LDS Book of Mormon God(s)

[Rescued One]

Should LDS worship their most high God? Which of their Gods is most high and the God over all the earth?

1 Nephi 11
6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.


3 Nephi 11
12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.
3 Nephi 11

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “I believe firmly that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. He taught this doctrine to his disciples. He did not teach them that he was the Son of the Holy Ghost, but the Son of the Father. Truly, all things are done by the power of the Holy Ghost. It was through this power that Jesus was brought into this world, but not as the Son of the Holy Ghost, but the Son of God. Jesus is greater than the Holy Spirit, which is subject unto him, but his Father is greater than he! He has said it. Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was God!” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:18).

To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three [Father, Son, and Holy Ghost] are the only Gods we worship. But in addition [to these three] there is an infinite number of holy personages, drawn from worlds without number, who have passed on to exaltation and are thus gods.
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), pp. 576-77.

Mormons vaccilate on the topic of which god(s) they should worship.

D. God is the Supreme Being in the universe.
1. God the Father is greater than all (see Ephesians 4:6; John 10:29).
2. As the Supreme Being, God the Father should be the object of our love and worship (see D&C 18:40; 20:29; Joshua 22:5; Mark 12:30; D&C 4:2; Luke 4:8).

********************************************************
■ “Our relationship with the Father is supreme, paramount, and preeminent over all others. He is the God we worship. It is his gospel that saves and exalts. He ordained and established the plan of salvation. He is the one who was once as we are now. The life he lives is eternal life, and if we are to gain this greatest of all the gifts of God, it will be because we become like him” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Our Relationship with the Lord,” in Brigham Young University 1981–82 Fireside and Devotional Speeches, 101)...

E. The Father presides over the Godhead.
■ “Three glorified, exalted, and perfected personages comprise the Godhead or supreme presidency of the universe. . . . They are: God the Father; God the Son; God the Holy Ghost. . . .

■ “Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth, and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth; these personages, according to Abraham’s record, are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the witness or Testator” (Smith, Teachings, 190).
Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual

It will help us to remember that our Father in Heaven was once a man who lived on an earth, the same as we do. He became our Father in Heaven by overcoming problems, just as we have to do on this earth. (p. 204)

Father in Heaven: A perfect being who looks like a mortal man but has a resurrected body of flesh and bones.He is the Father of our spirits, to whom we pray. (p. 280)
Doctrines of the Gospel: Student Manual, Religion 430 & 431, 2004.

I hope I didn't mess that up too much!

 

[Andrewn]

It will help us to remember that our Father in Heaven was once a man who lived on an earth, the same as we do. He became our Father in Heaven by overcoming problems, just as we have to do on this earth. (p. 204)

Father in Heaven: A perfect being who looks like a mortal man but has a resurrected body of flesh and bones.He is the Father of our spirits, to whom we pray. (p. 280)
Doctrines of the Gospel: Student Manual, Religion 430 & 431, 2004.

Historically, when did Mormons start preaching that Heavenly Father is an exalted human being?

 

[He is the way]

Should LDS worship their most high God? Which of their Gods is most high and the God over all the earth?

1 Nephi 11
6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.


3 Nephi 11
12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.
3 Nephi 11

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “I believe firmly that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. He taught this doctrine to his disciples. He did not teach them that he was the Son of the Holy Ghost, but the Son of the Father. Truly, all things are done by the power of the Holy Ghost. It was through this power that Jesus was brought into this world, but not as the Son of the Holy Ghost, but the Son of God. Jesus is greater than the Holy Spirit, which is subject unto him, but his Father is greater than he! He has said it. Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was God!” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:18).

To us, speaking in the proper finite sense, these three [Father, Son, and Holy Ghost] are the only Gods we worship. But in addition [to these three] there is an infinite number of holy personages, drawn from worlds without number, who have passed on to exaltation and are thus gods.
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), pp. 576-77.

Mormons vaccilate on the topic of which god(s) they should worship.

D. God is the Supreme Being in the universe.
1. God the Father is greater than all (see Ephesians 4:6; John 10:29).
2. As the Supreme Being, God the Father should be the object of our love and worship (see D&C 18:40; 20:29; Joshua 22:5; Mark 12:30; D&C 4:2; Luke 4:8).

********************************************************
■ “Our relationship with the Father is supreme, paramount, and preeminent over all others. He is the God we worship. It is his gospel that saves and exalts. He ordained and established the plan of salvation. He is the one who was once as we are now. The life he lives is eternal life, and if we are to gain this greatest of all the gifts of God, it will be because we become like him” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Our Relationship with the Lord,” in Brigham Young University 1981–82 Fireside and Devotional Speeches, 101)...

