Know God – Establishing the Cause of Zion

Faith, Grace, and Knowledge

I’ve lately been pondering on, studying, praying about, and discussing with a couple of friends the concept of faith. As I was meditating on several related principles, they suddenly came together in a way that sounded very much the same as things I already believed, but felt different. I’d like to share and hope you find this beneficial.

Faith

Faith begins with hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). I believe this means more than reading the scriptures, or hearing words delivered by a messenger, but it is the actual moment those words become revelation from God directly to you.

Saving faith is only ever exercised in God—not in his messengers, servants, or even the scriptures, but in Him alone. As Jesus told the Pharisees: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me, but ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:39-40).

Many people throughout the years have built up entire religions around their false interpretations of the words God spoke to someone else. Yet, until these words jump off the page and are directed towards you specifically, they are not living. The Prophet Joseph taught that “there is no salvation between the two lids of the Bible” (TPJS p. 319).To his uncle Silas, he wrote:

Perhaps you may be surprised at this assertion, that I should say for the salvation of his creatures in these last days, since we have already in our possession a vast volume of his word which he has previously given.

But you will admit that the word spoken to Noah was not sufficient for Abraham, or it was not required of him to leave the land of his nativity and seek an inheritance in a strange country upon the word spoken to Noah, but for himself he obtained promises from the hand of the Lord and walked in that perfection, that he was called the friend of God.

Isaac, the promised seed, was not required to rest his hope alone upon the promises made to his father Abraham, but was privileged with the assurance of his approbation in the sight of Heaven by the direct voice of the Lord to him.

If one man can live upon the revelations to another, might I not with propriety ask why the necessity then of the Lord’s speaking to Isaac as he did, as is recorded in the twenty-sixth chapter of Genesis? For the Lord there repeats, or rather promises again, to perform the oath which he had previously sworn to Abraham, and why this repetition to Isaac? Why was not the first promise as sure for Isaac as it was for Abraham? Was not Isaac Abraham’s son, and could he not place implicit confidence in the veracity of his father as being a man of God? …

The same might be said on the subject of Jacob’s history. Why was it that the Lord spake to him concerning the same promise, after he had made it once to Abraham and renewed it to Isaac? Why could not Jacob rest contented upon the word spoken to his Fathers? When the time of the promise drew nigh for the deliverance of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, why was it necessary that the Lord should begin to speak to them?

“The promise or word to Abraham was that his seed should serve in bondage, and be afflicted four hundred years, and after that they should come out with great substance. Why did they not rely upon this promise, and when they had remained in Egypt, in bondage four hundred years, come out without waiting for further revelations, but act entirely upon the promise given to Abraham that they should come out?

Paul said to his Hebrew brethren that God might more abundantly show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel. He confirmed it by an oath. He also exhorts them, who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.

Notwithstanding, we (said Paul) have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, yet he was careful to press upon them the necessity of continuing on until they, as well as those who then inherited the promises, might have the assurance of their salvation confirmed to them by an oath from the mouth of him who could not lie; for that seemed to be the example anciently, and Paul holds it out to his Hebrew brethren as an object attainable in his day.

And why not? I admit that by reading the scriptures, of truth, the saints in the days of Paul could learn, beyond the power of contradiction, that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had the promise of eternal life confirmed to them by an oath of the Lord; but that promise or oath was no assurance to them of their salvation, but they could, by walking in the footsteps and continuing in the faith of their fathers, obtain for themselves an oath for confirmation that they were meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light.

To exercise faith in God, the word of God must first be delivered to you by direct revelation. Scriptures and messengers can frequently serve as a catalyst, but it must ultimately come from God: “for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost, the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men” (2 Nephi 33:1; cf. Moroni 7:31-32, D&C 1:38, D&C 68:4). This is why, for example, missionaries ask people to pray about the Book of Mormon. The moment the reader receives revelation, it becomes God’s word and not someone else’s.

We are all held accountable and ultimately judged according to the light we receive in this life (Moroni 7:18, Alma 12:8-15). This is a universal yet dynamic standard. Every single person—from your religious neighbor, to your agnostic co-worker, from someone living in California today to someone living in China 3,000 years ago—has some portion of God’s word, greater or lesser. It is the living voice of the living God. It’s their perception of light, and revelation. And they will all be judged according to the light and revelation they received.

As a quick note on that: if the purpose of this life was to get everyone to join the LDS church, it would be an abysmal failure. With the largest population of members to date, Latter-day Saints make up only about ~0.2% of the world’s population. Even though we frequently say work can and is being done for the dead, providing them an exception in the afterlife, what exactly was the purpose of the life they did live?

Every life is eternally significant, and divinely planned; God is at work, speaking to his children wherever they may be: “The Lord deals with this people as a tender parent with a child, communicating light and intelligence and the knowledge of his ways as they can bear it” (TPJS p. 305). “For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true” (Alma 29:8).

Faith in God’s revealed word is ultimately the principle upon which we are judged, and the only principle upon which we are saved. This is why the Prophet speaks of exercising “faith in God unto life and salvation” (Lectures on Faith 3:3). Now, it’s also worth noting that eventually all things will be revealed to all people, but we’ll come back to that at a later time.

Grace and Knowledge

There’s so much quibble about grace in the protestant sphere. The best way to understand grace is as knowledge. And not just facts, or acquired information, but the direct revelation of God’s word to you. It’s to have a real encounter with Him in any degree (Mosiah 18:6). And that word, delivered in any degree, is always a gift.

