Irenaeus
[T]he Word became flesh and the Son of God became the Son of Man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.
Joseph SmithThe first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge.
Nikolay FyodorovGod does everything not merely for humanity, but also through humanity. The Creator through us recreates the world; He resurrects all that are perished.
Clement of AlexandriaYea, I say, the Word of God became a man so that you might learn from a man how to become a god.
Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . became what we are, so that He might bring us to be even what He Himself is.
Do we cast blame on him [God] because we were not made gods from the beginning, but were at first created merely as men, and then later as gods? Although God has adopted this course out of his pure benevolence, that no one may charge him with discrimination or stinginess, he declares, “I have said, ye are gods; and all of you are sons of the Most High.” . . .
How, then, shall he become a God, who has not as yet been made a man? Or how can he be perfect who was but lately created? How, again, can he be immortal, who in his mortal nature did not obey his maker? For it must be that thou, at the outset, shouldest hold the rank of a man, and then afterwards partake of the glory of God.
If the Word became a man, it was so men may become gods.