Apotheosis, or simply “theosis,” is the belief that humans
can become gods. This belief is found in many forms throughout the religions of
the world. In much Eastern thought, we are already God, the universal
consciousness. We just have to realize it. Meanwhile, panentheism claims that
everything is God, even the physical world, while pantheism maintains that God
is in all things.
Mormon (LDS) doctrine claims that as both God and Jesus had
become Gods through their labors, we too can become Gods. One popular Mormon
quote, which is often attributed to the early Mormon leader Lorenzo Snow
(1837), reads, “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.”
This is consistent with other Mormon writings:
·
God undoubtedly took every opportunity to learn
the laws of truth and as He became acquainted with each new verity He
righteously obeyed it…As He gained more knowledge through persistent effort and
continuous industry, as well as absolute obedience, His understanding of
universal laws continued to become more complete…until He attained the status
of Godhood…He became God by absolute obedience to all the eternal laws of the
Gospel. (The Gospel Through the Ages)
According to Mormonism, if god was able to become God
through His great diligence, so should we. However, this will prove humbling as
we see ourselves as we truly are. In response, we will feel coerced to suppress
the ungodly aspects of ourselves and to continually experience this battle.
More importantly, Scripture does not support apotheosis. The
saints in heaven are not seen worshipping each other but God alone (Revelation
6:10; 7:10, 15-17). These portraits demonstrate that we will not be equal with
God but dependent upon Him.
Nor should we worship those who seem to be further along the
road to God-ness. Instead, we are a brotherhood. Consequently, we mutually love
and submit to one another:
·
giving thanks always and for everything to God
the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out
of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:20–21)
Nor should our elders demand submission:
·
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder
and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory
that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you,
exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have
you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your
charge, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:1–3)
There are no Gods among us. Instead, we are all one in
Christ:
·
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ
Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
This is consistent with other verses which consistently
claim that we were all created in the likeness of Him (Genesis 1:26-27;
9:6) but not identical with Him. We are also emerging from our
fallen-ness to become more like Him:
·
…be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to
put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness
and holiness. (Ephesians 4:23-24)
Meanwhile, He is working everything for the good of each of
us. This is a process:
·
…He has granted to us his precious and very
great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of
sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Cor. 3:18; Romans 8:29)
However, we become partakers of our Lord and not co-equals. However,
this process of being conformed into Godlike-ness will not be completed until
He returns for us:
·
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we
will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like
him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him
purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)
·
Just as we have borne the image of the man of
dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:49,
51; Phil. 3:21)
The Biblical promise is not that we shall be gods but
God-like. Therefore, in heaven, we shall not be worshipping one another but God
alone. This is why Jesus prayed:
·
“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have
given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given
me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24;
Revelation 21:22-23)
Instead of becoming God, we are weak and dependent upon God:
·
Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim
anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. (2 Corinthians 3:5)
·
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot
bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John
15:4–5)
Besides, God does not change. He always is God:
· Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Knowing these things should dash any false expectations that
we can work our way up to God-hood. Therefore, we should be seeking to glorify
our Savior rather than our own glorification.
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