Fatherhood and Motherhood

For about 30 years now I have had the privilege to be called a father, even dad by certain former little people that have now grown up for the most part.  I am not alone in my experience as countless men share the calling.  How important is this incredible opportunity?

My opportunity started out with one little boy and grew to three boys and five girls and now three grandchildren, soon to be five.  It is not mine to enjoy alone.  It would not be anything without my companion.  Her divine nature as a mother and woman never ceases to amaze me.  Our time together has brought a seemingly endless opportunity to watch unique individuals grow and develop under our care as their parents.  It has been a learning experience beyond compare for us and them and still is.  While I set out to count my blessings as a father I have to ask the question.  What is fatherhood without motherhood?  Can it even exist without motherhood?

Raising children can be an all consuming occupation so much so that it is possible to take for granted while it is happening.   When the opportunity to reflect on it arrives it can be amazing.  I try to make it a point to reflect more often and appreciate the moments when they are happening.

I think the greatest calling in life is to raise the next generation of parents.  Whether as a parent, aunt, uncle or friend it is something that must happen to keep love at the center of our relationships.  We try our best to teach and love but we are still learning in the process ourselves. Why does God want us to have this experience?

What does fatherhood mean when speaking of God and His title "Father in Heaven"?  As I have asked that question in religious discussion I have heard from some that it is not a literal fatherhood.  It is only figurative because he is our creator and while the title father is used it is only a manner of speaking because such language is biblical.

I always imagined and do believe that our relationship is more personal and that Heavenly Father is a title that is very literal to both us and to Jesus Christ and that we are God the Father's spiritual offspring  in a divine and significant way.

Fatherhood is about creation and teaching and it is inseparably and eternally connected to motherhood.  I think and ponder on what it means to be eternally and inseparably bound in perfect union as co-creators with God.  A perfect union not because of us but because that is how he designed it.   His parenthood is divine, but is he a single parent?  While the imperfections of mortal life have certainly given way to difficult and confusing circumstances and ideologies that can cloud an eternal perspective, we must see the truth of our intimate relationships.

Parenting and creation of life is naturally served and set forth in a pattern of an observable nature.  Our pattern is set forth in the image of God.   Think about what that means.  It is to be a parents with children, teaching them truth and inspiring them to observe and learn the laws of life even the laws of eternal life.

One question to think about is when did our relationship with Deity begin?   It is a common belief that a part of our nature is spirit creation and united with a physical body.  There is scriptural teaching to this effect.  When did this creation of our spiritual nature come about?

I am only aware of  two basic beliefs regarding this subject.  One is that God created our spirit instantly out of nothing to give our body life with no significant eternal purpose.  The other is that our spirits and intelligence existed prior to earthly birth and have been enjoined for an important eternal purpose for spiritual growth.

If we are eternal beings on a journey that will be everlasting it makes more sense to me, that although we may not understand how, that the part of us that makes us unique and different from everyone else, our spiritual intelligence, has always existed.  Our spirit is a literal natural creation flowing from eternal truth from a divine and sacred relationship.  We have a spiritual DNA endowed from God that we should become aware of.

If we look at our creation and existence, one question about creation and fatherhood should be asked again.  What is it without motherhood and womanhood?  When the creation of the world was finished, they the Gods, (It says let us, plural, there were two and I understand that to be the Father and the Son) then created man in their own image and likeness.  That creation included both man and woman.  Based on this and other scripture passages the likeness of God cannot be a single man by himself.

The Genesis story makes the nature of our relationships perfectly clear.  He, the man, is not complete without woman and neither is she complete without man.  The "image" of God is described as "male and female".  That is how we exist, now and forever.  Alone neither can create any living thing but together they can create after their own image and likeness.  This is an endowment from our creator. This is an eternal truth.  It does not change.

Think of the greatest birth ever recorded that we celebrate and revere as Christians.  Our eternal hope is based on a sacred birth which never could have occurred without the divine power and gift of motherhood.

