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Describing his eternal purpose in creating man, God said, “Men are that they might have joy.” (1) The more we strive to become like God the greater becomes our capacity for happiness, with happy family life being happiness’s highest expression. The opposite is true: “Wickedness never was happiness.” (2)
God’s greatest happiness is his family—eternal family life--which consumes his entire attention: “This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (3) We can become like God and experience his degree of happiness, described as a fullness of joy. (4) To do this we must:
A righteous marriage and family built upon the teachings of Jesus Christ becomes a place of safety, peace and joy—a refuge from the storms of life. Beyond every other means or institution, righteous family life—because it is patterned after the organization of heaven--is the best situation to teach, learn, and apply principles of the gospel. “The righteous molding of an immortal soul is the highest work we can do, and the home is the place to do it.” (5)
“Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”
As a wife covenants to follow her husband in righteousness, so a husband covenants to follow the Lord in all things. This is the divine appointment made to fathers and mothers in family life. If a couple works toward this ideal in their marriage, a wife would never fear supporting her husband as head of the family. Likewise, a husband who is striving to follow the Lord would neither become abusive to his wife or children nor would he treat his wife as an inferior or a slave. She would be his equal and his queen. He would support her as she nurtured their children, and she would support him in providing for and presiding over the family in righteousness. This is the true order of family life as designed by God.
“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.”
In God’s true order of family life, children have the God-given right to be raised by a married mother and father. Children have the God-given entitlement to be reared by parents who have entered into and keep the covenant of marriage.
“When a child is born out of wedlock, the best option is for the mother and father of the child to marry and work toward establishing an eternal family relationship. If a successful marriage is unlikely, they should place the child for adoption…which is an unselfish loving decision that blesses the birth parents, the child, and the adoptive family.” (6)
Latter-day prophets have repeatedly “denounced abortion except in exceptional circumstances, and then only after consulting with local Church leaders and receiving a confirmation through earnest prayer.” (7)
“Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.”
Prophets of God are God’s mouthpiece on earth. No higher authority exists on the Earth. Throughout all the ages, including today, prophets reveal God’s word regarding family life and all other doctrinal and moral issues. Prophets preach and teach all aspects of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Prophets forewarn and counsel so that we might remain safe and be happy. Through his prophet Amos, God made this definitive statement: “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (8) The fact that latter-day prophets have defined family, counseled us about family life, and forewarned about the destructive attacks against family life should draw the attention of every responsible individual and each government throughout the world.
“We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.”
Return to Marriages and Families blessed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Return to Strong Families
By Larry Barkdull. Content made possible by Ilene Olsen and Ron and Bonnie McMillan.
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