One Response to “You claim that God is flesh and blood. How do you explain Jo…”
Manuel Miranda
2007-12-28 07:18:37
Mormons do not claim that God is flesh and blood. We claim that He has a body of flesh and bone. This distinction is important. We believe that God is a spirit being who chooses to inhabit a body of flesh and bone, much as humans have spirits that reside in physical bodies.
Thus, no Mormon would have a problem with John 4:24, which states that God is a spirit. Mormons also believe He is a spirit being.
There are multiple biblical passages that suggest that God possesses a physical body. The fact that man was created in God's image suggests that God is not some mysterious force or immaterial being; rather, God possess a physical body, and we were made physical beings in His likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). The Old-Testament prophet Jacob saw God face to face, suggesting God has a physical body (Genesis 32:30). Moses also saw God face to face and spoke with Him (Exodus 33:11). Additionally, Moses also saw God's hand, back parts, feet, mouth, and finger, further suggesting He has a physical body (Exodus 33:21-23, Exodus 24:9-11, Numbers 12:6-8, Deuteronomy 8:3, and Deuteronomy 9:10). The psalmist also implied that God has a physical body when he wrote oENG_index.phpf God's hands, arms, and countenance (Psalm 44:3). The New Testament described a vision of God's right hand (Acts 7:55-56). The apostle John described God's face, again suggesting He has a physical body (Revelation 22:3-4).
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the world-wide leaders of the church, recently made another good point: "[Mormons believe] in an embodiedbut certainly glorifiedGod. To those who criticize this scripturally-based belief, I ask at least rhetorically: If the idea of an embodied God is repugnant, why are the central doctrines and singularly most distinguishing characteristics of all Christianity the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the physical Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? If having a body is not only not needed but not desirable by Deity, why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem His body, redeeming it from the grasp of death and the grave, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from His spirit in time or eternity? Any who dismiss the concept of an embodied God dismiss both the mortal and the resurrected Christ."
Thus, no Mormon would have a problem with John 4:24, which states that God is a spirit. Mormons also believe He is a spirit being.
There are multiple biblical passages that suggest that God possesses a physical body. The fact that man was created in God's image suggests that God is not some mysterious force or immaterial being; rather, God possess a physical body, and we were made physical beings in His likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). The Old-Testament prophet Jacob saw God face to face, suggesting God has a physical body (Genesis 32:30). Moses also saw God face to face and spoke with Him (Exodus 33:11). Additionally, Moses also saw God's hand, back parts, feet, mouth, and finger, further suggesting He has a physical body (Exodus 33:21-23, Exodus 24:9-11, Numbers 12:6-8, Deuteronomy 8:3, and Deuteronomy 9:10). The psalmist also implied that God has a physical body when he wrote oENG_index.phpf God's hands, arms, and countenance (Psalm 44:3). The New Testament described a vision of God's right hand (Acts 7:55-56). The apostle John described God's face, again suggesting He has a physical body (Revelation 22:3-4).
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the world-wide leaders of the church, recently made another good point: "[Mormons believe] in an embodiedbut certainly glorifiedGod. To those who criticize this scripturally-based belief, I ask at least rhetorically: If the idea of an embodied God is repugnant, why are the central doctrines and singularly most distinguishing characteristics of all Christianity the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the physical Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? If having a body is not only not needed but not desirable by Deity, why did the Redeemer of mankind redeem His body, redeeming it from the grasp of death and the grave, guaranteeing it would never again be separated from His spirit in time or eternity? Any who dismiss the concept of an embodied God dismiss both the mortal and the resurrected Christ."