Names of God
He goes by many names and has been represented differently in many cultures. He is the Creator and Destroyer. The Beginning and the End. The Supreme Architect. The Life-Giver. The Great Spirit. The Great Energy. The Many-Strengths. The Lord God of Abraham (Brahmā’s Guide?). Allah. Burkhan. Bóg. Deus. Elohim. Gott. Kami. Jumala. Mungu. Shén. Thần. This list is longer than there are languages. Just as there are many names, so are there many ideas as to His nature. But one name/idea speaks more than any other about who/what He is. That name is God the Father.
A Father to Whom?
His children are mankind. Everyone who was ever born, and even those who haven’t had the chance.
This can be taken both literally, and figuratively. I would actually argue that it is a bit of both.
- “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:27-28
This can be taken both literally, and figuratively. I would actually argue that it is a bit of both.
Literal Children of God
How can we be literally His children? And what does that say about us?
One way in which we are literally His children is that He is the Father of our spirits.
He knew us in the premortal existence before we were born. He was/is our Heavenly Father. In addition, He could also be our father through physical lineage. He never explains exactly how man was created, and we are left with but some rudimentary pictures describing it.
The simplistic explanation of man’s creation becomes more apparent in how much information it lacks when compared to this scripture:
In Moses God claims not only that we are his children, but that we share the same blood, His blood. We are literally Children of God by spirit, and according to this scripture possibly also by flesh. This brings us to the figurative concept: God’s “chosen people”.
- “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” Psalms 82:6
One way in which we are literally His children is that He is the Father of our spirits.
- “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” Hebrews 12:9
He knew us in the premortal existence before we were born. He was/is our Heavenly Father. In addition, He could also be our father through physical lineage. He never explains exactly how man was created, and we are left with but some rudimentary pictures describing it.
- “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen 1: 26-27
- “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Gen 2:7
The simplistic explanation of man’s creation becomes more apparent in how much information it lacks when compared to this scripture:
- “And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;” Moses 7:33
In Moses God claims not only that we are his children, but that we share the same blood, His blood. We are literally Children of God by spirit, and according to this scripture possibly also by flesh. This brings us to the figurative concept: God’s “chosen people”.
Figurative (God’s Chosen People)
- “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12
Even if we have divine blood coursing through our veins, if we reject it, what good does it do us? Rejecting the divine connection between God and his offspring is to reject the eternities, to reject any hope of life after death, to reject the ideas that perhaps, families can be together forever. This is where the “chosen people” become relevant. God chooses them because they first chose God. In other words, the chosen people are those who choose God. They acknowledge the familial link they have to their Heavenly Father. This is why the Sacrament which renews the Baptismal covenants is very meaningful. By taking the water/wine, we are proclaiming to Him that we accept His blood, our blood, our divine lineage. We accept the covenants that that entails, the covenants that lead to eternal progression and eternal life. We choose to accept His guidance and follow His way.
- “And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.” Mosiah 5:7
If we are His children, why does He let bad things happen to us?
Many think that bad things happening are proof that God doesn’t exist. They see this life as the end-all-be all. They think that there is nothing more important than a good life in the here and now. That isn’t the case however. This life is a test. It is a time to learn and grow. What good is a test without problems? This life is but a time to prepare to meet God. To prepare ourselves to live in Heaven. To learn the Godlike attributes that are required to fit in there.
Here are some resources that follow that topic:
- "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Moses 1:39
Here are some resources that follow that topic:
Learning to be like Father
- "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1: 14-16
- "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48
- "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:" Ephesians 4:11-15 - "Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." 3 Nephi 27:27