How are We Related to Jesus?


prisonchaplain
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I'm reading a book by Gary C. Lawrence, a long-time LDS Church member, who offers a summary of LDS teachings. While his book is not an official publication of the church, his writings track well with what I've encountered here. Concerning Jesus he says:

"We believe Jesus Christ is the literal son of God ..."

Concerning the Father and us he says:

"We believe God is the Father of our spirits and that we lived with Him in heaven before being born in our earthly bodies."

So, is there a sense that Jesus is our brother, and yet different.  He is "literal" and we are spiritual. 

My question:  How do LDS distinguish our relationship to the Father with that of Jesus, the only begotten?

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12 minutes ago, prisonchaplain said:

My question:  How do LDS distinguish our relationship to the Father with that of Jesus, the only begotten?

Are you ask how our relationship with the Father is different than Christ's relationship with the Father?

Or how our relationship with the Father is different than our relationship with the Son?

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I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true; lived there and loved there with people I know. So did you. Then Heavenly Father presented a beautiful plan, all about earth and eternal salvation for man.

Father said He needed someone who had enough love to give his life so we all could return there above. There was another who sought for the honor divine. Jesus said, "Father, send me, and the glory be thine."

[All those present in this assembly were the spirit children of Heavenly Father (that's why we all call Him Father) - even Jesus; even Lucifer. Lucifer lost his position through rebellion.]

Jesus was chosen, and as the Messiah he came, conquering evil and death through his glorious name, giving us hope of a wonderful life yet to be--home in that heaven where Father is waiting for me.

[I left my premortal life and was born to an earthly father and mother who created my physical body. Jesus also left His home above, but was born to a Heavenly Father and an earthly mother who created His physical body. Because Jesus is the only one physically begotten of God, He is the Only Begotten Son.]

[Here we merge back to traditional Christianity. When we return to Father, it will be as the children of Christ(!) through adoption. Like the prodigal, we've squandered our inheritance and can only receive it as a joint-heir with Christ.]

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4 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

I'm reading a book by Gary C. Lawrence, a long-time LDS Church member, who offers a summary of LDS teachings. While his book is not an official publication of the church, his writings track well with what I've encountered here. Concerning Jesus he says:

"We believe Jesus Christ is the literal son of God ..."

Concerning the Father and us he says:

"We believe God is the Father of our spirits and that we lived with Him in heaven before being born in our earthly bodies."

So, is there a sense that Jesus is our brother, and yet different.  He is "literal" and we are spiritual. 

My question:  How do LDS distinguish our relationship to the Father with that of Jesus, the only begotten?

Jesus Christ, though the son of our Father, is also a Father--and our Father. Both are our Fathers. You can liken it to a father and grandfather, though both are fathers. 

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D&C 93:

21 And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;

 22 And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn.

 23 Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth

We read in the Book of Mormon about Jesus Christ being our creator. Indeed he organized matter to create the earth and all things therein. 

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Alma 11:

38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?

 39 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;

 40 And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.

Abinadi explained this to King Noah as he expounded the words of the prophet Isaiah.

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Mosiah 15:

 1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.

 2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—

 3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—

 4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.

 5 And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.

 6 And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

 7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

 8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—

 9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfiedthe demands of justice.

 10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare hisgeneration? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?

 11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.

Or as Jesus Christ explained to the brother of Jared face to face.

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Ether 3:

 7 And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?

 8 And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.

 9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?

 10 And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.

 11 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

 12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

 13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lordshowed 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.

 14 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.

 

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In john 20:17 we read what our Savior told Mary Magdalene about God the Father our relation to Him: “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God”

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ taught about the Father so all of us could have a perfect understanding of our relationship to God. The heathen nations believed in cruel deities and even the chosen people of Israel had forgotten their true relationship to God. What our Savior did was to restore to the House of Israel and to all of us the truth: God, the Supreme Ruler of the universe, is our Father and we are His children and have an inheritance prepared for us in His kingdom. God is not only worthy of our worship, but also worthy of our love, for He truly loves ALL His children.

So, as God is our Father, Jesus is our brother. Although worthy of His right as the Firstborn, because of His eternal love, we as Paul said, are co-heirs with Christ.

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7 minutes ago, Edspringer said:

So, as God is our Father, Jesus is our brother. Although worthy of His right as the Firstborn, because of His eternal love, we as Paul said, are co-heirs with Christ.

Jesus also becomes our Father through His Atonement and our faith in him.  This is essentially a spiritual adoption.  This is what is meant by:

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 And they are aone God, yea, the very bEternal cFather of heaven and of earth.

Quote

 38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?

 39 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very aEternal Father of heaven and of earth, and ball things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last;

 40 And he shall come into the aworld to bredeem his people; and he shall ctake upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else

This is not Trinitarian doctrine.  It is our understanding of our relationship to each of the members of the Godhead.

Edited by Guest
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23 hours ago, mordorbund said:

I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true; lived there and loved there with people I know. So did you. Then Heavenly Father presented a beautiful plan, all about earth and eternal salvation for man.

Father said He needed someone who had enough love to give his life so we all could return there above. There was another who sought for the honor divine. Jesus said, "Father, send me, and the glory be thine."

[All those present in this assembly were the spirit children of Heavenly Father (that's why we all call Him Father) - even Jesus; even Lucifer. Lucifer lost his position through rebellion.]

Jesus was chosen, and as the Messiah he came, conquering evil and death through his glorious name, giving us hope of a wonderful life yet to be--home in that heaven where Father is waiting for me.

[I left my premortal life and was born to an earthly father and mother who created my physical body. Jesus also left His home above, but was born to a Heavenly Father and an earthly mother who created His physical body. Because Jesus is the only one physically begotten of God, He is the Only Begotten Son.]

[Here we merge back to traditional Christianity. When we return to Father, it will be as the children of Christ(!) through adoption. Like the prodigal, we've squandered our inheritance and can only receive it as a joint-heir with Christ.]

I should mention for the non-LDS viewing this thread that this is a song taught to our children in church. The portion in brackets are my own commentary.

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The term father has two meaning.  #1. It means that we are the offspring.  #2. That we are cared for and natured through a covenant or implied covenant – think step-father.   Since our father in heaven is the father of all mankind – we are all brothers and sisters – even to Jesus and Satan.

In addition Jesus is greatest and the first or most noble – this is in part what is meant by the only begotten – which in ancient kingdoms is the heir of the Suzerain – and as @Mordorbund explained becomes our adopted father and thus we become an heir through Christ.   In addition Jesus is our Mediator with the father.  Note that a mediator cannot be the same as who they mediate for – it is a misuse of the term. 

Then among LDS there is a third relationship we have with Christ that is somewhat related to Jesus being our covenant adopted father.  The priesthood we have in the LDS church is the Priesthood after the son of G-d or after the order of Christ.  This is in part what is meant by taking the name of Christ.  This is like a marriage covenant where we represent Jesus and operate in his absents for others on earth – while he is in heaven

The Traveler

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On 9/15/2016 at 11:04 AM, prisonchaplain said:

How is our relationship with the Father different than Jesus' relationship with the Father?

The eternal objective is that we all have the same relationship, as that is what atonement (at-one-ment) means. God loves us all the same as He does Jesus; it's just a matter of us leaning to love Him the way Jesus does. Until that happens, some have a more Christlike relationship than others.

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