We are saved and sanctified by the Truth (a personal knowledge of he who is the Word of God) (John 17:17). It is by grace (or knowledge/revelation) we are saved, through faith. And that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

That grace, or knowledge, is sufficient to transform us, if we will receive it. Knowing how and why Jesus would act in any given scenario is a massive gift; we simply cannot imagine what he would do, or how he could/would do it. And when you encounter and feel that living knowledge, you encounter him in some degree—and yielding to that influence will change you. It will knock you down and rearrange you.

It’s in this way we can understand Joseph Smith’s comments that “knowledge saves a man,” and “a man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge.” Our best ideas or most sincerely held beliefs are not alone sufficient to transform us: “Salvation cannot come without revelation” (TPJS p. 160). We must actually come to know God and Christ to be partakers of eternal life (John 17:3).

Peter addressed the church in his day saying, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:2-4).

Commenting on this passage, the Prophet Joseph taught:

Contend earnestly for the like precious faith with the Apostle Peter, “and add to your faith virtue,” knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity; “for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Another point, after having all these qualifications, he lays this injunction upon the people “to make your calling and election sure.” He is emphatic upon this subject—after adding all this virtue, knowledge, etc., “Make your calling and election sure.” What is the secret—the starting point? “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” How did he obtain all things? Through the knowledge of Him who hath called him. There could not anything be given, pertaining to life and godliness, without knowledge. Woe! woe! woe to Christendom!—especially the divines and priests if this be true.

Salvation is for a man to be saved from all his enemies; for until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. A knowledge of the priesthood [the order and manner of the Son of God] alone will do this.
TPJS p. 305

It is furthermore the case that only by acting on God’s revealed word to you can you be transformed and receive the assurance that course of life you are pursuing is agreeable to his will (for more on this, I would suggest revisiting the entirety of Lecture 6 from the Lectures on Faith). As in Alma’s analogy of planting and nourishing the seed, acting on revelation will lead to successively greater knowledge and revelation, which will in turn inspire greater faith, leading to a perfect knowledge. On another occasion, the Prophet taught:

Now for the secret and grand key. Though they might hear the voice of God and know that Jesus was the Son of God, this would be no evidence that their election and calling was made sure, that they had part with Christ, and were joint heirs with Him. They then would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then, having this promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. Though the thunders might roll and lightnings flash, and earthquakes bellow, and war gather thick around, yet this hope and knowledge would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble and tribulation. Then knowledge through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the grand key that unlocks the glories and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

Compare this principle once with Christendom at the present day, and where are they, with all their boasted religion, piety and sacredness while at the same time they are crying out against prophets, apostles, angels, revelations, prophesying and visions, etc. Why, they are just ripening for the damnation of hell. They will be damned, for they reject the most glorious principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and treat with disdain and trample under foot the key that unlocks the heavens and puts in our possession the glories of the celestial world. Yes, I say, such will be damned, with all their professed godliness. Then I would exhort you to go on and continue to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure for yourselves, by obtaining this more sure word of prophecy, and wait patiently for the promise until you obtain it, etc.
TPJS p. 298-299

The “Science” of Sanctification

For the last five months or so, I’ve spent almost all of my spare time on writing an essay I hope to publish as a video, or maybe a series. It’s taken greater priority for me than posting anything on this blog, but every now and then I have moments of clarity that I feel would be worthwhile to stop and share with others along the way. I hope this is coherent enough to be helpful, and that I’m able to lay out the prerequisites clearly and succinctly.

Once one has passed through the strait gate, and come into a state of justification, the real journey of coming to Christ begins. However, I think it would be helpful to first build the framework so that the next step follows naturally.

Hierarchy of Values, Priority, and Attention

It’s been said that people are aiming creatures. Everything we do has a purpose or a “why.” Behind every action, there is a target. Behind every target, there is a bigger target. You may be studying microbiology to pass tomorrow’s test, so that you can pass the course, so that you can graduate, so that you can become a dentist, etc. At any given moment, you can determine your motives and purpose in something by stopping and asking yourself, “why?”

When you follow those answers back as far as they go, you’ve discovered the higher ideals you’re attending to—in essence, the god (or gods) you worship. Worship and attention are tightly knit. This is why in Hebrew, “work” and “worship” are the same word. The thing all your work is “for,” whether it be comfort, or power, or money, or love—that is what you worship. The question is not “do you believe in God?”, only, “which god do you worship?”

Everyone has a hierarchy of values and attention. The higher you go in the hierarchy, the more it impacts the fundamental direction of your life. Becoming a dentist, for example, will dictate whether you go to school, what you go to school for, which classes you take, what you fill your time studying, and other sacrifices you will make along the way.

Wherever there is attention, there is sacrifice. As it’s been noted by psychologists, you can only ever think of one thing at a time. Giving your attention to one thing, whether in a single moment (like reading a book), or more generally (like pursuing a degree) means that you are not focusing on other things. You get to decide what you’re going to worship, or attend to. You get to decide what you’re going to think about—but you can only pick one thing at a time. Every decision in every moment is a sacrifice. Every decision in every moment is one of worship. “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8).

An Eye Single to His Glory

Many people who say they worship God do so in word only, drawing near with their lips, though their hearts are far from Him (Isaiah 29:13). “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). There are also people who don’t explicitly believe in God, or Christ, but whose every action can be traced back to love (albeit at a lower-resolution).

Passing through the strait gate is a matter of reconciling your entire value structure to Christ. This is what repentance is all about. It’s more than just feeling bad and wanting to do better (although those are important first steps). It’s considering everything you do, all of your habits, routines, and values, and cutting out those things that can’t be traced back to God. It’s consecrating everything you have to the end of bringing forth His kingdom on earth.

Like the brazen serpent Moses set up, setting our attention on Him alone is the only thing that will save us.

