These verses are confusing to some, but at least I find them to be consistent with other Book of Mormon verses describing Christ as God and even Father in some sense. Without getting deep into the theology of the Godhead, I will just say that I think we tend to focus too much on the separation of the persons of the Godhead to distinguish ourselves from trinitarian beliefs, while the Book of Mormon reminds us that it is the unity that really defines the Godhead.1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that himself shall down among the children of men, and shall his people.2 And because he in he shall be called the , and having subjected the flesh to the of the , being the Father and the Son—3 The Father, he was by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—
4 And they are , yea, the very of heaven and of earth.5 And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father... 7 the of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.
The important point, though, in these verses, is the Godhead as role model for us. Abinadi draws parallels between the Son and the flesh on one hand and the Father and the spirit on the other. When the Son becomes subject to the Father, or the will of the Son is "swallowed up in the will of the Father", they are "one God". Similarly, when the flesh becomes subject to the spirit or the will of the flesh is swallowed up in the will of the spirit, it becomes one unity.
Subjecting the flesh to the spirit is also a form of gathering. The purpose of gathering in the gospel and scriptures is to create this unity. Zion consists of people who are one heart and one mind (Moses 7:18). They are one with each other. But I think they are also one with themselves, having this flesh-spirit unity. It is striking that Abinadi goes on to talk about Zion later in the chapter I just quoted from.
Yea, Lord, shall lift up their voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. (Mosiah 15:29)This is in fact an Isaiah quote, which is the context for this whole sermon. It started with a question from King Noah's priests about what this Isaiah passage really means.
Another thing that caused me to reflect is how gathering or unity is achieved through a Father-Son relationship. God is one because the Son subjects his will to the Father. Christ, in turn, invites us to become his children and become one with him. Again, it is striking to observe what Abinadi goes on to talk about after these verses in the beginning of chapter 15.
And now I say unto you, who shall declare his ? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for he shall see his . And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed? (Mosiah 15:10)When Christ appears in the flesh as son and subjects his will to the Father and completes the atonement, he becomes our father. Christ is one with his father and wants us to become one with Him by becoming his children. This is the way to unity and salvation.
And now Father, I unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them thou, Father, art in me, that we may be . (3 Nephi 19:23)Christ is a model for subjecting the flesh to the spirit. When we do the same, he becomes our father and bring us to his father. The gathering of Israel starts with each of us individually. When the will of our flesh has been swallowed up by the will of the spirit, we will see ourselves gathered by the father of our salvation, Jesus Christ, who in turn takes us to His father, thus fulfilling His role as mediator.
Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and the demands of justice. (Mosiah 15:9)