Can Families Be Together Forever?

In this episode of Gospel First, join Joe Cirillo as he delves into the divine plan of salvation, revealing the profound significance of eternal families. Explore the timeless teachings from "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" and discover how they shape our earthly journey towards celestial unions. From the sanctity of marriage ordained by God to the eternal bond of families united beyond the grave, embark on a transformative journey guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ. Embrace the essence of love, forgiveness, and eternal progression as we strive to establish and nurture our own eternal families, rooted in the eternal plan of our Heavenly Father.

Transcription:

As we have learned in our lessons so far, the gospel plan revolves around recollecting our existence before we were born, where we lived as part of a divine family in heaven. We were nurtured and loved as children of God, experiencing the joy that comes with being part of an eternal family. Our heavenly parents, who are perfectly happy, taught us the importance of having an eternal marriage and family.

Do you remember the excitement we felt when our Heavenly Father revealed His plan of salvation to us? He promised that if we followed His plan, we could become like Him and have an eternal marriage and family of our own.

Now that we are on earth, our objective is to establish our own eternal families. To assist us in this endeavor, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published a declaration titled "The Family, A Proclamation To The World" in 1995. This declaration outlines the church's official position on family, marriage, gender roles, and human sexuality.

In this lesson, we will examine eight fundamental statements from this proclamation that pertain to the purpose of the family in the plan of salvation and our responsibility in establishing an eternal family.

1.  Ordained of God:  “Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and … the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.”

The importance of family to the Lord is not simply for the benefit of society, but because it is essential for our exaltation and becoming like God. Without an eternal marriage, this cannot be achieved.  Moreover, God has established families to bring joy to His children, provide them with a nurturing environment to learn and practice correct principles, and prepare them for eternal life. The family is an organization created by God, and the home is the most effective place to teach, acquire knowledge, and apply gospel principles, enabling us to progress and grow closer to Him.

2. United Eternally:  “The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave.  Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”

God, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, has revealed that our families have the potential to be united for eternity. When a man and a woman are sealed in the temple, their marriage becomes eternal. This means that the husband and wife can be together as a married couple throughout all eternity, and their children, whether born to them or sealed to them later, will also be part of their eternal family.

According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, marrying the right person in the right place, by the right authority, in the temple is the single most important thing we can do in this life.

While some may believe that their love alone is enough to ensure eternal togetherness, God has specifically stated otherwise. In Doctrine and Covenants 132:15, God clarifies this by saying:

Doctrine and Covenants 132:15

“Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, an when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by a law when they are out of the world.”

3.  Multiply and replenish:  “We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.”

Satan is on a rampant mission to destroy families in the world. He is doing everything within his power to achieve this objective. Many contemporary messages conveyed to the world are anti-marriage and anti-family. These messages suggest that individuals wait longer to get married and have fewer children, or that they avoid marriage and children altogether.

If our purpose on earth is to become more like our heavenly parents, part of the plan of salvation requires us to become earthly parents. Since the fulfillment of life's purpose is through eternal marriage and family, anything that is anti-marriage and anti-family is also against God's plan of salvation.  Therefore, any doctrine or principle that is anti-family is also anti-Christ.

4.  Powers of Procreation:  “God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”

First and foremost, it is important to understand that physical intimacy between a husband and wife is a beautiful and sacred aspect of their relationship. It is a gift from God, intended for the creation of children and as an expression of  love within the marriage bond.

However, when sexual relations occur outside of the marriage covenant, God disapproves of it. Engaging in premarital sex can lead to various negative consequences such as premarital pregnancy, single parenthood, abortion, adultery, divorce, mistrust, guilt, and the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

Notice the difference in terminology?  Physical intimacy and sex?  Physical intimacy between married couples is given of God but sex is a devilish act and is offered by Satan. 

5.  Love and Care for Each Other:  Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children.

In order for us to grow closer to God and emulate His nature, the ability to love is crucial. The scriptures, specifically 1 John 4:8, teach us that those who do not love do not truly know God, as God Himself is love.

Within the family setting, we have the opportunity to cultivate the divine attribute of charity and love towards others, as we are constantly in their presence. Demonstrating love to our family members contributes to the establishment of eternal families.

