Category: Teachings

The Gods of the Bible, Part 2

MAN IS TO BE LIKE JESUS CHRIST AND CHRIST WAS GOD

Few Christians would argue that Jesus as the Son of God was one with his Father God. As such he was God or at least a God depending on how one views the Trinity. The big complaint of the Jews against Jesus was that he was guilty of blasphemy. They said: “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; because that thou being a man, makest thyself God.” John 10:33. Earlier, Jesus upset the Jews by declaring: “Before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58 This bold declaration would have cost him his life if he had not miraculously escaped.

Let us suppose that Jesus were to appear again in our age incognito as an ordinary man and declare himself to be God, one with God or even a God. Would modern Christians accept him any more readily today than did the Jews two thousand years ago? Would the 20th century religionists again cry blasphemy and want him out of the way? This is very probable. New Age people who merely claim to be a reflection or in the “image” of God chills them to the bone.

There are more scriptures in our Bible today that witness that man can become a God than the disciples had in the days of Jesus to prove that he was Christ, or God. Therefore, if true Biblical evidence of the fact is rejected by modern Christians they place themselves in the same closed-minded category as the enemies of Jesus in ancient times.

Many people are going around proclaiming “Jesus is God” without even thinking as to why they believe it. Some person up the line said it and it sounded good.   Let us go along and list all the reasons we can think of why Jesus is called God by modern Christians. There seems to be ten major ones listed as follows:

(1) JESUS EXISTED BEFORE BIRTH.

(2) HE WAS CALLED THE SON OF GOD.

(3) HE WAS ALSO CALLED CHRIST

(4) HE WAS CALLED THE SAVIOR.

(5) JESUS PERFORMED MIRACLES.

(6) HE WAS ONE WITH GOD, THE FATHER

(7) HE WAS MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE AND IS TO MANIFEST HIS GLORY

(8) JESUS WAS PERFECT

(9) JESUS WAS CALLED GOD.

(10) HE OVERCAME DEATH WITH THE HELP OF HIS FATHER.

If man can also fill all of these criteria then it only stands to reason that he would qualify for Godhood just as much as Jesus does. So let us put our philosophy to the test and examine these points one by one and see if ordinary mortals dare have the same mind as Jesus and “think it not robbery to be equal with God”. If man can do all that Jesus did with the same resources then that makes them equal, does it not?

1. ALL HUMANS EXISTED BEFORE BIRTH

The orthodox Christian believes that man began at birth, but after that point in time he will live on endlessly, never dying again. In other words, before birth for every person there is a total blank. He was nothing. He did not exist.

To begin with this is a mathematical impossibility. If a line has a beginning and no end then it extends on to infinity. Every high school mathematics class teaches that one half of infinity is still infinity. In other words, if a thing has no end, mathematically it has no beginning. Nothing exists in nature which has no end unless it had no beginning. That which exists in nature and has a beginning can be proven to have an end.

A ring provides a good example of this principle. It is circular and has no beginning and no ending point. On the other hand, if one puts a slit in it there will be created both a beginning and an end. It is impossible to cut or mold the ring in such a fashion as to produce an object with a beginning but no end. A form as this has no existence anywhere in the universe because one half infinity is still infinity.

Paul talks about a part of us that is without beginning or end: “The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (the physical body) were dissolved, we have a building of God, (The Spirit of man) an house not made with hands, ETERNAL in the heavens.” II Cor. 4:18;5:1

Here we are clearly told that if the body were dissolved we will yet have an “eternal” house to live in, or that eternal part of ourselves we call Spirit. If it is eternal as Paul says then it existed before birth for that which is everlasting has neither beginning or end.

Paul teaches that this spirit can have an out-of-body experience: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (Whether in the body, I cannot tell, or whether OUT OF THE BODY, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.” II Cor 12:2

Paul’s experience of leaving his body is not really that unusual, for now that mankind has ceased burning out-of-the-ordinary persons at the stake people are talking more about their spiritual experiences. Many who have experienced the near death state have reported actually leaving their bodies in the spirit and returning with an accurate memory of all the conversations of the doctors and nurses.

Some who have gone through this report that their spirit body is connected to their physical by a silver cord of great elasticity. Many believe that death occurs when this silver cord is severed. Interestingly, the Bible makes reference to this: “Or ever THE SILVER CORD BE LOOSED, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern.   Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the SPIRIT SHALL RETURN unto God who gave it.” Eccl 12:6-7

Evidently Solomon had knowledge of the silver cord which connects the spirit and body as well as the golden bowl which is a golden etheric life energy (invisible to the untrained eye) which ceases or is “broken” also at death. The broken pitcher and wheel describe a cessation of bodily functions.

Next we are told that at death “the spirit shall RETURN unto God who gave it.” The word “return” is a powerful proof of a premortal existence. If all that which is us began at birth how could we “return” to God? If orthodox Christian thought is true all we could return to would be nothingness. We could only return to God if we came from God and we can only come from the presence of God if we had some form of existence with him before birth.

The scriptures reveal that the Lord knew numerous people before they were born. Concerning Jacob and Esau he said: “The Elder shall serve the younger.” Gen 25:23 Eve said of Cain: “I have gotten a man FROM the Lord.” Gen 4:1 Another good example comes from Jeremiah: “Then came the word of the Lord unto me saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I KNEW THEE; and BEFORE thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jer 1:4-5

Concerning himself Isaiah said: “The Lord called me from (can be translated ‘before’) the womb; and from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.” Isa 49:1

Of John the Baptist it is written: “There was a man sent FROM GOD, whose name was John.” John 1:6

Evidently, the Lord knew Paul before his birth for he said: “He (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” Acts 9:15 This was spoken before Paul began his work. Paul also wrote that God “set me apart from (or before) birth and called me through his grace.” Gal 1:15 New English We are told that the saints are written in “the book of life from the foundation of the world.” Rev 17:8

In addition we are supposed to be “in hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie PROMISED BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN.” Titus 1:2 How did God promise eternal life to us before the world began if we were not there? It would be silly for God to make a promise to nothingness.

The scriptures make it crystal clear that people existed, were called, ordained, and had promises made to them before they were born. It is amazing to see the explanations of these scriptures that come forth. The objector says that Jeremiah and others were not in existence before they were born, but they were in God’s mind like an architect has a building in his mind. Therefore, they feel that God “sanctified”, “ordained”, “knew”, and “promised” to a blueprint. The argument sounds very weak to anyone who thinks about it. One doesn’t have to “wrest” the scriptures when he merely accepts them the way they read.

