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Question 58

Question

On November 15, 2005 LDS Apostle Robert D. Hales told an audience of 20,000, "The primary purpose of the temples is to provide the ordinances necessary for our exaltation in the celestial kingdom." (Church News, 11/19/05, p. 5)

The LDS book Gospel Principles states, "We can become Gods like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation." (1988 edition, p, 290)

Therefore, is it correct to conclude that the first and foremost purpose of LDS temples is to provide what people need in order to become Gods? Please explain your answer.


Answers

There is but only one God. The great I AM. Read in Exodus. -SL (non-LDS)


No I think LDS temples are more for attaining the best level of heaven possible, only a few who are temple mormons, as I understand it will become a god. They do their temple work for themselves and those who are dead... Mormons believe that doing these ordinances will make it possible to progress to a better heavenly home in some cases to become a god with your own planet to rule. ...to have God's best in eternity. Of course the best(becoming a god) will only go to those who are LDS members who are married, temple worthy and have performed all the rituals and good works needed to enter the highest level of heaven- the Celestial Kingdom.

The question should be.... Is it really possible for men to build a building that will help provide individual salvation?...OR... Can religious ritual such as LDS temple rites help redeem us? Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ. Peter 1:18-19

Everything on earth is corruptible, even temples. Rites performed in the temple are done by corruptible men and even the rites themselves are corruptible since they have changed several times. Peter said you can't be redeemed with corruptible things, but you can be redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

We are complete in Christ (Col.2:10) because of this no corruptible building or ritual can add anything! The temple of the Lord is the body of the individual Christian. -C (non-LDS) [C's comment has been edited to conform to word count constraints]


Although I am affiliated with the Mormon church, I disagree with most of it's doctrine. I just like the way they conduct their services. I do not believe there is a way to become a God, there is and only will be one God, as according to the Bible...and actually...if you look at it, the Book of Mormon says "one God." It's the D&C that brings up the other idea. I do not believe that temple ordinances make you a God, and therefore I do not believe this is accurate. I also disbelieve in "three levels of Glory" I believe in classic Christianity as I believe that there is one level of glory in heaven, to where we can live in the presence of God forever. Therefore, although many LDS people accept this, in my opinion, this fails the Bible test. -LB (LDS)

[Half an hour after posting the above comment LB sent the following amendment:]

As a matter of fact, in relation to my previous post, call me an ex-Mormon...I can't go for this.


According to mormonism the Temple is of the utmost importance, But they seem to forget to tell you what you must do to be able to enter.

Prophet Spencer Kimball Achieving a Celestial Marriage manual pg 30 makes it very clear we must do certain things to enter the temple to be saved. he gives a list of 6 things called (TEMPLE RECOMMEND INTERVIEW). it says When you are interviewed for a temple recommend you will be asked about,

1. Church attendance
2. Payment of tithes and offerings
3. Loyalty to Church leaders.
4. Moral cleanliness.
5. overall faithfulness and worthiness.
6. Obedience to the Word of Wisdom.

In Gospel Principles pg 125: WE MUST KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. To make our repentance complete we must keep the commandments of the Lord (see D and C 1:32). we are not fully repentant if we do not pay tithes or keep the sabbath day holy or obey the word of wisdom. we are not repentant if we don't sustain the authorities of the church and don't love the lord and our fellow man.

Add to that also pg 241 Eternal marriage is ESSENTIAL FOR EXALTATION. Our exaltation depends on marriage. then over on pg 242 it says "and in order to obtain the highest, a man MUST ENTER INTO THIS ORDER OF THE PRIESTHOOD [MEANING THE NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT OF MARRIAGE];" "and if he does not, he cannot obtain it" (D and C 131:1-3)

Please show me any of this in the Bible or for that matter the BoM does not even support this stuff. I could give more, A 300 limit doesn't allow it, Please write me at [email protected] for further in-depth talks. -RB (non-LDS)


The temple is (for those who are godly bound) the place where they go to do the things necessary to become gods. I don't understand why anyone else goes there actually. If you want to excel in the church, you must be temple worthy, you must have your spouse (and family) sealed to you, and you must keep on doing the work, and catch up when you fall short. All of that is done in the temple. -BC (non-LDS)


My answer is simple. Those who feel the need to do gods work need a place to do so. Will that make them a God? If any one who believes that by going to a place where they hold a temple recomend will make them a god needs to consider how many other people in the world that don't hold this recomend and have been taught to believe in god. And that it takes more than just a temple recomed to become a god. I feel they should continue their belief to insure their own personal happieness that keeps them in toon with god for the benifit of mankind as a whole. -MJ (LDS)


The temple and a temple marriage is the only way for a Mormon to make it to the highest kingdom. Problem, the bible clearly states you will not become a GOD and salvation is through Jesus Christ (alone) not the LDS Temple. Another interesting point is that the bible has clear guidelines about temples and the LDS version does not fit (For the LDS out there look it up yourself before you spout off!).

