God
What does the Bible teach about God?
The Bible teaches there is only one God — not just of this earth, but anywhere — yet he reveals himself as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Christian church uses “triune” (three in one) to describe this mystery.
I and the Father are one.
John 10:30
Furthermore, God is not merely different in degree from us. He is in a class all his own, entirely different in his very essence. God’s power is unlimited; he is beyond human understanding. He created the universe from nothing and is present everywhere. Moreover, God is unchanging, without beginning or end. There was never a time he did not exist as God.
Stop talking past each other. Gain a better understanding of the words that are unique to Mormonism and the differences of shared terms between Mormonism and Christianity.
What does Mormonism teach about God?
There is only one God of this world in Mormonism, but there are countless other gods of different worlds or universes. Mormons often refer to the God of this world as Heavenly Father but believe Jesus and the Holy Ghost are also gods. Mormons believe three separate gods make up one godhead. They are united in purpose but not in personage.
Mormonism teaches that Heavenly Father was once a man elevated to godhood and that his human characteristics limit God’s power. In other words, he’s not omnipresent, and he did not create the universe from nothing.
Additionally, Mormonism teaches that humans, by adhering faithfully to the Mormon plan of salvation, can become not just like God but exalted as gods themselves.
Why would I want to live with someone who is always sizing up my worth? It's too much pressure!
Stephanie
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.
Doctrine and Covenants 130:22
Why this Matters
If God is just an exalted man, then we don’t truly see our need for someone greater than us. Instead of looking up to the One who is above all, we look ahead to what we can become. We reduce God to a role model rather than worshiping him as the eternal Creator who alone is worthy of our trust and worship.
But the God of the Bible isn’t someone we can aspire to become. He is the One who created all things, sustains all things, and is before all things (Colossians 1:16–17). He didn’t become God through effort or progression. He has always been God, the holy, infinite, perfect I AM (Psalm 90:2).
Why does this matter? Because when our Mormon friends don’t see God as he truly is, they can’t see their actual need for him and trust him alone. If God is just a more advanced version of us, then the focus shifts to what we must become rather than what God has already done. And that turns salvation into a ladder to climb rather than a gift to receive.
When we lose sight of God’s true nature, we lose sight of the gospel. We fail to see the depth of our need and the greatness of God’s rescue. We end up striving to reach what we could never attain, instead of resting in the One who came down to us.
That’s why it matters to talk about who God really is—with clarity and compassion. Because the real God isn’t just a being to emulate, he is the Savior who sees our need and meets it, not by inviting us to become like him but by doing everything necessary to restore us to himself.
When we share that truth, we’re not just inviting our friends to see God more clearly. We’re inviting them to know the One who is mighty to save.
Scripture References
Deuteronomy 6:4
Matthew 28:19
Isaiah 45:22
John 4:24
Psalm 90:2
Jeremiah 23:24
Genesis 17:1
Psalm 139:1-4
Isaiah 55:9
Summary
Christianity
There is one, all-powerful, triune God who created the universe from nothing.
Mormonism
God was once a man who worked his way to godhood. Heavenly Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are three separate gods who make up one godhead.