Blessings of Exaltation, Godhood

[omega0401]

I am grateful for a church that teaches that He, God, wants us to be like him. Isn’t that what Christ meant when he said, “Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48) Who is Christ telling us to be like? Who does Christ want us to become? Is there anything greater than perfect? At another time, Christ taught his people, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” (John 10:34) Who does he say said that? It was Christ. He was referring to what was taught to the Jews in the old testament in Psalm 82:6. From Christ’s own lips He is teaching us that we have the potential to be like God and that is exaltation.

From The Infinite Atonement by Tad Callister we can learn this...

Repentance is the divinely chosen process that leads to godhood while satisfying justice each stop of the way...the law of repentance does much more; it brings about godhood. Repentance is more than a passive process to “get us even”; it is the affirmative process to improve us, refine us, and ultimately perfect us. Its purpose goes far beyond the satisfaction of justice. It opens the door to the cleansing and perfecting powers of the Atonement. p 225

Do not all Christian churches advocate Christlike behavior? If so, are we better men and women, better Christians, if we desire to be only 90 percent like Christ, rather than 100 percent? If it is blasphemous to think we can become as God now is, then at what point is it not blasphemous to become like him – 90 percent, 50 percent, 20 percent, 1 percent? Is it more honorable to seek partial godhood than total godhood? Are we to walk the path of godhood with no hopes of ever reaching the destination? Yet that seems to be the tragic conclusion of many. p 235

Elder Boyd K. Packer tells of coming home one day and being met by his little children, who were anxious to show him some newly hatched chicks. As his little four-year-old daughter picked one of them up Elder Packer said, “That will make a nice watchdog when it grows up, won’t it?” His daughter looked at him with an expression that suggested he did not know much. So he said, “It won’t be a watchdog, will it?” She shook her head and replied, “No, daddy.” Then he added, “It will be a nice riding horse,” His little daughter gave him “that ‘Oh, Dad!’ look.” Then he said, “Even a four-year old knows that a chick will not grow to be a dog, nor a horse, nor even a turkey. It will be a chicken. It will follow the pattern of its parentage.” President John Taylor taught this principle by asking a series of rhetorical questions: “What will the boys be when they are grown up? They will be men, will they not? They are now the sons of men. If a man be inducted into the family of God, and becomes a son of God, what will he become when he gets his growth? You can figure that out yourselves.” p 237

The difference between man and God is significant, but it is one of degree, not kind. It is the difference between an acorn and an oak tree, a rosebud and a rose, a son and a father. In truth, every man is a god in embryo, in fulfillment of that eternal law that like begets like. To suggest otherwise is to suggest that God created inferior offspring, in direct conflict with every scientific law known to man. But somehow, most of the world continues to miss the mark. p 238

Perfection doesn’t occur in this life. There is only one who is perfect in this life and that is Christ. But He commands us to become perfect and he wouldn’t give us a commandment if we could not achieve it. But it is an on going process that we will work at even well beyond the grave. It is a constant process of sincere repentance and trying again to live the way He has taught us to live. But Christ gives us that hope that we can become perfect even as the Father.

I hope our Christian friends will realize what it is the Savior is trying to teach us. That He loves us and wants us to become like our Father in heaven. Our Christian friends are very fond of C.S. Lewis because of the Christian principles he taught. I hope they take these words of his to heart...

The command ‘Be ye perfect’ is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were ‘gods’ and He is going to make good His words...The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said...Those who put themselves in His hands will become perfect, as He is perfect – perfect in love, wisdom, joy, beauty, and immortality. (Mere Christianity, p 176-177)

What a great and tremendous hope we have to look forward to.

[PapilioMemnon]

How merciful and loving Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ are!
How glorious are the revelations we have received; They both restored truth, and clarified all things, opening the doors for the most glorious revelations to mankind!
It is a natural reaction for the natural man want all the power, money, positions for him/herself, not share, not make others as good as they are, much less share kindgom, power, pure truth,..., and allow, teach them to became as they are.

John 10
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

D&C 88
49 The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall bcomprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him.

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Man, Potential to Become like Heavenly Father:
Topical Guide: Man, Potential to Become like Heavenly Father