The Bible gives us powerful evidence that Job was with God before he was born. In chapter 38 God is reprimanding Job for questioning his wisdom and sovereignty and reminds him of works and events which he is supposed to already be presently aware of. He tells Job that he will demand an answer of him evidently aware that Job should know the following: “Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding…When the morning stars sang together, and ALL THE SONS OF GOD shouted for joy?” Job 38:4&6

Who are the “sons of God”?   The scriptures give a clear answer. John the Beloved said: “WE are the sons of God…” I John 3:2

It is only fitting that we should be called the “sons of God” for God is called the Father of our spirits in Heb 12:9. Paul also said: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that WE are the children of God.” Rom 8:16

Since Job was one of the sons of God and “ALL the sons of God shouted for joy” at the foundation of the earth then Job had to be there shouting for joy with them. Evidently, the sons of God (which included you and me) were rejoicing over the planet that was prepared for us to inhabit.

Who are the “morning stars (that) sang together”? They were the lightbringers and prophets to the people of earth with Jesus Christ being at the head. Jesus said: “I AM…THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.” Rev 22:16 Others will be given the morning star and evidently become morning stars themselves in a future round. (See Rev. 2:28)

The writer of Proverbs gives us a definite confirmation that the sons of men were present at the foundation of the world. The voice speaking in the eighth chapter is identified as wisdom and understanding. In other words, the wisdom and understanding of God has always been in existence and Solomon writes of it as if it were an entity: “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?”

After explaining some of the attributes of wisdom the writer emphasizes how long wisdom has been around and how eternal she is: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: When he strengthened the fountains of the deep:   When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: When he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of HIS EARTH; and my delights were WITH THE SONS OF MEN.” Prov 8:1,22-31

This scripture makes it clear that when God promised us “eternal life…before the world began” (Titus 1:2) that he was not merely speaking to blueprints, but to the “sons of men” who were with him in “the habitable part of HIS EARTH.” Evidently, we dwelt on another earth in another time where the wisdom of God was manifested. Here the Bible clearly tells us that the sons of men are very ancient beings.

This Proverbs scripture, however, helps us understand numerous scriptures from the New Testament. For instance, Paul said: “For whom he did FOREKNOW he did predestinate.” Peter said that the Saints were “elect according to the FOREKNOWLEDGE of God.” I Peter 1:2 Evidently God gained this “foreknowledge” of us “in the habitable part of his (God’s) earth.”

Another powerful Bible witness that we have had a pre-mortal existence comes from the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. This is a famous chapter on the faith of the prophets (the Morning Stars) on the promises of God. One of the most interesting promises God has made concerns the heavenly city of the New Jerusalem. In describing this city John said he “saw the holy city of the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Jesus Christ). And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the TABERNACLE OF GOD is with men, and he shall dwell with them…And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Rev. 21:2-3, 14

It’s quite possible that at least part of the New Jerusalem is presently located “in the habitable part of (God’s) earth.” The author of Hebrews tells the saints who presently dwell there: “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.” Heb. 12:22-24

From these verses we have quoted we find that the inhabitants of the heavenly city Sion (Zion) or the New Jerusalem are: (1) God (2) The twelve apostles (3) Jesus (4) Angels (5) The general assembly (6) The church of the firstborn (7) The Spirits of just men made perfect.

The question naturally arises as to how long the city of the New Jerusalem has been in existence and how long the various types of inhabitants have been there.

Since the New Jerusalem in heaven is the habitation of God one would assume it is very ancient. One thing we know for sure is that it is older than Abraham for the scripture says: “He (Abraham) looked for a city which hath foundations (the twelve apostles of the Lamb), whose builder and maker is God.” Heb. 11:10

Since Abraham was aware of the foundations of the city and the foundations had in them the “names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” it is natural to assume that the twelve apostles lived in the city from the days of Abraham or earlier.

The writer of Hebrews tells us concretely that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sara, Noah, Enoch, and Able all lived in the Heavenly New Jerusalem before they were born: “These (those just named) all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS ON THE EARTH.   For they that say such things declare plainly that they SEEK A COUNTRY (‘country’ is from the Greek PATRIS which literally means FATHERLAND and figuratively means: HEAVENLY HOME) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. (If they were looking for any country on the earth they would have had no trouble finding and returning to it). But now they desire a better country, THAT IS AN HEAVENLY: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: FOR HE HATH PREPARED FOR THEM A CITY.” (The New Jerusalem) Heb. 11:13-16

We could write much more in proving the pre mortal existence of humans, but these scriptural evidences along with common sense should prove this first point.

All human beings lived before birth even as Jesus did.

 

2. MAN IS A SON OF GOD

The second reason that believers see Jesus as God is because he is often referred to as a or the Son of God. Now if we show that we are also Sons of God just as Jesus was (and is) then this means we are entitled to be called Gods just as he is.

Most orthodox Christians insist that Jesus be called THE Son of God. I have made the mistake of mentioning my belief in Jesus as “a” Son of God and they about have a fit as if I am speaking great sacrilege. I have had them retort back that Jesus is “the” one and only Son of God.

It would be incorrect to refer to Jesus as “the” one and only son of God if we are also His sons and daughters. If you and I are also Sons then it is impossible for Jesus to be the only one.

The word “the” is used to identify a “particular person place or thing” Therefore, if there is only one Son of God we should always use “the” in describing his sonship. If there is more than one Son of God then “the” could still be used with it but the grammar would indicate that only a “particular” or one Son of God is under discussion when we are using a singular noun. For instance, there are thousands of hats, but when I tell the clerk “Give me the hat” I mean only one hat, a particular hat.

On the other hand, the word “a” refers to one out of many. If I say “Give me a hat” I am saying there is more than one hat and to grab anyone of them and give it to me. If we say that Jesus is “a” Son of God it means that he is one of many. This, the orthodox believer does not want to admit. So he insists that Jesus always be called “The Son of God”, as if he is the only one in existence…

But is he?

Not hardly. We have already quoted the scripture which tells us that the “SONS of God” shouted for joy at the creation of the earth. Job 38

Also in Job we read: “Now there was a day when the SONS of God came to present themselves before the Lord…”   Job 1:6

At the beginning of civilization we are told “That the SONS of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” Gen 6:2

Luke speaks of “Adam, which was the son of God.” Luke 3:38

The greatest proof that it is appropriate to call Jesus “a” Son of God is found in the words of Jesus himself. He usually used the term “son of man” and there was only one time when Jesus was on the earth that he definitely used the term “Son of God” in relation to himself and amazingly he called himself “a” Son; not “the”.

Unfortunately most translators distort the meaning of this particular scripture and add a “the” which is not even there: “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken: Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am THE Son of God?” John 10:34-36 

The word “son” in the Biblical Greek is HUIOS. The key word “THE” is nowhere to be found in the original Greek. In this context the normal rendering would be “A Son of God.” Unfortunately none of the translators have the guts to translate it with there greatest accuracy. Even so some of them are honest enough to translate without the word “THE.”

