Becoming Like God

[TrueFaith]

John 10:34
34 ​Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are ​​​gods​?

Psalm 86:6
6 ​I have said, Ye ​are​ gods; and all of you ​are​ ​​​children​ of the most High.

uggh, i don't like when i hear lds use these verses as evidence *abijah facepalm*

I just posted some additional scriptures from the Bible for the OP that touch on the wording in question.

I think those verses tell us quite clearly that we are literally his offspring and literally his children and we can grow up to be just like our Father.

Acts 17:28-29
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

Its simple. Gods beget gods. We may have been present in the council of the gods.

Offspring yes, but not children. Being a child of God requires us to be born again and follow the path of God.

[Jamescm]

Genesis 1:26-27

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

I would recommend exploring the idea that rather than "make" or "create", the meaning is that God organized us or rather is teaching us to become like Him, the Most High. Man, spirits, angels, Gods, are all the same race in different stages of progression. The Most High God is showing us the path to become like Him.

The creation story; the separation of light and darkness IS the organization of mankind to determine which us will choose to progress by following eternal laws (i.e. obtain further light and knowledge to become like God) and which will not (i.e. follow darkness, do evil, etc.). The creation story is the plan of salvation.

Awesome correlation.

This idea, becoming like God, is my answer to why we experience hardship. Or the age old question, “why do bad things happen to good people?”

I turn to the analogy of a crucible: Metal must be repeatedly melted down through extreme heat and pressure, then beat and shaped into something magnificent that it could not have possibly become without this process.

In other words, we experience hardship and bad things happen to the best of people because we need those opportunities to become like Him. It’s the ultimate form of mercy, to help us understand.

Suffering wouldn’t make much sense to me without this type of end goal.

When I was little, I said that I wanted to be tried as hard as possible so I'd be the best I can. Now I old(er) and think poorly of my sentiment. I must have been closer to God as a little child.

[Gadianton Slayer]

Genesis 1:26-27

I would recommend exploring the idea that rather than "make" or "create", the meaning is that God organized us or rather is teaching us to become like Him, the Most High. Man, spirits, angels, Gods, are all the same race in different stages of progression. The Most High God is showing us the path to become like Him.

The creation story; the separation of light and darkness IS the organization of mankind to determine which us will choose to progress by following eternal laws (i.e. obtain further light and knowledge to become like God) and which will not (i.e. follow darkness, do evil, etc.). The creation story is the plan of salvation.

Awesome correlation.

This idea, becoming like God, is my answer to why we experience hardship. Or the age old question, “why do bad things happen to good people?”

I turn to the analogy of a crucible: Metal must be repeatedly melted down through extreme heat and pressure, then beat and shaped into something magnificent that it could not have possibly become without this process.

In other words, we experience hardship and bad things happen to the best of people because we need those opportunities to become like Him. It’s the ultimate form of mercy, to help us understand.

Suffering wouldn’t make much sense to me without this type of end goal.

When I was little, I said that I wanted to be tried as hard as possible so I'd be the best I can. Now I old(er) and think poorly of my sentiment. I must have been closer to God as a little child.

This reminded me of one of the only EFY songs I have ever liked.

https://youtu.be/gCtpCinQTBs

[Cruiserdude]

I would recommend exploring the idea that rather than "make" or "create", the meaning is that God organized us or rather is teaching us to become like Him, the Most High. Man, spirits, angels, Gods, are all the same race in different stages of progression. The Most High God is showing us the path to become like Him.

The creation story; the separation of light and darkness IS the organization of mankind to determine which us will choose to progress by following eternal laws (i.e. obtain further light and knowledge to become like God) and which will not (i.e. follow darkness, do evil, etc.). The creation story is the plan of salvation.

Awesome correlation.

This idea, becoming like God, is my answer to why we experience hardship. Or the age old question, “why do bad things happen to good people?”

I turn to the analogy of a crucible: Metal must be repeatedly melted down through extreme heat and pressure, then beat and shaped into something magnificent that it could not have possibly become without this process.