Gen. 1: 26 (Moses 2: 26) let them have dominion.
Gen. 3: 22 (Moses 4: 28) man is become as one of us.
Lev. 19: 2 (1 Pet. 1: 16) be holy: for I . . . am holy.
Ps. 8: 5 thou hast made him a little lower than the angels.
Ps. 8: 6 madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.
Ps. 82: 6 ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most High.
Matt. 5: 48 (3 Ne. 12: 48) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father.
Luke 24: 39 spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
John 10: 34 (Ps. 82: 1-8; D&C 76: 58) Is it not written in your law . . . Ye are gods.
Acts 17: 29 we are the offspring of God.
Rom. 8: 17 heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.
2 Cor. 3: 18 changed into the same image from glory to glory.
Gal. 4: 7 if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Eph. 4: 13 Till we all come . . . unto a perfect man.
Heb. 12: 9 be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live.
1 Jn. 3: 2 when he shall appear, we shall be like him.
Rev. 3: 21 him that overcometh will . . . sit with me in my throne.
2 Ne. 2: 25 men are, that they might have joy.
3 Ne. 9: 17 to them have I given to become the sons of God.
3 Ne. 27: 27 what manner of men ought ye to be . . . even as I am.
3 Ne. 28: 10 your joy shall be full . . . shall be even as I am.
D&C 14: 7 you shall have eternal life.
D&C 88: 29 Ye who are quickened by . . . celestial glory.
D&C 88: 107 saints shall . . . be made equal with him.
D&C 93: 20 you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified.
D&C 93: 29 Man was also in the beginning with God.
D&C 121: 32 every man shall enter into his eternal presence.
D&C 129: 3 spirits of just men made perfect.
D&C 130: 1 he is a man like ourselves.
D&C 130: 22 Father has a body of flesh and bones.
D&C 131: 2 (D&C 131: 1-4) in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order.
D&C 132: 20 (D&C 132: 1-24) shall they be gods, because they have all power.
D&C 133: 57 that men might be made partakers of the glories.
Moses 1: 39 to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
JS-H 1: 17 I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy.

See also 2 Tim. 2: 10—12; 1 Ne. 11: 11; D&C 50: 24.


Thank you for the nature of the thread! Useful and valuable!

[abqfriend]

I am not LDS-so forgive my ignorance on the subject.
I do not know much about celstial glory.
I have much to learn about the LDS view on God our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ his Son and the Holy Spirit.
So forgive my not knowing-but I am hear to learn.
For me -my goal is to be Christ like-in loving others -in the here and now.
Keeping the 10 Commandments is what I strive to do-I only am partly successful.
I sin often, but perhaps less now than in the past.
I have a very long way to go before I am perfect-definately not in this life.
I believe in a forgiving God and a loving God as well as a just God.
The late Mother Theresa of Calcutta is one example of a person I wish to follow--ever so poorly.
Her best sermon-were actions of love toward others.
I think the late Gordon B Hinckley is another.
His talk on the "Be-Attitudes" -was totally inspiring.
His life was one of service to his Church and to his fellow man.
They may have never met, but they both shared much in common--their focus was on loving others and in trying to be Christ like by their words and actions.

[Traveler]

Most people think the greatest thing about G-d is his great power. I believe that is a mistake. The greatest thing about G-d is his love. A love so great that he would make what-ever sacrifice is necessary.

I regret that so many think about G-d and exaltation in the wonderful benefits they will have. Exaltation becomes a very selfish thing. That is another mistake. Exaltation is not about you and what you will get. It is about loving others and what you can sacrifice. If you do not understand sacrifice - you do not understand G-d or his Son Jesus The Christ. If you look beyond the need for your sacrifice thinking the sacrifice of G-d is enough you are too lost in selfishness to see the forest for the trees - you do not know G-d or have a personal relationship with him - you have deceived yourself and fallen for the oldest temptation of eternity.


The Traveler

[PapilioMemnon]

Originally Posted by Traveler

Most people think the greatest thing about G-d is his great power. I believe that is a mistake. The greatest thing about G-d is his love. A love so great that he would make what-ever sacrifice is necessary.

I regret that so many think about G-d and exaltation in the wonderful benefits they will have. Exaltation becomes a very selfish thing. That is another mistake. Exaltation is not about you and what you will get. It is about loving others and what you can sacrifice. If you do not understand sacrifice - you do not understand G-d or his Son Jesus The Christ. If you look beyond the need for your sacrifice thinking the sacrifice of G-d is enough you are too lost in selfishness to see the forest for the trees - you do not know G-d or have a personal relationship with him - you have deceived yourself and fallen for the oldest temptation of eternity.


The Traveler

It's unbelievable He wants to make us as good, loving, merciful as He IS with us! How much love is in it! Just thinking about that He sent His own Son for all of us, it's something beyond amazing...
yes, look at the sacrifice He made when He did this, and the sacrifice our Savior did when He gave Himself in our behalf... so that we wouldn't have to suffer as much as He did if we repent!
This is pure love; this is His message! This is how He wants us to become!
I agree with you when you mentioned that some people get lost when they see exaltation only for its benefits... That's sad! It's much more than that! It's pure love and mercy! He wants to lift us up, and make us like Him (In heart, mind, love, mercy, forgiveness, ...)!
I usually like to contrast that with us; some of us when has a little of anything, either education, power, authority of any kind, money, etc... they think of themselves above, better than others, and thus, they try to keep them where they are because to lift them up, it means they have competition... They fear that. That's sad!
I'm glad you made that point!!!

