Justin Martyr: The Father and Son

Many Evangelical Christians say LDS are not Christian because we worship a different God and Christ. They say because we do not accept the Nicene Creed of the First Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church in the 3rd Century AD (which is the basis for the Trinity/Triune God Doctrine) that we worship a false Christ and a False God. LDS openly reject the Nicene Creed and and point out that our doctrine better reflects that of 1st Century Christianity than 3rd Century Christianity and tradition as reflected in the Creeds.

Back then when the debate raged over the Nicene Creed. Arians have been described as trying to deny the deity of Christ. While the denial of Jesus as God is wrong, the opponents of the Nicene Creed were correct in their objection to the word "homoousious" or "of the same substance" which is used in the Nicene Creed. While the whole of the Nicene Creed is an accurate description of the Godhead, the word "homoousious" is interpreted to describe a mysterious and incomprehensible relationship between the Father and the Son. Many feel that the mystery of how God can be 3 Persons but 1 Being is wrong because it is by definition incomprehensible. Instead, many felt the Nicene Creed should have said that God the Father and God the Son were not "homousious" or "of the same substance" but "of similar substance". To put it in other words, the Father and the Son could be said to both be composed of pure gold but separate and distinct gold bars. The Son was not divided off from the Father but as Justin Martyr would say, the Son stands next to the Father in the same way a fire can be kindled from another fire and stand separate from the first without diminishing from the first.

A major issue dealt with in Justin's argument with Trypho is that the Jews rejected the Christian's acceptance of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah because Jesus Christ and the Christians claimed that Christ was God. Before the Babylonian captivity the Jews had a serious problem with Baal and Ashtoreth worship. These idols are excavated in Israel today. But after the captivity, the pendulum swung too far the other way, and the Jews became hyper-monotheists to the point that they could not accept Christ as the Messiah because Christ also claimed he is the Son of God. Therefore, Justin takes care the argue that it was the pre-existent Jesus Christ who appeared in the Old Testament to Moses and Abraham. According to Justin, Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ of the New Testament.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter 56. God who appeared to Moses is distinguished from God the Father
Justin: Reverting to the Scriptures, I shall endeavour to persuade you, that He who is said to have appeared to Abraham, and to Jacob, and to Moses, and who is called God, is distinct from Him who made all things—numerically, I mean, not [distinct] in will. For I affirm that He has never at any time done anything which He who made the world—above whom there is no other God—has not wished Him both to do and to engage Himself with. . . . It is not on this ground solely that it must be admitted absolutely that some other one is called Lord by the Holy Spirit besides Him who is considered Maker of all things; . . . 'Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever. A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of Your kingdom: You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity: therefore God, even Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.' If, therefore, you assert that the Holy Spirit calls some other one God and Lord, besides the Father of all things and His Christ, answer me; for I undertake to prove to you from Scriptures themselves, that He whom the Scripture calls Lord is not one of the two angels that went to Sodom, but He who was with them, and is called God, that appeared to Abraham.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter LXI—Wisdom is begotten of the Father, as fire from fire.“
I shall give you another testimony, my friends,” said I, “from the Scriptures, that God begat before all creatures a Beginning,[who was] a certain rational power [proceeding] from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord, now the Son, again Wisdom, again an Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls Himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave (Nun). For He can be called by all those names, since He ministers to the Father’s will, and since He was begotten of the Father by an act of will; just as we see happening among ourselves: for when we give out some word, we beget the word; yet not by abscission, so as to lessen the word means both the thinking power or reason which produces ideas and the expression of these ideas. When we utter a thought, the utterance of it does not diminish the power of thought in us, though in one sense the thought has gone away from us. [which remains] in us, when we give it out: and just as we see also happening in the case of a fire, which is not lessened when it has kindled [another], but remains the same; and that which has been kindled by it likewise appears to exist by itself, not diminishing that from which it was kindled. The Word of Wisdom, who is Himself this God begotten of the Father of all things, and Word, and Wisdom, and Power, and the Glory of the Begetter.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter 59. God distinct from the Father conversed with Moses
Justin: Permit me, further, to show you from the book of Exodus how this same One, who is both Angel, and God, and Lord, and man, and who appeared in human form to Abraham and Isaac, appeared in a flame of fire from the bush, and conversed with Moses . . . . Have you perceived, sirs, that this very God whom Moses speaks of as an Angel that talked to him in the flame of fire, declares to Moses that He is the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob?

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter 75. It is proved that Jesus was the name of God in the book of Exodus
Justin: Moreover, in the book of Exodus we have also perceived that the name of God Himself which, He says, was not revealed to Abraham or to Jacob, was Jesus, and was declared mysteriously through Moses. Thus it is written: 'And the Lord spoke to Moses, Say to this people, Behold, I send My angel before your face, to keep you in the way, to bring you into the land which I have prepared for you. Give heed to Him, and obey Him; do not disobey Him. For He will not draw back from you; for My name is in Him.' Exodus 23:20-21 Now understand that He who led your fathers into the land is called by this name Jesus, and first called Auses Numbers 13:16. (Oshea). For if you shall understand this, you shall likewise perceive that the name of Him who said to Moses, 'for My name is in Him,' was Jesus.

Justin Martyr comments to Trypho Chapter LXII.—The words “Let Us make man” agree with the testimony of Proverbs."
And the same sentiment was expressed, my friends, by the word of God [written] by Moses, when it indicated to us, with regard to Him whom it has pointed out, that God speaks in the creation of man with the very same design, in the following words: ‘Let Us make man after our image and likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heaven, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creeping things that creep on the earth. And God created man: after the image of God did He create him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and said, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and have power over it. And that you may not change the [force of the] words just quoted, and repeat what your teachers assert,—either that God said to Himself, ‘Let Us make,’ just as we, when about to do something, oftentimes say to ourselves, ‘Let us make;’ or that God spoke to the elements, to wit, the earth and other similar substances of which we believe man was formed, ‘Let Us make,’—I shall quote again the words narrated by Moses himself, from which we can indisputably learn that [God] conversed with some one who was numerically distinct from Himself, and also a rational Being. These are the words: ‘And God said, Behold, Adam has become as one of us, to know good and evil.’ In saying, therefore, ‘as one of us,’ [Moses] has declared that [there is a certain] number of persons associated with one another, and that they are at least two. For I would not say that the dogma of that heresy which is said to be among you is true, or that the teachers of it can prove that [God] spoke to angels, or that the human frame was the workmanship of angels. But this Offspring, which was truly brought forth from the Father, was with the Father before all the creatures, and the Father communed with Him; even as the Scripture by Solomon has made clear, that He whom Solomon calls Wisdom, was begotten as a Beginning before all His creatures and as Offspring by God,

Justin Maryr comments to Trypho Chapter Chapter 128 The Word is sent not as an inanimate power, but as a person begotten of the Father's substance
And do not suppose, sirs, that I am speaking superfluously when I repeat these words frequently: but it is because I know that some wish to anticipate these remarks, and to say that the power sent from the Father of all which appeared to Moses, or to Abraham, or to Jacob, is called an Angel because He came to men (for by Him the commands of the Father have been proclaimed to men); is called Glory, because He appears in a vision sometimes that cannot be borne; is called a Man, and a human being, because He appears arrayed in such forms as the Father pleases; and they call Him the Word, because He carries tidings from the Father to men: but maintain that this power is indivisible and inseparable from the Father, just as they say that the light of the sun on earth is indivisible and inseparable from the sun in the heavens; as when it sinks, the light sinks along with it; so the Father, when He chooses, say they, causes His power to spring forth, and when He chooses, He makes it return to Himself. In this way, they teach, He made the angels. But it is proved that there are angels who always exist, and are never reduced to that form out of which they sprang. And that this power which the prophetic word calls God, as has been also amply demonstrated, and Angel, is not numbered [as different] in name only like the light of the sun but is indeed something numerically distinct, I have discussed briefly in what has gone before; when I asserted that this power was begotten from the Father, by His power and will, but not by abscission, as if the essence of the Father were divided; as all other things partitioned and divided are not the same after as before they were divided: and, for the sake of example, I took the case of fires kindled from a fire, which we see to be distinct from it, and yet that from which many can be kindled is by no means made less, but remains the same.

