Tuesday, November 6, 2007

The Godhead

I grew up attending various churches....Baptist, Lutheran, and even attended the Catholic Church with my wife. But none of these churches could come close to answering the questions that I had. Only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answers my questions in a way that not only makes sense, but the Spirit has testified that it is indeed the truth.

I could never understand the other churches version of God. Their God always seemed to be mysterious, unknowable, and not easily understood. I had difficulty loving someone who I had no idea what they even looked like!

The LDS church believes that the Godhead is made up of God the Father, (Elohim), the Savior, (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost. Each is a separate entity-one in purpose-but not in body. There were three beings present at the baptism of Jesus Christ, according to Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:21-23; and Matthew 3:15-17. "And straightway coming out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit, like a dove,descending upon Him: and there came a voice from heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." There are many other verses in the Bible which speaks about the separate beings of the Godhead.

Two members of the Godhead - God the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ - have bodies like ours and have passions like our own. Knowing God's nature is very important in knowing God and loving Him. IMHO, that when people don't know the true nature of God, that is when they start making idols or animals to worship. Something that they can see and understand.

So how do we know that God is like us and we like Him? How do we know that God has body parts just like ours? Genesis 1:26-27; 5:1-3 states "God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He them." A useful God, unlike an animal or idol, must have a mouth, or how can he speak? Exodus 19:9; John 12:28-29. He must have eyes, or how can he see? Psalms 94:7-11. He must have a nose, or how can he smell? Genesis 8:21. He must have feet, or how can He stand? Job 19:25. God must have passion, or how can He love? John 3:16. Or how can He be suffering, merciful, and gracious? Exodus 34:6.

The true knowledge of God has been restored once again to the earth. This is what the Prophet Joseph Smith stated: "However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a avision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was bmad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the cpersecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two aPersonages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was bhated and cpersecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me dfalsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not edeny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.

The above quotes can be found here: http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1

The Spirit of God has testified to me that what Joseph Smith saw and heard is true - he saw two separate Beings, that looked like the Holy Men that they are, and that we are created in Their image.

I know that for some, it is difficult to believe that we have prophets once again on this earth...but I know that it is true. Ask yourself, why not? Why is it not possible to have a living prophet once again an this earth? The church of Jesus Christ HAS been restored once again in these latter days and we DO have a prophet to lead and guide us. The great apostasy has come and gone, and once again the Lord is leading his church through prophets which He has always done in the past.

I know these things to be true. IMHO