I was raised as a non denominational Christian, and had an older sister, God rest her soul. I came across a couple missionaries in 1998 and my life wasn't the same ever again, given I did not immediately latch on to the restoration message. Amid the Y2K scare and other frightening things of the world, I read the New Testament, but I read The Revelation of St John and it was intense and I read the word repent, and knew that I had to try. To this day I'm still trying, although I sought out baptism, read up on the history of the Church of Jesus Christ, and began reading the book of Mormon, and D &C and other good books. I'm very grateful for seminary, and for the awesome missionary effort. I have always believed in Christ. I'm thankful for the faith that was gifted to me by God. I am extremely thankful for repentance. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His life, teachings and ministry and sacrifice. I hope to become more like Christ
I was a member of the Church of England, a protestant Christian church. I could never understand this "three in one person," doctrine that confused me. I asked for an explanation, but that made the vicar annoyed, and he couldn't tell me anything that was understandable! I was 21 when I got baptised into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! What clear and profoundly beautiful doctrine of God, our Father, his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost - three persons with one unity of faith. It is so simple, natural, and understandable! Take care, David! Jill in the UK 😊 x x x
Jill, can you please explain what members of the Church of England believe that the resurrection entails? Do they believe that resurrection includes the restoration of the body with the spirit? I've never been able to understand why Protestants don't think that Jesus Christ has a separate body. Because we believe that Jesus Christ received His body back upon his resurrection and it will never be parted from his spirit again.
Confusion about the doctrine of the Trinity is based in a few things: 1. It’s often taught wisdom. 2. People try to overcomplicate it. 3. God is infinite and we are finite and therefore it will always be somewhat incomprehensible. But the doctrine is simple. God is one in being, and eternally existent as 3 persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Father. But all 3 are God, and there is only one God and only ever will be one God. The god invented by Joseph Smith does not exist.
@@gwengold8154 yes. That’s literally a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith is the bodily resurrection of Jesus. It’s why Paul says that “in Christ the fullness of deity (some translations say the fullness of the godhead) dwells bodily”
On your search with the background of Catholic, Evangelicalism etc. Your perspective is vey valuable. I am LDS(granted a "Jack" Mormon). Lived my life for the most part outside LDS areas. Thank you for posting your videos. They are opening my eyes to many things.. Your non preachiness is appreciated.
Br Alexander, I am so grateful that you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Your testimony is needed so badly and so very welcome. Its so awesome to hear you refer to yourself as "we" or "us" when speaking about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine! That's you entirely Br Alexander, a beloved member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Its so wonderful to be a member, my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is worth more to me than all the gold in the world, there isnt enough gold - period. It makes me smile when you sing "I am a Child of God". Bless you dear brother!
David DO NOT underestimate the way you explain doctrine ever! I know you think you’re just you but you have been given a talent and blessing from God. Just like we all have a mission in this life yours is pertaining to sharing the truth with your back ground. What a gift you’ve been given!
When Jeff McCullough describes our relationship to go God it sounds just like you said. Like dogs praising their master. Sad part is that sounds wonderful to him. Worse it makes God seem like a narcissist. Love you David 💕 thanks for all your doing.
@@justjamie6458Christians are children of God by adoption. You are just a creature under the wrath of God and will remain so unless you repent, turn from your false prophets and false god and place your faith and trust in Jesus alone.
As a 19 yr old missionary, it was fantastic understanding my divine relationship with The Father. So young, with so much light to share in a dark space.
Love this video. I realize that I grew up knowing this logical understanding of the nature of our literal Father in Heaven … amongst Catholics and Protestants that did not know this… and I thought they did. Many say you can’t expect logical understanding of religious/spiritual things. And faith is required… above logic. But honestly… Latter Day Saint Christianity… is extraordinarily… logical. ❤
Matthew 6:9-13 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. "our father, who art in heaven" says jesus. jesus tells us we are brothers and sisters and god is our father.
Also, in Matthew 5:48, the Lord told us.... be ye therefore perfect even as YOUR Father, which is in Heaven, is perfect. He didn't say His Father, but He said YOUR Father. Also proof that we are children of God
Hey, David. A lot of times we will see bumper stickers that say "Let me tell you about my Grandchildren!" Well, I believe that the Savior, especially in the book of John, would have had a similar bumper sticker saying something to the effect of "let me tell you about my father, and your Father! It's almost like the Book of John is entirely structured in Jesus trying to tell the people about his Father and their Father. It is so simple to see to me.
If God has no form, parts or passions, how could we possibly be made in his image? What is left that we could possibly share with the Trinity? How can we be like God just by seeing him as he is, if we have nothing in common with him, and cannot see God? Their interpretation makes no sense and confounds the word of God.
Thank you, David, for sharing pure doctrine. ❤ All people are children of God. We certainly can't become like Him just on this earth, though. He's perfect. I believe it will take a massive amount of progression throughout eternity for us to become more like our loving Father through obedience to Him; and it's going to take a long, long time. 😊 We need the gospel ordinances to get back to Heavenly Father so we can continue our real learning from Him. We owe so much to the Savior for giving us that chance. ❤❤❤
David... I was raised in a baptist home. I could never understand how God being my father, loved me... but somehow when it was all said and done, was probably going to send me to hell. It did NOT make any sense at all. I found the gospel.. the ward choir members helped love me into the church. I know this is the True church on the earth today, we have prophets and apostles who receive direct revelation from our loving Heavenly Father. He loves me, and all of us, and this makes perfect sense- because He is our Father!! I hope you sing in your ward choir- you have a nice voice!! 🎶
Your opening statement about our heritage & the plan of salvation, said by someone that has recently put all these pieces of the puzzle together, is a beautifully precious statement! We have an inheritance awaiting us, if we follow Jesus to attain it, there is no other way except through the plan set up for us. We cannot create our own plan & do whatever we want & expect God to honor & reward rebellious, non understanding children.
