Marriage Brings Us Together Today

This week I learned about the difference between temporal and eternal marriage in Matthew 22:24-28. The Sadducees asked Jesus that if a woman marry a man and he dies without producing children, then she is given to the next brother and the next if he dies and so on for seven brothers and then finally she dies with out ever producing children, then in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? I believe that the Sadducees were trying to see which side Jesus favored by asking him about the resurrection. If He did not believe in the resurrection then he was siding with the Sadducees, but if He did believe in life after death then He was in favor of the Pharacees. The Saducees did not believe in a resurrection nor in spirits or life after death. I don't think they were sincere in this question, yet Jesus took the opportunity to teach an important doctrine concerning marriage.

Matthew 22:30 really means that marriages will not be performed after the resurrection. This was something I did not know! I guess I thought that as long as you were worthy and desired a celestial marriage that it would be granted. Elder James E. Talmage shed some light on this matter when he stated, "In the resurrection there will be no marrying nor giving in marriage; for all questions of marital status must be settled before that time, under the authority of the Holy Priesthood, which holds the power to seal in marriage for both time and eternity." In D&C 132:15-16 it explains why temporal marriages are not continued after death. The reason is that they were not performed under the proper priesthood authority and thus are not binding in the life hereafter. I also learned that this is the same reason that interfaith marriages are discouraged. God intended men and women to marry under the eternal covenant and that marraiges are equal partnerships and meant to bring out the best god-given traits in men and women.

I am so grateful for my wonderful husband who took me to the SLC temple to be sealed for not only time, but for eternity. I am so grateful for the covenants I made that day and how they help to stregthen me and my marraige.  I pray that we may live up to our promises and the blessings granted in the temple.