Additionally, this is why you cannot serve both God and mammon. Though it may be the Lord’s will that you become a dentist, you must do it for Him. Though you may make money at your job, you recognize that these are all things that are His, and must still be used for His purposes. This is why will it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. You cannot seek money and build the kingdom at the same time. Everything must be on the altar, all the time. This is the only way life can flow through us.

Expanding Our Vision

Yet frequently, it is the case that after passing through the strait gate, after giving our whole lives and wills over to God, there are moments that pull our attention away from Him. Like Peter walking out onto the water to Christ, being overcome with fear by the wind and the waves, we begin to sink. Circumstances in life may arise, a scenario calculated to distract us may unfold, and the moment our attention is pulled away from the Savior, we begin to sink.

Sin, by definition, is to “miss the mark.” It is what happens when we are distracted from our highest ideal. It is what happens when the winds of adversity push against us, and the waves of chaos shift under our feet. As was mentioned earlier, you can only look at and think about one thing at a time. This becomes difficult when we wade out into the world trying to focus on Christ, but are bombarded with a million other things that pull our attention away from Him—some smaller, some greater. How can we keep our attention on Him amidst this world’s persistent vicissitudes? How can we look to Him in every thought (D&C 6:36) and “pray always, that [we] may come off conqueror” (D&C 10:5), when our daily situations seem to distract us from this?

This brings us to an interesting truth.

We may only be able to think about one thing at a time, however, what happens when a collection of things are organized in such a way that we recognize them as one singular object? For example, when you see a couch, you see a variety of things. There are feet, cushions, perhaps a wooden structure holding it together. Not to mention, the cushions, legs, and structure are already a collection of several components and materials themselves. And yet, when you approach the couch, you don’t begin by examining each individual particle before doing the math and realizing it’s a couch. You perceive it all at once.

As odd as it may sound, this is the glory of God.

Light organizes. It creates structure. It turns a sound into a word, words into a sentence, and sentences into paragraphs. It is the power by which the world was organized. When you possess light, you perceive the structure of things that before looked like independent particles. An ant cannot perceive a couch, but a dog can. A dog cannot perceive the complexities of language, but a child can. A child cannot perceive our economic and political structure, but someone of greater maturity can. The greater light you possess, the greater structure you can “see” or perceive in the world.

God is truth. He is the structure of reality. He framed the world, and the course of its history. Whereas we use sounds and pictures to convey who we are, He uses everything in the cosmos. He has organized all that has happened throughout time like words in a sentence, declaring His nature. Just as an ant cannot perceive a house as one thing, so the natural man cannot perceive all creation as one thing flowing out from Him. He does not readily see how all things are organized together to convey a higher meaning, and that reality is fundamentally good (Romans 8:28).

When you increase in light, you increase in your ability to encounter anything while still keeping your attention on the Savior, because you see how it is all organized around who He is. The winds and the waves do not deter you, because you recognize that they are an extension of Him. You see that He is in all things and through all things, the light of truth (D&C 88:6).

The reason we fall is because we cannot keep our aim and focus on Christ. We encounter things that seem outside of Him—that split our attention. We get lost in the details of our jobs, distracted by the things of this world, and overcome by suffering.

The solution is that we come to know Him better than we already do. We seek out greater revelations of His light and truth so that we see the higher order of things, and can keep our focus on Christ. The goal is that we see there is nothing we can encounter that is not part of Him.

To do this, we must turn to Him. Our attention cannot be on our weakness, but on His nature. We must soften our hearts and receive His light in greater degrees, and let it fill our mind and soul until all darkness is dispelled. We reconcile our hearts to what we have, and seek out more—greater revelations of His light and love.

Because He is truth, coming to know Him in any way is also a revelation about the structure of reality. The Spirit can expand our view via insights, connections, and new perspectives. At a higher resolution, visions also allow us to perceive multiplicity as unity. For example, when Nephi desired to understand his father’s dream about the tree of life, he was shown a vision of the Savior’s birth, which then allowed him to perceive its meaning. This expanded understanding then gave way to a vision of several other things, allowing him to perceive God in many things yet to unfold.

As the picture comes into view, there will eventually be nothing in this world that can deter our attention from Him, because we see how He is in all things and through all things. This is what Alma means by knowing the mysteries of God “in full” (Alma 12:10). You cannot perceive the fulness of His glory without perceiving how all creation is ordered and organized by God. Like Moses, we can be quickened by the Spirit such that we perceive the whole earth, not excepting one person or particle (Moses 1:27-29). Like the brother of Jared, we can behold everything that has been and shall be, “even unto the ends of the earth” (Ether 3:25).

“And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are” (Ether 4:7).

The scriptures say that the fulness of His glory is glorious rest indeed (D&C 84:24; cf. Isaiah 11:10). Obtaining it (or rather, obtaining Him) is the only way we can overcome the world and find true rest. For this reason, the fulness of His glory is the law of the Celestial kingdom:

“They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory… Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God—Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things. Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet. These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever” (D&C 76:55-62).

Perfection, pt. 7: Eternal Life

Our path that began at the strait gate ends at the tree of life.

Lehi’s analogy of this process highlights the journey aspect. There is a path we must walk, and a rod to which we must cling. It may take us up and down, and through mists of darkness, but will eventually lead us to our destination.

Alma’s analogy highlights the transformation and personal growth that takes place along the way. A seed is planted and growing within us. When it is tended to, it will become everything it was designed to be.

For the concluding post in this series, I’d like to showcase scriptures that paint a picture of what every disciple ought to be aiming for. Not only is this our great privilege, but it is the very purpose of the gospel. This is what is meant by, “be ye therefore perfect.”

