Close Topic Options

Christ Did As Our Father Did......?

Hi All,

I have been doing a bit of study on the Atonement and have came across something that I have thought about quite a bit. I'd like to get some of your feedback and views regarding this topic.

In Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith there is a section that talkes about the power of the Father and the Son. In this section it states the following:

(quoting Joseph Smith)
"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 we 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. "

He goes on to say:
"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....."

Also in St. John 5:19 we read: "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he [the Father] doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."

Sorry for the long intro but I felt it was necessary in order to ask my question. In reading these passages and quotes are we led to beleive that our Father in Heaven at one point in time laid down his life (such as a Savior) and took it up again. Jesus did it and said he did what the Father did. Will we also at some point in time be responsible for such an act? Do you understand what I mean?

I know this is a bit of deep thinking and something we probably do not need to concern ourselves with at this point in time, but I wanted to get some additional insight from others on the topic.

Did Father Our Did Christ

This is a subject that is basically ignored these days. Many know of the words, but refuse to consider the implications, especially since those implications were declared heretical by some writers a few decades ago. IMHO.

I believe that you are headed in the right direction with your studies.

Christ Did As Our Father Did......? Studies Doctrine Mormon

I recently gave a talk in Sacrament meeting with Heavenly Father as my topic. What I learned during my brief research is that one of Christ's missions here was to teach us about Heavenly Father.

The scriptures and teachings you quoted say it best: Jesus did what He saw His Father do. Another scripture in Hebrews says that Jesus is "the express image" of his Father, and another scripture quotes Jesus saying "If ye have seen me, ye have seen the Father."

Whether or not at some point we are required to do all that Jesus did is a matter that I don't believe is definitively described anywhere (that I know of, but I'm a novice at this).

Did Father Our Did Christ

I also believe that you are heading on the right track.

To eventually become Gods we need to know how to be Gods and Jesus has shown us the path, he is our exemplar, he always testifies of His Father. When I was about 14 I thought the very same thing. Heavenly Father has a plan in which he wanted all his children to be a part of. To become like him is to be more like him. We learn it in the scriptures too, like in the Book of Mormon, we learn that they are one in purpose. Christ would never do anything that his Father has not already done. They are one in every purpose and Father's wonderful plan is one that we can model after when we become Gods. It makes perfect sense.

Did Father Our Did Christ

I don't think that we will have to go through the same thing that Christ had to, if that was so then that would mean that we would be reborn on an earth to be the savior. The reason Christ did what his father did is because God was once a messiah himself.

Going through this life is hard enough and if we have any unrepented sins then we will go through the pain that Christ did before we receive our Glory.

Christ Did As Our Father Did......?

Another scripture reads thus:

"Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48

We are commanded to be as our Father in Heaven is. I think that's about as specific as you can get.

Christ Did Our Father Did......

We will not have to go through what Christ went through. That is the whole point of the Atonement: that He suffered so that we won't have to!
Part of the requirement of being a Messiah is to be perfect; not cleansed-of-our-sins-perfection-partnership-with-Christ perfect, but literally individually perfect. This is how God is never changing; in all the stages of His life (Intelligence, Spirit, Human, Celestialized), he never broke the standard of perfection, according to what He knew.
We will not be Messiahs. We are not individually Gods, but made Gods through the Atonement. When we become like God in the Celestial Kingdom, another prefect intelligence/spirit will be the Messiah of our Spirit Children, perhaps (In my opinion) one of Christ's Spirit Children.
Let us not give ourselves the title of individual perfection. Once again, Christ suffered that so that we will never have to. And that is the Atonement.

Even though this does not refer to my argument directly, I still think it is a good quote for the subject.

Christ Did Our Father Did...... Mormon Doctrine Studies

Wordswriter said:

True, but it also states the following:

There is a big "if" there...Just food for the thought....

The Scriptures seem to be clear on the point that Christ did what he saw his Father do. It is not merely to be taken theoretically but he actually saw his Father doing certain things and followed on this Earth what he learned and was commanded to do.