Final: The Godhead

Dear Friend,

All throughout time God always made Himself known to man.  He parts the veil and reveals Himself to His prophet and then that prophet testifies to the world that God lives and that He loves us.  The greatest news that we share is that God still follows this pattern even in our generation.  The major reason that we believe that that the Trinity is not the whole truth is because the veil has been parted and God has revealed himself again to man in our generation.

Joseph Smith was the first prophet in our day to whom the veil was parted and the nature of the Godhead was made perfectly known.  Consider Joseph’s own words:

I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (JS-History)

We share that God and His son have been seen! They live and have bodies of flesh and blood, for Joseph saw them.  This is as clear a teaching as can be received, no old written words, or third person accounts, he saw them!   Consider the stark contrast between this teaching and witness and that of the council of Nicea.

Here a council met under presser from Constantine to unify his countries beliefs.  They decided that the Godhead (the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) are all one.  They do not have bodies and the Godhead is by design un-understandable. This was there counseled conclusion.  From here they wrote up the creed and Constantine stated as it was decided so it was to be.  It is from here that the idea of the Trinity was born and passed down generation to generation.

Our claim is not that of a council but that of a first person account.  Joseph taught latter as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants: “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” (130:22).

With crystal clear background, Paul’s teachings begin to make more sense; let’s consider a few of them.

First, in Acts we read an account of Stephen as he testifies of the apostasy in Israel.  While he boldly testifies, he like Joseph receives a vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  “[He] looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (7:55-56).  Here we learn a few key things.  The Son is standing on the Father’s right hand.  The Father has a hand and Christ is standing to His right side.  If they were literally one they could not stand next to each other.

Second, in 1 Corinthians Paul instructs the saints.  He prays for them “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:3).  Here he clearly separates them into two beings.  “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1:9).  It is clear here that Jesus is God’s son.  If there were one person how can God be his Son?

Third, also in 1 Corinthians Paul instructs against idols by teaching about God.  “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” (8:5-6).  Once again we are taught the teaching that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate and have different relations to us. 

Fourth, in 2 Corinthians Paul prays for those he is writing to and invokes a blessing from the Father and His son.  “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (1:2-3).  We learn that God is Christ’s Father.  If one person how can God be His own Father?  Paul makes it clear God is Christ’s and our Father.

There are many instances also in the scriptures that Christ and the Father are referred to as being one.  But this is one in purpose, one in desire, and one in goal.  This is clearly taught when Christ prays to His Father in Heaven for and in behalf of us.  St. John 17: 6-23: Here he prays that because of His(Christ’s) sacrifice that we may become one life He(Christ) and His Father are one.  That we may become like them.  If Christ and God were one person there would be no need to pray to Himself, but because they are separate Christ prays to our Father for us that we may be one like they are.  

President Gordon B. Hinckley also taught these truths in his talk The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:

It is that perfect unity among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost that binds these three into the oneness of the divine Godhead.

Miracle of miracles and wonder of wonders, they are interested in us, and we are the substance of their great concern. They are available to each of us. We approach the Father through the Son. He is our intercessor at the throne of God. How marvelous it is that we may so speak to the Father in the name of the Son.

I bear witness of these great, transcendent truths. And I do so by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost.

That we may become righteous and perfect and one in heart and desire and mind like they are is our goal.

Finally, I believe in this interpretation of Paul and in the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith because the purpose of God was to exault His children through the gift and Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ.  Christ’s purpose was so save us from our sins and to show us the way and the Holy Ghost’s purpose to testify to me today in a way that I can know the words of the ancient and modern day prophets are true for myself and to know specifically Christ is my savior and He Lives.  It is because of the spirit that I know that Christ lives!