Why is sealing necessary?


jdf135
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I know we are supposed to be sealed and I believe it to be a true doctrine but I have never really understood why.   Is there a principle of physics requiring a binding of spirits in order to accomplish eternal goals or is this just one of those things we don't/won't understand in this life?  Insights anyone?

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To be bound by a covenant with the Lord, a person needs to actually go and make that covenant.  In the case of a sealing, it's you declaring that you want to be with this family member forever, the Lord declaring His blessings, and everyone dedicating to do their part.  You are dedicating your heart to God and this family member.  And yes, that change of heart is super important, in fact it's foundational to the Gospel.  

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2 hours ago, jdf135 said:

I know we are supposed to be sealed and I believe it to be a true doctrine but I have never really understood why.   Is there a principle of physics requiring a binding of spirits in order to accomplish eternal goals or is this just one of those things we don't/won't understand in this life?  Insights anyone?

I think its the most beautiful teaching of the LDS church, I love the idea of an eternal marriage.

I'm not an LDS member so this is just my personal view on it, but the bible says there is no marriage in heaven, so if you want to be married in heaven it needs to happen here, in the temple (or maybe in the spirit world? But before the resurrection), and because traditional marriage is only until death, you would need to be sealed for eternity so you your marriage is valid in heaven.

LDS members, please weigh in and let me know if my interpretation is ok?

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. First, we were each part of our Father in Heaven's family in the pre-earth live.  By accepting our Savior Jesus Christ and entering into the ordinances of baptism, (Priesthood if male) then the endowment and accepting the covenants that go with those ordinances and living and keeping them, we are adopted into the family of Jesus Christ. That brings blessings, responsibilities (obedience & service) as we live the covenants and begin to change our nature from a worldly person (Mosiah 3:19) to a Saint, a follower of Jesus Christ, in truth, we begin to become like Him.  We begin to move from the general family of our Heavenly Father to the eternal family where we also have eternal increase, as the blessings of the sealing ordinance promises us, we have eternal life with and like our Heavenly Father and our Savior. 

 By being sealed by one having the authorized authority to do so, we receive the covenants that go with the sealing ordinance, and if we keep them, we become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, or we inherit all that our Father will give to the Savior which included eternal increase/family.  Without the ordinances, without the covenants, and being obedient to them, we fail to become as Christ is (3 Nephi 27:27) and if we fail to become as He is then we are uncomfortable in His and the Father's presence and we do not inherit all that the Father has for us with the Savior. The covenants and promised blessings of the sealing ordinance are lost to us. 

So the sealing ordinance is the ordinance, combined with all the others, when performed by one authorized to exercise the Priesthood and perform the ordinances, that promises to us the opportunity to return to our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ and with the Savior, inherit the life that the Savior and our Father in Heaven have. Not having that ordinance, not keeping the covenants results in us not being in their presence, and not having the eternal life that they enjoy. We fail to become like them in every way, including the opportunity to participate in the eternal life they have and do what they do.  I hope that makes sense. 

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5 hours ago, jdf135 said:

I know we are supposed to be sealed and I believe it to be a true doctrine but I have never really understood why.   Is there a principle of physics requiring a binding of spirits in order to accomplish eternal goals or is this just one of those things we don't/won't understand in this life?  Insights anyone?

If we knew enough physics to answer that question, we may be the most knowledgeable Physicists alive!!!

If we use what we know (which is like an ant trying to figure out the complexities of the universe and build a rocket ship that will go faster than the speed of light in the next month), we could postulate on possible answers.

None of what follows has any source in doctrine or belief, it is merely postulates in regards to ideas.

Nothing in our universe, to our knowledge, remains in it's state.  Everything trends towards a state of entropy from that of energy.  Eventually, as the universe ages, it will go into Heat Death.

Unlike the natural state of things which our physics seems to explain, the Lord is able to bring about the opposite.  Instead of death, which is the natural state to trend towards, he brings things to life.  He quickens the soul and the brings about an eternal life.

Thus, things bound by the laws found in our current universe lead to death.  The Laws of the Lord bring about things of life.  The natural state of the universe is of endings, whereas the Lord's power is to empower it forever. 

Thus, in order for marriage to not also go the way of the natural order of this temporal mortality, it needs the power of the Lord to accomplish it.  This is done via the Lord's power.  For some of these things to be done, he desires us to make certain covenants with him (baptism, the sacrament, initiatory, endowment, sealings).  This shows our willingness to follow him and he has his power to enable our eternal salvation and exaltation.

As I said, this is in no way related to theology or teaching really, it is more of a shrug your shoulders and say...it could be this, but also maybe not.

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9 hours ago, jdf135 said:

I know we are supposed to be sealed and I believe it to be a true doctrine but I have never really understood why.   Is there a principle of physics requiring a binding of spirits in order to accomplish eternal goals or is this just one of those things we don't/won't understand in this life?  Insights anyone?

"Sealing" and "sealing power" mean different things in different contexts, all having to do with the power of God. We are sealed to God by making familial covenants in the temple (couples and their children, whether born in the covenant or later adopted) which create a fold going backward and forward for generations. Born in the covenant means the parents, by virtue of their sealing, have made the covenant in behalf of the unborn and dependent children, just as the living make covenants in behalf of the dead. These covenants can be accepted, rejected, kept or broken according to the agency of the individual. But we are saved as individuals and exalted as families, ultimately exalted  as one large family of God. So i would say you are supposed to be sealed because you are supposed to make and abide this covenant in unison with all God's children, the greatest happiness anyone could know (eternal life and exaltation).

