The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, referred to inadvertently as the “Mormon Church” by some in the media, believes in the traditional Christian principles of chastity, fidelity, and heterosexual marriage. “Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God,” says the Church, and “the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” (from The Family: A Proclamation to the World, published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). How, then, does the Church regard homosexuality? What do you do if you are a gay Mormon?

Eternal Families are Central To God’s Plan

Mormons have a unique view of the family. Many people throughout the world hope for their family ties to last beyond mortal life. Yet only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that families can exist eternally, and only in Mormon temples can couples and families be “sealed,” or bound together, for eternity rather than for this life only. The founding prophet of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, received the priesthood authority to perform such sealings from Peter, James, and John, who visited him as angelic messengers in 1829 and bestowed it upon him by the laying on of hands. Peter received the sealing authority from Jesus Christ himself, as is recorded in Matthew 18:18:

Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ^abind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Not only is an eternal family important to our happiness in this life and in the life to come: Mormon doctrine teaches that it is essential. Mormon men and women believe that their greatest work lies within the walls of their own homes. The eternal relationship between a man and a woman, sealed together in the temple, is required for exaltation and progression in the eternities.

Gay Mormons, then, are faced with a dilemma. Why would God send them to earth with a body that seems to prevent them from achieving the greatest blessings He has in store for them? Some gay Mormons try to “cure” themselves through strenuous efforts at spiritual growth and Church activity; others become depressed, or stop believing in God altogether. When their efforts at changing their sexual orientation fail, many are unsure how to reconcile the doctrines they so firmly believe, and the spiritual experiences they have previously had, with their sexual orientation.

God Loveth His Children

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are keenly aware of the conflicts faced by Mormons who are experiencing same-gender attraction. The Church regularly publishes material reaching out to those who feel they are barred from full acceptance because of their sexual orientation. On the Church’s website, the following can be found under the title, “God Loveth His Children:”

You are a son or daughter of God, and our hearts reach out to you in warmth and affection. Notwithstanding your present same-gender attractions, you can be happy during this life, lead a morally clean life, perform meaningful service in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with your fellow Saints, and ultimately receive all the blessings of eternal life.

The article goes on to explain about the importance of families to God’s plan, and reassures those who struggle in this life that God loves them, and His choicest blessings will, in due time, be available to all:

Heaven is organized by families, which require a man and a woman who together exercise their creative powers within the bounds the Lord has set. Same-gender relationships are inconsistent with this plan. Without both a husband and a wife there would be no eternal family and no opportunity to become like Heavenly Father.

In some circumstances a person defers marriage because he or she is not presently attracted to a member of the opposite gender. While many Latter-day Saints, through individual effort, the exercise of faith, and reliance upon the enabling power of the Atonement, overcome same-gender attraction in mortality, others may not be free of this challenge in this life. However, the perfect plan of our Father in Heaven makes provision for individuals who seek to keep His commandments but who, through no fault of their own, do not have an eternal marriage in mortal life. As we follow Heavenly Father’s plan, our bodies, feelings, and desires will be perfected in the next life so that every one of God’s children may find joy in a family consisting of a husband, a wife, and children.

Same-gender attractions include deep emotional, social, and physical feelings. All of Heavenly Father’s children desire to love and be loved, including many adults who, for a variety of reasons, remain single. God assures His children, including those currently attracted to persons of the same gender, that their righteous desires will eventually be fully satisfied in God’s own way and according to His timing.

Chastity and Fidelity

Because Mormons believe in complete chastity before marriage and fidelity afterwards, gay Mormons are not asked to live any differently than other single members of the Church who may not yet be enjoying the blessings of marriage and family life for various reasons. Those who engage in sexual relationships outside of heterosexual marriage can repent and have their sins washed clean through the atonement of Jesus Christ. The healing power of the Savior can bring peace to the hearts of those who suffer. Jesus’s atonement can provide additional strength to those who are struggling to keep His commandments. Latter-day Saints (Mormons) who keep God’s commandments and choose to abide by Church standards with regard to their sexual behavior participate in the Church in full fellowship. Gay Mormons can teach, preach, and pray in meetings, perform various leadership roles within the lay clergy of the Church, and attend the temple. Other members accept and support them.

A recent video produced by a former professor at Brigham Young University, the largest university sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, highlights the spiritual journeys of several gay Mormon students. Entitled “It Gets Better at BYU,” the video is a message of hope to young Mormons who are struggling to understand their same-gender attraction.

Additional Resources:

God Loveth His Children

Same-Gender Attraction

My Battle With Same-Sex Attraction

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly referred to as the Mormon Church) builds temples. These Mormon temples are now all over the world, with 136 currently in operation and many more under construction. Latter-day Saints (“Mormons“) believe that temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are pure and sanctified, set apart for special use which He has designated. Latter-day Saints believe that no unclean thing can enter into the presence of God (1 Nephi 15:34), thus entrance into temples is restricted to those who have lived worthy to enter.

