A Light on a Hill

Temple.

For different cultures, the title has different meanings. It could mean ancient, majestic, Steadfast, sacred, close, special or gateway to God.

To members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it is the pinnacle of the faith.

It is everything above and more.

Temples Vs. Chaples

Some people are confused on the difference of Mormon Temples as opposed to chapels or meeting houses.

Here’s the difference:

A chapel is a place where both members and non-members can learn about the gospel, take the sacrament, and socialize. It is open to the general public.

A temple is is a place where worthy members come to make greater covenants with God and involves rituals that increase learning. It is not open to the general public.

While the restriction sounds secretive and even snobbish, the temple is a dedicated house of the Lord; it is a place set apart from all the troubles and filthiness of the world.

If it were not, NO ONE would be able to enjoy the full and real peace the temple has to offer as the spirit would be refrained to do so.

However its standards, however, all are invited to become worthy enough to come into such dedicated building.

History

Temples are not a new concept. For instance, the Garden of Eden could have been considered a temple in the idea that man talked to God face to face.

When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, one of the first things they did [as far as modern revelation gives] was that they built a alter to God. From that, they first learned of the Atonement of Christ who would come to save all of mankind.

Through out the scriptures are references made to prophets building alters on high mountains including those by Abraham, Jacob, and Moses.

As far as the scriptures show, the first man-made temple dedicated to God was constructed right after the Israelites left Egypt. It was called the Tabernacle.

The Tabernacle [as it was called] was a large tent, and was built with an outer courtyard, and two rooms. Each area had several artifacts that pointed toward the atonement of Christ, and each section represented a “step”/kingdom that led to God’s presence.

Temples from that point onward followed the same general layout as reflected, including the temple of Solomon, Zerubbabel [made after Israel could return home to Jerusalem] and Herod.

Christ Himself gave some of the most valuable lessons in the temple throughout his life. On two separate occasions He even cleansed the temple of money changers for desecrating the Lord’s sacred edifice.

Although the same temple that Christ had taught in is now long gone, our need for a sacred refuge has not.

Temples take many forms, but the Lord has always asked that man build Him a house on earth.

Function

Here are some of the things done in the temple:

Baptism for the dead: This does not mean we grave rob and dunk the bodies [that’s just nasty]. Mormons believe that baptism is essential, and as it is worthy kids around 12 and up can stand in the place of a deceased person and get baptized. Like other ordinances, baptism for the dead can be done solely proxy{ {meaning “someone else taking the place of another”]

Endowment: The endowment is a ritual that teaches about the creation, the fall, and the eternal effects of the atonement. Like the temple of Old, it takes place in stages to “rise” and teach the participants to prepare to met God in a celestial sphere for increased learning and understanding.

Sealing: God never intended families to be together “till’ death do you part”. The sealing is an ordinance an marital binding to bring families together even far beyond death and into the eternities.

It takes place after the endowment and is perhaps the most sacred of all the ordinances performed in the temple.

Unfortunately, this is all that can be said concerning these rituals.

Keeping such rituals sacred protect those who are not yet ready and those who are held accountable to the covenants they make.

Perhaps, one day will many, many more of God’s children be ready to know more of God’s love even more then they do now, both the living and the dead.