Here are some examples:

Youngs

of him whom the Father did sanctify, and send to the world, do ye say — Thou speakest evil, because I said, Son of God I am?

Darby’s

do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am Son of God?

ASV

say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am [the] Son of God?

At least the ASV was honest enough to put ‘the” in parenthesis to indicate that it is not in the original.

Then we have my favorite translation, which stays very close to the original:

The Concordant

“…are you saying to Him Whom the Father hallows and dispatches into the world that you are blaspheming, seeing that I said, ‘Son of God am I’?

It is interesting that none of the translators dare translate it as the context would be rendered if they were talking about anyone but Jesus which would be:

“…do ye say of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am A Son of God?”

If it was all right for Jesus himself to say he was a son of God then what is the big deal about me, you or any other person also expressing a belief in Jesus as “a” Son of God? This certainly does not belittle him or take away from the fact that he was the greatest entity in the history of civilization and that he was the first to demonstrate divine sonship and even overcome death. It does, however, change him from our dictator to our brother, but that is in accord with his words, for he called us his brethren.

There are so many scriptural references proving that man is also a son of God that it shouldn’t be necessary to recite them. Nevertheless, the world wants to continue to call Jesus “THE Son of God” as if he were a son in a way that we are not. The amazing point is that no where in the Bible is this taught or indicated. None of the Bible writers say that Jesus is a son of God and we are not. In fact they say over and over again that we are sons like him: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be CALLED THE SONS OF GOD: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are WE THE SONS OF GOD, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is.” I John 3:1-2

Let us continue with a few more quotes: “But as many as received him (Christ) to them gave he power to become the SONS OF GOD.” John 1:12

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God; and he shall be my son.” Rev. 21:7

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD: And if children, then heirs; HEIRS OF GOD, AND JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST…” Rom 8:14-17

A few more: “Ye are the children of the Lord.” Deut 14:1 “And (God) will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” II Cor 6:18 “Ye are sons of the Living God.”   Hosea 1:10 To Solomon God said: “He shall be my son and I will be his Father.” I Chron 22:10.

In what way is God both our Father and the Father of Jesus Christ; in other words, how are both regular humanity and Jesus Sons of God?

To help answer this we must clarify the meaning of the word “Father”. To be a Father is to be “the originator of a creation”. Thus God is called the “Father of the heavens and the earth” or the Father of all things. We also have our “Founding Fathers” who originated our constitution and Edison the Father of the light bulb and so on.   In a more literal way a father is a parent who is the originating source of the child who is in his basic image and intelligence and has a capacity of becoming like the father at maturity.

By the first definition we can see that there is no argument that God is the Father of both ordinary humanity and Jesus Christ as well as all things, living and non living. In this way God is definitely our Father, and Jesus and ourselves are sons. In this category no one can argue that Jesus is “a Son” because by this definition more than one son is involved.

By the second definition, however, we still find that Jesus and men are brethren with the same Father. We have already quoted the scripture which says that “the Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God…and JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST…” Rom 8:17.

If we are children of a different category than was Jesus then why are we joint heirs with him???

Obviously, we are joint heirs because we are children of the same Father as indicated: “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the FATHER OF SPIRITS, and live? Heb 12:9

Just as our flesh has a father here so do our spirits and the Father of all of our spirits is God. This would include ordinary men and women as well as Jesus. So here we find that Jesus is again our brother and we have God as a mutual father. Thus we are not in error by stating that from this respect Jesus is “a” son of God along with the rest of us.

The only possible way that Jesus was a Son of God in a way that we are not is in reference to the biblical story that he was born of a virgin and had no earthly father. There are a number of interpretations to this account. The most common is that the Spirit of God merely came upon Mary and she conceived a son. Another one is that God came down in a physical body and had sex with Mary and she thus conceived. A third is that she was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, but it was while the Holy Ghost was in Joseph, her espoused mate.

Whatever the case, if a virgin birth qualifies one for godhood then Adam had a double dose of it for he was conceived by neither an earthly father or mother, and Eve, his wife should qualify to be a goddess for she was born from the virgin Adam.

Melchezedec should also qualify under this criteria for of him it was written that he was “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the (a) Son of God.” Heb. 7:3

So here we see that we cannot say that Jesus is the one and only Son of God because he was born of a virgin because we have at least three other people from the Bible that have this qualification and more.

With all this evidence it is difficult to see how anyone can say that Jesus is the one and only Son of God.   He is perhaps the greatest of the Sons of God, from among mankind but no where does it indicate that he is the only one.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Gods of the Bible, Part 2

THE NATURE OF GOD AND CHRIST

Orthodox Christian are greatly disturbed by both the teachings of Joseph Smith and the New Age teachings on God because the only concept of Higher Intelligence that they can conceive of is a single God who rules the universe. Therefore, when they are told that man can become or manifest God they think that is the height of arrogance, as if the man who believes such is claiming to be the king of all creation. They forget that the New Age concept of God is different from theirs. If we looked upon God as being separate from ourselves it would be arrogant to claim to be God, but if we look upon God as being of whom we are a part, then there is no arrogance. New Age people merely see God as the whole of life and to manifest God is to recognize that we are a part of that whole. In other words, our claim to manifesting God is based on the injunction of Jesus to be one with the Father and the Son. How can being one with God be anything else than being God, or identifying with the whole?

A drop of water is insignificant when it is removed from a giant wave, but when it is joined back into the wave and cooperates with it, it then becomes the wave. We are like drops of water that have separated from the Life wave we call God. When we join back in with the God wave we become one with it and we can say with all the other billions of lives: “I am the wave” or “I AM God”. We have not lost the molecules that have made us the drop. We still have our identity, but we have much more. We are one with something much greater than ourselves to the extent we actually become the wave. We are a wave, yet one with millions of drops combined. We are God, yet millions of human drops combined. No life is separated from the life which is God.

This principle is not new and should not be thought to be esoteric for it is clearly taught in the Bible.

