Posted by:
MarkJ
(
)
Date: January 22, 2019 06:45PM
The Mormon argument is that while Jesus provided humanity with mere salvation, the higher state of exaltation - becoming gods - came through Joseph Smith and temple ordinances. Of course, this diminishes the Atonement as the center of gravity of Christianity and shifts the focus of Mormonism from Christ to "something bigger." Temples are a critical prerequisite to that "something bigger."
Temples are display pieces of what is now called "Prosperity Gospel," the notion that God blesses those whom he loves and if a prescribed code of behavior is followed, material wealth will result. Mormonism goes a good ways further with this concept making the attainment of material wealth the primary definition of success both in this world and the next. For Mormons this life, the "second estate," is given us to obtain physical bodies and to secure all of the other material resources necessary to becoming gods and kings. The expression "building the kingdom" is meant literally in very real terms - more land, more buildings, more crops and herds, more wives, more babies, more servants,and eventually, more worlds. Section 132 in the D&C makes clear the scope of sealing authority in this context:
7. And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power ... are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.
With the objective of:
19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.
For Mormons, temples and the sealing power they represent are not just applicable to mates and families, but apply as well to "all covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations.." And that once all of this is sealed to a man, in the next life he will be resurrected and " shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths..which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever." (Polygamy being essential to obtaining "exaltation and glory" it being the new and everlasting covenant. "New" as in "We've never done this before.")
For Mormons, Jesus is as much or more feudal lord as he is the savior of souls. The Mormon Second Coming is about Jesus arriving in power and majesty to settle accounts. "It isn't personal," you can almost hear the Mormon Messiah say, "It's just business." The mystery, the passion, the boundless universal love of the priceless Atonement are supplanted by a contractual and transactional relation with God - I did what you asked and now you owe me. And what profit a man who gains the world and loses his soul? Well, he still has all that world stuff. If it was sealed to him. In the temple.