Home run David An extremely important fundamental principal of God his nature and our Relationship to him. To denigrate these scriptures in convoluted and confusing distorting the truth. The father of lies does this and those whom have an addenda to have blind follower something which our Heavenly Father or natural fathers would never do! Thank God for the further light and knowledge provided by our Heavenly Father. Amen
The fact that Christ refers to Himself as "Son of Man" is yet another indication regarding the nature of God. I do find it interesting that while we generally refer to God the Father as God, He is not God without our Heavenly Mother. We learn in Genesis, the nature of God is both the male and the female together. Without both, there is no creation of children, and there is no God. So the image of God really is a perfected couple.
Exactly. When God formed Adam...He said...this is NOT GOOD...for this man to be alone...and once He formed Eve...Adam AND Eve were declared by Him to be the very image of God...very GOOD...and then, He rested. What He saw there in Adam and Eve, was the very image and likeness of He and Heavenly Mother....with the inherent potential to become what their Father and Mother are. It is mind bogglingly amazing...incredible and wonderful, but also just simple common sense. It is astounding that all of non-Latter Day Saint christianity can deny this...and demonize us for believing what is so obviously true...it proves we are the Prophetic People Jesus spoke of in Luke 6, who would be blessed in the same way all the other Prophets were blessed...by being "excluded, reviled and having all manner of evil said against them falsely". We are commanded to rejoice in that, for our reward is great in heaven!
Even more interesting when you understand that in Hebrew, the word “Adam” means “Man”, so the word “man” in Hebrew is “Adam”. Think about that little nugget.
Right and, as I believe David mentioned, Elohim (which is always in reference to the Father, seperate from the Son and Holy Spirit) is a plural word so it is likely referring to both Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother who are equals and are one as the Bible says a husband and wife should be one.
Hi David! Love your continent and what you're doing to help dispel the darkness. I did want to say something about one comment you made that 'we'll be one Godhead numerically.' I think it'd be important to re-emphasise the fact that we'd be one in mind, purpose, goals, desires, and work with the Godhead but that we wouldn't replace their leadership. Even Christ frequently made the point that He was all about doing the will of the Father. The prevailing idea from my understanding is, that the Godhead is equivalent to a presiding priesthood quorum. God the Father being the presiding authority. In His case, He is and always will be. The Son and the Holy Ghost are as counselors. Our Father will always be our Father. The Son will always be our savior thus also becoming the 'father of our eternal lives.' The Holy Ghost will always be the conduit of truth, revelation, and their will. I personally believe we will always be subject to and respect their authority, and love them each for what they have done and are doing for us. That even as we are able to achieve that high calling of God, it is not to replace Him, but to continue on in that 'family business'. That divine objective of propagating and perpetuating our species by bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. That we may become part of 'a' Godhead is the goal. My point was/is that we'll always be subject to out of love, respect, and priesthood authority to our God and Father. I'm sure for most of us, that's going to take a bit of time and education. But, hey, we'll have an eternity or two to do it right!
I like what it says in the NT Institute student manual about Romans 8:14-16: "The scriptures speak of us as “children of God” in more than one sense (Romans 8:16). First, every human being is literally a beloved spirit child of Heavenly Father (see Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:29; Hebrews 12:9; “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129). Second, we are “reborn” as children of God through a covenantal relationship when we manifest faith in Jesus Christ, repent, are baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost (see John 1:12; Galatians 3:26-29; Mosiah 5:7; D&C 11:30; Moses 6:65-68). The context of Romans 8:16 makes clear that Paul was speaking of the second, covenantal meaning when he stated, “We are the children of God.” The children of God that Paul spoke of were those who, by virtue of their covenant relationship with Christ, were “led by the Spirit of God” (Romans 8:14). The companionship of the Holy Ghost is God’s assurance that we are His covenant children and that if we are faithful we will one day be “glorified together” with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:16-17). The blessings Paul discussed in Romans 8-blessings such as being “heirs of God” (verse 17), the Spirit’s intercession on our behalf, and the full manifestations of God’s enduring love-are enjoyed by God’s covenant children, but not necessarily by all of His spirit children. Caesar Augustus (see Luke 2:1), who was the ruler of Rome at the time of Christ’s birth, was adopted by his predecessor, Julius Caesar. Adoption was common in the Roman world and would have been a familiar concept to Paul’s readers. A person who legally adopted someone conferred on that person all the rights and privileges that a natural-born child would have. Therefore, when we receive “the Spirit of adoption” (Romans 8:15) through entering the gospel covenant, we become the children of God and “joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17)."
The Bible actually clearly says we are not literal children of God. We are created in God’s image meaning we reflect God in nature through rationality, intelligence, emotions, etc. But we are still creatures nonetheless. The only people who are children of God are those saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and that is only by adoption. That’s actually what Romans 8 says in no uncertain terms.
Of course we know and understand that Within c u l t s, such as Jim jones, the Fiasco at Waco texas, and various other groups that were forced to do various things, there is very little to no agency or free will, it is you'll have your marching orders and you will like it. It's not that way in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we've got agency we can disagree or agree the Doctrine is out there Joseph Smith said it this way, I teach correct principles and the people govern themselves❤
The greatest satisfaction a parent can have is seeing your children raised up to fulfill their potential and to be joint heirs in everything you have to offer them. Does it diminish any parent to see their children reach their potential? How could it? What kind of parent would think this way? If you work your whole life and attained a level of joy and happiness that surpasses all understanding, what kind of parent would not want their children to obtain the same and illuminate the path? What kind of parent looks at his offspring and says “I love you, but you can never have what I have”?