In other words, we experience hardship and bad things happen to the best of people because we need those opportunities to become like Him. It’s the ultimate form of mercy, to help us understand.

Suffering wouldn’t make much sense to me without this type of end goal.

When I was little, I said that I wanted to be tried as hard as possible so I'd be the best I can. Now I old(er) and think poorly of my sentiment. I must have been closer to God as a little child.

This reminded me of one of the only EFY songs I have ever liked.

https://youtu.be/gCtpCinQTBs

Just for the ease of others to check it out

[abijah`]

I think those verses tell us quite clearly that we are literally his offspring and literally his children and we can grow up to be just like our Father.

I do think we are the offspring of God, but I wish we could talk about this doctrine without bringing up verses about God giving cosmic death sentences to basically the most wicked beings there are, and acting like its talking about us.

I definitely would NOT want to be one of the "children of the Most High" who gets addressed in Psalm 82. Read the rest of the psalm and you'll see why.

[Thinker]

Non LDS Christians believe that it is like the devil who wanted to usurp the power of God. They don't believe that we could come anywhere near what God is. This is heavily reinforced by their preachers even though John 17 tells us that we can be one even as Jesus is one with God...

One of the non-LDS arguments is that God has always been God for all eternity and has always been perfect. We could never be like him since he was never like us...

I think you nailed it. Whenever Mormonism is brought up with someone I know, she keeps saying her main problem is Mormons think they can become gods, like Satan thought. There is some truth in that Mormons think they have a monopoly on truth, the Spirit, God’s power etc. There is definitely PRIDE that has infiltrated many in the church. And Satan did want the glory. Paradoxically, those who humble themselves are lifted up, & those who lift themselves up (ignoring their own state of being lost/imperfect) are dammed from progressing.

As some have explained, this life is intelligently designed for us to progress - become more godly. We are created in the image of God & God is imagined based on our godly aspirations. Ultimately, we are not separate from God - the kingdom of God is within each of us. This is undeniable if you think about how anyone experiences God. Yet, that is not all that is within us - evil is also within. The attempt to pretend evil is only somewhere out there is what makes it more damaging within us. And to pretend God is some church authority or something outside us - also is harmful in reducing the godly power within.

I love the light in Carl Jung’s eyes as he responds to a question about God (last 20 seconds): https://youtu.be/Os3RscGfkhE

[NewEliza]

Non LDS Christians believe that it is like the devil who wanted to usurp the power of God. They don't believe that we could come anywhere near what God is. This is heavily reinforced by their preachers even though John 17 tells us that we can be one even as Jesus is one with God...

One of the non-LDS arguments is that God has always been God for all eternity and has always been perfect. We could never be like him since he was never like us...

I think you nailed it. Whenever Mormonism is brought up with someone I know, she keeps saying her main problem is Mormons think they can become gods, like Satan thought. There is some truth in that Mormons think they have a monopoly on truth, the Spirit, God’s power etc. There is definitely PRIDE that has infiltrated many in the church. And Satan did want the glory. Paradoxically, those who humble themselves are lifted up, & those who lift themselves up (ignoring their own state of being lost/imperfect) are dammed from progressing.

As some have explained, this life is intelligently designed for us to progress - become more godly. We are created in the image of God & God is imagined based on our godly aspirations. Ultimately, we are not separate from God - the kingdom of God is within each of us. This is undeniable if you think about how anyone experiences God. Yet, that is not all that is within us - evil is also within. The attempt to pretend evil is only somewhere out there is what makes it more damaging within us. And to pretend God is some church authority or something outside us - also is harmful in reducing the godly power within.

I love the light in Carl Jung’s eyes as he responds to a question about God (last 20 seconds): https://youtu.be/Os3RscGfkhE

What’s interesting to me is that I wouldn’t say that was satans problem at at. The issue wasn’t that he wanted to be like god. The issue was that he wanted to be a god without the work/proper steps.

[TheDuke]

I remember engaging someone about JS first vision and him seeing god and knowing he was a man. The response was typical Christian understanding. Of course god came to JS as a man, god can come in any form he chooses. He is all power, all spirit, everyone at once. So, he found it convenient to show up in the likeness (image) of man.