The LDS temple does one thing like the bible temple, it has "money changers" when you rent temple cloths. And we all know how Jesus responded.

The Book of Mormon clearly states to beware of people offering salvation for money. So how do you get to the temple? Oh yes, pay your tithing. Can you get in without paying thiting? ahh NO!

If Satan gave Eve the apple and told her she would "become like God" then why go to the LDS temple to become like GOD? God clearly did not like eve trying to become as the GODS!

If there are many Gods floating around the universe which one do you worship? You are thinking the God of this world, right? But Satan in the temple says "I am the god of this world!"

BTW: I was born LDS and never missed a tithing payment. Went to the temple for 11 years. Never did I feel as close to God as when I asked Jesus Christ to enter my heart.

Mormons out there ask Jesus into your heart and all of the many things you have to do in the mormon church will melt away. -rulds2y (LDS)


The answer in a nutshell is yes.

But now to understand the answer, look at the question from an LDS perspective and not from an outsiders' view.

We, as LDS, believe that we are the literal spirit children of our Heavenly Father (how we were 'born' has not been revealed to us but some members, including past General Authorities have given their ideas). This sentiment is echoed in the Bible where it says that we are children of God and heirs to Him, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. So we believe that as His children we can 'grow up' and become like Him, just as our children here on earth grow and develop into adults just like their parents.

We also believe, and this is found in the Pearl of Great Price, that the work and glory of God is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Immortalilty is living forever/overcoming physical death, and that comes from Jesus Christ' ressurection (one half of His atonement). The eternal life is described in the scriptures as knowing God and Jesus - in other words making it to heaven (or in LDS perspective the Celestial Kingdom) and overcoming spiritual death. This is allowed by the other half of Jesus' atonement - His suffering for our sins.

So in LDS perspective everything that God has given us - the temple; the Atonement; THE BIBLE; the Book of Mormon; etc - is there to provide what people need to become gods: not just the temple. The temple is just the 'pinnacle' of what God wants for us on this earth. -RW (LDS)


Brigham Young told his people in this Valley that he didn't need a Temple to seal men to women. He could do that outside the temple, but he did need a temple to seal men to men. -(CJW non-LDS)


there is only one true and living god and it is the god of abraham isaac and jacob because god is spirit so those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth because jesus christ is the savior of the world he is the true living god and for a so called apostle like mr hale to say that people can become a god is false doctrine because i my self am a christian and all of us believers of the christian faith are children of the most high god in christ jesus because if mr hale continue to teach this false doctrine that people can become a god he is going to end up in hell and if people listen their going to end up in hell right next to mr hale so run to jesus and the true gospel that is in the christian faith. -DW (non-LDS)


I am 21. I have been home from my LDS mission for less than 1 month.

"primary" pretty much means "first and foremost." So, I would agree with Elder Robert D. Hales. It is something special. Many people use the word secret to describe LDS temple services. Sacred would be much more appropriate. The Savior clearly set guidelines for living His Gospel and to what end? Sacredness or Holiness. Matt. 5:48 says "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." That is not a suggestion from our Savior. It is a commandment. The commandments of God are to help us along to perfection. He has all-knowledge and all-power. Who are you or I to deny His power and limit his ability by saying that we cannot become like Him? It is very dangerous to say 'God can't do this or that.' I trust in a God of miracles. Mormon 9:19 reads "...why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles." I know that God is a God of miracles and I know that it is through His Son, Jesus Christ, that the immeasurable miracles of Salvation and Exaltation (by grace *THROUGH FAITH) are possible to us, His children. I know that he revealed these same principles to prophets throughout the ages and that there lives a prophet today.

*note: it would be useful to note that faith is very much a principle of action in LDS doctrine.

request: please show respect in considering this very sacred topic to LDS individuals. -DTM (LDS)


Yes that is the purpose of LDS temples. That was also Satan's purpose, he thinks he can become God! he cannot! there is only one God! our purpose on earth is to be born-again, spread the gospel, and become "as" Christ, doing what he did leading them to salvation. We must pray for these people who believe they're going to become gods! -M (non-LDS)