Trinitarian Christians believe that Jesus is perfect God and perfect man. Jesus is the 2nd Person of God the Trinity and not a separate being from God or a separate god.,according to Trinitarian Christians. There is a only One God Who is Eternal and never had to work His way up to godhood in Historic Christianity.
What do Mormons mean by Eternal Progression?
2007-06-28 15:10:33 · 7 answers · asked by James O 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, we believe both God the Father and His son Jesus Christ are progressing in their own ways as well. While we are progressing here in mortality and learning things like faith and obedience, God and Jesus are progressing and learning things according to their station. (There's a popular saying from Lorenzo Snow, 5th president of the Mormon Church: "As man is, God once was, and as God is, man may become.")
Mormons believe we progress through what are called "estates" - we move from one to the next by being obedient in the previous one; the first estate was the pre-existance, the second estate is mortality, etc. With each estate comes things to be learned and duties to perform. In a way, it's like school. There's pre-school, elementary school, junior high, high school, college/university. You don't get a doctorate until you've progressed through the previous levels of education. Mormons believe that even God and Jesus have had to progress through all previous levels of learning as well.
2007-06-28 21:27:40 · answer #1 · answered by Rynok 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eternal progression means that we, basically, do not stop improving, learning, growing spiritually after we die. It is eternal progression toward becoming like God. Do you think that the moment we die, we become perfect and know everything? How uncomfortable that would be! And how boring! To live for eternity knowing everything -- understanding everything -- doing nothing. What's the point? Mormons believe that after death, all spirits (Christians or not) go to a spirit world to await the end of the world, the resurrection and the final judgement. In the spirit world, much teaching and learning is done. Those who had not accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life will have the opportunity to hear the gospel. They can choose to repent of their sins and accept the gospel fo Jesus Christ. (That's one example of eternal progression.) Mormons believe that families are forever, and therefore they will still be married in eternity. The eternal family can continue to grow and to love. Mormons believe that God is their Heavenly Father -- literally the father of their spirits -- and that He desires for us to become like Him by following the teachings of Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son. No one can quite achieve that in their earthly life, therefore they can continue to progress in eternal life.
Jesus Christ was perfect in His earthly life -- that is why he was able to be our Savior. He is already exactly like God, the Father -- in purpose and in perfection. That is why Jesus is also called God.
2007-06-28 15:32:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Well there is an interesting scriptural thing that we notice. In the New Testament Jesus tells us to be perfect like "His father in Heaven" In the Book of Mormon Jesus says "I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."
The part in the New Testament takes place before His atonement and resurrection, the part in the Book of Mormon takes place after His atonement and resurrection. While we believe Jesus was sinless and pure and all-knowing before, I suppose it would be fair to say we see something in Him performing the atonement and gaining a glorified, resurrected body that really completed His perfection.
Of course when we talk about "Eternal Progression" it's more about us. We believe we lived as spirits before coming to earth, and a huge part of this mortal life is for us to learn and grow, and we believe this learning and personal growth can continue after this life and through out eternity. When you consider all the vastness and truths that are out there in the universe, we certainly can't learn it all now in this short mortal life.
Thanks
2007-06-28 15:24:49 · answer #3 · answered by daisyk 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
One day Jesus will get to be a god when he finishes up his salvation for all mankind gig - working for his dad. He may come up with a completely different way to go and play with dinosaurs a whole lot longer.
Some speculate he may just travel throughout the universe teaching that he's the son of some god, and special.
2007-06-29 19:02:13 · answer #4 · answered by Dances with Poultry 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Mormons believe in some really weird stuff.
Any true Christian knows that Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit are one and the same, but are also separate entities.
2007-06-28 15:15:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
When a being attains the "priesthood" office of God he advances only through creation.. Of course the God of all creation isn't subject to "Laws" Joseph Smith invented... Jim
2007-06-28 15:16:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
IMHO, one can be perfect, and still be progressing. There are many ways for one to progress.
2007-06-30 04:53:15 · answer #7 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