This seems to be a tangential topic. However, D&C 132 covers the marriage question...and exaltation IS living with God (Philippians 2:9, 1 Peter 5:6).
Hello again, Gordon... I have found in my 30+ years studying Mormonism that Joseph Smith was basically a "negative barometer" for Biblical truth. It's almost like he went out of his way to be the exact OPPOSITE of Christianity.
And he messed up regarding marriage in SO many ways.
Your first error here is in not realizing that Phil. 2:9 isn't a general teaching about mankind, it is SPECIFICALLY referring to Jesus. Jesus ORIGINATED as God, and the whole point Paul was making was that Jesus voluntarily left his station as God, and "condescended" to become a man, a servant, dying a humiliating death on the cross. Paul's point is that Jesus, who was by nature God, suffered the ULTIMATE humility by becoming a man, and we are to follow His example of humility.
And so Jesus here did not "progress" to become God, He ALREADY WAS God, and the Father merely restored Him to the status he had originally (contrary to the Lorenzo Snow quote).
1 Pet. 5:6, however, is about the exaltation of sinners, so at least you got one thing right:
1Pet. 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
But this says nothing about "marriage" being some sort of "requirement" for exaltation. And the form is idea for that, if that was what Peter had meant. He could have written something like:
1Pet. 5:6 Get married, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
But Peter never wrote that.
And we have to wonder why.
Further, while marriage is recognized as a "good" thing (it is how we obey God by replenishing the Earth), it is not regarded as the "ideal" situation. Marriage was given as a CONSOLATION for those who did not have the willpower to state chaste:
1Cor. 7:1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
Note also that the call for "each man should have his OWN wife, and each woman her OWN husband" is one of the many prohibitions of what Mormons call, "plural marriage".
1Cor. 7:6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
1Cor. 7:8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is
better to marry than to burn with passion.
1 Cor. 7:38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.
Now, Mormons believe in "marriage for time and eternity". But that simply demonstrates that Mormons are ignorant of the Bible, as the Bible plainly teaches that marriage ENDS at death:
Rom. 7:1 Or do you not know, brothers —for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
1Cor. 7:39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
So since marriage ends at death, "marriage for eternity" doesn't exist. And that's why widows (and widowers) and remarry, since their first marriage ended by the death of their spouse. But if someone marries while their current spouse is still alive, that makes them an adulterer.
Yes, I know you do not accept latter-day scripture...so try Matthew 19:4-8, 18:18.
Yes, Matt. 19:4-8 is a good passage about marriage, but it doesn't each "eternal marriage". Marriage ends at death, and it is a sin to terminate it prior to that. As for 18:18, are you serious?!
Matt. 18:18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
First of all, there's no reason to ASSUME that this is about "marriage", and there's nothing in the verse to assume that it teaches anything about marriage being "eternal". If you had bothered to read the passage, the CONTEXT is about approaching a brother about a sin, and confronting with him, even to the point of excommunicaiton if he refuse to repent.
If you bring up Matthew 22:30, I'll be disappointed...since He is talking about "in the Resurrection". His millennial reign must occur before that time.
I'm not sure what your point is, here, and nobody cares if you choose to feel "disappointed".
Matt. 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
We've already established that marriage ends at death, so this is simply confirming that there remains no further oppotunity for "being married" in heaven.
So "marriage for eternity" is false and anti-Biblical.
And "plural marriage" is false and anti-Biblical.
And the other thing Mormonism gets wrong is making boys "deacons" at 12-14, and making them "elders" at 18.
Biblically, both those offices require the person to be (1) married, (2) have children, (3) own a home (to be able to show hospitality):
Titus 1:5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
1 Tim. 3:12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
