Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Tue, 7 Apr 1992 14:13:21 PDT
From:         Doug Gould <5315P@NAVPGS.BITNET>
Subject:      Some of Becky's Concerns

Sorry, Becky, that I'm a little slow in responding to you, on

>Date:         Mon, 30 Mar 1992 15:49:30 MST
>From:         Becky Harris <ISPBJH@ASUACAD.BITNET>
>Subject:      Re: Lucifer Pre-empting God

>On Mon, 30 Mar 1992 12:23:03 PST Doug Gould said:
>
>dg>Though I haven't been following this thread very closely, I would like to
>dg>say a thing or two.  I, too, agree on "the Pre-existent, non-created
>dg>nature of God."  But, this doesn't mean to me that He wasn't ever a man.
>dg>There never was a time--as we mortals understand time--when God, our
>dg>Heavenly Father, didn't exist.  He has been, and ever will be, our God--
>dg>from infinity to infinity.  The Bible teaches us His ways are not our
>dg>ways, His ways are higher than our ways.  With our finite, time-bound
>dg>minds, we cannot fully comprehend His eternal nature.
>
>dg>I, too, believe we are God's children.  But I believe this to be true in
>dg>the literal sense, not just by adoption.  He is the Father of our spirits,
>dg>just as our mortal fathers are the fathers of our physical bodies.  That's
>dg>what gives us our eternal nature; our spirits will live forever.  In this
>dg>sense, we have both a divine (spiritual) and a mortal (physical) nature.
>dg>Since we have a divine nature, it naturally follows that we may become
>dg>_like_ God--not God Himself.

>Doug

>I am thrilled at your comments here.  I am sincerely hoping you will answer
>a few questioned that I have wondered about forever.  They are questions I
>have asked many priesthood leaders in my life and have never really gotten
>much of an answer.
>
>You said:
>dg>With our finite, time-bound minds, we cannot fully comprehend
>dg>His eternal nature.
>
>I would like to try to comprehend as much as I can.
>
>dg>I, too, agree on "the Pre-existent, non-created nature of God."
>dg>But, this doesn't mean to me that He wasn't ever a man.
>
>How did he (God) get from being a man to being a God?

We don't really know, Becky.  The Lord hasn't seen fit to tell us very much
about this process.  About all we know is that Jesus did that which He saw
the Father do.  In other words, Jesus went through a mortal experience,
gaining a physical body the same as He saw the Father do previously.  More
than that, I cannot say.  We are expected to accept some things on faith,
not knowing everything we might like to know.  As to _when_ the Father had such
an "earthly" experience we aren't told.  Since it was before time as we
know it, we may rightly believe Heavenly Father has been our God for all
eternity--for as long as we have existed.

>dg>I, too, believe we are God's children.  But I believe this to be true
>dg>in the literal sense, not just by adoption.  He is the Father of our
>dg>spirits, just as our mortal fathers are the fathers of our physical
>dg>bodies. . . .

>Who gave God's spirit a body?  When did this happen and how?

We don't know the answer to either of these questions.  Since we have the
fullness of the Gospel, we know all that's necessary for our salvation.  We
may, therefore, conclude that it's not really essential that we know these
answers.

>You said, "He is the Father of our spirits *just as* our mortal fathers
>are the fathers of our physical bodies.  I know how my father contributed
>in the "fatherhood" (along with my mother) of my physical body.  You used
>the words "in the literal sense" and "just as" to discribe this
>comparison.  My mother and father had sex (literally),and I was created.
>Is this what you mean?  If so where is the mother in this picture?

I'll answer this question the only way I know how: I don't know any other
way to participate with God in the procreation of His children.  Do you?
Procreation involves three: man, woman, and God, who provides the spirit.
We don't know where the Mother fits into this picture; it hasn't been
revealed to us.

Becky, I wish I could say more.  You seem to feel you must know the answers
to these questions, which I cannot supply.  But I am satisfied with the
reassurance that Heavenly Father is silent on these issues, for His own
divine reasons.  When He feels we are ready to understand, we will be given
more light and truth.  If we prove worthy, we will eventually have all
mysteries revealed to us.  In the meantime, I am willing to accept the
limitations of what we know.  I pray that you might come to the same faith.

Peace, and good will,

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| Doug Gould          | Jesus: "Come unto me...my yoke is easy, |
| 5315P@NAVPGS.Bitnet | and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30 |
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