are perfectly one in purpose, mind, and will not one in a single, indivisible substance.

These differences aren’t just casual choices in belief. For Latter-day they come from foundational experiences, like Joseph Smith’s First Vision (where he said he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ as two distinct, embodied beings), and from teachings in their additional books of scripture (the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price). They believe these sources bring back vital truths about God’s nature that were lost or became unclear in the centuries after Jesus’s time on earth.⁴ This idea of “restored truth” is key to understanding why their beliefs are different; it’s based on a strong belief in modern revelation that, as they see it, clarified and corrected earlier ways of thinking about God.

For Christian readers who want to understand Latter-day Saint beliefs, it’s so important to recognize these foundational claims, even if you don’t accept the ideas of an apostasy and restoration. Even with the theological differences about the specific nature of the Godhead, there’s a big and wonderful bridge for understanding between faiths. This bridge is built on the shared love for Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of all of us, and in the common desire to follow the good and moral teachings He gave us.⁶ If we keep talking respectfully, are willing to and sincerely study, we can help build greater understanding and appreciation between people of different Christian viewpoints.¹

Bibliography:

1. Learning from People of Other Faiths – BYU ScholarsArchive, accessed May 30, 2025, https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2013&context=re
2. The Trinity of traditional Christianity is referred to as the Godhead – Church Newsroom, accessed May 30, 2025, https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/godhead
3. What is Mormonism? Overview of Mormon Beliefs – Mormonism 101 – Church Newsroom, accessed May 30, 2025, https://news-gu.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/mormonism-101
4. Godhead – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/godhead?lang=eng
5. Do Latter-day Saints Believe in the Trinity? | Come unto Christ, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/article/do-latter-day-saints-believe-in-the-trinity
6. The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/10/the-only-true-god-and-jesus-christ-whom-he-hath-sent?lang=eng
7. What the Book of Mormon Tells Us about Jesus Christ | Religious …, accessed May 30, 2025, https://rsc.byu.edu/book-mormon-keystone-scripture/what-book-mormon-tells-us-about-jesus-christ
8. The Doctrine of God the Father in the Book of Mormon | Religious Studies Center – BYU, accessed May 30, 2025, https://rsc.byu.edu/book-mormon-treasury/doctrine-god-father-book-mormon
9. Why Does Jesus Have So Many Names in the Doctrine and …, accessed May 30, 2025, https://scripturecentral.org/knowhy/why-does-jesus-have-so-many-names-in-the-doctrine-and-covenants
10. Historical Context and Background of D&C 76 | Doctrine and Covenants Central, accessed May 30, 2025, https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/historical-context/dc-76/
11. Doctrine and Covenants 76:22–24 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2011/04/doctrine-and-covenants-76-22-24?lang=eng
12. The Fulness of the Gospel: The Nature of the Godhead, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2006/01/the-fulness-of-the-gospel-the-nature-of-the-godhead?lang=eng
13. God the Father – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/god-the-father?lang=eng
14. Godhead – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/study-topics-test/godhead?lang=eng
15. Trinity – Wikipedia, accessed May 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity
16. Understanding the Trinity: A Christian Core Belief | Cru, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/core-christian-beliefs/understanding-the-trinity.html
17. Trinity (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy), accessed May 30, 2025, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/trinity/
18. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Truths about the Body, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2017/04/the-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-and-truths-about-the-body?lang=eng
19. Confused about the Mormon View of the Godhead (sincere question) : r/latterdaysaints – Reddit, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/latterdaysaints/comments/ma2icn/confused_about_the_mormon_view_of_the_godhead/
20. Monolatry – Wikipedia, accessed May 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolatry
21. Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants: Divine Aid, accessed May 30, 2025, https://mi.byu.edu/publications-section/themes-in-the-doctrine-and-covenants-divine-aid
22. What Have Mormon Leaders Said About the Trinity?, accessed May 30, 2025, https://mrm.org/trinity-in-their-own-words
23. Hypostatic union – Wikipedia, accessed May 30, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypostatic_union
24. How was Jesus fully God and fully man? | GotQuestions.org, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.gotquestions.org/fully-God-fully-man.html
25. Joseph Smith on the Body as a Fallen or Blessed Vessel | Religious Studies Center – BYU, accessed May 30, 2025, https://rsc.byu.edu/joseph-smith-doctrinal-restoration/joseph-smith-body-fallen-blessed-vessel
26. Seperate entities? : r/lds – Reddit, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/lds/comments/1iaxj7n/seperate_entities/
27. Do we worship Christ or Heavenly Father? : r/lds – Reddit, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/lds/comments/120d6ac/do_we_worship_christ_or_heavenly_father/
28. Worship God the Father – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/worship-study-guide?lang=eng
29. Mormonism and the nature of God/Polytheism – FAIR, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Polytheism
30. Plurality of Gods – Truth in Love Ministry, accessed May 30, 2025, https://tilm.org/digital-dictionary/plurality-of-gods/
31. There is a plurality of Gods – So says Joseph Smith. – Andy Wrasman, accessed May 30, 2025, https://andywrasman.com/2012/10/14/there-is-a-plurality-of-gods-so-says-joseph-smith/
32. sunstone.org, accessed May 30, 2025, https://sunstone.org/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/045-23-27.pdf
33. Of Simplicity, Oversimplification, and Monotheism – BYU …, accessed May 30, 2025, https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1513&context=msr
34. Do you believe in one, and only one, God? : r/latterdaysaints – Reddit, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/latterdaysaints/comments/1adljcr/do_you_believe_in_one_and_only_one_god/
35. As there be gods many, and lords many (1 Cor 8:5-6) : r/lds – Reddit, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/lds/comments/1f3yje1/as_there_be_gods_many_and_lords_many_1_cor_856/
36. Godhead – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accessed May 30, 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/godhead-study-guide?lang=eng
37. Dialogue 47_2.indb – Scholarly Publishing Collective, accessed May 30, 2025, https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/uip/dial/article-pdf/47/2/153/1958066/dialjmormthou.47.2.0153.pdf