Do Mormons believe Jesus is another God?

This article exposes how Mormon theology presents Yeshua as a distinct, separate God within a polytheistic framework, fundamentally departing from the Hebraic understanding of YHWH as Echad.

Quick Answer

Do Mormons Believe Jesus is Another God? Quick Answer Quick Answer: Yes, Mormons believe Jesus is another God, a distinct and separate divine being within a polytheistic "Godhead" that fundamentally deviates from the biblical declaration of YHWH as Echad, one singular, indivisible God. This stands in stark contrast to the Hebraic understanding of Yeshua as…

Do Mormons Believe Jesus is Another God?

Quick Answer

Quick Answer: Yes, Mormons believe Jesus is another God, a distinct and separate divine being within a polytheistic "Godhead" that fundamentally deviates from the biblical declaration of YHWH as Echad, one singular, indivisible God. This stands in stark contrast to the Hebraic understanding of Yeshua as the unique Son of the one true God.

The Scholarly Case

The foundational tenet of Hebraic faith, affirmed by Yeshua Himself, is unqualified monotheism. Deuteronomy 6:4 declares, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One." Yeshua reiterated this truth in Mark 12:29, stating, "This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One." This declaration, known as the Shema, is not merely about numerical singularity, but about the unique, incomparable nature of YHWH, Elohim. Isaiah emphatically states in Isaiah 43:10, "Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none will come," and again in Isaiah 45:5, "I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but Me." These passages establish a clear, uncompromising monotheistic framework that defines the very essence of the Creator. Within this absolute monotheism, the Hebraic understanding of the Godhead, or Elohim, involves a concept of compound unity, not a plurality of distinct gods. This is exemplified in Genesis 1:26 where Elohim states, "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness." This "us" has been understood in Jewish tradition not as multiple gods, but as an internal deliberation within the singular divine essence, or perhaps with the heavenly court (Targum Onkelos on Genesis 1:26). The Brit Chadashah further illuminates this compound unity, presenting Yeshua as fully divine, yet distinct from the Father, while remaining one with Him. John 1:1 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This Word (Memra in Aramaic tradition) is the active, creative expression of YHWH. Yeshua Himself declared in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one.”" This "one" (Greek: hen) denotes unity of essence and purpose, not a separate, distinct divine being. The apostle Paul affirms this in 1 Timothy 2:5, stating, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The concept of "two powers in heaven" found in some early rabbinic literature (e.g., b.Sanhedrin 38b; b.Chagigah 14a, as discussed by Alan Segal in "Two Powers in Heaven," 1977) points to a recognition of divine agency beyond the singular person of the Father, without compromising monotheism. This is a nuanced understanding of YHWH's multifaceted nature, not a polytheistic assertion of multiple distinct gods. The Spirit of God, mentioned in Genesis 1:2 as hovering over the waters, and described in Psalm 104:30 as the breath that renews the earth, is also part of this singular divine reality, not a separate god. Mormon theology, however, introduces a fundamentally different concept of the Godhead. While often using terms like "Godhead" and claiming unity, their definition is radically divergent from biblical monotheism. They teach that the Father, Yeshua (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit are three separate, distinct Gods (as noted by CARM, "Mormon Beliefs, are they Christian?"). This is not a unity of essence but a unity of purpose, akin to a committee or council of gods. Brigham Young, a key figure in LDS history, is recorded in his Journal of Discourses as asserting the distinctness of these divine beings, even while using language that might superficially sound Trinitarian (as analyzed in "Mormon Claims of Trinitarian Inclusion: A Semantic Deception" by BYU Scholars Archive). James E. Talmage, in his Articles of Faith, also describes the Godhead, but the underlying theology remains polytheistic, positing three separate divine individuals. Furthermore, Mormon theology teaches that God the Father was once a man on another planet who progressed to godhood, and that faithful Mormons can likewise become gods of their own planets (CARM, "Mormon Beliefs, are they Christian?"). This "celestial progression" or "exaltation" directly contradicts the biblical understanding of God as eternal, uncreated, and without beginning or end (Psalm 90:2). The God of Israel declares His absolute uniqueness and eternality, stating, "I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me" (Isaiah 44:6). The idea of multiple gods, or humans becoming gods, is a direct assault on the core of biblical monotheism. This is specifically the deception Satan used in Genesis 3:5, promising, "you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”" The Brit Chadashah identifies Satan as "a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44) and one who "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). To build theology upon such a promise is to embrace falsehood. The Hebraic-Messianic faith holds that there is one YHWH, and Yeshua, the Messiah, is the unique Son of that one God, fully divine and eternally one with the Father, not a separate god. This distinction is critical for understanding the nature of salvation and the identity of the Creator.

