Lecture 7
Overview
Lecture 7 of the Lectures on Faith serves as the theological climax of the series, presenting a radical redefinition of faith, God, and salvation. It posits that faith is not merely trust or belief, but the fundamental principle of power in the universe—a force of 'mental exertion' by which all intelligent beings, including God Himself, perform their works. The text argues that God created the universe by faith and that humans must learn to operate by this same principle. Most significantly, Lecture 7 defines salvation as absolute ontological assimilation to God. It claims that Jesus Christ is the 'prototype' of a 'saved being,' and that salvation consists entirely of possessing the exact glory, authority, majesty, power, and dominion that Jehovah possesses. Consequently, to be saved means to become exactly like God, capable of performing the same works (and greater) through perfected faith. The lecture concludes by asserting that true faith will always be accompanied by miraculous gifts, visions, and the restoration of apostolic offices, making these supernatural manifestations the ultimate proof of saving faith on earth.
Key Figures
- God/Jehovah: Presented as a being who works by faith and possesses glory, authority, majesty, power, and dominion, which constitutes the definition of salvation.
- Jesus Christ: Described as the 'prototype' or standard of a 'saved being,' whose own salvation depends on maintaining his exact nature, and who intends to make his disciples exactly like himself.
- Former Day Saints: Used as historical examples of those who possessed true faith, resulting in miracles, visions, and heavenly knowledge.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Faith as Universal Power
Assertion
Faith is a principle of power and mental exertion by which God and all intelligent beings create and control reality.
Evidence from Text
when a man works by faith he works by mental exertion instead of physical force... for it is by faith that the Deity works.
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, faith is redefined from a relational trust in a sovereign God to a mechanistic principle of power that governs the universe. The text claims that God Himself 'works by faith' and uses 'mental exertion' to create. In contrast, Evangelical theology (Theology Proper) maintains that God is the uncreated Creator who speaks reality into existence by His sovereign, omnipotent will, not by tapping into a universal principle of 'faith.' Faith, biblically, is the finite creature's dependent trust in the infinite Creator (Hebrews 11:1), not a force of power that both Creator and creature wield.
Salvation as Exaltation/Deification
Assertion
Salvation means becoming exactly like God in glory, authority, majesty, power, and dominion.
Evidence from Text
salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses, and in nothing else; and no being can possess it but himself or one like him
Evangelical Comparison
The text explicitly defines salvation as ontological equality with God. It asserts that to be saved, one must possess the exact same 'glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses.' This is the foundation of the LDS doctrine of exaltation. Evangelical Christianity strictly rejects this, holding to the Creator-creature distinction. While believers are glorified and conformed to the moral image of Christ (Romans 8:29), they do not become gods or attain Jehovah's sovereign dominion. God declares in Isaiah 43:10, 'Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.'
Christ as a 'Saved Being'
Assertion
Jesus Christ is the prototype of a saved being, and His salvation depends on Him maintaining His exact nature.
Evidence from Text
he is the prototype or standard of salvation, or in other words, that he is a saved being... if it were possible for him to change in the least degree, so sure he would fail of salvation
Evangelical Comparison
The text refers to Jesus Christ as a 'saved being' whose own salvation is contingent upon Him remaining just and holy. This implies that Christ's divine status is conditional and that He is part of the same progression as humanity. Evangelical Christology affirms that Jesus is the eternal, immutable Second Person of the Trinity (John 1:1, Hebrews 13:8). He is the author and finisher of salvation, not a recipient of it. To call Christ a 'saved being' fundamentally undermines His eternal self-existence and deity.
Miracles as the Necessary Proof of Faith
Assertion
True faith will always manifest in supernatural gifts, visions, and apostolic offices.
Evidence from Text
when faith comes, it brings its train of attendants with it—apostles, prophets, evangelists... miracles, healings... All these appear when faith appears on the earth, and disappear when it disappears from the earth.
Evangelical Comparison
The text establishes a strict metric: if true faith exists on earth, it must be accompanied by the full array of apostolic offices, miracles, and visions. If these are absent, faith is absent. This creates a theological framework where the validity of the church is based on supernatural manifestations rather than the faithful preaching of the Word and administration of the sacraments. Evangelicalism holds that saving faith is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and obedience to Christ, not necessarily by the ability to perform miracles or the presence of living apostles.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text redefines God as a being who uses faith, Christ as a 'saved being,' and salvation as humans becoming literal gods with Jehovah's exact power and dominion.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between Lecture 7 and Evangelical Christianity is massive, touching on Theology Proper, Christology, and Soteriology. First, the text violates the orthodox understanding of God's aseity and omnipotence by claiming God 'works by faith' and uses 'mental exertion.' This reduces God to a being who utilizes a universal law, rather than the sovereign Creator of all laws. Second, it violates orthodox Christology by labeling Jesus a 'saved being' whose salvation is contingent on His continued perfection, denying His eternal, immutable deity. Third, it replaces the biblical doctrine of salvation (justification by grace through faith) with a radical form of exaltation/theosis, where salvation is defined as attaining the exact 'glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses.' This obliterates the Creator-creature distinction, violating the core biblical tenet that God alone is God (Isaiah 43:10, 44:6).
