For many young adults in Western societies, marriage is often viewed as something to postpone until every personal, financial, and professional goal has been achieved. Against this backdrop, the idea that Latter-day Saints encourage early marriage can seem surprising or even countercultural. Some assume it reflects pressure, outdated expectations, or a disregard for personal development. In reality, the encouragement of early marriage within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is rooted in a very different set of priorities.
Rather than seeing marriage as a reward at the end of adulthood, Latter-day Saints often view it as a foundational commitment that helps shape adulthood itself. Marriage is understood as a sacred covenant that provides spiritual stability, moral grounding, and structured opportunities for growth. When entered into thoughtfully and prayerfully, marriage is believed to strengthen faith, clarify purpose, and support a Christ-centered life.
Encouraging early marriage does not mean rushing into marriage without preparation or discernment. Instead, it reflects a belief in commitment, responsibility, and intentional relationships. Early marriage is valued not as an obligation, but as a meaningful choice that can help individuals grow together rather than separately during formative years.
Understanding why Latter-day Saints encourage early marriage requires exploring how marriage functions as a spiritual foundation, a source of stability, an eternal covenant, and a framework for purposeful living.
Marriage as a Spiritual Foundation
Latter-day Saints believe marriage provides one of the strongest foundations for spiritual growth. A committed partnership creates a daily environment where faith is practiced, tested, and strengthened in real and practical ways.
Marriage encourages shared spiritual habits such as prayer, scripture study, worship, and service. When two people commit to building their lives together around shared beliefs, faith becomes woven into everyday routines rather than treated as a separate or occasional activity.
Marriage is also viewed as a setting where individuals learn Christlike attributes through lived experience. Love, patience, forgiveness, humility, and sacrifice are not merely taught in theory but practiced consistently within the relationship.
Growth Through Commitment
Commitment plays a crucial role in emotional and spiritual maturity. Latter-day Saints believe that committing to another person encourages individuals to move beyond self-centered decision-making and develop greater responsibility and empathy.
Through commitment, individuals learn to navigate differences, resolve conflict, and persevere through challenges. These experiences promote emotional resilience and spiritual depth.
Early marriage allows this process of growth to begin earlier, helping individuals mature alongside their spouse rather than waiting until later stages of life.
Shared Discipleship
Marriage is seen as a form of shared discipleship. Spouses are believed to support one another in following Jesus Christ, encouraging faithfulness, integrity, and service.
Rather than walking the path of discipleship alone, married couples are taught to strengthen one another spiritually. This shared journey can provide accountability, encouragement, and motivation during times of doubt or difficulty.
Shared discipleship is a key reason marriage is viewed as spiritually beneficial, particularly when entered into with intention and preparation.
Moral and Emotional Stability
Young adulthood is often a time of significant transition, uncertainty, and vulnerability. Latter-day Saints frequently encourage early marriage as a way to establish moral and emotional stability during this formative period.
A committed marital relationship can provide consistent emotional support, companionship, and structure. Marriage offers a context where individuals feel accountable to shared values and long-term goals.
This stability is believed to help individuals avoid destructive behaviors, impulsive decisions, and aimlessness. Instead, marriage encourages focus, discipline, and purpose.
Purposeful Living
Marriage encourages purposeful living by shifting priorities from short-term gratification to long-term responsibility. Married couples are more likely to plan intentionally, consider future consequences, and align daily choices with shared goals.
This sense of purpose influences decisions related to education, employment, finances, and service. Life becomes oriented around building something enduring rather than navigating life alone.
For many Latter-day Saints, early marriage provides clarity and direction during years that might otherwise feel uncertain or fragmented.
Mutual Accountability
Marriage creates mutual accountability. Spouses help one another stay aligned with shared values, commitments, and moral standards.
This accountability is not meant to be controlling or restrictive, but supportive. Having someone who cares deeply about one’s well-being and spiritual direction can be a powerful influence for good.