The Love of God

The image of a tree bearing fruit suggests maturity, or Hebrew “perfection.” We are told that this kind of perfection is “the love of God” and is “the most desirable above all things” (1 Nephi 11:22). In other words, when we are commanded to be “perfect, even as [God] is perfect,” we are being asked to have charity, even as God has charity. That’s the mature fruit of the word (or truth) of God, “And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God” (Moroni 10:21).

When you have charity, you have eternal life. This is more than a Christlike attribute we strive to obtain through lots of hard work on our part—this is the culmination of the narrow way, the intended end-result of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because charity is the direct consequence of being filled with truth, all divine attributes are contained in and perfectly ordered by charity.

Paul described charity in these words: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-6).

When you have charity, you naturally have all other attributes; you are naturally long suffering, kind, humble, and patient; you think no evil, your heart only desires and rejoices in truth and righteousness. Hence, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). This is the condition of greatest joy.

We need not strive to develop these various attributes one-by-one. God is love, and as we give over our whole hearts over to Him, He will bestow upon us His Spirit (essence/character) in greater degrees. As we grow in His Spirit, we grow in love—and consequently, everything else falls into place. “And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true” (Mosiah 4:12).

Knowing God

Why does charity make you, as Peter says, full of “the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8)? Because when our hearts are like His, we know Him. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). And just as charity is equivalent to eternal life, so is knowing God and Christ (John 17:3). This is the purpose of the gospel: “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature [perfect], attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13, NIV).

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:21-23; emphasis added).

This is also what it means to become a son (or “child”) of God. As the Lord told Adam: “And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity. Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen” (Moses 6:67-68 cf. D&C 35:2). And to Moses: “behold, thou art my son… and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:4-6).

Regaining the Divine Presence

Furthermore, when our hearts are one with His, we are empowered to regain His presence and know Him face to face—like Adam and Moses. This is another aspect of what it means to regain the tree of life (Alma 42:6-9; 12:26-37).

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:21-23).

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-3).

“And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you” (Ether 3:13).

“For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world. But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen. Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith” (Ether 12:7-9).

“And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will” (D&C 88:67-68).

“But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion; which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter; Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him; to whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves; that through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory” (D&C 76:114-118).

“Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am” (D&C 93:1).

The Lord will personally minister to and declare the reception of eternal life to those thus made perfect. This is what it means to make sure your calling and election (2 Peter 1:10-11). He is the keeper of the gate, and employs no servant there. “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).

Perfection

Eternal life, the tree of life, the love of God, knowing God, becoming a “son” of God, regaining His presence, making your calling and election sure, obtaining a perfect brightness of hope, faith unto life and salvation—these all describe different angles of the same condition, and that condition is what the scriptures call “perfect.”

This is the condition of all those who come forth in Celestial glory. They have been totally transformed by the love of God and grace of Christ that they are holy—saints, or “sanctified ones” (Mosiah 3:19). As the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith:

“They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God—Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things. Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet.

“These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever. These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people. These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection. These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just. These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all. These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn. These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all. These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood” (D&C 76:54-69).

Those who have desires to follow Christ are called to take upon themselves His name (nature, manner, order). This is what He invites us to become, and this is what His grace is sufficient to do (Ether 12:27-28).

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen” (Moroni 7:48).

Conclusion

When we properly define these terms and concepts, we understand clearly that not only is perfection possible, but it is necessary for Celestial glory. The message of the gospel is that your entire nature must change in order to experience heaven’s glory. Just as Christ was full of grace and truth, so must we be full of grace and truth—and indeed can be by His atoning blood.

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot” (Moroni 10:32-33).

Modern-Day Polytheism

Anciently, many civilizations believed in worshipped a pantheon of gods. There were different gods for love, anger, death, war, hunting, agriculture, weather, parties, childbirth, travel, etc.

People payed homage to the gods from whom they sought blessings. If they wanted to be successful in war, they supplicated the god of war; if they experienced a drought or famine, they’d make offerings to the gods of agriculture and weather, and so on.

Furthermore, the ancient gentiles did not believe there was any inherent unity among the gods; one god might come along one day and thump another one on the head, and that would be that – no more hunting. It made for a pretty fickle and arbitrary world.

What made the God of Israel unique is that He was all powerful, and unified in purpose. He was kind, but also severe. He was strong, but also longsuffering. He empowered His people in war, but also commanded them to not murder. In short, the gentile worldview believed that all of the elements of life worked independently of one another, while the Israelite’s believed that they all fit together inside of one great whole.

Hence, we have Moses’ unique declaration to a people who just came out of a polytheistic culture: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; emphasis added). (As a side note, all of the heavenly host were still referred to as “gods,” but unlike the polytheistic gods, they all worked together in harmony under the Most High God).

Because Jehovah’s attributes encompassed all other “gods,” the ancients naturally wanted to understand how He balanced many (seemingly) contradictory characteristics. How could He support both love and war? How could He sanction one thing in one instance, but not in another? Just who is this “Most High God”, and what is He like?

The divisive thing about Jehovah is that His character and attributes are an all-or-nothing package deal. There’s no picking and choosing the parts you like while discarding the rest. You must take Him as He is.

The tendency of many people today is to decide upfront what they believe is right and moral, and then make a God in their own image. Every single person who believes in God is going to believe He aligns with their political ideology, personal philosophy, etc. While these things absolutely should be aligned, most people take it upon themselves to decide what they think is right and wrong before consulting God, and then assume He must agree with their beliefs. You may find that most of the time, the “God” people have created in their own image doesn’t require them to really change, either. Our behavior reflects our beliefs, our beliefs reflect our values, and our values reflect our image of God.

