The Eternal Family | Merrill J. Bateman

When we know that the marriage and family have eternal purposes, we are more motivated to follow God's commandments and those relationships with care.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/merrill-j-bateman_eternal-family/

Merrill J. Bateman was the president of Brigham Young University
when this devotional address was given on 6 January 1998.

"A key purpose of God’s plan is the formation of eternal families. It is within the family that exaltation is achieved. My remarks today center on the importance of the family and its eternal nature.

Men and women are created as complements. They complete one another. Paul told the Corinthians: “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:11). Men and women complement each other not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. The apostle Paul taught that “the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband” and through them both the children are made holy (1 Corinthians 7:14). Men and women have different strengths and weaknesses, and marriage is a synergistic relationship in which spiritual growth is enhanced because of the differences.

We believe that society has a stake in marriage in that the physical, emotional, spiritual, and economic health of its citizens is determined by the quality and duration of marital relationships. We believe that procreation powers are sacred and are to be used only between a man and a woman legally and lawfully married. When they are used outside of marriage they may destroy relationships rather than build them.

A view of marriage and the family based on eternal principles increases the probability of success. When one takes the long view, one tries harder to be patient, long-suffering, kind, gentle, and meek. These characteristics, in turn, strengthen the marriage.

Many programs and practices in the Church are designed to strengthen the family. These include family home evening, family councils, family history work, family prayer, father’s blessings, family scripture study, and others. It is important for families to build special traditions that tie children to parents and grandchildren to grandparents. In closing may I share one of the family practices that has produced joy and memories in our family..." - President Bateman

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