Jesus plainly answered them here. And it completely opposed their beliefs.

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question.  “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless.  The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children.  Finally, the woman died too.  Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,  and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.  But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”

To the Sadducees, they didn’t believe in the resurrection. They came to this conclusion through a myriad of mental gymnastics and questions, a common way people miss the point.

But Jesus speaks to them plainly.

1) There is no marriage in heaven.

2) There is a resurrection. This is seen even by Moses.

Jesus completely challenges their false beliefs and corrects them from Scripture. Of course the other religious leaders were thrilled to see another sect put down. But regardless, he answered.

And then there’s Mormons.

Mormonism came around in the 1850’s and taught two things that are a stumbling block. They teach

1) There is marriage in heaven and it is the highest attainment.

2) Worthiness is a must to enter into heaven.

Jesus says plainly there is no marriage in heaven. This flies in the face of Mormonism teaching that the Bible and the Book of Mormon teach the same things.

They don’t.

Jesus said it as clear as clear can be. The only Mormon response is that this then must mean that the Bible has been corrupted because it doesn’t agree with what we believe. It’s a pick and choose kind of thing where if it agrees with us and we like it, it must be Scripture. If it does not agree with us and/or we don’t like it, it isn’t Scripture.

But then there’s that second part that is a terrible stumbling block and that is the concept of worthiness. Of course Latter Day Saints jump on this here when Jesus talks about worthiness.

But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead

“It’s right there!” they say. “You must be worthy enough to enter into the kingdom of God!”

But Biblical worthiness and Mormon worthiness are utterly, completely and totally opposites of one another.

Mormon worthiness is about works, doing your callings, following ordinances, enduring worthiness interviews and more. It’s impossible if you’re honest.

Biblical worthiness is that NO ONE IS WORTHY. Only Jesus Christ is worthy. And he gives us his worthiness when we trust him for our righteousness.

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,  even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Rom 3:21-24)

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph 2:8-9).

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,  but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 14:13-14).

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.  Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”  And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.  But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne (Rev 5:1-7).

Worthiness, dear Latter Day Saints, is ONLY found in Jesus. You are not worthy. I am not worthy. And we never will be worthy outside of Christ.

Only Jesus qualifies us.

Only Jesus.