Is Temple Work Service?
Is LDS temple work really “service”?
Ray Farmer
No it is not. to be of service you have to be helping someone. Jesus gave the most telling examples of service and warned those who didn't do it (you know the parable):
"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (Matt. 25:35-6)
Doing "Work for the dead (or as the Book of Mormon calls it 'dead works') serves no body.
If one dies in their sins, they remain in their sins and in hell until the resurrection.
And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins. (2 Nephi 9:38)
...there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works. (Alma 40:21)
Those who have no law are not under the curse of broken law and so can't repent. But faith and repentance comes before baptism:
For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing-- But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works. Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law. And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins; (Moro. 8:21-5)
And we find out that once your day of probation in this mortal life is spent, one cannot repent. If you can't repent, you can't take the next step of baptism.
For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked. (Alma 34:32-5)
Nobody can come into hell to offer aid:
And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end. (1 Nephi 15:30, read carefully 26-36))
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus,
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (luke 16:22-6)
Conclusion: It is no service to offer help to people who cannot be helped. Not only is "work for the dead” a "...mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works" (Moroni 8:23), but it takes up time and resources that should be used in visiting the sick, those in prison, housing the homeless, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked.
Jared Wilbur
You are assuming that everyone who has ever died without knowing God has died in rebellion. People can follow the light of Christ, or rebel against it in a myriad of daily decisions, with or without knowing God. I have no idea who has died without knowing God while following the light of Christ. Everyone needs to have the choice whether to accept Christ or not. I have no idea who’s had that choice and who hasn’t. Life is complicated and it isn’t for you, or I, to judge people who have passed on. All of the verses in the book of Mormon that you reference should be taken and applied directly in your walk with God. Applying scriptures in a way to judge others is not right.
To be baptized, one doesn’t need to be sinless, they just need to have a desire to take upon them the name of Christ.
But the most important point I will make is this. Christ has commanded all to ‘love thy enemy’. When doing service, who cares if it’s for a friend, a saint, a sinner, a rebel, a satanist, etc. Who even cares if it makes a difference? The point of service is to express love, it isn’t for the recipient to accept the love. Anyone who is a recipient of service represents Christ when they are receiving the service. If I participate in a temple ceremony on behalf of a devil worshipping heathen, it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care if they accept, I don’t care if they’re ‘worthy’. I just care about trying to develop a pure heart and deepen my relationship with God through selfless sacrifice.
All of that being said, my priority of service is to serve my family first, then my friends, then my neighbors, then my community, then strangers, then dead people. The world needs all the love it can get from anyone, people are very isolated and lonely right now. So, for me, temple work is low on the totem pole when it comes to service opportunities.
Ray Farmer
SAYS YOU: "You are assuming that everyone who has ever died without knowing God has died in rebellion"
ME: I read and reread what I wrote and I have no idea how you concluded I make such assumption. In fact, I addresed at length the Book of Mormon's teaching on those that die without knowing God or the law. Although I stated, in summery, "Those who have no law are not under the curse of broken law and so can't repent", I followed with a scripture that specifically teaches that redemption covers those who die without the law. They can't repent simply because they didn't break any of God's laws.
To repeat, "For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also ALL THEY THAT ARE WITHOUT THE LAW. FOR THE POWER OF REDEMPTION COMETH ON ALL THEM THAT HAVE NO LAW; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, CANNOT REPENT; and unto such baptism availeth nothing".
If one dies without the law, neither justice nor mercy come into play. No justice because they can't be condemned for breaking a law of which they were ignorant (for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law. (Moroni 8:2)) and no mercy because there is nothing for which they need forgiveness, having not sinned because of their ignorance.
Alma 42:2 "And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?"
SAYS YOU: "All of the verses in the book of Mormon that you reference should be taken and applied directly in your walk with God"
ME: Although we are instructed by the scriptures in our walk with God, they also are useful to teach us doctrine. All must strive to "know of the true points of [His] doctrine that they may be numbered among my people" (3 Nephi 21:6)
2 Tim. 3:16 - "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
Nephi felt "highly favored of the Lord in all [his] days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness AND the mysteries of God" (1 Nephi 1:1).
We must cherish not only the "be good" teachings, which are grand, but also all he has clearly and simply revealed about his plan of salvation. "They are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may understand, that we cannot err." (Alma 13:23)
SAYS YOU: "Applying scriptures in a way to judge others is not right."
ME: I hope you didn't assume that I was judging anyone.
SAYS YOU: "To be baptized, one doesn’t need to be sinless, they just need to have a desire to take upon them the name of Christ."
ME: You will agree, I hope, that your article of faith teaches that one must have faith in Jesus and repent before they are baptized.
Articles of Faith 1:4 "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost".
One must be sinless before baptism. How can this be? "And we know that justification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:30). That is, God declares "sinless", "justified" or "righteous" those who have, up to the point where they have faith in Jesus, been ungodly. "But to him that worketh not [prior to coming to Christ], but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:5).
