Mormonism teaches that God the Father has a heavenly wife who produces spirit children, which are later born into human families on earth. Because Mormons believe God is an exalted man, some leaders have claimed that Jesus’ physical body must have been the result of a physical union between Heavenly Father and one of His spiritual daughters, Mary, the “virgin.” This idea essentially describes a form of spiritual incest, which Mormon leaders attempt to justify by claiming that God is not bound by human rules.
The Bible, however, teaches something radically different. God is revealed as a Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — distinct persons, yet one in essence (1 Corinthians 12:4–6). Jesus, called the Son of God, was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, not through a physical act with Mary (Matthew 1:18–23). Only Jesus existed before His earthly birth, as the eternal Word of God (John 1:1–3; John 8:23).
Scripture makes clear that Mary is not a spirit child of Heavenly Parents (1 Corinthians 15:46), and God the Father is not an exalted man (Hosea 9:11). Christ’s miraculous conception demonstrates the holiness and divine nature of God, not human reproduction: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23). The Holy Spirit, who is fully God, enabled Mary to conceive, making Jesus truly the Son of the Father without any physical act between a Heavenly Father and Mary.
In contrast to the confusion of Mormon pre-existence doctrine, the Bible presents a consistent, holy, and miraculous account of Christ’s pre-existence, incarnation, and divine parentage. For a more detailed comparison of Mormon pre-existence beliefs with Scripture, see 4Mormon.org: Premortal Life.
