This doctrine, when miss-interpreted, is one of the most common attacks made by anti-Mormon authors. They portray Latter-day Saints as seeking to, in a way, "overthrow" God. They use many scriptures citing the fact that there is only one true God (Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 46:9 and even Book of Mormon scriptures which say the same thing such as Moroni 8:18).
| Read: | [Matthew 5:48] |
| Find Out: | Who did Christ command His disciples to beconte like? |
| Read: | [Rom. 8:16-18] |
| Explain: | As children of God, we are also "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together". |
| Find Out: | What does "heir" mean? |
| Explain: |
Dictionary definition of "heir":
Obviously God will never die, [definition 1] so what is it that is "due" us [definition 2]? The scripture previously cited answers that question: we are "heirs of God". |
| Find Out: |
What does the Son of a King grow into? Answer - A King |
| Read: | [Hebrews 12:9] |
| Find Out: | If we are Sons and Daughters of God, who do we have the potential of becoming like? |
| Read: | [Titus 1:2] |
| Explain: | It's the "hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began". He promised us the opportunity to live the kind of life that He lives, with Him and our families. |
| Read: | [Matt.25:33-34] |
| Explain: | The Kingdom that was prepared for us was the promise of etemal increase. The promise that we could 'grow' to become like the Son.and therefore, the Father. |
| Read: | [Rev. 3:21-22] |
| Explain: | Christ promises those who "overcometh" that they will "sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne". |
| Find Out: |
If Christ sits on His Father's throne and we sit in His throne, whose throne do we inherit? Answer: God's, we "inherit all things" (Rev. 21:7). |
| Read: | [Phil.2:5-6] |
| Explain: |
The Christ "thought it not robbery to be equal with God". Why? Because His Father will always be His Father. In the same way, our exaltation and opportunity to have "all that our Father has" will never change the relationship we have with Him, or our Savior. |
| Read: | [1 Cor. 8:5-6] |
| Explain: |
Paul states that "there be gods many, and lords many" (verse 5). But, says that, "to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by him". Our faith and confidence in the promises of the Savior and our Father come tkough our obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. |
| Read: | [Dan.7:9-14] |
| Explain: | Like Daniel who saw in vision the "ancient of days" (rneaning Adam) receive "everlasting dominion and glory and a Kingdom that shall not be destroyed", we may be assured of the promises made to us "before the world was". |
| Read: | [Matt. 7:21-23] |
| Explain: | Not all will receive the promise of exaltation. Others will receive different degrees of glory when Christ corles to "render to every man according to his deeds" (Rom. 2:6). |