Doesn't Romans 8:17 and 32 teach that we can become gods like Christ became a god and receive "all things"?

LDS assume from this Romans 8:17 and 32 passage that we will inherit "whatever" God has, and since God has Godhood, then we must be able to inherit godhood as well. LDS also assume from this passage that Christ inherited godhood.

Technically, and this is going to appear prima facie very Clinton-ish, "all" doesn't always have to mean literally "all". For example, after the flood, God said that He would never again destroy "all" creatures (Genesis 8:21). But if this is taken too literally, then how did those on the ark not fall under this category? Even LDS need to qualify what we actually inherit, since of course we don't have the opportunity on their view to rule over this world and receive worship in place of God. We don't get His wife or wives, for example. But if qualifications come into play, why not let God's Word determine what exactly we will or will not inherit?

Revelation 3:21 says that those who overcome will sit with Christ in His throne, which is also the throne of the Father. So it is clear that we will rule, but nowhere does it say that we will become "gods," and especially as God is God. As a matter of fact, God says that there was no God formed before Him nor shall there be one after Him (Isaiah 43:10). Further, even though we will rule with God, that does not entail that we will be worshipped, since only God is to receive this (Matthew 4:10). And notice that this ruling is in God's throne; it is not ruling over some other planet in some other throne where we receive exclusive worship from our spirit children (granting the unbiblical [cf. Mt. 22:24-30] LDS assumption that we can produce spirit children with our spouses in the afterlife).

Given God's exclusive role as the creator of everything outside Himself (Gen. 1:1, Isa. 40:12-15, 44:24, John 1:1-3, and Colossians 1:15-18), it is impossible for even God to create something to inherit this role. If it is impossible for an all holy God to lie (Hebrews 6:18), then it is certainly impossible for God to do something as nonsensical as creating the uncreated originator of all things outside of Himself. Consequently, at best the inheritance that we receive is similar to the inheritances given to pets. (Yes, people actually do this!) Some pets are quite lucky in receiving a fortune. Similarly, believers are quite "lucky" to be receiving the inheritance of God.

Finally, the inheritance that Christ received was only in His human nature, and not even Christ in His human nature could inherit the kind of Godhood that God uniquely has. As the first glorified man, He received the inheritance that all adopted children of God will receive. But since Christ is the unique begotten Son of God, He also eternally has the divine nature as well... just not as the man of Nazareth (for more on the divine and human natures of Christ, see my comments on John 10:34).

R. M. Sivulka


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