Paul spoke very clearly concerning the nature of Christ who is God: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are diversities of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is THE SAME GOD THAT WORKETH ALL IN ALL. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY MAN to profit withal… (Then Paul enumerates on the gifts of the Spirit.) For as THE BODY IS ONE (the Wave) , AND HATH MANY MEMBERS (the many drops), and all the members (human lives) of that ONE BODY (GOD), being MANY, are ONE body, SO ALSO IS CHRIST (GOD). For by ONE SPIRIT we are all baptized into ONE body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into ONE SPIRIT. For the body (GOD) is not one member (Life), but MANY (All lives together)…Now Ye are the body of Christ (GOD), and members in particular.” I Cor 12:12-14,27

It should be obvious from this scripture that Christ is much more than the man Jesus and God is not just one entity sitting on a throne. Both Christ and God (or the Father) are one and manifest through one body, but that body is composed of many members. On earth, those who are members of the body of Christ are those who “know the love of Christ” and are “filled with the FULNESS OF GOD” (Eph 3:19)… “until Christ be formed IN YOU.” (Gal 4:19) “To whom God would make known what is the riches of glory of this MYSTERY among the Gentiles: which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory.” Col 1:28

“LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS: who being in the form of God, thought it not mockery to be EQUAL WITH GOD: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men…” Phil 2:5-7 “…That the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” II Cor 4:10

On earth the Bible teaches that Christ is composed of many members possessing the Spirit of God. Jesus, however, “is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.” Col 1:18

Even though Jesus is the most important member of the body he is NOT the only member. We should not look upon him as being apart from us, or as manifesting God in a way that we cannot for we are commanded to have the same mind in us that was within him. Concerning Jesus Paul wrote: “…great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…” I Tim 3:16 Since we are commanded to be of the same mind as Jesus then we should also manifest God in the flesh.

This is verified by a correct translation of John 1:14. In the King James it reads: “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

The word “among” is from the Greek EN which is almost always translated as “in” not “among.” Let us render a more correct translation here in harmony with the ancient language:

“And the Word is BECOMING flesh and dwells IN US. And we beheld His (or Its) glory, a glory like an only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth.

In fact we are promised that we shall manifest God beyond our comprehension. Jesus said: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and GREATER WORKS than these shall he do; because I go to my Father…At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in my, and I (Christ) IN YOU.: John 14:12 & 20.

It is interesting to note that Jesus never did directly refer to himself as “The Christ”. In referring to himself he always used the title: “son of Man”. Thus Jesus, the man, humbly associated himself with humanity. He never spoke the word “Christ” in relation to himself exclusively as others did. In fact there are only four occasions in the Bible where he actually spoke the word. Example: “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” Matt 23:8. Example: “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.” Mark 9:41

Jesus referred to Christ in the third person because the title of Christ did not belong to him alone but to all members of the body that partake of the Spirit of God. Because Jesus referred to the Christ in the third person and did not directly proclaim himself as such the Jews were led to exclaim: “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly?” John 10:24 Even to this direct question Jesus did not proclaim himself to be the Christ. He did not want to set himself up on a pedestal, but identified himself as a Son of Man so the sons of men would look for the Christ within themselves.

Paul said that Jesus manifested God in the flesh (I Tim 3:16) and also that we are to have the same mind as he. On the other hand, because one is manifesting God is not cause to be worshipped by others because God is in them also. Jesus refused to let others exalt him as an idol God or even as a good man any more than his brethren. For instance after a man called him good he said: “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God.” Matt 19:17 In other words, there is only one life we are to exalt and that is the universal God-life that is in us all for he said: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24.

The Christian world is happy to proclaim that Jesus is God as if he is something we can never be. This is not what Jesus or any of the scriptures says. On the contrary the Bible says: “No man hath seen God at any time…” John 1:18 and “God is a Spirit”. Now Jesus was a man who lived in the flesh and later raised his flesh from the dead and was felt by the apostles and even ate with them. He was seen by thousands of people and when he said “God is a Spirit” he was dwelling in mortal flesh. If Jesus is the one and only God, how is it that he was flesh and bones and was seen by thousands when “no man hath seen God”???

If Jesus in the flesh was God then who was the invisible Spirit he told us to worship?

When I ask Christian Fundamentalists this they merely shake their heads and say it is a great mystery we are not supposed to understand. Such an action reminds me of the words of Paul: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, AND SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES.” II Tim 4:3-4

The truth is quite simple to understand and the Bible is indeed correct when it says: “No man hath seen God” for God is verily one invisible Spirit “dividing to EVERY MAN severally as he will.” I Cor 12:11 God has divided (or reflected) himself so he dwells in billions of lives on this and other worlds. Beings who have manifested that One Life as Jesus did are sometimes called Gods because they become one with the ONE GREAT LIFE, but it doesn’t matter whether that manifestation is through Jesus, Paul, or Shirley MacLaine we are not seeing the invisible God we are only seeing his works. That is why Jesus said: “Though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is IN ME, and I in him.” John 10:38

Jesus mentioned the Christ on another interesting occasion: “While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? They say unto him, the Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord saying: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.” Matt 22:41-46

No one answered the question of Jesus. If David acknowledged the Christ as his Lord then how could he be his son? The Father is supposed to be Master to the son. The answer is that Jesus, the man, was the son (or descendant) of David, but the universal Christ was not. It dwells in us all including David and is the son of no man.

There is no indication in the Bible that Jesus intended himself to be thought of as a Christ or God any more than other men ought to be. After all, he called himself “the son of man” a title previously given to ordinary humans. He also called all men, even the “least” of them, his “brethren”: “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these MY BRETHREN, ye have done it UNTO ME.” Matt 25:40 Here is Jesus’ plain and simple acknowledgement that even the lowest of men have Christ and God in them just as Jesus did for what we do to then we do to Christ.

This is not surprising for Paul in speaking of the followers of Christ said: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Rom 8:29

Jesus, as all believers know is called the firstborn, but here we find that ordinary men and women may even share that title with him for Jesus and the rest of the sons of men are brethren with a similar destiny as taught by Paul: “For both he that sanctifieth (Jesus) and they who are sanctified (followers of Christ) ARE ALL OF ONE: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Heb 2:11

We are supposed to come to “the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the FULNESS OF CHRIST.” Eph. 4:13

To accomplish this Jesus taught that we are supposed to follow in his footsteps: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev 3:21

If we are to overcome as Jesus did we must examine the key ingredient by which Jesus overcame the world. He revealed this in the statement: “I am come in my FATHER’S NAME, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his OWN NAME, him ye will receive.” John 5:43

This is an amazing statement. Jesus   tells us that he was rejected because he bore the name of God whereas if another will come and teach them, not making any claims of God in man (or bearing the Father’s name), but simply teach as a man in his own name, that this they will accept.

This is still true in the religious world today. Any teaching that humans and God are one is immediately rejected and the teachings of men in their own name (as men) are accepted.

THE NAME OF GOD

The Fathers name is mentioned a number of times by Jesus and is an interesting subject. He said he came in his Father’s name. He also said: “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me… and I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it.” John 17:6&26

Apparently Jesus used the name of the Father over and over, but there is no statement in the Bible where Jesus actually said plainly “The Father’s name is…” If it ever was in there then it was taken out by the compilers of the scriptures. On the other hand we will show the name is still there and can be proven with a careful reading that the name of the Father is the same as the Son. That is the name of Christ! That may be startling, but it makes sense when we consider that the scriptures tell us that Christ created all the worlds, but also God created the heavens and the earth.

