orion88 Posted February 6, 2012 Posted February 6, 2012 This is from volume 1 of the authoritative work called Doctrines of Salvation, by formerPresident and Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith, page 12 (definition).According to him, God (Heavenly Father) is God from all eternity to all eternity in thesense that "eternity to eternity" begins from your spirit existence (i.e. you being bornas a spirit child of His) through the mortal probation and then continuing to the eternalexistence which follows the resurrection.He says that those who become Gods will also be from all eternity to eternity.He does not consider that when he [Fielding] becomes a God (as he goes on to say onpage 69), while he may have existed from all eternity to all eternity, he has not been aGod from all eternity to all eternity.This would be consistent with Joseph Smith's teaching that Heavenly Father became a God through eternal progression if you consider that eternity goes even further back thanthe context of Mr. Fielding Smith.Thoughts?
Rivers Posted February 6, 2012 Posted February 6, 2012 This is from volume 1 of the authoritative work called Doctrines of Salvation, by formerPresident and Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith, page 12 (definition).According to him, God (Heavenly Father) is God from all eternity to all eternity in thesense that "eternity to eternity" begins from your spirit existence (i.e. you being bornas a spirit child of His) through the mortal probation and then continuing to the eternalexistence which follows the resurrection.He says that those who become Gods will also be from all eternity to eternity.He does not consider that when he [Fielding] becomes a God (as he goes on to say onpage 69), while he may have existed from all eternity to all eternity, he has not been aGod from all eternity to all eternity.This would be consistent with Joseph Smith's teaching that Heavenly Father became a God through eternal progression if you consider that eternity goes even further back thanthe context of Mr. Fielding Smith.Thoughts? That's the gist of it, but our friends of other Christian faiths still cry blasphemy.
wenglund Posted February 6, 2012 Posted February 6, 2012 Please keep in mind that while the prophet Joseph Fielding Smith gave one valid meaning for the phrase "from eternity to eternity" (which comports well with, though perhaps more expansive than, how the prophets of old tended to view the eternities) it is not the only valid meaning. The phrase has layers of valid meanings. Understanding this will help avoid mistaken assumptions about inconsistencies in LDS belief or inconsistencies between LDS beliefs and the Bible.Thanks, -Wade Englund-
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