While some say that Justin is making a point here about the Father and Son being one essence. What Justin is saying is that the Son is not a chip off the ol' block or a piece of the Father. The Father is complete and separate alone. Yet while the Son stands as a separate Being and Person and Personage and Individual of the Father, the Son did nothing of Himself, but came to do the will of the Father, speak the words of the Father, and manifest the full power of the Father in all things. Therefore, God the Son is one in purpose, unified will, and power with God the Father.

Justin Martyr discusses several other interesting doctrinal points such as Jewish scribes altering the Septuagint and the Old Testament and removing plain and precious portions. Justin also discusses the office and work of the Seventy. And Justin discusses why Christians worship on Sunday, the 8th day or first day of the week instead of the Jewish Sabbath.

Early Church Authority

Q: What is the Mormon position about the original church authority? Were the apostles the only real authority? Or were others allowed some? Who was authorized to baptize new believers? Who had the authority to make important decisions? Did everyone have some authority but others had more? Or did new believers have no authority and had to wait to be given it by others who already had it? This is important because (correct me if I'm wrong) the Mormon position is that all such authority was lost and thus in need of a restoration. Therefore, I am wondering what exactly that authority was.

__________________

A: To answer the question we need to differentiate between priesthood authority, priesthood keys, and priesthood power.

We know that the original church was organized with a chief apostles Peter at the head of 12 apostles (Eph. 4: 11). The church also had 7 evangelists or presidents and had seventy elders. On the local level we have individual bishops (episcopate) who had authority over elders (presbyter) and deacons (deaconos). We also get a clue from the Bible that Elders were authorized to do things deacons didn't do. When the Bible says who can bless and annoint, it says call upon the elders (James 5: 14).

Clement criticizes those in Corinth who removed their Bishop, and said Bishops were to be appointed by eminent men in the hierarchy and not voted in by the congregation. And then the appointment, Clement said, was to be presented before the church for a vote of consent and sustaining (1 Clem 41:1, 42:5, 44:1-5).

Ignacius tells the church to do nothing without the Bishop including baptisms, lords supper etc. So if there is a priesthood of all believers, there still is the issue of keys (Epistle of Ignatius to Hero: 3,Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans: 8). You should remember that while the sealing authority was given to all the Apostles In Matt 18, only Peter was given Keys (Matt 16:18-19).

Okay, so what's the difference:

Priesthood Authority
Priesthood authority is the authority to act in the name of God and perform an ordinance, sacrament, covenant marriage, Lords Supper that is valid in heaven in the eyes of God.

Priesthood Keys
Priesthood keys are not just the authority to administer an ordinance, but it is the the authority to authorize that a baptism, Lords Supper, or covenant marriage can be done. A person may have the authority to administer the ordinance, but keys are necessary to authorize that the ordinance be done. The concept of keys is genius because it prevents a person from receiving priesthood authority and then splitting off and thinking he can form his own authorized church. All authority is derived from the same keys. And only Peter and all the Apostles together held all the keys.

Priesthood Power
Even with priesthood keys and authority, there still is the issue of power. Just because someone has authority, a person must empower that authority. This empowerment of priesthood authority is based on the atonement of Jesus Christ, repentance, and personal righteousness. And the power of the Priesthood is the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost does not dwell in unholy temples (1 Cor. 3: 16). This is why the Apostles were unable to cast out devils on one occasion and Christ told them these did not come out but by prayer and fasting. There wasn't a problem with authority but empowerment (Matt. 17: 21).

So, after the death of the Apostles and many of the Early Church Fathers and Bishops, the keys of the Priesthood, which are passed down in succession by the laying on of hands (1 Tim. 4: 14), was lost to the Earth. While individual Bishops are given some keys to preside over a local congregation only the Chief Apostles, and the Twelve Apostles as a group hold and exercise all Priesthood keys. Another important aspect of the kingdom of God is its hierarchy. The Bible and the Early Church Fathers made it abundantly clear that church leadership was supposed to be appointed from the top down and not elected from the bottom up. Voting does not represent and does not always reflect the mind and will of God.

The Second Coming: Delaying and Hastening

The Bible makes many predictions about certain events that would happen in the Last Days before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. One of these is the prediction of the coming of what the Bible calls the "antichrist." The Bible doesn't give a lot of details about what the "antichrist" is. Consequently there has been a great amount of speculation on the matter. Some believe that this prophecy has already been fulfilled, while others feel that it will yet be fulfilled in the future. Some believe that the "antichrist" will be a certain individual that rises to power in the Last Days, while others speculate that this term refers to an anti-Christian philosophy or doctrine, or is just another term for Satan. In actual fact, all these prophecies like all prophecies in the Bible have multiple fulfillment. That is why the Bible is so valuable. The themes repeat themselves in history and in our personal lives over and over again. And just as the prophecy of an "antichrist" and an apostasy was fulfilled in the time of Christ, it will be fulfilled again in the Last Days.

So, just what does the Bible say about the "antichrist?"

1 Jn. 2: 18, 22 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. . . . Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 Jn. 4: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 Jn. 1: 7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2 Thes. 2: 2-3 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2 Pet. 2: 1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying [that] the Lord bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Matt 24:2,29,34 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. . . Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: . . . Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

According to the Bible the the antichrist and the apostasy had already come and been revealed according to John. Christ said that all the prophesies in Matt. 24 would be fulfilled in that generation. According to John, the "antichrist" was the gnostic doctrine that denied that God had actually come to Earth in the flesh. And it was upon this and other similar false doctrines that many Saints fell away from the church and the church itself fell into a complete apostasy.

Christ spoke of this great apostasy that would follow the appearance of the "antichrist." When Jesus Christ spoke of the stones of the temple not being left upon one another; He was speaking also about the principles and doctrine and church. When Christ speaks of the Sun, Moon, and stars not giving light; Jesus Christ is referring to the cessation of heavenly light and revelation from heaven.

However, just like the prophesies of Isaiah, Christ's words have multiple fulfillment. So, while all these prophecies have been fulfilled during the generation of Christ, they will all be fulfilled again in the Last Days. The prophecy of the "antichirst" applied to the tribulation of the Early Church, and will apply as well to the tribulation in the Last Days. So, there will be an anti-Christ in the last days. But, who or what has not been revealed.

According to the Book of Mormon, which is also a type of the Last Days, the people who believed in the second coming of Christ were rounded up and were to be killed by the the non-believers when the time came for Christ to be born. These people didn't believe that God would actually come in the flesh. Antichrists of the Book of Mormon like Sharem and Korihor contended that to them the idea of God coming to Earth in the flesh and talking upon Himself the form of a man was the "effect of a frenzied [and deranged] mind." A Book of Mormon prophet, Samuel the Lamanite" prophesied about the sign of Christ's birth. When the unbelievers thought the time had passed for the prophesy to be fulfilled, they threatened to kill all the believers.

3 Nephi 1:5-9 But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite. And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain. And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass. But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain. Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.

So, according to the Bible we can expect there will be many who deny that Christ will come again to the Earth. I am sure there are many now who think anyone who believes and expects such things suffers from a "deranged mind." Whether there will be an actual person who serves as a ringleader, I can't say. But, the Bible does give a bit more detail about the circumstances leading up to the Second Coming.

