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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Lorenzo Snow's couplet is indeed part of the LDS gospel

"As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, 2011.) Below are a few examples of current Church teachings that place the first half of Lorenzo Snow's couplet squarely within the LDS gospel. Notice that the sources are all published in the 21st century and they are all Correlation approved.


1.

"God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!"

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 40.

New Era, Feb. 2012.

Liahona, Feb. 2012.

Doctrines of the Gospel Teacher Manual, (2011).

Book of Mormon Teacher Resource Manual, (2004).

Presidents of the Church Student Manual, (2004).

Old Testament Teacher Resource Manual, (2003).

Church History In The Fulness Of Times Student Manual, (2003).

New Testament Teacher Resource Manual, (2002).

Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Seminary Teacher Resource Manual, (2001).


2.

"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man. … If the veil were rent today, … if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man. …

"… It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did."

Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, (2000).


3.


Many religions teach that human beings are children of God, but often their conception of Him precludes any kind of bond resembling a parent-child relationship. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught of a much simpler and more sensible relationship: "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit … was to make himself visible … , you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another."

We are of God’s family. We are His sons and daughters, created in the image of heavenly parents.

Liahona, Jan. 2005.

Ensign, Jan. 2005.


4.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, basing its belief on divine revelation, ancient and modern, proclaims man to be the direct and lineal offspring of Deity. God Himself is an exalted man, perfected, enthroned, and supreme."

Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Student Study Guide, (2005).


5.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, basing its belief on divine revelation, ancient and modern, proclaims man to be the direct and lineal offspring of Deity. God Himself is an exalted man, perfected, enthroned, and supreme. …

"Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and endowed with divine attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so the undeveloped offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and aeons, of evolving into a God"

Presidents of the Church Teacher Manual Religion 345, (2005).

Ensign, Feb. 2002.

Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, (2000).


6.

Joseph Smith taught: "It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God. … He was once a man like us; … God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did"

Gospel Principles, (2011).


7.

"It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did."

Presidents of the Church Student Manual, (2004).

Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, (2000).

3 Comments:

Blogger R. Gary said...

This post is my response to Dave Banack's post about Lorenzo Snow's coouplet.

3/12/2013 05:42:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you again, R Gary, for your confirmations.

3/12/2013 07:27:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I didn't bother to read the 101 comments on the other post. I'm with you on this one. The couplet, or it's doctrinal equivalent, has been and is still taught in our lessons today, as you aptly pointed out. Don't see why anyone would have a problem with it.

3/13/2013 02:26:00 PM  

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