Reason 23
According to the Bible, there will be no marriage in Heaven.
Marriage is practiced only on earth.
Marriage is between man and woman.
Marriage is for multiplying and replenishing the earth.
Marriage is NOT for getting to heaven. In fact, marriage has absolutely NOTHING to do with getting to heaven. How reassuring is that for those that will never have an opportunity to be married!!!!!
The only marriage in heaven is Christ being married to His bride, which is the body of believers. In heaven, we will receive perfect love when we are reunited with our husband, Jesus. Our earthly marriages give us only a glimpse of the perfect love Christ has for each one of us. I am happy to say I will be with my husband in heaven; however, I will not be married to him. I will be married to Christ. The Bible also states Eternal Life is not limited to certain ones in Heaven. There is no parenthood or temple marriage in heaven, but eternal life is GIVEN to ALL Christians, or true believers.
Matthew 22:29-30
Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.
Mark 12:24-25
Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Luke 20:34-36
Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
Romans 7:4
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another-to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
1 John 5:12-13
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
godandscience.org/doctrine/marriageinheaven
Temple marriage is the most important teaching in the LDS church. This covenant is required to enter the celestial kingdom. The teaching is that no one will reach the celestial kingdom (highest degree of glory) without the most sacred of ordinances, or Celestial (eternal) Marriage. The belief is that LDS earthly marriages will continue in heaven.
Bruce R. McConkie made the following declaration, "Celestial marriage is the gate to exaltation, and exaltation consists in the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life, which God lives. Those who obtain it gain an inheritance in the highest of three heavens within the celestial kingdom.
D&C 131:1-4
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. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.
The Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, gave us His word on what would happen in eternity regarding the state of marriage. ~Suzanne Bishop, Let the Scriptures Speak, p. 66
LDS Children's Hymn 188, Families Can Be Together Forever
I have a family here on earth. They are so good to me. I want to share my life with them through all eternity. Families can be together forever Through heavenly Father's plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can. The Lord has shown me how I can.
While I am in my early years, I'll prepare most carefully, So I can marry in God's temple for eternity. Families can be together forever Through heavenly Father's plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can. The Lord has shown me how I can.
However, LDS scriptures even state there will be no marriage in heaven.
D&C 132:16
Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
I was SO incredibly confused as a member...Blessedly, I am no longer confused about anything spiritual!
My unanswered question was:
Why is marriage in heaven such a major tenet of the LDS church when God has very plainly told us there is no marriage in heaven?
I was initially devastated when I received this answer that our earthly marriage will not be recognized in heaven, yet overjoyed to find the truth that I will be in Heaven will ALL my loved ones; Christ being my spouse! And how wonderfully amazing that will be!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
PRE-EXISTENCE?
Reason 22
The Bible teaches life begins at conception, which means there is no pre-existence of life. Christ is the only Pre-Existent Being. According to the Bible, we were not in a pre-existence with Christ. There are no scriptures in the Bible stating we were in heaven and will one day return.
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
As a member I thought this meant God literally knew us as spirit children. However, I did not take into consideration that God is all knowing. He knows all because He created all...in the womb.
Psalm 22:10
I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God.
If we were all living in the pre-existence with God in heaven, then God would have been my God before my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
Isaiah 49:1
"Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
These Bible verses tell us life begins in our Mother's womb.
Matthew 10:30
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47
And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
The Bible also teaches Jesus is the only pre-existent Being ever and our existence began on earth.
John 8:58
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
Colossians 1:17
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
The Book of Mormon agrees with the Bible = no pre-existence of man.
Jacob 4:9
For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?
(this scripture does not even make sense to me)
Alma 18:28 and 34-36
And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?
Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true; And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God. Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.
Other LDS scriptures disagree with the Bible and the Book of Mormon = man pre-existed.
LDS scriptures also state Jesus is Firstborn of the many pre-existent children of God and everyone pre-existed. Another LDS teaching is that we will return to live with Heavenly Father, because we lived with Him before we came to this earth. This is a major teaching of the LDS church, but it is not a Biblical teaching.
D&C 93:23
Ye were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;
D&C 93:29-33
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
Pearl of Great Price: Abraham 3:18
Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning, they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.
PoGP: Abraham 3:21-26
lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr/3
PoGP: Moses 5:16-41
lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/5
The same scriptures state Jesus and Lucifer (Satan) lived together in the pre-existence and Jesus is the Spirit Brother of Lucifer.
D&C 93:21
And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;
PoGP: Abraham 3:27
And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
Also see post MY SAVIOR, Reason 4
as well as the following websites.
LDSvideo.org #23
ldsvideo.org/2011/06/preexistance-and-afterlife.html
carm.org
carm.org/questions/about-doctrine/did-we-exist-god-we-were-born-earth
My unanswered question was:
If the Bible teaches Christ is the only person to pre-exist, then why does the LDS church teach everyone pre-existed?
I was initially devastated when I received this answer that I did not live in a pre-existence, yet overjoyed to find the truth that Christ is the only person worthy enough to have pre-existed! He created me in my mother's womb. He knows everything about me...even the number of hairs on my head. I AM TRULY BLESSED!