I think there are two aspects of this doctrine that make people uncomfortable: 1) If we can become like God the Father, is his place in our redemption not diminished? My answer to this is: when you become a parent does that experience increase or decrease the degree to which you revere YOUR parent? In my experience, it is in becoming a parent that I more fully comprehend the strength, beauty, and grace with which I was parented. The sacrifice of my parents is almost unknowable until I become more like them. We will eternally love, revere, and worship God the Father, even as we inherit God's glory. 2) Are there fathers without mothers? No, as we sing, "The thought makes reason stare." This can be trickier to navigate/support Biblically, though the foundation is certainly there: Elohim - again, a plural noun - created male AND FEMALE in Elohim's own likeness and image. (David, I would love a video about your take on this unique latter-day saint belief.) I hope we receive more revelation about this in the future!
I have something for you to consider. We all, who are born into this earth, accepted and fought valiantly for God's plan. This included accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. This.means we are all born into this world saved. When the D&C states that the degree of glory we obtain is based on our faithfulness to our Testimony of Jesus Christ, I think it is referring to the testimony that we came into this earth with, and that the Spirit witnesses to all of us. This would be why the church teaches that all who are born into this life will be saved in a Kingdom, unless they do as the rebellious spirits did in the premortal existence, and knowingly reject God. Thoughts?
@@austinnajar my question is, who is the man of holiness we know who the son of man is that’s an interesting term used in Daniel, considering who is on the throne, giving him his power in that vision
Hey David. How did you learn all your songs? I've watched you for a while and i feel like i always hear a new song every episode. You dont seem shy about singing or playing songs to make your point. Do you have a background in music or is it just something you've picked up over the year in evangelical christianity?
36:00. No rockstar god. CS Lewis summed it up beautifully in The Screwtape letters: "..the fact..about His love for men, and (being in) His service..perfect freedom, is..truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of ... *_little replicas of Himself_* -creatures, whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, ..their wills freely conform to His. ... He wants servants who can finally become sons..He wants to give out. ..He is full and flows over..Father..wants a world full of beings united to Him but still distinct."
we could ask them "so... you believe the Bible? some words, most, or every word? so why do you not believe God is really our Father, Jesus His Son, and other things you seem to deny?"
@@thebigsamoan1 Hi Brother!! youre correct to wonder... I stated it as a question to the double-minded Christians David has in the title... theyre so proud to say they believe the Bible as if more so than anyone different but then claim "it doesnt really mean that" about clearly possible applications of the words
Too many members, I believe, have made a stumbling block for themselves by thinking “we’re Christian because we follow Christ”. That’s not what Christians believe makes you Christian. The Trinity is false in minute yet crucial ways. Imagining a God so powerful He cannot make himself known to his creations is a less loving and powerful God than the God of the Mormons. Insofar as trinitarians insist that they are the only true Christians, I say hurrah! We aren’t “Christian”! We worship God correctly understood.
More accurately, we are not Luther heretic so called Christians. Luther invented bible alone, faith alone. He broke from 1500 years of Christianity. So, no, we do not follow heretic Luther I tell them.
By definition (in the Oxford dictionary), a Christ is someone that believes in the teachings of Christ and is a disciple. So members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints are Christians :)
@@Sissi1830 I’m an active member and consider myself a follower of Christ. What I’m saying is that Protestants call themselves Christian but mean Protestant. Christians call themselves Christian but mean trinitarian. They don’t accept that dictionary definition or at least make a lot of effort to argue that we aren’t followers of Christ.
As a Christian I’m curious your thoughts on this. If I were to claim to be Mormon but say I think the Book of Mormon is demonically influenced, Joseph Smith was a false prophet, and your god doesn’t exist, would you argue that I’m not actually Mormon? And if so, why is that? I assume because I deny things fundamental to your faith. Why should we as Christians allow Mormons, who deny nearly every fundamental of the Christian faith, to then call themselves Christians and thus sully the name of Christ?
@@davidmalvinalexander the reason I asked your opinion is that sometimes Christ is referred to as the Father in the scriptures. His Father and our Father is not the one doing the adopting. It’s a question I wondered if you had additional insight or a different perspective on. I understand that Christ is referred to as Father because He created our physical universe under the direction of His Father, Christ has been given the title “Father” by Heavenly Father, and that He was given claim to us when He paid the price of our sin and took upon Him our infirmities and sorrows. Christ has a claim to us that way as an adopted Father. This is the way I reconcile in my mind the scriptures that refer to Christ as the Father. Mosiah 3:8,19 Mosiah 15:2-5 Ether 3:14 we sho become His sons and daughters Mosiah 16:15 Isaiah 9:6
better to not presume only one eternal woman as worthy to be God's mate ... the better term when you feel necessary to mention is "Parents" ... the scriptures are clear theres ONLY ONE God the Father of all humanity but theres no specificity on the number of His spouse(s) and it helps make Him more personal to mainly just say "God" and "Father"
When Paul notes that we are the offspring of the Father, the author of Hebrews notes that God is the Father of spirits, and Jesus states to Mary Magdalene to tell the 11 apostles that He goes to My God and your God, My Father and Your Father, that is plainly literal. The otherness of God comes from the One of Plato which was brought into 4th Century Christianity at Nicea and beyond. The One is the totally other. Of course Biblical scriptures sound weird and blasphemous with that pagan influence. We were told as Evangelicals that we are God's children because it created us out of nothing. I say "It" because the spirit essence without body, parts, or passions that lies at the heart of the Nicene Trinity does not have any gender, nor can it have a throne as It has no body. The scriptures make so much more sense once those pagan concepts are no longer read into them.
I say to them: to become as God knowing good from evil not be God. Doesn’t God know good from evil? Did Eve know serpents lie? Did she even know what a lie was?