Regarding husbands, Joseph Smith emphasized the importance of appreciating and fulfilling their responsibilities towards their wives in this life. He stated that if a man fails to appreciate and properly care for his wife in this mortal existence, he cannot expect to be blessed with one in the hereafter.

6.  Essential to His Eternal Plan:  Marriage between a man and woman is essential to His eternal plan.

Doctrine and Covenants 138:48 teaches us that the sealing of children to their parents, meaning the formation of eternal families, is crucial. Without this sealing, the entire earth would be subject to a curse and rendered meaningless upon Christ's coming.

As mentioned earlier, a primary objective of our earthly existence is to establish eternal families. Without temples and the concept of eternal families, the creation of the earth would have been futile, as our ability to become like God hinges upon this eternal family unit.

Elder David A. Bednar explained why men and women need each other in marriage:  “By divine design, men and women, are intended to progress together toward perfection and a fulness of glory.  Because of their distinctive temperaments and capacities, males and females each bring to a marriage relationship unique perspectives and experiences.  The man and the woman contribute differently but equally to a oneness and a unity that can be achieved in no other way.

7.  Founded upon the Teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ:  Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just imagine the success our families would experience if we applied the teachings of Jesus such as kindness, compassion, selflessness, love, forgiveness, respect, obedience, and honor. It is common for young people to prioritize spending time with friends over their family. However, it is important to remember that we are not sealed to our friends, but to our families. By loving and serving our family, we create an environment that fosters our progression towards becoming a celestial family.  And

8.  Individual Adaptation:  Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation.

It is important to acknowledge that some individuals participating in these lessons come from homes that may be dysfunctional, broken, or headed by a single parent. However, please remember that you are deeply loved and valued by God. Many remarkable individuals, including prophets, have emerged from backgrounds marked by brokenness, dysfunction, non-membership, or single-parent households. For instance, consider Abraham, whose apostate father even attempted to have him killed.

Regarding the concept of family, it is crucial to comprehend that God initially presents us with an ideal to aspire to. However, He also allows us to adapt and make adjustments based on our unique circumstances.

Elder Richard G. Scott defined the ideal, eternal family this way:  “Through the restored gospel we learn there is an ideal family.  It is a family composed of a righteous Melchizedek Priesthood bearer with a righteous wife sealed to him and children born in the covenant or sealed to them.

Due to circumstances beyond your control, the family you are currently part of may not meet the ideal standards. However, if we remain faithful and fulfill our responsibilities, all the blessings of an eternal family will be granted to us, whether in this life or the next. We are assured that individuals whose circumstances prevent them from receiving eternal blessings will still be rewarded as long as they uphold the covenants they have made with God.

Regrettably, we are aware that some families experience divorce. While it is important to remember that we cannot pass judgment on the specific situations of others, as a general principle, the Church discourages divorce and refers to it as a "plague" caused by the "adversary's work."

When it comes to marriage, Jesus explicitly stated in Matthew 19:6, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." In response to the Pharisees' inquiry about divorce, citing Moses' allowance for it, Jesus clarified in verse 8, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning, it was not so."

In essence, Jesus affirmed the sacredness and indissolubility of the marital bond, emphasizing that divorce was permitted in the past due to human weakness but was not part of God's original plan from the beginning.

What is the remedy for most marriage stress?  It is not divorce or separation.  The remedy is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ—in repentance, forgiveness, integrity, and love.  It is found in treating your spouse as you would like to be treated.

To conclude this lesson, I would like to quote President Boyd K. Packer who said: “The ultimate purpose of every teaching, every activity in the Church is that parents and their children are happy at home, sealed in an eternal marriage, and linked to their generations.”

I testify that Jesus Christ does heal our marriages and family in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.  He is the way, He paid the ultimate price so that we can return back to our heavenly home with loving heavenly parents who are eager for us to return back to their presence.

This concludes our lesson in this section of  ACT 2.  The next lesson, which is in ACT 2, will focus on “Christ’s return. Signs of the Second Coming.”  So, if you have any questions about the gospel, please feel free to leave a message in the comments section below, and don’t forget to subscribe and share so that we can spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ together.