The Bible teaches life begins at conception, which means there is no pre-existence of life. Christ is the only Pre-Existent Being. According to the Bible, we were not in a pre-existence with Christ. There are no scriptures in the Bible stating we were in heaven and will one day return.
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
As a member I thought this meant God literally knew us as spirit children. However, I did not take into consideration that God is all knowing. He knows all because He created all...in the womb.
Psalm 22:10
I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God.
If we were all living in the pre-existence with God in heaven, then God would have been my God before my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
Isaiah 49:1
"Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
These Bible verses tell us life begins in our Mother's womb.
Matthew 10:30
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47
And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
The Bible also teaches Jesus is the only pre-existent Being ever and our existence began on earth.
John 8:58
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
Colossians 1:17
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
The Book of Mormon agrees with the Bible = no pre-existence of man.
Jacob 4:9
For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?
(this scripture does not even make sense to me)
Alma 18:28 and 34-36
And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?
Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true; And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God. Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.
Other LDS scriptures disagree with the Bible and the Book of Mormon = man pre-existed.
LDS scriptures also state Jesus is Firstborn of the many pre-existent children of God and everyone pre-existed. Another LDS teaching is that we will return to live with Heavenly Father, because we lived with Him before we came to this earth. This is a major teaching of the LDS church, but it is not a Biblical teaching.
D&C 93:23
Ye were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;
D&C 93:29-33
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
Pearl of Great Price: Abraham 3:18
Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning, they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.
PoGP: Abraham 3:21-26
lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr/3
PoGP: Moses 5:16-41
lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/5
The same scriptures state Jesus and Lucifer (Satan) lived together in the pre-existence and Jesus is the Spirit Brother of Lucifer.
D&C 93:21
And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;
PoGP: Abraham 3:27
And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
Also see post MY SAVIOR, Reason 4
as well as the following websites.
LDSvideo.org #23
ldsvideo.org/2011/06/preexistance-and-afterlife.html
carm.org
carm.org/questions/about-doctrine/did-we-exist-god-we-were-born-earth
My unanswered question was:
If the Bible teaches Christ is the only person to pre-exist, then why does the LDS church teach everyone pre-existed?
I was initially devastated when I received this answer that I did not live in a pre-existence, yet overjoyed to find the truth that Christ is the only person worthy enough to have pre-existed! He created me in my mother's womb. He knows everything about me...even the number of hairs on my head. I AM TRULY BLESSED!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
GOD'S WORK
Reason 21
God's work is very simple - Believe in Christ! HE has already paid every penalty for ALL of mankind's transgressions. This assures eternal life to all who put their faith in His finished work. I'll reference the Bible.
John 6:28-29
Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Christianity teaches Believers are Raised. This is more commonly known as: if you believe in Christ, you will be saved.
1 John 5:12-13
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
* Whoever has the Son has life and those who are Christ's at His coming will be raised. Biblical Christianity says, "once saved, always saved." It IS this simple. Once saved, always saved = Yes, we will be resurrected because we believe Jesus Christ is our Savior. Saving Grace goes to all who are in Christ. Good works and obedience are an entirely different topic and discussion as mentioned in previous/future blog posts; neither one has anything to do with being saved OR going to heaven.
Romans 10:4
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
In contrast, LDS believe quite differently. They believe man will be punished for their sins. They believe Christ paid the penalty for only certain sins. See Reason 19, Christ's Blood. LDS also teach that everyone will be saved, whether they believe in Christ or not. They also believe their good works are what will get them to the Celestial Kingdom; which allows them to live with God and rule their own planet. Unfortunately, all of these teachings contradict the Bible.
2nd Article of Faith
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
* My concern with this article is the word punished. Man will not be punished for his sins. According to the law, man will have consequences for his sins while on earth, but he will certainly NOT be punished by God in any way for his sins. I completely disagree with the 2nd Article of Faith. God is not a punishing God; He is a loving and forgiving God!
carm.org
Justification is by faith. True faith is God's work (John 6:28-29), granted by God (John 1:29), and is concurrent with regeneration (2 Corinthians 5:17), which God works in us by His will (John 1:13). This result of this justification and regeneration is that the sinner turns from his sin and towards doing good works. But it is not these works that earn our place with God nor sustain it. Jesus accomplished all that we need to be saved and stay saved on the cross. All that we need, we have in Jesus. All we need to do to be saved, to be justified, is to truly believe in what God has done for us in Jesus on the cross; this is why the Bible says we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1). This true belief with justification before God and regeneration in the new believer, results in good works.
John 20:31
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
IT'S ALL ABOUT FAITH
Our God is an Awesome God and there is no way He will separate me from my family because of my decision to remove my name from the LDS church records. He loves us so much no matter what. All we need is Faith in Christ. We do not need "keys, sealings, ordinances, covenants, or a specific church or religion" to live with Him. All we need is Faith in Him. That was His sacrifice for all of us. All that is required of us is Love and Faith, and I have plenty of each!
