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| The Principle of Eternal Progression |
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We have undergone a process of change, and that progression from lower to higher state will continue. Joseph Smith described the process thus: Here, then, is eternal life - to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. (TPJS p. 347). All scripture is designed to point us in the direction of this goal, to become as God is. Christ exhorts us "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). The Greek word which has been translated "perfect" is teleios. "Perfect" is really not an adequate translation for the concept the Savior is proposing. In Greek, teleios means "having reached its end, finished, complete" (Liddell and Scott, An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon). In line with our path towards godhood, it is much more important that we be exhorted to be "completed", to "reach our end goal". These concepts support us while we travel on the path of progression, and urge us to finish the process. Our focus should not be on perfection, but on the process which leads to being perfected. Too often we beat ourselves with a concept of Perfection which will only be attained after much trial and tribulation. While we may become perfect as God is, it will only be after the end of the process. One of the important implications of the exhortation or us to become perfect (completed) even as our Father is perfect (completed) is that in a very real sense, Godhood is a state and not a person. God is God because he has become God, not because he was and is inherently divine. By following the path laid out before us through the gospel, we too may progress, and become completed, that is a finished exalted being. In so doing, we achieve a state of Godhood, and become Gods ourselves. As unique individuals, we can become like the God we worship. He is as individual as we. Nevertheless, we may achieve that state of being. Is becoming as God the end of the process? Does progression continue only up to a point? The modern prophets are adamant that progression is also eternal. Brigham Young forcefully pronounced that "the God I serve is progressing eternally, and so are his children: they will increase to all eternity, if they are faithful" (JD 11:286). How can God, or His children which are to become like Him, progress after reaching that glorious state? How can God become better than God? It is a limitation of our thinking to propose that godhood is a final stage. It certainly appears so from our perspective, especially when we realize how difficult it will be to achieve, but it is an illusion. We simply do not understand much about what it is like to be God. Joseph Smith tried to give us some understanding of how God progresses: What did Jesus do? Why; I do the things I saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into existence. My Father worked out his Kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my Father, so that he may obtain kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted myself (TPJS p. 348). In a very real sense, we are the way God progresses. While Joseph Smith's hints do not give us a totally clear picture of what it is like to be God, it is apparent that God's progression has to do with the concept of glory, which will increase as His children become as He is. It is for this reason that God specifically states that it is "my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). The Principle of Eternal Progression gives us a context for our life on earth. It is an intermediate stage, a means of moving us from one state to another. We are here to continue a process of change which began before the earth was even created. We expect that it is a process which will take us until after our time on this earth has passed. During this life, it is important to remember that we are becoming who we are to be. We are not who we were, though we know that we bring unique talents with us into this world. We are also not yet who we will be. On this earth, we are striving to become as God is. It is a process of change, one of Eternal Progression |
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| by Brant Gardner. Copyright 1998 |
It is impossible
to discuss either the Principle of Eternal Existence, or the Principle of Eternal Uniqueness without some mention
of the change which has occurred in the various forms of eternal matter. We may learn that mankind has roots in
an eternally unique and eternally existing Intelligence, but it is also clear that we are now more than that. In
fact, it is God's stated purpose to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).
This underlines the changes that have and must continue to occur in our progression towards Godhead. We are the
Becoming Gods.
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