According to several passages in the Bible, there may arise an issue regarding Christ delaying His coming. It seems there have been several Christian groups who have tried to predict the time of the Second Coming despite the Bible saying "no man knoweth the hour." Maybe there will be some of this attitude after 2012 comes and goes? Isn't this when the Maya think the world is supposed to end? And I am sure there will be those who like in the days of the Apostles will deny that Jesus Christ will literally and physically come back to the Earth. Maybe some will say that this is all supposed to be taken figuratively.

Matt. 24: 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Luke 12: 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
Ex. 32: 1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

What is interesting is that the Bible seems to present Moses' descent from the mountain as a type and shadow of the Second Coming. So, while Moses is up in the mount speaking with God, the people waiting below loose patience, murmur, and then fall into sin. Isaiah alludes to this perception of the people, that God delays His coming, when he says that there are many vain men in Israel who ask that God "hasten his work" and show them a sign before they will believe.
However, on the other hand, it is interesting that while some will falsely claim that Christ delays His coming, Christ says if He doesn't hasten His coming in the Last Days, all flesh would be destroyed.

Isa. 5: 19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
Isa. 60: 22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.
Jer. 1: 12 Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
Jer. 17: 15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now.
Matt. 24: 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

It is interesting how these delaying and hastening scriptures refer to the Last Days and how Moses is a type of the Last Days and the Second Coming of Christ. In the same way, Aaron may represent the anti-Christ.

Barnabas the Apostle who was a companion of Paul also refers to the prophecy of the "antichrist." What is interesting is that Barnabas also says the "antichrist" is at hand and the prophecy is being fulfilled then. Barnabas makes a direct comparison of this doctrine and Moses coming down from the mount after receiving the Law. And he talks about how the principle of this teaching can be applied on an individual and personal level.

The Epistle of Barnabas the Apostle.
Chapter 4. Antichrist is at hand: let us therefore avoid Jewish errors
It therefore behoves us, who inquire much concerning events at hand, to search diligently into those things which are able to save us. Let us then utterly flee from all the works of iniquity, lest these should take hold of us; and let us hate the error of the present time, that we may set our love on the world to come: let us not give loose reins to our soul, that it should have power to run with sinners and the wicked, lest we become like them. The final stumbling-block (or source of danger) approaches, concerning which it is written, as Enoch says, For for this end the Lord has cut short the times and the days, that His Beloved may hasten; and He will come to the inheritance. And the prophet also speaks thus: Ten kingdoms shall reign upon the earth, and a little king shall rise up after them, who shall subdue under one three of the kings. In like manner Daniel says concerning the same, And I beheld the fourth beast, wicked and powerful, and more savage than all the beasts of the earth, and how from it sprang up ten horns, and out of them a little budding horn, and how it subdued under one three of the great horns. You ought therefore to understand. And this also I further beg of you, as being one of you, and loving you both individually and collectively more than my own soul, to take heed now to yourselves, and not to be like some, adding largely to your sins, and saying, The covenant is both theirs and ours. But they thus finally lost it, after Moses had already received it. For the Scripture says, And Moses was fasting in the mount forty days and forty nights, and received the covenant from the Lord, tables of stone written with the finger of the hand of the Lord; Exodus 31:18, Exodus 34:28 but turning away to idols, they lost it. For the Lord speaks thus to Moses: Moses go down quickly; for the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt have transgressed. Exodus 32:7; Deuteronomy 9:12 And Moses understood [the meaning of God], and cast the two tables out of his hands; and their covenant was broken, in order that the covenant of the beloved Jesus might be sealed upon our heart, in the hope which flows from believing in Him. Now, being desirous to write many things to you, not as your teacher, but as becomes one who loves you, I have taken care not to fail to write to you from what I myself possess, with a view to your purification. We take earnest heed in these last days; for the whole [past] time of your faith will profit you nothing, unless now in this wicked time we also withstand coming sources of danger, as becomes the sons of God. That the Black One may find no means of entrance, let us flee from every vanity, let us utterly hate the works of the way of wickedness. Do not, by retiring apart, live a solitary life, as if you were already [fully] justified; but coming together in one place, make common inquiry concerning what tends to your general welfare. For the Scripture says, Woe to them who are wise to themselves, and prudent in their own sight! Isaiah 5:21 Let us be spiritually-minded: let us be a perfect temple to God. As much as in us lies, let us meditate upon the fear of God, and let us keep His commandments, that we may rejoice in His ordinances. The Lord will judge the world without respect of persons. Each will receive as he has done: if he is righteous, his righteousness will precede him; if he is wicked, the reward of wickedness is before him. Take heed, lest resting at our ease, as those who are the called [of God], we should fall asleep in our sins, and the wicked prince, acquiring power over us, should thrust us away from the kingdom of the Lord. And all the more attend to this, my brethren, when you reflect and behold, that after so great signs and wonders were wrought in Israel, they were thus [at length] abandoned. Let us beware lest we be found [fulfilling that saying], as it is written, Many are called, but few are chosen.

Barnabas alludes to the story of Moses in the Mountain, and the people saying that Moses delays his coming so they lose the covenant by turning to worship idols and abandoning God after they had just witnessed His great glory and power. Then God tells Moses to hasten down to the people

Ex 32:7 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them:

It is interesting how these delaying and hastening scriptures refer to the Last Days and how Moses is a type of the Last Days and the Second Coming of Christ. Aaron may represent the anti-Christ, or a Judas, or a Lucifer in a way. Aaron was high in authority and stature next to Moses but gave into the people and feared the people more than God and made them the golden calf they cried out for. Will there be the rejection of a Christian doctrine (gay marriage?) that will cause some to fall away from the truth, or will some of the elect of God be caught "resting at our ease" when the Savior comes?

The Celestial Kingdom

Irenaeus quotes Papias in Against Heresies talking about 3 distinct habitions in the next life and the gradation of arrangement of those who are saved:

"As the presbyters say, then, those who are deemed worthy of an abode in heaven shall go there, others shall enjoy the delights of Paradise, and others shall possess the splendour of the city; (The new Jerusalem on earth) for everywhere the Saviour will be seen, according as they shall be worthy who see Him. But that there is this distinction between the habitation of those who produce an hundred-fold, and that of those who produce sixty-fold, and that of those who produce thirty-fold; for the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second class will dwell in Paradise, and the last will inhabit the city; and that on this account the Lord said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions:” for all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place, even as His word says, that a share is given to all by the Father, according as each one is or shall be worthy. And this is the couch in which they shall recline who feast, being invited to the wedding. The presbyters, the disciples of the apostles, say that this is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and that they advance through steps of this nature; and that, moreover, they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father; and that in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father."

Paul talks about being rewarded for works but saved by grace and even those who would not be reward and who "suffered loss" would still be saved.

1 Cor 2: 11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Both the just and the unjust will be resurrected

Acts 24: 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. There will be a differentiation of the glory of those who are ressurected.

Not everyone will be resurrected to the same glory or reward.

1 Cor 15:40-42 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.

Paul sees the third heaven.

2 Cor. 12: 2 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.

While justification and salvation by hell by the grace of Christ is automatic, Paul says he only had a hope of eternal life.

Titus 3: 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Christ, Paul and John talk about denying Christ with our works even if we profess Him with our lips.

Titus 1: 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Rev. 3: 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Matt. 15: 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Christ taught that saying Lord Lord is not enough for the reward of eternal life.

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Jesus Christ, Paul, and John differentiated between the wise and the unwise virgin. Christ differentiated between the profitable and unprofitable servant and the sheep and the goats and the hot and the lukewarm, the children of the bondwoman vs. children of the flesh. If our works don't matter for eternal life, what was wrong with the the unprofitable servant?