As far as genesis "image statement", image can be physical, emotional, spiritual, we are in the likeness of god because we exist, we are, we have feelings.

Now all these are not my views but views I see when I engage with my honest Christian god fearing friends..

[onefour1]

Another verse that would tie into us being the offspring of God.

Hebrews 12:9
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

and evidence that the spirit preexisted this life.

Ecclesiastes 12:7
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

[onefour1]

I remember engaging someone about JS first vision and him seeing god and knowing he was a man. The response was typical Christian understanding. Of course god came to JS as a man, god can come in any form he chooses. He is all power, all spirit, everyone at once. So, he found it convenient to show up in the likeness (image) of man.

As far as genesis "image statement", image can be physical, emotional, spiritual, we are in the likeness of god because we exist, we are, we have feelings.

Now all these are not my views but views I see when I engage with my honest Christian god fearing friends..

I like to point out Hebrews 1:1-3 when confronted with this response.

Hebrews 1:1-3
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

If Jesus is the brightness of his glory then they are speaking of Jesus after his resurrection. If Jesus is the express image of the person of the Father and Jesus has a resurrected body, what does this tell us about the Father? To me it says that the Father also has an immortal body of flesh and bones. This is further corroborated by Luke:

Luke 24:39-40
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

Also Jesus taught:

John 14:8-9
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

If Jesus is the express image of the Father, then I believe He looks exactly like the Father. So when Jesus said that if ye have seen him ye have seen the Father, I think that it was because he looks exactly like the Father and does only those things which the Father would have him do.

The scripture says that God the Father is a person and that Jesus' image is the express image of the Father's person. I don't know if I get much mileage out of it, but it does give me great conviction.

[TheDuke]

One, you don't have to convince me. I'm just saying mainstream Christianity views it differently and back their view with seemingly conflicting scriptures that say god is spirit and he can appear as he wishes. Examples; HG as dove, Jehovah as burning bush, pillar of fire, etc...

[onefour1]

I didn't mean to imply that you needed convincing. I was just letting you know how I respond to people who bring the same subject up to me. If I came across as belittling, I apologize! I didn't mean it that way.

[Lynn]

If you take the 4 Letters (the 4 Hebrew glyphs) that make up the NAME of God- aka I H V H and stack them, you will see then that we are made in the image of God (the NAME). I will take a picture & post it Saturday. The best stack (pic/illustration) comes from 'Kabbalah' by Charles Ponce.

Looking, it seems I have the purple copy (cover), not my first one with the red cover. I think the red one had it on the front, as well as in the book. There it is, on p.179. The note beside the illustration states- "The Tetragrammaton (4 Letters of God] symbolizing the body of man and the process of creation within him. Simply put. the I (Yod/Iod) looks like a head with a neck up top. The first H (He or Hai/Hay) looks akin to a squared "U" upside down, which can be viewed as the shoulders & the arms or the side of the body. V (Vau or Vo) is like the Iod/Yod , but the styem is longer, so it represents the heart & connection to the lower section. The 2nd H (He or Hai/Hay) is like the waist & the legs. Thus we are in the image of the NAME (Hebrew glyphs).

[Thinker]

Non LDS Christians believe that it is like the devil who wanted to usurp the power of God. They don't believe that we could come anywhere near what God is. This is heavily reinforced by their preachers even though John 17 tells us that we can be one even as Jesus is one with God...

One of the non-LDS arguments is that God has always been God for all eternity and has always been perfect. We could never be like him since he was never like us...

I think you nailed it. Whenever Mormonism is brought up with someone I know, she keeps saying her main problem is Mormons think they can become gods, like Satan thought. There is some truth in that Mormons think they have a monopoly on truth, the Spirit, God’s power etc. There is definitely PRIDE that has infiltrated many in the church. And Satan did want the glory. Paradoxically, those who humble themselves are lifted up, & those who lift themselves up (ignoring their own state of being lost/imperfect) are dammed from progressing.