Some criticize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for limiting those who can enter into Mormon temples. Some become suspicious and assume there must be something shady going on, if access is limited. This is absolutely not true. Temples are sacred, not secret, and it is the sincere invitation of Church leaders to everyone to live worthily to enter Mormon temples, then to make the choice to enter and participate in temple work.

Things which go on in Mormon temples are sacred and are protected to make sure that people who are not ready for higher covenants do not enter into them prematurely. Those who attend Mormon temples have made promises to God to live a higher law, a higher standard of living. This standard is not easy. The blessings which come to those who fulfill their covenant to live this higher law are overwhelmingly beautiful. However, the consequences which come from making these covenants and not keeping them are also more severe. This is why those who are not already living a high standard are not permitted to enter the temple. They are protected from being held to a higher law before they are ready to keep it.

Mormon temple open houses provide wonderful opportunities for those who are not yet prepared to enter dedicated Mormon temples to see inside Mormon temples and to get a feel for the work that goes on inside them. Before a Mormon temple is dedicated, a period of about two weeks is set aside for the public to walk through the building. Visits are organized and tickets are required, but they are free. Mormon missionaries and other Latter-day Saint volunteers will be there to help guide people through the building and answer any questions they may have. Often presentations are given outlining what temples are and why Mormons build temples. For those who do not know Mormons, this experience can be a very positive and enlightening one. Any person who has ever been inside a Mormon temple will testify of its beauty and peace. Mormon temples are truly special, sacred places.

By taking the opportunity to walk through a Mormon temple during an open house, the skeptical and suspicious can have all their doubts washed away when they see for themselves the purity and beauty of these buildings and learn from those who know what goes on inside the buildings. Visitors are permitted to walk through all of the main temple rooms: the celestial room, the endowment room, the baptistry, sealing room, etc. Each of these rooms is used for a special purpose once a temple is dedicated. All temple work—every single ordinance—is centered on the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His atoning sacrifice for mankind.

People often have questions about the baptistry. Mormons have a unique belief that living members of the Church have a responsibility to their deceased ancestors to do essential earthly ordinances on their behalf, if they did not have the chance to receive these ordinances when they were alive. This goes back to the principle of restoration and priesthood authority. Several times throughout the history of the world, the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has not been available to the whole world. Because Latter-day Saints believe that God is a just God and no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), they believe He has provided a way for those who died without a knowledge of the Savior (or without the chance to be baptized by authority) the chance to still be saved. Latter-day Saints perform saving ordinances, by proxy, for their deceased ancestors in Mormon temples. Mormons believe those for whom the ordinances are performed then have the choice of accepting or refusing that ordinance. Nothing is forced on anyone; everyone has the freedom to choose.

Latter-day Saints believe the first saving ordinance is that of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. Living members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not baptized in temples, but all proxy baptisms are performed in Mormon temple baptistries. Baptistries are always located underground, symbolic of the dead who are buried. The font rests on the backs of twelve oxen, who represent the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mormon temple work is focused on love for the Lord and love for one’s fellow men. Temple work is service and, Mormons believe, is some of the most important and meaningful service which can be given on this earth.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

Mormon View of Jesus Christ

Mormon Temples

by Dallin

Perhaps you’ve seen them around town: young men on bikes in dark suits and ties or smiling young women that have come to the door to ask you about your faith in God. They’re Mormon missionaries, well-known for their clean appearance and black nametags, and they represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”) in nations around the world.

The official website of the LDS (“Mormon”) Church reports that more than 52,480 missionaries volunteer in 340 geographical areas, called missions, at any given time. The majority of these missionaries are single young men between 19 and 25 or young women over 21, though some retirement-age married couples also choose to volunteer. Young men typically volunteer for 24 months, young women for 18 months, and couples can volunteer for periods from 6 months to 3 years.

Missionaries do not choose where they will serve, but rather respond to an assignment given by the president of the church, who Mormons believe to be a prophet. When prospectives missionary tell their local leaders that they are willing and ready to volunteer, they receive a letter from the current prophet detailing the assignment. The letter, referred to as a mission call, may send a missionary from his or her home country to any of the 340 missions in the world— it may be Seattle or Cape Town, Hong Kong or Albequerque, Toronto or Moscow, Frankfurt or Sao Paulo. Believing that God speaks through prophets, missionaries accept their respective assignments as though the Lord Himself had asked them to go.

Before reporting to the assigned mission, new missionaries will first report to one of seventeen Missionary Training Centers (MTCs) strategically located around the world. Here they will be instructed in teaching methods, church doctrine, and missionary conduct, and a foreign language if they need to learn one. The standard training period is about three weeks, though missionaries serving in a mission with a foreign language may stay for 8 to 12 weeks for intensified language instruction.

