TEMPLES

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the temple is the house of the Lord, the most sacred place on earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples (see 1 Chronicles 28:1-6) to make available to people the possibility of experiencing saving ordinances to strengthen them in this life and prepare them for the life after death. The crowning sacred ordinance is the sacrament of marriage, also called sealing. A Priesthood holder with special authority seals this eternal union which extends beyond death and is for the purpose of uniting the family for ever.

The prerequisite for the couple to be united for eternity with all their relatives – ancestors and descendants – is obedience to rules and commandments and a Christian life pleasing to God, which the local bishop documents in a testimonial called a temple recommend which permits them to enter the temple.

All the other sacred ordinances in the temple are to serve the living and, through vicarious ordinances, the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29; 1 Peter 4:6) by teaching them about the eternal development of man, God's intentions in regard to the creation and sacred covenants.

The overall aim is man's return to His Heavenly Father.

More about "Temples"

• Frankfurt Temple
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Temples and Family History