 |
The institution of marriage is
respected and revered among Christians throughout the world. A
key question that most Christians fail to ask themselves is
whether marriage lasts for life only, or forever beyond the
grave. If man and woman come together as one, can that union
last into the eternities?
The Ordinance of Marriage
Marriage is one of the most important ordinances that we as
children of God will ever receive during our time in
mortality—perhaps for all eternity. Marriage is ordained of
God (D&C 49:15) and is “the most sacred relationship that can
exist between a man and woman” (Gospel Principles, 241).
Marriage has been a key component of the gospel since the
beginning and is so sacred and important that the Lord has
provided a way for marriages to last forever and not just
until “death do you part.”
|
For those who might be skeptical of marriage beyond mortality
you must ask yourself: would a loving Father in Heaven bring
together two people for a life time of love, challenges, and
togetherness, only to make them split apart for all eternity
after death? The scriptures make it clear that the Lord
intends marriages and families to live beyond the grave, and
therefore has made a way for that to happen on earth through
the sealing powers of the priesthood in holy temples.
The Sealing Powers that Make Marriage Eternal
For a marriage to be for time and eternity, it must be
performed in the holy temple by a Melchizedek Priesthood
holder who holds the sealing power. Just as Jesus Christ gave
Peter the power to bind on earth and in heaven (Matt. 18:18),
so are specific priesthood holders given this same power today
(D&C 132:19).
The marriage sealing is a simple ceremony where a couple
kneels at the altar of the temple, surrounded by friends and
family and two specific witnesses. The man and woman covenant
to one another before God. The presiding sealer, acting under
the direction of the Lord, promises the couple being married
wonderful blessings, including exaltation, reminding the
couple that such blessings are predicated on their living
righteous lives in keeping the commandments of God. When the
ceremony is complete, the couple is declared to be husband and
wife for time and all eternity.
Understanding the True Meaning of Matthew 22
Before considering the doctrine of being together forever, one
must first resolve the scripture from Matthew 22 where the
Sadducees challenge Jesus on the subject of marriage in the
Resurrection. Jesus answered, “For in the Resurrection they
neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the
angels of God in heaven” (Matt. 22:30). This scripture could
be interpreted to mean eternal marriage is not to be. After
close examination of this remarkable scripture one will come
to understand that there will indeed be no marrying in the
resurrection, but rather all such matters are taken care of in
mortality—specifically in the holy temples of the Lord on
earth before the resurrection. Thus the importance of sealing
marriages in the temple today!
The Blessings of Temple Marriage
Besides the blessing of being married for all time and
eternity, there are temporal blessings of a temple marriage
that can be realized on earth. According to the Barna Research
Group, “Among married born again Christians, 35% have
experienced a divorce. That figure is identical to the outcome
among married adults who are not born again: 35%” (Barna
Research Group, “Born Again Christians Just As Likely to
Divorce As Are Non-Christians,” September 8, 2004).
Conversely, the Los Angeles Times reported the findings of
Brigham Young University professor Daniel K. Judd in April of
2000 who estimated that only 6% of Latter-day Saints who marry
in a temple ceremony subsequently experience divorce (William
Lobdell, "Holy matrimony: In era of divorce, Mormon Temple
weddings are built to last," (Los Angeles Times, 2000-APR-8).
While the longevity of a marriage clearly depends on the
commitment of both spouses, it is indisputable that temple
marriages are nearly six times more likely to stay intact on
earth than those who are married outside of the temple.
Concerning the eternities the Lord states: “In the celestial
glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to
obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the
priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of
marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it” (D&C
131:1–3). One need only consider the invaluable experiences
and depths of love exchanged between devoted spouses to
understand why marriage would be a requirement to enter into
the most sacred of eternal mansions of our Heavenly Father.
Conclusion
The thought of being able to be sealed with the spouse and
family you love for all time and eternity is a joyful one.
Inside the bonds of a wonderful marriage both spouses desire
to be together forever and a path that allows such joy is one
that deserves careful consideration.
An eternal marriage is the pinnacle of a Christian’s spiritual
and temporal life and should be taught, discussed, and planned
for from the very earliest age. The prophet Spencer W. Kimball
taught: “Marriage is perhaps the most vital of all the
decisions and has the most far-reaching effects. … It affects
not only the two people involved, but their children and …
their children’s children. … Of all the decisions, this one
must not be wrong” (“The Matter of Marriage” devotional
address, Salt Lake Institute of Religion, 22 Oct. 1976).
Doctrinal
Study: Holy
Ordinances: Marriage
Download the
Sword Series™ essay on Marriage |
