Ask a Question - or - Return to the Faith and Spirituality Forum Index

Question Title Posted By Question Date
Being like God? Jon Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Question:

Praise you for your work that you do.

I actually have been meditating over your answer from my last question "Why does satan hate us?"

But I am kinda stuck on the be "like God" thing. Does the Church teach that we be a higher entity then Angels? Or that we will have "Godlike" powers? I am confused because this is a morman doctrine, and I might be confusing them.

I understand that we are made in his form but I thought it was only in apperance.

Another thing popped in my mind during Prayer. What is our reword in Heavan, does it vary in "size or worth" so to speak. On one hand the scripture says we are all equal to the Father, but it also says that we are rewarded for our deads. I would think that the reward is just making it to heavan and eating at His table. But is there a human hiarchy and or economy in heavan simular to earth?

Peace with you always :-)
Big Jon

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear Jon:

We are not made in the "appearance" of God. God has no material body, He is a pure Spirit. The "image of God" is in the creative capacities and the ability to reason, to reflect, to love that He has given us. It is the Rational Soul that is in the image of God. Animals have a Vegatative Soul and a Sensitive Soul, and plants have a Vegatative Soul, but only human beings have all three -- vegatative, sensitive, and Rational.

Also, we are not equal to the Father, Jesus is equal to the Father.

The angels are made higher than us, but it will not remain so. We will become equal to the Angels when we are in heaven, and even greater as 1 Corinthians 6:3 tells us that we will be judging the angels.

As for rewards in heaven, yes the Bible does indicate some sort of rewards in heaven. The specifics of these rewards we do not know. Just getting to heaven is reward enough, but to put it simply....

.... some people may be generals in heaven and others buck privates. As the old saying goes, however, it is better to be a private in heaven than a general in hell.

Remember the ultimate economy though. The first shall be last and the last first. Also, we are to consider others as more important than ourselves. While we might consider St. Peter to be a "general" in heaven, he will consider us to be more than himself.

How all this is worked out is a surprise for the ultimate Christmas morning when we are re-born into heaven.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary


Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum