Excerpts of Elder Russell M. Nelson: 'Decisions for eternity', and Elder Dallin H. Oaks: 'No other gods' Deseret News
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Elder Nelson. "We will each have a personal interview with Jesus Christ. We will account for decisions that we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes and how we honored God's pattern for marriage and family."
Elder Nelson said a person can change behavior, but that true change can come only through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. "He allows you to access His power as you keep His commandments, eagerly, earnestly and exactly."
Marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Lord's doctrine and crucial to God's eternal plan. "Regardless of what civil legislation may be enacted, the doctrine of the Lord regarding marriage and morality cannot be changed. Remember: sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God.
"While we are to emulate our Savior's kindness and compassion, while we are to value the rights and feelings of all of God's children, we cannot change His doctrine. It is not ours to change. His doctrine is ours to study, understand and uphold."
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Elder Oaks:
The apostle cited responsible sources reporting historic declines in birth rates in the United States, many European nations and other developed countries. Marriage rates and the role and perceived necessity of fathers are also diminishing in many countries.
"We believe that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God has established an eternal standard that sexual relations should occur only between a man and a woman who are married," he said.
The importance the Church places on the law of chastity explains its commitment to the pattern of marriage that originated with Adam and Eve and establishes God's pattern for the procreative relationship between His sons and daughters for the nurturing of His children.
"There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God's decrees about sexual morality and are contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and child-bearing. These pressures have already permitted same-gender marriages in various states and nations."
Laws legalizing so called "same-gender marriage," he added, do not change God's law of marriage of His commandments and standards.
Elder Nelson. "We will each have a personal interview with Jesus Christ. We will account for decisions that we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes and how we honored God's pattern for marriage and family."
Elder Nelson said a person can change behavior, but that true change can come only through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. "He allows you to access His power as you keep His commandments, eagerly, earnestly and exactly."
Marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Lord's doctrine and crucial to God's eternal plan. "Regardless of what civil legislation may be enacted, the doctrine of the Lord regarding marriage and morality cannot be changed. Remember: sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God.
"While we are to emulate our Savior's kindness and compassion, while we are to value the rights and feelings of all of God's children, we cannot change His doctrine. It is not ours to change. His doctrine is ours to study, understand and uphold."
--
Elder Oaks:
The apostle cited responsible sources reporting historic declines in birth rates in the United States, many European nations and other developed countries. Marriage rates and the role and perceived necessity of fathers are also diminishing in many countries.
"We believe that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God has established an eternal standard that sexual relations should occur only between a man and a woman who are married," he said.
The importance the Church places on the law of chastity explains its commitment to the pattern of marriage that originated with Adam and Eve and establishes God's pattern for the procreative relationship between His sons and daughters for the nurturing of His children.
"There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God's decrees about sexual morality and are contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and child-bearing. These pressures have already permitted same-gender marriages in various states and nations."
Laws legalizing so called "same-gender marriage," he added, do not change God's law of marriage of His commandments and standards.
