Do the LDS believe that Elohim/God the Father is “a glorified/evolved man” or “an unchanging God” (the same yesterday, today, and forever)? Please support your answer with citations from the canonized LDS scriptures. Thanks and shalom.

Curious Protestant from Venezuela, 7/25/2010

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El Santo Gringo from La Jolla, California:




Hi Curious Protestant. Just to clarify, it is fair to say that God the Father is a glorified/exalted man because He has the same physical form as a man (we were created in His image), but He differs from mortal men in glory and exaltation (and is therefore “glorified” and "exalted"). The same could be said of Jesus Christ. It is much less theologically certain, however, to suggest that God is an “evolved man,” as I explained in another post.

Mormons believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (1 Nephi 10:18, 2 Nephi 2:4, 2 Nephi 27:23, 2 Nephi 29:9, Alma 31:17, Mormon 9:9, Moroni 10:19, Doctrine and Covenants 20:12, Doctrine and Covenants 35:1, Hebrews 13:8, etc.). However, human beings do change. Our societies are in constant evolution. God, who is all wise, may therefore choose to reveal different true principles at different times to different peoples. He may modify His commandments in order to better accommodate His children's cultural needs. These revelations do not occur because God changes; they occur because men have changed. Christ's fulfilling the Mosaic Law with His expiatory sacrifice is one example of how God's relationship with His children can change over time.
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