David, what do you think about the idea that there is an adoption. When we covenant with Christ, our brother, He having paid the price for our sin against Father, adopts us and receives the title, “Father”
We don''t have to be "adopted"...he is our Father by birth...he begot us in pre-mortality. Did the Prodigal Son have to be "'adopted", when he repented and came back to his Father? Not at all. And even if there is an "adoption"...you can't truly "adopt" into your family, any being that is not of the same species. I am adopted...and my mom adopted me...because I was a human being, like her. If I wasn't of the same species.....she would have not, and could have not, legally become my mother. Jesus is our Redeemer, not our "adopter". When you redeem something...you are "buying back" something, to bring it back under the authority of the one who lost the item when it went into the pawnshop. Redeeming, brings a thing back into possession of one who had it formerly, and now has it again, because he "redeemed it" , he "bought it back". We are redeemed by Christ, not "adopted" by Christ.
Here’s how I understand it. There’s two ways in which someone is a child of God. First- we are all the literal spiritual offspring of heavenly parents. The second way we are children of God is by becoming children of the covenant or children of Christ. When one is converted unto the gospel, baptized and ‘born again’ in Christ- they become His covenant children. That is the adoption that many other Christian denominations believe in. But because they believe that Christ and the Father are two different persons of the same ‘essence’- (instead of two persons of two difference essences entirely) they don’t differentiate between being Christ’s covenant child and being Heavenly Father’s spiritual son or daughter. We are the children of God by spirit and the children of Christ by covenant. See Mosiah 5:7: “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.” The biggest difference between our beliefs and that of mainline Christians is that we believe that all human beings are the children of God regardless of race religion culture or background. And we also believe that one can become a covenant child of Jesus Christ through obedience to our covenants with Him. Mainstream Christians only believe we can symbolically become children of God through covenant. And so they do not differentiate between scriptures in the Bible that refer to us as children of Christ and the scriptures that refer to us as children of God. (The Father) I think that’s where a lot of the disagreement comes from. Many times in the New Testament the apostles speak about becoming children of God through covenant. But there are also mentions throughout the old and New Testament of mankind being the offspring of God. It’s modern revelation and the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great price that helps us to understand the distinction.
I think the idea about being adopted is we are taught we are adopted into the House of Israel. I believe many of us are actual decendants of Israel. At least some of tribes of Israel were spread into Europe where many of us came from. Very good explanation of what many Christians believe. Steven saw God the Father with Jesus. They both had to of had bodies and were separate. Just as they were when Joseph Smith saw them or whe Jesus was baptized.
There are two ways in which we are children of God 1 all human beings regardless of race, religion culture or background are the literal spiritual offspring of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. 2 when one is converted to the gospel they become covenant sons and daughters of Christ having been spiritually born again. See Mosiah 5:7: “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.” There are scriptures in the Bible that refer to us as children of God (the father) and others that speak of this covenant relationship with Christ as our Father. Mainstream Christians believe in the Trinity so they do not differentiate between the scriptures of being children of Heavenly Father and the scriptures of being children of Christ. It’s modern revelation, the Book of Mormon and Pearl of great price that help us to understand the difference. We are the spiritual sons and daughters of Heavenly Parents and the covenant children of Christ through obedience.
@@davidmalvinalexander I think bro Kay is referring to being adopted to Christ's gospel. In that light I agree and therefore, it is also the Father's gospel. As Paul states in alike truth... "we are also" the Father's literal offspring. :>)
Human beings are not the same species as God, God is infinite, humans are finite beings. There is only ONE infinite being, that is God. There is nothing in the bible that says we are biological children of a Mother and Father God in heaven. You are diluting God, by introducing procreation in to the equation. No creature can ever possess an incommunicable attribute of the almighty God. we are changeable but He is not. We depend on God from our first breath, He also sustains and preserves, so we are dependent on Him for our continuing existence, God has no dependence on anything or anyone, this is the difference between us and God. God has His being in and of Himself; He is eternal and self- existent. So powerful, no need to lower himself to a biological act to create something, He can breathe it, and it is created. It is only by God's will that we grow and advance and become like Him but we will never be God, it would be blastomas.
That all sounds really pagan. The jews knew God is a Man. Their name for him is "Man of Holiness", it wasn't until gentiles were accepted into the early church that the doctrines started to become corrupted by their pagan beliefs. Paul and the apostles did their best to combat the growing mistruths up to the point where they all were killed, leaving the church leader less and directionless
I was raised as a non denominational Christian, and had an older sister, God rest her soul. I came across a couple missionaries in 1998 and my life wasn't the same ever again, given I did not immediately latch on to the restoration message. Amid the Y2K scare and other frightening things of the world, I read the New Testament, but I read The Revelation of St John and it was intense and I read the word repent, and knew that I had to try. To this day I'm still trying, although I sought out baptism, read up on the history of the Church of Jesus Christ, and began reading the book of Mormon, and D &C and other good books. I'm very grateful for seminary, and for the awesome missionary effort. I have always believed in Christ. I'm thankful for the faith that was gifted to me by God. I am extremely thankful for repentance. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His life, teachings and ministry and sacrifice. I hope to become more like Christ
I was a member of the Church of England, a protestant Christian church. I could never understand this "three in one person," doctrine that confused me. I asked for an explanation, but that made the vicar annoyed, and he couldn't tell me anything that was understandable!
I was 21 when I got baptised into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! What clear and profoundly beautiful doctrine of God, our Father, his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost - three persons with one unity of faith. It is so simple, natural, and understandable!
Take care, David!
Jill in the UK 😊 x x x
Love you so much and thank you for sharing!
All my love your way!!!
🙏💖🌟
Jill, can you please explain what members of the Church of England believe that the resurrection entails? Do they believe that resurrection includes the restoration of the body with the spirit? I've never been able to understand why Protestants don't think that Jesus Christ has a separate body. Because we believe that Jesus Christ received His body back upon his resurrection and it will never be parted from his spirit again.
