The Bible says:
We are Sons and Daughters of God, who is our Heavenly Father.
And we have been created in the image and have the opportunity and potential to become like our Heavenly Father.
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(All of the following scriptural quotes are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.)
(Being raised in the Presbyterian Church this doctrine was new to me, even though this doctrine is in the Bible.)
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“So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27)
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When his disciples came to him and said, Lord, Teach us how to pray, the Savior said:
"Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be Thy name: Thy kingdom come...” (Matthew 6:9)
The Savior did not say that we should pray ‘oh God our creator which art in heaven….’ No, He said that we should refer to Him as He is and that is our Father or “…the Father of our Spirits...” (Hebrews 12:9)
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The Savior Himself told us that we could be perfect like God.
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
How could the Savior, possibly think, and say, that we could be or become like God?
“Be ye therefore… even as your Father… in heaven…” (Matthew 5:48)
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"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2) Yes: “we shall be like him” and who is “him”? Why that is plain and simple we shall be like [“God”].
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"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)
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The Jews were giving the Savior a bad time and saying that he was blaspheming when he said that he was the Son of God. The Savior point out to them that it was written in the scriptures that they were gods, "ye are gods". Or in other words that they and have the potential to become a God just like our Father in Heaven.
“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?” (John 10:34-36) Note: Jesus quotes Psalms 82:6.
The Savior was saying 'why condemn me for saying that I am “the Son of God"?’ When the Scriptures say, in addition, that you are “gods”, meaning that we all can become a God.’
The Savior Himself, quoted a scripture stating that they “whom the word of God came” “are gods”. Or in other words we can become a God because we are children of the most High or children of our Farther in Heaven.
The scripture that the Savior referred to was:
"I have said, ye [are] Gods: and all of you [are] children of the Most high" (Psalms 82:6)
"...For we are also his offspring...we ought not to think that the Godhead is like into gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." (Acts 17:28-29)
"...we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ..." (Romans 8:16-17)
Each of us are a part of God's family. >> "...the whole family in heaven and earth..." (Ephesians 3:15)
"For the Lord your God is God of gods..." (Deuteronomy 10:17).
Note, some may interpret this scripture as meaning that the Lord is a God over all false gods, but there in not included the word false in that scripture.
"I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High." (Psalms 82:6)
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We have the opportunity to be like the Savior. “sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his house.” (Revelation 3:21)
And “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” (John 17:22)
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The scriptures are plain and simple from the beginning to the end. They testify that we are children of God, and that we can become like Him.
We as “sons of God” created “in the image of God” quoted by the Savior as “gods”, will be changed and “may be fashioned like unto His glorious body”, and as “children of the most High” can become like “Our Father which art in Heaven…”
The opportunity of the event of becoming like God is a future event.
“…Things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods…” (Isaiah 41:23)
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Additional Links and Information:
Becoming Like God, (The Church of Jesus Christ Library App,Gospel Topics Essays Becoming Like God.)
Question: What were the views of early Christians on the deification of man? (Fairmormon)
Mormonism and the nature of God/Deification of man. (Fairmormon)
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