Links to Articles on Parenthood and eternal families and marriage

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=2b862ee01e31c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=54cf84d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Why Did Jesus Have To Die?

The Pupose of the Atonement

Why did Jesus have to die? I wondered about the reasons why the Bible tells this story. Born in the Christian faith yet unfamiliar with its doctrine I lived as many have and do with just a passing interest in religion. A time arrived where I took a sincere interest in the subject. To understand what others believe I talked to teachers in the mainstream of the Christian community and continue to study the theological discussions of those Bible scholars and apologists. The subject hinges on the fall of man, the existence of sin and how to reconcile or redeem man to God.

While my desire is to ponder the principles upon which the atonement occurred, I do wish to make it clear that I accepted the Savior's mercy and grace on the basis of a spiritual witness to my own spirit. I was acquainted with my own personal burden of sin similar to that which all humans carry to one degree or another. That burden was lifted and removed by simple faith in the Son of God and following his teachings regarding repentance and baptism and a continued willingness to follow his example. That is why I know his message of salvation is real. It brings peace in this life and assuredly eternal life in the world to come.

My desire here is to simply attempt to share in my search to understand the principles by which man comes to God. Most traditional Christian theologians teach that Jesus died to overcome sin and save us but never really explain the reasons why he had to die. Why? Because they don't know. They attempt philosophical reasoning to fill in the gaps where knowledge lacks yet even these attempts fail at reason or logic to any degree based on their doctrine of an all powerful and all good deity.

What did his death and suffering accomplish that God the Father could not do by his own all powerful abilities? What is sin and where does it come from? The scholars of Christian theology declare them mysteries that God in his greatness does not explain. Certainly such significant questions are not meant to be a complete mystery to the human mind and spirit and don't have to be thanks to the latter day revelations on this subject.

From Old Testament sacrifice of animals to the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, the concept of God taking such steps has caused many to wonder. How are some "saved" by the death of another. Why would an all powerful being utilize such methods to carry out his plans?

As important as the question is as to the death of Jesus, its companion question carries a significant weight as well. Why did man have to fall? It is apparent that he did have to fall since he did and here we are.

God created this world in a physical realm and allowed imperfection, suffering and seemingly random injustices to come and exist in it. Why did he not set restrictions to keep it in a state of spiritual perfection without such afflictions and opposition. How do these injustices of life reconcile to a loving God? The realities of life tell us that we as parents, when motivated by love would seek to avoid undue hardship on our children, yet what would they be without their own experiences?

This creation and mortal existence attest to the nature and character of God. If he is a being of order and reason, this creation cannot be a random act of research or an experimental project. There must be an eternal purpose for having a physical body and facing the challenges and opposition that exist in mortality.

The Eternal Nature of God's Plan

In a premortal time, Christ was chosen before the foundation of this world to be our Savior. Who was he chosen to save? Prior to coming to earth we (all people) all lived together with our Heavenly Father and the Savior. The creation of our spirit occurred before our birth into mortality. From this existence lasting an unknown period of time we developed loving personal relationships with them. God's eternal purpose and plan requires a period of mortality otherwise it would not be so.

Scripture and reason together should explain why we are here and why it was necessary for Jesus to come as well. The plan of salvation is extended to us because of their perfect and eternal love for us. In the pre-mortal life, we learned and understood that as spirit sons and daughters of God, we would have to descend to a mortal life on an earth such as this in order to grow and be able to achieve the full nature of our spiritual capacities.

The Fall of Adam

Adam and Eve were created and placed in a paradisaical state of existence. Was it intended to be their eternal state of existence?

There is much discussion about this subject by Christian philosophers and theologians. Most seem to agree that Adam made a bad choice by his decision to partake of the tree of knowledge. Some of them are not sure. They teach that this was the introduction of sin to the world and it was a grave mistake. Some think we could have stayed in the Garden of Eden forever. The bible teaches that eternal salvation comes in only one way. That is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the blood he shed that we might have forgiveness of our sins.