Now for the proof. First, as we mentioned, Jesus came in the name of the Father and manifested that name over and over. This indicates the name of the Father was Christ because that was the name Jesus came in and manifested.

Second, he did his works in the “Father’s name”. John 10:25 He did his works in the name of Christ.

We are also told that the name of Christ is “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.” Eph. 1:21

Jesus said that “My Father is GREATER than I.” John 14:28. Therefore, if the Father and the Son have separate names then the Father’s name would have to be greater. But we are plainly told that the name of Christ is greater than “every name that is named” in this and the next world therefore then only way the Father could have the greatest name is if his name is also “Christ”.

Obviously, the Father and the Son are not one entity as conventional Christianity seems to think or Jesus would not have said that his Father was “greater” than he was, but they are separate entities partaking of the same One Great Life which is God. They are two drops who realize they are the wave.

The Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead, also bears the same name. Jesus told his apostles: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the NAME (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Matt. 28:19

Obviously, there is one name for all the members of the God family.

Now we can make sense of the writings of Paul: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the WHOLE FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS NAMED.” Eph. 3:14-15

The word cannot be much clearer than this. The whole family of God in heaven and earth is named after the Father. Jesus is, of course, part of that family so he bears the highest of all names – the name of Christ. But the scripture goes farther than this. It says that God’s family on earth also bears his name. How does the family of God on the earth bear the name of the Father? It is written” “God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people FOR HIS NAME…that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, UPON WHOM MY NAME IS CALLED” Acts 15:14 & 17.

Here we are plainly told that the early Christian church which was formed by the Gentiles was called after the name of the Father. What was that??? They were called CHRISTians or the “body of Christ”.

This all makes sense. After all when a Father has a son here on the earth the Son bears the Father’s name. Would not the Gods do the same?

This knowledge helps shed some light on other scriptures. Jesus said: “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. For the Father loveth the Son, and SHEWETH HIM ALL THINGS THAT HIMSELF DOETH: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father RAISETH UP THE DEAD, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will…For as the Father hath life (God) in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life (God) in himself.” John 5:19-21, 26

Jesus explains here the principle of eternal progression. That is he has a teacher whom he calls the Father and he has learned what he knows by watching him. He was speaking here before there had been any resurrection and said he had already seen the Father raise the dead. Jesus received his power over death by watching the Father and obtaining from him the keys of eternal life within.

When did Jesus watch the Father overcome death? It was on another world whereon his Father was a savior and Jesus was one of his disciples. That is why the Father also has the name of Christ and his people must bear his name. The things that Jesus did we must eventually do. All of us need a teacher to show us the possibilities of man.

Now we can see that the previously quoted statement of Joseph Smith seems to make sense: “Jesus is one of a grand order of Saviors. Every world has its distinctive Savior and every dispensation its Christ.”

In reality everyone who manifests the Spirit of Christ is both a Father and a Son for progression is eternal and when we are learning we are Sons. When we are teaching we are Fathers. Jesus was a Son in relation to his Father, but a Father in relation to his disciples. On the other hand the Father, or teacher of Jesus will also have one above him who is his Father. Thus the Father-Son-Father-Son relationship stretches from men and women who manifest Christ clear up to the One Great Life whose physical body is the universe. “For he that is high hath another higher, and there are others still higher than these.” Eccl 5:8 Thus the life of the One Universal God can touch the lowest lives in creation. In this way Christ is the creator and savior of the universe, but the One Life is composed of trillions of individual entities like you and me.

The scripture says that the family of God both in heaven and on earth is named after the Father. This means that there is a God family on earth bearing the name of Christ. This has an outward symbol with the name Christian or body of Christ, but the meaning goes deeper than this. We are told that the redeemed have the “Father’s name written IN their foreheads.” Rev 14:1

What does it mean to have the name of Christ, or God in your forehead? It means that we accept the fact that Christ is in us and that we are one with him, and if we are one with him we are Gods as he is. No wonder Jesus stated “Ye are Gods” and Paul told us to have the mind of Christ within us.

The importance of not denying the name of God is stressed (See Rev 3:8). Indeed! It is a denial of the name of God to deny the statement of Jesus: “Ye are Gods”. We must accept the fact that we are “filled with the FULNESS OF GOD” (Eph 3:19) or we deny the God in us and the kingdom within which is the only place it will ever be found.

Another interesting name for God is Jehovah. This name is derived from HAYAH which is the statement given to Moses when he asked for the name of God. In the King James version the reply reads: “And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus salt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Exodus 3:14

This sounds confusing to many but a more literal translation sheds additional light: “And God said to Moses I AM BECOMING WHAT I AM BECOMING…” Or as written in my Book The Immortal: “I AM BECOMING THAT WHICH I DECIDE TO BECIME.”

This may still sound a little confusing, but Moses understood the answer perfectly. Names in ancient times were viewed differently than they are today. In our day if I introduce myself as Joe or Joseph that is all it means, just a sound to be known by. However, names in the days of Moses told people about themselves. For instance, Joseph then meant “he will be added upon”, David was “Beloved” and Abraham: “Father of a multitude”. In those days when you knew someone’s name you supposedly knew something about the person and his destiny. Therefore, the most natural question a person in ancient days would want to ask God would be his name. His name would tell us how he is different from everyone else and what is his destiny. Could the great Unknowable have a name? Moses wondered. Would God give him a name that would describe the kind of character he is and end the great mystery once and for all?

Moses, I am sure, was surprised with the answer. Instead of getting something like “My name is Zilgooser which means the Great One Who Sits in the Heavens” or something like that he received a simple and direct: “I AM BECOMING WHAT I AM BECOMING… Go tell the children of Israel that the One who sent you IS BECOMING.”

If Moses had not heard this from God himself he would have never believed it. God is still in the process of BECOMING or evolving. That means that God himself has not reached the ultimate. There is still something around the corner for Him to become. There are new worlds to conquer, even for God. He is becoming whatever the hell he wants to become and is certainly not in the box where believers want to place him.

Moses never did present this name he was given to Israel, probably for fear that he would be laughed out of Egypt. Surely God knows who he is. Instead, Moses introduced it in a more palpable altered form as JEHOVAH (or YAHWEH) which is usually interpreted to mean “The Eternal”.

Nevertheless, the first name given to Israel is the more glorious and reflecting upon it brings great enlightenment. The whole universe is in a state of change and “BECOMING” and God is the One Great Life that embodies the universe. Every life in the universe shares its life with God including man who is becoming, and, in reality, no name will fit any of us for eternity for what we will be tomorrow is different than what we are today and since we are one with God that means that God, also, will be different tomorrow.

