The purpose and function of temples is for the practice of eternal ordinances including primarily baptism for the dead, endowments, and celestial marriages.
2007-05-01 15:23:39 · 7 answers · asked by n_007pen 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Temples are for the performing of ordinances as you said. First, we do ordinances for ourselves. These ordinances involve covenants with God. We do not believe that these ordinances can replace good works. Indeed that go hand in hand with works, and the blessings promised are contingent upon our faithfulness.
We also do ordinances for the dead. We believe that after this life, our bodies and our spirits are seperated for a time. During this time we are given a chance to continue to progress. Those who did not receive God's truth will be given a chance to hear and receive it. One of the commandments of God is to be baptized and to recieve his ordinances and covenents. Since during this time after death, bodies and spirits are seperate, they cannot be baptized, so they are baptized vicariously in LDS temples, so they can receive these ordinances.
By being baptized for them, we do not guarantee that they will accept it, but we give them the chance to do so. The same goes for endowments and celestial marriages which are the most important aspect of God's plan as the family is central to it. Our greatest happiness will come through progressing with our families through eternity.
I should mention that celestial marriage is essential to attain the highest level of glory and happiness. Those who do not accept eternal marriage and these ordinances will still be granted their kingdom of happiness, but it will not be equal to those who accept the fullness of God's Gospel.
We believe that only those who deny the Holy Ghost will be punished eternally. All others will receive a degree of glory.
2007-05-01 15:37:29 · answer #1 · answered by moonman 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
the reason many human beings say Mormons are no longer Christians comes from their extra exploration of Mormon doctrine, which expresses a theology and christology somewhat diverse from that chanced on interior the Gospels. some say that the guy the Mormon church follows is a fictional character who's in basic terms NAMED Jesus Christ. I understand your puzzlement, regardless of the undeniable fact that. difficult stuff, that faith corporation. On judgment day, regardless of the undeniable fact that, all incorrect accusations would be revealed and disregarded. additionally, a very good kind of persons, including many Christians, have doubts with regard to the guy Joseph Smith. genuine or fake, the accusations and controversies surrounding him are undesirable exposure.
2017-01-09 07:09:47 · answer #2 · answered by gamon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to Mormons you can't get into heaven unless you are baptized and married in a temple. If you didn't accept Mormonism in life, they call back your spirit, "put it in someone elses body" and then baptize and marry that body with this other spirit.
2007-05-01 15:32:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not to make them Mormon. What happens to all the people who lived their lives and then died without ever hearing of Christ? I mean, if we have to be baptized to enter a covenant with Christ (see John 3:3-5) what about the ones who never had the chance when they were alive? I think God loves us all, and he wants us ALL to have the opportunity to accept the Gospel.
2007-05-01 15:31:03 · answer #4 · answered by Daniel 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jo Smith brother died and he thought he would never see him again, so he had a vision in one of the themples he built and saw his brother and two other prominent figures from the O.T. I can't remember who they were exactly and he got the ordinace for babtism for the dead, Paul talks about it in christian Bible in 1n Corninthians 15:29. Bible scholars are not sure what Paul is talking about, maybe the christians at Corinth were trying to combine christanity with ancestorial worship by babtizing their ancestors. No one really knows anyways, Joseph smith took this passage to mean that he could babtize his dead brother in the afterlife so he could see him again, by also marrying him to someone in a temple ceremony as well. Because his dead brother showed up, no one knows if it really was his dead nrother , or as the bible would say a demon, or Joseph Smith just made it all up.
2007-05-01 16:28:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
So that the dead can become Mormon and get into heaven (or one of the 3 different plains of heaven they believe in).
2007-05-01 15:27:02 · answer #6 · answered by DougDoug_ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Baptism is required for exaltation. Not everyone gets the opportunity to accept or reject hte gospel and baptism, before they die. They get a chance to do this after they die.
2007-05-02 01:01:36 · answer #7 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