Can Men Become Like God If They Follow His Plan?

Yes, according to Latter-day Saint doctrine, men and women have the potential to become like God—a doctrine often referred to as the doctrine of exaltation or theosis.

This principle is central to LDS teachings on the eternal destiny of humankind. Likewise, Jesus Christ is God, and He has been given all power and dominion by the Father. Furthermore, scripture teaches that humankind can inherit similar glory, becoming joint-heirs with Christ.

Is Jesus Christ God, and Has He Received All Power and Dominion?

The scriptures clearly affirm that Jesus Christ is God and that He has been given the fullness of power and dominion by the Father:

Matthew 28:18: Jesus declared, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
John 17:2: In His intercessory prayer, Christ said that the Father had given Him “power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.”
Philippians 2:9–11: Jesus is exalted, and every knee shall bow to Him.

Can Men Receive Similar Power and Glory as Christ?

The answer is also yes—through the process of exaltation, faithful individuals can become like Christ and the Father. Several scriptures support this potential:

Revelation 3:21: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
Romans 8:17: “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
Revelation 21:7: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”
John 10:34: Jesus quotes Psalms 82:6, reminding the Jews that their own scriptures say, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”
1 John 3:2: “we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
Psalm 82:6: “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”
Matthew 5:48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Summary of Glory and Power

The scriptures cited teach two important things:

Jesus Christ has received all power and glory from the Father, making Him equal in authority, dominion, and divine capacity (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2).

Human beings are also capable of receiving this same glory and power through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, obedience to His gospel, and exaltation (Romans 8:17; Revelation 3:21; 1 John 3:2). The faithful can become joint-heirs with Christ and inherit all that the Father has, including the potential for divine exaltation.

Equality in this sense refers to unity in purpose and the sharing of divine attributes, not a competition of status. Just as Christ is one with the Father (John 17:21–23) without diminishing the Father’s divinity, so too can exalted beings share in God’s power while maintaining the unity and order of the divine family.

Thus Mankind Can Become Like God

This doctrine teaches that, just as Jesus Christ received the fullness of divine power and glory, faithful men and women can also receive this inheritance. Latter-day Saints believe that through the grace of Christ, coupled with personal obedience and adherence to covenants, human beings can become like God—meaning they can share in His divine nature, power, and glory (2 Peter 1:4).

In conclusion, Christ is God, having been given all power and dominion by the Father, and the scriptures affirm that human beings have the potential to become like Him, receiving the same inheritance through the process of exaltation. This doctrine is foundational to the LDS understanding of eternal progression and the divine destiny of humanity.

This understanding of God the Father and His divine role provides a clear and comprehensible framework for our faith. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, though distinct, work together with a single divine purpose: to help us achieve immortality and eternal life. This doctrine of unity and progression is central to the restored gospel, offering clarity and avoiding the confusion inherent in creeds that teach a mystical or incomprehensible Godhead. D&C 76:50–58

Can Mankind Become Like God? A Scriptural Foundation

The eternal progression of the faithful toward divine exaltation is not speculation—it is covenant doctrine rooted in scripture.

Is Jesus Christ God, and Has He Received All Power and Dominion?

The scriptures clearly affirm that Jesus Christ is God and that He has been given the fullness of power and dominion by the Father:

Matthew 28:18: Jesus declared, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
John 17:2: The Father gave Christ “power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.”
Philippians 2:9–11: Jesus is exalted, and every knee shall bow to Him.

Christ holds the title of God and possesses all power and glory that the Father has, making Him co-equal in dominion with the Father in the post-resurrected state.

Can Men Receive Similar Power and Glory as Christ?

The answer is also yes—through the process of exaltation, faithful individuals can become like Christ and the Father:

Revelation 3:21

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Romans 8:17

“Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

1 John 3:2

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God… when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Supporting Scriptures

Revelation 21:7 — “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

John 10:34 — “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”

Galatians 4:7 — “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Psalm 82:6 — “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”

Matthew 5:48 — “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

2 Peter 1:4 — Partakers of the divine nature through Christ’s promises

Summary of Glory and Power

Jesus Christ has received all power and glory from the Father, making Him equal in authority, dominion, and divine capacity (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2).

Being equal does not minimize anyone. Equality in this sense refers to unity in purpose and the sharing of divine attributes, not a competition of status. Just as Christ is one with the Father (John 17:21–23) without diminishing the Father’s divinity, so too can exalted beings share in God’s power while maintaining the unity and order of the divine family.

Thus Mankind Can Become Like God

This understanding of God the Father and His divine role provides a clear and comprehensible framework for our faith. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, though distinct, work together with a single divine purpose: to help us achieve immortality and eternal life. This doctrine of unity and progression is central to the restored gospel, offering clarity and avoiding the confusion inherent in creeds that teach a mystical or incomprehensible Godhead. (D&C 76:50–58)