First of all, only worthy members who hold what is called a "Temple Recommend" have the privilege to enter into the temples. A recommend is received after a brief interview from a member of their bishopric and a member of their stake presidency to find out if this person is worthy to enter this sacred building.

What constitutes worthiness? Among many things, it is a person who is abiding by all the commandments of God and doing his or her best to live a life of righteousness. It is setting your home in order, and maintaining harmony and love in the home between you and your companion and between you and your children. It is daily family prayer. It is teaching your family to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and keeping his commandments. It is being free from excessive debt and paying honest tithes and offerings. It is you and your companion striving to receive that temple recommend so all family members can receive the ordinances of exaltation, and being sealed together for eternity.

One of the sacred ordinances performed in the temple is Eternal Marriage. This is ordained of God and should be respected as such. One should not trifle with such holiness. If two people are to be sealed together by His power then there should be harmony within their beliefs, otherwise they would be laying the ground work for confusion, contention and differences of opinions later on. God does not want disharmony. As it states in 1 Corinthians 14:33: "For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace ... "

Without a common faith, trouble lies ahead. When two people get married and they have different standards, different approaches, and different backgrounds, it's very difficult to deal with but it sometimes can be reconcilable. On the other hand though, religious differences imply wider areas of conflict. Church loyalties clash, and family loyalties clash. In 2 Corinthians, chapter 6 verse 4, Paul said: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" Maybe Paul wanted them to see that religious differences are fundamental differences.

Young people sometimes think, "Oh, that doesn't matter. We'll get along. We'll adjust. My spouse will permit me to do as I please or I'll make adjustments. We'll live and worship according to our own beliefs." This is not broad-mindedness, but even if it were, to be broad-minded with the Lord's eternal program is somewhat like being generous with other people's money.

You wouldn't want to bring hardships upon your children. The religious phase in your family life is the most intrinsic attribute a parent can instill. Young people don't always realize this until it's too late. They're trying to satisfy their immediate desires and pleasures rather than complete a proper pattern or a total program. They haven't stopped to think that they will have children someday and that children are frustrated in unhappy and broken homes. Growing up in a home where there is no religious training and where the religious thoughts of their parents conflict can be perilous.

Now, what if worthy members don't stay worthy? What if they're not even worthy to begin with? We cannot assume that just because the ordinance work was done within the temple that these individuals will receive the blessings. There is a great scripture in The Doctrine and Covenants that says it all: "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C: 130:21) In other words, if we live righteously then we are able to obtain the blessings; those who don't, forfeit them. This is the reason why worthy members of the Church who show a desire to abide by the commandments of the Lord are allowed to enter the temple. There may be those times when unworthy members get a recommend and enter these sacred buildings. The same rule applies. No matter how many times they return to the temple, an unworthy person will not receive the blessings. We must remember, God will not be mocked. (see Galatians 6:7)

I hope that this answered the question.

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


See related multimedia presentations