Quest for Godhood

Ever since the serpent told Adam and Eve, in way of temptation, that they can be gods, people have been falling for the same line over an over. Brother Hickenbotham has listed several of those who have taught this line. That very temptation was restored with authority in our day.

Consider the words of Dallin Oaks, Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the current Church of the LDSaints. In his conference talk, he sets out to describe the "three degrees of glory":

“....we begin with the highest, which is the focus of the divine commandments and ordinances God has revealed through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the “celestial” glory there are three levels, of which the highest is exaltation in the celestial kingdom. This is the dwelling of those “who have received of his fulness, and of his glory,” wherefore, “they are gods, even the sons [and daughters] of God” and “dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.” Through revelation, God has revealed the eternal laws, ordinances, and covenants that must be observed to develop the godly attributes necessary to realize this divine potential. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focuses on these because the purpose of this restored Church is to prepare God’s children for salvation in the celestial glory and, more particularly, for exaltation in its highest degree”. (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

He stated earlier in conference:

In the “celestial” glory there are three degrees, or levels. The highest of these is exaltation in the celestial kingdom, wherein we may become like our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. To help us develop the godly attributes and the change in nature necessary to realize our divine potential, the Lord has revealed doctrine and established commandments based on eternal law. This is what we teach in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because the purpose of the doctrine and policies of this restored Church is to prepare God’s children for salvation in the celestial glory and, more particularly, for exaltation in its highest degree. (Divine Love in the Father’s Plan, April 2022)

Again,

Another unique doctrine and practice of the restored Church is the revealed commandments and covenants that offer all the children of God the sacred privilege of qualifying for the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom. That highest destination—exaltation in the celestial kingdom—is the focus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

Most Christian churches focus on the glorification and exaltation of God our Father. That is the focus of Jesus. This is also true of the true saints we read about in the Book of Mormon.

Jacob 2:21 ...for the selfsame end hath he created them, that they should keep his commandments and glorify him forever.

3 Nephi 12:16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Ether 12:4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

We see that the followers of Jesus will be purified. By being purified, Jesus is glorified.

3 Nephi 19:29 Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.

Sadly, the answer to the question, "Would it be accurate to write being an LDS member is essentially a quest for Godhood", is yes.

A system of Works of the Law

If that terrible precept was not bad enough, the LDSaints pursue godhood through a system of works. They try to hide this because they know how offensive this is. One clever way is that they have changed from "saved by works" to "saved by choices", which, being translated, means you are saved by the laws you choose to obey.

"We have a loving Heavenly Father who will see that we receive every blessing and every advantage that our own desires and choices allow" (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

“His plan gives us the teachings and the opportunity to make the choices that will assure us the destiny and the life we choose”. (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

“…glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands,” will send all the children of God to one of these kingdoms of glory according to the desires manifested through their choices. (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

But we find their path to godhood, what they call the"covenant path", is made up of a series of Covenants, Commandments and Laws.

“Another unique doctrine and practice of the restored Church is the revealed commandments and covenants that offer all the children of God the sacred privilege of qualifying for the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom”. (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

“As we describe the nature and requirements of each of the three kingdoms in the Father’s plan, we begin with the highest, which is the focus of the divine commandments and ordinances God has revealed through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

“To help us develop the godly attributes and the change in nature necessary to realize our divine potential, the Lord has revealed doctrine and established commandments based on eternal law. This is what we teach in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because the purpose of the doctrine and policies of this restored Church is to prepare God’s children for salvation in the celestial glory and, more particularly, for exaltation in its highest degree”. (Divine Love in the Father’s Plan, April 2022)

“For all of us, He has destined life after death and, ultimately, a kingdom of glory. God desires all of us to strive for His highest possible blessings by keeping His highest commandments, covenants, and ordinances, all of which culminate in His holy temples”. (Divine Love in the Father’s Plan, April 2022)

What is Missing?

I studied three conference talks by Elder Oaks. Trust in the Lord, October 2019, Divine Love in the Father’s Plan, April 2022 and(Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023. There are over 5,200 words used to explain the doctrine of godhood. To my grief, I found none of the following words:

Grace 0 times
Faith 0 times
Mercy 0 times
Justice 0 times
Justify 0 times
Forgive 0 times
Sanctify 0 times
Humility 0 times
Crucify 0 times
Mighty Change 0 times
Born Again 0 times
Holy Spirit 0 times

Twice was Believe use but one instance was a Belief in someone's article and the other was "Believe as we do"

Covenant, however was used 27 times, Temples 8 times and revelation, as in "modern" 17 times! 15 times we find revealed, as in "modern revelation". We can see by the vocabulary the origins of this idea of deification.

Don't Despair, thou weak Sinner!

It turns out that we actually choose which Kingdom of Glory we wish to inherit! So if godhood doesn't appeal to you, you can choose another. All you have to do is pick which set of laws you want to abide, or choose to live by and live those.

"Another revelation also describes the nature of the persons to be assigned to each of these kingdoms of glory. Those who do not choose “to abide the law of a celestial kingdom” will inherit another kingdom of glory, lesser than the celestial but suited to the laws they have chosen and can comfortably “abide.” (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023)

"We know from modern revelation that “all kingdoms have a law given.” Significantly:
“He who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
“And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
“And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory.”
In other words, the kingdom of glory we receive in the Final Judgment is determined by the laws we choose to abide by in our Heavenly Father’s loving plan. (Divine Love in the Father’s Plan, April 2022)

Unfortunately for you, you actually don't know what laws you have in front of you from which to choose. We know that the covenant path to godhood is loaded with clear commandments, covenants, ordinances and laws that were made clear by modern revelation, but because that path seems to be the focus of the teachings of the church, we are left to wonder about the other options. It is like going to a restaurant and getting a menu that says only, "Today's Special and Other Choices". If you were to ask what the other choices, entrees and prices and peanut contents, the waitress would tell you,"Sorry. Our focus is on the Daily Special".

Oaks quotes Nelson, another Prophet, Seer and Revelator, "During this mortal life you get to choose which laws you are willing to obey—those of the celestial kingdom, or the terrestrial, or the telestial—and, therefore, in which kingdom of glory you will live forever. What a plan! It is a plan that completely honors your agency” (Kingdoms of Glory, October 2023). But to really “honor agency”, one must know as much as possible about the actual laws one needs to select from in order to live them.

Apparently, the lowest kingdom doesn’t have laws, as we were lead to believe above. The telestial seems to be those who live absent of any laws at all, but still are glorified!

those assigned to the lowest of the kingdoms of glory, the telestial, is “he who cannot abide … a terrestrial glory.” That describes those who reject the Savior and have observed no divine limits on their behavior. This is the kingdom where the wicked abide, after they have suffered for their sins. These are described in modern revelation as “they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus. …
“These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.”

It seems like “observed no divine limits on their behavior” means no law or one may choose to violate every ordinance, commandment, covenant and divine law, even rejecting Jesus’ sacrifice and still be glorified in a Kingdom of God! That’s not living a law of the telestial. There is no divine limits.