Matt. 25: 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Matt. 25: 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt. 25: 32-33 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Gal 4: 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Rev. 3: 15-16 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Paul says, that although works are expected, we should think that we save ourselves, because salvation and eternal life is a gift and reward of God. But that doesnt mean God doesn't expect it. He is just reminding us that our works are only possible through the grace and power of Christ within us. The key here is not not think we can do it alone without Christ. This is not saying that works are not important.

Eph 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Eternal life involves knowing the Father and having fellowship with the Father and not only Jesus Christ.

1 Jn 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

The righteous will inherit the Earth and the righteous and the Earth will be changed. The righteous wil be changed from flesh and blood to purified, glorified flesh and bone as Christ was changed after His resurrection. But we all will not be changed to the same glory in the resurrection.

Ps. 37: 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Matt. 5: 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
1 Cor 15: 50-53 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Cor 15:40-42 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

During the Millennium the Earth will be in a Paradisiacal state. But the Earth will change again when we are prepared to enjoy the presence and fellowship of the Father. The scene that John sees in vision is not in heaven but the Earth in its full Celestial glory.

Rev. 15: 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
Rev. 4: 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal:

The Earth and those on it will be blessed to progress through each change and stage of glory to the final Celestial glory when Christ yields up the Earth and the exalted being on it to the Father. However, some will cease to progress with the Earth. This is the definition of damnation. Just like a damn on a river stops its flow. Again, Irenaeus quotes Papias in the "sayings of the Apostles" saying that there are different habitations and a gradation of arrangement of those who are saved and that the righteous will pass through each stage untill they arrive at the Celestial state. Some will not advance to the highest state."that this is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and that they advance through steps of this nature; and that, moreover, they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father; and that in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father."

Irenaeus on being a man and becoming a god

Irrational, therefore, in every respect, are they who await not the time of increase, but ascribe to God the infirmity of their nature. Such persons know neither God nor themselves, being insatiable and ungrateful, unwilling to be at the outset what they have also been created mean subject to passions; but go beyond the law of the human race, and before that they become men, they wish to be even now like God their Creator, and they who are more destitute of reason than dumb animals [insist] that there is no distinction between the uncreated God and man, a creature of today. For these [the dumb animals], bring no charge against God for not having made them men; but each one just as he has been created, gives thanks that he has been created. For we cast blame upon Him, because we have not been made gods from the beginning, but at first merely men, then at length gods; although God has adopted this course out of His pure benevolence, that no one may impute to Him invidiousness or grudgingness. He declares, "I have said, Ye are gods; and ye are all sons of the Highest." But since we could not sustain the power of divinity, He adds, "But ye shall die like men," setting forth both truths the kindness of His free gift, and our weakness, and also that we were obsessed of power over ourselves. For after His great kindness He graciously conferred good [upon us] and made men like to Himself [that is] in their own power; while at the same time by His prescience He knew the infirmity of human beings, and the consequences which would flow from it; but through His love and His power, He shall overcome the substance of created nature. For it was necessary, at first, that nature should be exhibited; then, after that, that what was mortal should be conquered and swallowed up by immortality, and the corruptible by incorruptibility, and that man should be made after the image and likeness of God, having received the knowledge of good and evil.
* * *
How, then, shall he be a God, who has not as yet been made a man? Or how can he be perfect who was but lately created? How, again, can he be immortal, who in his mortal nature did not obey his Maker? For it must be that thou, at the outset shouldest hold the rank of a man, and then afterwards partake of the glory of God. For thou dost not make God, but God thee. If, then, thou are God’s workmanship, await the hand of thy Maker which creates everything in due time; in due time as far as thou art concerned, whose creation is being carried out. Offer to Him thy heart in a soft and tractable state, and preserve the form in which the Creator has fashioned thee, having moisture in thyself, lest, by becoming hardened, thou lose the impressions of His fingers. But by preserving the framework thou shall ascend to that which is perfect, for the moist clay which is in thee is hidden there by the workmanship of God. His hand fashioned thy substance; He will cover thee over too within and without with pure gold and silver, and He will adorn thee to such a degree, that even "the King Himself shall have pleasure in thy beauty." But if thou, being obstinately hardened, dost reject the operation of His skill, and show thyself ungrateful towards Him, because thou wert created a mere man, by becoming thus ungrateful to God, thou hast at once lost both His workmanship and life. For creation is an attribute of the goodness of God; but to be created is that of human nature. If, then, thou shalt deliver up to Him what is thine, that is, faith towards Him and subjection, thou shall receive His handiwork, and shalt be a perfect work of God. (Irenaeus Against Heresies, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1:522-523)

Its irrational for men to be impatient for eternal life (time of increase) and blame God for their fallen nature. These impatient people don't know God, are ungrateful, and can't accept their current fallen state. These people impatiently wish they were like God now. These irrational people don't see a difference between uncreated God and man in his current fallen state (creature of today). Animals are content that God has created them as they are. We shouldn't blame God but praise him that we are made first men and then will eventually be made gods (lowercase g). We were made men first because we would not be able to sustain the power of divinity and would have fallen anyways. This is saying, this is why we are given time to repent and sanctify ourselves through Christ. This is why the angel was placed to guard the way of the Tree of Life so that we couldn't partake of the fruit and live forever in our sins. But that we could repent first, be sanctified by the transformative power of Christ and the Holy Ghost and then partake of the tree of Life again when we are ready to "sustain the power of divinity."

God made man like Himself "in their own power" to act for themselves and not be acted upon and to know good and evil. But God knew man would fall because of our fallen nature. But God will overcome our fallen natures through the transformative power of Christs atonement and the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost. It was part of the plan that man, who is made in the likeness of God, learn good and evil from experience before being made immortal. How can anyone who hasn't first gone though morality first be a God? How can that person be perfect who was just created (born). How can a man hope to be immortal if he does not obey God? We first must become a man then afterward receive the glory of God. We don't make God, but God makes us. Patiently await the hands of God who will make us gods in due time. Offer God a broken heart and a contrite spirit, or a malleable soul as we were at the time we were first created (children are pure and malleable and only later become hardened). Then God can work us, change us, shape us, transform us, fashion us and adorn us. But if we harden our hearts against God and are ungrateful, we have lost our eternal life. To be created or formed and shaped is that of human nature, and we are to deliver up to God what is ours only to give which is our will. If we give our will and our whole souls to God, then we shall continue to receive his handiwork, shaping, and forming (sanctification is a process) until we become perfected in Christ.
I think the LDS doctrine on theosis is similar to the ECF concept. I like how this passage talks about the transformative and sanctifying power of God. The LDS temple ordinances and covenants are for the purpose of sanctification. These covenants which have to do with dedicating and consecrating your life to God could be referred to as sanctifying ordinances. Remember the opposite of created is not eternal and visa versa. Something can both be created (organized) and eternal. Because we see that man who is created, is being shaped and formed and purified to become like God.

The Bible, Justin Martyr and Monolatrism

Evangelicals and many Jews claim that the traditional or Orthodox Judeo-Christian belief was strictly monotheistic. That there is only one being in the universe rightly called God. However, this belief led to unfortunate consequences. The Jews used this belief as a pretext to reject Jesus Christ who didn't just claim Messiah-ship, but also claimed he was a God. And this belief has led Evangelicals and Catholics to adopt a creed that describes God in terms that cannot be explained or comprehended. According to the Nicene and other Creeds, God is 3 persons, but only 1 undivided substance and being. While Christians reject modalism (belief that 3 persons of the godhead are the 3 manifestations of God), there isn't a logical way to explain how 3 persons can be the same being. However, looking at the Bible and explanations from the First-Century Christian Fathers, it turns out the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New Testament were not teaching a strict hypermonothesism but monolatrism. Monolatrism is not polytheism or henothesism. What is it? Monolatrism is the belief that while there may exist other beings that are gods in the universe, a monolatrist only worships one God. So, if monolatrism is taught in the Old and New Testament, is there evidence?