From this point forward in my life, I am putting all my trust in Christ and not a specific church, temple, teaching, interpretation, prophet, revelation, etc. As a member of the LDS church, I was never confident in my relationship with Christ; I never knew what that meant until I resigned from the church. This is extremely frustrating to me. My entire life I always believed I had a personal relationship with Christ. I even told others I did have that relationship. Now I know I never really knew Him, especially when I was a Mormon. As a Christian, I have no doubt I have a personal relationship with Christ. I know Him better now than I ever have before. And I know for certain I will live in Heaven with Him!
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
My faith was only strengthened when I left the LDS church. It took this drastic life change for me to be able to hear the word of God.
This is Christ working in my life and not a religion, not a church, not a pastor, not a bishop.
Biblical Christianity is the only religion in the world where God reaches down to man. Every other religion is man's attempt to reach God. ~ Suzanne Bishop
Romans 10:13
For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
My unanswered question was:
Why would God ever punish me, or anyone else, for sinning?
I was initially devastated when I received this answer that God is not a punishing God, yet overjoyed to find the truth that all I need to do is have faith in God and allow Him in my entire heart! Every work I do is for Him and Him alone. He created me. He knew I would not be perfect. He knew I would sin. He loves me despite my flaws! And I LOVE HIM!
God's work is very simple - Believe in Christ! HE has already paid every penalty for ALL of mankind's transgressions. This assures eternal life to all who put their faith in His finished work. I'll reference the Bible.
John 6:28-29
Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Christianity teaches Believers are Raised. This is more commonly known as: if you believe in Christ, you will be saved.
1 John 5:12-13
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
* Whoever has the Son has life and those who are Christ's at His coming will be raised. Biblical Christianity says, "once saved, always saved." It IS this simple. Once saved, always saved = Yes, we will be resurrected because we believe Jesus Christ is our Savior. Saving Grace goes to all who are in Christ. Good works and obedience are an entirely different topic and discussion as mentioned in previous/future blog posts; neither one has anything to do with being saved OR going to heaven.
Romans 10:4
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
In contrast, LDS believe quite differently. They believe man will be punished for their sins. They believe Christ paid the penalty for only certain sins. See Reason 19, Christ's Blood. LDS also teach that everyone will be saved, whether they believe in Christ or not. They also believe their good works are what will get them to the Celestial Kingdom; which allows them to live with God and rule their own planet. Unfortunately, all of these teachings contradict the Bible.
2nd Article of Faith
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
* My concern with this article is the word punished. Man will not be punished for his sins. According to the law, man will have consequences for his sins while on earth, but he will certainly NOT be punished by God in any way for his sins. I completely disagree with the 2nd Article of Faith. God is not a punishing God; He is a loving and forgiving God!
carm.org
Justification is by faith. True faith is God's work (John 6:28-29), granted by God (John 1:29), and is concurrent with regeneration (2 Corinthians 5:17), which God works in us by His will (John 1:13). This result of this justification and regeneration is that the sinner turns from his sin and towards doing good works. But it is not these works that earn our place with God nor sustain it. Jesus accomplished all that we need to be saved and stay saved on the cross. All that we need, we have in Jesus. All we need to do to be saved, to be justified, is to truly believe in what God has done for us in Jesus on the cross; this is why the Bible says we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1). This true belief with justification before God and regeneration in the new believer, results in good works.
John 20:31
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
IT'S ALL ABOUT FAITH
Our God is an Awesome God and there is no way He will separate me from my family because of my decision to remove my name from the LDS church records. He loves us so much no matter what. All we need is Faith in Christ. We do not need "keys, sealings, ordinances, covenants, or a specific church or religion" to live with Him. All we need is Faith in Him. That was His sacrifice for all of us. All that is required of us is Love and Faith, and I have plenty of each!
From this point forward in my life, I am putting all my trust in Christ and not a specific church, temple, teaching, interpretation, prophet, revelation, etc. As a member of the LDS church, I was never confident in my relationship with Christ; I never knew what that meant until I resigned from the church. This is extremely frustrating to me. My entire life I always believed I had a personal relationship with Christ. I even told others I did have that relationship. Now I know I never really knew Him, especially when I was a Mormon. As a Christian, I have no doubt I have a personal relationship with Christ. I know Him better now than I ever have before. And I know for certain I will live in Heaven with Him!
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
My faith was only strengthened when I left the LDS church. It took this drastic life change for me to be able to hear the word of God.
This is Christ working in my life and not a religion, not a church, not a pastor, not a bishop.
Biblical Christianity is the only religion in the world where God reaches down to man. Every other religion is man's attempt to reach God. ~ Suzanne Bishop
Romans 10:13
For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
My unanswered question was:
Why would God ever punish me, or anyone else, for sinning?
I was initially devastated when I received this answer that God is not a punishing God, yet overjoyed to find the truth that all I need to do is have faith in God and allow Him in my entire heart! Every work I do is for Him and Him alone. He created me. He knew I would not be perfect. He knew I would sin. He loves me despite my flaws! And I LOVE HIM!
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