The Mormon temple ceremony has undergone numerous revisions since its introduction in the 1840s. If Joseph Smith truly received these rituals by divine revelation, why has the LDS Church repeatedly altered and even removed key elements—especially after public exposure and criticism? Scripture warns us not to tamper with God’s commands: “My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change” (Proverbs 24:21). A faith that continually redefines its own “eternal ordinances” raises serious questions about its authenticity.
Many of the earliest Mormon temple rites closely resembled Freemasonry and even contained oaths and signs disturbingly similar to occult practices of Joseph Smith’s day. Yet when we look at the worship God prescribed in Scripture, nothing in the biblical tabernacle or temple resembles these man-made inventions. God’s instructions to Moses for the tabernacle (Exodus 25–31) and Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6–8) were precise, unchanging, and centered on sacrifice pointing forward to Christ (Hebrews 9:11–12). Jesus Himself affirmed the permanence of God’s Word, declaring: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
The New Testament also shows that with Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, temple rituals were fulfilled and ended: “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). Unlike Mormon temples that introduce secrecy, evolving ceremonies, and man-made covenants, the gospel of Christ is open and unchanging: “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech” (2 Corinthians 3:12).
This video examines the inconsistency between the biblical temple—centered on God’s glory and Christ’s fulfillment—and the Mormon temple, which bears little resemblance to anything instituted by God. If the LDS Church claims to have “restored” ancient worship, why does their version look so different from Scripture, and why are its origins tied to questionable sources instead of God’s unchanging Word?
