Do Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Believe in the Trinity?
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.
Three distinct beings
The Church’s first Article of Faith states, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” We believe They are three distinct personages, not one singular being. We call Them the Godhead.
This belief is informed by the Bible. The account of Jesus’s baptism in the New Testament is one great example of the Godhead acting together to accomplish the will of Heavenly Father. Matthew 3:16–17 reads:
“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
At that moment, all three members of the Godhead were present: Jesus, who was being baptized; Heavenly Father, whose voice was heard from heaven; and the Spirit of God, as indicated by the sign of the dove.
Each member of the Godhead has a specific role, united in the purpose of bringing all of God’s children back to His presence.
Unique roles
God
God is our loving Heavenly Father. He is the father of our spirits. We communicate with Him through prayer, as Jesus Christ Himself did. Heavenly Father always listens to our prayers. He authored the plan of salvation, a plan to help all of His children return to live with Him. As Latter-day Saints, we love and worship Him.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is Heavenly Father’s Son. He is our Savior and Redeemer. He was God’s Only Begotten Son, born of Mary. He lived on earth and taught his Father’s gospel. He was rejected by the world and crucified on the cross. Because of His perfect, sinless life and ultimate sacrifice, we all have the hope of returning to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again. John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost is the messenger and revealer of the Father and the Son. A personage of spirit, He helps us learn and recognize the truth of all things, including the gospel. It is through the Holy Ghost that God and Jesus Christ communicate their love, comfort, and peace to us.
One purpose
Though the Godhead is made up of three distinct divine beings with certain different roles and characteristics, They are perfectly united in purpose. They work in harmony to help us come to know God, live righteously, be forgiven, and ultimately return to live with Them again. Together, They work “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).