Marriage in Heaven? Forever Families?
Hello, my name is Danny, and I was an active member of the LDS Church for 60 years.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims itself to be a restoration of the ancient church established by Jesus and His apostles 2000 years ago. If that is true, did part of that restoration involve ancient doctrines and practices about eternal marriage and forever families? That is what we are about to discover in this video.
As you might know, the LDS Church constructs hundreds of costly buildings around the world where religious ordinances and rituals are performed on behalf of the living and the dead. Mormonism teaches that marriages and families can be sealed together for time and eternity in these structures. Whether or not those “sealings” are validated depends on the spiritual worthiness of each individual family member. Without the whole family making it to the “celestial kingdom,” it could end up being a disappointing and sad Mormon heaven.
I want to mention here that everything we are about to learn concerning this topic comes from the Apostolic Record known as the New Testament. That’s because the Book of Mormon which Joseph Smith called the “most correct book of any book on earth” doesn’t address this topic at all.
In the Bible, we read where Jesus sends us in a very different direction from Mormonism, when it comes to marriage and family. For example, there is an incident when Yeshua was teaching His disciples and this matter comes up. Mary and his brothers were anxiously waiting outside to talk with Yeshua, and in Matthew 12:46-50 “While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, “Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Yeshua took this opportunity to reveal a very important truth. He was reorienting the earthly human family to those who do the will of His Father in Heaven. It is they who will follow Jesus that are considered His true brother, sister, and mother.
Yeshua speaks about having to sometimes make difficult choices that may lead to even sacrificing our families to follow Him. Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
That sounds like, if we don’t hate our family, we can’t be Yeshua’s disciple. But there is more to this issue that meets the eye. Following the statement that we must “hate” our father and mother, Yeshua relates a metaphor about a man who builds a house without first counting the cost (Luke 14:28–30). The man finds that he cannot follow through with what he set out to do. He leaves the house unfinished because he cannot pay what is required. Yeshua’s illustration helps explain His difficult statement about hating our mother and father—namely, we must count the cost of being a disciple. There is a cost, and that is the point of the passage. To be a disciple, we must be willing to give up everything for Jesus.
Even if our family members disown us for being Christians, we must follow Christ. His point is not that we are to be heartless toward our families, only that we must love Him more. Included in Yeshua’s condition that a follower likewise hate “even his own life,” Yeshua is not teaching self-hatred. The emphasis is on self-denial and absolute surrender. All believers are called to acknowledge the lordship of Christ and show Him preference over all earthly ties.
Those who must sacrifice earthly relationships have the promise that our reward in heaven will be far greater than what we have here. Mark 10:28-30 “Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” That is quite a reward for our sacrifice to follow Him.
A forever family in heaven is very different from what we are used to here on earth. Yeshua explicitly taught there will be no marriage between couples in heaven. Matthew 22:30 (23-30) “For in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” Like the angels, everyone will be single Luke 20:34-36 “And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
The resurrection transforms human existence and institutions. The institution of marriage will become obsolete. Heaven becomes something bigger, better, and more profound - more intimate, more joyful, and relational than what we have on earth.
Marriage between man and woman on earth is a metaphor for Christ and His Church. Paul teaches in Ephesians 5 that a successful biblical marriage involves both the husband and the wife fulfilling certain roles. The biblical concept of marriage involves a oneness between a husband and wife that exemplifies the oneness of Christ with His church. At death, the marriage between man and woman no longer exists. But a marriage that will last into the resurrection, is between Christ and those who believe on Him. More on that in a moment.
Remember the keys of authority that Yeshua gave to Peter? Matthew 16:19 “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Those keys were meant to unlock and open the door of the gospel to the Gentiles when the time was right, and which happened in Acts 10 with Cornellius. It had absolutely nothing to do with priesthood keys and temple sealing powers as Mormonism teaches.
Paul taught in Romans 7:2-3 that men and women are bound to each other as, long as they are alive. Upon the death of the one, the other is not bound in marriage any longer. That applies both in this life and in the next life.
Latter-day Saints say the most important thing they look forward to in the afterlife is being with family. Hardly ever do they say, they are excitedly anticipating being with Yeshua. As Christians, we don’t lean on our spouse or children for our eternal happiness. Our satisfaction is in Christ. The thing we look forward to the most in the next life is being in the presence of our Savior.
Latter-day Saints might ask, how could Heaven be heaven if our families don’t extend beyond this life? Here’s the “Great News” that might surprise you - There IS marriage in Heaven.
Starting in the Garden of Eden, God made woman for the man because it wasn’t good to be alone and it was a means to procreate. But in Heaven there will be neither loneliness nor procreation. In a divine sense, True believers will be married to Christ. John saw in vision that Believers would be the bride at the marriage of the Lamb. Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These, are the true sayings of God.”
His wife or bride is to be “sealed” to Yeshua forever. Romans 7:4 “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
By what authority will you be sealed to Yeshua? Ephesians 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” That is where this “sealing” comes in. It’s not a sealing to one another, but a “sealing” by the Holy Spirit to our bridegroom – Yeshua Mashiach.
Paul compares this to a chaste virgin espoused to one husband. He said to the saints in 2 Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” Yeshua also spoke of this marriage relationship in Matthew 25:1 “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.”
As we individually partake of the gift of salvation, we inherit the Kingdom of God. Our saved loved ones will join us there in giving praise, worship, and service to the Lamb of God. It will be a glorious scene. John in vision describes it. Revelation 19:6 “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
Once again, thank you for watching and I hope this scriptural understanding brings you comfort in knowing that the entire family of mankind can be present at the glorious marriage union of the bride of true believers and Yeshua Mashiach, the Lamb of God. If we put our trust in the finished work of our Savior on our behalf, there will not be anyone left out of the celebration. We will all be worthy to be there, because of His righteousness, not ours. Praise God!
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God Bless!