Families Can Be Together Forever

I Love to See the Temple

Love at Home

• Does the concept of eternal families accurately describe your view of eternity? If not, why not?
  

God is God alone forevermore.

I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is. no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else (Isaiah 45:5–6).

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen (Romans 11:36).

God created everything—marriage and family included.

Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it… (Isaiah 42:5)

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24).

God created everything—marriage and family included.

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are. children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate (Psalm 127:3–5).

• Since God is God alone forevermore, we will never equal nor surpass him.
  

• Gender, marriage, and family are all God’s to define.

To enter God’s family.

… Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:1–6).

To enter God’s family.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:3–4).

Because Adam plunged all mankind into sin.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12).

Because sinners are by nature children of wrath.

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Ephesians 2:1–3).

Because sinners are by nature children of wrath.

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother (1 John 3:10).

Through faith on account of God’s mercy.

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:4–5).

Through faith on account of God’s mercy.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:14–16).

• God graciously invites you into his family by (re)birth (John 3:3).

• God says you cannot be (re)born by works of righteousness (Titus 3:4–5).

• God causes people to be born into his family by the Spirit when they repent put their faith in Christ alone (John 3:16).

God redeems and adopts sinners.

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Galatians 4:4–5).

Sinners who receive adoption become children of God.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (Romans 8:15–16).

• God is willing to purchase your adoption at the cost of his Son’s life (Galatians 4:4–5).

• God’s adoption grants the privileges of Christ Jesus (Romans 8:15–17).

• God adopts all those who put their faith in his Son’s sacrifice (John 1:12).

• In the eternal state, people will not marry one another (Luke 20:34–36).

• They will not marry one another because they will be married to Christ (Revelation 21:2–3).

• Modern-day marriage pictures the message of Christ crucified (Ephesians 5:25–27)

• The Bible invites you to join God’s family by new birth, by adoption as sons, and by marriage to the Lamb.
  

• Many Latter-day Saints are disappointed to learn that the Bible contradicts “eternal families.”
  

• This disappointment is a problem of perspective. Consider the following two quotes.

• The Creator and Sustainer of all things invites you to join His family by faith alone in Christ alone.
  

• Will you join him and accept his eternal reward?