Differences between God the Father and God the Son
This discussion topic came about because of mixed language messages we noticed in various meetings when a speaker was talking about God. The question is, who are we talking about: God the Father or God the Son? Here are our notes and sources:
Jesus Christ gives us the power of the priesthood
When things are hard, what will help us most is Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is our advocate to the Father through prayer
If we understood how the Godhead operated, we wouldn’t carry the fear that we do
The God Who Weeps by Fiona and Terryl Givens
In James Faulconer’s Mosiah, there are charts (Figure 4 page 103, and Figure 5 page 104) that outline some differences:
The Son is created by Heavenly Father
As Creator, the Son is also the Father
The Father and the Son are one in intention, wisdom, and will, but they are separate beings.
The Creator is both Father and Son: The premortal Jesus is the creator “from the beginning,” but he is a different person than Heavenly Father.
(The above comes from James Faulconer’s Mosiah, Figure 4 page 103, and Figure 5 page 104 with comparisons of Christian beliefs about the being and unity of the Father and the Son.)
Mosiah 15
Romans 8
Gospel Topics: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/god-the-father?lang=eng
Heavenly Father: The Father of Our Spirits; Supreme Creator. Through Jesus Christ, He created heaven and earth and all things in them (see Moses 2:1). The Author of the Plan of Salvation.
Jesus Christ: Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. Savior and Redeemer of the world. Our Mediator and Advocate with the Father.
“The Doctrine of God the Father in the Book of Mormon.” Andrew C. Skinner
https://rsc.byu.edu/book-mormon-treasury/doctrine-god-father-book-mormon
“We also know that the plan of salvation was Heavenly Father’s plan and that Jesus Christ put into effect or executed all the terms and conditions of His Father’s plan (see Moses 4:1–4), whether acting in pre-mortality as Jehovah or acting in mortality as Christ. We further know from the Savior’s emphasis of the point He makes in 3 Nephi, as well as from modern revelation, that even though the Godhead is composed of individual beings, their unity in perfection is far more intertwined and intense than we mortals might comprehend.”
“. . . only on rare occasions has God the Father been directly involved with mortals on this earth.” (Skinner)
President Russell M. Nelson - “Hear Him” April 2020 “For example, whenever He has introduced His Only Begotten Son to mortals upon the earth, He has done so with remarkably few words. On the Mount of Transfiguration to Peter, James, and John, God said, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.”9 His words to the Nephites in ancient Bountiful were “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.”10 And to Joseph Smith, in that profound declaration that opened this dispensation, God simply said, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”11 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/45nelson?lang=eng
Fiona Givens: “Because when we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.”
“The covenants are sanctified and ratified by the connection of each member of the Godhead to each covenant. The God who carries our burdens all through his life, into Gethsemane and onto Golgotha is God, the Christ, the Redeemer of the world. The God who mourns with us when we mourn is God, the Father and the Redeemer. The God who mourns with us when we mourn is God, the Father. The God who comforts us when we stand in need of comfort is God, the Holy Spirit. As we keep these commandments, in particular, we are actually collaborating with the Godhead in bringing healing and wholeness to the world. We are building Zion as we cross boundaries—religious, political, cultural and social in the keeping of these commandments. We are building a world in which, because we are of one heart and one mind with the Divine Family in healing our friends, neighbours and strangers, we will dwell in righteousness and there will be no poor—either financially, physically, psychologically or emotionally among us and in our day we shall build a City of Holiness, even Zion (Moses 7:18-19).” https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/blog/2021/01/19/come-follow-me-week-4-doctrine-and-covenants-3-5
President Dallin H. Oaks - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/51oaks?lang=eng
“We believe in Christ. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we worship Him and follow His teachings in the scriptures.
Before the Fall, our Heavenly Father spoke directly to Adam and Eve. Thereafter, the Father introduced His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior and Redeemer and gave us the command to “hear Him.” From this direction we conclude that the scriptural records of words spoken by “God” or the “Lord” are almost always the words of Jehovah, our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.”