10 And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one; (3 Nephi 28)
This is a big topic, hard to cover in a single post. This will likely become a series of two posts. Even so, I won't be able to fully describe everything I've learned in the process Rather, I'll plan to summarize what I consider to be the most important findings I made while studying this topic. I've included a list of passages I studied so you can see what material I am drawing on to base my conclusions.
One somewhat unexpected pattern I found while studying about the relationship between the Father and the Son was the central importance of unity. Although I set out to learn more about two perfected Beings, I also ended up learning about their desires for me (and everyone). Here is a pattern I discovered:
- The Father and the Son are perfectly united.
- They desire each of us to be perfectly united with them.
- They have established a perfect plan to produce that unity with them. This includes faith, repentance, ordinances, miracles, spiritual gifts, and the confirming/purifying influence of the Holy Ghost.
- The only aspect of their plan that is in question is our willingness to follow it.
Here is a list of passages I studied:
- 1 Nephi 1
- Mosiah 15:1-9
- 3 Nephi 9:14-17
- 3 Nephi 11:11-41
- 3 Nephi 12:17-20, 48
- 3 Nephi 15:1
- 3 Nephi 16
- 3 Nephi 17:14-25
- 3 Nephi 18:1-11
- 3 Nephi 19 (esp. v. 23)
- 3 Nephi 20 (esp. vv. 19-25)
- 3 Nephi 21 (esp. v. 27)
- 3 Nephi 27:13-30
- 3 Nephi 28:10-11
- Moroni 7:2-3, 48
Unity
As you read through these passages, notice how often it is mentioned that the Father and the Son are "one." Often, this unity is also extended to righteous disciples, or at least an invitation is given to us to become one with them. Here are a few examples:
14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name. (3 Nephi 9)
27 And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one. ...36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one. 37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things. (3 Nephi 11)
23 And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one. (3 Nephi 19)
10 ...and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one; (3 Nephi 28)
Another common statement is that the will of Christ was united, or "swallowed up," with the will of the Father.
7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. (Mosiah 15)
11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning. (3 Nephi 11)
We'll end this part on that note. It is abundantly clear to me that mortality is all about surrendering our own will to that of God's will. When we are baptized, we lay down the old creature, and arise anew as a spiritual being, willing to follow Christ in all things. When we partake of the sacrament, we promise to always remember Him.