Differentiating
"Eternal Marriage" from "Marriage"

Readings in the Student Manual:

Elder Bruce R. McConkie
The Holy Spirit of Promise  (read Doctrine & Covenants 132:7-14)
Mormon Doctrine,  p. 361

The Holy Spirit of Promise is the Holy Spirit promised the saints, or in other words, the Holy Ghost.  This name-title is used in connection with the sealing and ratifying power of the Holy Ghost, that is, the power given him to ratify and approve the righteous acts of men so that those acts will be binding on earth and in heaven. ...

To seal is to ratify, to justify, or to approve. Thus an act which is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise is one which is ratified by the Holy Ghost; it is one which is approved by the Lord; ... The ratifying seal of approval is put upon an act only if those entering the contract are worthy as a result of personal righteousness to receive the divine approbation. ... If they are not just and true and worthy the ratifying seal is withheld.

The Prophet Joseph Smith
Definition of Salvation
Teachings,  pp. 297, 357,   May 14, 1843
 

Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our enemies and put them under our feet. And when we have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world, and a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come, then we are saved, as in the case of Jesus, who was to reign until He had put all enemies under His feet, and the last enemy was death. ...

Knowledge saves a man; and in the world of spirits no man can be exalted but by knowledge.

To have one's calling and election made sure is

• To be sealed up unto eternal life;
• It is to have the unconditional guarantee of exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world;
• It is to receive the assurance of godhood;
• It is, in effect, to have the day of judgment advanced, so that an inheritance of all the glory and honor of the Father's kingdom is assured prior to the day when the faithful actually enter into the divine presence...

Possible Scenarios Under the
New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage (D&C 132)

        Scenario #1:
         Righteous couple, married "till death do us part"
         but not married by the Lord's word, i.e. the NECM (D&C 132:15-17)

• Such marriage is not recognized in eternity; the parties will become separate and forever single after this life
• Parties in the earthly marriage relationship cannot be "enlarged" (Abraham 3:26)
• They are saved, but not exalted; by definition, they don't have eternal life (D&C 131:4; 132:22)
• They become angels--ministering servants for exalted beings

        Scenario #2:
        Somewhat righteous couple, married for time and eternity
        but without ratifying seal of the Holy Ghost (D&C 132:18)

• The marriage relationship becomes void in the next world--probably because these individuals were not valiant in their testimonies, or in other words, they never lived the high standards required by this order of the priesthood (D&C 76:79)

        Scenario #3:
        Righteous couple, married by the Lord's word
        and ratified by the Holy Ghost (D&C 132:19-20)

• Marriage is recognized in eternity; parties in the relationship on earth will still be together as a couple in the celestial kingdom
• They become exalted beings-gods--inheriting "thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths"
• All things will be subject to them (see also D&C 76:58-60)

        Scenario #4:
        Unrighteous couple, married by the Lord's word
        and previously ratified by the Holy Ghost (D&C 132:26)

• Marriage is recognized in eternity; parties in the relationship will still be together as a couple in the celestial kingdom
• However, because of their serious wickedness in mortality first they will be "destroyed in the flesh" and be subjected to the "buffetings of Satan" until full repentance is achieved

The Prophet Joseph Smith
The Unpardonable Sin
Teachings,  p. 358,   April 7, 1844

All sins shall be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons of perdition.

What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin?  He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him.  After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him.  He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy.  This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he hunts me, he seeks to kill me, and never ceases to thirst for my blood.  He gets the spirit of the devil -- the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of Life -- the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost.  You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance; they make open war, like the devil, and awful is the consequence.