“MARRIAGE IN THE COVENANT”: AN OLD TESTAMENT LAW FIRST

““MARRIAGE IN THE MARRIAGE IN THE COVENANT”: COVENANT”:

AN OLD TESTAMENT LAW AN OLD TESTAMENT LAW FIRSTFIRST

““How wonderful a thing How wonderful a thing is marriage under the plan of is marriage under the plan of our Eternal Father, a plan our Eternal Father, a plan provided in His divine wisdom provided in His divine wisdom for the happiness and for the happiness and security of His children and security of His children and the continuity of the race.the continuity of the race.

““He is our Creator, and He is our Creator, and He designed marriage from He designed marriage from the beginning…..the beginning…..

““Surely no one reading Surely no one reading the scriptures, both ancient the scriptures, both ancient and modern, can doubt the and modern, can doubt the divine concept of marriage.”divine concept of marriage.”

EnsignEnsign, May 1991, , May 1991, 7171

Gordon B. Hinckley

Marriage in the BeginningMarriage in the Beginning

““Marriage as Marriage as established in the beginning established in the beginning was an eternal covenant. was an eternal covenant. The first man and the first The first man and the first woman were not married woman were not married until death should part them, until death should part them, for at that time death had not for at that time death had not come into the world. The come into the world. The ceremony on that occasion ceremony on that occasion was performed by the Eternal was performed by the Eternal Father himself whose work Father himself whose work endures forever. endures forever.

Joseph Fielding Smith

““It is the will of the It is the will of the Lord that all marriages Lord that all marriages should be of like should be of like character, and in character, and in becoming "one flesh" the becoming "one flesh" the man and the woman are man and the woman are to continue in the to continue in the married status, married status, according to the Lord's according to the Lord's plan, throughout all plan, throughout all eternity as well as in this eternity as well as in this mortal life.”mortal life.”

Doctrines of SalvationDoctrines of Salvation 2:712:71


““Not good for man to be alone”Not good for man to be alone”

It was not "good" for man to be alone in It was not "good" for man to be alone in the beginning, and it never was and never will the beginning, and it never was and never will be "good" for man to be alone. That man or that be "good" for man to be alone. That man or that woman who remains "separately and singly" woman who remains "separately and singly" throughout eternity shall have lost the greatest throughout eternity shall have lost the greatest blessing the Lord has prepared for them that blessing the Lord has prepared for them that love him. It is an inherent, or God-given desire, love him. It is an inherent, or God-given desire, for a man when he becomes mature, to "leave for a man when he becomes mature, to "leave his father and his mother" and "cleave unto his his father and his mother" and "cleave unto his wife" in a companionship and union that in all wife" in a companionship and union that in all righteousness should endure forever. righteousness should endure forever.

Joseph Fielding Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, DSDS 2:69-70 2:69-70

““When Eve was When Eve was given to Adam, the union given to Adam, the union was an eternal one. There was an eternal one. There was no death in the world, was no death in the world, for the fall of man came for the fall of man came later. When the seeds of later. When the seeds of death were sown and man death were sown and man was banished from the was banished from the presence of the Lord presence of the Lord because of his because of his transgression, the union transgression, the union previously formed was not previously formed was not severed.”severed.”

Doctrines of Salvation 2:69Doctrines of Salvation 2:69


Tenth President of the Church

““Because the daughters of Noah married the Because the daughters of Noah married the sons of men contrary to the teachings of the Lord, his sons of men contrary to the teachings of the Lord, his anger was kindled, and this offense was one cause anger was kindled, and this offense was one cause that brought to pass the universal flood. You will see that brought to pass the universal flood. You will see that the condition appears reversed in the Book of that the condition appears reversed in the Book of Moses. It was the daughters of the sons of God who Moses. It was the daughters of the sons of God who were marrying the sons of men, which was displeasing were marrying the sons of men, which was displeasing unto the Lord. The fact was, as we see it revealed, unto the Lord. The fact was, as we see it revealed, that the daughters who had been born, evidently that the daughters who had been born, evidently under the covenant, and were the daughters of the under the covenant, and were the daughters of the sons of God, that is to say of those who held the sons of God, that is to say of those who held the priesthood, were transgressing the commandment of priesthood, were transgressing the commandment of the Lord and were marrying the Lord and were marrying out of the Church.”out of the Church.”

