Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Men Becoming Gods - is this Biblical?

Joseph Smith wasn't backward in stating that the things he taught could be demonstrated in the Bible. Many religions try to present themselves as knowing the Bible. But all I see is a mess that isn't as Biblically supported as they claim. A teaching of the church that stands seriously opposed, and even accused by some of being blasphemous, is that man can eventually become as God is. Does the Bible teach this?

Gen 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

In Hebrew (which is the language it was written in) the word translated as "God" in the above verse is "Eloheim". Words ending in "im" in Hebrew are plural. It is like when we use an "s" at the end of a word. We would say, "one cherub", "two cherubs". They said, "one cherub", "two cherubim".

When Christ called to God from the cross he called out "Eloi", which means "My God" (Mark 15:34). In the Old Testament names are used with or without an "h" and the accompanying vowel. Thus the word "Eloheim" is also written "Eloim". Christ calls for "Eloi" the "i" at the end suggesting "My".

So now you understand this Hebrew word, we can see that Gen 1:1 literally says, "In the beginning GODS created the heavens and the earth." So why did the translators use the word "God" rather than "Gods" as it really says? - Indoctrination! People who want to continue believing that the Bible teaches that one God created the earth will want to ignore this or think up excuses for the poor translation. However this would only be to their own detriment. Why just continue to believe something false? You may think you like to keep with the old belief, but wait until you experience all the truth. You won't look back.

Thoughts would come to mind of the Bible talking of one God only. I will come to explain all this further on. But briefly I will mention (least I be misunderstood) that there is only one Father God and there is only one Lord Jesus Christ. Israel had but one God and Lord - Jesus Christ (Jehovah). The gods of other nations were false. So besides him there was no real God. Yet this didn't detract from the fact that the Father God existed. His statement was to keep it simple. This will be more evident as we go on. Remember that my objective isn't to force readers to believe that which they refuse to believe, but to demonstrate that the Bible teaches that men can become as God.

We are left with the question, "who were these Gods that created the earth," as mentioned in Genesis?

In Jn 10:34 Christ, quoting part of Psalms 82:6 states, "Ye are Gods". In verses 35-36 Christ goes on to state that if the people to whom the word came are Gods, how can he be blaspheming by merely stating that he is the son of one. Plainly Christ is declaring the word "Gods" in Psalms to be a plural form, with exactly the same value, as the word "God" used in his statement, "son of God". So he has given an equal status to these Gods, who were a group of men, as he has to the Father. Some of us can therefore be stated to be Gods as God is God, according to Christ. Are these the Gods referred to in Genesis?

What else do we find in the Bible declaring that men will be equal with God?

Rev 3:21 "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit down with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my father in his throne."

This is declaring that people who overcome will sit down with Christ in his throne, which is also the throne of our Heavenly Father. How could anything be more clear? The Bible is telling us that some people will equally co-reign with God.

Is there more in the Bible stating that man will rule in heaven?

Luke 12:43-44 "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath."

"Ruler over ALL that he hath". More talk by Christ of men having an equal rulership in heaven with God.

What I have shown has proven conclusively that man will reign in heaven, and that some men are Gods. But for the sake of sceptics I will proceed to further demonstrate Biblically that man will reign equally in heaven with God.

Rom 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."

This is stating that those righteous will be heirs also as Christ is an heir. A "joint-heir" is where the division is equal.

Rom 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

So what is it that has made us come short of having God's glory? Sin. Christ came and paid for the sins of the truly repentant, thus bringing us back that we can gain the glory of God.

2 Thess 2:14 "Whereunto he called by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Therefore by following the gospel we can obtain the same glory as Jesus Christ.

I would ask readers, "are we really to believe this teaching isn't Biblical?"

But let us go on, for the really died in the wool sceptics who are still trying to take this new information on board.

Psalms 136:2 "O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth forever."

In spite of the word "gods" being translated with a small "g", the original Hebrew uses the same word here as is used in Genesis 1:1, as quoted above. So he is termed "the God of Gods". Surely this can't mean God of the unreal, so called "gods" that the other nations had. That would make him God of nothing, or the God of bits of wood and stone. This verse is saying that he is the God of other Gods. What other Gods? Those Gods mentioned creating the earth? Those men who are Gods, mentioned by Christ and Psalms? Those Gods who will sit in God's throne and reign? Those joint-heirs with Christ?

Luke 16:12 "And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"

What is this that Christ is stating that we can't have of our OWN if we aren't faithful with what is God's? If we are to believe that only our Heavenly Father can invent and own, how could we ever own anything anyway? His statement implies that we can have that which is exclusively our own, not God's, if we are faithful. This implies that we would have to create it ourselves, for it not to belong to God.

Speaking of Christ Isa 53:12 says, "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

Who are these greats and strong that Christ will divide the spoil with? Plainly the joint-heirs and Gods of creation that the Bible talks of. And who are these Gods? They are the righteous of this earth that truly accept to follow Christ in ALL things.

We have but one God. And that is our Heavenly Father. We have only one Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ. But the Bible plainly teaches that we also are Gods in the making. That is our purpose in being here, and the destiny of those who are righteous. Learning how to create an earth, under Christ's direction, was just part of our education.

One point that I should mention for a fuller understanding, is that even though we gain the calling of doing that which Heavenly Father is doing, we never actually become as he would be at any time, as an individual, because he continues to grow also.

A blasphemous doctrine? Not according to Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Paul, Psalms, Moses and Isaiah.

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