Response To Who is God...

The following is a discussion about my beliefs about God...

Son,
You have picked up on one of the beautiful truths of the temple and have misunderstood it to mean something else. 
That's okay, though. I can see where a couple of scriptures, taken out of context, can appear to say what you interpret them to.
With limited resources and your current mind-set, it is totally understandable.
By denying the words of the Lord said in other times and places, looking with our mortal eyes we see through the glass darkly.
It is only with the Spirit that we can see rightly.
Nevertheless, I will attempt to clarify even though my hands are tied behind my back since I cannot use all of Christ's words.

God is my Father and I am His child

(Malachi 2:10) "Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?"

• "Father" is a word used to describe someone who is a founder or creator. The "Founding Fathers" of our nation for example. Elohim is our "Father" in many ways. The scriptures are deliciously replete with examples of synonyms, types, parables and many layers of meaning. He is the "Father" of our spirits. He is the "Father" of our mortal existence. He is the "Father" of our eternal destiny. All we have, all we are, and all we ever hope to be is because of Him. 
• When His children attempt to strip Him of His Parentage, it does not make it so. Nothing is changed. Truth is truth forever.
• His very nature of nurturing patience, reward and punishment, and perfect love are evidence of that relationship.

(Hebrews 12:19) "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the
Father of spirits, and live?"

• Elohim is specifically called the "Father" of our spirits. TBhe relationship between our earthly fathers being compared directly to Him and our relationship with Him. There is no mistaking it.
• You seem to believe that He is only the Father of "some" spirits. Whose who join the Jesus club. That belief does not match this explicit truth. 

(Matthew 5:48) Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

• The commandment directly from the Lord to be perfect seems an impossibility. However, the Greek word for perfect is actually whole or complete. We are commanded to DO all that is necessary to reach that perfection that our Father has; to become as He is.
• The Lord Jesus points the way to His Father and our Father as the ultimate "Be-ing;" be-ing finished.
• True, He was speaking to believers. That does not exclude the true nature of our Father being the father of our souls. I see no conflict here.

(Matthew 6:9) Jesus prayed, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

• Again, although Jesus was speaking to believers, it does not mean His words are only specific to their relationship with their Father, and exclusionary to all non-believers.

(1 Corinthians 8:5-6) "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."

• Yes, though there are many gods and lords, we are to be concerned only with our Father, who is THE GOD, and also with our one LORD, Jesus Christ, because it is through him all things exist. This scripture could not be more plain.
• This scripture makes no distinction or condition about God being our Father.

John 1:12 But as many as ^areceived him, to them gave he ^bpower to become the ^csons of God, even to them that believe on his ^dname: 13 Which were ^aborn, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

• Through faith in the Lord Jesus, the Christ, becoming a new creature, totally changed and born again, we are given the ability or power to become one with Him. There are several scriptures you no longer accept as the word of God that say essentially the same thing. Yes, adoption is part of it, but not all.
• There is an essential truth taught in the temple sealing ceremony that helps clarify this, but I doubt anything I could say on the subject would be of any import to you, so I will leave it at that.

Rom. 8:14 For as many as are ^aled by the ^bSpirit of God, they are the^csons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of ^abondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of ^badoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth ^awitness with our ^bspirit, that we are the ^cchildren of God:  17 And if children, then heirs; ^aheirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we ^bsuffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

• This is one of my favorite scriptures. It testifies of the love of Father, and the glorious blessings He has in store for us. He will reward those who are let by His Spirit, who recognize His as their Father, who suffer with Christ, carry their cross, follow Him, and are loyal to Him. To these, he will glorify as a "joint-heir with Christ.

Gal. 3:26 For ye are all the ^achildren of God by ^bfaith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been ^abaptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

• This beautiful layer of truth is both symbolic and real. We are bound to our Father through the loving ties born of our faith in His Son, and Christ's perfect love for us. By taking upon us His name, and bearing all that follows that action, we show our loyalty to the Lord and our commitment to our Father. 
• You understand part of the principle of adoption into the house of Israel. This is indeed part of it, but not all. The blessings associated with the covenant between God and Abraham and his seed becomes more real.

Gal. 4: 5 To ^aredeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the ^badoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  7 Wherefore thou art no more a ^aservant, but a ^bson; and if a son, then an ^cheir of God through Christ.

• Indeed, another example of the amazing gifts the Father has in store for us! To be an "heir of God" as His children -- through Christ's Atonement and Resurrection. To share the personal "Abba" cry in our hearts with the King of Kings is truly amazing.

Eph. 1: 4 According as he hath ^achosen us in him ^bbefore the foundation of the world, that we should be ^choly and without blame before him in love: 5 Having ^apredestinated us unto the ^badoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

• This is a great scripture that talks about the pre-existence and choices made before the world was created. It clearly says that we were chosen to be adopted into the family of Christ because He willed it that way. And this, "that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." That is such a powerful testament of the power of Christ to save! His ability to make us holy is incomprehensible to the mortal mind, yet it is true!

1 John 1:12: 1 Behold, what manner of ^alove the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the ^bsons of God: therefore the ^cworld knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the ^asons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall ^bappear, we shall be ^clike him; for we shall ^dsee him as he is.

• This is a very humble expression of the recognition of the magnitude of the gift and love of God. It rightly says that we can be like the Savior.

1 Pet. 2:9 “But ye are a ^achosen generation, a ^broyal ^cpriesthood, an ^dholy^enation, a ^fpeculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of ^gdarkness into his marvellous^hlight: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy”

• Clearly, before we come to Christ, we are not considered His people. This does not mean that we are not spirit brothers and sisters. It means that we are not on His side in the battle against evil; that we are loyal to Him.
• Also, this poetically describes the kingly ministry, sanctified and uncommon; all through the mercy and love of the Lord.
• Nothing here precludes the truth that we are spirit children of an amazingly loving Father who offers every opportunity for His children to become like Him, to be joint-heirs with Christ, to become a holy and royal priesthood. It actually supports these truths.

Lurlynn L. Potter

"Life is lovely when you look at it that way."