Eternal Families
Eternal Families
(Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives, Hawkins, Dollahite, & Draper (2012), Ch. 32 The Eternal Family: A Plain and Precious Part of the Plan of Salvation, Judd)
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints, we believe families are “eternal”. We believe in a pre-mortal, mortal
and, post-mortal existence.
Pre-mortal world:
In the pre-mortal world we lived with a Heavenly Father and
mother. We existed as a family there. As
children of a divine Heavenly Father and mother, we each have divine natures
that will allow us to become like them. Our eternal progression will allow us,
if faithful, to also become Heavenly Fathers and mothers of spirit children. This is not a new teaching to the Church of
Jesus Christ, St. Athanasium, a fourth-century bishop of Alexandrea taught,
“God made himself a man in order that man might be able to become God”. Many of these doctrines were lost to the
earth through the apostasy, but have been restored through modern prophets.
During this pre-mortal period, a grand council was held where we were presented
with a “plan of salvation”. This plan included the doctrine of eternal families
and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This plan was designed to “bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). This plan includes the
creation of the earth, the fall of Adam and Eve and the Atonement of Jesus
Christ.
Mortal life:
The creation of the earth provided a place where our first
parents, Adam and Eve and their posterity could come to gain bodies, gain
earthly experience and progress towards their divine destinies, heirs of
eternal life. The fall of Adam allowed
our first parents to become mortal and have children. Each of us experiences
the fall when we are born to earthly parents and are separated from God’s
presence. Because of our fallen natures, we make mistakes and suffer the
consequences of our own sins and others. As latter-day saints, we believe the
Fall was a necessary part of the Lord’s plan for us. The Fall of Adam and Eve
allowed for marriages and families to continue through the sacred power of
creation. Through this sacred power of creation between a husband and wife, we
can obey God’s command to multiply and replenish the earth.
Atonement:
As important as the doctrine of eternal marriage and families
is, one cannot lose sight of the most important doctrine. It is only through
the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we receive forgiveness of sins, the resurrection
of our bodies and eternal family relationships are made possible. Without the
Atonement, no one could live in God’s presence, or be heirs of eternal life.
The Atonement makes possible eternal lives, or life with our families in the
presence of God.
Temples
Malachi prophesied, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 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
(Malachi 4:5-6). In April of 1836,
Elijah did appear to the prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the
Kirtland temple. Elijah appeared along with Elias and Moses and bestowed sacred
priesthood keys that had been lost from the earth. Because of these restored
sealing powers, families can be sealed together in a great chain back to Adam
and Eve. This important work is done in Temples around the world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)