Elohim means "the gods" or the almighties" or "the omnipotents." Many claim that the use of the pleural for a singular God is meant to reverence His greatness and majesty. This is also referred to as the "royal we". The problem with the "royal we" together with using the pleural form of "the almighties" or "the omnipotents" as a reference for the Father is that Justin Martyr forgets to mention this when he explaining to Trypho about the statements in the creation story in Genesis.

Justin Martyr quotes Genesis to Trypho: "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness" and then "Man has become as one of us to know good and evil."He then tells Trypho that there are at least 2 "numerically distinct intelligent beings present" and that God is not talking to himself, or the elements, or the angels. So, it seems that Justin is making a case that the pleural form Elohim which means "the gods" actually means what it says. Also, we should notice that Trypho didn't argue this point either. (Justin Maryr comments to Trypho Chapter 61-62)

So, how would these verses read if we used the pleural form?

1. In the beginning [the Gods] created the heaven and the earth.
2. And [the gods] said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness
3. And the [head of the Gods]* said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil

*Lord God = Jehovah Elohim = the "self-existent one" or "head" of the Gods

But what about the several verses in Isaiah that saying God is one, and there is no God beside me, and God doesn't know any other Gods or that before and after God was no God formed? (Isa. 43: 10 , Isa. 44: 6 , Isa. 44: 8 ,Isa. 45: 5-6, 14, 21-22, Isa. 46: 9) It was these scriptures which led Jews to reject Christ. Also, in context, Isaiah is saying there is only one God who will save Israel and only one God that Israel should worship. The significance of Isaiah and other in stressing the oneness of God, is that the Gods (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost) are unified in purpose, and not numerically one being.

Justin also discussed Psalms 82 and gives an interesting version of this scripture.

Psalm 82:1 (KJV): God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

Justin Martyr Chapter CXXIV.--Christians are the sons of God. And when I saw that they were perturbed because I said that we are the sons of God, I anticipated their questioning, and said, "Listen, sirs, how the Holy Ghost speaks of this people, saying that they are all sons of the Highest; and how this very Christ will be present in their assembly, rendering judgment to all men. The words are spoken by David, and are, according to your version of them, thus: `God standeth in the congregation of gods; He judgeth among the gods. How long do ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Judge for the orphan and the poor, and do justice to the humble and needy. Deliver the needy, and save the poor out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither have they understood; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth shall be shaken. I said, Ye are gods, and are all children of the Most High. But ye die like men, and fall like one of the princes. Arise, O God! judge the earth, for Thou shalt inherit all nations.' But in the version of the Seventy it is written,`Behold, ye die like men, and fall like one of the princes,' in order to manifest the disobedience of men,--I mean of Adam and Eve,--and the fall of one of the princes, i.e., of him who was called the serpent, who fell with a great overthrow, because he deceived Eve. But as my discourse is not intended to touch on this point, but to prove to you that the Holy Ghost reproaches men because they were made like God, free from suffering and death, provided that they kept His commandments, and were deemed deserving of the name of His sons, and yet they, becoming like Adam and Eve, work out death for themselves; let the interpretation of the Psalm be held just as you wish, yet thereby it is demonstrated that all men are deemed worthy of becoming "gods," and of having power to become sons of the Highest; and shall be each by himself judged and condemned like Adam and Eve. Now I have proved at length that Christ is called God.

Evangelicals argue that Psalm 82 is not saying that men are gods, but that the word for judge and god are interchangeable and that it is just a word play. But Justin Martyr must not have gotten the memo, because he doesn't seem to know anything about this. He accepts the words of scripture on face value. In fact, he gives a clearer version of Palsm 82 than the KJV and correctly translates "Elohim" as gods instead of mighty which clarifies this passage as referring to the divine heavenly council (sod qedoshim).

What is the point here? The key doctrine that Justin is teaching is that while only Chistians will ultimately be choosen as the children of God and "called gods;" all men are deemed worthy of becoming "gods," and of having power to become sons of the Highest. However, as Justing explains, all men have fallen, and will die like Adam and Eve and must accept the adoption of Christ. But all men were "deemed deserving of the name of His sons" originally before falling by sin. This doctrine reminds believers of the infinite potential of all mankind regardless of status.

1 Cor 8:5-6 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But 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.

Paul also makes in indirect reference to monolatrism in referrance about idol worship. Here Paul is referring to those idols when he first says "For though there be that are called gods" referring to the idols. But the parenthetical "(as there be gods many and lords many)" is validating the teaching in the Bible that there are, in actual fact, many beings in the heavens considered gods and lords, but only one Being who we worship as God, and one being we worship as Lord who is the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. This is not polytheism or henotheism but a kind of monothesism called monolatrism. While there may be many beings in heaven who are considered gods and children of god, we worship only one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ.

Justin Martyr: "Against Trinity"

The Church of Jesus Christ is not a Protestant religion but restored Christianity. We do not claim to be a branch or offshoot of the Catholic Church because if that church is incorrect, then all branches off it are incorrect together. The LDS Church interpret the Bible foretelling a falling away or apostasy of Christ's church (2 Thes. 2: 3). Just like God the Father allowed His Son to be crucified, God also allowed man to desecrate His temple, martyr His Apostles, and destroy His church. But just as Christ was resurrected, so too would God raise His temple, Church, and Holy Word in the last days before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Dan. 2: 28, 44).

But, the original Church, doctrine, and authority did not disappear immediately after the martyrdom of the Apostles. The LDS Church does not accept the many so-called Orthodox Christian Creeds like the doctrine of the Trinity which was established at the Council of Nicaea in the 325. The LDS Church General Authorities have claimed that LDS Doctrine is more similar to 1st-Century Christian doctrine than 3rd-Century Christian Doctrine.

Other than the New Testament itself, there is a wonderful collection of writings from the earliest Bishops of the Primitive Christian Church. These Early Church Fathers such as Polycarp, Ignatius, and Clement knew the Apostles personally and were appointed to shepherd several local churches. While not scripture, it is fascinating to read through the writing of these Early Church Fathers and identify doctrines such as the 3-degrees of glory, and priesthood organization and hierarchy which are unique to the LDS Church today.

Another example of doctrine by the Early Christian Fathers being more similar to LDS then the Protestant, is concerning God. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, continually refers to Christ as the First-Born of the Father and Church as the Church of the First-Born. LDS recognize that Christ was the first generative spirit-creation of God the Father, since before the beginning in addition to being the Only Begotten Son of God according to the flesh. In addition to the words of Bishop Ignatius, Justin Martyr, also a 1st-Century Christian, also speaks on the nature of the God head. In his debate with the Trypho (a Jew), he is trying to persuade him from the Old Testament that while they believe in the same God, we still need to believe and accept Jesus Christ as God and the Son of God.

So, the question here between LDS and Evangelicals concerning the Trinity as explained in the Nicene Creed is whether God and Christ are the same being or two separate and distinct beings. The LDS belief in the God Head is very similar to the Nicene Creed except on one issue. The Nicene Creed claims that God and the Son are not only "One God", but they are of "One Substance." LDS and other Christian scholars confess that this part of the Nicene Creed on being "One Substance" has no Biblical support and it is the part of the Trinity Doctrine that believers in the Trinity cannot explain. LDS, on the other hand can easily explain how God the Father and God the Son, while separate beings, can constitute one God by understanding their oneness and unity of purpose.