Confusion about the doctrine of the Trinity is based in a few things:
1. It’s often taught wisdom.
2. People try to overcomplicate it.
3. God is infinite and we are finite and therefore it will always be somewhat incomprehensible.
But the doctrine is simple. God is one in being, and eternally existent as 3 persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Father. But all 3 are God, and there is only one God and only ever will be one God.
The god invented by Joseph Smith does not exist.
@@austinnajar thanks, but can you please say whether Jesus Christ got His body back, never to be parted from it again?
@@gwengold8154 yes. That’s literally a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith is the bodily resurrection of Jesus. It’s why Paul says that “in Christ the fullness of deity (some translations say the fullness of the godhead) dwells bodily”
On your search with the background of Catholic, Evangelicalism etc. Your perspective is vey valuable. I am LDS(granted a "Jack" Mormon). Lived my life for the most part outside LDS areas. Thank you for posting your videos. They are opening my eyes to many things.. Your non preachiness is appreciated.
So come with us, Sister Dora!
Br Alexander, I am so grateful that you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Your testimony is needed so badly and so very welcome. Its so awesome to hear you refer to yourself as "we" or "us" when speaking about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine! That's you entirely Br Alexander, a beloved member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Its so wonderful to be a member, my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is worth more to me than all the gold in the world, there isnt enough gold - period. It makes me smile when you sing "I am a Child of God". Bless you dear brother!
David DO NOT underestimate the way you explain doctrine ever! I know you think you’re just you but you have been given a talent and blessing from God. Just like we all have a mission in this life yours is pertaining to sharing the truth with your back ground. What a gift you’ve been given!
A-M-E-N!!😂🎉👄💪💥⬆️❤️
Yes yes yes indeed!
When Jeff McCullough describes our relationship to go God it sounds just like you said. Like dogs praising their master. Sad part is that sounds wonderful to him. Worse it makes God seem like a narcissist. Love you David 💕 thanks for all your doing.
It is "Pastor" Jeff's goal to be one of God's house pets. A loyal, but very inferior life form.
@@nonrepublicrat ya, id rather be a child if God than a pet if God.
@@justjamie6458Christians are children of God by adoption. You are just a creature under the wrath of God and will remain so unless you repent, turn from your false prophets and false god and place your faith and trust in Jesus alone.
As a 19 yr old missionary, it was fantastic understanding my divine relationship with The Father. So young, with so much light to share in a dark space.
Love this video. I realize that I grew up knowing this logical understanding of the nature of our literal Father in Heaven … amongst Catholics and Protestants that did not know this… and I thought they did.
Many say you can’t expect logical understanding of religious/spiritual things. And faith is required… above logic. But honestly… Latter Day Saint Christianity… is extraordinarily… logical. ❤
Matthew 6:9-13
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
"our father, who art in heaven"
says jesus.
jesus tells us we are brothers and sisters and god is our father.
Also, in Matthew 5:48, the Lord told us.... be ye therefore perfect even as YOUR Father, which is in Heaven, is perfect. He didn't say His Father, but He said YOUR Father. Also proof that we are children of God
@@ElsaBotha8379
yep.
and also shows that we will become perfected beings, just like our father ... hmmm ... you mean "gods/goddesses" ?
yep.
Hey, David. A lot of times we will see bumper stickers that say "Let me tell you about my Grandchildren!"
Well, I believe that the Savior, especially in the book of John, would have had a similar bumper sticker saying something to the effect of "let me tell you about my father, and your Father!
It's almost like the Book of John is entirely structured in Jesus trying to tell the people about his Father and their Father. It is so simple to see to me.
If God has no form, parts or passions, how could we possibly be made in his image? What is left that we could possibly share with the Trinity? How can we be like God just by seeing him as he is, if we have nothing in common with him, and cannot see God? Their interpretation makes no sense and confounds the word of God.
Thank you, David, for sharing pure doctrine. ❤ All people are children of God. We certainly can't become like Him just on this earth, though. He's perfect. I believe it will take a massive amount of progression throughout eternity for us to become more like our loving Father through obedience to Him; and it's going to take a long, long time. 😊 We need the gospel ordinances to get back to Heavenly Father so we can continue our real learning from Him. We owe so much to the Savior for giving us that chance. ❤❤❤
David... I was raised in a baptist home. I could never understand how God being my father, loved me... but somehow when it was all said and done, was probably going to send me to hell. It did NOT make any sense at all. I found the gospel.. the ward choir members helped love me into the church. I know this is the True church on the earth today, we have prophets and apostles who receive direct revelation from our loving Heavenly Father. He loves me, and all of us, and this makes perfect sense- because He is our Father!! I hope you sing in your ward choir- you have a nice voice!! 🎶
But whom sayest thou Peter that I am..
Peter replied, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Your opening statement about our heritage & the plan of salvation, said by someone that has recently put all these pieces of the puzzle together, is a beautifully precious statement! We have an inheritance awaiting us, if we follow Jesus to attain it, there is no other way except through the plan set up for us. We cannot create our own plan & do whatever we want & expect God to honor & reward rebellious, non understanding children.
Home run David
An extremely important fundamental principal of God his nature and our Relationship to him.
To denigrate these scriptures in convoluted and confusing distorting the truth.
The father of lies does this and those whom have an addenda to have blind follower something which our Heavenly Father or natural fathers would never do!
Thank God for the further light and knowledge provided by our Heavenly Father. Amen
Hi David good to see you again. Much Love.
The fact that Christ refers to Himself as "Son of Man" is yet another indication regarding the nature of God.
I do find it interesting that while we generally refer to God the Father as God, He is not God without our Heavenly Mother. We learn in Genesis, the nature of God is both the male and the female together. Without both, there is no creation of children, and there is no God. So the image of God really is a perfected couple.
