"'Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow...Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died...Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?'" [Luke 20:28-33]
So far, they're asking Jesus if this woman is going to be a polygamist in the afterlife. How does Jesus respond?
"Jesus replied, 'The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead..." [So Jesus separates out the "people of this age" from "resurrected" folks]
"But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age WILL NEITHER MARRY NOR BE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE...
Jesus told them that the question is a moot issue. LDS try to skirt around Jesus' exact words by saying, "Yeah we know there won't be additional marriages in heaven." But if that was the proper interpretation of Jesus' words, then he wouldn't have answered the question being asked of him. He wasn't being asked, "How many more times than seven is this woman going to be married? (in heaven)"
As LDS would have it, the Sadducees who asked this question would come right back at Jesus and say, "So what she won't get married again? You didn't answer our question? She was sealed to all 7 husbands. Which one will she be attached to forever?"
The problem is that LDS settles for a mere man as a husband when God is offering His true church His own Son as the bridesgroom. The only marriage in heaven is between the Son and His bride, the church.
"For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear...Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" (Rev. 19:7-9) "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb' And he carried me away int he Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God." (Rev. 21:9-10) "The spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' (Rev. 22:17)
I would advise all LDS to stop this mega plan of future "two-timing" on Jesus Christ (our relationship to Him and to our spouse in heaven). The heavenly family is forever, yes. But it's one family. Families within THE FAMILY. But Jesus will be our only spouse. He's enough. We won't (and don't) need any other. Our security and dependency and relationship of knowing is with Him.
I would advise you Colofornian, to study your scriptures to discern which groups Jesus was conversing with, it was not those who were keeping the covenant of Abraham, those two groups Pharisees and Sudceees were apostates of their day!
They had no promise with the Lord they were contentious by their very nature towards him!
If they continue with their attitude they might have ended up in the Telestrail heaven and there is no marriage there no gender or the Terrestrial is where those who are good, receive a glory and are angels with no gender, so what would the need for marriage be if they have no gender!:)
Good point and post. Totally destroys the notion of 'celestial marriages'.