Since Jesus was chosen from before the foundation of the earth to be the savior, man's fall would be a prerequisite to receiving what He would offer. In other words, if Adam did not fall then there would be no Jesus Christ as Savior. Both of their roles are essential to man's spiritual progress.

While Adam had an immortal body not subject to death, his existence was not the fullness of God's eternal plan. Through Adam’s fall and the foreordained resurrection of Jesus Christ, Adam’s body and that of all his posterity would be redeemed and perfected to a state of glory that was not achieved at his creation in the garden.

The power of the Savior's atonement would bring an increase of spiritual power to us as resurrected beings. It first required a descent into mortality by which our eternal spirit would become associated with a physical body where difficulties, sin and opposition existed including mortal death. Death and sin were consequences of Adam's choice and God made provisions to overcome both of them. During our fallen mortality we are subject to the temptations of the adversary. Satan's punishment is that he will forever remain without a body or a chance to be resurrected. He was cast out of the premortal realm to the earth for rebellion. Death releases us from his domination and temptations. Because of our Redeemer the sting of death is eliminated and Satan is overcome.

Without this mortality and the opposing forces and choices that are part of it, we could not progress in ways our Father in Heaven intended. Here on earth we have a comprehensive opportunity to learn of good and evil. Which we follow is our choice. This life is a necessary step for eternal happiness. Here on earth we learn many important things as we form family relationships, experience the consequences of our choices and undergo a vast variety of opposition.

This life is a time for developing and living by faith and proving our moral agency by our choices in an environment of freedom from immediate consequences. Adam did not die physically on the spot when he partook of the tree. He was given a lifetime to repent and learn.

The means to overcome the spiritual death Adam and Eve suffered was immediately implemented. They were taught about salvation through their Savior and Redeemer who was chosen when they were chosen in the premortal life. They also learned the principles of repentance and salvation and taught them to their children. The Holy Ghost was also present in their lives.

Eternal Truth and the Laws of Justice and Mercy

The reason for Jesus's death becomes very direct and has pretty much remained unanswered by biblical theologians. In their efforts to produce an all powerful god as a father deity, they can't reconcile his allowing the death, in essence a killing that he (God the Father) should have been able to stop if he were truly good and an powerful Sovereign in every respect. They have failed to see that God's sovereignty is only according to the eternal truth which he upholds.

My purpose here is not to consider every aspect of the justice divine but only to point out that the death of Jesus was not required by God the Father but by some working of eternal truth that we may not fully understand at this point. This message is to see the obvious reasons why the demands of justice are so powerful and that they must exist independently of God as a principle of truth.

God abides by the truth. Truth is comprised of all eternal laws, principles and facts. Theses laws are ruled by perfect justice and govern the heavens and are the framework of eternal truth. He does not create truth or eternal laws. Just as he has always existed so to have they. He is therefore a God of truth.

The importance of understanding the basis of perfect justice and eternal law is that chaos would exist if they did not. Sin is the violation of these eternal spiritual laws and principles. They are the foundation for the moral laws that God has given us. If they did not exist there would be no basis for sin or condemnation. They have been given to man in the form of commandments.

Through prophets like Moses and in other scriptural teachings man is taught something of the laws of heaven and the difference between good and evil. No mortal person is capable of keeping them all and thus we sin. To overcome sin and its effects requires a redeeming power. That power is the atonement of Jesus Christ. He lived the law perfectly and was qualified to be our redeemer. Neither the laws of justice, spiritual death or physical death held power over him because of his perfect obedience and godhood.

Eternal truth and law determine what is good and and what is evil. Good and evil stand eternally opposed to each other. If this were not the case, God would be the creator of sin and evil. They are uncreated and constitute eternal truth. We learn this from the Garden of Eden. After partaking of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God said “the man has become as one of us to know good and evil.”

God knows the difference between good and evil and intended for us to know it. If such opposition did not exist, there would be no knowledge or understanding, no moral agency or free will because there would be no opportunity to choose anything. To to make choices and learn the difference between good and evil are key purposes for coming to earth. Jesus died to give us that freedom and opportunity. Because of him our poor choices need not condemn or destroy us or cause us unnecessary suffering.