Joseph Fielding SmithJoseph Fielding Smith

Answer to Gospel Questions, 1:136 Answer to Gospel Questions, 1:136

““One of the great evils that One of the great evils that existed among the people was existed among the people was that the sons of God married the that the sons of God married the daughters of men; or, in other daughters of men; or, in other words, many who were words, many who were connected with the Church mixed connected with the Church mixed themselves up with those who themselves up with those who were not; and thus their hearts were not; and thus their hearts were drawn away from God, and were drawn away from God, and in the sight of God they were no in the sight of God they were no better than those who rejected better than those who rejected His servants, and consequently His servants, and consequently they perished with the they perished with the disobedient and wicked.”disobedient and wicked.”

JD 26:90-91JD 26:90-91

John Taylor

Third President of the Church

““There is nothing that I There is nothing that I can think of, in a religious way, can think of, in a religious way, that would grieve me more that would grieve me more intensely than to see one of my intensely than to see one of my boys marry an unbelieving girl, boys marry an unbelieving girl, or one of my girls marry an or one of my girls marry an unbelieving man. While I live, unbelieving man. While I live, and they will hearken to my and they will hearken to my voice, you can depend upon it, voice, you can depend upon it, none of them will ever do it, none of them will ever do it, and I would to God that every and I would to God that every father in Israel saw it just as I father in Israel saw it just as I do, and would carry it out just do, and would carry it out just as I intend to do.”as I intend to do.”

Gospel DoctrineGospel Doctrine p. p. 279279

Joseph F. Smith

Sixth President of the Church

““I may be pardoned, I may be pardoned, since it is pretty well since it is pretty well known everywhere, I known everywhere, I believe, that I speak my believe, that I speak my mind if I speak at all, if I mind if I speak at all, if I say to you, Mormon, Jew, say to you, Mormon, Jew, and Gentile, believer and and Gentile, believer and unbeliever, present in this unbeliever, present in this congregation, I would congregation, I would rather take one of my rather take one of my children to the grave than I children to the grave than I would see him turn away would see him turn away from this Gospel. from this Gospel.

Joseph F. Smith

Sixth President

of the Church

““I would rather take my children to the I would rather take my children to the cemetery, and see them buried in innocence, cemetery, and see them buried in innocence, than I would see them corrupted by the ways of than I would see them corrupted by the ways of the world. I would rather go myself to the grave the world. I would rather go myself to the grave than to be associated with a wife outside of the than to be associated with a wife outside of the bonds of the new and everlasting covenant. bonds of the new and everlasting covenant. Now, I hold it just so sacred; but some Now, I hold it just so sacred; but some members of the Church do not so regard the members of the Church do not so regard the matter. Some people feel that it does not make matter. Some people feel that it does not make very much difference whether a girl marries a very much difference whether a girl marries a man in the Church, full of the faith of the man in the Church, full of the faith of the Gospel, or an unbeliever.Gospel, or an unbeliever.

““Some of our young people have married Some of our young people have married outside of the Church; but very few of those outside of the Church; but very few of those who have done it have failed to come to grief. I who have done it have failed to come to grief. I would like to see Latter-day Saint men marry would like to see Latter-day Saint men marry Latter-day Saint women; and Methodists marry Latter-day Saint women; and Methodists marry Methodists, Catholics marry Catholics, and Methodists, Catholics marry Catholics, and Presbyterians marry Presbyterians, and so on Presbyterians marry Presbyterians, and so on to the limit. Let them keep within the pale of to the limit. Let them keep within the pale of their own faith and church.”their own faith and church.”

Gospel DoctrineGospel Doctrine, p. 279, p. 279

““Don’t trifle away your Don’t trifle away your happiness by an happiness by an involvement with someone involvement with someone who cannot take you who cannot take you worthily to the temple. worthily to the temple. Make a decision now that Make a decision now that this is the place where you this is the place where you will marry. To leave that will marry. To leave that decision until a romantic decision until a romantic involvement develops is to involvement develops is to take a risk, the importance take a risk, the importance of which can’t calculate of which can’t calculate now.”now.”

Teachings of ETBTeachings of ETB, p. , p. 538538

Ezra Taft Benson

Thirteenth President of the Church

““I would urge you further I would urge you further to pray about this matter. to pray about this matter. Obtain the testimony of the Obtain the testimony of the truth of these things before a truth of these things before a romantic involvement can romantic involvement can take root. Covenant with your take root. Covenant with your Heavenly Father that you will Heavenly Father that you will do His will. Live a clean, do His will. Live a clean, moral life, and be worthy of moral life, and be worthy of His Spirit to bless you.His Spirit to bless you.

No sacrifice is too great No sacrifice is too great to have the blessings of an to have the blessings of an eternal marriage.”eternal marriage.”