LDS do believe that God the Father, God, the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Ghost are all divine, are all God, and constitute One God in purpose. But we believe that the Father and Son are 3 distinct entities in name, in person, in being, in substance, and in unified will. When Joseph Smith had his First Vision of the Father and the Son, Joseph saw (after Satan gathered darkness and seized his tongue to prevent him from praying) the glory of God as a pillar of light and fire, and in that light he saw 2 distinct personages who were in the appearance of men with glorified and tangible bodies. The same thing that Stephen saw prior to being stoned to death. Stephen looked up into heaven and declared that he "saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

Justin Maryr comments to Trypho Chapter LXI—Wisdom is begotten of the Father, as fire from fire.“

I shall give you another testimony, my friends,” said I, “from the Scriptures, that God begat before all creatures a Beginning,[who was] a certain rational power [proceeding] from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord, now the Son, again Wisdom, again an Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls Himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave (Nun). For He can be called by all those names, since He ministers to the Father’s will, and since He was begotten of the Father by an act of will; just as we see happening among ourselves: for when we give out some word, we beget the word; yet not by abscission, so as to lessen the word means both the thinking power or reason which produces ideas and the expression of these ideas. When we utter a thought, the utterance of it does not diminish the power of thought in us, though in one sense the thought has gone away from us. [which remains] in us, when we give it out: and just as we see also happening in the case of a fire, which is not lessened when it has kindled [another], but remains the same; and that which has been kindled by it likewise appears to exist by itself, not diminishing that from which it was kindled. The Word of Wisdom, who is Himself this God begotten of the Father of all things, and Word, and Wisdom, and Power, and the Glory of the Begetter.

What do we learn from this? This is speaking about the creation or the spiritual begetting of Christ as the First-Born creation of God the Father who was Jehovah of the Old Testament who appeared to Joshua (in human form). First we lean that Christ was the first spiritual offspring of God the Father before the Creation. Also I will remind the reader that creation is not from nothing, so even though Christ is created, he is also eternal and self-existent. But there was some generative process which organized the Son as God and the Son of God. Something can be both created and eternal because create means to organize and not to conjure out of nothingness.

Additionally, we learn that separating the Son from the Father does not divide or lessen God the Father any more than dividing a fire, or saying a word diminishes the ability of the person who said the word to think of more words. This is a very important argument for Justin to make because according to the Trinity Doctrine, only the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost together constitute the perfect expression of deity. If you separated the Father and the Son, God would cease to be all powerful and merciful, kind, and just. But according to LDS doctrine on the nature of God, God the Father is perfect, all-knowing and all-powerful alone without the other members of the Godhead. The Trinity Doctrine establishes the situation where the Son and Holy Ghost were sent to save, complete, and perfect the Father as much as they were sent to save, complete and perfect man. This is not true. The Son was sent bring man to the Father and by the Holy Ghost, the Father can dwell with us and in us. And, according to Justin, separating the Father and the Son does not diminish from the perfection of either any more than dividing flames would diminish the flame.

Justin Maryr comments to Trypho Chapter LXII.—The words “Let Us make man” agree with the testimony of Proverbs."

And the same sentiment was expressed, my friends, by the word of God [written] by Moses, when it indicated to us, with regard to Him whom it has pointed out, that God speaks in the creation of man with the very same design, in the following words: ‘Let Us make man after our image and likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heaven, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creeping things that creep on the earth. And God created man: after the image of God did He create him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and said, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and have power over it. And that you may not change the [force of the] words just quoted, and repeat what your teachers assert,—either that God said to Himself, ‘Let Us make,’ just as we, when about to do something, oftentimes say to ourselves, ‘Let us make;’ or that God spoke to the elements, to wit, the earth and other similar substances of which we believe man was formed, ‘Let Us make,’—I shall quote again the words narrated by Moses himself, from which we can indisputably learn that [God] conversed with some one who was numerically distinct from Himself, and also a rational Being. These are the words: ‘And God said, Behold, Adam has become as one of us, to know good and evil.’ In saying, therefore, ‘as one of us,’ [Moses] has declared that [there is a certain] number of persons associated with one another, and that they are at least two. For I would not say that the dogma of that heresy which is said to be among you is true, or that the teachers of it can prove that [God] spoke to angels, or that the human frame was the workmanship of angels. But this Offspring, which was truly brought forth from the Father, was with the Father before all the creatures, and the Father communed with Him; even as the Scripture by Solomon has made clear, that He whom Solomon calls Wisdom, was begotten as a Beginning before all His creatures and as Offspring by God,

So, here we see Justin's interpretation of Genesis were it clearly states that God said, "let us create man in our image." Many Evangelicals have conjured up the theory that the language in use there is some sort of "Royal We" case and its not actually referring to multiple intelligent beings. Interesting that Justin fails to have gotten the email on that but makes the same conclusions the LDS do on this. The clincher is that Justin points out the significance of God and the Son together commenting that after Adam had partaken of the fruit, he had now become like them, knowing good and evil. Justin shows how this comment is unmistakable Biblical proof that the Father and the Son are both God and both divine but separate persons, beings, substances, and intelligences. Jesus Christ is literally the Son of the Living God.

Priesthood Keys vs. Authority and Power

A friend asked me if priesthood was given in the Early Christian Church to the membership who were called, ordained, and set apart as Elders (Presbyters) and Deacons (Diaconos), then how could there be an Apostasy of Christ's Church. Although the Apostles, and Bishops were martyred or removed, couldn't the Elders and Deacons choose new Bishops and leaders?

The key to answering this question is to understand the keys. In Matt 16 Jesus says he will give Peter the keys of the kingdom and also the sealing power that whatsoever he binds on Earth will be bound in heaven. The Sealing power with the keys are the preisthood of God to speak and act in the name of God on the Earth. However, the keys of the priesthood are something distinct from the sealing (binding and losing) power itself. In Matt 18, Jesus gives the rest of the disciples the Sealing power only but no keys. What is the difference?

The sealing power or Priesthood is the authority to administer the rites and ordinances and blessings of the gospel of Christ. But, only the keys have the authority to authorize them to be done. What do I mean?

I am an ordained Presbyter or Elder in the LDS church. But I have not a single key. While I do not need keys or authorization to bless, anoint, and visit the sick, fatherless, and widow; and while I can baptize, confer the gift of the holy ghost, and ordain other Elders and Deacons, and administer the Lords Supper, and officiate in the temple to administer the everlasting temple covenant (Ez 37:26-29); I can't decide myself and authorize the baptism of someone else, or the ordaining of another Elder or decide to start my own congregation and do my own sacrament service, or build my own temple and officiate my own temple ordinances. I don't have keys. (the bestowal of keys is specifically stated or excluded when someone is ordained in the priesthood).

How does this work in the LDS church? While all worthy male members are ordained to the priesthood; and either made Elders and ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood or are ordained in the Aaronic Priesthood and are Deacons; keys are not given. Only those who are Bishops or hold the office of a president are given keys. And not all Presidents are given every key. A Temple president doesn't authorize sacrament meetings and Bishops don't authorize temple ordinances. But only the Chief Apostles who is the President of the church holds all the keys at one time and the Quorum of the 12 Apostles as a whole who can authorize anything that is required to be done in Christs church.

And this is why Ignacius said clearly to the Deacons "Do not do anything in the church without the Bishop" The Bishop had the keys. This is why after the Apostles were martyred, and the Bishops were either martyred or removed, the keys were lost, and the remaining Elders and Deacons could not replace them. And according to Clement and other Early Church Fathers over and over again, Bishops were appointed from the top down by "eminent men," and not elected in from the bottom up. The Deacons and Presbyters had authority but they didn't have the keys.

Again, the Bishop as head of the congregation holds the priesthood keys to approve and authorize the rites and ordinances. The Deacons and the Presbyters had the sealing or binding authority to participate and assist the Bishop in the administration of these rites and ordinances.

Epistle to the Smyrnæans Chapter 8

See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution (Or, “command.”) of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.