Adversary Teardown: lds.org

The official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (lds.org) frequently attempts to present its beliefs in a manner that sounds superficially aligned with traditional Christian monotheism, often using terms like "Godhead" and "unity." However, a closer examination of their primary sources and theological development reveals a profound departure from the Hebraic root of faith, specifically regarding the nature of God. The LDS Church, through its various publications and official statements, promotes a doctrine where the Father, Son (Yeshua), and Holy Ghost are understood as three distinct and separate Gods. While they are said to be "one in purpose," they are not one in essence or being. This is a semantic deception, as noted by counter-apologetics ("Mormon Claims of Trinitarian Inclusion: A Semantic Deception," BYU Scholars Archive), using familiar terminology to mask a profoundly different theological reality. This contrasts sharply with the biblical declaration of YHWH as Echad (Deuteronomy 6:4), a compound unity, not a council of separate divine beings. The lineage of this theological distortion can be traced directly to Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844), the founder of Mormonism. His "First Vision" account, retroactively dated to 1820, describes seeing two distinct "personages," God the Father and Yeshua, thereby establishing a visual and theological precedent for distinct divine beings rather than a singular, unified Godhead. This was further solidified through subsequent revelations and the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830. Brigham Young (1801-1877), who led the LDS Church to Utah in 1847, further elaborated on these doctrines, including the Adam-God doctrine (asserting Adam is our God) and the practice of polygamy, which was officially renounced under federal pressure in the 1890 Manifesto. These developments illustrate a clear break from the monotheistic foundations of the Tanakh and the Brit Chadashah, introducing a polytheistic framework where God the Father himself was once a man who progressed to godhood, and faithful adherents can aspire to the same. This is a direct contradiction of the eternal, uncreated nature of YHWH (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 44:6). The Book of Mormon itself, in passages like 3 Nephi 11:27, states, "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.”" While this phrasing echoes Yeshua's words in John 10:30, the broader Mormon theological framework interprets this "oneness" as unity of purpose, not unity of being, thereby maintaining the distinction of three separate Gods. This is a subtle but critical departure, as highlighted by analyses of the Book of Mormon's teachings on the Godhead ("Mormon Godhead: Unity, Distinction, and Biblical Truth," ScriptureCentral). The Hebraic understanding of Yeshua's oneness with the Father is a deep, ontological unity, not merely a functional agreement between distinct entities. A secondary adversary, often encountered in discussions with LDS members, is the argument that other Christian denominations also struggle to define the Trinity, implying that Mormonism's "Godhead" is simply another interpretation. This argument, while attempting to deflect, fails to address the core issue: the qualitative difference between a complex monotheistic doctrine (the Trinity, understood as one God in three co-equal persons) and a fundamentally polytheistic one (three distinct Gods, with the potential for more). The biblical insistence on "no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3) and the repeated declarations of YHWH's absolute uniqueness (Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 44:6) stand as an unshakeable barrier against any polytheistic interpretation.

Counter-Arguments Anticipated

Objection 1: "The Bible says 'Let us make man in our image' (Genesis 1:26), which implies a plurality of Gods, supporting our view."

This argument misinterprets the Hebraic understanding of Genesis 1:26. The "us" is consistently understood in Jewish tradition as either an internal divine deliberation within the singular God (Elohim, a plural noun with a singular verb, indicating majesty and fullness, not multiple gods), or a consultation with the heavenly court of angels, who are created beings, not co-equal deities. Targum Onkelos, a primary Aramaic translation and commentary, does not interpret this as multiple gods. The Brit Chadashah affirms Yeshua's role in creation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16) as the agent of the one God, not as a separate Creator God. This is a compound unity, Echad, not a collection of separate divine beings.

Objection 2: "Yeshua said, 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30), which we interpret as 'one in purpose,' not one in being, consistent with our Godhead."

This interpretation fundamentally misrepresents Yeshua's declaration. The Greek word used for "one" (hen) in John 10:30 denotes a unity of essence and nature, not merely a unity of purpose. This is understood within the context of Yeshua's other statements like "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9) and "the Father is in Me and I am in the Father" (John 10:38). The Jewish leaders who heard Yeshua understood this as a claim to deity, not just agreement, and sought to stone Him for blasphemy (John 10:31-33). The Hebraic-Messianic faith affirms Yeshua's unique divinity as the Son of the one YHWH, sharing His divine essence, not as a separate, distinct God.

Objection 3: "Our prophets and scriptures, like the Book of Mormon, reveal further truths about God that clarify these concepts beyond what is found in the Bible."

The Tanakh clearly closes the canon with Malachi, around 430 BCE, and strictly forbids adding to or taking away from YHWH's word (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6). The claim of new American "stick of Joseph" scriptures, such as the Book of Mormon, which introduce entirely new doctrines like God the Father being a man who progressed to godhood, directly contradicts the established and complete revelation of YHWH. This constitutes a departure from the one true God, as warned in Matthew 24:24 about "false Christs and false prophets." The Hebraic-Messianic faith relies solely on the Tanakh and Brit Chadashah as the inspired and complete Word of God.

Position Lock

Position Lock: The Hebraic-Messianic faith clearly affirms that there is only one God, YHWH, as declared in Deuteronomy 6:4, and Yeshua the Messiah is the unique, divine Son of this one God, eternally one with the Father in essence and being, not a separate deity within a polytheistic pantheon.