Does the LDS Church teach that Jesus and Satan are brothers?
The Church of Jesus Christ does not make Jesus equal to Lucifer. Jesus is God. Lucifer was an archangel equal in stature to Michael. Lucifer (son of the morning) fell and became Satan. The Church of Jesus Christ understands that the intelligence and spirits of Christ, and Lucifer, and all men are eternal and self-existence and co-eternal.
John 1: 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (suggests somethings didn't require making and are self-existent)
Why is this important? Because the will of Lucifer is his own and the Father did not created the will and intelligence of Lucifer or give Lucifer his will. Our will or mind is self-existant and didn't need making. God did not create evil and did not create Satan. God accepted Lucifer as a son and gave him every opportunity (agency) to do good, but Lucifer used his own self-existent will to reject God and became Satan, the Father of lies. Father allows Satan to operate for a little season for His purposes. But, the Father is not the father of lies, Satan is. Our will is our own and is why the Bible says we are purchased possessions.
Jesus Christ is not a creature in that He was created from the Father but was generated from the Father and is the Only Begotten Son according to the flesh. Christ was the firstborn of the Father. This not only means pre-emminant, but also first. The only reason firstborn wasn't the firstborn to the Jews is because of sin and the birthright needing to go to another child other than the first. But we cannot use the reasoning of sin to seperate the meaning of firstborn from the word.
The spirits of men are also generated from the Father who is the Father of Spriits. We are the Offspring or same kind or species as God. But we fall when we come to Earth. If we fall, then we must have fallen from somewhere higher then we are now. We become children of the devil. And Christ came to save us and turn us to Him. He makes the first move. Christ comes to our door and knocks. And if we accept Christ, we then become adopted sons and daughters of Christ who becomes the author, Father, and source of our eternal life.
So, while there are many in the world who are not my brother and sister in faith. All mankind are by spritual brothers and sisters of the same Heavenly Father. And all mankind have the seeds within them to become like our Heavenly Father and gain eternal life and be exalted and glorified through Christ to be worthy to be "called gods." Therefore, you don't have to be Christian for me to consider you my brother.
Eph 3:14-15 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,
2 comments:
Well done again.
Some questions:
Do you believe in a tripartite model then? Intelligence->spirit body->flesh and bone body? If not how does eternal and firstborn not contradict?
Also, I am not sure about the children of the devil thing. That seems a bit over the top. I don't buy traditional 'original sin' stuff. I feel we are free agents, not default children of the devil.
Otherwise, nicely done. I enjoy your posts.
How to Live Well amid Increasing Evil: Richard G. Scott
"He clothed your intelligence with spirit and made it possible for you to enjoy the wonder of a physical body. Wives and husbands learned how to live in harmony, teach truth to their children, pray, and sense guidance of the Spirit."
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee
"The Scriptures called it ‘intelligence,’ which at a certain stage in the pre-existence was organized into a ‘spirit.’ After that spirit had grown to a certain stature it then was given the opportunity by an all-wise Father to come into another stage for its development. A spirit, did you hear Abraham saying, was an organized intelligence."
"In due time that intelligence was given a spirit body, becoming the spirit child of God the Eternal Father and his beloved companion, the Mother in Heaven. This spirit, inhabited by the eternal intelligence, took the form of its creators and is in their image" (Ballard, Melvin J. Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, comp. Bryant S. Hinckley, p. 140. Salt Lake City, 1949).
Some essential part of our being is self-existent and co-eternal. At some point we became spritually begotten of our Heavenly Father. Abraham and Joseph Smith in the King Follett Discourse seem to use the words "mind of man" "intelligence" and "spirit" interchangably. However, several Apostles such as have made a distinction between intelligence and spirit. What that difference other than becoming spiritual offspring of God, I don't know. And by what mechanism this change happens, I cannot say.
There was a point at which the self-existent intelligence of Christ became the firstborn spiritual offspring of Our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ was the first and also preeminent over all others.
Hel. 7: 15, Alma 5: 39, 41, 2 Ne. 9: 8-9, 16, Mosiah 26: 27
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