“Marriage in Heaven, Polygamy, and Baptism for the Dead: Do These Doctrines Really Come from God?”

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For many Latter-day Saints, the doctrines surrounding eternal marriage, polygamy, and baptism for the dead are deeply sacred—but they also raise honest and uncomfortable questions. As someone who deeply loves Jesus and the truth of His Word, I want to gently explore these topics, not to tear down faith, but to shine light on the difference between what Jesus taught and what later came through man.

📜 What Did Jesus Say About Marriage in Heaven?

Jesus could not have been more clear. When the Sadducees questioned Him about what happens to marriage after death, He replied:

“For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” — Matthew 22:30 (KJV)

Marriage, as we know it, does not continue in the resurrection. There is no eternal marriage among glorified beings. Our deepest eternal relationship will be with Christ Himself. Yet the LDS Church teaches that eternal marriage is required for exaltation—a teaching that directly contradicts the words of Jesus.

🔍 The LDS Doctrine of Eternal Marriage

LDS temple marriage is said to bind couples together “for time and all eternity,” and is considered essential for reaching the highest level of the Celestial Kingdom. This doctrine is taught nowhere in the Bible. Instead, it comes from Doctrine & Covenants 132, a revelation Joseph Smith claimed to receive in 1843—after he had already begun practicing polygamy in secret.

🕰️ Joseph Smith and Polygamy: The Real Timeline

Joseph Smith began secretly marrying multiple women as early as 1833, well before any recorded revelation about it. His first known plural wife was Fanny Alger, a teenage servant. Over the next decade, he married more than 30 women, including:

• Teenagers as young as 14
• Married women (polyandry)
• Women without his wife Emma’s knowledge or consent

It wasn’t until 1843—after years of hidden polygamy—that Joseph produced D&C 132, supposedly commanding plural marriage. This raises serious questions. Why would God’s prophet begin practicing a controversial and life-altering doctrine in secret, without scriptural authority, and then claim divine approval after the fact?

⚖️ What Does the Bible Say About Marriage?

• “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…” — 1 Timothy 3:2
• “They twain shall be one flesh.” — Matthew 19:5
• “Let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” — 1 Corinthians 7:2

Polygamy in the Old Testament always leads to brokenness, jealousy, and heartache. In the New Testament, monogamy is affirmed and polygamy is completely absent from Christian leadership and life. Most importantly, eternal marriage is never taught by Jesus or the apostles.

🕊️ What About Baptism for the Dead?

LDS doctrine also teaches that living members can be baptized on behalf of deceased individuals—a practice based on a single, cryptic verse:

“Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” — 1 Corinthians 15:29 (KJV)

This verse has puzzled Bible scholars for centuries. But here’s what it doesn’t say:

• It does not command baptism for the dead.
• It does not explain how or why to do it.
• It is never mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

Most likely, Paul was referencing a local or fringe practice—not endorsing it, but using it to argue that even people doing strange rituals believed in the resurrection. He says, “they are baptized for the dead,” not “we.” If baptism for the dead were vital to salvation, it would be clearly taught in other New Testament passages. But it’s not. In fact, the Bible says:

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” — Hebrews 9:27
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.” — Hebrews 3:15

Nowhere in Scripture is salvation presented as something that can be applied after death through another person’s ritual.

💡 What’s Really Going On?

When you look closely, you’ll notice a pattern:

• Eternal marriage contradicts Jesus’ own teaching.
• Polygamy was practiced in secret before any revelation.
• Baptism for the dead is based on one obscure verse, and never commanded.

These doctrines aren’t built on the Word of God—they’re built on new revelations that contradict the Bible and were introduced by one man: Joseph Smith.

✝️ Jesus Is Enough

The good news is this: You don’t need secret ordinances, temple rituals, or proxy baptisms to be saved. You don’t need a temple marriage to be exalted. You need Jesus.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8

The Bible is clear, simple, and full of hope. Jesus paid the full price. Eternal life is a gift—not a reward for temple worthiness.

❤️ You Are Not Betraying the Truth—You Are Seeking It

If you’re asking these questions, you’re not rebellious—you’re honest. You want to follow Jesus, not just tradition. And He promised:

“Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” — John 8:32

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And He’s calling you to walk in truth, grace, and freedom.