Sunday, April 22, 2018

The Post-Ascension Functional Subordination of the Son in the Doctrine and Covenants

There are many texts in the Bible that reveal that the Son, even after his ascension into heaven, is functionally subordinate to the Father (this is a heated debate in some modern Evangelical circles). Interestingly, some of the earliest revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants, as with 1 Cor 15:20-28, teaches the post-ascension functional subordination of the Son to the Father:

I am Jesus Christ; I came by the will of my Father, and I do his will. (D&C 19:24)

And ascended into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the Father with almighty power according to the will of the Father. (D&C 20:24)


Such texts from March and April 1830, respectively, teach that the Son, even in his glorified, exalted state, functions under the authority and permission of the Father. What is even more interesting is that this disproves the charge that early Latter-day Saint theology was that of Modalism, as such a theology necessitates a distinction of persons.