This is really just a shade of polytheism. When people do this, they aren’t worshipping Jehovah, they’re worshipping “the god of niceness,” and “the god of parties,” and “the god of church-attendance,” and so on.

A Correct Idea of His Character, Perfections, and Attributes

In the Lectures on Faith we read that in order for men and women to exercise faith unto life and salvation, they must have “a correct idea of [God’s] character, perfections and attributes” (Lectures on Faith 3:4).

God is salvation, and Christ is a saved being. His name (order, pattern, character, attributes) is the only name whereby we can be saved from the state of death common to us all.

There is an order to all creation. Inasmuch as we depart from that order, we will die. We are all branches dislodged from the tree of life, projected to decay forever and ever. Only by being reclaimed by one willing to pay the price, and thereafter living in harmony with the order of creation, can we have hope for salvation. The life, ministry, and atonement of Jesus Christ makes both of these things possible; not only has He paid the price to reclaim us, but He has shown us the way whereby we can remain with Him. His life and example are the essence of heaven itself, and He lends His grace to purify those who follow Him.

Continuing in the Lectures on Faith, we read:

“But to be a little more particular, let us ask, where shall we find a prototype into whose likeness we may be assimilated, in order that we may be made partakers of life and salvation? or in other words, where shall we find a saved being? for if we can find a saved being, we may ascertain, without much difficulty, what all others must be, in order to be saved—they must be like that individual or they cannot be saved: we think, that it will not be a matter of dispute, that two beings, who are unlike each other, cannot both be saved; for whatever constitutes the salvation of one, will constitute the salvation of every creature which will be saved: and if we find one saved being in all existence, we may see what all others must be, or else not be saved. We ask, then, where is the prototype? or where is the saved being? We conclude as to the answer of this question there will be no dispute among those who believe the bible, that it is Christ: all will agree in this that he is the prototype or standard of salvation, or in other words, that he is a saved being.

“And if we should continue our interrogation, and ask how it is that he is saved, the answer would be, because he is a just and holy being; and if he were any thing different from what he is he would not be saved; for his salvation depends on his being precisely what he is and nothing else; for if it were possible for him to change in the least degree, so sure he would fail of salvation and lose all his dominion, power, authority and glory, which constitutes salvation; for salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses, and in nothing else; and no being can possess it but himself or one like him: Thus says John, in his first epistle, 3:2 and 3: ‘Behold, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not appear what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And any man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.’—Why purify himself as he is pure? because, if they do not they cannot be like him.” (Lectures on Faith 7:9; emphasis added)

Christ needed to be exactly what He was in order to be a “saved being.” Hence, He is the way, the truth, and the life. He emulated the various attributes of God in a perfectly balanced way – balance being the key word.

When we’re developing any skill, whether it’s riding a bike, singing, cooking, or hitting a baseball, we must find balance between several principles in order to find mastery. Too much of one thing (or too little of another) can be enough to prevent good results. So it is with the character of Christ. To worship Him is not to love one of His attributes at the expense of all others, but to find the balance between them all. He is merciful, but He is also just. He is meek, but He is also bold.

Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Lord.

Jesus’s prayed for His followers, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21). His desire is that we share in His character, perfections, and attributes – as He is one with the Father, so may we be one with Him. On this oneness hangs life and salvation: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

The Lies That Resonate

As we are all quickened by a portion of the Lord’s Spirit, we have an inherent ability to recognize truth. Satan combats this through temptation and false traditions, both of which obscure our view and make truth harder to detect (D&C 93:39). The average person will not readily embrace darkness and evil. Instead, Satan crafts lies that have some sort of basis in truth (for which the soul yearns). However, like salt water to the dehydrated, the more they buy into the lie, the more devastating its effects become.

For example, the increasing desire some people have to treat all people’s beliefs as equally valid is rooted in humility. However, it begins to find itself less balanced as it emphasizes this one virtue at the expense of all others. Moral relativism leads to nihilism, depression, and worse. The fruit is not good. Hence life eternal is to know God; salvation is found, not by worshipping “the god of humility,” but by worshipping the Father in the name of Christ.

Every popular belief system, ideology, and social movement is based on some true principle or attribute of Deity. Unfortunately, they’re almost all short-sighted, imbalanced, and destructive. They have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. Like trying to survive by drinking ocean water, people are drawn in by the forms and depraved by the content. It’s salt water to the soul.

Seeking God

The only way we can only guard against these clever deceptions is through a firm desire to know God. Seeking Him must be our highest priority. He’s promised that those who do so in our day will find Him:

“And the Lord shall scatter you [Israel] among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deuteronomy 4:27-29).

We can seek Him by letting go of our pre-determined beliefs of what’s right and wrong – letting go of any position, paying any price, and being completely open to receiving and obeying the truth He reveals. We can allow God to teach us about Himself without reservations, willing to change our political views, doctrinal views, or social views to align with what His word. As Jacob taught, “seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand” (Jacob 4:10). This takes faith that He knows better than we do.

We can seek Him by aligning ourselves to all we know to be right. We can commit, here and now, to obey every prompting and live by every truth that He reveals to us in the day-to-day moments of our lives. We can live in the light of what our conscience currently tells us is right and wrong. One repentant person in the scriptures exemplified this attitude in prayer: “O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day” (Alma 22:18).

As you’re reading this, you may be able to think of something awry in your life that you know needs fixing; there’s the starting point. Privately seek to set your life in order; do the things you know you should be doing.

We can seek Him by diligently seeking further light and knowledge from the Lord directly. We can allow the scriptures and (more importantly) revelation to inform our understanding of right and wrong. We can allow the scriptures to tell us what they say instead of us telling them what they say. We can search the scriptures diligently for a deeper and clearer understanding of God’s will, generally and for our own lives.

