Will single sisters be able to marry in the Celestial Kingdom?
Question
Will single sisters be able to marry in the Celestial Kingdom?
Gary
Answer
Gary,
Single sisters will be given the opportunity for marriage. But they will not marry in the Celestial Kingdom. In order to obtain the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, marriage must be in place first. And that marriage must happen in this life. Jesus taught us in Matt 22:30 (see also Mark 12:25)
“For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven”
“And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:”
From these teachings we know that marriage is a work that must be accomplished in this life. Marriage will not be performed on resurrected beings.
However, we also know from latter-day teachings that those who are worthy and willing, but do not have the chance for marriage, will not be deprived of exaltation. So how does this work? Well, through work for the dead. Joseph Smith taught “people could now act for their friends who had departed this life, and that the plan of salvation was calculated to save all who were willing to obey the requirements of the law of God.” We don’t know all the details of how this will work. What we do know is that the millennium will be a time for accomplishing the mammoth undertaking of completing the work for the dead. Joseph Smith also taught that immortal beings will frequently visit the earth. These resurrected beings will help with the government and other work. A large part of this will be working out the details of the work for the dead.
The Gospel Principles manual clarifies this idea further:
“There will be two great works for members of the Church during the Millennium: temple work and missionary work. Temple work involves the ordinances that are necessary for exaltation. These include baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the temple ordinances—the endowment, temple marriage, and the sealing together of family units. Many people have died without receiving these ordinances. People on the earth must perform these ordinances for them. This work is now being done in the temples of the Lord. There is too much work to finish before the Millennium begins, so it will be completed during that time. Resurrected beings will help us correct the mistakes we have made in doing research concerning our dead ancestors. They will also help us find the information we need to complete our records. (See Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:167, 251–52.)”
Finally, James E Talmage drives the point home in his book Jesus the Christ,
“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.” (Jesus the Christ ch 31).
Gramps
So those who have not been married in the temple in this life but are worthy saints will not be able to receive the full blessings of the celestial kingdom without marriage being performed in this life. We are resurrected beings in the millennium, so how can this be then? Additionally, with the stipulation that we cannot receive the full blessing of the celestial kingdom without temple marriage in this life, that is very depressing for someone like me, who has 3 children and is married to a nonmember that has absolutely no intentions of being one. My wife has speciifically expressed to me if she were to die before me, that I do not perform temple ordinances for her. She’s gone so far as to say she would understand that if I chose to leave her for a member of the church she would understand. Of course I would never do that.
I know what you mean my husband is anti Mormon he dislikes them so munch that he goes and hides when missionaries come to the house. It is rather depressing.
Me too Natasha…only my husband has doesn’t allow the missionaries over at all. He hides when the home teachers come.
Natasha, thanks for the response. My comments to you would be the same as given to Aras. If you feel like it please read…Good luck!
Doesn’t it say in the scriptures that there will be no more sorrow or crying? Somehow things will work out.
Not quite. Gramps has it a bit off here, perhaps, or we are interpreting him incorrectly. If you live righteously in this life, and yet your wife still chooses against the Gospel, that is her right. But you will arise in the morning of the first resurrection because you have kept the covenants you have made. This occurs at the beginning of the millennium. Those who have kept their second estate will have the chance to tie up the loose ends during the course of the millennium, have the chance to have ordinances performed. So you will have the chance to be sealed, if not to your current spouse who refuses such, then to someone else of your choosing at that time. It seems as though the explanations offered so far would indicate that the ordinances would be performed by proxy if you were not still living yourself. Hope that makes some sense. Don’t worry, God will be fair and merciful.
It’s very difficult for people like me and i suppose its of my own making. When we repent it changes our status with God but doesn’t immediately repair the wake of damage you’ve left behind. With that being said, what is the Celestial Kingdom without the people you love the very most. I can’t imagine not being with my wife and kids forever,therefore I rely heavily upon faith that some way, some how, that will all change and we will be together. Thanks for the response!!
God is merciful but isn’t fair. He is not fair. It is not fair that the Sinless One had to take our sins and suffer and die for them. I am grateful that God is not fair.
I would be very surprised if I remarry in this life. I expect to rise in the Millennium and upon the Earth find my husband and be sealed to him. Later we will enter the Celestial Kingdom. Between mortality and the Celestial Kingdom there is a 1000 period of time called the Millennium where problems will be ironed out. I just hope I’m not stuck with my former husband for eternity or that the Lord will forgive me for getting my divorce. I am striving to live the commandments.
I don’t understand. How do we qualify for exaltation and exercise those benefits (eternal increase) if we are not married after this life to have those children?
It sounds to me from your comments that I will not be able to participate in a marriage ceremony myself after I have died, even though I have tried to live a good life and have not had the opportunity to marry.