As some have explained, this life is intelligently designed for us to progress - become more godly. We are created in the image of God & God is imagined based on our godly aspirations. Ultimately, we are not separate from God - the kingdom of God is within each of us. This is undeniable if you think about how anyone experiences God. Yet, that is not all that is within us - evil is also within. The attempt to pretend evil is only somewhere out there is what makes it more damaging within us. And to pretend God is some church authority or something outside us - also is harmful in reducing the godly power within.

I love the light in Carl Jung’s eyes as he responds to a question about God (last 20 seconds): https://youtu.be/Os3RscGfkhE

What’s interesting to me is that I wouldn’t say that was satans problem at at. The issue wasn’t that he wanted to be like god. The issue was that he wanted to be a god without the work/proper steps.

Yeah, & IMO, that applies to dysfunctional dogma - shifting response-ability while seeking credit or glory. That dogma holds us back by ignor-ant pride - as if all you need to do is SAY you believe the dogma the Catholic Church concocted & woolaah! You’re saved. Nonsense. Still, I can see how that shifting helps superficially - like when someone is desperately burdened - but it’s like a spare tire - not meant for the long haul.

The “posterity gospel” delusion of wanting to appear rich (glory) without the work, is causing many members to bite off more than they can chew. Utah has some of the highest rates of ponzi schemes, bankruptcy & debt.

[Bronco73idi]

When a non LDS wants to “shame” me I ask. To believe we are not literal children of God who does it benefit more, Satan or Jesus?

The answer is Satan and they will never answer, I drop it and they deflect their ignorance to something else.

[Gadianton Slayer]

When a non LDS wants to “shame” me I ask. To believe we are not literal children of God who does it benefit more, Satan or Jesus?

The answer is Satan and they will never answer, I drop it and they deflect their ignorance to something else.

This is not a topic that is solely member vs. nonmember, but I agree with your point and it has seemed to be the majority.

[Bronco73idi]

When a non LDS wants to “shame” me I ask. To believe we are not literal children of God who does it benefit more, Satan or Jesus?

The answer is Satan and they will never answer, I drop it and they deflect their ignorance to something else.

This is not a topic that is solely member vs. nonmember, but I agree with your point and it has seemed to be the majority.

The sad part is you are right and it shouldn’t be a question as a member.

[TheDuke]

I do like the points made above that becoming like god is a journey and a process. Seems so many feel it is just a quick one-step. Either born again, or get your C&E and your in. You don't need to do any more and voila you become a god. Like it was asked above, is it worse to think you can never become like god, or to think it is that easy. Both sure seem out of place, something about WORKING out your progression....not just getting it because you wake up one day and decide you love Jesus (but that is sure a big step) IMO

[Lynn]

As you can see, the Tetragrammaton stacked in a certain manner, representing the image of God reflected by our physical body in which we operate in this physical realm.

The first two are from page 179 & the last two are from page 190 from 'Kabbalah: An Introduction and Ilumination for the World Today.' by Charles Ponce 1973/1978/5th Quest Print PB 1991 (from my Copy #2).

The 3rd & 4th picture are comparing the 4 Hebrew letters to 5 letters stacked in the Far East which is the Rising Serpent. This is reflected in the serpent of Moses which is risen (raised), as well as the raised serpent of Egypt, along with such understandings of the winged or feathered serpent in the Americas.[

[Lynn]

Hmm, the last one did not go, so trying again for it. It also seems the pics are posted in their reverse order. #2 & 3 are the 1st & 2nd, #4 & 5 were the 3rd & 4th

[Alexander]

Someone mentioned to me that the bible does not say we are on the path to becoming like God, or that it's even possible for us to become like Him. So I did a little study and found some verses that I feel support my belief, that we are here for the sole purpose of becoming like God.

I'd love to discuss it and see if you guys know of any other scriptural references.

What do you think it means, to become like God?

Genesis 1:26-27

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Matthew 5:48

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Romans 8:16-17

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 so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

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.

2 Corinthians 3
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as 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.

[XEmilyX]

I couldn't believe in a religion that doesn't believe in full potential.