Do Latter Day Saints Believe Jesus Is God

Jesus, God, or Both? A Chat with My LDS Neighbor

So, I was out mowing my lawn the other day, sweat dripping, and I hear a friendly, "Hey there!" It's my neighbor, Sister Johnson, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). We got to talking, and I asked her that question that's been on my mind: "Do Latter-day Saints believe Jesus is God?"

She smiled, "Well, let me grab a lemonade first, and I'll explain!" she said, handing me one. Isn't that just like her? Always so thoughtful. So, here we go.

Jesus is God, but not the only God

Sister Johnson started, "We believe in a Godhead, which means we have three separate beings: God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They're one in purpose, but they're not the same person."

Think of it like a family, she said. My wife, me, and our daughter - we're all different people, but we're united in love and purpose. That's kind of like the Godhead, but with divine power and glory, of course.

So, Jesus is God, but he's not the only God. He's a separate being from his Father. It's a bit mind-boggling, I know, but it's what Latter-day Saints believe.

Jesus is the Christ

Sister Johnson then said, "We also believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. He's the one who came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died for our sins."

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She told me about how Jesus visited the Americas after his resurrection, and how he taught them the same gospel he taught in Jerusalem. It's all recorded in the Book of Mormon, she said, and I should read it sometime.

I asked her why that matters, and she said, "Because it means Jesus' love and teachings aren't just for one group of people. He loves everyone, everywhere. And he's given us a way to come back to live with him again someday."

Why Should You Care?

I could see the passion in Sister Johnson's eyes as she talked about her beliefs. It made me wonder, why should I care about what Latter-day Saints believe?

Here's why, she said: "Because it's about love. Love for God, love for others, and love for ourselves. Jesus taught us how to love, and that's what we try to do every day. If you believe in Jesus, you should care about what he taught and how we can follow him better."

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She's right, isn't she? Whether you're LDS, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or anything else, love is at the core of it all. And understanding how others see Jesus can help us understand each other better.

Let's Keep Talking

Sister Johnson and I finished our lemonades, and she headed back home. But our conversation didn't end there. We've talked about this many times since, and each time, I learn something new.

So, the next time you see your LDS neighbor, or anyone else who believes differently than you, why not ask them about their beliefs? You might just learn something, and make a friend in the process.

After all, as Sister Johnson always says, "We're all children of God, trying to figure this life out together. The more we understand each other, the better we can love each other."