E. The Father presides over the Godhead.
■ “Three glorified, exalted, and perfected personages comprise the Godhead or supreme presidency of the universe. . . . They are: God the Father; God the Son; God the Holy Ghost. . . .

■ “Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth, and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth; these personages, according to Abraham’s record, are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the witness or Testator” (Smith, Teachings, 190).
Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual

It will help us to remember that our Father in Heaven was once a man who lived on an earth, the same as we do. He became our Father in Heaven by overcoming problems, just as we have to do on this earth. (p. 204)

Father in Heaven: A perfect being who looks like a mortal man but has a resurrected body of flesh and bones.He is the Father of our spirits, to whom we pray. (p. 280)
Doctrines of the Gospel: Student Manual, Religion 430 & 431, 2004.

I hope I didn't mess that up too much!

I believe these scriptures sums it up:

(New Testament | 1 Corinthians 8:6)

6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

(New Testament | John 20:17)

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

(New Testament | John 14:28)

28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

 

[Rescued One]

Historically, when did Mormons start preaching that Heavenly Father is an exalted human being?

Joseph Smith, revered as the founding prophet of the Mormon Church, first publicly taught that “God himself was once as we are now” and that men would have “to learn how to be Gods” in 1844. He did so toward the end of his life and heralded it as both a distinctive doctrine of Mormonism and a departure from the previously accepted truth about God the Father. According to Joseph Smith, to know for a certainty the character of God was “the first principle of the Gospel,” leaving little doubt as to its importance and centrality...
God was once a man like us: Finessing an Off-Putting Mormon Doctrine

Doctrine and Covenants 132 teaches that men can become gods.
(Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant and the principle of plural marriage. Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, evidence indicates that some of the principles involved in this revelation were known by the Prophet as early as 1831. See Official Declaration 1.)

1–6, Exaltation is gained through the new and everlasting covenant; 7–14, The terms and conditions of that covenant are set forth; 15–20, Celestial marriage and a continuation of the family unit enable men to become gods; 21–25, The strait and narrow way leads to eternal lives; 26–27, The law is given relative to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; 28–39, Promises of eternal increase and exaltation are made to prophets and Saints in all ages; 40–47, Joseph Smith is given the power to bind and seal on earth and in heaven; 48–50, The Lord seals upon him his exaltation; 51–57, Emma Smith is counseled to be faithful and true; 58–66, Laws governing plural marriage are set forth.
Doctrine and Covenants 132

In 1976, this was still being taught to church members:
Achieving a Celestial Marriage, 1976, p. 129. GOD WAS ONCE A MORTAL MAN (1-2) He lived on an Earth like Our Own. “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret.”

Then the 1984 Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide, Search These Commandments, gives more detail. It contains a warning on page 158, "Be careful in presenting this material that you don't bring God down to man's level. Our objective is to perfect ourselves and raise our level to his exalted place."


The King Follett Sermon, one of the classics of Church literature, was given by the Prophet Joseph Smith at the April 7, 1844, conference of the Church in Nauvoo, Illinois. Some twenty thousand Saints were assembled.
The account of the talk noted that it was the funeral sermon for Elder King Follett, a close friend of the Prophet’s who had been killed in an accident on March 9. Longhand notes of the discourse were made by Willard Richards, Wilford Woodruff, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. This reprint was taken from the Documentary History of the Church, vol. 6, pages 302–17. That volume notes: “This was not a stenographic report, but a carefully and skillfully prepared one made by these men who were trained in reporting and taking notes. Evidently, there are some imperfections in the report and some thoughts expressed by the Prophet which were not fully rounded out and made complete.

"I wish I was in a suitable place to tell it, and that I had the trump of an archangel, so that I could tell the story in such a manner that persecution would cease forever. What did Jesus say? (Mark it, Elder Rigdon!) The scriptures inform us that Jesus said, as the Father hath power in himself, even so hath the Son power—to do what? Why, what the Father did. The answer is obvious—in a manner to lay down his body and take it up again. Jesus, what are you going to do? To lay down my life as my Father did, and take it up again. Do you believe it? If you do not believe it you do not believe the Bible. The scriptures say it, and I defy all the learning and wisdom and all the combined powers of earth and hell together to refute it. Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. And I want you to know that God, in the last days, while certain individuals are proclaiming His name, is not trifling with you or me."

