Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ LDS (Ecumic)

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[restornu]

[This entry consists of two parts: Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ. The first part explains that by obedience to the commandments of God a person can become an heir of God. The second part emphasizes that the gospel of Jesus Christ also provides the way for one to become a joint-heir with Jesus Christ, and obtain the special inheritance of the Church of the Firstborn.]

by Joseph Grant Stevenson

Heirs of God

The doctrine of becoming an heir of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ was noted by Paul (Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26-29; 4:1-7; see also Calling and Election; Church of the Firstborn). In this connection, THE CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints teaches that all humans are spirit sons and daughters of God, with the potential of inheriting all that the Father has (D&C 84:33-38). Every member of the human family is a child of God. However, through obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, including having faith, love, charity, and participating in temple ordinances and sealings, men and women can become heirs of God in a special way. Such persons are called the "children of Christ, his sons and his daughters," being "spiritually begotten" by him (Mosiah 5:7). They will be exalted in the Celestial Kingdom. Members of the Church make several covenants with God, beginning with baptism and continuing through the temple Endowment and marriage, by which they promise to obey God's commandments and to consecrate to him all that they possess in order to become heirs through Christ in the Father's kingdom. Such may eventually be exalted by God and be given many divine powers, including eternal increase.

Promises of inheritance are extended also to those who die without a knowledge of the gospel, for they shall have opportunity in the spirit world to hear the message of redemption, and have the essential ordinances of the gospel performed in their behalf in the temples of the Church.

[See also Salvation of the Dead.]

---

Joint-Heirs With Christ

by N. Gaylon Hopkins

Joint-heirs with Christ identifies those persons who attain the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom. Latter-day Saints regard Jesus Christ as the firstborn spirit child of God the Father and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. Because of this priority, he is the natural heir of the Father. Through strict obedience to the Father's will, progressing from grace to grace by obeying the gospel and its ordinances and making the infinite Atonement, Jesus became the Savior of all mankind and also heir to all that the Father has. Those who accept Jesus Christ as their redeemer, repent of their sins, obey the ordinances of the gospel, and live in willing obedience with the Holy Spirit as their guide, can also become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. In the eternities, they can inherit the same truth, power, wisdom, glory, and exaltation possessed by God the Father and by the Son (see D&C 84:38).

The scriptures set forth the Father's Plan of Salvation for becoming joint-heirs with Christ. This includes taking the name of Christ upon oneself and living a Christlike life. Obeying the gospel means keeping the ordinances and ceremonies as well as living the moral law. Having started on the course of salvation, each individual is expected to continue to serve the Lord with a pure heart to the end of the mortal life. Through the grace of Jesus Christ and the blood that he shed, the willing and obedient are redeemed and sanctified.

All people are spirit children of God and recipients of his love, but only through accepting and living the gospel of Jesus Christ are individuals born again, spiritually begotten, and adopted into the family of God in a special relationship as the "sons and daughters" of Christ (Mosiah 5:7; Gal. 4:5-7; Rom. 8:14-17; see also Born of God; Law of Adoption). Through the gospel, one becomes a joint-heir with Christ, a member of the Church of the Firstborn, and a partaker of the fulness of God's glory.

(See Deification; Biblical Support for Deification; Eternal Increase; Exaltation; Eternal Life; Basic Beliefs home page; Teachings About the Afterlife home page.)

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 2, Heirs

[Colofornian]

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

I personally like the all-out worship of Christ mentioned in that same chapter, 2 Nephi 25, just 6 verses later-- v. 29. Is that verse a prominent one for you, too?

[Religion Moderator]

This is an “ecumenical” thread in the Religion Forum. Antagonism is not allowed.

[fproy2222]

I personally like the all-out worship of Christ mentioned in that same chapter, 2 Nephi 25, just 6 verses later— v. 29. Is that verse a prominent one for you, too?

+++++++++

There be no conflict.