Mutual accountability helps couples grow together, reinforcing positive habits and encouraging resilience.
Eternal Perspective on Marriage
One of the most distinctive reasons Latter-day Saints encourage early marriage is their belief that marriage can be eternal. Marriage is not viewed as ending at death, but as a covenant that can extend beyond mortal life.
Because of this eternal perspective, marriage is seen as one of the most significant decisions a person can make. Entering into marriage earlier allows couples to build their lives around this covenant from the beginning of adulthood.
Rather than fitting marriage into an already established life, early marriage allows life decisions to be shaped around the marriage covenant.
Building Eternally
Marriage is viewed as an eternal investment rather than a temporary arrangement. Decisions about education, work, finances, and family are made with eternal goals in mind.
Early marriage allows couples to grow, learn, and progress together over a longer period of shared life. Experiences, sacrifices, and successes are shared rather than accumulated separately.
This long-term perspective reinforces the value placed on early commitment when entered into thoughtfully and prayerfully.
Education, Preparation, and Balance
Although early marriage is encouraged, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints places strong emphasis on preparation, education, and personal readiness. Marriage is not promoted as something to enter casually or impulsively.
Members are encouraged to develop spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually before marriage. Education, skill development, and personal growth are seen as important components of responsible adulthood.
Early marriage is presented as an ideal balanced with wisdom rather than a rigid rule.
Preparation Matters
Marriage decisions are expected to be prayerful, informed, and intentional. Individuals are encouraged to seek personal revelation, counsel, and self-reflection before committing to marriage.
Preparation includes understanding oneself, developing communication skills, learning emotional regulation, and building spiritual habits.
This emphasis on preparation helps ensure that early marriage is approached with seriousness and maturity rather than haste.
No Universal Timeline
There is no required age or timeline for marriage within the Church. Early marriage is encouraged, but not mandated. Individuals are taught that God’s timing varies based on circumstances, readiness, and personal paths.
Some may marry early, others later, and some may not marry during mortal life. All paths are respected when pursued faithfully.
This flexibility reflects the Church’s emphasis on agency and individual revelation.
Respect for Individual Circumstances
Latter-day Saints recognize that life paths vary widely. Health, education, finances, personal development, and opportunities differ from person to person.
Many faithful members marry later in life or never marry during mortality. Their faithfulness, worth, and spiritual success are not diminished by marital timing.
The Church consistently teaches that marriage timing does not determine a person’s value or standing before God.
Agency and Personal Revelation
Agency is a central principle in Latter-day Saint belief. Individuals are encouraged to seek God’s guidance regarding when and whom to marry.
Personal revelation allows individuals to make decisions that align with their circumstances and spiritual readiness. This approach respects individuality while maintaining shared values.
Encouragement of early marriage does not replace personal inspiration but works alongside it.
Common Misunderstandings
A common misunderstanding is that early marriage is required or expected of all Latter-day Saints. In reality, it is encouraged but never mandated.
Another misunderstanding is that early marriage discourages education or career development. Many Latter-day Saints pursue higher education, professional training, and career growth alongside marriage.
Marriage is often viewed as complementary to personal development rather than an obstacle to it.
These misunderstandings often arise from observing cultural patterns without understanding the underlying beliefs.
Why This Belief Matters
Encouraging early marriage reflects confidence in commitment, faith, and shared responsibility. It promotes intentional living, emotional maturity, and spiritual focus during formative years.
For believers, marriage entered prayerfully and responsibly provides a foundation for faith, family life, and discipleship centered on Jesus Christ. It offers structure, purpose, and companionship in navigating adulthood.
Ultimately, encouraging early marriage reflects a worldview in which commitment is valued, relationships are purposeful, and spiritual growth is best pursued together rather than alone.
Sources
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Gospel Topics: Marriage
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org
Doctrine and Covenants Central – Eternal Marriage
https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org
Church News – Marriage and Young Adults
https://www.thechurchnews.com
Scripture Central
https://scripturecentral.org
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