For the duration of a mission assignment, beginning with the first day in the MTC, missionaries focus a significant portion of their time on their volunteer work. Roughly 90 hours of an average week are dedicated to study, sharing the words of Christ, inviting those interested in the Church to learn more, and helping those around them with everything from yard work to quitting smoking to disaster cleanup to researching family history.

As part of their weekly routine, eight hours are set aside to complete any necessary preparations for the coming week: grocery shopping, laundry, letters or emails to family, and some needed recreation or down time are all completed within these few hours each week.

Missionaries also abide by a strict code of conduct. They avoid entertainment, parties, and dating relationships common to others their age. They are up by 6:30 in the morning and in bed by 10:30 at night. At least two hours of every morning are devoted to scripture study. Other rules, including some cultural boundaries, are designated by the leadership of the Church and the local mission president.

Mission presidents are retirement-age missionaries given the specific assignment to direct the affairs of a mission territory for up to three years. Each mission president is accompanied by his wife and any children that may still be living at home. Mission presidents look after the temporal and spiritual needs of the missionaries in their areas, making sure each has proper living arrangements and teaching them from the scriptures. They also assign and rotate assignments for missionary companionships.

Every missionary spends 24 hours of every day with another missionary of the same gender. These duos or partnerships are called companionships. In turn, each missionary companionship is assigned an area within the mission where they live, work, and (when time allows) explore. Partnership and geographic assignments may be rotated by the mission president every few months.

Despite the grueling schedule and strict code of conduct, missionary work is also very rewarding. The most satisfaction comes from witnessing people make changes that will improve their lives. Missionaries have helped alcoholics get away from the drink, tense families to find new family harmony, and doubting and depressed hearts find faith and hope through Jesus Christ. Many of the skills missionaries learn in their respective assignments, such as maintaining a busy schedule or a foreign language, also allow them to be more successful employees when they return home.

Want to know more about what the missionaries do? Next time you see them, ask them to stop for a minute and tell you more about them. You can also chat with a missionary online if you’d prefer, or ask for some missionaries to come by your home. They’ll be glad to stop by and answer your questions. And yes, if it is okay, they’ll probably want to share something they learned in their scripture study that day. Please don’t take that the wrong way. It’s just that they hope to see you smiling one day as big as they are.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

Mormon View of Jesus Christ

Mormon People

Dallin Kimble is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon”). He is a devoted husband and father of two, a freelance writer, a leader is his local town and a graduate student of Public Administration at Arizona State University. More of his writing can be found on his blog at principlesofthegospel.blogspot.com.

by Keith

The scriptures clearly teach us in the Bible, in the book of Romans, “There is none righteous, no, not one. . . . For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). Someone may ask, “If that is the case, how then can a person be saved?” That question is one that is of great concern and generates a large amount of discussion throughout all Christendom. Many sermons have been preached from the pulpits of various denominations concerning this very subject. Although most denominations will agree that grace and faith are two important key elements in the process of one being saved, there are others who will also argue that works play a key role in the salvation process as well.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (which church is inadvertently called the Mormon Church by many people in the world) our third article of faith teaches, “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” In the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, we are taught, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). And in the Bible, in the New Testament, in Ephesians 2:4–9 we are taught:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

What is grace and what role does it play in the salvation of a person? Grace, defined in its simplest terms, is the unmerited favor of God. This means that God did something for us that we rightfully did not deserve, nor could earn ourselves. We needed a Savior, and so God sent His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to become sin’s final sacrifice—the sacrificial lamb for the slaughter to atone for all of our sins—past, present, and future. His Son willingly and lovingly accepted what He was sent to do, and He who knew no sin, took on the consequences of sin for us. He paid a debt that He did not owe and one that we could not pay on our own. That amazing grace was a free gift from God which we accept through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Advocate with the Father, and it is through Him alone that we are freely justified. That free gift of grace was exemplified through the Atonement when our precious Savior was crucified on that cruel Roman cross on Golgotha’s lonely hill. When He cried “It is finished!” the work that He had been sent to do was finally complete, and the gulf that existed between a sinful man and a loving Heavenly Father was bridged, providing a way for each of us to return home to the loving arms of the Father who awaits us.

With an understanding of what grace is, one might ask questions such as: “Is grace then not enough? Why do we need faith? Are works even a necessary part of our salvation?” Consider the words that we read in Romans 11:6 where the Apostle Paul teaches us, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Now someone may ask, “But isn’t grace more important than works? Therefore, should we exclude works altogether?” James would answer no to that question ,for he teaches that works are a necessary part of our faith, and faith is an essential key to our salvation. The works that we do are a testimony, or an outward expression, of our faith. Consider his words as recorded in James 2:14–26:

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

I believe that James is teaching us that it is good to have faith, but faith as it stands alone profits nothing. We develop and maintain our faith through our works. Let us turn to the Bible, in the Old Testament, and examine more closely the account of Abraham being commanded by God to sacrifice his only son Isaac: as recorded in Genesis 22:1–12:

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.  

