Temple Irony

Mormon doctrine bases belief in the need of temples on the Old Testament use of the temple.  It is ironic that while Old Testament believers went to the temple to cleanse themselves from sin, that is; they went to the temple to become worthy; Mormonism states Mormons must be worthy before they can go to the temple.  The Mormon belief in the necessity of temple buildings also denies the significance of one of the most dramatic events in the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ:

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.  Matthew 27:50-51

The symbolic meaning of the tearing of the curtain is not understood by Mormons.  This tearing of the temple curtain signaled the end of our need for a temple building to stand between us and our Father in Heaven.  Jesus made temples obsolete.  He has become our High Priest forever.  He is the only way to eternal life, opened to us when the old temple's curtain tore.  Torn because of Christ's blood, sacrificed once to pay the price of redemption forever.  No other payment is needed or could even be made.

When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.  Hebrews 9:11-12

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, Hebrews 10:19-20

In the final analysis, we Christians are God's temple and God lives in us.  

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.  1 Corinthians 3:16

Unfortunately for Mormons, Mormonism teaches that the temple still stands between them and eternal life with Heavenly Father.