Replies

I have read several Mormon and anti-Mormon sources which leave me with the impression that by doing good works the Mormon earns some sort of elevated status in the next life. And that there are many levels of existance one may have to go through to achieve godhood.

Sounds like paganism to me.

***

Here is an excerpt that was posted on another thread by another LDS FR

Gen1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness....

John 20: 17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Mat 26:39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

John 14:28
...I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. [Christ speaking]

John 10: 33-36
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Jesus answered them,
Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

Mormons accept the divinity of Christ, that he is the Son of God, he died for our sins and is our Savior and we strive to follow him as best we know how. That makes us Christian.

The fact that we reject some aspects of the orthodox view of Christianity that was formulated durring the dark ages only makes us unorthodox Christians.

JOINT HEIRS
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I don't see anything I disagree with in the scriptures you posted. I also don't see anything that has anything remotely to do with 1) earning an elevated status via works or 2) there being a series of lives and afterlives one must endure.

Pray tell: how many levels of existence must one pass through to achieve godhood?

If there are multiple levels, if I do enough good on level 3 but mess up level 4, do I have to go back to level 3 again?

Please explain or provide a reference that will explain the whole afterlife (afterlives?) progression as you understand it.