I am confused about Jesus being God. My understanding is that the Mormons teach that Jesus is God’s actual Son and that Satan is Jesus’ actual brother?? Is this correct?

Gramps,
Thanks for your reply. But I am confused about Jesus being God. My understanding is that the Mormons teach that Jesus is God’s actual Son and that Satan is Jesus actual brother?? Is this correct? If this is correct, then how can there be a trinity of God, the Son and the Holy Ghost, where they are one? I get this information from my sister who is a Mormon.
Chris

Dear Chris,
God, Elohim in the Bible, is God the Father. He is the father of the spirits of all mankind. Jesus Christ, or Jehovah in the Old Testament, is the firstborn Son in the spirit world, and the only begotten in the flesh. Satan, or Lucifer in the Old Testament was one of God’s children, even a son of the morning. Isaiah speaks of Lucifer, a son of God in the following terms—

Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms (Isa 14:9-16).

As recorded in the Book of Moses (The Joseph Smith translation of the Book of Genesis) Lucifer, who came to be called Satan, desired to take over the power of God and save all of God’s children without exception. This would have violated the principles of righteousness, and Satan’s plan was rejected, and he was cast down to hell and became the devil.

And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying–Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor (Moses 4:1).

The old Protestant cry that the Mormons say that Jesus and Satan are brothers is a vain attempt, inspired by Satan himself in an attempt by the inference of association, to discredit the Mormon Church. Indeed they are brothers, as all men are brothers, but Christ is at one end of the spectrum, the only Son of God who lived a sinless life, who is the Savior and Redeemer of mankind, and Lucifer, or Satan, or the devil is at the other end of the spectrum, the most wicked of all the children of God, the author of sin and unrighteousness.
The trinity of the Godhead is comprised of God the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. The trinity of the Godhead is one in purpose, but not one entity. That concept of the mystery of the Godhead, being three but yet one, is another old sectarian notion that has no substance or foundation. So Elohim, the Father, is a God, Jesus Christ, the only begotten son is a God, and the Holy Spirit is a God. But all those who obey all the commandments of the Lord may also become gods. This is a doctrine on the Bible, not understood by the sectarian world because they have not the gift of Holy Ghost, by which the things of the Spirit are understood. As explained by Paul—

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but [by] the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:11).

The plurality of gods is plainly taught by Paul in 1 Corinthians—

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him (1 Cor 8:5-6).

Paul is explaining that God the Father is the God (or ruler, if you will) of all mankind. If any of His children achieve godhood, they will yet be under the direction of our Father in Heaven. This concept is further clarified in a revelation from the Lord to Joseph Smith in July of 1843—

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them–Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths–then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever (D&C 132:17,19).

Gramps