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 

In order to fully understand this account we must first realize what God was not doing. God was not tempting Abraham. God was not enticing Abraham to do wrong, but was testing him to see if his faith was strong enough to be obedient to His will and do what was required; giving him, thereby, the opportunity to understand the Love of his Heavenly Father and the glory of obedience. God was not instituting or condoning child sacrifice. As seen in Deuteronomy 12:31, God abhors child sacrifice: “Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods” (see also Leviticus 20:2–5, Jeremiah 32:35, Ezekiel 20:26, Isaiah 57:4–5). It is important to remember that God prevented the sacrifice from actually occurring. He did not desire the sacrifice as an act of worship or for any other reason beyond testing and developing Abraham’s faith.

God has the right to take human life, and therefore could have authorized Abraham to take the life of his son Isaac in this particular case, but He did not. However, had Abraham decided of his own accord to sacrifice Isaac, he would have been wrong, and his act would have been condemned by God.

Why then would God give this command? The point was for Abraham to come to understand that he trusted God completely and placed Him above all else, even his own son. Though God already knew that Abraham had faith in Him, it was necessary for Abraham to expand his faith through his works, or actions. Because of his “works,” not only God, but Abraham, his family and future generations knew that Abraham trusted God. This trust was important because it indicated that Abraham had the proper relationship with God, and thus he could benefit from God’s plans for his life. James records that “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” (James 2:23).

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” (Hebrews 11:17–19). And so we “see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).  And so, we are saved by grace, through faith, and not by works or any merits of our own. All three elements—faith, grace, and works—do play a key role in our salvation. Grace is God’s part of the process, and faith combined with our works is our part of the process. Neither our faith nor our works alone could ever save us. We are saved through our faith, which is exemplified by our works, only through the amazing grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all that He wrought through the atonement.

Additional Resources:

Mormon View of Jesus Christ

Mormon People

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul speaks of Baptism for the Dead, he said, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:29). Later, the apostle Peter also testified of the necessity of the ordinance for the dead, he said, “For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6).

The first essential ordinance necessary to enter into the kingdom of God is baptism. The Lord Jesus Christ is our perfect example of this principle of the gospel. Though he was sinless, he was baptized by immersion by John the Baptist who holds the authority of God.

Many of our ancestors have died without the knowledge and blessings of the gospel. Through the inspiration of God, Joseph Smith, the first modern-day prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church by others), said, “And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (Doctrine and Covenants 128: 15).

We are all children of God and therefore all are entitled to the same blessings given to those who are obedient and who are willing to follow His commandments. “Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets. These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. And so it was made known among the dead, both small and great, the unrighteous as well as the faithful, that redemption had been wrought through the sacrifice of the Son of God upon the cross” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:32–35).

Mormons don’t discuss details of temple worship and other sacred ordinances outside the temple, even with other members who have attended the temple, because they are sacred and should only be discussed in sacred places.

Latter-day Saints hope all will sanctify themselves in order to be worthy to enter into God’s house and partake of the higher ordinances that can lead us towards eternal life. “And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day. Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.” (3 Nephi 27:19–22).

God loves us so much. He is our Father in Heaven. Temple ordinances are essential to bringing us incomparable blessings in our lives. Latter-day Saints believe that baptism is a temporal ordinance. This means that it must be done on the earth by one who has a body. Those who are dead cannot meet either of these restrictions. This is why baptisms for the dead are performed by proxy: by someone who has a body in behalf of someone who does not have a body. Latter-day Saints also believe in free will, however. This means that no one will be forced to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ if he does not with to. When a proxy baptism is performed, that simply means a deceased person then has the choice whether or not to accept the ordinance, whereas before they were unable to participate at all.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about Latter-day Saint people

Talk with a Mormon missionary

Inside Mormon temples

LDS News on Church policy regarding baptism for the dead

A Lutheran view on Mormon baptism for the dead

by Richard

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He loves His children. He wants them to be happy, so He prepared a plan for them. Central to that plan is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Atonement is the price the Savior paid as a remission for the sins of mankind—for all men from Adam to the last person who will live on the earth. Through the atonement, all families of the earth will be blessed with the opportunity to go back to the presence of God.

Since the beginning, God has revealed His plan through prophets. Prophets are men called by God who are given the authority to receive revelations and to preach the gospel. Amos declared that the Lord always reveals His secrets unto His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). The first prophet was Adam. God spoke and revealed to him the Plan of Salvation, and gave him the promise of the Messiah. Adam then taught his children the gospel of Jesus Christ. While many believed, some of his sons and daughters rejected his teachings.

When Adam died, God showed great love for His posterity by calling other prophets. These prophets warned the people about their sins and exhorted them to repent and return to God. When people hardened their hearts and rejected God’s prophets, they fell away from the truth. This is called apostasy. Whenever there is an apostasy, God withdraws His prophet from the people and calls another to preach the gospel anew. Among those who were called to preach repentance to the people were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, and many others. These prophets prophesied of the coming of Jesus Christ. However, because many did not believe them, the people again fell into apostasy.

The Earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ

When the time was right, God sent His Only Begotten Son to accomplish His divine mission to atone for the sins of the world. For God loved the world so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son, that those who believe in Him might be saved (See John 3:16).

When Jesus Christ was upon the earth, He preached the gospel, ordained His apostles, established His church, and fulfilled prophecy. Remarkably, many people did not believe His teachings. Instead, they reviled, scourged, and crucified Him. However, through His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and His death upon the cross, the Savior made an infinite atoning sacrifice, promising eternal life to those who repent and follow His commandments.

After the Lord’s resurrection, the apostles, having received the keys of the priesthood, continued to lead the church through revelation. However, not many years after, those wicked people who killed Jesus Christ killed the apostles one by one until no one was left to lead the Church. Because of the death of the apostles, the authority which they once held was also gone.

The Great Apostasy

With all the apostles killed except John the Beloved who was banished because of His testimony of Jesus Christ, the church was left without authorized leadership. Without authority, revelation stopped and saving ordinances could not be performed. Eventually, the gospel taught by the Savior and His apostles was altered by unauthorized people and many plain and precious truths were lost. Without a prophet to lead them, the people were left in a state of chaos and spiritual darkness. This period of time was known in history as the Dark Ages or the Great Apostasy.

The Great Apostasy was universal and lasted for more than 1,700 years. Its rapid development following the death of the apostles had been foreseen and predicted by ancient prophets. Isaiah spoke of a gross darkness which would cover the earth and the people (Isaiah 60:2). Paul, speaking to early Christian converts, warned of grievous wolves or false teachers who would speak perverse things and draw away disciples after them (Acts 20:29–30). The Savior also warned of false prophets and false Christs who would deceive many (Matthew 24:4–12). But despite this, God, in His great love for the people, promised to restore the gospel and rebuild His church through another prophet who had been ordained from the foundation of the world.

Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

After several centuries of darkness, Heavenly Father once again stretched forth His hands to reach out to His children. He called another prophet, a 14-year old boy, through whom the gospel of Jesus Christ and the priesthood authority was restored.

When Joseph Smith was just a young boy, he became concerned about the welfare of his soul and desired to know which church to join. He attended different congregations to find answers to his questions, but the more he did, the more confused he got. One day as he was studying the scriptures, he came across the writings of James, an apostle of Jesus Christ, which read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). After much reflection, young Joseph realized that he could actually know the truth for himself by asking God in prayer.

One morning, he went to a nearby grove and poured out his heart to God, desiring to know the truth. In answer to his prayer, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him that there was no true church on the earth at that time. The Savior told Joseph Smith that he was chosen as a prophet to restore the true church He had established during His mortal ministry.

To accomplish this mission, the Lord sent heavenly messengers to Joseph Smith to restore all the keys of the priesthood necessary to administer the ordinances of the gospel. The church was officially organized on April 6^th, 1830, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often nicknamed the Mormon Church. Today, the Church is being led by a living prophet named Thomas S. Monson who receives continuing revelation from God.

Fourteen year old Joseph Smith wondered what church he should join. In the spring of 1820 during a religious revival in the community of Palmyra, New York, Joseph was confused about conflicting messages from different religious leaders. He went into the woods, knelt in prayer and asked God which of the churches he should align himself with. Miraculously, God the Father appeared to Joseph along with his son, Jesus Christ, and told Joseph that he should join none of the churches, for the true church of Christ had been lost from the earth. Joseph was chosen by God to restore the true church to the world.

Throughout the course of the next ten years, Joseph gradually restored the fullness of the gospel to the earth, starting with the translation of the Book of Mormon, a record of Jesus Christ’s visit to the American continent after his resurrection. The record was written on golden plates and hidden in a hillside, which God directed Joseph to find. Joseph also restored the organization of Jesus Christ‘s original church, just as Christ himself established it in Jerusalem with a prophet at the head of the church and a quorum of twelve apostles. Along with that, God restored through Joseph the true priesthood power that had been lost after Christ’s death. Joseph and his followers built temples, beautiful structures dedicated to performing saving ordinances through God’s true priesthood power.

The early Latter-day Saints experienced much persecution in their settlements in Ohio, Missouri and Illinois. Shortly after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Saints moved westward under the direction of their new prophet, Brigham Young. After great trials in crossing the plains in handcart companies, the Saints settled in the Salt Lake Valley. Today, Salt Lake City, Utah remains the headquarters of the church, but it now spans the world. The expansive missionary program run by the church has spread the complete gospel of Jesus Christ to people on every continent seeking for truth and light.

Mormon genealogy or Mormon family history endeavors are extremely important to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Mormons believe that everyone must have the opportunity to hear and to choose to accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Those who have not had this opportunity, or for some reason have turned away the opportunity, during their sojourn on earth will have it in the world to come.

