MISUNDERSTANDING JESUS (#27)
Marriage in the Resurrection?
by Sister Michele
September 1, 2007

...For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels in heaven...
The False Teaching

In a recent NewsWeek article regarding the Mormon Church's view on marriage in the afterlife, specifically dealing with the worries of celestial polygamy titled BeliefWatch: Ever After

we read the following:

When a Mormon man and woman are married in the Temple, they are "sealed," which means they and their children will be bound together forever in heaven—what Mormons call the celestial kingdom. If a Mormon man becomes a widower, or if he is divorced, he can remarry in the Temple—and thus be sealed to more than one woman. (Mormon women, on the other hand, need to have their previous sealings canceled before they can be sealed again.) Doesn't this mean, in effect, that men can have multiple wives in heaven? LDS Church officials decline to answer specifically, saying only that "the Lord has not given answers to all the details of life after death. There are some things we simply don't know."

All this may seem an obscure theological question, but in an age of divorce and mixed families, it's a matter of great concern, especially to Mormon women. On the Web site feministmormonhousewives.org, women worry over celestial polygamy in all its permutations, and the topic was also on the agenda at a symposium of Mormons last month in Salt Lake City. Here are the kinds of questions that come up: Would a woman, in the event of her untimely death, be big-hearted enough to share a cherished husband with a "sister wife" in heaven? Would a divorced LDS mom have to live forever with an ex-husband she despised? "Most Mormon women are worried about the polygamy issue," says Margaret Toscano, a professor at the University of Utah who was excommunicated by the LDS Church for her feminist writings. "They're worried they're going to be forced into polygamy in the next life." As with all questions about heaven, these are unanswerable; the most devout members put their trust in God. "We have great faith that it will all work out," says LDS spokeswoman Kim Farah.

We have this from LDS.org and Mormon.org:

Marriage

In "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles proclaim that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." When a man and woman are married in the temple, their family can be together forever. This is a common goal of Latter-day Saints.

Sealing

An ordinance performed in the temple eternally uniting a husband and wife, or children and their parents.

Gina Thorderson, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says marriages last for eternity - with one stipulation. The wedding vows must be made in her church’s temple.

“The wedding can’t be in a regular church or gazebo outside,” she said. “There’s authority in the temple that binds things here on earth. The authority comes from God.” 

We also have this Mormon description on "marriage" in the Resurrection:

Mormon Celestial Marriage

Mormonism offers many great and wonderful promises, such as happiness, peace, and a deeper understanding of God and His works. Perhaps the greatest promise of Mormonism, however, is embodied in the doctrine of celestial marriage.

Celestial marriage refers to a type of marriage which Mormons believe is intended to last beyond the grave and through eternity. "Celestial" means "heavenly," and indeed, a celestial marriage is a heavenly marriage. This does not indicate a marriage that takes place in heaven, but rather a kind of marriage that is heavenly in nature; it is divine in its origin and potential.

Mormons assert that for a celestial marriage to occur, several key steps must be followed. First, the man and woman must be sealed, or bound, by one holding the authority of God to perform such sealings, which can only take place in Mormon temples. Second, the couple must seek, with all their hearts, to individually and jointly follow Jesus Christ. Third, the sealing must be confirmed by God through His Spirit.

During Christ's life on earth, He passed His authority on to chosen individuals who acted in His name. The Bible records, for example, that He ordained his apostles and gave them the "power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils" (Mark 3:14-15). To at least one of His apostles, Peter, he gave an even greater power: "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt 16:19).

This authority to bind both on earth and in heaven is today referred to as the sealing power. It is part of the full authority of God, or the priesthood. Lost to the earth after the death of the early apostles, the priesthood was restored to Joseph Smith, the first Mormon prophet. By heavenly decree the priesthood and constituent sealing power were passed from Joseph to others, including the apostles, in the Mormon Church. The divine power is used to seal marriages in the temples, thus establishing the foundation for eternal families—the type of families that God wants His children to have...

...Such an aspiration might not have ever been even conceived of were it not for the revelations granted from God in the form of Mormonism. Truly, the Mormon Church is the very restoration of the full gospel of Jesus Christ in these modern times.

So the LDS Church makes it clear that they have a common belief that there is indeed marriage in the Resurreciton, and that this marriage is "sealed"  in their temple while on earth, and will be so for all eternity.

