Katzpur
Not your average Mormon
Note: This thread is on the same faith debates forum. Posting is restricted to Christians.
Through the scriptures, we learn that, as children of God, we may also be His heirs, joint-heirs with Christ, even glorified with Him. We might partake of the nature of divinity and be allowed to sit with our Savior on His throne, to rule over the nations. (See Romans 8:16-17, 2 Peter 1:4, Revelation 2:26-27 and Revelation 3:21)
In the second century, Saint Irenaeus said, If the Word became a man, it was so men may become gods. He also posed this question: Do we cast blame on Him (God) because we were not made gods from the beginning, but were at first created merely as men, and than later as Gods? At about the same period of time, Saint Clement made this statement: The Word of God became a man so that you might learn from a man how to become a god. And Saint Justin Martyr agreed, saying that men are deemed worthy of becoming gods and of having power to become sons of the highest. Some two centuries later, Athanasius explained that the Word was made flesh in order that we might be enabled to be made gods. He became man that we might be made divine. And, finally, Augustine, said, But He that justifies also deifies, for by justifying he makes sons of God. For he has given them power to become the sons of God. If then we have been made sons of God, we have also been made gods.
The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology states, Deification (Greek theosis) is for Orthodoxy the goal of every Christian. Man, according to the Bible, is made in the image and likeness of God . It is possible for man to become like God, to become deified, to become god by grace.
And finally, the noted Christian theologian, C.S. Lewis, said (in his book Mere Christianity):
The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were gods and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him for we can prevent Him, if we choose He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said."
So why is it that the vast majority of Christians today are so turned off by any suggestion that our potential as sons and daughters of God is to be as He is? Why is it that any of us who actually believe these things are classified as heretics and accused of doing the same thing that Lucifer did when he was cast out of heaven?
Through the scriptures, we learn that, as children of God, we may also be His heirs, joint-heirs with Christ, even glorified with Him. We might partake of the nature of divinity and be allowed to sit with our Savior on His throne, to rule over the nations. (See Romans 8:16-17, 2 Peter 1:4, Revelation 2:26-27 and Revelation 3:21)
In the second century, Saint Irenaeus said, If the Word became a man, it was so men may become gods. He also posed this question: Do we cast blame on Him (God) because we were not made gods from the beginning, but were at first created merely as men, and than later as Gods? At about the same period of time, Saint Clement made this statement: The Word of God became a man so that you might learn from a man how to become a god. And Saint Justin Martyr agreed, saying that men are deemed worthy of becoming gods and of having power to become sons of the highest. Some two centuries later, Athanasius explained that the Word was made flesh in order that we might be enabled to be made gods. He became man that we might be made divine. And, finally, Augustine, said, But He that justifies also deifies, for by justifying he makes sons of God. For he has given them power to become the sons of God. If then we have been made sons of God, we have also been made gods.
The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology states, Deification (Greek theosis) is for Orthodoxy the goal of every Christian. Man, according to the Bible, is made in the image and likeness of God . It is possible for man to become like God, to become deified, to become god by grace.
And finally, the noted Christian theologian, C.S. Lewis, said (in his book Mere Christianity):
The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were gods and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him for we can prevent Him, if we choose He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said."
So why is it that the vast majority of Christians today are so turned off by any suggestion that our potential as sons and daughters of God is to be as He is? Why is it that any of us who actually believe these things are classified as heretics and accused of doing the same thing that Lucifer did when he was cast out of heaven?