In the theology of the Book of Mormon, the title “God” initially parallels the Old Testament concept of Yahweh: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—whom Jesus Christ later identifies himself as to the Jews (John 8:58). For the Nephites, the Father and Son dichotomy, both within Christ’s roles as father and son, and in reference to Jesus and his personal Father is revealed gradually.
Nephi’s teachings expand the conception of Deity by referring to Christ as "the Only Begotten of the Father," indicating a forthcoming incarnation (2 Nephi 25:12). Through Nephi’s scriptures, the roles of both the Father and the Son becomes evident, especially in discussions concerning baptism and obedience to the commandments (2 Nephi 31:7-21).
The prophet Abinadi presents a doctrinal synthesis where Christ is God taking on flesh, thus He is depicted as the Father because of His divine conception and the Son due to His mortality. Abinadi’s teachings reflect a view where the mortal and divine natures of Christ are unified, portraying Him as the Father and the Son in one God (Mosiah 15:1-5).
Christ’s own appearance and teaching recorded in the Book of Mormon affirm His distinct identity from the Father, while He communicates the Father’s will and teachings to the people. Christ’s sermons and prayers to the Father underscore Their separate personas yet emphasize a united purpose and shared divinity (3 Nephi 16, 20, 21, 24).
Towards the end of the Nephite historical narrative, the characterizations of God given by prophets like Mormon and Moroni resonate with New Testament interpretations, where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost constitute a unified Godhead, with distinct personalities and functions. This more developed theology incorporates the complex understandings of earlier teachings, signifying a culmination of Nephite doctrinal development surrounding the nature of God.