MARRIAGE

...“What marriage have you except that the husband should love his wife tenderly, and likewise the wife should love her husband, and both with all their hearts?

For it is love and not the law which binds together the man and the woman whereby they are made as one heart, one mind, one soul, one flesh.”

~ Yeshua 40:10-11

Thus did the false prophets and teachers of religion declare both celibacy and virginity superior above every other estate; making even the marriage of men and women suspect; making both the husband and wife continually dissatisfied and filled with remorse;

Having their passions seared with a hot iron, being devoured from within and consumed from without, by all manner of doubt and guilt; causing that both husband and wife should be filled with shame while yet they are married.

~ 2nd Endowment 4:18-19

7. Hear then, my children, and be you wise and filled with stillness; make all hush the soul within...

8. For in the marriage of men and women have the teachers and preachers of religion greatly erred, not knowing in themselves the mind of God regarding the coming together of both the man and the woman.

9. For they which sit in the uppermost seats of all the differing churches, do teach the precepts of men and not God; proclaiming with stern admonitions that both the man and the woman should refrain altogether from such sexual communion as would rise and flourish most naturally between them, even till they be married and strongly bound according to the laws of men;

10. Causing in itself that the marriage of men and women should be founded on that which is less and not that which is greater; establishing in the heart of each, the seeds of offense and misunderstanding regarding such passions and desires as might exist between them.

11. And all of this because of such doctrines of sin and guilt as the teachers and preachers of religion would bind most harshly on all who hear; hoping in themselves that by so doing they might be free of those similar passions which do afflict them also; yet are they likewise not free.

12. Thus are there even now many men and many women who enter marriage for the sake of sex only; hoping that in so doing they might free themselves of such guilt and shame as retards the affections of both the husband and the wife together.

13. Yet, for all these things is it rightly spoken: “What marriage have you except that the husband should love his wife tenderly, and likewise the wife should love her husband, and both with all their hearts?

14. For it is love and not the law which binds together the man and the woman whereby they are made to become as one heart, one mind, one soul and one flesh; even forever and ever.”

15. Consider therefore, the true nature of that marriage which even God would ordain for your joy; for no marriage should be lightly entered into, seeing that God would establish in the man and the woman together, the beginning of some great equality wherein both might be mutually benefited by reason of great love and devotion.

16. Let the man and the woman reason rightly in themselves regarding the purpose and nature of marriage; thinking most constantly in themselves concerning such goodly things as they might do for the sake of the one they love;

17. Putting away from the soul the cravings of the self, but to give themselves instead to some faithful devotion unto each the other, whereby they might draw from the soul the heartseed of some greater love;

18. Building in the soul of both the man and the woman the beginnings of some far more noble estate wherein the man and the woman are sealed together even as the Gods whereby they might become as the Fathers and Mothers of great glory and light.

19. Know therefore, that in marriage did God ordain that the man and the woman should bring forth children unto themselves; that through such love as they might bear for their children, might both Father and Mother find for themselves still some greater love for each the other.

20. Therefore, my children, be wise in the days of your sojourn upon the earth, and entangle not yourselves any longer in such precepts as the teachers and preachers of religion would foist upon you; for even as a loving Father would I counsel you concerning such marriage as you would enter into.

21. For I would not have you ignorant of such conditions and understandings as God would cause me to establish between that man and that woman who would desire to enter the covenants of marriage for the sake of bringing forth children unto themselves.

22. For marriage is holy and filled with promise, giving to both the man and the woman that special estate wherein they might imitate the Father and Mother which dwell above; becoming in themselves both father and mother to the children they love;

23. That such experiences as do most naturally arise in the midst of all your families, being most sacred throughout all acquaintances, familiarities and intimacies of family life; being found most constantly between father and mother, parent and child; cause that there might well up from deep within, that greater love which would seal forever, both the husband and the wife together.

24. Let not your marriage, therefore, be founded upon that lesser portion whereby you should equate sex with marriage only; being ever hopeful that therein you might free yourself from the darkening gloom of guilt and shame; for you are free already, and are at liberty before God to love and cherish whom you will, and this with all your might.

25. Say not, therefore, that you will refrain from such sexual desires and expressions as do arise most naturally within you till you are married; but say you rather among yourselves that you will refrain from bringing forth children until you are altogether entered into that covenant which even God has established for your joy.

26. Neither marry you another whereby you might seek to possess in bondage the one you claim to love; for in marriage do both the man and the woman come forth together in covenants of love and joy, being made equal in all and through all.

27. Holding for each the other a tender regard and an open acceptance toward all those things which God would establish for your good; becoming unto each the other the fulfillment of all desires and goodly expectations.

28. Therefore, when you marry, think not to satisfy your own desires and expectations, but rather seek you most faithfully to fulfill the wishes and longings of the one you love; and this with all manner of tender words and loving gestures.

29. For marriage is the greatest of unselfish acts, and if you would enter into it, then must you be free of selfish cravings, but seek instead most earnestly and attentively the happiness of the one you love.

30. For it is they and not some other who will lay upon the bed beside you, being hopeful and desirous of bringing forth children; therefore, give of yourself in constant devotions, and the love you bear for each the other shall daily grow, even until you receive a fullness in the kingdom of God’s glory.

31. Only be you wise and ever watchful in the bringing forth of children, let wisdom guide the passions of the body and spirit together; for if you bring forth more children than you are able to bear, then shall your life be made heavy and filled with labor, causing that there should come a breach between the husband and the wife, the parent and the child.

32. Thus in the coming together of the husband and the wife in the midst of their desiring, let there be love and music commingled together in fiery passions; for children are best fashioned in the midst of love, being shaped and formed in the womb by such emotions as come most readily between the father and mother together.

33. Open therefore the doors of your heart, that there may enter into the very soul of you such wisdom as I would give regarding the coming together of the man and the woman in marriage, wherein you might bring forth children unto yourselves.

34. For even I would have you know that in the covenant of marriage are you become as partakers with God in bringing forth into mortality the spirit children of your Heavenly Father and your Heavenly Mother, whereby they might seek for themselves that greater portion while yet they dwell in tabernacles of flesh and bone.

~ 2nd Endowment 7:7-34

Therefore, let the husband revere his wife with true affection, and let the wife revere her husband also, for this is good and profitable. For marriage is ordained of God, that you might become as fathers and mothers unto the children of God.

~ Wisdom 9:77