This month’s message teaches us about the importance of eternal families, the role they will play in eternity, and touches on how The Fall made it all come together.
Mormons are all about the earthly, biological family we all have, and keeping those families intact throughout eternity. “Families are Forever” is one saying they like to use to reel people into the Church, because if the Church is all about the family then it must be approved of by God, right?
As a Mormon I was taught that the fall of Adam and Eve had to happen, because if it didn’t they wouldn’t have been able to have children, or be able to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Which when you think about it, runs in direct conflict with what we learn in Genesis 1:28. Right after God is finished with His Creation, He tells Adam and Eve to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” before they sinned against God. They didn’t need to disobey God, before they learned how to procreate.
Mormons also believe that (Mormon) families in Heaven will be part of governments set up by God. Elder L. Tom Perry said:
“We also believe that strong traditional families are not only the basic units of a stable society, a stable economy, and a stable culture of values—but that they are also the basic units of eternity and of the kingdom and government of God.
“We believe that the organization and government of heaven will be built around families and extended families” (Ensign, May 2015)
Why would we need to be governed in Heaven? The need for a government implies that there is lawlessness, and something is needed to keep people in check. When all of us are in Heaven Satan will be defeated, there will be no more evil or sin, and we will be at peace because of the work of Jesus Christ.
It’s perplexing to me how Mormons want to apply everything we have here on earth to eternity. They don’t want to let go of this life, and don’t understand that God has something so much better for us than what we have here and now.
They believe families are everything to God, and that He wants those marriage relationships, in particular, to continue on into eternity. When I learned about eternal marriage as a Mormon, and what it meant for me after I died, I felt exhausted. As a Mormon woman in eternity I would be expected to support my husband in his creation of a universe, continue to have (spirit) children, raise them, and send them off to the earth my husband created to be born to my other (spirit) children.
It sounds nuts and confusing I know, like something out of a science fiction movie, but that’s what I was taught. Don’t think about it too much, it will give you a headache.
In all their work to create a family built for eternity they miss out on what God has said makes an eternal family.
It’s through Jesus that we are adopted into God’s family, not through anything else. We aren’t born children of God, we become His child through repentance and accepting the work that Jesus did on the cross for all of us. It’s through His blood we are saved, and become part of the family of God. (Ephesians 1:5)
Join with me in prayer today for the Mormons to desire to be part of the real family of God.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes
Reference:
{ Why would we need to be governed in Heaven? The need for a government implies that there is lawlessness, and something is needed to keep people in check. When all of us are in Heaven Satan will be defeated, there will be no more evil or sin, and we will be at peace because of the work of Jesus Christ.}
A triune god who tells everyone in heaven how to praise him for eternity is governing all of around him, it is just a different form of government.
Mormonism doesn’t teach of a “triune god”, as you put it, therefore would not be able to do what you stated. If you would like more information on this topic go to GotQuestions.org and type in Heaven. – Melissa Grimes
I am showing you that your god would have a government in his heaven. That you will be living in a government and your complaint about a government in heaven is nonsense. At best, you are only complaining about differences in heavenly governments. We teach of a council lead by a loving Father. You teach of a top down government where your god tells everyone what to do.
Gotquestions say you will be subject to a single ruler who makes all your decisions, if you count your triune god as one being after you get to heaven.
” The Lord is the Sovereign of the universe, and so in that sense His kingdom is universal (1 Timothy 6:15).”
https://gotquestions.org/kingdom-of-God dot html
Genesis 3:16, 17, and 20:
“16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
2 Nephi 2:22-25:
“22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”
Malachi 4:5-6:
“5 ¶Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Romans 8:16-17:
“16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
I John 4:4:
“4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
And, James? Please state your point. Your copying and pasting has added nothing to the discussion. – Melissa Grimes
Melissa, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to explain my personal beliefs as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These are only my own opinions and I do not represent the Church.