Exactly. When God formed Adam...He said...this is NOT GOOD...for this man to be alone...and once He formed Eve...Adam AND Eve were declared by Him to be the very image of God...very GOOD...and then, He rested. What He saw there in Adam and Eve, was the very image and likeness of He and Heavenly Mother....with the inherent potential to become what their Father and Mother are. It is mind bogglingly amazing...incredible and wonderful, but also just simple common sense. It is astounding that all of non-Latter Day Saint christianity can deny this...and demonize us for believing what is so obviously true...it proves we are the Prophetic People Jesus spoke of in Luke 6, who would be blessed in the same way all the other Prophets were blessed...by being "excluded, reviled and having all manner of evil said against them falsely". We are commanded to rejoice in that, for our reward is great in heaven!
Even more interesting when you understand that in Hebrew, the word “Adam” means “Man”, so the word “man” in Hebrew is “Adam”. Think about that little nugget.
Right and, as I believe David mentioned, Elohim (which is always in reference to the Father, seperate from the Son and Holy Spirit) is a plural word so it is likely referring to both Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother who are equals and are one as the Bible says a husband and wife should be one.
BEAUTIFUL, ⬆️GLORIOUS WORDS! 👄🎶💥💪
And Heavenly Father is " _Man of Holiness_ ." -Moses 6: 57
David, thanks for continuing to make such useful content! Keep the faith brother!!!
Hi David! Love your continent and what you're doing to help dispel the darkness. I did want to say something about one comment you made that 'we'll be one Godhead numerically.' I think it'd be important to re-emphasise the fact that we'd be one in mind, purpose, goals, desires, and work with the Godhead but that we wouldn't replace their leadership. Even Christ frequently made the point that He was all about doing the will of the Father. The prevailing idea from my understanding is, that the Godhead is equivalent to a presiding priesthood quorum. God the Father being the presiding authority. In His case, He is and always will be. The Son and the Holy Ghost are as counselors. Our Father will always be our Father. The Son will always be our savior thus also becoming the 'father of our eternal lives.' The Holy Ghost will always be the conduit of truth, revelation, and their will. I personally believe we will always be subject to and respect their authority, and love them each for what they have done and are doing for us. That even as we are able to achieve that high calling of God, it is not to replace Him, but to continue on in that 'family business'. That divine objective of propagating and perpetuating our species by bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. That we may become part of 'a' Godhead is the goal. My point was/is that we'll always be subject to out of love, respect, and priesthood authority to our God and Father. I'm sure for most of us, that's going to take a bit of time and education. But, hey, we'll have an eternity or two to do it right!
2 mins 20 in and already gave me the chills.
Love your work.
That's rare!
Thank you for all that you do, and all my love your way.
Wow, thank you!
@@davidmalvinalexander Thank you! I feel so blessed to be able to share it all over Twitter (now X) and beyond!!!
All my love your way,
Always!
Love love love❤️
I like what it says in the NT Institute student manual about Romans 8:14-16:
"The scriptures speak of us as “children of God” in more than one sense (Romans 8:16). First, every human being is literally a beloved spirit child of Heavenly Father (see Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:29; Hebrews 12:9; “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129). Second, we are “reborn” as children of God through a covenantal relationship when we manifest faith in Jesus Christ, repent, are baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost (see John 1:12; Galatians 3:26-29; Mosiah 5:7; D&C 11:30; Moses 6:65-68). The context of Romans 8:16 makes clear that Paul was speaking of the second, covenantal meaning when he stated, “We are the children of God.” The children of God that Paul spoke of were those who, by virtue of their covenant relationship with Christ, were “led by the Spirit of God” (Romans 8:14). The companionship of the Holy Ghost is God’s assurance that we are His covenant children and that if we are faithful we will one day be “glorified together” with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:16-17). The blessings Paul discussed in Romans 8-blessings such as being “heirs of God” (verse 17), the Spirit’s intercession on our behalf, and the full manifestations of God’s enduring love-are enjoyed by God’s covenant children, but not necessarily by all of His spirit children.
Caesar Augustus (see Luke 2:1), who was the ruler of Rome at the time of Christ’s birth, was adopted by his predecessor, Julius Caesar. Adoption was common in the Roman world and would have been a familiar concept to Paul’s readers. A person who legally adopted someone conferred on that person all the rights and privileges that a natural-born child would have. Therefore, when we receive “the Spirit of adoption” (Romans 8:15) through entering the gospel covenant, we become the children of God and “joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17)."
WONDERFUL QUOTES!!⬆️⬆️
THX 4 SHARING!!😂🎉
The Bible actually clearly says we are not literal children of God. We are created in God’s image meaning we reflect God in nature through rationality, intelligence, emotions, etc. But we are still creatures nonetheless.
The only people who are children of God are those saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and that is only by adoption. That’s actually what Romans 8 says in no uncertain terms.
@@austinnajarWrong we lived with God before coming to this earth
@@MRRANDOMZ11 what is your biblical basis for that belief?
Of course we know and understand that Within c u l t s, such as Jim jones, the Fiasco at Waco texas, and various other groups that were forced to do various things, there is very little to no agency or free will, it is you'll have your marching orders and you will like it. It's not that way in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we've got agency we can disagree or agree the Doctrine is out there Joseph Smith said it this way, I teach correct principles and the people govern themselves❤
The greatest satisfaction a parent can have is seeing your children raised up to fulfill their potential and to be joint heirs in everything you have to offer them. Does it diminish any parent to see their children reach their potential? How could it? What kind of parent would think this way? If you work your whole life and attained a level of joy and happiness that surpasses all understanding, what kind of parent would not want their children to obtain the same and illuminate the path? What kind of parent looks at his offspring and says “I love you, but you can never have what I have”?
I wonder if Dolores Hammock from Missoula,MT) heard. David sing:." I' AM A Child of God". She would be weeping for JOY!!😂🤸♂️👏
Thanks for sending. Getting ready to leave for church.❤
Same here
I was too. Wanting a respite.but decided to put one foot in front of the other and humble myself to trust in the Father
Glad to see something from David. It's been a few days!
