Jesus said of His ministry, “I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together, and in secret have I said nothing” (John 18:20). Yet the Mormon temple is built on secrecy—rituals members are forbidden to discuss, symbols borrowed from Freemasonry, and ceremonies that bear little resemblance to anything described in the biblical temple.
If these practices truly originated from God, why do they mirror man-made rites rather than Christ’s teachings? Scripture teaches that God’s truth is meant to be proclaimed openly. Luke 8:17 reminds us, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Similarly, Jesus commands believers to let their light shine before others, not hide it (Matthew 5:14–16).
The Bible also emphasizes the accessibility of God’s presence through Christ. Unlike secretive LDS rituals, the New Covenant allows all believers to approach God directly through Jesus (Hebrews 4:16; 10:19–22). The temple of the Old Testament was a foreshadowing, pointing to Christ, not a system of hidden rites to be guarded from public view (1 Corinthians 3:16; John 4:21–24).
This video explores the contrast between the openness of Jesus’ ministry and the closed doors of the LDS temple, asking the critical question: if Christ is our ultimate example, why are Mormon temple rites so unlike His transparent and public ministry?
References: John 18:20; Luke 8:17; Matthew 5:14–16; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:19–22; 1 Corinthians 3:16; John 4:21–24.
