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Originally Posted by Misshalfway
Do "traditional Christians" as you put it, believe that we are created in the image of God?
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Not in the LDS sense--not physically. Since we believe God is Spirit, then we do not "look like" God. However, yes, God's Spirit is within us, we are made to carry his love, his mercy, his righteousness, etc. To be made in the image of God is different from being his literal children.
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If Jesus will retain his perfected resurrected body, then doesn't this fundamentally change the nature of the trinity?
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Why? God is still omni-present, omnipotent and omniscient. Jesus remains "one with the Father." The three are still one. That Jesus retains his body does perhaps forever draw us closer to our Creator, and perhaps that is a part of the Father's plan of salvation?
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And doesn't that mean that at one time he did not have one? How can they be one person ever again after a resurrection?
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They have always been distinct persons, but one God. That Jesus retains his body does not change that.
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And then does the Father have a body too? Does the holy ghost have a body too?
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No. In fact, Jesus said it was good that he leave, so the Holy Ghost could come, and presumably minister to all of us at once.
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Why would the Lord come to get a body if being a spirit was superior? What is the purpose in doing so...if he/it is already everything he needs to be and has been that way thru the eternities?
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To fulfill the atonement. Recall that Philippians says Jesus gave up his equality with God and made himself a little lower than the angels. His incarnation was an abasement he willingly accepted for our sakes.
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Why did God the Father call Jesus his son if he in reality was not his son at all, but a part of him or expression of him?
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We believe that Jesus is God the Son, not a part of the Father...but one with him.
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If you were to see the trinity in person, what would it look like?
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Isaiah 6 gives a good picture...we'd fall to our knees, or lie prostrate, and beg God not to kill us, due to our unholiness.
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And isn't part of the description of the trinity that they have no parts or passions? Why the questions about emotions? And how can they have no parts....but be resurrected?
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God is one. Jesus is God the Son, now incarnate. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three persons, one God. How that nature works exactly is indeed a divine mystery...but we know that the three persons are God, and that there is only one God.
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Did Moses believe in the trinity? Did Adam? Did they teach the trinity in the 10 commandments or in the Law of moses? Did Jesus teach the trinity? If so where?
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Neither the Trinity, nor that God had a Son. Does that mean Jesus is not God the Father's only begotten Son?
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When Jesus came to earth, why did he pray to the Father? Why did he ask the Father to bless the people? Why did he defer to the Father and say so many times that he only did the will of the father? Why was he allowed to be tempted? Why did he ask why the Father had forsaken him? I ask all of these and wonder why he would talk to himself in such a manner as a servant or as someone who deferred to someone of higher authority.
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Jesus deferred to his Father, as a dutiful Son is commanded to do. However, his deference is no indication that he is of a lesser species than the Father. Again, Philippians 2 informs us that Jesus DID NOT consider it robbery to be equal with God, but gave it up to make himself a little lower than the angels, to become God in the flesh.
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What is the purpose of the creation of man from the perspective of the trinity? Why was there a need for a sacrifice? Why are we invited to become like something that is impossible to become?
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Not sure I understand the last question, but from the beginning, we were created to worship God, part of which included the offer of sacrifices.
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Yes....I have many questions. But I figured it was ok to ask since the OP seems to want LDS people to understand. So....there are my questions....the things that confuse me. Maybe you can help me understand.
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I jumped in--Andy can fill in any gaping holes I've left.
