"Sealed. . for time and for all eternity"

Readings:  Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4; 132:4–33; 

The last post was about the necessity of baptism for all who live on the earth.  It is so important that baptisms can be performed by proxy for those who have died, just to make sure everyone gets a chance to receive the covenants made at baptism.  By the way, those who we do not have any record for on earth, will be accounted for in heaven, for God knows all of his children.  But all the people we can find while we are on earth will help them and us.

Baptism and other saving ordinances can hold effect in this life AND in the next life only if they are performed by someone holding the proper and authorized Priesthood. Here are the words of the Lord regarding the sealing power and authority given by God:

DC 132:7

7 And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.

Included in the saving ordinances is the ordinance of the marriage of a man and a woman. Like baptisms for those who have died, marriage can be performed by an authorized priesthood holder in a temple of God and is therefore in force both in this world and in the next.

DC 132:15, 19

15 Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world.

 19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.

So, marriage is not just a union on earth, but a union in heaven as well.  Or at least that's what God tells us he intended for marriage. If you believe in life after death, this may seem as second nature knowledge - of course I would be with my spouse after this life.  But as the scriptures state above, marriage needs to be performed by someone holding the Priesthood of God - given by God, in order to be in force after this life.  Why is this necessary or different that what we know as marriage by the state/government?  It occurs to me that one method is a top-down method and the other is a bottom up method.  Being married under the Priesthood given by God is doing it how God wants it.  Getting married by the state is doing it how humans want it.  One is saying I love, respect what God directs and will be obedient to Him.  The other is saying, God must honor what we deem at marriage.  This is not to say that marriage by the state/government is not important, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in obeying the laws of the land.  So with the proper paperwork, a sealed marriage, is also a marriage be the state (not sure about other countries though - I'll have to look it up, I'm sure it varies country by country).  I also do not mean to imply that a marriage by the state in not relevant, meaningful, fulfilling or less important.  Marriage between a man and woman is extremely important!  A sealed marriage though, is the extra step to ensure that a married man and woman will continue their marriage after this life.

When a man and woman are sealed in marriage, their children are also sealed to them, if their children are born after the marriage.  If children are born before a sealing takes place, they are able to take their children to the temple and have their family sealed together.  Thus, not only will the marriage last for eternity, but the family relationships will as well.