Mormon Dilemma 59

31 August

Women, Unmarried are Damned

Latter-day Prophets and the D&C, 4:392-393; We cannot feel justified in closing this article on the subject of marriage without saying a few words to unmarried females in this Church. You will clearly perceive, from the revelation which God has given, that you can never obtain a fulness of glory, without being married to a righteous man for time and for all eternity.” – Orson Pratt

1 Corinthians 7:8-11; I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.  9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.  10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

I have more than a few single female friends who’ve never been married and they’re devout Christians, totally sold out to the Lord.  They live their lives knowing their bridegroom is Jesus.  For whatever reasons, having a husband is not what God has in mind for them at this point in their lives.

John 3:29 says; “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”

What else could we possibly want or need?  He is waiting for me and all believers!  Indeed, what John says is true – my joy is fulfilled! 

Why does salvation in Mormonism always have to involve sex?  Why can’t salvation have anything to do with Jesus and what He did for you instead of what you must fulfill in order to be with Him? 

If there’s something else you always have to do then why did He die?  This reminds me of a beautiful song by Twila Paris that came out several years ago.  It’s called “What did He die for?”. 

http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/Twila+Paris/What+Did+He+Die+For–36520004

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9 Responses to “Mormon Dilemma 59”

  1. CamdenC September 2, 2011 at 2:14 am #

    I agree!

    If we could work our way to Heaven or get there by following rules, rituals, and regulations… then Jesus died for nothing.

  2. shematwater September 6, 2011 at 9:10 pm #

    1 Corinthians 7: 6 “I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.”

    Notice also how Paul changes from this personal opinion back to commandment in verse 10 “…I command, yet not I, but the Lord…”
    Then in verse 12 he switches back again “to the rest speak I, not the Lord…”
    We also read in verse 25 that “[Paul had] no commandment of the Lord” in regards to virgins, and so he gave his own judgment.
    After giving his own judgment, mixed with a little of actual commandments, he makes the statement that “this is good for the present distress…” (26).

    Those who use 1 Corinthians 7 as an argument against the need to marry fail to see that the very counsel they are using is not from God, but was given by Paul, according to his judgment, not God’s; and was given for a very specific reason which was, at the time, causing troubles for the Corinthians. Knowing this it becomes illogical and truly unscriptural to make this counsel a blanket effect for all people.
    Believe what you will, but this particular chapter does not support it.

    CAMDEN

    Even though we must work our way to heaven and obey the commands, Christ’s death was not in vein. We cannot do it, because we have sinned. All of us are tainted, and without his death we always will be. However, our past sins will not be erased by his blood if we do not obey his commands to keep our future spotless.

    Those who see only an inherent contradiction when considering the requirement of works only see the extremes, but fail to see the truth that always lies between them.

  3. CamdenC September 7, 2011 at 11:31 pm #

    I can’t remember the passage or chapter where Paul confronts this topic that had crept into the 1st century church. It may have been the one where Jews were telling converts that they had to be circumsized… ?

    Nobody can truly keep their future “spotless”. We continually strive to walk in His ways and flee from sin. When we do sin, we ask for forgiveness. Doesn’t mean that we won’t do it again… I wish it did.

    Believe in Jesus, and you will be saved. That doesn’t mean that we can “live like Hell” just because we have a “get out of Hell free card” (by the Blood of the Lamb). Thankfully God loves us so much that He will make us white as snow (by the Blood of the Lamb)

    The word “sin” is an archery term which means “to miss the mark”. “Repent” is also an archery term that means “change direction”. We repent when we give our lives to Him and say, “I will follow You”.

    Good works don’t save us, they are the fruits of a believer shown as evidence to being saved/changed/set apart/new creation

    Jesus said, “if you love Me, you will keep my commands”. (Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself)

    “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” “Anyone who says they are without sin, is a liar and the truth is not in them”

    Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that we need to live righteously and holy. We don’t let “sin abound” so that “grace will abound”. We do make mistakes… we wrestle with the flesh and our “sin nature”. Even Paul said that he did the things he wasn’t supposed to do and didn’t do the things that he was supposed to do… and then there is his “thorn in the flesh”

  4. shematwater September 8, 2011 at 5:43 pm #

    CAMDEN

    It is just a simple disagreement here. I do think it is possible to make our futures spotless, and I believe this is taught in the Bible. It does not contradict any actual quote you have given.

    However, my point is not to argue who is right, but to show that both still require the atonement. You stated that “If we could work our way to Heaven or get there by following rules, rituals, and regulations… then Jesus died for nothing.” My only point is that believing in the requirement of works does not in itself negate the need for his sacrifice.

  5. CamdenC September 8, 2011 at 9:59 pm #

    Please don’t misconstrue my responses… I was trying to point out that salvation is not “Grace + Works”. Of course His trial, death, burial, and resurection was completely and totally necessary. I just believe that “It is finished” and the debt has been paid. All that is required of me is to put my faith and trust in Him and follow Him until I “finish the race”.

    I think it was Paul that conveyed that message in the NT when he said something similar, trying to show the 1st century church that they shouldn’t tell gentile converts “Hey, it’s great that you believe in Jesus… now you have to be circumsized to complete the transformation”.

    Ephesians 2:8-9…

    I know James said, “Faith without works is dead”. Which means having faith in Jesus is both a personal and public act. Personal in our relationship with Him / Public in our confession of Him and good works (Love, sacrafice,service) towards our neighbors.

  6. shematwater September 9, 2011 at 7:03 pm #

    CAMDEN

    If you don’t want your words to be misconstrued I would suggest being more careful in how you phrase them. The quote I used from you carries only one obvious meaning, and it is difficult to see even a subtle meaning in it. It is for this reason that I gave the response I did; your words did not allow me to understand anything but what I understood.

    Your statement directly says that if one believes in a requirement of works then that belief negates the need for the atonement. If this is not what you meant by it than please clarify.

    By the way, it was also Paul who told the Philippians to “Work out your own salvation.” (2: 12) And to the Romans he said that “the doers of the law shall be justified.” (2: 13) To the Corinthians he taught that “every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done.” (2 Cor. 5: 10)

    Paul very much taught that our works are not only the symbol of faith, but are in fact a requirement of heaven, and that without them we cannot be saved.

  7. CamdenC September 13, 2011 at 1:20 am #

    Thanks for the suggestion!

    I was attempting to tell you and agree with you that of course “believing” in the need for works does not negate the need for His sacrifice. His sacrifice has always been needed. What I was saying is that if we could work our way to Heaven, than Christ died in vain. In other words, if people think that they can get there on their good works (without Jesus) they are going to be in for a rude awakening

    We both agree that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was necessary for our salvation. That is where I believe it ends. There is nothing that we can do to become justified and reconciled. We can’t get “more saved”. Not through following the law or any man-made rules or regulations.

    You beleive it takes Christ + Works.

    I believe it takes Christ alone.

  8. shematwater September 13, 2011 at 5:19 pm #

    CAMDEN

    I think we understand each other.

    I would agree that anyone who thinks they can work their way to heaven by themselves is wrong and, as you put it, in for a rude awakening.

  9. CamdenC September 15, 2011 at 12:11 am #

    ??? We agree on something? LoL

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