Ignatius clearly says you cant have a Lord's Supper or a Baptism without the Bishop. This is because the Bishop is given Keys to approve and authorize the sanctifying rites and ordinances of the gospel. According to Clement, Bishops were to be appointed by the Apostles or other "emminent men" in the Church hierarchy. After the Apostles were martyred and the Bishops were removed or martyred, the keys were lost. Presbyters had the high priesthood and had the binding authority to officiate in the ordinaces and to annoint and bless under the direction of the Bishop who had the keys.This is why Peter was given keys and "sealing power" in Matt 16, but the disciples were only given "binding power" in Matt 18. While the High Priesthood is authority. The proper use of this authority depends on being empowered by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost empowers priesthood authority through faith in Jesus Christ.Any believer with the Holy Ghost can enjoy every miricle and blessing the the greatest prophet or apostle could. But they cannot bless others without the preisthood. The purpose of priesthood is to elicite those same blessings for the benifit of others, recieve revelation for other, perform sanctifying ordinances in the name of Jesus Christ for others.

The Power of the Priesthood

Now what about the power of the priesthood? The Holy Ghost is the Power by which the authority of the Priesthood operates. Anyone who acts by the keys and authority of the priesthood must do so in the name of Jesus Christ who they represent and by whose shed blood makes all rites and ordinances effectual, but they must also act by the power of the Holy Ghost which depends upon the the individual Bishop or Deacons relationship with God.

So the keys and authority of the priesthood turn us to Christ because we have to empower that authority by the Holy Ghost. Priesthood is the authority but the Holy Ghost is the power by Christ whose sacrifice makes it all possible. So when the Elders of Christs church anoint and heal the sick, they do it in the name of Christ, by the authority of the priesthood, and by the power of the Holy Ghost. This is why elders will often pray and fast and ask Christ for grace before the blessing, because they individually need the Holy Ghost to empower their authority. Without the empowerment of authority, the authority itself is ineffectual.

Is there an example of this principle in the Bible? Yes! Christ promised his disciples that if they had faith, their authority could move mountains. Yet, when they tried to cast out a devil they failed. What happened? They failed, because having priesthood authority alone is not enough. Christ then explained that the disciples failed because "these come not out without prayer and fasting." What was Christ teaching? He was teaching them that they needed to empower their authority by better receiving the Holy Ghost which depends on establishing a closer individual relationship with God by prayer and fasting. Christ is the best example of this principle. Christ fasted and prayed 40 days to empower his ministry and authority.

Mark 9: 28-29 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Lastly, why do you need priesthood keys and authority when every individual member is given the given the gift of the Holy Ghost? This is a critical point. Every true believer in Christ is given the power of the Holy Ghost and that power is just as powerful as the power Moses, Peter or any prophet or apostle had. Anyone with faith in Christ, through the power of the Holy Ghost alone could move mountains and perform miracles and receive revelation. Then why is priesthood necessary? While you could enjoy the blessings of your faith in Christ, you wouldn't have the authority to bless and administer to others. And that is what the Priesthood is. It is the authority to elicit the same blessings, miracles, and revelation by the power of the Holy Ghost, but on behalf of others. Unfortunately, some always want to create false dichotomies. They want to say that the Bible only speaks about Priesthood or only speaks about the Holy Ghost. The truth is Christ taught the Priesthood is the authority and the Holy Ghost is the power and together, through Christ, we can help and bless each other to better lift the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees, visit the fatherless and widows, and keep ourselves unspotted from the world.

Ignatius and the Appointment of High Priests

Many Evangelical Christians criticize the LDS Church for it's appointing clergy to the office of High Priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Even David Whitmer, one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, criticized Joseph Smith for naming Elders in the Melchizedek or High Priesthood to the office of High Priest in a pamphlet entitled; "An Address to All Believers in Christ" (1887).

What is the basis for their argument again appointing high priest's? Paul explains in his masterful espistle to the Hebrews that just as the Jews had a high priest who offered a yearly sacrifice for sin, Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest whose infinite and last sacrifice is the only high priest one can turn to for salvation and eternal life.

Heb 5:5-10 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Because the law of sacrifice is ended with the last and infinite sacrifice of Christ, some argue that there can not rightly be anyone in Christ's church appointed to the office of a high priest except Christ himself. And according to a narrow interpretation of priesthood, they claim that the New Testament never demonstrates the operation of the priesthood in the church in that there was never anyone given the authority to make sacrifice for the remission of sins.

However, Ignatius a Bishop and 1st-Century Christian suggests otherwise in Chapter IX of his Epistle to the Smyrnaeans:

And [the Scripture saith], "My son, honour thou God and the king." And say I, Honour thou God indeed, as the Author and Lord of all things, but the bishop as the high-priest, who bears the image of God-of God. inasmuch as he is a ruler, and of Christ, in his capacity of a priest. After Him, we must also honour the king. For there is no one superior to God, or even like to Him, among all the beings that exist. Nor is there any one in the Church greater than the bishop, who ministers as a priest to God for the salvation of the whole world. Nor, again, is there any one among rulers to be compared with the king, who secures peace and good order to those over whom he rules. He who honours the bishop shall be honoured by God, even as he that dishonours him shall be punished by God. For if he that rises up against kings is justly held worthy of punishment, inasmuch as he dissolves public order, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who presumes to do anything without the bishop, thus both destroying the [Church's] unity, and throwing its order into confusion? For the priesthood is the very highest point of all good things among men, against which whosoever is mad enough to strive, dishonours not man, but God, and Christ Jesus, the First-born, and the only High Priest, by nature, of the Father. Let all things therefore be done by you with good order in Christ. Let the laity be subject to the deacons; the deacons to the presbyters; the presbyters to the bishop; the bishop to Christ, even as He is to the Father. As ye, brethren, have refreshed me, so will Jesus Christ refresh you. Ye have loved me when absent, as well as when present. God will recompense you, for whose sake ye have shown such kindness towards His prisoner. For even if I am not worthy of it, yet your zeal [to help me] is an admirable thing. For "he who honours a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward." It is manifest also, that he who honours a prisoner of Jesus Christ shall receive the reward of the martyrs.

Epistle to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch Chapter 3 “Honour widows that are widows indeed.”Be the friend of orphans; for God is “the Father of the fatherless, and the Judge of the widows.”Do nothing without the bishops; for they are priests, and thou a servant of the priests. They baptize, offer sacrifice (ἱερουργέω = to act as a priest), ordain, and lay on hands; but thou ministerest to them, as the holy Stephen did at Jerusalem to James and the presbyters. Do not neglect the sacred meetings Specifically, assemblies for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. [of the saints]; inquire after every one by name. “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example to the believers, both in word and conduct.”

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians Chapter V.--The praise of unity. "For if the prayer of one or two possesses such power that Christ stands in the midst of them, how much more will the prayer of the bishop and of the whole Church, ascending up in harmony to God, prevail for the granting of all their petitions in Christ! He, therefore, that separates himself from such, and does not meet in the society where sacrifices are offered, and with "the Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven," is a wolf in sheep's clothing,

Here Ignatius is calling the church to honor their Bishop as is he were Christ himself because the office of the Bishop as Shepherd over the congregation is a type of Christ. And the Bishop, having the keys and authority of the priesthood, does not offer his own sacrifice, but is blessed to represent Christ and administer the flesh and blood of His great and last sacrifice to the church. So, while in reality, Christ is the Great and Only High Priest, and the only one to whom man can look for a remission of sin and for a hope of salvation, the naming of a Bishop as a high priest is not disrespectful to God but honors God because the office of Bishop is representative of Christ himself over the church.

Of course, the Bishop doesn't forgive sin any more than the Jewish High Priest did. The Bishop represents Christ and is ordained to not administer his own sacrifice but offer the flesh and blood, figuratively speaking, of Christ. Some have claimed, this doesn't count as an actual sin offering because the Bishop doesn't actually kill anything. The Lord's Supper is more a commemoration or memorial. But what this line of reasoning fails to recognize is that the Jewish High Priest's sacrifice, although literal, didn't actually forgive sin either. That sacrifice like the Lord's Supper was entirely representative and foreshadowed the infinite and eternal sacrifice of Christ which is the only sacrifice that works to forgive sin.

