Eternal Life & Our Eternal Family
What does the Bible teach about eternal life & our eternal family?
All true believers have eternal life and will spend eternity living with God in heaven. Together, all believers form the body of Christ. In heaven, there are no barriers of marriage or lineage that separate the body of Christ from being one family.
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Revelation 7:9
What does Mormonism teach about eternal life & eternal families?
Mormonism teaches that only Mormon believers who perform all the requirements and are worthy enough will receive eternal life, spending eternity as a god with their own world or universe, which they will populate with their own spirit children, making up their own eternal family.
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...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.
Doctrine and Covenants 132:19
Why this Matters
Eternal life is intimately connected to life with God. This is not something we attain by obedience, but instead is a gift of God. When one receives this gift of new birth through faith, they have this new life.
For believers, eternal life is a present reality. The new life believers enjoy through a restored relationship with God is just a foretaste of what awaits. For this reason, eternal life is equated with heaven, when believers shall live eternally with God. Any life outside of God’s presence could only be described biblically as hell.
Stop talking past each other. Gain a better understanding of the words that are unique to Mormonism and the differences of shared terms between Mormonism and Christianity.
Scripture References
John 10:10
Romans 6:23
John 3:3
1 John 5:12
John 6:47
2 Corinthians 5:5
Summary
Christianity
All believers have eternal life and form the body of Christ as one family.
Mormonism
Mormon believers who are worthy enough will receive eternal life, spending eternity as a god with their own spirit children, making up their eternal family.