Dof g ch03

God the Eternal Father Chapter 3

Introduction 3. God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable (see
Mormon 9:9; D&C 20:12, 17; 109:77).
Central to our faith as Latter-day Saints is a 4. God is just, true, and righteous in all things (see
correct understanding of God the Father. We seek Revelation 15:3; Psalm 89:14; Ether 3:12).
to know what He has revealed of His nature 5. God is perfect in His love and mercy (see Psalm
throughout the ages. By learning of Him, we begin 103:17–18; 2 Nephi 9:8, 53; Exodus 34:6–7;
to develop the relationship with Him that Jesus 1 Chronicles 16:34).
described when He said, speaking of the disciples, 6. God is the source of light and law (see D&C
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in 88:12–13).
me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us”
D. God is the Supreme Being in the universe.
(John 17:21).
1. God the Father is greater than all (see Ephesians
4:6; John 10:29).
Doctrinal Outline 2. As the Supreme Being, God the Father should be
The scriptures do not always specify which the object of our love and worship (see D&C 18:40;
member of the Godhead is being referred to in a 20:29; Joshua 22:5; Mark 12:30; D&C 4:2; Luke 4:8).
given passage. Since the Father and the Son are 3. God created all things through His Son (see
one in all things, the scripture references used in Hebrews 1:1–2; Moses 1:32–33; 2:1).
this chapter that speak of God are applied to the E. The Father presides over the Godhead.
Father, though many may also apply to the Son.
1. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are the
The perfections and attributes of one are also the
members of the Godhead (see Articles of Faith 1:1;
perfections and attributes of the other. 1 John 5:7; Alma 11:44).
A. The existence of God is a reality.
2. Each member of the Godhead is physically
1. “All things denote there is a God” (Alma 30:44; separate and distinct from the others (see D&C
see also v. 43; Moses 6:63; D&C 88:47). 130:22; Matthew 3:16–17; Acts 7:55–56).
2. God’s voice has been heard from heaven (see 3. The members of the Godhead are united in Their
Matthew 3:17; 17:5; 3 Nephi 11:3–7; Joseph attributes, power, and purpose (see John 17:20–21;
Smith—History 1:17). D&C 20:28; 35:2; 2 Nephi 31:21; 3 Nephi 11:27).
3. Prophets have testified of God’s existence (see 4. The Father is the supreme member of the
1 Nephi 1:8; Acts 7:55–56; Joseph Smith—History Godhead (see John 14:26, 28, 31; 2 Nephi 31:7, 12;
1:25; D&C 76:19–24). 3 Nephi 28:11).
B. God is the father of all mankind.
1. God is literally the father of the spirits of all
mankind (see Hebrews 12:9; Acts 17:28–29;
Numbers 16:22).
2. Jesus declared that His god is our god and that
His father is our father (see John 20:17).
3. We are created in God’s own image (see Genesis
1:26–27; Alma 18:34; Ether 3:15; Abraham 4:26–27;
Moses 2:26–27; Mosiah 7:27).
4. God has love and concern for His children and
His creations (see 1 John 4:7–10; Matthew
10:29–31; 1 Nephi 11:14–22; John 3:16).
5. God’s work and glory is to bring about the
immortality and eternal life of His children (see
Moses 1:39).
C. God is perfect in His person, character, and
attributes.
1. God is a holy, perfected personage with a body
of flesh and bones (see Moses 6:57; 7:35; D&C
130:22; Matthew 5:48).
2. God knows all things and has all power and
might (see 1 Nephi 9:6; Mosiah 4:9; 2 Nephi 2:24;
Moroni 7:22).

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Chapter 3

Supporting Statements results of obedience to the law of the Lord. They
who obey law find a joy not otherwise to be
A. The existence of God is a reality.
secured. From such conformity, prayer, and heed
to conscience has come to millions of people the
■ “The heavens declare the glory of a God, and
revelation, the certain conviction, that God lives
the firmament showeth His handiwork; and a
and guides His children on earth. The message is
moment’s reflection is sufficient to teach every
as real as the words issuing from the radio tuned
man of common intelligence, that all these are not
to the broadcaster. Certain it is that man has
the mere productions of chance, nor could they be
within himself the power to find and to know
supported by any power less than an Almighty
God. . . .
hand” (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet
“As a supplementary evidence is the further
Joseph Smith, 56).
historical fact that a number of men have declared
■ “The existence of God, tested by all human
that they have seen God, and even spoken with
powers, is the most firmly established fact in
Him, or that they have received messages from
man’s possession.
Him for themselves and others. The historicity of
“The searcher for God may turn for evidence to
their claims is in most cases well established.
the external universe, to his own inner self, and to
That which was done, for example, by Paul the
human history for his answer.
Apostle and Joseph Smith the Prophet after their
“. . . Every process of nature is orderly. Chance,
heavenly experiences helps confirm the truth of
disorder, chaos are ruled out of the physical
their claims” (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and
universe. If every condition involved in a system is
Reconciliations, 19–21).
precisely the same, the result, anywhere,
everywhere, today or at any other time, will be B. God is the father of all mankind.
the same. The sun does not rise in the east today ■ “God the Eternal Father, whom we designate
and in the west tomorrow. That means that the by the exalted name-title ‘Elohim,’ is the literal
phenomena of nature are products of law. The Parent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and
infinitely large or the infinitely small move in of the spirits of the human race” (“The Father
obedience to law. In man’s earnest search for truth, and the Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by the First
no exception to this process has been found. . . . Presidency and the Twelve,” in James E. Talmage,
“. . . The universe, itself, declares that there is The Articles of Faith, 466).
■ “I want to tell you, each and every one of
intelligent purpose in nature, and that there must
be, therefore, a supreme intelligence directing the you, that you are well acquainted with God our
universe. This is God. . . . Heavenly Father, or the great Elohim. You are all
“The evidence for God which comes from the well acquainted with him, for there is not a soul of
invisible world, the world as yet only feebly you but what has lived in his house and dwelt
explored by science, is equally convincing. . . . with him year after year; and yet you are seeking
“Such, for example, is the evidence of to become acquainted with him, when the fact is,
conscience. If one seeks to do right, he is warned you have merely forgotten what you did know.
whenever he is tempted to stray from the proper “There is not a person here to-day but what is a
path. Similar is the evidence of prayer. The vast son or a daughter of that Being. In the spirit world
majority of mankind agree that prayer helps people their spirits were first begotten and brought forth,
meet or solve the problems of life. Or, note the and they lived there with their parents for ages
before they came here” (Brigham Young,
Discourses of Brigham Young, 50).
■ “God is Father of the spirits of all flesh, not