Can justice and mercy be administered by a single sovereign being? If a sovereign being enforces justice by punishing the offenders of the laws, he cannot also deliver mercy to them just because he feels like it otherwise he would violate his own laws. If he did so this would rob justice and make it of no effect. Having sovereignty over truth would mean he is able to change the truth or law to avert suffering if he were to choose to. This simply is not the case as suffering does in fact abound.

Truth cannot change or it would cease to be truth. If as a loving God, he held such power, then the concept of allowing any person to suffer, or to use death or sacrifice in order to have mercy would be unnecessary and extreme if not whimsical. Under the justice of eternal laws, mercy can only be brought about by fulfillment of the penalties associated with the broken laws. If this were not the case, God would not be perfectly just.

God the Father saves us from the punishment of sin and exercises mercy through the laws which he upholds. These laws allow for an innocent and sinless being to suffer the penalties on behalf of those who break the laws. In the case of man, the measure of suffering necessary to save him required that God send his son as the only begotten in the flesh. Jesus was a being of infinite capacity, he was a God because of his Father and yet born of a mortal mother and therefore able to live or die as he chose. Because he lived a perfect life he was free from the demands of justice and therefore able to act as a substitute for us and satisfy the demands of justice that would require our punishment.

We don't fully comprehend the manner in which Jesus was able to suffer in our place, give up his life and overcome death through the power of the resurrection. This is why Jesus died, to overcome and satisfy the demands of justice of broken spiritual laws.

From Gethsemane to Golgotha he was scourged and wounded draining his body of its life blood. He then willingly gave up his life on the cross. God our Father, through this sacrifice brings to us the unconditional gift of the resurrection from death and the opportunity for forgiveness of our sins if we are willing to covenant with him to take upon us the name of his son.

Jesus as our Savior


God the Father allowed the suffering and death of Christ and met the demands of eternal justice for our sins. Christ willingly accepted this mandate of the Father. He suffered to a degree that we will not comprehend in this lifetime. Neither do we yet fully understand the interaction of these laws which I have tried to describe yet they must exist in order for such sacrifice to be required. The Father did not sacrifice the Son to himself.

With our own personal suffering we may be able to glimpse in a small degree what he did, yet because of what he did, he can console us in all of our burdens and suffering. There is no pain he is not familiar with. Through the effects of suffering and physical death during this mortality we gain spiritual power in terms of eternal personal growth and the possibility of exaltation because of our Savior's mercy.

Why did Jesus have to die? God’s eternal plan is to bring us, his spirit sons and daughters into a physical creation with mortal life. By means of a perfect redemption, which includes a physical resurrection we will receive eternal stations of glory according to how we loved and served God. Then we will understand the full importance of passing through the tribulation of mortality with the opportunity to make choices and how Jesus made it possible through an act of infinite grace, mercy and love.

Judgement and Accountability

Every person born on the earth will stand before a tribunal or in the presence of God to give an accounting of their life and acknowledge his justice or receive his mercy and forgiveness. Before they are judged each person will be given a just opportunity to know what Jesus did. Those who choose to follow God by repenting of their sins and accepting Christ and his covenants will not suffer the penalty for their sins. They will receive an eternal reward that includes joy and happiness and eternal family relationships.

Those who reject the commandments and ignore his sacrifice subject themselves to the justice of the law and the penalties associated therewith and forgo the mercy that would have been available to them. They will suffer for their own sins and will not be able to have eternal life in His presence. There will be some measure of eternal regret. He constantly extends the invitation to come unto him and repent as he desires that all partake of his mercy knowing that justice cannot be denied.

I have experienced personally the effects of Christ's mercy and know it has power to lift every burden and remove the effects of sin and suffering from us as individuals. It is life eternal, to know the only true God and his son Jesus Christ, how they love each other and us and what they have done to bring about this marvelous gift on which we might have a perfect brightness of hope.

For more reading on the Atonement:

http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1207-24,00.html