[Reno232]

I respect that you have a difference of opinion. Please explain why your opinion is correct & why the statements by Saint Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Augustine of Hippo, C. S. Lewis, Westminister Dictionary of Christian Theology, William R. Inge, Archbishop of Canterbury, are all wrong. They seem to treat your views as heresy. So who's correct & why?

These were students of the Bible, men of great intellect, & yet came to a vastly different conclusion than you. Their views seem to conform to the scriptures I cited to you, of which you still make no mention.

Even though I disagree, I respect your opinion, but am trying to gain a better grasp as to why you're so certain that your opinion is better than those cited. Do you really KNOW, or are you just guessing? If you know, please explain how, & if you're guessing, perhaps a change in tone would be appropriate

[Jibaholic]

You are making a couple mistakes. The first is that you are confusing sanctification with "deification." Sanctification is the process of becoming holy - of overcoming sin. Christians become conformed in the image of Christ. That is a moral process, not the process of becoming a god. We remain wholly dependent upon God. Sanctification is not something we do on our own, but through the work of the Holy Spirit acting through us. Mormons have a heretical understanding of sanctification and think that they can become gods. They have twisted sanctification into "deification."

Secondly, the Church fathers were also, for the most part, also talking about sanctification. However, the Church fathers also frequently had heretical beliefs. Many heretical sects deny the divinity of Christ (I had confused Mormons with 7th Day Adventists earlier in the thread, my apologies. I do not usually debate heresies so I lost track of which is which). They frequently quote Church fathers such as Origin who subscribed to Arianism.

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven. -- Mathew 7:21

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. -- 2 Corinthians 11:13-15