DO NOT BE DECEIVED!

THE TEACHING OF MARRIAGE IN THE RESURRECTION IS FALSE!!! 

READ ON TO SEE WHY!


Exposing the Error

The LDS Church claims different reasons for their belief that there is marriage in the Resurrection.  There are four greivous errors we will expose here (though there are more) regarding marriage in the Resurrection.  The LDS Church misunderstands the following:

1.    Where is the true "temple"  
2.    Who "they" are in Mt 22:30-31 , Mk 12:25 , & Lk 20:34-36
3.    What is the meaning of Matthew 16:19
4.    How & Why God joins a man and woman on earth

THE TEMPLE

All who believe the authority of God comes from their temple/church building is greatly deceived!  

God's authority is not binded to a temple/church building made by man.  In fact, it is not in a temple/church building at all.  God does not seek those in a temple/church building. Who does God seek?

Jesus say, "But an hour comes and now is when the true worshippers will worship the father in spirit and truth, for indeed the father seeks such [to be] his worshipping [ones]. God is spirit, and [his] worshipping [ones] must be worshipping in spirit and truth."  - John 4:23-24

Who do you think Jesus is referring to when he says: 

But I say to you that here [is] something greater than [the] temple."  Matthew 12:6

It is Jesus himself.  He is greater than the temples made by man. His Words given to him by the Father that bind us to the Father when he hear and obey him are the temple we need seek out.  

Jesus himself IS THE TRUE TEMPLE.

If one abides in His Word, he and the Father come to you! You need not go to a man made temple to seek them out:

"If anyone agape-loves me, he will keep my word, and my father will agape-love him, and we will come to him, and we will make our dwelling-place with him."  -John 14:23

WHO ARE "THEY"

One claim is that Jesus was only talking to the Sadduccees themselves who did not believe in him (referring to "they"), and that it was "they" who would not marry in the Resurrection. This view is greatly mistaken.  Jesus clearly states that "they" will be like the angels in heaven, Sons of God even! So how can "they" possibly refer to the Sadduccees who did not believe in Jesus? No, "they" does not refer to the Sadduccees.  "They" refers to those who make it into the Resurrection. The Sadduccees are NOT "like the angels" or "the sons of the resurrection!"

In Matthew 22:30-31 he says, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels in heaven.” 
In Mark 12:25 he says, “For when they are resurrected from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in the heavens.” 
In Luke 20:34-36 he says, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those considered worthy to attain that age and the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. For neither are they still able to die, for they are like angels, and they are sons of God being sons of the resurrection.

Luke gives us a clear clue here who exactly Jesus is talking about.  "The sons of this age" do indeed marry, but the "Sons of God" do not.  Jesus clearly separates the two.

THE MEANING OF MATTHEW 16:19

Another claim is that what is "sealed" on earth will be "sealed" in heaven according to Matthew 16:19.  The LDS Church is greatly mistaken again, for they misunderstand Jesus once again.  Jesus is speaking of the power of forgivenes in Matthew 16:19 ( read more here on the meaning of Matthew 16:19) and not the binding of temple marriage on earth and in heaven" as the LDS Church believes.

HOW & WHY GOD JOINS A MAN & WOMAN ON EARTH

This claim is also based on the LDS Church's view of how God joins a man and woman:  "Adam and Eve, before they fell, were immortal and were joined by God. There is no indication that God said "until death do you part" in joining them. They were married in an immortal state and were intended to remain joined together. "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." In the LDS view, based on direct and clear revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we know that marriage is intended to be eternal, that a husband and wife are meant to be sealed together in heaven."

The LDS Church, again, is greatly mistaken for they do not understand the power of God.  Is it true than any man cannot divide the unit of marriage? Yes, Jesus said it so clearly, "

"What God has joined together, let not man put asunder."
God alone is responsible for the joining. It is not possible for man to break it. This includes, of course, the parties to the joining.

Yet, what the LDS Church does not understand is that God God can and does indeed divide them in the Resurrection.  He always divides them. Again, Jesus revealed this in the passage about the resurrection when he said,

The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those considered worthy to attain that age and the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. For neither are they still able to die, for they are like angels, and they are sons of God being sons of the resurrection.”  Luke 20:34-36

God has set a limit to the duration of the flesh. Men call this limit "death" because it separates us from the world of men. It is the dissolution of the flesh. Therefore it is also the dissolution of that union of the flesh that God has ordained by the sexual distinction that men call marriage.