As we do these things, giving greater heed (obedience) and diligence (searching) to His word, He will open up and reveal to us greater and greater truths about Himself, His character, perfections, and attributes. We will come to know Him, and thus be partakers of eternal life (John 17:3 cf. Matthew 7:21-23; 25:11-12; Alma 12:9-15).

The Purpose of the Book of Mormon: Nearer to God

The Book of Mormon is a historic record of an actual civilization who populated the American continent. Their dealings with one another, and encounters with God, are in fact literal events that affected real people. Christ appeared and ministered to many people following His resurrection, and the Book of Mormon is a record of one these visits.

However:

The historicity of the Book of Mormon is not its primary feature, nor is it the most relevant. Many books that are historically authentic will not bring you closer to Christ. They are inspired by false spirits conspiring to lead you astray. The Quran, for example, was written in actual history. The encounters Muhammed had with spiritual beings may have even been legitimate, but it does not ensure they were of God. Historical authenticity does not guarantee something is “true,” in the sense that it is from God. Even those who have had authentic spiritual experiences with beings on the other side are not necessarily inspired by a true spirit.

Conversely, many of the parables taught by Jesus did not take place in actual history, but do teach true principles about the Kingdom of God. They’re inspired by the Spirit of God, and are intended to bring you closer to Him. The most important factor is not whether these parables actually happened somewhere in space and time, but rather that they are inspired by a true spirit. Does abiding their precepts bring you closer to God?

Try the Spirits

Like John wrote to the early Christians, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:1-2). There is some historical context to this verse that gets overlooked sometimes, and that is that there were Gentile converts to Christianity who were pushing for the idea that Christ did not come in the flesh to die. They felt it didn’t make sense to have a God who could be killed, so they tried to conform Christianity to their paradigm. John was giving them a key to discern false spirits.

Here’s Joseph’s claim about the Book of Mormon: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” (Book of Mormon, Introduction).

What is the “spirit” of the Book of Mormon? Whether you believe the Book of Mormon or not, I’d suggest reading through it with the intention of discerning its spirit. As you do, compare it to the spirit that inspired the Sermon on the Mount, and other teachings of Christ. Does it help you better understand God’s character? Does it fill you with more light? Does it edify you? Does it comfort you the way God has? Does living the way it invites you to live fill you with pure love for those around you?

Remember that no important truth God asserts will go unopposed by Satan. He will stop at nothing to prevent you from getting any closer to God than you presently are. Therefore, as you read, ask yourself which spirit compels you to reject the Book of Mormon. Is it one of fear? Pride? If it makes you uncomfortable, why? Is it because it dulls your sensibilities and leads you away from God? Does God’s spirit urge you to disbelieve it?

By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ gave another key to discern false prophets: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

Does making an effort to live its precepts produce good or evil fruit in your life? Paul wrote to the Galatians,

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:19-23, NKJV)

Which effect does doing what it says have on you? Do you feel more inclined towards immorality? Idolatry? Jealousy? Selfishness? Anger? Pride? Contention? Does it cause you to feel that you are better than others? Does it close your mind off to receiving more truth from God? Does it lead you to violate one of the ten commandments, or Christ’s teachings? I personally do not believe the evidence, both internal and external to the text, compels the honest seeker to conclude that Joseph Smith fabricated the Book of Mormon. At the very least, an angel and some plates were involved (I’ll revisit these evidences in another post). The real question is, was the angel from God? The people and events in the Book of Mormon could even be historically authentic, but none of that matters unless they were inspired by a true spirit.

If the prophets of the Book of Mormon lead you to be less Christlike, you can set them down as false prophets. If following the Christ of the Book of Mormon causes you to exhibit the bad fruits from the scripture above, you can conclude He is a false Christ, and that the spirit of the Book of Mormon is a lying spirit.

If on the other hand, accepting and living the teachings of the Book of Mormon bears the fruits of the Spirit, you can know that its prophets and writers are inspired by the same Spirit that motivated and inspired Christ. Does it fill you with pure love? Joy? Peace? Longsuffering? Kindness? Gentleness? Patience?

Determining What’s True

At some point you have to ask yourself why you believe the Bible, if you do. What gives Moses any credibility? Or Isaiah? What gives those guys the right to speak on God’s behalf? How do you know Moses wasn’t fabricating the revelations He received from God? And if he was having an experience with the other-worldly, how can you determine it was from God, and not what we’d call Satan? Ultimately you’ll determine that there’s some aspect of the human experience that’s holier, nobler, and more pure than the rest. You’ll find there’s a pattern and consistency to that spirit. As you strive toward it, you’ll understand it more and more. Your experiences and interactions with it will grow more vibrant and vivid. Certain things the biblical authors teach will harmonize and expand your understanding of that spirit, life, and reality.

This is God.

As you encounter the Book of Mormon, you must ask yourself if the same spirit animates and inspires its authors. Does it fill you with that spirit? Does it make you more humble, submissive, and trusting of God?

If you find something it teaches harmonizes with that spirit, but extends it beyond what is known to you, you have something to pray about. After all, that’s what the entire Bible has done for you thus far. For example, when you read Alma’s explanation to his son of what happens to us in between death and the resurrection, you’ll note it’s a topic the bible says very little about. You can determine whether or not its true by reflecting it off of the same spirit that tells you Moses gave an accurate depiction of the creation and fall, or that Jesus is the Christ.

