I have recently been in discussion with a friend of mine who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As the high-priced ad campaign for the church delights in proclaiming, “He’s a Mormon.” We have been talking for several years about the differences between Mormonism and Christianity. Recently he said that through our discussions he had come to realize that we absolutely worship different gods and because of that, we worship and see ourselves differently as well. I agreed. He went on to explain that he believed that Heavenly Father was literally the father of our spirits. He then said that because Christians do not believe this, we imagine that we are like God’s pets. He said that our relationship with the Father is like a pet to its owner rather than true family. Although He takes care of us, we are around purely for His amusement and pleasure. As I Googled this idea, it seems to be a frequent retort on blogs and in chat rooms by LDS that, “We are not God's pets. We are His Children.”
My response was this,
The reality may be even more startling. According to God's word we are like livestock, specifically sheep to a shepherd. We are dumb animals, incapable of truly understanding or being in true relationship with the Good Shepherd. Because of His love for us, He became the pure, spotless Lamb, sacrificed in our place, if we allow Him.
When we trust in Jesus' perfect work, we for the first time become the Children of God by adoption. I have written an article about what God's word reveals about the name "Children of God" here. We are God's creation. We are not literally and automatically God's children as Mormons' claim, but we can be when we come to Christ by faith. Jesus is not our spirit brother. He is our propitiation for those that trust in Him alone.
Photo by
Yes & Amen Photography
Are We God's Pets?
Posts
15 comments:
Yes! We are God's trophies and statues, designed to forever reflect his beauty!
We have finite understanding, while the Triune God is infinite in all His attributes. It seems to me that Mormons are caught in the infinite regress issue that true Christians are not. In the last analysis, God is the Sovereign Creator and we are His particularly blessed creatures. We cannot fathom why He has done what He has done, but only marvel at His awesome grace in doing so. Eternity awaits and we can then begin the process of seeing and understanding both His mind and heart.
Paul sid it better than I: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
1Corinthians 13:12
How about none of the above? I don't see any necessary and required link or affection between a creator and his creation. Humans tend to require a sense of self-entitlement. Case in point, the creation of the Bible.
On a completely different topic the theme “Are we God’s pets?” reminds me of what we think of our own pets and animals in general.
There is an issue out there that I see very little on in regards to whether there was animal suffering before the fall of man and how we should respond to it.
You know those of us who have or had pets or who take care of animals have sometimes had to get a suffering animal put down to relieve the creature’s pain.
So my question is did God create suffering with disease like cancerous tumours before the fall... that is did God call Very Good what we by our own actions seem to say the opposite?
Also doesn’t this give opportunity for the sceptics to question God’s character?
Everything was created 'very good' before the fall. Death entered the world when Adam sinned & the Last Adam (Christ) defeats death. This beautiful world is under the curse, all creation groans because of Adam's sin. Imagine what it was like before. We can't.
Hi Mr Gordons,
I completely agree...
btw.. what's your first name?
Ed
Eddie, call me whatever the mods allow, I haven't made up a 1st name yet ;-)
'Humans tend to require a sense of self-entitlement.'
Were you entitled to evolve? Why were you or anyone entitled to evolve? Why would anyone evolve, aside from the alleged science supporting it which only pretends to say 'how' and not 'why'.
Ok Mr Gordon,
I think you made a good point in your 2nd last comment in that "all" creation groans due to sin entering the world & not just humanity.
In regards to macro evolution I think it takes unusual faith to believe life came from dead matter and we evolved with incredible increasing complexity without any intelligence.
Ed.
Thanks Ed. Like the book says, 'I don't have enough faith to be an atheist'. I can't believe that everything came from nothing.
To support Eddie:
A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But [even] the compassion of the wicked is cruel. (Prov 12:10, NASB)
Thanks Storm,I know there are other Christians who use this blog and also the people who run this ministry who hold to a different view of the age of the earth and all that surrounds it.
But I for one really appreciate this ministry and know there are great men of God doing good work for the Lord who hold to the OEC view.
Thank God we can all be part of His family and not have to be in agreement on every single matter of the faith that is a non-essential.
Responding to the original post, I cringe at the terms your Mormon friend (and apparently others) used to explain his/her rejection of your beliefs. I am a Mormon myself. I don't doubt they said "you imagine we are like God's pets," but... ouch.
I did think it is interesting that you say, "The reality... we are like livestock." Do you mean the reality is you imagine we are like God's livestock, or the reality is that we are God's livestock?
One statement is parallel to what your Mormon friend was trying to express about your beliefs. The other presumes you are the true arbiter of God's word, and that your friend is necessarily wrong because he disagrees with you (and/or your interpretation of the Bible).
Hi Meg,
When we as Christians/the bible say we are His sheep or livestock I believe these are analogies that present certain aspects of our relationship to our heavenly Father and God who becomes our heavenly Father does so by faith in Jesus Christ and we are adopted into God’s family.
However when we take the whole of scripture into account we get a fuller picture of the wonderful love God has for us and the glorious position he has place us in in Christ.
Indeed He has loved His elect from all eternity and has chosen us in Christ even before we existed.
To speak on a more personal level I know the love of God in my own life and it goes far beyond livestock, sheep or pet analogies. I have and continue to experienced Christ great love and the great sense of worth He has also given me revealed to me by His word and Spirit.
I know I’m far from perfect and I struggle with sin, but God who is perfect is glorified in how good He is to his children and one day He will glorify His saints.
What we see now is as through a dim glass we will fully know and then be made perfect.
What God has in store for those who believe in His Son who is the everlasting God will be the fulfilment of what we were created for... which is to our own understanding right now beyond comprehension.
Going back to sheep and livestock, as I've said these are ways to help us understand God’s care for us and the foolishness we often exhibit, but there’s so much more to the relationship that God has towards His children and His children towards Him.
I pray you may come to know God’s unfathomable love for yourself which comes through faith in Jesus Christ who is the eternal true God.
I am a skeptic that wants to believe, if that makes sense. If god exists, then it seems to me that we are here for his entertainment. The information we have is very limited, god is not very forthcoming. When asked what he is, he says he (it) is what he is. When asked what he looks like he says we could not see him, we are physically incapable. When asked where he comes from, the answer is he has no beginning and no end, therefore he has no creation and has always been.
He demands us to worship him, or else. He created us and gave us a soul so that he can torture us and use us for his entertainment. I think there is more than meets the eye, too many unanswered questions. Sure, we can have faith, live life and hope we are righteous enough to not go to hell and continue his entertainment.
Post a Comment