We previously mentioned that Joseph Smith wrote a letter to John Wentworth which included both the Articles of Faith and his "First Vision" story where he claimed that two heavenly personages appeared to him and told him that "all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines." He published that letter in the LDS Times and Seasons newspaper in Nauvoo, IL on March 1, 1842. In the next issue of that newspaper on March 15, 1842, Smith published an expanded version of his First Vision in which he said he asked the two personages which church he should join. He said, "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all of their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt.…" That is now Mormon scripture in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History 1:19.

Mormons teach that God the Father and Jesus Christ were the two Personages who told Smith that "all the churches were wrong and all their creeds (doctrines) were an abomination." Therefore, it would be a contradiction for the Articles of Faith to contain the same doctrines that were condemned by the Lord in Joseph Smith’s First Vision! Another thing that shows that the first Article of Faith was not meant to teach the same concept about God that other churches had is that the same two issues of the Times and Seasons mentioned above also contained Smith’s complete "translation" of the Book of Abraham, which is now Mormon scripture in the Pearl of Great Price. Abraham, chapters 4 and 5 teach that "the Gods" created the earth and everything in it. Thus, when the first Article of Faith says, "We believe in God the Eternal Father" it must be understood in that historical context.

Mormon scripture and their leaders interpret the words they use in such a way that they don’t see contradictions. They see no problem in teaching that God the "Eternal Father" was once a man because "Eternal" is one of the names of God. LDS Apostle, James Talmage wrote, "Endless and Eternal are among His (God’s) names..." (Articles of Faith, p. 146). And Joseph Smith declared, "We say that God himself is a self-existing being.… Who told you that man did not exist in like manner upon the same principles? Man does exist upon the same principles...The mind or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal with God himself.… There never was a time when there were not spirits; for they are co-equal (co-eternal) with our Father in heaven" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 352-353). Milton R. Hunter, under the direction of the LDS General Authorities, also wrote, "...the center of the personality of man is an uncreated, eternally existent, indestructible entity. He–for that entity is a person—...is eternal as God is; co-existent, in fact, with God" (The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 126). Doctrine and Covenants 93:29 says much the same thing: "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be." Thus, Mormonism teaches: God became God the same way good Mormons can become Gods; "Eternal" is one of the names of God and He is eternal in the same way that man is eternal; and He is called "Father" because He is the personal Father of the spirits of all men in the pre-mortal spirit world as LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie wrote in Mormon Doctrine on pages 84 and 236. Now you can read the first Article of Faith with real understanding!