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9 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

If we knew enough physics to answer that question, we may be the most knowledgeable Physicists alive!!!

If we use what we know (which is like an ant trying to figure out the complexities of the universe and build a rocket ship that will go faster than the speed of light in the next month), we could postulate on possible answers.

None of what follows has any source in doctrine or belief, it is merely postulates in regards to ideas.

Nothing in our universe, to our knowledge, remains in it's state.  Everything trends towards a state of entropy from that of energy.  Eventually, as the universe ages, it will go into Heat Death.

Unlike the natural state of things which our physics seems to explain, the Lord is able to bring about the opposite.  Instead of death, which is the natural state to trend towards, he brings things to life.  He quickens the soul and the brings about an eternal life.

Thus, things bound by the laws found in our current universe lead to death.  The Laws of the Lord bring about things of life.  The natural state of the universe is of endings, whereas the Lord's power is to empower it forever. 

Thus, in order for marriage to not also go the way of the natural order of this temporal mortality, it needs the power of the Lord to accomplish it.  This is done via the Lord's power.  For some of these things to be done, he desires us to make certain covenants with him (baptism, the sacrament, initiatory, endowment, sealings).  This shows our willingness to follow him and he has his power to enable our eternal salvation and exaltation.

As I said, this is in no way related to theology or teaching really, it is more of a shrug your shoulders and say...it could be this, but also maybe not.

I appreciate ALL the answers given.  I appreciated the emphasis on covenants involved in sealing rather than just the "families forever" part (not that it's a bad thing).  I also like Johnson Jones explanation because it was more or less what I was asking.   I have a bit of an empirical mind and believe science and religion are the same: religion is just science (truth) not yet understood and the whole "anti-entropy" thing makes sense : ).  Thanks. 

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43 minutes ago, jdf135 said:

I appreciate ALL the answers given.  I appreciated the emphasis on covenants involved in sealing rather than just the "families forever" part (not that it's a bad thing).  I also like Johnson Jones explanation because it was more or less what I was asking.   I have a bit of an empirical mind and believe science and religion are the same: religion is just science (truth) not yet understood and the whole "anti-entropy" thing makes sense : ).  Thanks. 

If you like that, then you should take some time to read Hugh Nibley's Temple and Cosmos.

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16 hours ago, jdf135 said:

I know we are supposed to be sealed and I believe it to be a true doctrine but I have never really understood why.   Is there a principle of physics requiring a binding of spirits in order to accomplish eternal goals or is this just one of those things we don't/won't understand in this life?  Insights anyone?

Sealing is necessary for making the temporary permanent (the temporal eternal( and  binding the earthly with the heavenly.

Metaphorically, it is like a sealant that protects against corroding forces, and an adhesive that holds things together.

9 oz. Construction Adhesivegorilla-super-glue-80910-64_145.jpg

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited by wenglund
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Guest Mores
On 4/1/2019 at 3:56 PM, wenglund said:

Sealing is necessary for making the temporary permanent (the temporal eternal( and  binding the earthly with the heavenly.

Metaphorically, it is like a sealant that protects against corroding forces, and an adhesive that holds things together.

9 oz. Construction Adhesivegorilla-super-glue-80910-64_145.jpg

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Gorilla?  So, you believe we're sealed to our evolutionary predecessors?  BLASPHEMY!!!

(That was a joke, in case you missed it)

Edited by Mores
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Sealing along with every other church ritual is an outward expression of an inward commitment.  When I bring my wife flowers on Valentine's Day, I am expressing my commitment to her even though the flowers have no efficacy to them.  Sealing is an expression of commitment to both God, your spouse, and the rest of God’s children.  

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Guest Mores
5 hours ago, Emmanuel Goldstein said:
Yes, blasphemy is an act and heresy is just a belief.
 
her·e·sy
/ˈherəsē/
noun
  1. belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine.

Blasphemy:

The act of speaking profanely of God or sacred things.

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I believe it is a simple matter of law and order, not so much physics.  The laws of heaven dictate that for a marriage to be of efficacy after death it has to be done a certain way and with a certain authority. The way done is in the temple and the authority is with the priesthood and sealing power the officiator holds. The parties must agree to the terms and honour them.  I don't know that there is some physical force required.  Obedience to the law affords the promised rewards for that obedience.  Failings and mistakes are dealt with via application of the Atonement through repentance.

 

 

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5 hours ago, Emmanuel Goldstein said:

You said, "So, you believe we're sealed to our evolutionary predecessors?  BLASPHEMY!!!" That is a belief, not a statement. Therefore, Heresy. Blasphemy requires speech.

Ok. You got me.

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1 hour ago, askandanswer said:

I've sometimes wondered what might stop two unsealed individuals in the terrestrial kingdom from living and acting as if they are sealed. 

You mean were they to identify as being sealed? ;)

I suppose it might be analogous in mortality to  not sealing a wood deck and living and acting as if the deck is sealed.

Thanks, -Wade Enlgund-

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