Lastly, take any event at any time in the Bible. It could be Noah calling the world to repent, join him on the ark, or be destroyed by the coming flood, or later in time during Jesus’ ministry. Take any of those circumstances and ask yourself: Let’s assume that that was happening today. Let’s assume God was doing things today similar to what He was doing back then. What would that look like? How would that unfold? What would be said? What would the response be? How would you react to that if it were going on today? How would you decide if something like that were happening now, whether or not it was authentic and of God? How would you go about deciding that in your own day, in your own time, among your own people, within your own family, what is happening is of God and not of men?

I don’t think that just because something gets enshrined in scripture we should lose sight of the fact that it has always required faith, it will always require faith, and it doesn’t matter what proofs you can muster for or against belief in something. At the end of the day either God is behind it or God is not. And if God is behind it and your heart is open to it, you’ll recognize it, but it takes faith.

If you want to know what the purpose of the Book of Mormon is, Moroni tells you in the title page. It’s ” to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.” The writers in the Book of Mormon don’t even point to themselves. They just want you to have faith in Christ. He’s the focal point.

As you dive in and take it seriously, you will breathe the spirit of the writers. If you ultimately find it to be harmonious with the Spirit of Christ, then it can also become a standard for your faith, and a tool used to determine truth. All that matters is that it’s inspired by the Spirit of God. It’s that Spirit you’re striving to align your life with.

It’s my experience that the Book of Mormon conveys the Spirit of Christ better than any I’ve ever read. It is in fact that most correct book, and a man can get closer to God by abiding its precepts than by any other book.

Elohim

Joseph Smith has gotten a lot of flack for things he said in his last discourse, The King Follet Sermon. Much of the Christian world sees what he taught as heretical, unbiblical, and unchristian. I’m going to make the argument that they do this because they’re steeped in their own traditions and biases rather than actually pursuing truth. Pride is an awful thing. It’s one of the fastest ways to keep God from teaching you more (Alma 12:9-11). If God can’t teach you more, how will you ever know Him?

So what exactly did Joseph teach? Well, we’ll get there. But let’s start by talking about something else: the Hebrew word “elohim.”

Christians will readily recognize the word “elohim” as being associated with God; as a matter of fact, it’s the Hebrew word that is translated to “God.” The suffix “-im” actually renders elohim plural. The direct translation would look something more like “gods.” Now, whenever the biblical authors make reference to Jehovah, they use the plural word “elohim,” but use singular verbs. We don’t have an exact way to conceptualize this in english. The closest approximation might look something like “they wants,” or “they speaks” (instead of “he wants,” or “he speaks”). Why would you use a singular verb with a plural noun? Well, more can be said about that another time. For now, this video does a good job explaining this word:

So, God, angels, and the heavenly hosts are all properly identified as the elohim (or the gods). The word elohim refers to the family of “God,” not just the Father. For example, there’s a reason Michael, Gabriel, Rafael, Uriel, etc. (angels), all end in the suffix “-el.” It’s intentional. It has connection to the world elohim because they are all considered the elohim.

If we drop our western lens on Christianity and open the bible as though we know nothing about it, we read in the very first chapter:

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

If you haven’t noticed this before, you might ask yourself who God is talking to here. More importantly, who does He share an image and likeness with after whom He can fashion mankind? He wouldn’t turn to the trees and animals and say “let’s make man in our image.” Only to somebody who was already in His image. Are there other gods in whom Adam and Eve’s image are inspired?

If we keep reading to chapter 3, the Serpent tempts Eve to take the fruit by saying, “in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

At the conclusion of the chapter, after Adam and Eve are exiled from the Garden for partaking of the fruit, we read: “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil…” (Genesis 3:22).

The man has become as one of “us.” Are there other gods that Adam and Eve have become like?

He was speaking to the elohim. The gods. Although the Father is the Elohim of elohim, He is not the only one. He is the greatest. There are none like Him. He’s the Father. We worship Him alone. The title “god” (lower case “g”) doesn’t in any way demand our worship. It doesn’t in anyway diminish God’s status. Though we aren’t accustomed to referring to angels as gods, they are in fact members of His family, and are even referred to as “the sons of God” (Job 1:6).

Deification

Much of what belonged to early Christianity has been lost to mainstream Christianity today. Ancient Christians believed and practiced many things that would be foreign to modern Christians. One might argue if Christ came today as He had anciently, most modern Christians would hold Him in contempt. Many of His teachings are offensive to our Gentile ears, not because they’re unkind or unloving, but because our hearts are so hardened against anything unfamiliar–anything we don’t immediately understand. We’re too eager to dismiss any teaching that disagrees with, or challenges, our beliefs.

Ironically enough, there are many mysteries in the bible alone that Christians have to admit they don’t understand. Because they’re in the bible, however, and it’s pretty much all-or-nothing, they live with it. If most people were exposed to some of God’s dealings with ancient Israel in the Old Testament as apart from the bible, they’d write those off too. Seeking God is not about what you think is right, it’s about what God says is right. But I’m getting off on a tangent.

One belief that belonged to original Christianity that is absent today is called “deification,” or “theosis.” Some aspects of this teaching remain, but if you used the same language as the early Christian fathers you’d be met with a lot of resistance anywhere south of Tennessee.

One facet of this that remains a part of today’s Christianity is the belief that, in the resurrection, we’ll be given holy bodies. Concerning the resurrection, Paul wrote, “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44). A spiritual body is the kind that those in God’s space occupy. It’s the kind of body that God has: glorified, perfected.

If we’re made in the likeness and image of the elohim, and by obtaining knowledge have become like the elohim, and through the resurrection obtain perfected bodies like the elohim, and through adoption are made the sons of God, where does that leave us? What was Christ redeeming us for, exactly?