For instance in the Old Testament He was called Jehovah, in the New Testament he was known as Christ, the anointed, and in the future a new name will be announced: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: AND I WILL WRITE UPON HIM MY NEW NAME.” Rev. 3:12

Is the new name “I AM BECOMING?” You never know.

Now we see why God says “Behold, I make ALL THINGS NEW.” Rev 21:5 The perfection that is attributed to God by man is not taught in the Bible as we shall show a little later. Because it is never achieved God keeps making everything “new”. He creates a “new” Jerusalem, “new” kingdoms, a “new” heart in man, a “new” heavens and earth, a “new” song, he gives us “new” names and will even give himself one. When the One Great Life changes then things become new.

Can you think of anything worse than reaching a static condition where there was no change and nothing new to look forward to? That is the main criticism I have heard of the Christian heaven. Many people naturally say: “I do not want to go to heaven where there is perfection and no new goals to set for ourselves.” The truth is that would not be heaven but hell. It would not be life, but death. Even among the people in the churches with this belief one can see the seeds of death. The people are lifeless and lead boring lives. Many having fun in the bars are closer to becoming what they will become and therefore closer to God. This makes us reflect on the words of Jesus to the pious people of his day: “The publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matt. 21:31

Copyright by J J Dewey

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THE GODS OF THE BIBLE

By

By J J Dewey

 

INTRODUCTORY LOGIC

Perhaps the greatest common denominator among the followers of New Age Thought is the belief that one has to look no further to find God than within himself.   They are true followers of the injunction of Jesus that “The kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21) If, then, the kingdom of God is within it must stand to reason that God resides in his own kingdom and he is also within. If God is within your brother then when you see his face you also see the face of God. If God is within you then when you look in the mirror you also see the divine face. When you feel within with no illusions then you must be feeling the presence of God.

Jesus preached the kingdom of God and invited all believers to come to it. Exactly what would be the nature of the inhabitants of the kingdom of God? The vegetable kingdom is composed of vegetables. The animal kingdom is composed of animals and the human kingdom is composed of humans. Therefore what kind of residents abide in the Kingdom of God? Yes. They can only be Gods. When Jesus invited us to the kingdom of God he called us to leave the illusionary human kingdom and assume our true nature as Gods in the God kingdom. In other words, we are to be as he is. A glorious thought is it not?

Many who call themselves Christians would disagree. There are those who think it is blasphemy to consider that God can be anywhere except sitting on a throne in heaven being worshipped by his hosts. This narrow-minded group believe that they are the only ones who are even worthy to use the name of Christ. They feel that others must interpret the Bible exactly as they do or God will be angry at them and they will have no right to use His name.   Thus all New Age people are condemned in one master stroke as being anti-God because they see God as being everywhere including within each man, woman, and child.

But wait a minute! Didn’t we learn back in Sunday School that “God is everywhere?” Yes, we did learn that. Almost all “accepted born-again Christians” embrace this belief quite emphatically. Yet at the same time they teach that God sits on a throne in heaven. Can both be true? Can he be in one place, yet everywhere?

Obviously, if he is omni-present he cannot be sitting on a throne in one location of the universe. He is either a being in one location like you or I, or he is Life itself that is in and through all things.

The Bible says that God fills “heaven and earth” (Jer 23:24) and “hell” (Psalms 139:8). Paul said that “In him we live and move and have our being”. (Acts 17:21) These and other scriptures verify the doctrine of the omnipresence of God. The interesting point here is that this doctrine is not objected to by orthodox Christians but is heartily embraced and promoted by them. Their problem is that their beliefs contradict themselves. In one breath they will teach the God-in-one-location-with influence-everywhere as the Mormons believe and in another they will say he is everywhere.

If the orthodox Christian world truly believes that God is omni-present then why do they condemn New Age Thought for teaching that God can be found within man? They are condemning such people for teaching not only what they claim to believe, but also a prevailing Biblical doctrine. Jesus had a word he used on the ancient Jews who did not practice what they believed. I will not say that word, but it can be found several times in Matthew Chapter 23. Read this chapter and you find that Jesus felt very strongly about people who do not abide by their belief system. They were the only ones he ever condemned. No sin he ever witnessed was ever condemned by him except this one.

If God is omni-present as even the most fundamental Christian believes then God is within humans. If God is within man then his kingdom can also be found there, for where the kingdom is there also abides the king. If God and his kingdom are within man then when we look within and manifest that which we truly see and feel with no deception or illusion then we are manifesting God and his kingdom. If a man is manifesting God and we are watching him then we are seeing God in action. Thus when we witness a human reveal his true inner self we see God. The man and God are not two, but one.

Is it any wonder Jesus said: “I and my Father are One?” (John 10:30) But if God is truly everywhere then all of us who recognize the God within are also one with God. Jesus was the rule and not the exception. He acknowledged this when he prayed: “that they (his disciples) may be ONE, as we (Jesus and the Father) are.” John 17:11

Jesus was God because he was one with the presence of God within him. But he said we are supposed to do the same thing. Therefore what is man when he obeys the injunction of Jesus and becomes one with God? If you and God are one then that one being (which includes you) is God.   We then join with Jesus and exclaim: “Ye are gods.”

If God and man are one, then man is God and God is man.

We only seem to be two because we have been deceived into thinking it.

Five entities in the Bible have called men Gods.   They are the serpent in the garden, the God of the Old Testament, Moses, David, and Jesus.

DID THE SERPENT LIE?

Because the serpent was the first to identify man with God the doctrine is greatly distrusted by orthodox Bible believers. They call it the first great lie and seem to believe that this serpent can never tell the truth.   They do not recognize that it would be impossible for any being to carry on an intelligent conversation and lie all the time. Even Hitler, Nero and Judas usually told the truth. The bad guys in history often used the truth to entice others toward a deceptive act. Thus when the serpent enticed Eve to eat the forbidden fruit by saying: “Your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.” Gen 3:5 it is possible he was telling the truth. In fact we know he was telling the truth because it is verified by one of the Gods: “And the Lord God said, Behold, the MAN IS TO BECOME AS ONE OF US (one of the many who realize that God is in man), to know good and evil.” Gen 3:22

Why do so many call the serpent’s statement the first big lie when the truth of it is acknowledged by “the Lord God”? Apparently, the true first big lie was the teaching that the serpent was lying. This thinking deludes man into thinking that God is not in him, but “out there” somewhere. This teaching is necessary for man to believe if he is to be controlled by “God’s representatives” here on the earth. It is impossible to take away the freedom of a person who finds the God within, but it is quite easy to control a person who thinks that God speaks to an authority, but not directly to himself. This authority that speaks for God becomes then the God without.

