Pondering Perfection

This topic came up on a LDS forum. The question was:

What is our goal, our “perfection”?
Recent threads have made me think about my definition of “perfection.” I am curious what others think of the goal of perfection. When we read metaphors like, “straight and narrow path” and “iron rod” it makes me think of a single pathway to perfection. Of course, I understand that our circumstances and our tests are different and we will be judged accordingly, where much is given much is expected.

My question is; Are we all aiming for the same end? To become the same indistinguishable God? Or, are there different levels of maximum perfection for different individuals? (I am using the word “maximum” because I am not trying to compare different stages of development which we know exist as Joseph Smith explained it, I am just talking about the infinite direction we want to head)

In pondering this question I wrote the following.

Aside from inconsequential personal preferences like preferring the taste of blueberries over strawberries (which may turn out to be only a temporal difference and have zero eternal meaning), Heavenly Father and Mother set the perfect standard for godhood. As we grow ever closer to fulfilling Christ’s example, we will find ourselves desiring more and more to shed anything that makes us act or think differently from Them. We will long to become more like Them and in the course of eternity we shall, provided we continue to submit our will to Father’s.

The world teaches and praises diversity. Their concept of oneness is not uniformity in righteousness, but rather universal tolerance of all differences. In the Lord’s plan, tolerance is necessary to help love people into desiring to undertake the path of discipleship, but ultimately true disciples will want to remake themselves more and more into the express likeness of God, freely and without compulsion. Just as The Son is like the Father in action and desires, so He resembles the Father so perfectly, even in appearance that Joseph Smith described them as nearly indistinguishable. I do not think that is only because Christ was the begotten Son of the Father. I would imagine that any person who attains to that level of holiness will begin to resemble our heavenly parents too.

It is pride that makes us desire uniqueness and individuality. We want to do things “Our” way. True discipleship is giving up self-centeredness and becoming selfless. In this state of humility we are teachable and are able then to be molded into the likeness of Christ, who is in the likeness of the Father. We are told to take upon us the countenance of Christ not to create an individual unique presence. There is but one path to Godhood. It is full complete purging of pride and the ultimate submission to Father’s will that makes us “perfect” or “whole” or “complete”.

Pride in people causes them to desire to be different, to somehow be “special”. They wrongly feel that this individuality will bring them joy. The true joy comes from letting go of self and becoming one with Father in all things. He is perfection. Why would we not want to be exactly like Him?

The adversary is the example of wanting to attain Godhood his own way. It is said that Lucifer’s fall was because of the universal sin of pride. Pride is manifested in the focus on self. In D&C 1:16 it says in the last days “They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall.” I see this in the world today as the world preaches diversity and tolerance therein. The world revels in oneness in diversity not oneness in righteousness.

In this life we each come here with unique talents and gifts and circumstances, but that is only a temporal state in which to learn and grow to choose or not to choose to become like Father. To glory in the individual uniqueness is to glory in what is temporal not eternal. Our uniqueness here is a result in part of the fact that we have progressed in different areas and have different gifts from Father. This is a temporary state. Ultimately if we choose to continue to progress, we will become “complete or whole” meaning we will all possess all of the gifts and attributes of God.

It is interesting to note that in scriptural descriptions of the degrees of glory, the Telestial kingdom is where people differ from one another in brightness or in other words, where they are diverse. In the Terrestrial and Celestial kingdoms people are described as having only one glory. It would appear that in the higher two kingdoms people are all striving for the same goal, while in the Telestial kingdom everyone is striving to glory in their separateness and uniqueness. The two higher kingdoms are the ones which those that want to follow Father achieve. The higher the glory the more they have purged pride and have humbled themselves to be molded into the image of Christ. So in my opinion the highest level, where people become exactly like Father is to literally become like Him in all ways. The key is understanding that at no point is anyone forced to conform to the divine standard, we are free to be as similar to or as different from Father and each other as we want. If it is critically important to us to maintain a really unique and separate way of being, then we will find the Telestial kingdom to be the most comfortable place for us. If on the other hand we are not so prideful and attached egotistically to our individuality and uniqueness, then we will have no difficulty seeking to conform more perfectly to Father’s example and will find joy in a higher glory.

There is only one path to the highest level of Glory and it is complete and true humility and full total submission to Father that leads us onto it. On this path we choose to be as much like Him as we are willing to submit.