Therefore, since faith in Jesus brings justification and it comes before baptism, one is justified (sinless) before they get their feet wet. "...Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin". (Rom. 4:7-8)
Of course, it goes without saying (but to avoid any mistaken assumptions, I'll say) that the candidate for baptism must come to the font "with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of [his] sins, witnessing unto the Father that [he is] willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism" (2 Nephi 31:13) If that is the state of their heart, they have been made sinless prior to baptism. However, they are "baptized in the name of the Lord, AS A WITNESS before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments" (Mosiah 18:10). "They were desirous to be baptized AS A WITNESS AND A TESTIMONY that they were willing to serve God with all their hearts" (Mosiah 21:35).
SAYS YOU: "But the most important point I will make is this. Christ has commanded all to ‘love thy enemy’. When doing service, who cares if it’s for a friend, a saint, a sinner, a rebel, a satanist, etc. Who even cares if it makes a difference? The point of service is to express love, it isn’t for the recipient to accept the love. Anyone who is a recipient of service represents Christ when they are receiving the service."
ME: Those words are golden. Thank you.
SAYS YOU: "The world needs all the love it can get from anyone, people are very isolated and lonely right now. So, for me, temple work is low on the totem pole when it comes to service opportunities."
ME: You are not far from the Kingdom of God"
Jared Wilbur
I agree with pretty much everything you wrote in your response. I appreciate you taking time to address my remarks. I gained some valuable insights from them, and I will be spending the next few weeks pondering over the role of justice and mercy on those who die without knowledge of the law. My gut reaction is that everyone has knowledge of some law because there is no society on earth that is completely removed from God’s law, so the doctrine of Christ applies to all who wish to enter His presence. But I could be wrong.
Ray Farmer
“Thy gut speaketh the truth” (Ray Farmer 123:45)
I am somewhat of a mountain man and have related task to do, so I must be brief. But I will, if desired by you, expound further later with Book of Mormon references, after those pressing tasks are adequately addresses.
But here. To understand the Plan of Redemption, one must understand what the Law is. I can find no more beautiful explanation that better deals with the nature of Law than what John Wesley wrote:
"The law," eminently so termed, is no other than the moral law.
Now, this law is an incorruptible picture of the High and Holy One that inhabiteth eternity. It is he whom, in his essence, no man hath seen, or can see, made visible to men and angels. It is the face of God unveiled; God manifested to his creatures as they are able to bear it; manifested to give, and not to destroy, life -- that they may see God and live. It is the heart of God disclosed to man. Yea, in some sense, we may apply to this law what the Apostle says of his Son: It is _apaugasma tEs doxEs, kai charaktEr tEs hypostaseOs autou_ -- the streaming forth or out-beaming of his glory, the express image of his person.
The law of God is all virtues in one, in such a shape as to be beheld with open face by all those whose eyes God hath enlightened. What is the law but divine virtue and wisdom assuming a visible form? What is it but the original ideas of truth and good, which were lodged in the uncreated mind from eternity, now drawn forth and clothed with such a vehicle as to appear even to human understanding?
If we survey the law of God in another point of view, it is supreme, unchangeable reason; it is unalterable rectitude, it is the everlasting fitness of all things that are or ever were created.
The law of God (speaking after the manner of men) is a copy of the eternal mind, a transcript of the divine nature: Yea, it is the fairest offspring of the everlasting Father, the brightest efflux of his essential wisdom, the visible beauty of the Most High. It is the delight and wonder of cherubim and seraphim, and all the company of heaven, and the glory and joy of every wise believer, every well-instructed child of God upon earth.
…its nature: As St. James, speaking of the same thing under another name, says, "The wisdom from above" (which is no other than this law, written in our heart) "is first pure" (Jas. 3.17;) _agnE,_ -- chaste, spotless; eternally and essentially holy. And, consequently, when it is transcribed into the life, as well as the soul, it is (as the same Apostle terms it, Jas. 1:27) _thrEskeia kathara kai amiantos_, -- pure religion and undefiled; or, the pure, clean, unpolluted worship of God.
It is, indeed, in the highest degree, pure, chaste, clean, holy.
It is pure from all sin, clean and unspotted from any touch of evil. It is a chaste virgin, incapable of any defilement, of any mixture with that which is unclean or unholy. It has no fellowship with sin of any kind: For "what communion hath light with darkness?" As sin is, in its very nature, enmity to God, so his law is enmity to sin.
So, Adam was created in the Image of God. This seems to mean more than that he had fingers and toes. Instead, it means that the Law was as much part of him as it was of God.
When Adam fell, that law was effaced. But because of the Atonement, Adam was brought back into the presence of God and he and his descendants had that Law rewritten in their hearts. But as time went on and their hearts went completely toward rejection of that Law, it was again mostly lost.
Because their hearts were so hard, God chose to write the law on tables of stone.
As Israel rejected even the Law that was written on stone, God sent his son, who was the very embodiment of the Law. To see him and to know him was to know the Law of God.
But God knew that even that wasn’t enough, so he sent the Holy Ghost that would again write the Law on the hearts of men, in flesh, not on stone.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. (Heb. 8:10-1)
Knowing the above, 2 Nephi 2 comes absolutely alive!
And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.
Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness.
And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness [the Law] which is in him.
Clearly all mankind has the portion of the law written in their hearts and will be judged according to their obedience or disobedience to that "light of Christ" that lights everyone that comes into the world. Consider:
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) (Rom. 2:14-5)
Like I said, I had to be brief, but if you approach the Book of Mormon and all scriptures with the above understanding, you will be amazed how consistent they are, verse by verse.