As a former temple worker, I assure you that those for whom we are vicariously performed temple ordinances are very much participating in those ordinances. There are mortal men and women performing the rituals, it is true, but they are each doing it in the name of one who has passed on and that one is present and is taking part in the rituals right along with the mortals, making the affirmations and accepting the words and actions of their proxy as their own. During my time serving in the temple, we very often had experiences that unmistakably demonstrated this.
Hi Teresa, This passage in Matthew is a response directed exactly to the Sadducees. They, and all the children of the “world” will not marry in the resurrection. Ordinances and covenants are designed to be entered into during this life. And since the Sadducees did not they can not expect to marry later. It is unrealistic to think that resurrected beings will not marry. Little children who died before the age of accountability are guaranteed exaltation in the highest degree of heaven. To do that they must grow up as resurrected beings during the millennium and marry. So anyone that is worthy of these blessings will be able to marry for themselves to another worthy resurrected person that also did not have the opportunity on earth.
New celestial marriages are not produced among the previously unmarried dead. Marriage sealing ordinances for the dead are only for those who were already married in earthly life. There is no church doctrine, ordinance, custom, or practice that allows the living to make the decision of who their single dead ancestors should be sealed to and then do that ordinance. Unless new revelation is presented on this subject, earthly marriage is required to fulfill the temple and doctrinal requirement of “legally and lawfully wed” in this life.
I believe that the VAST MAJORITY of persons in this country have an opportunity to work at a JOB, if they REALLY want; AND aren’t so lazy, proud, or picky to settle for LESS than they THINK they are deserving.
But, people ARE too lazy or proud. The result? Many unemployed, that SAY they “can’t find a job.”
I also believe that the VAST MAJORITY of unmarried persons in this country have an opportunity to find a SPOUSE, if they REALLY want; AND aren’t so proud or picky to settle for LESS than they THINK they are deserving. But, people ARE too proud & picky. The result? Many unmarried, that SAY they can’t find a SPOUSE, or “never had an opportunity to marry.” Especially in this modern day, with the church 100% behind them, and the Lord’s gift of social media, there should be virtually no excuse for living a long life without getting married.
“If you make yourselves worthy and ready to go to the house of the Lord and have faith in this sacred principle of celestial marriage for eternity, even though the privilege of marriage does not come to you now in mortality, the Lord will reward you in due time and no blessing will be denied you.” (President Harold B Lee)
I believe that during the millennium all these types of things will be taken care of right here on earth. The millennium will be before the judgment day. Those who haven’t married will be able to find someone in Zion. There will also be those beings who are resurrected and haven’t found someone yet as well.
from the “Home and Family Education” lesson
“The Fulness of the Blessings of the Priesthood”
“You good sisters, who are single and alone, do not fear, do not feel that blessings are going to be withheld from you. You are not under any obligation or necessity of accepting some proposal that comes to you which is distasteful for fear you will come under condemnation. If in your hearts you feel that the gospel is true, and would under proper conditions receive these ordinances and sealing blessings in the temple of the Lord; and that is your faith and your hope and your desire, and that does not come to you now; the Lord will make it up, and you shall be blessed —for no blessing shall be withheld.
“The Lord will judge you according to the desires of your hearts when blessings are withheld in this life, and he is not going to condemn you for that which you cannot help. . . .The Fulness o f the Blessings of the Priesthood “No woman will be condemned by the Lord for refusing to accept a proposal which she feels she could not properly accept. In my judgment it is far better for our good girls to refuse an offer of marriage when they think that the companionship of the man would be disagreeable, or if he is one they do not and believe they cannot learn to love.
“If in her heart the young woman accepts fully the word of the Lord, and under proper conditions would abide by the law, but refuses an offer when she fully believes that the conditions would not justify her in entering a marriage contract, which would bind her forever to one she does not love, she shall not lose her reward. The Lord will judge her by the desires of the heart, and the day will come when the blessings withheld shall be given, though it be postponed until the life to come” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:76-77).
I have no authority in this matter. I have always considered the millennium as the time when things will be sorted out. The time when Temple work will be finished (and corrected, and amplified upon). When families will be established and re established. When promises yet unfulfilled are accomplished. When practice at living the united order or living the law of consecration are put into place. I have no reason to say this is true, just a vague idea that this might be a way his purposes are fulfilled, I simply don’t know.
We could make guesses but the Gospel is a subject that we should be loathe to make guesses of. There could be distinct points of existing doctrine that we do not fully understand. There could be new Revelations. We are talking of the plans of one who knows our needs and desires more fully than we can even imagine. Should we not simply have faith ? My understanding is that mortals are necessary to do Temple work (If I am wrong I would like to know). In the midst of doubt and uncertainty is not faith that which we need to carry on through ? Faith is a virtue in and of itself which carries great power.
Single Sisters like me will not get married in the Celestial Kingdom. That will happen before–most likely in the Millennium.