Nature of God: The Eternal State of Man
I heard an explanation from a Trinitarian Christian describing what is meant by essence: God is of one essence.
In simple terms his answer was that essence is the certain property essential for a thing to have in order for it to be what it is.
The way that this idea of God as a unified essence in three persons, translated best to the way Latter-Day Saints view the unity of God, might be as simple as saying:
The shared essence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; that property common to all three that is eternal (uncreated) and essential is intelligence.
*what is intelligence? We do not know for certain, but we think it is best described as the essential consciousness of intelligent being.
Let’s continue: What makes these three persons, who share this eternal essence (intelligence), definable separate persons, but united as one God (Godhead)? And what makes this unity God?
Beyond essence there are more qualities and characteristics of unity, and differentiation, in the persons of the Godhead, but the fundamental nature that make the three, God, are explained in the shared divine qualities of their nature as described in scripture: loving, good, just, righteous, merciful, compassionate, faithful, truthful, wise, etc — It is because of their perfect exalted (the greatest state of being that can be) glorified nature that they are omnipotent and omniscient.
There are more qualities and characteristics of unity and differentiation that explain how three separate divine beings are unified into one God, as a Godhead.
What is our relation to God?
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us… And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” — John 17:21-22
What it means to be one with God:
Though we ultimately come from the same eternal essence as God, uncreated intelligence, we are not as great as God; we are not one with Him; we are not full partakes of the divine nature, but it is our design to become one if we choose and follow His great plan for our ultimate exaltation.
Abraham 3, Pearl of Great Price, Restoration Scripture teaches this:
“If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.
“And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all… I dwell in the midst of them all
“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
“And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
“And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
“And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
“And they who keep their first estate (pre-mortal life) shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate (mortal life) shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
Eternal Glory: What is this eternal glory added upon our heads forever and ever?
It is these eternal lives, children of God by nature of their being and potential, that God has his glory, his purpose, his work.
Moses 1:37-39, Pearl of Great Price, Restoration Revelation Scripture:
“And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
“And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
What is meant by Eternal Life? Does it differ from Immortality?
Immortality simply means to live forever in a glorified embodied state. This is fulfilled in the universal resurrection that is a gift to all who have lived in mortality. Eternal Life is the ultimate exalted state of God, and the ultimate exalted state of the children of God, is possessing the eternal image and nature of God as eternal embodied spirits sharing the divine nature in unity with God, and living eternally in His presence, sharing all that he hath as heirs to the Kingdom, and being united with God in the eternal purposes of God; which purpose is eternal creation, worlds without number, and eternal lives.
In simple terms his answer was that essence is the certain property essential for a thing to have in order for it to be what it is.
The way that this idea of God as a unified essence in three persons, translated best to the way Latter-Day Saints view the unity of God, might be as simple as saying:
The shared essence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; that property common to all three that is eternal (uncreated) and essential is intelligence.
*what is intelligence? We do not know for certain, but we think it is best described as the essential consciousness of intelligent being.
Let’s continue: What makes these three persons, who share this eternal essence (intelligence), definable separate persons, but united as one God (Godhead)? And what makes this unity God?
Beyond essence there are more qualities and characteristics of unity, and differentiation, in the persons of the Godhead, but the fundamental nature that make the three, God, are explained in the shared divine qualities of their nature as described in scripture: loving, good, just, righteous, merciful, compassionate, faithful, truthful, wise, etc — It is because of their perfect exalted (the greatest state of being that can be) glorified nature that they are omnipotent and omniscient.
There are more qualities and characteristics of unity and differentiation that explain how three separate divine beings are unified into one God, as a Godhead.
- They share one nature — a divine nature — without sharing one body, mind, or will.
- Only one will is manifest from the three persons because of perfect submission to the will of the most high God, who is God our Father.
- They rule Omnipotent over creation in perfection and perfect unity.
- The three beings have differentiation in their roles that fulfill their unified purpose. The Father, the Most High God, our Eternal Head: Jesus, Son of God, Creator, Savior: The Holy Ghost, To dwell with us, Witness, Testifier, Sealing Power, Comforter, Guide, Voice of God.
- The Father and the Son have glorified physical resurrected bodies, the Son is in the express image of His Father. The Holy Ghost has a body of Spirit.
What is our relation to God?
- We are the literal offspring of God
- Organized by God, our Father and Mother, as Spirit bodies pre-mortally from uncreated intelligence.
- Given potential to become like God eternally through His plan.
- Created both spiritually and physically in the image of God, Male and Female.
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us… And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” — John 17:21-22
What it means to be one with God:
Though we ultimately come from the same eternal essence as God, uncreated intelligence, we are not as great as God; we are not one with Him; we are not full partakes of the divine nature, but it is our design to become one if we choose and follow His great plan for our ultimate exaltation.
Abraham 3, Pearl of Great Price, Restoration Scripture teaches this:
“If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.
“And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all… I dwell in the midst of them all
“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
“And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
“And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
“And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
“And they who keep their first estate (pre-mortal life) shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate (mortal life) shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
Eternal Glory: What is this eternal glory added upon our heads forever and ever?
It is these eternal lives, children of God by nature of their being and potential, that God has his glory, his purpose, his work.
Moses 1:37-39, Pearl of Great Price, Restoration Revelation Scripture:
“And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
“And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
What is meant by Eternal Life? Does it differ from Immortality?
Immortality simply means to live forever in a glorified embodied state. This is fulfilled in the universal resurrection that is a gift to all who have lived in mortality. Eternal Life is the ultimate exalted state of God, and the ultimate exalted state of the children of God, is possessing the eternal image and nature of God as eternal embodied spirits sharing the divine nature in unity with God, and living eternally in His presence, sharing all that he hath as heirs to the Kingdom, and being united with God in the eternal purposes of God; which purpose is eternal creation, worlds without number, and eternal lives.
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