one God

shadowhunter · #1 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 09:33 PM

so guys i got another question. As some of you know ive been investagting the church anyway ive got over a few of the hurdles the the teaching of exhaltion makes sense now and doesnt really seem to mean we will become Gods in the sense that we are worshiped so i can handle that. Anyway here is my question can one be a mormon in good standing and still belive that there is only one God in the entire universe and that there is no other but him and he was and will always be God forever and was always God from all time

BenRaines · #2 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 09:38 PM

As far as it matters to us, yes. He is God, Our Father. He is our only God. His Son, Jesus Christ, is a God too but we do not worship him as God, Our Father, but as the Son.

Ben Raines

shadowhunter · #3 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 09:53 PM

ive heard "as far as it matters to us" but my question is can a mormon belive that there is ONLY one God in the entire universe and there is only him and no other no where else is there any other God

Islander · #4 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowhunter

so guys i got another question. As some of you know ive been investagting the church anyway ive got over a few of the hurdles the the teaching of exhaltion makes sense now and doesnt really seem to mean we will become Gods in the sense that we are worshiped so i can handle that. Anyway here is my question can one be a mormon in good standing and still belive that there is only one God in the entire universe and that there is no other but him and he was and will always be God forever and was always God from all time

It would be useful to consider that the word "god" is not a name that designates one specific entity. We are trapped in this conundrum because of language constrains. It is also interesting that in Hebrew, for example, they use various words to describe very similar but clearly distinct objects/subjects like grapes, drinks obedience. The language allows for greater descriptive detail and specificity of meaning.

Go figure, there is God, the Eternal Father of ALL spirits and Creator of the universe. Him to whom Jesus prayed and Who declared from heaven that Jesus was His beloved Son. Then there is Jesus Christ, "...The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" as declared by Isaiah. John also calls Jesus Father and God because "ALL things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." After the crucifixion and throughout all the NT Jesus is referred as the Son of God as well.

So, it is not really a theological leap to realize that Theos or God (from the Greek) is a descriptor rather than a name. In the old testament they use the name Jehovah hundreds of times as the name of God. They refer to the Eternal Father of all creation and the universe by a different name only twice.

It is like quantum physics. It takes a stretch to understand because we are trapped in a three-dimensional world perceived only thru our physical senses. But you can get there.

bytor2112 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowhunter

ive heard "as far as it matters to us" but my question is can a mormon belive that there is ONLY one God in the entire universe and there is only him and no other no where else is there any other God

The Godhead is.......God the Father......Jesus Christ his only begotten and the Holy Ghost...and they are One God. One in prupose.....not substance. There purpose? "To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

Nappaljarri · #6 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowhunter

ive heard "as far as it matters to us" but my question is can a mormon belive that there is ONLY one God in the entire universe and there is only him and no other no where else is there any other God

Yes you sure can. That is all that is taught to us. Everything else is speculatory on the part of members. We will be taught the extent of what we are speculating when we reach the hear after, but it is not important for our salvation nor exaltation. One God whom we worship, that is what we preach.

PassionForHisWord · #7 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 11:56 PM

But doesn't A Pearl of Great Price mention several "Gods" creating everything in Abraham 5:1-21?

YoungMormonRoyalist · #8 (**permalink**) 09-25-2008, 12:25 AM

As I did in the other thread, may I direct you to Genesis 3: 22.

Do to the constrains of the english language we we have several translations of God from Hebrew.

Adonai - Lord, commonally used instead of YHWH

YHWH - God, commonly translated as Jehovah

Elohim/Eloi - God, or Gods (not gods), Elohim is plural interestingly enough....

Gwen · #9 (**permalink**) 09-25-2008, 06:50 AM

change god to father...... i have one father. doesn't mean there aren't other father's out there but for me, all that i care about, i only have one. a son can become like his father....he can become a father too.....doesn't change that he still only has one father....that fact never changes...just cause you progress forward another generation doesn't change how many father's you have.....one

MaidservantX · #10 (**permalink**) 09-25-2008, 08:19 AM

Shadow, I'm not exactly sure what you are asking. However, I think you should remember the first article of faith: "We believe in God, the Eternal Father; and in his Son, Jesus Christ; and in the Holy Ghost." If you find that you cannot believe this, I personally would feel there is nothing to gain by joining the church.

Even more importantly, joining the church is not simply joining the church. When you are baptized, you are making a covenant. That is a serious step. Jesus Christ is who you are in the covenant relationship with. You would be baptized in the "name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost". That is how the baptismal prayer/ceremony goes. So if that bothers you, I wouldn't make a covenant about it, because a covenant is binding upon you.

These three Holy and Exalted Men (3 beings) make up one God (Godhead, united in their work on earth with the children of the Father).

I love your honest and sincere heart, and I appreciate how much you are learning and you want to understand and do what is right. I hope that you will find the place in this life that you believe is right. I invite you to believe the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as given by the true messengers of the Father, and that is what you hear taught by the prophet of God (Thomas S. Monson). I invite you to join the church, we would love to have you. But, again, I'm not sure what you are asking, but I have tried to answer the best I could saying what I have been taught as true, and I think what I have said is the most basic belief a member of the church is required to hold.

Continue to study it out for yourself. Ask God what is right. Ask him to show you who he really is.