"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets,
concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended
into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."
— Joseph Smith
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The Trinity Salvation by grace God has a physical body Is the Bible all of God's word? Modern Revelation Topics
Judged by our WorksThe One-ness of God The Apostasy Jesus Christ Basic Beliefs Family Genealogy Free Book of Mormon Modern prophets speak now! Chat with a missionary Have missionaries teach me Find an LDS church Programs for youth/teens Search LDS scriptures Other Languages More Good Foundation Jeff Lindsay.com Is Mormonism a cult? Great Washington Post Article Polygamy (Multiple Wives) |
The Nature of GodThe One God Christians worship is three:
"God is a spirit", right?John 4:24 starts out "God is a Spirit". Don’t let this mislead you into believing that God is not physical. For one thing, in many translations, including the NIV and NASB, this scripture reads "God is spirit" (no article "a"), which has quite a different connotation. God IS spirit, this is true. But God is also physical. Is the Holy Ghost God? Yes. Then God
is Spirit.
Read what Jesus said of himself: Luke 24:39 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." God has flesh and bones. To say that God is ONLY a spirit would be to say that Jesus is not God. It’s interesting about John 4:24. In verses 21 through 23 Jesus is talking about worshipping the Father. If he were still talking about God the Father specifically in verse 24, he would have said the "Father is a spirit". But he didn’t--he used the more encompassing "God is a spirit" (italics added). The Holy Ghost is our connection point to God. The Holy Ghost (or "Holy Spirit") is a spirit. Why didn’t he then say the Holy Ghost is a spirit? He was conversing with a Samaritan; maybe "Holy Ghost" wasn’t a term Samaritans were familiar with. John 4:21-24 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Resurrected Bodies are Physical and SpiritualFirst Corinthians 15:42-44 provides critical knowledge for us about a resurrected body. We learn that immortal bodies--even though they are physical--are spiritual bodies: 1 Cor. 15:42-44 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. But immortal bodies are physical bodies also. Jesus’ body—after whose body ours will be fashioned... Philippians 3:20-21 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. ...is without question a physical body: Jesus says he has flesh and bones, he invites people to "handle" him and see, and he eats fish and honeycomb:Luke 24:37-43 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them. Jesus' new, glorified physical body (which was "raised a spiritual body" as Paul put it) can be spirit-like and vanish: Luke 24:31 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. Jesus, though flesh and bones, goes to His Father: John 16:7-13 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Jesus Does What the Father DoesIn John 5:19 it says that Jesus only does that which his Father does: John 5:19 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. Does this mean to say that Jesus does whatsoever the Father does except being resurrected!? "In the Image of God"Don't forget that we were created in the image of God. Our bodies look like his with arms and legs and eyes and ears. But there is one main difference: His is immortal and ours are mortal. Jesus' body was also mortal during his life here, but after he did all that His Father sent Him to do, he became fully like His Father and was resurrected. Can God be Seen?1 Timothy 6:16 13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Acts 7:55-56 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. How did Stephen know that Jesus was standing on the right hand of God? ConclusionIt is clear from the New Testament that Jesus, our Savior and God, lives as a physical being with "flesh and bone" as Luke said. But it is not like our corruptible flesh and bone--it is a "glorious body" that, though physical, is also "a spiritual body", as Paul wrote. This is consistent with his ability to vanish and appear in different places (He was with the two disciples in Emmaus. After breaking bread with them He vanishes. The disciples return—running—to Jerusalem, 7 or 8 miles away. As the two disciples are telling the others about what happened, Jesus appears to them and says "a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.") And He has granted a great gift to us, that we too will have such a body. Christ, in His physical body, ascended to His Father, as Luke wrote. We too will be resurrected and be able to live in our resurrected bodies with God, because of Jesus Christ. |