Genesis 3 indicates Adam and Eve became mortal and could have children after they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 2 Nephi 2 clarifies why the fall of Adam and Eve was necessary: “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”
Malachi 4 prophesies that before the second coming, Elijah will return and turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. I believe this happened on April 3, 1836 (Doctrine & Covenants 110:13-16). I believe the priesthood keys and authority Elijah restored enables those doing genealogical research to find records of their ancestors, perform baptisms for them by proxy (1 Corinthians 15:29), and have their families sealed together forever.
Romans 8 and I John 4 explain that we are the children of God. I believe our Father in Heaven loves you and me and His other children with a perfect love which is far greater than we can comprehend. He wants us to obey His commandments and after this life live joyfully with Him (Moses 1:39).
I believe He sent His Beloved Son Jesus Christ to help us (3 Nephi 27:13) and that the suffering, atonement, death, resurrection, merits, mercy, loving kindness, perfection, glory, and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ makes a heavenly home possible for those who love Him with all their hearts and do the will of His Father (Matthew 7:21).
Best Wishes,
James
You’re welcome James.
Genesis 3 indicates no such thing. God made it very clear to Adam and Eve that they had to ability to procreate long before they chose to disobey His clear instructions, and sin against Him. 2 Nephi has no bearing here, since it’s not God’s word.
Despite the claims of Mormonism, God’s plan was never for Adam and Eve to sin against Him. He never needed them to go against Him so that countless “spirit children” could come to earth, and receive bodies. We we also never lived as spirit children in a pre-existence before coming to earth, and we’re not automatically born children of God. it’s through repentance, and accepting Jesus Christ we become children of God. (Eph 1:5) No other way.
Mormonism has made what Adam and Eve did a good thing, which is troubling to me on so many levels. Through one selfish act of disobedience they brought sin, and destruction into the world. They bought Satan’s lie, and believed that God was withholding something good from them by not wanting them to go near the tree.
Worse of all, through its twisted version of the story Mormonism states that sin entering the world is something God wanted and desired. It goes contrary to everything we learn about Him in the Bible. This was never was never part of His plan. Sin comes with a heavy cost, it destroys lives, and separates people from Him. Why would He want that?
I pray you do as suggested, and compare Mormonism with Christianity.
In Christ,
Melissa Grimes
James,
Pls. Read the topics in the sidebar here. You can start with, “Mormon Terminology…” The Mormon god and Jesus are NOT the same as the Biblical ones. You, like the LDS, use them interchangeably; however, God in the Bible is the Trine God of Christianity. Like apples and oranges, Mormon uses mix them up. Firstly, be clear on the terms listed here. Secondly, read what we say on the other comparisons shown. Then you’ll understand what is meant. We’re praying that you’ll see the Christian difference.
As a past mormon I agree about confusing doctrine. I am thrilled you’ve found a place to be at peace as in still looking. If be interested in hearing more about your adoption doctrine as that seemed somewhat confusing as well.
Hi Sarah, thank you for commenting on our article. As a former Mormon, you know that they believe we were children of God before we were born, and continue to remain his children in mortality.
However, from a biblical point of view we learn that we weren’t born his children, but became his children through adoption, because of the work Jesus did on the cross for all of us. Ephesians 1:3-5 tells us –
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself.”
Prior to becoming his children, Ephesians 2:3 tells us we were children of wrath, because we were living in the flesh, and outside of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
It’s only through the Holy Spirit that we truly became children of God. When we repent of our sins, and put our full trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation we have divine life implanted in us. We no longer have to be slave to our sins, and live in fear of God’s wrath, but we can go to him freely knowing he will forgive us when we sin. Romans 8:15 reads:
“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out Abba! Father!”
God wants all of us to repent of our sins, to accept Jesus as our savoir, and become part of his family. I hope this helped you understand a little more about adoption. Feel free to reply to this message, or email me if you’d like to know more. – Melissa Grimes melissa@lifeafter.org