I think there are two aspects of this doctrine that make people uncomfortable:
1) If we can become like God the Father, is his place in our redemption not diminished? My answer to this is: when you become a parent does that experience increase or decrease the degree to which you revere YOUR parent? In my experience, it is in becoming a parent that I more fully comprehend the strength, beauty, and grace with which I was parented. The sacrifice of my parents is almost unknowable until I become more like them. We will eternally love, revere, and worship God the Father, even as we inherit God's glory.
2) Are there fathers without mothers? No, as we sing, "The thought makes reason stare." This can be trickier to navigate/support Biblically, though the foundation is certainly there: Elohim - again, a plural noun - created male AND FEMALE in Elohim's own likeness and image. (David, I would love a video about your take on this unique latter-day saint belief.) I hope we receive more revelation about this in the future!
Wonderful message! Truer words have not been spoken!!!
Dropping by to say hi 👋 always love the content ❤
Great video, David! I loved it 😍
Nominal Christianity version: God is Geppetto, we are Pinocchio!😄
I have something for you to consider.
We all, who are born into this earth, accepted and fought valiantly for God's plan. This included accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. This.means we are all born into this world saved.
When the D&C states that the degree of glory we obtain is based on our faithfulness to our Testimony of Jesus Christ, I think it is referring to the testimony that we came into this earth with, and that the Spirit witnesses to all of us. This would be why the church teaches that all who are born into this life will be saved in a Kingdom, unless they do as the rebellious spirits did in the premortal existence, and knowingly reject God.
Thoughts?
I have heard some describe us as being an adopted child of God.
David, read Moses 6:57 in the Pearl of Great Price. It makes it clear why Jesus Christ is called the Son of Man.
One of my favorite verses! Who is the Man of holiness?
The term “Son of Man” actually comes from the Book of Daniel and is a divine term reserved for the coming Messiah.
@@austinnajar my question is, who is the man of holiness we know who the son of man is that’s an interesting term used in Daniel, considering who is on the throne, giving him his power in that vision
@@MichaelSaline The Father declares that His own name is Man of Holiness.
@@virginiabrown2445 yes that is one of his titles. But you didn’t read Daniel 7. Because he has other titles that he goes by as well.
Hey David. How did you learn all your songs? I've watched you for a while and i feel like i always hear a new song every episode. You dont seem shy about singing or playing songs to make your point. Do you have a background in music or is it just something you've picked up over the year in evangelical christianity?
36:00. No rockstar god. CS Lewis summed it up beautifully in The Screwtape letters:
"..the fact..about His love for men, and (being in) His service..perfect freedom, is..truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of ... *_little replicas of Himself_* -creatures, whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, ..their wills freely conform to His.
...
He wants servants who can finally become sons..He wants to give out. ..He is full and flows over..Father..wants a world full of beings united to Him but still distinct."
Mosiah 15:1-5
we could ask them
"so... you believe the Bible?
some words, most, or every word?
so why do you not believe God
is really our Father, Jesus His Son,
and other things you seem to deny?"
Umm, I'm confused! Who are you actually addressing here that deny God is our Father and that Jesus is his son? Definitely not David, is it?
@@thebigsamoan1
Hi Brother!!
youre correct to wonder... I stated it as a question to the double-minded Christians David has in the title... theyre so proud to say they believe the Bible as if more so than anyone different but then claim "it doesnt really mean that" about clearly possible applications of the words
Too many members, I believe, have made a stumbling block for themselves by thinking “we’re Christian because we follow Christ”. That’s not what Christians believe makes you Christian. The Trinity is false in minute yet crucial ways. Imagining a God so powerful He cannot make himself known to his creations is a less loving and powerful God than the God of the Mormons.
Insofar as trinitarians insist that they are the only true Christians, I say hurrah! We aren’t “Christian”! We worship God correctly understood.
More accurately, we are not Luther heretic so called Christians. Luther invented bible alone, faith alone. He broke from 1500 years of Christianity.
So, no, we do not follow heretic Luther I tell them.
By definition (in the Oxford dictionary), a Christ is someone that believes in the teachings of Christ and is a disciple.
So members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints are Christians :)
@@Sissi1830 I’m an active member and consider myself a follower of Christ. What I’m saying is that Protestants call themselves Christian but mean Protestant. Christians call themselves Christian but mean trinitarian. They don’t accept that dictionary definition or at least make a lot of effort to argue that we aren’t followers of Christ.
As a Christian I’m curious your thoughts on this. If I were to claim to be Mormon but say I think the Book of Mormon is demonically influenced, Joseph Smith was a false prophet, and your god doesn’t exist, would you argue that I’m not actually Mormon? And if so, why is that? I assume because I deny things fundamental to your faith.
Why should we as Christians allow Mormons, who deny nearly every fundamental of the Christian faith, to then call themselves Christians and thus sully the name of Christ?
Why is the church so hesitant to talk about Heavenly Mother then?
How was FAIR David?
I enjoyed it very much...what I could fit in to my schedule. I only found out about it...after it had long already started!
@@davidmalvinalexander the reason I asked your opinion is that sometimes Christ is referred to as the Father in the scriptures. His Father and our Father is not the one doing the adopting. It’s a question I wondered if you had additional insight or a different perspective on. I understand that Christ is referred to as Father because He created our physical universe under the direction of His Father, Christ has been given the title “Father” by Heavenly Father, and that He was given claim to us when He paid the price of our sin and took upon Him our infirmities and sorrows. Christ has a claim to us that way as an adopted Father. This is the way I reconcile in my mind the scriptures that refer to Christ as the Father. Mosiah 3:8,19
Mosiah 15:2-5
Ether 3:14 we sho become His sons and daughters
Mosiah 16:15
Isaiah 9:6
better to not presume
only one eternal woman
as worthy to be God's mate
... the better term when you feel
necessary to mention is "Parents"
... the scriptures are clear theres
ONLY ONE God the Father of all
humanity but theres no specificity
on the number of His spouse(s)
and it helps make Him more
personal to mainly just
say "God" and "Father"
Good point. We are all children of "heavenly parents". Same Father, for sure.
