Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Objective of Our Religious Ordinances

I believe we bind ourselves to each other, that we separate ourselves from each other and that the concept of eternal sealing as embodied in the temple is a wonderful, profound, necessary thing. I love the concept, even if I don't put any power into the ordinance in, of and by itself.

I am confident every apostle in the LDS Church agrees with that last sentence, since every one of them will say that people who are sealed in the temple won't stay sealed automatically just because of that ceremonial sealing. An abusive jerk won't be able to abuse his wife and kids eternally just because he lied to get into the temple and participate in a sealing ordinance - but a righteous, loving spouse who truly becomes bound to his or her spouse in this life will gratefully accept the continuation of that sealed relationship in the next life, regardless of whether they were part of a ceremonial sealing in this life.

The object of our ordinances isn't to go through them; it is to have their symbolic meaning spread throughout us.  The object of our ordinances is to be changed by them - to become what they are intended to convey to us it is possible to become.  

5 comments:

Ellen said...

Love this, Ray!

Ji said...

But somehow, there must be power in the ordinance. D&C 84 tells us it is in the ordinances of the higher priesthood, and moly there, that the power of Godliness is made manifest to mankind on the earth. Without those ordinances, the power of Godliness is not manifest to mankind on the earth.

ji said...

Oops! only there...

Papa D said...

I agree there is power in the ordinances. I choose to see that power as the meaning they convey that empowers and enlightens us and moves us toward godliness.

Anonymous said...

Beautifully stated, Papa D. Thank you.

Meredith