Once again,1 I am reminded of the deficit we are laboring under and how easy it is to look beyond the mark when we have no visible mark—only words describing that mark. I refer to the recurring discussions concerning the Fatherhood of Christ.2 I wonder if all the philosophical contortions (or not?) of Jesus being His own Father, of praying to Himself, of soul-splitting,3 etc. are all futile attempts by mortal man to understand mysteries (maybe even simplicities) that can only be seen to be understood, as in:
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; (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:114-117; bold emphasis added.)Does this not caution us that understanding the mysteries requires more than words? Yet, words often try, by comparison, to clarify, as we may see (or not) in the many references to the Oneness of God. Might this Oneness be like the oneness that God has described and commanded in so many places?4 a oneness that is both individual and collective?
Does our evolution,5 our expanding consciousness, our ascent require a new birth (born again6) creating a new father (and mother) as we progress and become new creatures? Is it possible, in the mysteries of God, to have more than one Father (and Mother?)? Do these scriptures give a clue?
And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters. (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 5:7)Maybe we should suspend final judgment on the mysteries of God the Father and God the Son until we can marry God’s words “Eternal Father” with the meaning (image) in His mind when He speaks those words. Is it possible that we can have two separate and eternal Fathers depending on whether we are born again?
And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 27:25-26)
Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters. (Book of Mormon | Ether 3:14)
[See additional scriptures at footnote 7]
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1. » http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/02/here-and-there.html
» Quote from http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/09/questions-of-evidence.html ~ … it might be useful to acknowledge that we mortals are caught in a disadvantage. In reading scripture, we are forever getting but half the conversation—the word-half without the image-half; and isn’t that the most critical half for understanding another’s words with certitude—by seeing the image within the mind of the speaker or receiving a vision of the meaning when encountering God? The visionaries in scripture often found it next to impossible to adequately describe in words the images that they saw. In short, “Thou needest to be there.”
2. A) http://puremormonism.blogspot.ca/2015/01/know-your-religion_25.html (Particularly the discussion and comments concerning Paul Toscano's The Serpent and the Dove: Messianic Mysteries of the Mormon Temple; the attributes of God; and the Father / Son question.
B) Book of Mormon | Alma 11:38-39 ~ Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father? And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last; [See also Abinadi’s discourse at Book of Mormon | Mosiah 15.]
3. Soul-splitting idea from http://puremormonism.blogspot.ca/2015/01/know-your-religion_25.html by “Curious enough” on January 25, 2015 at 3:29 PM: “To clarify the word "Father" has not always meant the same thing. Jesus praying to His Father could very well mean praying to that portion of His soul that remained in heaven. / Soul splitting is not limited to just God. No one brings all of themselves into a body. The doctrine is so beautiful when tied in with multiple lives and many other things. It is also crucial to understand what being "sealed" really means. Anyway just some thoughts.”
4. Reference again to http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.ca/2014/02/here-and-there.html
5. —In the sense of “growth and progression,” not Darwin’s Descent of Man (though it may contain some truths). It is my belief that there is so much we do not and cannot comprehend about origins and creation without greater revelation (words plus images), that it is unwise to commit too rigidly to the limited observations and philosophies of men. Consider:
Old Testament | Ecclesiastes 8:17 ~ Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Book of Mormon | Mosiah 4:9 ~ Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
New Testament | Romans 11:33 ~ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
New Testament | 2 Corinthians 4:18 ~ While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Old Testament | Isaiah 55:8-9 ~ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
6. New Testament | John 3:3-7 ~ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
New Testament | 1 Peter 1:23 ~ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Book of Mormon | Alma 5:49 ~ … I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.
Book of Mormon | Alma 7:14 ~ Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.
Pearl of Great Price | Moses 6:59 ~ That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
7. Book of Mormon | Mosiah 18:20-22 ~ Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people. And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another. And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became the children of God.
New Testament | Luke 20:34-36 ~ And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
New Testament | Romans 8:13-17 ~ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 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.
New Testament | Romans 8:21-23 ~ Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
New Testament | Romans 9:8-9 ~ They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, …
New Testament | Galatians 3:26-29 ~ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
New Testament | 1 John 3:9-10 ~ Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, …
Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:48 ~ 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.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 39:4 ~ But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will I give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:22 ~ And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn.
New Testament | 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.
{See Book of Mormon | Mosiah 15:10-13 concerning who shall be Christ’s seed.
Messianic reference, sample use of father? Old Testament | Isaiah 22:20-25 ~ And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.
