Why do mormons say Jesus is not God, when the Book of mormon states Jesus is God?

Question

It's pretty clear from reading the BOM that it states Jesus and God the father are one and the same (it even mentions the trinity directly). Why do mormons say that they believe Jesus is only a son of god...

Answer 1

Ok, this is going to be a long one, so bare with me.

Here's what we believe. In the Bible it says God created the Heavens and the Earth. We believe it was by the power of God all things that were created, were created. We believe that the Jehovah of the OT, aka the God of the OT, was that same God who physically created all that was created. We believe that everything that was created physically was first created spiritually, by God, aka our Heavenly Father, aka Elohim. We believe that even mankind was created spiritually before we were/are/will be created physically. We further believe that Jehovah of the OT was the spirit representation of Jesus Christ. Therefore Jesus Christ is God in that He is the God of this world, and because He led a perfect life and suffered and died for us, He is perfect even as God (the Father)is perfect. Only the perfect can be as God, therefore, Christ is God. We also believe that only on extremely rare occasions has God - the Father, come to earth. He was there in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, He visited Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove, and if there are any more instances I do not recall them. We also believe that the Nephites (a people in the BOM) knew this as well. We believe that God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three seperate personages. God the Father has always had a body. His Son, before His mortal birth, as Jehovah, did not have a body, but with His birth, as Jesus Christ, He did gain a body. The Holy Ghost, as most know, does not have a physical body, but He is not some cloud of vapor either, His form is that of a man - yet because of His calling to testify of God and His Son Jesus Christ, He does not have a physical body. As you may know, we believe that there will be some (personal suggestion: Adam, Abraham, Joseph of Egypt, Joseph Smith) that will progress to the point that they are given the power to be gods of their own world. The scripture that points to this is God was as man is, man is that he may become like God. (I'm paraphrasing). Most of the time when we say God we mean God the Father. When we say Heavenly Father we mean God. We almost always refer to Jesus Christ as either Jesus, Christ or Jesus Christ (as is typical of all other Christians). We also almost always refer to the Holy Ghost as the Holy Ghost, although sometimes He is refered to as the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit. You are correct in saying that the BOM says They are one, but you misunderstand what is being said. They are one in thought, in deed, in spirit. Because They are perfect, They are the same. They are NOT the same physically, but are of one mind, of one heart. When you speak to one and recieve an answer you can count on the fact that an answer from one is an answer from the other. One would say the same as the other if the other were there. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (notice the capitalization of son). We also believe that all mankind are the sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. While in this case God and Heavenly Father are meant as the same Person, ie Elohim, due to Jesus Christs devine nature as the only biological child of God, the term Son as it refers to Him is capitalized. We (meaning mortal man) are not the biological children of God, but only the spiritual children of God, therefore the terms son and daughter are not capitalized.
Personally I've always had a problem with the Protestant and Catholic definition of trinity. Even before I converted, I always thought of the Trinity as three seperate individuals who were Holy. As a child it didn't make sense to me that an individual could be three in one. It sounded more like a split personality - no disrespect intended. As a child I thought this was something I would learn more about as an adult. And sure enough I did. I learned that the Trinity (as is described in the BOM) means They (God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost) are three individuals who are perfect and who Satan can not have authority over, who are of one mind, and one heart. None of them individually can or would do anything that is contrary to what is right. They each still have Their own free will and choice, but They choose to do right continually.

Ok, so I told you it would be long. Thanks for reading. I hope I helped answer your question, and maybe gave you more insight as to what we believe.

Answer 2

Although the beliefs of Mormons is not in harmony with the Bible, the same applies to most people who call themselves Christian. Most church people say Jesus is God, but that is far from the truth. Jesus Christ is not God the Son or even God himself. In his own words, he said at John 10:36: "I am the SON of God." The trinity is a lie. Anyone who believes it cannot be serving God with "spirit and truth." John 4:23, 24.

Answer 3

Jesus is the Only Begotten of the Father, the Savior of Mankind, the Son of God, and as the Second Member of the Godhead and having gone through the resurrection process already as the firstfruits of them who slept, He is also God. He created the earth under the direction of God the Father. He is responsible for the salvation of all mankind - so he is considered the father of salvation, if they will only repent and come unto Him. People who want to argue about this can do so if they want to, but there are more urgent things to work on. Have a happy day, and I send you two gummy bears.

Answer 4

We believe Jesus is a God as well. Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Two separate personages. Both are Gods. Any latter day saint who knows doctrine believes this.

Answer 5

The vast majority of Christian denominations in the United States, does not regard the Mormon church as a Christian church. That is because the official writings of Mormonism deny fundamental teachings of orthodox Christianity. For example, the Nicene Creed confesses the clear biblical truth that Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, is "of one substance with the Father." This central article of the Christian faith is expressly rejected by Mormon teaching -- thus undermining the very heart of the scriptural Gospel itself. In a chapter titled "Jesus Christ, the Son of God: Are Mormons Christian?" the president of Brigham Young University (Rex Lee, What Do Mormons Believe? [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1992] summarizes Mormon teaching by stating that the three persons of the Trinity are "not... one being" (21), but are "separate individuals." In addition, the Father is regarded as having a body "of flesh and bone" (22). Such teaching is contrary to the Holy Scriptures, destructive to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and indicative of the fact that Mormon teaching is not Christian.

Answer 6

Jesus is the Lord of this earth, God the Father is the God of all of our spirits, to put it bluntly. Most of the time when referring to "God" in the scriptures, BOM and Bible, it is Christ. Unless specifically referecing the Father, where it says "father" or when Christ is talking about His Father. I am not sure what your BOM references have to do with this, Nephi 19 talks about Nephi being commanded to compile a history and 2 Nephi 26 is talking about Christ ministering to the Nephites, the destruction of the Nephites and so on... Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, He is also our Brother. We learn of Him and are taught to be like Him. We pray to our Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ's name.

Answer 7

Article of Faith #1

We believe in God the Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

We believe all three are separate beings, The Father and Son both having bodies of flesh and bone ( D&C 130: 22
22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.)
We believe they are all one in PURPOSE, not "one being". You might interpret it that way, reading the BOM, but we truly believe they are all separate beings but one is purpose and effort and love.
We believe God the Father is the God of our spirits, he is our Father. We believe Christ is His Son, our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord, the Lord of the earth essentially.

Answer 8

When the Book Of Mormon states that christ and god are one it means that they are one in pupose (bringinig to pass the imorality and eternal life of man)

Answer 9

No, you misunderstood it. We believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are same in purpose, but two distinctively different people. We do not believe in the trinity.

www.lds.org

Answer 10

I'm very curious where the BOM mentions the trinity directly--because church doctrine states very clearly that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are 3 very separate individuals. (If you will, please add onto your question telling me where.)

The LDS church twists their view of Jesus from that of mainstream Christianity. Mormons believe that Jesus opened a door for us, but we have to walk through it. Meaning: we save ourselves.

Christians, of course, believe that it's only by Grace from Jesus that we can be saved. Christians don't view this as a free ticket to acting badly, instead, we believe that our faith convicts us to follow Jesus and His law. (Romans 3: 20-41)

So, in answer to your question--and I really don't intend this in a mean way--but, Joseph Smith must have been confused when he was writing...I mean translating...the BOM.

http://www.carm.org/mormon.htm