… The ordinances we receive and the covenants we make at baptism and in holy temples connect the family of God on both sides of the veil—connecting us to our Father through His Son.” – Carole M. Stephens, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency
Isaiah 64:6; “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
1.The statement “…to learn all that is needed to be back in His presence…” is nothing short of heartbreaking! If you’re saved, you’re standing on holy ground – 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19. Those two verses tell us we are the temple of God and God is already here so there’s no need to go about thinking you have to find your way back.
2.The only person that has come out of heaven is Jesus so how could we have already been there if Jesus said otherwise? John 3:13, 6:38
3.Mrs. Stephens said ‘membership in the family of God is not contingent upon any kind of status…’ Yikes! It most certainly is! If you haven’t been adopted by God then you’re not a member of the body of Christ, which in fact makes you a child of His. Her inference everyone is already a child of God goes back to the LDS doctrine that God had sex with one of his goddess wives and begat spirit children. Supposedly, we all sat up there awaiting our call to come to earth and begin living in the flesh.
4.Jesus’ death on the cross gave us unlimited access to God’s throne where we can drink freely of His presence. Mark 15:38; Hebrews 9:3-5, 12
The only way we have a relationship with God the Father is by accepting the sacrifice His Son made for us on the cross. Nothing short of this is acceptable in the Lord’s eyes.
Pray they’ll open their own eyes God blessed them with to see the truth!