Thus far we see that the serpent and one of the Gods acknowledged that man can become as God. Jehovah even went a step further and called Moses a god. (EX 7:1).

Later Moses called those who were supposed to be able to judge the people and discern good and evil Gods (See Exodus 22. We will elaborate more fully later).

Later David clearly stated to the leaders of Israel: “Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” Psalms 82:6

Finally arrogant young Jesus angered the Jews by teaching the oneness of God and man. As they tried to stone him he asked them what he had done wrong. They answered: “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou being a man, makest thyself God.   Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:33-36)

The angry Jews immediately saw here that the doctrine that man and God are one means that man is God. They called this blasphemous just as many religious people today still do. Jesus, however, courageously rebuked them and reminded them that men were called Gods in the Old Testament scriptures and the scripture “cannot be broken”.

This kind of talk only infuriated the Jews more and Jesus had to escape for his life from the midst of their anger.

Joseph Smith, A New Age Prophet

Another interesting person of more recent historical note who got himself in trouble and eventually killed for teaching the Godhood of man was the Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith. Now because I mention the name of the Mormon founder do not get the idea that I am promoting Mormonism, for I believe that Mormonism has drifted far from the original teachings of its founder just as most other religious groups have done. However, in examining the teachings of the founders of any worldwide movement one will normally discover that they were originated by a person of high spiritual thought. Joseph Smith was no exception. He courageously took a group of crude Christian frontiersmen and shattered their thoughtforms on man and God by proclaiming to them that their destiny was to become as Gods. Some believed and were raised up in consciousness, others disbelieved and sought to take his life, but no one remained neutral. The doctrine was indeed a stirring missile to be cast in the stagnant pool of Christian thought.

Joseph was the first major public western figure in our era to proclaim the major doctrine of the New Age. Since that time many others have followed and churches such as Unity, Religious Science, movements began by Gurus from the East, as well as esoteric schools of thought as Theosophy, and the Arcane School by Alice A. Bailey, The Foundation for Inner Peace which publishes the COURSE ON MIRACLES, numerous New Age books, and even Shirley MacLaine and The Star Wars movies all proclaim that there is a “Force” or God in man.

Joseph then introduced the doctrine contrary to all the then current lines of thought and met with tremendous opposition.   But he taught that “truth will cut its own way”. And indeed this is what is happening. Those who are not chained down with dogma feel good inside when thinking about being one with God as was the Christ. The free-thinking youth of the world felt good about “the Force”, and many identified with Shirley MacLaine when she shouted “I AM God”. Joseph said the doctrine “tastes good” and indeed it does.

Feel within. Even at this moment it feels good to know that God is within and we are to be one with Him.

Among those who taught this doctrine in our age Joseph Smith is unique in the fact that he taught it to an unbelieving Christian people in the 1840’s, and he attempted to prove it out of the Bible. Because he struck a nerve at the heart of Orthodox Christianity there have been many enemies of the doctrine from his day to the present time. Many other New Age people who espouse the concept more as a philosophy than a religion do not seem to draw the fire that Joseph did. It is also paradoxical that many New Agers categorize Joseph’s teachings with orthodox Christianity and do not see the harmony between their own belief and his. They fail to realize that Joseph had many pure revelations and inspiration of pure esoteric truth that he had to clothe in the acceptable Christian language of his time. This caused his teachings to be somewhat misunderstood by later generations.

Many of his teachings about God were given in his last major address shortly before he was killed. It was given April 6, 1844 and has become known as the King Follett discourse. In it he taught the principle of eternal progression – that man does not stay man and God has not always been God. He later elaborated and taught about a hierarchy of Gods. He said that there was one being in particular who was appointed to be the God or Master for this planet before mankind set foot upon its surface, but that this person was once a man like ourselves, but learned his lessons of salvation on another planet. It is our destiny to eventually become as he is.

He further stated that the spirits or intelligence of men were not created by God but have always existed and are “co-equal” with him. “God himself could not create himself. Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle…The first principles of man are self-existent with God…If men do not comprehend the character of God they do not comprehend themselves…Here then is eternal life – to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourself, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all the Gods have done before you, – namely by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one, – from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings and sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power…The mind or intelligence which man possesses is co-equal with God himself…God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man…That is the great secret…God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ did.” See History of the Church by Deseret Book; Vol. 6; Pages 302-317; 473-479.

Concerning Jesus and the Father he said: “If Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and John discovered that the Father of Jesus Christ had a Father, you may suppose that he had a Father also. Was there ever a son without a father? And was there ever a father without first being a son?” History of the Church; Page 476. He also said: “Jesus is one of a grand order of Saviors. Every world has its distinctive Savior and every dispensation its Christ.” Women in Mormondom by Edward W. Tullidge; Page 192.

In the King Follett discourse he also taught that the first verse in the Bible was changed in ancient times and also mistranslated.   “In the beginning…” is translated from the Hebrew RESHIYTH. However, this word is sometimes translated as “chief” (Amos 6:1,6) and “firstfruits” (Lev 2:12). It is derived from ROSH which means “the head”. Joseph believed that when the Bible was first written ROSH was used instead of RESHIYTH. He taught that the Hebrew word for God, ELOHIYM should be rendered as “Gods” (plural). All modern Bible scholars agree with this. However, using the Hebrew Joseph came up with quite an unorthodox translation for the first verse. Instead of “In the beginning God created…” he translated it as: “The Head One of the Gods brought forth the Gods.”

This is a very possible rendition that would never occur to orthodox translators for obvious reasons.

Joseph said that in the morning of creation the Gods (ELOHIYM) had a council and formulated a plan for the organization of the earth and the salvation and progress of man. One God in particular was chosen to be the head over this planet. Later, Brigham Young who was tutored by Joseph said that this God later became Adam, “The only God with whom we have to do.” In the Bible Joseph said he was also called “The Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9, 13 & 22) Brigham said that Adam had lived as a man on another planet and was faithful there; hence he progressed and became a God (“Master” in New Age Language). He came to this earth in an immortal body, or one that was not subject to death as we know it. However, he partook of the elements here which created a change until he eventually became a mortal man again.

Joseph’s revelations seem to support the teachings of Brigham. Concerning those who overcome all things he wrote: “Wherefore, as it is written, they are Gods, even the sons of God. Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life OR DEATH…” Doctrine and Covenants 76:58-59.

Apparently Joseph and Brigham thought that even a God, or Master, could take for himself again a mortal tabernacle and become subject to death if it filled some purpose.

It is true that we cannot prove every detail from the Bible that Joseph Smith claimed to receive by revelation. After all – that was the purpose of the revelations past and present:   to give us knowledge that is not readily available from the Bible. Nevertheless, truth harmonizes with truth and if the Bible is true then Joseph’s revelations should not disagree.