When either party to a marriage dies, the other is delivered from the bond of flesh that joined them because that bond no longer exists. One gender that bound them has dissipated, therefore the bond has split and the one who remains is free to seek a new mate. This resurrection passage was a response of Jesus to the Pharisees. They had approached him with a question involving a woman whose husband died, after which she had married his brother. This began a cycle that they repeated six times, for there were seven brothers. Jesus took no offense at any of this, and in accepting the presupposition by the answer that he rendered, he also accepted the validity of all seven marriages. The realization that the flesh is the essence of the joining explains all. When death dissolves the flesh, it also dissolves the marriage. (more here)

Declaring the Truth

It is interesting that an organization that refers to itself as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is having such an issue regarding marriage in the after life.  If they had simply listened to their proclaimed leader they would understand that he answered it for them over 2000 years ago.  For in not one, not two, but three of the Gospels is the answer given:

In Matthew 22:30-31 he says, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels in heaven.”  In Mark 12:25 he says, “For when they are resurrected from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in the heavens.”  In Luke 20:34-36 he says, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those considered worthy to attain that age and the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. For neither are they still able to die, for they are like angels, and they are sons of God being sons of the resurrection.

This is the Church of Joseph Smith of Latter-day Saints, not the Church of Jesus Christ, for it is clear that they do not listen to Jesus of Nazareth.

So is there Marriage in the Resurreciton? 

What does Jesus say?

Here we offer the full context of his answer:

Matthew 22:23-33

In that day the Sadducees came to him, who say [there] is no resurrection, and they questioned him saying: Teacher, Moses said: If anyone die not having children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed to his brother.  Now there were beside him seven brothers. And the first who married came to his end, and not having seed left his wife to his brother.  Likewise also the second and the third until the seventh.  Last of all the wife died.  In the resurrection therefore whose of the seven is the wife? For all had her.  But answering Jesus said to them: You are misled, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God.  For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels in heaven. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven't you read the [thing] spoken to you from God saying:  I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the zoe-living. And hearing this the crowds were astounded at his teaching.

Mark 12:18-27

And Saducees come to him, who say there is no resurrection, and asked him saying:  Teacher, Moses wrote to us that:
If any brother die, and leave behind [a] wife and not leave children, that his brother should take the wife and raise up seed to his brother. There were seven brothers. And the first took [a] wife, and when he died he did not leave seed.  And the second took her and died not having left seed; and the third likewise.  And the seven did not leave seed. Last of all the wife also died.  In the resurrection, whose will the wife be? For the seven had her [as] wife. Jesus said to them: Not because of this are you deceived, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they are resurrected from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in the heavens.  Now concerning the dead that they arise, have you not read in the scroll of Moses at the bush how the Lord spoke to him saying: I am the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob?He is not God of the dead but of the zoe-living. You are greatly deceived.

Luke 20:27-40

Now some of the Saducees having come, who oppose [that there] is [a] resurrection, asked him saying: Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any brother die having [a] wife, and this [man] be childless, that his brother take the woman and raise up seed to his brother. Now there were seven brothers, and the first taking [a] wife died childless. And the second, and the third took her, but likewise even the seven did not leave [a] child and they died. And finally the woman died. Therefore in the resurrection, of which of them will the woman become wife? For the seven had her wife. And Jesus said to them: The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those considered worthy to attain that age and the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.  For neither are they still able to die, for they are like angels, and they are sons of God being sons of the resurrection, because the dead are raised, and Moses revealed [it] at the bush, as he says:
The Lord, the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob; But he is not God of the dead, but of the zoe-living, for all live in him. So some of the scribes answering him said: Teacher, you spoke well.  For no longer daring, no one questioned him.

Do you hear him?

Do not be deceived!  

There is no marriage in the Resurrection! 

But what is more important than knowing there is no marriage in the Resurrection is knowing WHY there is no marriage in the Resurrection.  This paper witnesses to the WHY:

Regarding the Resurrection of the Body

For Further Reading:

His Word (the Words of Jesus from the Four NT Gospels)

His Word (the Faithful New Testament)

The Builder (witnesses to the meaning of the "keys" that bind on earth and in Heaven spoken of in Matthew 16:19)

The Joining (witnesses to how Jesus defined marriage)