When people die, their spirits separate from their mortal bodies and go to a place called the “Spirit World” to await resurrection and judgment, then assignment to a kingdom of glory in heaven.  The spirit world is divided into two areas — paradise, where the righteous reside, and spirit prison, where the wicked reside.  In the spirit world, the Lord “levels the playing field,” so to speak, to give spirits the chance to repent and to lay claim on the atonement of Jesus Christ.  Spirits in the spirit world have the same personalities that they did on earth, and they are able to make choices and exercise “free agency” as they did on earth.  (Read a prophet’s vision of the spirit world.)

Some of these spirits “died without law,” so they can’t be held accountable for all their behavior during mortality.  You can’t break a law unless you understand it.  God is just.  He won’t punish people who sin in ignorance.  Others were blinded by the craftiness of men, hampered by their cultural or family influences, or deliberately rejected the gospel of Christ when presented to them.  These latter suffer for their own sins in the spirit world, but then may inherit a kingdom of glory.  This suffering might be called “endless torment,” but through modern revelation, we learn that “endless torment” doesn’t last forever:

 Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment.   Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory.

Wherefore, I will explain unto you this mystery, for it is meet unto you to know even as mine apostles.   I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest.   For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—

Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.

Endless punishment is God’s punishment (Doctrine and Covenants 19:6-13).

This is a more loving outlook than held in any other Christian faith!  This doctrine gives Mormons a perfect brightness of hope for their ancestors who have not received the gospel.   Once a spirit accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ and repents, he must do what his earthly counterparts do — be baptized by immersion for the remission of sins and then receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.  When this process is complete, spirits who have dwelt in spirit prison may go to spirit paradise to await resurrection.  However, baptism is an earthly ordinance and it takes a body to perform.  This is why Mormons perform baptisms for the dead.

Baptism for the dead performed in Mormon temples, followed by the conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost, does not automatically make a deceased person a member of the LDS Church.  The person has free choice whether to accept or reject the ordinances, and his or her name is not placed on the records of the Church.  Mormons are not baptized for Holocaust victims or celebrities.  They are counseled to find their direct ancestors and to get permission from family members to baptize relatives recently deceased.

Mormon Genealogy Research and Resources

The largest family history library in the world is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, adjacent to Temple Square, volunteers who are family history experts stand ready to help anyone of any faith or nationality with family history research.  Smaller Mormon family history libraries can be found around the world and are also open to the public with Mormon genealogy specialists there to help.  (To find a Mormon family history center near you, click here.)

Mormon genealogy work helps people all over the world, most of whom have no interest in the LDS Church.  The Mormon family history website, FamilySearch.org, is a repository for millions of records from all over the world where one can find ancestors and construct family trees, and also collaborate with other researchers in finding and correcting information.

Mormon family history volunteers have spent countless hours putting records into digital format.  Mormon genealogy volunteers digitized the records of Ellis Island in New York, the entry point for millions of immigrants into the United States.  Millions of records have been digitized in the LDS Church’s “indexing program,” a wonderful aid to the world’s genealogists.  Anyone may participate in the indexing program, and some say it gives the same sort of satisfaction as playing a computer game.  To participate in genealogical indexing, go to Indexing.FamilySearch.org.

Mormon genealogy research has provided some surprising gifts for famous people.  Years ago, the LDS Church gave a gift to TV talk show host Johnny Carson, presenting him with a book of his compiled family history.  The LDS Church has also done this for U.S. Presidents, the most recent being President Barak Obama.

Additional Resources

The Meaning of Life

Basic Mormon Beliefs — Official LDS Church Website

God’s Plan of Happiness

Temple Ordinances

Read the Book of Mormon

More About Mormonism

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon Church), the word “priesthood” has a different meaning than in other Christian churches. Latter-day Saints define “priesthood” as the power of God, and the authority to act in His name. Priesthood, then, has always existed and will always exist. From time to time, however, it has been missing from the earth and from among men. The Mormon Church has a “lay clergy.” That is, no one is trained or schooled to lead congregations or groups of congregations, or even the entire church. Men, women, youth, and children are “called” to various positions in local congregations or to larger responsibilities. Most “callings” are temporary. Only the prophet, the twelve apostles, and some seventies are called to serve for the remainder of their lives, and these receive a modest stipend. All other positions are unpaid, and members fill their responsibilities, which can be substantial, while continuing in their paid vocations, and with their family and community responsibilities still in process. All worthy male members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the age of twelve may hold some office in the priesthood. Power comes with holding the priesthood, and miracles are performed through this power. Some friends of other faiths argue that priesthood ended with Jesus Christ, that He was the final priesthood-holder, but the apostles spoke of the priesthood when referring to the general membership of the Church of Christ. (See 1 Pet. 2:5; 1Peter 2:9.)

