Click PDF Newspaper to download the Temple Open House 4-page newspaper given away at temple open house events around the United States.
Welcome to an Evangelical (Protestant/Bible-believing) Christian website written by concerned Christians who care very much about the Latter-day Saint people. You may have been redirected from SacredOrSecret.com. Currently, the San Diego, California, temple is hosting an open house through Saturday, July 12 and representatives from our ministry are there to hand out materials and answer your questions.
Allow us to explain what this site is all about.
The Temple Open House is an event that allows the public–church members and nonmembers alike–access to the inside of a new or refurbished temple for a few weeks. After that time, the temple is closed and then dedicated in private ceremonies.
Once the temple opens, only temple patrons (who, among other things, tithe 10% of their wages, do not drink alcohol or hot drinks, and wear temple garments) are allowed inside when they present an authorized temple recommend, either electronically or in print form
Latter-day Saints are told that their temples restore temple worship as discussed in the Bible. Apostle Mark E. Petersen claimed the LDS ceremony actually follows the pattern of biblical days when he wrote:
In Biblical times sacred ordinances were administered in holy edifices for the spiritual salvation of ancient Israel. These buildings thus were not synagogues, nor any other ordinary places of worship… Following the pattern of Biblical days, the Lord again in our day has provided these ordinances for the salvation of all who will believe, and directs that temples be built in which to perform those sacred rites (Why Mormons Build Temples, p. 2).
Unfortunately, the limited descriptions provided during the tour do not explain the many differences between the biblical temple of Jerusalem and the multiple LDS temples.
Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland stated almost two decades ago:
“I don’t know how to speak about heaven in the traditional, lovely, paradisiacal beauty that we speak of heaven. I wouldn’t know how to speak of heaven, without my wife or my children. It would not be heaven for me. Now, you can say that’s wishful thinking, or you can say that’s just because you love each other and you’ve gotten cozy here on earth and you like each other’s company. It’s a lot more than that. There is something eternal in the statement that “neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man in the Lord.” That isn’t just good sociology, that is theology, it’s eternal.”
Indeed, Mormonism teaches that the temple is needed for people to be able to enter an eternal state called celestial glory. It is here where Latter-day Saints hope to become like their “Heavenly Father” and propagate new spirit children just as God did. This is a much different teaching than what the Bible teaches and what Christians have believed for 2,000 years.
There are a number of other differences between the biblical temple in Jerusalem and the LDS temple, including:
- The LDS Church owns more than 200 other temples scattered across the globe and continues to build additional temples; the Jews recognized only the temple in Jerusalem. In the Old Testament, secondary temples in Samaria and Arad were condemned.
- The temple in Jerusalem was mainly about blood animal sacrifices. People brought these animals to have them slaughtered to cover their sins. Jesus fulfilled this role, according to the biblical book of Hebrews. Yet His blood laid upon the heavenly mercy seat of the temple doesn’t just cover sins but forgives the sins of those who place their entire trust in Jesus Christ and not in their own works. Despite the biblical precedent, no animal sacrifice takes place in LDS temples.
- Most of the work in the LDS temple is about work on behalf of the dead, including proxy baptisms for people who are no longer living. This was never an ordinance in the Bible.
- Marriages for “time and eternity” that play a prominent role in the LDS temple were never performed in the Jerusalem temple.
- The priests officiating in the Jerusalem temple had to be from the tribe of Levi. This was commanded in Numbers 3:6-10. This command is ignored in LDS temples, as the majority of the membership do not belong to this Jewish tribe.
- Wedding ceremonies never occurred in the Jerusalem temple, yet this is a major function at LDS temples.
- New Testament Christians have never worshiped in a temple or built temples. In fact, never have Christians attempted to build another temple after the Jerusalem temple was destroyed in AD 70. The temple has always been reserved for Jews and their priests and is not a Christian place of work or worship.
- While many Latter-day families have been “sealed” for time and eternity in their temples, the Jerusalem temple provided no such ordinance.
- If you take a tour during the temple open house, you will have a chance to see most of the rooms in this temple. However, at the San Diego temple, you will not have the chance to see the washing and anointing rooms. Perhaps ask your LDS friend why. If they say the ceremony is not significant, then ask why this ordinance is even part of the LDS ceremony.
- While the temple will have many paintings of Jesus (we count 30, compared to only 2 depicting the church founder Joseph Smith), and His name is part of the church’s title, one thing you will not see is any depiction of the cross inside the temple. This has been an important symbol of the Christian church for 2,000 years. The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.
“It’s a beautiful building”
Latter-day Saints will point out the beauty of this iconic building. Of course, the San Diego temple–first opened in 1993–has wonderful architecture. The finest workmanship that money can buy is on display. Yet, as described above, if the rites done in the temple do not correspond with biblical precedent, does it matter how beautiful a building might be?
If you are a Latter-day Saint, ask yourself: Where in the Bible does it encourage New Testament Christians to perform ordinances that are valid merely because the building is gorgeous?
Sacred or secret?
Latter-day Saints are not allowed to talk about what goes on inside the temple. We agree, this place is “sacred” for Latter-day Saints. At the same time, what goes on inside the temple is also “secret.” As Mormon historian Richard Bushman put it,
While some members will claim that Mormon temples are sacred not secret, temples are secret, plain and simple. Even members don’t speak to each other about it (Deseret News, March 6, 2008).
We agree, Latter-day Saints should be allowed to worship however they want. We do not oppose this. However, the claim that this temple is necessary to do work to please God has no basis in truth. We do not want to reveal the language used in the LDS temple, we want you to know that these temples have no biblical precedent and encourage you to do further research. In the search engine, type in “temple” and you will have access to multiple articles on this topic.
What is our version of the Gospel?
We can describe our version of the Gospel quite simply from citing Romans 1:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
To sum up our belief:
- All people are sinners (Romans 3:23)
- The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a)
- The gift of God is eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23b; Acts 16:31; John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10)
- Salvation thus is by grace and faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Good works we do are not to make us into children of God (John 1:12) but are done because we are children of God. Justification comes by faith apart from works of the Law (Rom. 3:28). We are not saved by what we do but by who we are (new creations in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17). And who we are has an effect on what we do, which we call sanctification (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:20).
Consider placing your eternal destiny in the hands of God by having complete faith in what was accomplished on the cross and the idea that this is all that is needed to have eternal life. Please reach out to us if you have questions.
Conclusion
Please know we mean no ill toward the LDS people or anyone who visits the temple. Instead, we direct people to this website to let others have access to “the other side of the story.” If you feel we are wrong or our information is in error, please contact us (contact@mrm.org). We would be happy to have a cordial conversation.
Feel free to meet us at the south gate where the buses load up and there should be someone there (from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) giving out a 4-page newspaper…please pick one up. Or look at it online: PDF Newspaper And bring your questions or concerns. We would love to talk.
To read more about the temple, visit Crash Course Mormonism–Temple.
For an index of other articles on the temple, click here.
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