When Paul notes that we are the offspring of the Father, the author of Hebrews notes that God is the Father of spirits, and Jesus states to Mary Magdalene to tell the 11 apostles that He goes to My God and your God, My Father and Your Father, that is plainly literal.
The otherness of God comes from the One of Plato which was brought into 4th Century Christianity at Nicea and beyond. The One is the totally other. Of course Biblical scriptures sound weird and blasphemous with that pagan influence. We were told as Evangelicals that we are God's children because it created us out of nothing. I say "It" because the spirit essence without body, parts, or passions that lies at the heart of the Nicene Trinity does not have any gender, nor can it have a throne as It has no body. The scriptures make so much more sense once those pagan concepts are no longer read into them.
Does God the father have a wife or wives? Are spirit children conceived inside the spirit or body of God's wife or wives?
and the usual retort is, that is the same lie Satan told Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
I say to them: to become as God knowing good from evil not be God. Doesn’t God know good from evil? Did Eve know serpents lie? Did she even know what a lie was?
David, what do you think about the idea that there is an adoption. When we covenant with Christ, our brother, He having paid the price for our sin against Father, adopts us and receives the title, “Father”
We don''t have to be "adopted"...he is our Father by birth...he begot us in pre-mortality. Did the Prodigal Son have to be "'adopted", when he repented and came back to his Father? Not at all.
And even if there is an "adoption"...you can't truly "adopt" into your family, any being that is not of the same species. I am adopted...and my mom adopted me...because I was a human being, like her. If I wasn't of the same species.....she would have not, and could have not, legally become my mother.
Jesus is our Redeemer, not our "adopter". When you redeem something...you are "buying back" something, to bring it back under the authority of the one who lost the item when it went into the pawnshop. Redeeming, brings a thing back into possession of one who had it formerly, and now has it again, because he "redeemed it" , he "bought it back". We are redeemed by Christ, not "adopted" by Christ.
Here’s how I understand it. There’s two ways in which someone is a child of God.
First- we are all the literal spiritual offspring of heavenly parents.
The second way we are children of God is by becoming children of the covenant or children of Christ. When one is converted unto the gospel, baptized and ‘born again’ in Christ- they become His covenant children.
That is the adoption that many other Christian denominations believe in. But because they believe that Christ and the Father are two different persons of the same ‘essence’- (instead of two persons of two difference essences entirely) they don’t differentiate between being Christ’s covenant child and being Heavenly Father’s spiritual son or daughter.
We are the children of God by spirit and the children of Christ by covenant.
See Mosiah 5:7:
“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.”
The biggest difference between our beliefs and that of mainline Christians is that we believe that all human beings are the children of God regardless of race religion culture or background. And we also believe that one can become a covenant child of Jesus Christ through obedience to our covenants with Him.
Mainstream Christians only believe we can symbolically become children of God through covenant. And so they do not differentiate between scriptures in the Bible that refer to us as children of Christ and the scriptures that refer to us as children of God. (The Father)
I think that’s where a lot of the disagreement comes from. Many times in the New Testament the apostles speak about becoming children of God through covenant. But there are also mentions throughout the old and New Testament of mankind being the offspring of God.
It’s modern revelation and the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great price that helps us to understand the distinction.
I think the idea about being adopted is we are taught we are adopted into the House of Israel. I believe many of us are actual decendants of Israel. At least some of tribes of Israel were spread into Europe where many of us came from. Very good explanation of what many Christians believe. Steven saw God the Father with Jesus. They both had to of had bodies and were separate. Just as they were when Joseph Smith saw them or whe Jesus was baptized.
There are two ways in which we are children of God
1 all human beings regardless of race, religion culture or background are the literal spiritual offspring of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.
2 when one is converted to the gospel they become covenant sons and daughters of Christ having been spiritually born again.
See Mosiah 5:7:
“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.”
There are scriptures in the Bible that refer to us as children of God (the father) and others that speak of this covenant relationship with Christ as our Father. Mainstream Christians believe in the Trinity so they do not differentiate between the scriptures of being children of Heavenly Father and the scriptures of being children of Christ.
It’s modern revelation, the Book of Mormon and Pearl of great price that help us to understand the difference.
We are the spiritual sons and daughters of Heavenly Parents and the covenant children of Christ through obedience.
@@davidmalvinalexander I think bro Kay is referring to being adopted to Christ's gospel. In that light I agree and therefore, it is also the Father's gospel. As Paul states in alike truth... "we are also" the Father's literal offspring. :>)
Human beings are not the same species as God, God is infinite, humans are finite beings. There is only ONE infinite being, that is God. There is nothing in the bible that says we are biological children of a Mother and Father God in heaven. You are diluting God, by introducing procreation in to the equation. No creature can ever possess an incommunicable attribute of the almighty God. we are changeable but He is not. We depend on God from our first breath, He also sustains and preserves, so we are dependent on Him for our continuing existence, God has no dependence on anything or anyone, this is the difference between us and God. God has His being in and of Himself; He is eternal and self- existent. So powerful, no need to lower himself to a biological act to create something, He can breathe it, and it is created. It is only by God's will that we grow and advance and become like Him but we will never be God, it would be blastomas.
That all sounds really pagan. The jews knew God is a Man. Their name for him is "Man of Holiness", it wasn't until gentiles were accepted into the early church that the doctrines started to become corrupted by their pagan beliefs. Paul and the apostles did their best to combat the growing mistruths up to the point where they all were killed, leaving the church leader less and directionless