Two Priesthoods

There are two priesthoods, and several offices within those two priesthoods. The Aaronic priesthood is the lesser, or preparatory priesthood, concerned with the foundational principles of the gospel – faith, repentance, baptism, and sacrifice. When Moses went up into the mount to converse with the Lord, he was absent from the tribes of Israel for a long period of time. The Lord meant for the children of Israel to “enter into His rest.” This means that God wanted them not only to receive the higher priesthood, but to be sealed up to eternal life in His presence. But the children of Israel refused. They wanted Moses to be their intermediary. The Lord took the higher priesthood, and eventually Moses, away from them, and left them with the lesser priesthood to prepare them to progress and prepare for greater responsibility and thus greater blessings. All of their prophets, however, held the higher priesthood. At age 12, a worthy young man in the LDS Church may receive the office of Deacon in the Aaronic priesthood. The duties of a deacon include watching over the Church and its members. They are also to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:59). Deacons can also pass the sacrament to the congregation, collect fast offerings, assist the bishopric, serve as messengers, be baptized and confirmed for the dead in the temple, speak in meetings, and care for the meetinghouse and grounds.   Deacons meet in a “quorum” every Sunday, and may serve as officers in their quorum, deliver spiritual messages, etc.

At age 14, worthy young men may be ordained as “Teachers” in the Aaronic priesthood. The duties of teachers are preparing the sacrament, watching over and strengthening the Church as well as seeing that there is “neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking (Doctrine and Covenants 20:53-55).  Teachers may also serve as home teachers, reverently serve as ushers in ward meetings and stake conference, assist the bishopric, and participate in seminary, where available.

At the age of 16, worthy young men can be ordained as “Priests” in the Aaronic priesthood. Priests can bless the sacrament and they can baptize. Other duties include the responsibility to “preach, teach, expound, exhort, … and visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties” (Doctrine and Covenants 47 20:46-47).  Priests do not have the authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost to a newly baptized person.

The office of bishop in the LDS faith is actually an Aaronic priesthood calling, and a direct descendent of Aaron may claim the office. A bishop, however, must also hold the Melchizedek priesthood. Men who serve in “bishoprics” (a bishop and his two counselors) are ordained as High Priests.  Every higher office is able to officiate in the duties of lower offices. A bishop is the leader of a congregation, similar to a rabbi or a pastor. This calling requires a huge amount of time and effort, and prayerful leadership.

Once a worthy young man is over 18, he begins to prepare to receive the higher priesthood. The formal name of this priesthood is “The Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God.” To keep from using the name of the Lord casually, this priesthood is called the “Melchizedek priesthood,” after Melchizedek, King of Salem, to whom Abraham paid tithes. The higher priesthood holds all the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. A man who holds the Melchizedek priesthood may give priesthood blessings by the laying on of hands. Such blessings can heal the sick or troubled, can convey messages from God to the person receiving the blessing, and prophesy for the personal benefit of the person being blessed. A Melchizedek priesthood holder can bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost upon a person who has just been baptized, and give a name and a blessing to a newborn infant. “Stewardship” is a very important concept in the LDS Church. A person has stewardship over his own realm of personal responsibility. Thus, a bishop has stewardship over his congregation (called a “ward”) and may receive revelation to help him with that stewardship. A father and mother have stewardship over their family, and may exercise their God-given power over that stewardship. Thus, a priesthood holder should only exercise his priesthood within the realm of his stewardship. A man who holds the Melchizedek priesthood is called an “Elder.” Even the prophet/president of the Church and the apostles are called Elders. Mormon missionaries hold the Melchizedek priesthood and are also called Elders. Within the Melchizedek priesthood there are High Priests, Seventies, Apostles, and Patriarchs. One patriarch is called for each “stake,” a geographical group of congregations. Once in a lifetime, each member is able to receive a prophetic “patriarchal blessing” as a guide for his or her life by the laying on of hands. Patriarchs perform this function.

Blacks and the Mormon Priesthood

In the very early days of the LDS Church, Blacks were given the priesthood. First prophet Joseph Smith was a very committed advocate of equality for Blacks, and this brought upon him a great deal of persecution. When the Mormons were driven from Missouri in 1839 in the midst of winter, one of the main reasons was that Missourians wanted a slave state, and Joseph Smith had even proposed purchasing the freedom of Black slaves and bringing them to the state. For some reason, there was put into effect a ban on Blacks receiving the priesthood after the death of Joseph Smith. Such actions in the Church come about after direct revelation, but a thorough searching of the early records of the Church has failed to discover a reason for the ban. In the mid-1900’s, as racial equality became more and more feasible in the U.S., members and leaders of the Church began to more fervently pray for the priesthood to be extended to people of all races. Finally, during the summer of 1978, the revelation was received, to the joy of the Latter-day Saints. The Church is growing very fast in Africa in recent years.