Accordingly, in the LDS church, with in the High or Melchizedek Priesthood which comprises the Elders, or Presbyters, there is a designation of high priest. And, all those who have served as a Bishop or in a bishopric are ordained to this office. When Christ organized his church there would have been very few men who would ever have the calling of Bishop and therefore have been considered a high priest because the church quickly went into apostasy and Bishops according to Clement were to serve for life (once a bishop always a bishop). However, today in the LDS church, Bishops are more routinely appointed for a period of 5-10 years. The LDS has a lay clergy, and the calling and releasing of bishops and bishoprics every 5-10 years gives more members the blessings of serving in this capacity. Accordingly, there are more in the LDS church who have had significant leadership experience and those with that experience are given the designation of high priests. However, we don't refer to those in this quorum by any special title.

When Joseph Smith was inspired to call and appoint Elders in the High Priesthood to the office of high priest, he didn't make these calls to suggest that anyone other than Christ could save. It was only out of respect and honor to God in the same spirit as Ignatius is explaining that Bishops were given this designation. Ignatius instructs the Saints to honor their Bishop because the office that the Bishop holds is holy and representative of Jesus Christ who is the Great Judge, Bishop, Shepherd, Apostle, and High Priest. Therefore, giving Bishops this designation helps us remember that Christ is King of kings, Lord of lords, the Most High God and the Most High Priest.

see Ps. 82, Heb. 3: 1, 1 Pet. 2: 25, Dan. 2: 47, Josh. 22: 22, Deut. 10: 17, Rev. 17: 14, Rev. 19: 16

Ignatius and the Duty of a Deacon

Jesus Christ established the foundation of the Christian church with various callings and priesthood offices such as apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists (Eph. 4: 11). While the New Testament does give some important information about the duties and relationship of these offices, Joseph Smith and the LDS church benefit from modern revelation which clarifies the operation of these callings in the Church of Jesus Christ today.

The LDS Church believes that with the martyrdom of the original Apostles, the Church of Jesus Christ fell into apostasy because the keys and authority of the priesthood given to man by God was lost from the Earth. While the apostasy was abrupt and complete by the 3rd Century AD, there are extra-canonical sources from the late 1st Century AD which give additional information on the priesthood offices of Bishop (episkopos), Elder (presbyter), and Deacon (diaconos). Many LDS General Authorities have said that LDS doctrine is closer to 1st-Century Christianity than 3rd-Century Christianity. Today we have a few of the writings of Polycarp, Ignatius, and Clement; who were Bishops in the early 1st-Century Christian church. While these 3 Bishops may not have known Christ personally, they knew and had served with many of the Apostles, and all 3 suffered a martyrs death for their testimony of Jesus Christ. While their words are not scripture, these Early Christian Fathers are well respected by the LDS and most Christian faiths.

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians contains a chapter discussing the duties of the Deacon in the Primitive Church and the relationship of the Deacon with the other offices of Elder and Bishop. Ignatius writes in Chapter II:

For, since ye are subject to the bishop as to Jesus Christ, ye appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to JesusChrist, who died for us, in order, by believing in His death, ye may escape from death. It is therefore necessary that, as ye indeed do, so without the bishop ye should do nothing, but should also be subject to the presbytery, as to the apostle of Jesus Christ, who is our hope, in whom, if we live, we shall [at last] be found. It is fitting also that the deacons, as being [the ministers] of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, should in every respect be pleasing to all. For they are not ministers of meat and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They are bound, therefore, to avoid all grounds of accusation [against them], as they would do fire.

According to Ignatius, the office of a Deacon was subordinate to that of the Bishop and the Presbytery. This also suggests in admonishing the Deacons to "do nothing without the bishop" that the Bishop had special authority or keys to authorize certain rites and service in the church. What do I mean? I mean that Deacons would have the responsibility and authority to participate in and administer certain church rites, but only under the direction and approval of the Bishop.

And this is how the priesthood authority in the LDS church operates. The Deacons and other offices in the Aaronic Priesthood are subordinate to the Elders of the Melchizedek Priesthood and under direct guidance from the Bishop. In fact, in the LDS Church there is a special relationship between the Bishop and the Deacons, the Bishop is the president of the Aaronic Priesthood. The Bishop is Chief Deacon. In contrast, the president of the Melchizedek Priesthood is the Chief Apostle or Prophet. Interesting that this passage would also make that relationship between the Elders and the Apostles as well as the Bishop and the Deacons by saying "do nothing without the bishop. And be ye subject also to the presbytery, as to the apostles ." While the Bishop and Deacons are related, so are the Elders with the Apostles.

And while those who have been ordained into the priesthood have the privilege and responsibility to participate and administer the ordinances and rites of the church, they can only do so under the approval of the Bishop. The authority over the approval of rites and ordinances constitutes the "keys of the kingdom." The Bible differentiates "keys" from the priesthood authority itself by teaching that while many disciples were given the "sealing power" that whatsoever they bound on Earth would be bound in Heaven (Matt. 18: 18), only the "keys" were given to Peter (Matt. 16: 19).

What was the primary responsibility of the Deacon in the primitive Church? I think Ignacius gives us the answer right here. "It is fitting also that the deacons, as being [the ministers] of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, should in every respect be pleasing to all. For they are not ministers of meat and drink, but servants of the Church of God." Replacing the word "mysteries" with "emblems" we see that the passage could be comparing the administration of the bread and wine of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper to the serving of worldly meat and drink. So, to me, it seems that this could be an exciting confirmation that Deacons in the Primitive Christian Church had responsibility under the direction of the Bishop to administer the Lord's Supper just as the Aaronic Priesthood of the LDS Church does today.

We can also compare the the duty of the Bishop and Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood to the operation of the Priest and Levite under the Law of Moses. In the Law of Moses, the Priest who was a direct descendant of Aaron, would perform the actual animal sacrifice. The Levites, were to assist the Priest in the preparation for the sacrifice. In the same way, the position of the Bishop is akin to that of the Priest, except that the Law of Moses is fulfilled and there is to be no more shedding of blood. The Bishop doesn't perform his own sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Only Christ's atoning blood can forgive sin. Instead the Bishop presides over a Sacrament Meeting where those who hold the authority of the priesthood are blessed to administer the atoning blood of Christ's infinite sacrifice to the congregation through the ordinance of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. And in parallel to the Levites in the days of Moses, the Deacons assist the Bishop in offering the body and blood of Jesus Christ symbolically through the blessing and passing of the Sacramental emblems to the congregation.

1 Clement 17 Quotes Isa. 60:17 "For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place, "I will appoint their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith."

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians Chapter III "In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrim of God, and assembly of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church."

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans Chapter VIII "Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. . . It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize, or to offer, or to present sacrifice, or to celebrate a love-feast. But that which seems good to him, is also well-pleasing to God, that everything ye do may be secure and valid."

Epistle to the Antiochians Chapter VIII.—Exhortations to the presbyters and others.

Ye presbyters, “feed the flock which is among you,” (1 Pet. 2) till God shall show who is to hold the rule over you. For “I am now ready to be offered,” (2 Tim. 5: 6) that I “may win Christ.”(Phil. 3: 8). Let the deacons know of what dignity they are, and let them study to be blameless, that they may be the followers of Christ. Let the people be subject to the presbyters and the deacons. Let the virgins know to whom they have consecrated themselves.

Here it almost seems like the virgins refers to the young women of the church while deacons refers to the young men who are admonished to "study to be blameless." And again as in other places deacons are subordinate to the Elders. Ignatius suggests that there may be "study" or preparation required to advance from a Deacon to an Elder.