For All Ages
Imagine you have a favorite author who writes amazing books. In traditional Christianity, God is the author, and we are the characters in His story. We can love the author and be friends with Him, but we will never become the author. This text teaches something different: it says that God is just a character who learned how to write really well, and that if we practice hard enough, we can become authors with the exact same power as Him. It also says that Jesus had to 'save' Himself by being good. Christians believe Jesus is the eternal Creator who never needed saving, and that we are saved just by trusting Him, not by trying to become as powerful as Him.
Friction Points
Theology Proper
Claims God works by faith and mental exertion, subjecting God to a higher universal law.
Sola Fide
Redefines faith from trust in Christ to a metaphysical power used to perform works and attain godhood.
Christology
Refers to Jesus as a 'saved being' whose salvation is contingent.
Theology Proper / Creator-Creature Distinction
Teaches that humans can and must attain the exact power, dominion, and glory of Jehovah.
Soteriology
Makes salvation dependent on perfecting one's own faith to the level of God's.
Sufficiency of Scripture / Epistemology
Demands continuous miracles, visions, and apostolic offices as the only proof of true faith.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Faith"
In This Text
A principle of power and mental exertion by which all intelligent beings, including God, create and control reality.
In Evangelicalism
Trust and reliance on God's character, promises, and the finished work of Christ.
"Salvation"
In This Text
Attaining the exact glory, power, and dominion of Jehovah; becoming a god.
In Evangelicalism
Deliverance from the penalty of sin and restoration to fellowship with God through Christ's imputed righteousness.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Attaining the exact glory, authority, majesty, power, and dominion of Jehovah.
How Attained: By perfecting one's faith until one can work by faith (mental exertion) to the same degree as God and Christ.
Basis of Assurance: The presence of miraculous gifts, visions, and the ability to perform works of power.
Comparison to Sola Fide: While the text uses the word 'faith,' it completely contradicts Sola Fide. In Evangelicalism, faith is the empty hand receiving Christ's righteousness. In this text, faith is a 'work' of mental exertion that must be perfected until the believer achieves divine power. It is a system of extreme works-righteousness disguised under the vocabulary of faith.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Purify oneself as Christ is pure
- Be holy as God is holy
- Be perfect as the Father is perfect
Implicit Obligations
- Develop faith to the degree that one can perform miracles
- Seek to attain the exact glory and power of God
- Obtain direct knowledge of God through visions or revelations
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- Lecture 7 says that Jesus is a 'saved being.' How does that fit with the biblical teaching that Jesus is the eternal Creator who never sinned?
- If salvation means getting the exact same power and dominion as Jehovah, how do we understand Isaiah 43:10, where God says no other gods will ever be formed?
- The text says that true faith always brings miracles, apostles, and visions. If someone has quiet trust in Jesus but doesn't see miracles, does that mean they don't have saving faith?
- How do you feel about the pressure to perfect your faith until you can perform the same works as God?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire to be like Christ.
The text rightly identifies that God wants us to be like Christ. However, the Bible teaches this means moral conformity (holiness, love, obedience), not ontological equality (becoming a god). We can bridge this by discussing how the Holy Spirit transforms our character to reflect Jesus.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text places an impossible burden on the believer by defining salvation as the attainment of divine perfection and power. If salvation requires perfecting one's faith until one can perform miracles and possess Jehovah's dominion, the believer can never have true assurance, as they will always fall short of divine omnipotence.
Because faith is defined as a power that must be perfected, believers may constantly doubt if they have 'enough' faith, especially when faced with trials or a lack of miraculous manifestations in their lives.
The text states that if Christ changed in the least degree, He would lose His salvation. This implies that the believer's eternal destiny is incredibly fragile and dependent on absolute, flawless performance.
The assertion that true faith must be accompanied by miracles and visions can lead to deep disillusionment or the manufacturing of spiritual experiences when God chooses not to act miraculously.