Women and the Mormon Priesthood

Some women outside and within the Mormon Church feel that women are discriminated against, because they do not “hold” or administer in the priesthood. However, women share the priesthood with their husbands, and may call on that power in dealing with their stewardships. They also administer priesthood ordinances in the holy temples of the Church. They hold many positions of responsibility within the Church and may be extremely busy with family, work, community, and church responsibilities. Married women often help their husbands with their callings, too. Women are also “general authorities” in the Church, leading the Primary (organization for young children), Young Women, and Relief Society organizations. The Relief Society is the largest and oldest women’s organization in the world, at over 5 million members. The Lord’s house is a house of order. With its system of stewardships, priesthood offices, and auxiliary organizations, plus a system (home teaching and visiting teaching) for ministering personally to each and every member, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can assure that everyone has a seat at the table of Christ, that members can receive comfort, assurance, and healing when needed. (Note that Mormons also believe in modern medicine, and the Lord often urges them to seek medical help in priesthood blessings, while providing miraculous relief, guidance, and events along the way.)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds Mormon Temples by way of commandment from God. These beautiful structures, now all over the world, are patterned after ancient temples. In them, worthy members of the Mormon Church gather to ponder, pray, seek personal revelation from God for their lives, worship and perform sacred ordinances. Temples are filled with light – literal light as well as the light of God’s teachings. Mormon temples are places of great peace.

Before each temple is dedicated, the structures are open to the public for interior tours. Many visitors feel the wonderful spirit of the temple as they walk through each special room. In addition to the ordinance rooms, which are described below, temples also house offices, laundry facilities, waiting rooms, dressing rooms (including a special dressing room for brides) and often a cafeteria.

Baptistry
Inside Mormon temples are baptistries. Like many other Christian denominations, Mormons participate in the ordinance of baptism, usually in a font inside one of their many church meetinghouses. Mormons are baptized at or after the age of eight, the age at which people should know fully the difference between right and wrong and become accountable for their sins. Baptism is the ordinance that begins one’s spiritual progression in the gospel of the Lord. When adults investigate and decide to join the Mormon Church, it is baptism which begins their church membership.

There are many people who have lived and died without learning the truth of Jesus Christ, His church and His commandments. Because God does not hold His children accountable for sins unless they have knowledge of this truth, many people have the opportunity to learn of Jesus Christ in the spirit world where we go after death to await the resurrection and judgment. Because baptism requires a physical body, something those in the spirit world are temporarily without, Mormons participate in baptisms for the dead, allowing the ancestors they are baptized on behalf of to accept or reject the vicarious ordinance.

Baptisms for the dead are only conducted inside temples. The baptismal fonts where these baptisms – which involve full immersion in water – are performed rest upon the backs of twelve statues of oxen. Like those in Solomon’s ancient temple, the oxen represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Near the font are dressing rooms and also confirmation rooms where individuals, again on behalf of their ancestors, are confirmed, or blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost by those with priesthood authority laying their hands on the person’s head and saying a short prayer.

Endowment Rooms

Inside Mormon temples are endowment rooms. Endowment means “gift” and the endowment ceremony, which Church members go through when they feel they are spiritually prepared for it (usually in young adulthood), is a gift from God. The first time a Mormon goes through the ceremony, they do it for themselves. All subsequent times, they do it on behalf of a deceased person, much like baptism for the dead. Endowment ceremonies are opportunities for Mormons to be taught about the Plan of Salvation and to make covenants, or promises to God that they are promised blessings for fulfilling. The endowment room is a beautiful auditorium. Each temple usually has more than one. The presentation takes about 90 minutes. It begins with a film screening with instruction on the creation of the world and the fall of Adam and follows with further instruction about God’s commandments and his promised blessings. All of this is centered on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The endowment ceremony is always repeated with the same words.

Participating in the endowment ceremony gives individuals added protection from and power over evil in the world. After a church Member has been endowed, he or she wears a sacred garment underneath their clothing for the rest of their lives, symbolic of this protective power.

Celestial Room
Inside Mormon temples are celestial rooms. The celestial room is where the endowment ceremony ends. Here, in the most beautiful room in the temple, people may sit quietly, meditate and pray as long as they like. The celestial room, representative of God’s highest kingdom of heaven, is breathtakingly light, white and peaceful.

Sealing Rooms

Inside Mormon temples are sealing rooms. Marriages are performing in sealing rooms, because the special marriage ceremony performed in the temple “seals” couples together for “time” during mortal life on Earth and “all eternity” after death. Children born to couples who have been sealed together are part of that sealed covenant, making the entire family an eternal family.

Each temple has several sealing rooms large enough to accommodate various numbers of guests. All guests who attend sealings must be worthy to enter the temple. Sealing rooms have an altar in the center of the room where the bride and groom kneel opposite each other to say their vows. On opposite walls in the rooms are large mirrors, reflecting the bride and groom an infinite number of times, symbolizing the infinite togetherness they will enjoy throughout eternity.

Like other temple ordinances, sealing ceremonies can also be performed vicariously for the dead. Sealing ceremonies are also performed for couples who joined the church after marriage or who were married outside of the temple for various reasons.