[Theo]

Just a reminder to all Christians here: “Ecumenical” means no discussion allowed, only affirmation. Hence all the deleted comments.

[greyfoxx39]

From the "ecumenic" guidelines on RM's home page:

To antagonize is to incur or to provoke hostility in others.

 

From "open thread" guidelines on RM's home page:

On all threads, but particularly “open” threads, posters must never “make it personal.” Reading minds and attributing motives are forms of “making it personal.” Making a thread “about” another Freeper is “making it personal.”

 

"You are often complaining that we teach that we are saved after all we can do. Yet in the instance you forget to include this teaching when you complain about us having to do so much."

13 posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 12:23:34 PM by fproy2222 (Jesus is the Christ)

 

"You also, seem to forget to tell the readers about our teachings of being saved after “all we can do”. You too have complained about this doctrine, and you also do not show how it relates to this topic.

And something else you forget to mention, is that we continue to work on our growth after this life and before the day of judgment.

 

You have said you are well versed in the Lords doctrine, so this looks like you chose to “forget” to tell us about how it all relates."

14 posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 12:33:55 PM by fproy2222 (Jesus is the Christ)

 

"You seem to be wanting to limit Heavenly Father in His abilities.

You know, the ability to know the end from the time of our beginning."

15 posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 12:37:04 PM by fproy2222 (Jesus is the Christ)

 

To: Theo
"This is an “ecumenical” thread in the Religion Forum. Antagonism is not allowed."

22 posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 9:52:51 PM by Religion Moderator

 

 

Moderator, my understanding of the goal of an "ecumenic" thread was to allow civil discussion without "antagonism". How are the responses listed above contributing to a civil discussion?  The points raiised are not being "discussed" at all, instead references to past threads and discussions are being brought forward..

 

Just a reminder to all Christians here: “Ecumenical” means no discussion allowed, only affirmation. Hence all the deleted comments.

24 posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 6:53:04 AM by Theo (Global warming "scientists." Pro-evolution "scientists." They're both wrong.)

[restornu]

Just a reminder to all Christians here: “Ecumenical” means no discussion allowed, only affirmation. Hence all the deleted comments.

Theo that stands for all faiths on the various "Ecumenical threads" it is to have a thoughtful and meaningful discussions.

[Theo]

My constructive comments above were deleted. You did not include any of my comments in your list there, I see, other than my most recent one.

“Caucus” threads are those which do not permit any discussion, only affirmation by “members of the caucus.” This is an “ecumenic” thread, which permits discussion. And yet my first post, which very graciously brought up a concern in the first article in the original post, was removed. Likely because a Mormon reported “abuse” on me.

Religion Moderator — please change this to a “Caucus” thread, as no real discussion is being permitted.

[greyfoxx39]

As there is no real discussion being attempted OR allowed, I am leaving the thread.

[Religion Moderator]

Listen up.

Theo, there is nothing ecumenical in calling the other guy's beliefs "consistent with the doctrines of Satan." (post 9) That charge along with all your subsequent conversation on this thread was removed.

greyfoxx39, no other posts were removed, including posts which push the envelope of ecumenism but fall short of antagonism, i.e. provoking hostility.

Neither of you have been instructed to leave the thread. But you must comply with the guideline, review your own wording for anything that might provoke hostility.

[greyfoxx39]

There is no incentive for me to stay on the thread. There has been no real discussion of the points of the article, nor of the points I raised. As in this example

Or This one.

It's a waste of time to spend energy and effort researching an interesting and little known topic like the "Calling and election made sure" or the "joint heirs" topic to be met with non-responsive replies.

I'm outta here.

[colorcountry]

I left as soon as I got a “no response” twice within the first ten posts.

This article was posted in order to squelch discussion, as is any article currently posted by the LDS faction of FreeRepublic. The theology cannot withstand the light, nor rigors of discussion, IMO.

I hope readers will remember this every time they see members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints posting here.

[fproy2222]

Thanks for the reminder.

I goofed.