Paradoxically, Joseph also taught that there was only one God. In the Book of Mormon we find several quotes similar to this one: “And now behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only true doctrine of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is ONE GOD, without end, Amen.” II Nephi 31:21

He also wrote: “And the light which shineth which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to full the immensity of space. The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.” D&C 88:11-13

Here we have a teaching of the omnipresent God “who is in the midst of all things.” Joseph also wrote that “the elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples…” D&C 93:35

The idea of the elements being the tabernacle of God is an interesting, but ancient concept. In other words, there is one life: God who permeates all things. He is everywhere. All the elements of the entire universe compose the physical body of the one great life which is God. Man, being composed of element, is a tabernacle of God, or a temple. The body of man is a symbol of the body of the one great God whose body is the universe.

Joseph said that the Gods are called one because they agree or work together as one. Thus even though there are many masters and great lives that are Gods to their dominions they all work in agreement and have a communion with each other that harmonizes with the One Great Life that permeates all things. Just as the tiny lives called cells work together in unity to produce the greater life which is man, even so do the Gods (or Masters) cooperate with the will of the One Great Life. They also identify with him and seek to be one with him.

THE HIERARCHY OF GODS

This identification of the Gods, or Masters on this earth with the One God Life that permeates the universe has caused misunderstandings to those who read the revelations of Joseph Smith as well as the Bible. For instance, Joseph said that long ago there was a God appointed to be the head over this planet, yet the God in his revelations takes credit for creating all the worlds: “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.” Moses 1:37-38

Joseph Smith has been criticized for speaking of God in this dual manner, but orthodox Christians do not realize that the Bible does the same thing. On the lowest level the Bible talks about Gods as being men with dominions in Israel as already mentioned in Psalms 82:6 and John 10:33-36 Isaiah on the other hand, spoke of a God whose dominion is the entire earth: “The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” Isa 54:5   David talks about “the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.” Psalms 97:5 The grain of Israel is to be consecrated “unto the Lord of the whole earth.” Micah 4:13 The God of the ark of the covenant is also called: “the Lord of all the earth.” Joshua 3:11.

The word “Lord” here is from the Hebrew ADOWN which means “Master” or “Ruler”. The God identified here in the Hebrew is “Jehovah” (or Yahweh). Thus the Master of the earth is one called Jehovah. This name is more of a symbol of consciousness of a Master rather than the name of an individual entity.

Thus far we have Gods that have dominion over men and the entire earth. Is there a God higher than these? The Bible says yes. It tells us that there is a hierarchy in all things, even the Gods: “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth (many scholars think that this refers to Jehovah) AND THERE BE HIGHER THAN THEY.” Eccl 5:8

The Douay version renders it this way: “If thou see the oppressions of the poor, and violent judgements, and justice perverted, in the province, wonder not at this matter: for he that is high hath another higher, and there are others still higher than these.”

The Bible does tell about a God who created all the heavens who must be a lot higher than the God of the earth. It also tells us that he made the worlds through the power of the Son of God. (Hebrews 1:1-3) It makes it sound as if it was Jesus the man from Nazareth who created the trillions of worlds out there and is perhaps the one God that is over all things.

This belief is further reinforced because Jesus is identified as the Word in the first chapter of John by the Christian world: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word WAS GOD. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4.

This sounds confusing. God is identified with men, the God of this earth, the creator of all the heavens, and now as the man Jesus who created all things. What really did create all things? A more correct translation will help here. The Concordant Version does the best job in rendering the original Greek in John 1:1-4: “In the beginning was the word, and the word was toward God, and God was the word. This is in the beginning toward God. All came into being through IT (not Him), and apart from IT not even one thing came into being which has come into being. In IT was life, and the life was the light of men.”

There is a major revelation here in this more correct translation. The word is an “it” and not a “he”. The original translators of the King James wanted to glorify Jesus to the position of the creator of all the heavens so they rendered the Greek AUTOS as “he” instead of “it.” The Concordant translators, who translate more literal than any others I have found, no doubt felt that the context warrants the word “it.”

The word “it” is very significant. This indicates that “it” is an energy (words are vibration and vibration is energy) and not a single person. The same with the Son of God. It is not just the man Jesus as we shall show but all who reach the Christ consciousness can be Sons of God. Jesus was a representative on this earth (not the originator) for the power of the Word of God, or the Son aspect or energy.

There is a hierarchy of beings of a diverse magnitude of consciousness who are tuned into the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost aspects. There are billions of entities in each category throughout the universe and even though he who is called the Christ is the greatest of humanity, many others on other worlds are greater than he.

Ancient man had a terrible time adjusting to the fact that the earth is not the center of the universe around which all things revolve including the Sun. When astronomers revealed how insignificant we are (relatively speaking) it was hard to face. It takes humility to admit we are not the greatest. Mankind has the same problem with its gods. The God we worship always has to be the head man of the universe and if Jesus is our God then we want him to be right up there at the top of the heap. Ancient man had difficulty putting the earth in its proper prospective.   Modern fundamentalists have the same problem with Jesus. Accepting him as the first to manifest the Christ is not enough. We want to shove him up there as the head of the universe.

Any logical thinker can see how improbable this is. This earth is merely one out of billions of worlds in this galaxy and the galaxy is only one of billions of galaxies in the universe. The end is nowhere in sight. There are trillions and trillions of worlds. There are as many worlds as there are grains of sand in all the beaches of the earth. To say that Jesus created them all and singled us out for special attention to the extent that he would come and die for the whole universe on this one speck of dust is comparable to this: See yourself as the creator of all the beaches of the world. You decide to make a journey to the shores of France and pick up one little grain off the seashore and say to yourself: “I will pay particular attention to this little grain and undergo unimaginable suffering to save it.”

Suppose you had an oil spill on one of your beaches in California. Would you drop your little grain of sand in France and attend to a weightier problem or would you continue to give it special attention and let the rest of your beaches spoil?

Obviously, you would be equally concerned with all your beaches. In fact you do not look upon your property as grains of sand, but the cosmopolitan product of their accumulation which we call beaches. Perhaps a lower life form such as bacteria may take a special interest in a certain particle of sand, but to you the whole mass is the important thing.

Joseph, Madame Blavatsky, Alice A. Bailey and others taught that there are many lives in the hierarchy of Gods and that one in particular was made the head over this earth and is very concerned with it. To the God who rules the entire universe we are no more than a mere grain of sand and have little effect upon the whole. However, the lesser Gods identify and cooperate with the One Great Life. In addition to this the One God dwells in every one of us. Therefore, through all beings in the universe who are one with God, no living thing is neglected. The One Great Life who is God is one with his creation and dwells in all things. A sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice.

 

Copyright by J J Dewey

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