The concept of eternal marriage within the LDS Church frequently faces scrutiny, particularly since Jesus Christ mentioned that there will be no marriages in the afterlife. Opponents commonly reference Matthew 22:23-30 to challenge the doctrine held by the LDS. Although Jesus Christ did not explicitly denounce marriage, he cautioned about its outcomes.
Will there be husbands, wives, and children in the millennium?
During the millennium, the earth will be transformed from a material to a spiritual state. The children born of marriages during the millennium will not be flesh and blood, but they will be spirit children. The millennium will be a time of teaching, enlightenment, and conversion.
The greatest number of children born during the millennium will be those of believing Gentiles who blessed believing Israel during the seven-year Tribulation. According to Matthew 25:31-40, believing Jews will not die during the seven-year Tribulation, but instead will be hidden in the wilderness from the Antichrist, where they will be protected by God.
Biblical marriage traditions include marriage suppers, and the marriage of the Lamb. In Revelation 19, these are described as a contrast between the great and the bride of Christ. They are also juxtaposed with the judgment of the rebels at the Second Coming.
Will there be mixed marriages with other denominations?
In the first century, mixed marriages were common, with both Christians and non-Christians marrying each other. Paul addressed the issue of religiously mixed marriages in the church, writing that brothers should not divorce their unbeliever wives. He also stated that it was improper for a woman to divorce her husband, even if he is an unbelieving one. In the same vein, a Christian must not send his unbeliever spouse away, unless she is willing to convert him.
Christians must make sure that their prospective spouses are born-again Christians before they can marry. This is the biblical standard for marriage, and it is best to check whether your prospective spouse is born-again or not. In addition, it is a good idea to find out whether your potential spouse has a strong faith in Christ and is willing to undergo the test of faith.
Some denominations are more tolerant of polygyny than others. For example, churches that accept pre/non-Christian traditions are more likely to accept polygyny. Thus, the chances of plural marriages in the millennium will be higher in denominations that are more lenient toward non-Christian traditions.
Will there be eternal marriages?
According to the Bible, "till death do us part" marriages will no longer exist. Instead, there will be eternal covenants between two souls, in which no one will divorce. In the millennium, God will allow no divorce, no adultery, no remarriage and no "till death do us part" clause.
Christ's statement that marriage must be a covenant that can only be performed in the house of the Lord is clear, but that doesn't mean that it will be the only way that the gospel will be taught. Marriages are a vital element of the sacrament of the gospel, and without it, man will not be able to attain the highest degree and increase in the other kingdoms.
During the millennium, Christ says, "all people will be in the resurrection." This is a period of time when the first resurrection takes place, and those who have accepted Christ as their Savior will be raised. They will then be in the presence of the new earth for eternity.
But, there are some skeptics of this doctrine. Some critics of the LDS Church point to Matthew 22:23-30 as an example of a passage that rejects eternal marriage. It's important to note, however, that the verse is not talking about eternal marriage in general, but specifically about the Sadducees. The sadducees, for example, did not have access to Eternal Marriage.
Another interesting part of the millennium question is that people will live long during this time. The average life span of humanity will return to the age before the Flood, where people lived to 930 years old. During the Millennium, however, some will exercise their free will and make decisions against their Creator.
Will there be perpetual covenants?
The Millennium is the time period after the Second Coming of Christ. During this time, enmity between man and beast will end and all will live together in eternal harmony. In addition, the devil will be bound within the hearts of all men. Members of the Church will also take part in missionary work.
If both parties remain faithful to their vows, these covenants can endure through time and into eternity. In the heavenly realm, a worthy husband and wife will inherit an eternal life and an inheritance of glory. They can even become the parents of spirit-offspring.
According to the scriptures, marriage in the Millennium Kingdom will be an eternal, perpetual covenant between eternal soul partners. Therefore, there will be no "till death do us part" clause in such a covenant. This makes marriage in the Millennium Kingdom entirely different from marriage on earth.
Mormon doctrine also teaches that temple marriage is required for exaltation. Without this covenant, man will not be able to enter the priesthood and will not be able to increase his or her stature. However, this doesn't mean that the temple marriage is the only way to eternally be together as a family.
One Mormon friend recently mentioned the concept of celestial marriage. He is a believer in this concept. Celestial marriage is a type of marriage that will last for eternity. While this is not synonymous with heaven, it does mean that the marriage will be heavenly and divine in origin. God will supposedly be the one who ordained it.
Joseph Smith also defended polygamy by referring to the story of Abraham and his wives. Abraham sacrificed his son Isaac to keep the covenants. God didn't change His commandment, but Abraham's polygamy was an exception to this eternal principle. It was later eliminated when the sacrifice wasn't necessary.
Genesis 2 also includes a concept of "two becoming one" that Jesus often quoted during his teachings on marriage. This concept was further emphasized in Matthew and Mark gospels.