It should also be noted that this discourse was given two months before the death of Joseph Smith. During these months the enemies of the Church were extremely active, and the Prophet undoubtedly anticipated the coming events.
The King Follett Sermon

 

[Goodhuman]

If mormons believe they can become gods, then they believe they are sinless, because God is sinless.
Do they not believe they will fall if they want to be gods?

 

[Ironhold]

If mormons believe they can become gods, then they believe they are sinless, because God is sinless.
Do they not believe they will fall if they want to be gods?

In LDS theology, there's a difference between God and god.

That capitalized letter? Massive significance.

God is only used to describe Heavenly Father.

god is used to describe an exalted individual and is used in the context of Psalms 82 and the Gospel of John.

Many critics of the church conflate this, and in some instances deliberately so.

 

[He is the way]

If mormons believe they can become gods, then they believe they are sinless, because God is sinless.
Do they not believe they will fall if they want to be gods?

We do not need to be perfect to be perfected:
(New Testament | John 17:21 - 23)

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

 

[Goodhuman]

We do not need to be perfect to be perfected:
(New Testament | John 17:21 - 23)

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

The devil wanted to be god and fall.
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

 

[He is the way]

The devil wanted to be god and fall.
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

There is the proper way to do things:

(New Testament | Acts 8:17 - 23)

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

 

[Goodhuman]

Based on your life, you can become everything else except God. God is one and only he can create.

 

[Rescued One]

Based on your life, you can become everything else except God. God is one and only he can create.

LDS/Mormon scripture says that they can become equal to God.

Doctrine and Covenants 88

106 And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the seventh angel, saying: It is finished; it is finished! The Lamb of God hath overcome and trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.

107 And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him.

 

[Rescued One]

If mormons believe they can become gods, then they believe they are sinless, because God is sinless.
Do they not believe they will fall if they want to be gods?

Mormonism:
No, falling from grace is failure to obey their religion's commandments. They do believe that they should work towards complete obedience with the goal of becoming sinless: if they haven't become sinless before they die they will work towards that goal beore the resurrection.

 

[Goodhuman]

Even the devil not wanted to be God, but like God.
Angels are above saints, because they are sinless and there is levels of angels.
To be sinless is to not have a single sin, not something which can be achieved but something which can be lost, after you are born on earth. But bible is clear, born again cannot sin. So, they must keep themselves until they are born again. Maybe the requirements for fallen angels are not so strict, but I am not aware of them, you will need to check it for yourself. But heaven's angels are more powerful than fallen angels. After they die, they can't change themselves. Born again happen before they die.

 

[Rescued One]

Even the devil not wanted to be God, but like God.
Angels are above saints, because they are sinless and there is levels of angels.
To be sinless is to not have a single sin, not something which can be achieved but something which can be lost, after you are born on earth. But bible is clear, born again cannot sin. So, they must keep themselves until they are born again. Maybe the requirements for fallen angels are not so strict, but I am not aware of them, you will need to check it for yourself. But heaven's angels are more powerful than fallen angels. After they die, they can't change themselves. Born again happen before they die.

In Mormonism, Satan will never be like God. It's a very complicated religion. It isn't biblical and I don't believe it.

 

[Andrewn]

and be made equal with him.

This reminds of the "Satanic Verses."

 

[Rescued One]

Based on your life, you can become everything else except God. God is one and only he can create.

Yes, I agree there is only ONE GOD!

 

[He is the way]

It is our duty to be perfect:

(New Testament | Matthew 5:48)

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

It is our duty to become equal to God:

(New Testament | Philippians 2:5 - 6)

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

(New Testament | John 17:20 - 23)

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

 

[Rescued One]

The devil wanted to be god and fall.
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Mormons will insist that what their prophets say is better than the Bible teachings.

 

[Rescued One]

Christ has perfected for all time those who are being made holy.

Perfect according to the Greek also means complete. (dzheremi can help us here.)

Colossians 2:10 KJV
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Colossians 2:10 NIV
10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Christ is and always has been God. God did not become a God Who had as a human to earn Godhood! That is blasphemous!

 

[He is the way]

Mormons will insist that what their prophets say is better than the Bible teachings.

You have that wrong. What our prophets say is not better than the teachings or the prophets or what they said during Biblical times, but just like the prophets of the Bible the words they share from God are appropriate to this time. I know that listening to and obeying God's words given to His servants the prophets is what the Bible instructs us to do. Those who disobey God's word will suffer the consequences.