[omega0401]

Originally Posted by Traveler

The greatest thing about G-d is his love.

I agree with you about His love. His love is infinite, enduring, powerful, far more than what a mortal person can possibly comprehend. However, should that be the only thing we should seek, desire, talk about, or hope for? We cannot hope for all those blessings that God desires to give us? God offers us the gift of eternal life through the grace of His son if we are worthy of it by forgiveness through repentance and obedience.

Even though we should recognize and appreciate the tremendous love our Heavenly Father has for all of His children, we still need to do as Paul taught to the Philippians that individuals are called upon to “work out their own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philip. 2:12)

Originally Posted by Traveler

Exaltation becomes a very selfish thing.

I do not look at it that way. Do we not all seek for salvation and eternal life? When we seek for something that is righteous, why then do you say it is selfish? The Apostle Paul wrote to the Saints at Corinth and said, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” (1 Cor. 9:24.)

Does that make Paul selfish because he wanted to obtain eternal life and taught the Saints at Corinth to do the same?

If we do not prepare ourselves in our race, or hope to earn our exaltation then we are just procrastinating and that will cause us to lose our exaltation.

President Gordon B. Hinckley in the Ensign, May 2004 said:

How grateful we are to the God of heaven for His beneficent care of His children in providing for them, through all of the perils of eternity, the opportunity of salvation and the blessing of exaltation in His kingdom, if only they will live in righteousness.

Even President Hinckley is grateful for the blessings of salvation and of exaltation. To not seek for such a gift would not make a person unselfish. Instead it would make him ungrateful of Christ's atoning sacrifice and suffering for us all. To want more than what you are worthy of receiving, to me that is being selfish and very greedy.

All through the scriptures our Father in Heaven teaches us about the blessings He has for us if we are worthy. It is not to make us selfish but to give us encouragement, hope, a goal, and to prepare ourselves and to remind us to live the laws which those blessings are predicated upon. He wants all of His children to return to Him and wants us to be like Him. That is why I finished my post with the "hope" of maybe being worthy enough to be blessed with such a gift. The question as to who will be exalted must be left to the Lord in His mercy.

Going through life is hard and difficult enough without any blessings and I am grateful that He has promised us great blessings to give us hope if we are worthy of them. There really is a bright future that He wants us to look forward to and I think He wants us to be happy about that.

The progress of becoming exalted includes serving not only God but serving our brothers and sisters. To do unto other what we would have them do to us. In our Book of Mormon we are taught by a great Nephite leader, King Benjamin. He gave his people a wonderful discourse and said that when we are in the service of our fellow man we are in the service of God. I believe we are and sometimes that takes a lot of sacrifice on our part.

But service is just one of the many attributes towards exaltation. Our progress to exaltation also includes loving others and it includes sacrifice and unselfishness.

Keeping all of the Lord's commandments and covenants should come from our desires to love God, to honor him, and follow him not because of the blessing He gives us. But it's wonderful to know that those blessing are there for us if we are worthy because our Heavenly Father wants to bless us and we need to prepare ourselves to be worthy of them.

God has promised us blessings to hope for, to prepare for and I am thankful for that. We need hope in this life.

[PapilioMemnon]

Omega,
You pointed out great things! Yes, Our Heavenly Father does want us to be there, and achieve that glory so that we can see Him again! How glorious is that> Is there anyone who doesn't want to be there? Who doesn't want to become like Him?

However, I believe the point Traveler tried to convey (Correct me if I'm wrong) was that some people aim towards exaltation only for its benefits as people covet material things/rewards. I do agree to some extent with what Traveler said; howeverI don't think someone who has an eye only for that will persist/endure till the end!
What motivates true followers of Jesus Christ to endure/persist is knowing Him, our Savior, & feeling/partaking/experiencing of His love!

The Lord KNOWS our thoughts and intents of our hearts... He'll judge that which no one can!

D&C 6: 16
Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.

Good evening to you all!

[PapilioMemnon]

Omega,
You pointed out great things! Yes, Our Heavenly Father does want us to be there, and achieve that glory so that we can see Him again! How glorious is that> Is there anyone who doesn't want to be there? Who doesn't want to become like Him?

However, I believe the point Traveler tried to convey (Correct me if I'm wrong) was that some people aim towards exaltation only for its benefits as people covet material things/rewards. I do agree to some extent with what Traveler said; howeverI don't think someone who has an eye only for that will persist/endure till the end!
What motivates true followers of Jesus Christ to endure/persist is knowing Him, our Savior, & feeling/partaking/experiencing of His love!

The Lord KNOWS our thoughts and intents of our hearts... He'll judge that which no one can!

D&C 6: 16
Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.

Good evening to you all!

[PapilioMemnon]

Humm... my screen went blak when I tried to post the first one... and I though it didn't go thru... Sorry for the double postings!

[Hemidakota]

Perfection starts in the Temple when we achieve all mortal ordinances...