John 1:11-12
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
All throughout the book of John, up to chapter 20, there are 12 verses with the word brother/brethren. These refer to Peter's brother Andrew (John 1:40, 6:8), Andrew's brother Peter (John 1:41), Mary and Martha's brother Lazarus (John 11:2, 19, 21, 23, 32), or Jesus' biological brothers (John 2:12, 7:3, 5, 10). Never before chapter 20 does Christ refer to his disciples as "brethren." This is significant, and will be discussed later.
Also throughout the book of John up to chapter 20, Christ refers to God as "my Father," and "the Father," but never as "your Father," or "our Father." This is just as significant, if not more significant than Christ never referring to His disciples as His brethren.
Now let's look at the turning point I mentioned earlier. In verse 20, the resurrected Jesus Christ appears to Mary at the tomb as she is crying:
John 20:15-17
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Something has changed! Jesus has now given those who have received him a familial status. This is because he gave them "power to become the sons of God (John 1:12)," and if sons of God, then brothers of Christ. The way He did this was by overcoming spiritual and physical death. He made it so that we could become at one with God because He atoned for our sins. John is showing us very deliberately in his Gospel exactly what our relationship with God and Jesus Christ is. The disciples' relationship differs greatly before chapter 20, because Christ had not yet finished the work His Father sent Him to do. Once this work was done, the result was immediate. The disciples became Christ's brothers, and they became sons of God. Without the atonement of Jesus Christ, we are disassociated with both Him and His Father. However, with the atonement we again become part of the Heavenly Family.
In the Pearl of Great Price, we see outlined how we might fully access the atonement, and therefore become a son of God:
Moses 6:64-68
And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water. And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man. And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever; And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity. Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen.
Adam, whose name literally means "mankind," is often a symbol of mankind. He fell, and because he fell, he needed to rely on the law of Sacrifice that would be fulfilled through Jesus Christ in the meridian of time. He also needed to enter into a Covenant with God in order to fully access the Atonement. The way we see him make this covenant is by entering into the waters of baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and receiving the fullness of the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God, the One who is without beginning of days or end of years! This fullness of Priesthood not only means that he received the Melchizedek Priesthood, but means he received every blessing that he could receive from God, including the endowment, eternal marriage, and more. These blessings in our day are realized in the Holy Temple of God. It is through those blessings we can become one with God. It is how we can become sons and daughters of the Most High. We must continually keep these covenants so that we can continually access the Grace of God.
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