The apostle John wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

Like Him? What all does that entail?

Paul wrote to the Romans, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if it so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17)

What does it mean to be an heir of God? What does it mean to be a joint-heir with Christ? What is the inheritance?

Augustine, considered one of the greatest Christian fathers, said, “…but He himself that justifies also deifies, for by justifying He makes sons of God. For He has given them power to become the sons of God, (John 1:12). If then we have been made sons of God, we have also been made gods. (Augustine, On the Psalms, 50:2.)

The apostle John also quoted Christ saying, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

Clement, an early Christian leader in Alexandria, also taught the doctrine of deification: “Those who have been perfected are given their reward and their honors. They have done with their purification, they have done with the rest of their service, though it be a holy service, with the holy; now they become pure in heart, and because of their close intimacy with the Lord there awaits them a restoration to eternal contemplation; and they have received the title of ‘gods’ since they are destined to be enthroned with the other ‘gods’ who are ranked next below the Savior.” (Stromata 7:10 (55–56).)

Irenaeus was an early Christian father, and arguably the first biblical theologian among ancient Christians. He studied under a man named Polycarp, who was a disciple of John the Beloved. He taught on this topic repeatedly:

“But of what gods [does he speak]? [Of those] to whom He says, ‘I have said, Ye are gods, and all sons of the Most High’ (Psalms 82:6). To those, no doubt, who have received the grace of the ‘adoption, by which we cry, Abba Father.'” (Against Heresies, Bk. 3, Ch. vi, ANF, Vol. I, pp. 418-419)

He also taught, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, of his boundless love, became what we are that he might make us what he himself is.” (Against Heresies, V.)

And also, “We were not made gods at our beginning, but first we were made men, then, in the end, gods.” (Against Heresies, “Bk. 4, Chapter XXXVIII)

“How then will any be a god, if he has not first been made a man? How can any be perfect when he has only lately been made man? How immortal, if he has not in his mortal nature obeyed his maker? For one’s duty is first to observe the discipline of man and thereafter to share in the glory of God.” ( Henry Bettenson, The Early Christian Fathers: A Selection from the Writings of the Fathers from St. Clement of Rome to St. Athanasius )

Justin the Martyr said in 150 A.D. that he wished “to prove to you that the Holy Ghost reproaches men because they were made like God, free from suffering and death, provided that they kept His commandments, and were deemed deserving of the name of His sons… in the beginning men were made like God, free from suffering and death, and that they are thus deemed worthy of becoming gods and of having power to become sons of the highest…” (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 124.)

Clement, an early Christian leader in Alexandria, also taught the doctrine of deification: “…if one knows himself, he will know God, and knowing God will become like God… His is beauty, true beauty, for it is God, and that man becomes god, since God wills it. So Heraclitus was right when he said, ‘Men are gods, and gods are men.’ (Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, 3.1; see also Clement, Stromateis, 23)

And also, “…yea, I say, the Word of God became a man so that you might learn from a man how to become a god.” (Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Greeks, 1)

However, you trace one of these quotes to Joseph Smith and… cry heresy, throw dirt in your hair and tear your clothes because no prophet would ever teach something as arrogant as, “Here, then, is eternal life — to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.” (Joseph Smith, King Follett Sermon)

What it Does Not Mean

Joseph was not teaching that the moment you’re resurrected to Celestial glory you’ll be like God the Father. Even Irenaeus taught that progression was gradual. Joseph said in the same sermon,

“When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.” (King Follett Sermon)

The process is “from one small degree to another,” “from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation.” This life is just one degree. There are principles of progression (exaltation) that will still be learned beyond this present state of probation.

Jesus commanded in the Sermon on the Mount to “be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Of this verse, C.S. Lewis wrote,

“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’ (Psalms 82:6) and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him—for we can prevent Him, if we choose—He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. 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.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952; Harper Collins: 2001) 205-206.)

This life has a purpose that goes beyond surviving from day to day while trying to avoid as much suffering as possible.

I remember I had one companion on my mission who grew up Episcopalian. He said for years, he’d open up to Genesis and read “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” but always wondered: “why?” And it’s a fair question. What has God actually been up to since what Genesis calls “the beginning?” Was He bored? Many Christians will rightly answer that the purpose of life is to worship God, but to what end? Did He create us because He needed someone to worship Him? If no, was He just being arbitrary? Is God ever arbitrary? Whatever God’s purpose was in creating us ought to be our personal purpose in life as well.

In the same sermon, Joseph said, “If a man learns nothing more than to eat, drink and sleep, and does not comprehend any of the designs of God, the beast comprehends the same things. It eats, drinks, sleeps, and knows nothing more about God; yet it knows as much as we, unless we are able to comprehend by the inspiration of Almighty God. If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.”

The answer to this question is also the answer to “why does God allow suffering?” and “why does God ask us to do anything?” and ultimately even “if God really loves us, why can’t He just say ‘you’re good’ and let us into heaven?” These are all fair questions if we suppose He’s all powerful and loves us.

There’s a reason we refer to Him as “God the Father,” or “Heavenly Father.” What does a Father/Parent do? Raise their children to be like them. Teach them what they know. Why is experience, both good and bad, so vital to that? Why is locking your daughter in a tower like Rapunzel to never experience the bad actually wrong? Why is trying to help a chicken hatch from its shell bad?

The purpose of life is to learn, to grow, and to progress. There are some experiences that we have to have in order to develop certain attributes. Our lives have all been organized to give us experiences we need. We all have different lives, because we’re not all born the same. We were individuals before this life. But we’re made in God’s image, and a parent allows a child to have experience, and teaches them along the way, so they grow up to be like them. What father doesn’t want that?