only of those that fear him, but of those who do
not fear him, and who disobey His laws. He is
the father of the spirits of all, and as is spoken
of in the Scriptures, ‘We are His offspring and
emanated from him.’” (John Taylor, in Journal of
Discourses, 21:14).
■ “We are the children of God. That doctrine is

not hidden away in an obscure verse. It is taught
over and over again in scripture. These clear
examples are from the Bible:
“‘All of you are children of the most High’
(Psalm 82:6).
“And: ‘We are the offspring of God’ (Acts 17:29).
“Doctrinal truths are interrelated. There is an
old saying that if you pick up one end of a stick,
you pick up the other end as well.
“If you concede that we are His children, you
must allow that God is our Father” (Boyd K. Packer,

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Chapter 3
in Conference Report, Oct. 1984, 82; or Ensign, McConkie, “Our Relationship with the Lord,” in
Nov. 1984, 66–67). Brigham Young University 1981–82 Fireside and
■ “God himself was once as we are now, and is Devotional Speeches, 101).
an exalted man. . . . If the veil were rent today, . . . E. The Father presides over the Godhead.
if you were to see him today, you would see him ■ “Three glorified, exalted, and perfected
like a man in form—like yourselves in all the personages comprise the Godhead or supreme
person, image, and very form as a man. . . . presidency of the universe. . . . They are: God the
“. . . It is the first principle of the Gospel to Father; God the Son; God the Holy Ghost. . . .
know for a certainty the Character of God, and to “Though each God in the Godhead is a
know that we may converse with him as one man personage, separate and distinct from each of
converses with another, and that he was once a the others, yet they are ‘one God’ . . . , meaning
man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of that they are united as one in the attributes of
us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ perfection. For instance, each has the fulness
himself did; and I will show it from the Bible” of truth, knowledge, charity, power, justice,
(Smith, Teachings, 345–46). judgment, mercy, and faith. Accordingly they all
■ “God made man in his own image and
think, act, speak, and are alike in all things; and
certainly he made woman in the image of his yet they are three separate and distinct entities.
wife-partner” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings Each occupies space and is and can be in but
of Spencer W. Kimball, 25). one place at one time, but each has power and
C. God is perfect in His person, character, and influence that is everywhere present” (McConkie,
attributes. Mormon Doctrine, 319).
■ “What did Jesus do? Why; I do the things I ■ “Everlasting covenant was made between three
saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into personages before the organization of this earth,
existence. My Father worked out his kingdom and relates to their dispensation of things to men on
with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; the earth; these personages, according to Abraham’s
and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to record, are called God the first, the Creator; God the
my Father, so that he may obtain kingdom upon second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the
kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will witness or Testator” (Smith, Teachings, 190).
then take a higher exaltation, and I will take his ■ “There is a oneness in the Godhead as well
place, and thereby become exalted myself. So that as a distinctness of personality. This oneness is
Jesus treads in the tracks of his Father, and inherits emphasized in the sayings and writings of
what God did before; and God is thus glorified prophets and apostles in order to guard against
and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of all the erroneous idea that these three may be distinct
his children” (Smith, Teachings, 347–48). and independent deities and rivals for our
D. God is the Supreme Being in the universe. worship” (Joseph F. Smith, “Answers to
■ “By definition, God (generally meaning the Questions,” Improvement Era, Jan. 1901, 228).
Father) is the one supreme and absolute Being; the
ultimate source of the universe; the all-powerful,
all-knowing, all-good Creator, Ruler, and Preserver
of all things” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon
Doctrine, 317).
■ “God is the only supreme governor and

independent being in whom all fullness and
perfection dwell; who is omnipotent, omnipresent,
and omniscient; without beginning of days or end
of life; and that in him every good gift and every
good principle dwell; and that he is the Father of
lights; in him the principle of faith dwells
independently, and he is the object in whom the
faith of all other rational and accountable beings
center for life and salvation” (Joseph Smith, comp.,
Lectures on Faith, 10).
■ “Our relationship with the Father is supreme,

paramount, and preeminent over all others. He is
the God we worship. It is his gospel that saves
and exalts. He ordained and established the plan
of salvation. He is the one who was once as we
are now. The life he lives is eternal life, and if we
are to gain this greatest of all the gifts of God, it
will be because we become like him” (Bruce R.

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Dof g ch03

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