Teachings of ETBTeachings of ETB, p. 538, p. 538

Ezra Taft Benson


What was the cause What was the cause of the first, or one of the of the first, or one of the first, curses that came first, curses that came upon Israel? I will tell you. upon Israel? I will tell you. One of the first One of the first transgressions of the transgressions of the family called Israel, was family called Israel, was their going to other their going to other families or other nations families or other nations to select partners. This to select partners. This was one of the great was one of the great mistakes made by the mistakes made by the children of Abraham, children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Isaac and Jacob,

Brigham Young

Second President of the Church

“…“….for they would .for they would go and marry with other go and marry with other families, although the families, although the Lord had forbidden them Lord had forbidden them to do so, and had given to do so, and had given them a very strict and them a very strict and stringent law on the stringent law on the subject. He commanded subject. He commanded them not to marry them not to marry among the Gentiles, but among the Gentiles, but they did and would do they did and would do it.”it.”

Discourses of BY, p. 196Discourses of BY, p. 196

Brigham Young


““Our Heavenly Father Our Heavenly Father wants you to date young men wants you to date young men who are faithful members of the who are faithful members of the Church, who will be worthy to Church, who will be worthy to take you to the temple and be take you to the temple and be married the Lord's way. There married the Lord's way. There will be a new spirit in Zion when will be a new spirit in Zion when the young women will say to their the young women will say to their boyfriends, "If you cannot get a boyfriends, "If you cannot get a temple recommend, then I am temple recommend, then I am not about to tie my life to you, not about to tie my life to you, even for mortality!" And the even for mortality!" And the young returned missionary will young returned missionary will say to his girlfriend, "I am sorry, say to his girlfriend, "I am sorry, but as much as I love you, I will but as much as I love you, I will not marry out of the holy temple.“not marry out of the holy temple.“

Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice, p. 21-22Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice, p. 21-22

Ezra Taft Benson


““Be careful, O ye Be careful, O ye mothers in Israel, and mothers in Israel, and do not teach your do not teach your daughters in future, as daughters in future, as many of them have many of them have been taught, to marry been taught, to marry out of Israel. Woe to out of Israel. Woe to you who do it; you will you who do it; you will lose your crowns as lose your crowns as sure as God lives.”sure as God lives.”

Discourses of BYDiscourses of BY, p. 196, p. 196

Brigham Young


““You young men, fall in You young men, fall in love with Latter-day Saint girls. love with Latter-day Saint girls. And you young women, fall in And you young women, fall in love with Latter-day Saint boys. love with Latter-day Saint boys. You will be happier if you do so. You will be happier if you do so. You will be happier because You will be happier because you will understand one you will understand one another and appreciate one another and appreciate one another's values, and you will another's values, and you will be grateful all of your days if be grateful all of your days if you will do that.”—From Cebu you will do that.”—From Cebu City Philippines member City Philippines member fireside, May 31, 1997fireside, May 31, 1997

EnsignEnsign, July 1997, p.73, July 1997, p.73

Gordon B. Hinckley

Fifteenth Presidentof the Church

Marriage, solemnized Marriage, solemnized in the temples of the in the temples of the Church, is performed in Church, is performed in the authority of that same the authority of that same holy priesthood, not only holy priesthood, not only for this life, but for the next for this life, but for the next as well.as well.

The separation of The separation of loved ones in death is loved ones in death is always fraught with always fraught with sorrow. It would be fraught sorrow. It would be fraught with hopelessness if there with hopelessness if there

Gordon B. Hinckley


were not some alternative were not some alternative to the finality of the "until to the finality of the "until death do thee part" death do thee part" pronouncement in most pronouncement in most marriage ceremonies.marriage ceremonies.

It need not be so. It need not be so. Reason would deny that the Reason would deny that the Father who loves us all Father who loves us all would tear asunder the would tear asunder the most sacred relationship of most sacred relationship of all human experience and all human experience and banish the companionship banish the companionship of marriage by those who of marriage by those who love, honor, and respect love, honor, and respect one another. one another.

Gordon B. Hinckley


“ “But there must be But there must be rules. There must be rules. There must be compliance. There must compliance. There must be obedience. The way is be obedience. The way is clear, made so through clear, made so through the exercise of the holy the exercise of the holy priesthood in these priesthood in these sacred temples.”sacred temples.”

Ensign,Ensign, November 1985, November 1985,

p. 60.) p. 60.)

Gordon B. Hinckley


Documents

“MARRIAGE IN THE COVENANT”: AN OLD TESTAMENT LAW FIRST