Misconceptions: The Trinity

One of the most common misconceptions Mormons have about Christianity is in regards to the Trinity. It is often thought that Christians believe in one God that operates in three different modes. Kind of like a man who has three different jobs: One day he works as a Fireman, another as a Teacher, and yet another as a police officer. His daily operations change depending on which job he is performing that day.

This view of one God operating in three different modes (Father, Son, and Spirit) is called “modalism”.

But this is NOT what Christians believe!

In fact, Modalism has been refuted by the Christian church as heresy ever since the 3rd century. The Bible teaches that there is one God who exists in three persons and that there is a distinction between the three persons of the Trinity.

In other words, the Father is NOT the Son, the Son is NOT the Spirit, and the Spirit is NOT the Father.

This means that Father, Son and Spirit exist in eternal relationship together. God did not create the world because He was lonely! And He doesn’t have split personalities! Even before the world began, there was love, communication, and unity within the equal-yet-distinct members of the Trinity. Relationship is part of God’s very nature.

So when Jesus prays to His Father, He is not praying to Himself (Luke 22:42)! When Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to help us, He doesn’t mean that He will be coming—but in a different form (John 14:15-17). When He commands His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20), He is not teaching us to refer to God by three different names. Jesus is teaching us to acknowledge the TRINITY.

There is only one God, who exists in three persons. The Father is NOT the Son, the Son is NOT the Spirit, and the Spirit is NOT the Father.

That’s what we believe.