Exaltation (Becoming Gods)
This is one of the most controversial Mormon doctrines. Many others think it somehow demotes God's status or something. But it only makes sense that Heavenly Father would want to bless His children with everything he possibly could, and because we are His children and completely reliant on Him and Jesus Christ, our successes are His successes. Do you feel diminished in any way when the child you raised and taught achieves something great?Besides, the Bible is relatively clear on this point. Mainstream Christianity has abandoned this doctrine which was once an integral part of it.
Psalms 82:6; "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most high." I'm not an expert on ancient Hebrew, but surely "gods" isn't just slang for "really awesome"? Calling them gods when they are still mere mortals is strange but not technically inaccurate. They have the potential to become gods in the future so they are gods in the same sense that tadpoles are frogs. It's been argued that "gods" is simply supposed to mean "judges", and it's true that the preceding context refers to people carrying out righteous judgment. But what of the very next verse, "But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes"? Did normal Israelite judges not die like men?
John 10:34-36; "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?" Interesting thing that struck me; Jesus could be quoting Psalms 82:6, but that hardly constitutes Jewish "law" as do the first five books of the Old Testament, so He could be referring to something else that was more widely known and is not contained in our present Bible.
Romans 8:16-17; "The Spirit itsef 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."
2 Corinthians 3:18; "But we all, with open face beholding as if in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Galatians 4:7; "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
1 John 3:2; "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."
Revelation 3:21; "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."
There are a couple of verses from Isaiah that critics like to quote in regard to this doctrine. 42:8; "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." And 48:11; "For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another." Well, like I said, making us gods doesn't take away from our God's glory. He still retains all credit for creating everything in this universe including us, for giving us everything we have and sending His Son to suffer and die so we could return to Him. Nothing will ever change that. By contrast, the more power and glory we receive through the Atonement, the more glory He receives, as a proud spiritual Parent.
Next: Good Works are Essential for Salvation
Psalms 82:6; "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most high." I'm not an expert on ancient Hebrew, but surely "gods" isn't just slang for "really awesome"? Calling them gods when they are still mere mortals is strange but not technically inaccurate. They have the potential to become gods in the future so they are gods in the same sense that tadpoles are frogs. It's been argued that "gods" is simply supposed to mean "judges", and it's true that the preceding context refers to people carrying out righteous judgment. But what of the very next verse, "But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes"? Did normal Israelite judges not die like men?
John 10:34-36; "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?" Interesting thing that struck me; Jesus could be quoting Psalms 82:6, but that hardly constitutes Jewish "law" as do the first five books of the Old Testament, so He could be referring to something else that was more widely known and is not contained in our present Bible.
Romans 8:16-17; "The Spirit itsef 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."
2 Corinthians 3:18; "But we all, with open face beholding as if in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Galatians 4:7; "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
1 John 3:2; "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."
Revelation 3:21; "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."
There are a couple of verses from Isaiah that critics like to quote in regard to this doctrine. 42:8; "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." And 48:11; "For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another." Well, like I said, making us gods doesn't take away from our God's glory. He still retains all credit for creating everything in this universe including us, for giving us everything we have and sending His Son to suffer and die so we could return to Him. Nothing will ever change that. By contrast, the more power and glory we receive through the Atonement, the more glory He receives, as a proud spiritual Parent.
Next: Good Works are Essential for Salvation
