Tag: eternal

What Do Mormons Believe About Hell?

Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate 

Q. What do Mormons believe about hell, and who is going there?

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Short answer: Mormons believe in hell, but our conception of hell is different than the one that generally springs to mind, and we use the word to mean different things in different contexts.  For us, there are two “hells”, really.  One is a state of pain, guilt, and anguish where the spirits of the wicked will be after they die but before the final judgment (we often call this state spirit prison).  The other is an everlasting state of hell reserved for a few truly wicked (we commonly refer to this one as outer darkness).  Because the second state only applies to few, for the majority of people hell will not last forever: after the final judgment most people will receive some degree of glory.

Long answer: I wrote this post because I’ve found that people assume we believe in the traditional hellfire and damnation, and that causes a lot of misunderstanding. For instance, we claim to be the only religion with the “fullness of the gospel,” and that you have to be baptized by someone authorized by God (only in the LDS church) in order to be saved. People hear that and assume that we therefore believe that everyone else is “going to hell” in the sense that most modern Christians would use the phrase. That isn’t our belief, however.

What is hell? The word hell in the Bible is the English translation of the Greek word hades or the Hebrew word sheol. It originally referred to a temporary dwelling of spirits of all dead people, both righteous and wicked, and not solely as a place of punishment.  The word hell didn’t evolve the sense of being a place of everlasting punishment until later (see reference 1, or click the word hades above for further reading).

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a place of suffering, however. We believe that when we die, our spirits go to a place that we call the Spirit World to await the resurrection and judgment. Furthermore, the Spirit World is divided into two general states: paradise and prison, depending on how you have lived your life (see Megan’s two-part summary of the afterlife). In the Spirit World, everyone gets an equal chance (if they didn’t have it on earth) to hear and accept the gospel. Unrepentant people will still suffer, and we still refer to their suffering as “hell.”

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What is hell like? The torment of the wicked isn’t described in much detail in the Bible, but King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon taught that the knowledge of our guilt would be our torment:

Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. (Mosiah 2:38)

Alma (also in the Book of Mormon) wrote that we will not be able to look up to God, “and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence” (Alma 12:14)

It’s important to know that this suffering, while agonizing, will not last forever. Of those who would eventually inherit the lowest degree of glory, Joseph Smith taught:

These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. . .These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fullness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work; (D&C 76:103, 106)

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What about the sons of perdition? We believe that one day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess” that Jesus is the Christ. With a few exceptions  everyone will be redeemed. Death and Hell will deliver up their captive spirits (2 Ne 9:12, Rev 20:13), all men will be resurrected and be brought forth to be judged and receive a degree of glory. The few exceptions I mentioned are called “sons of perdition.”

Sons of perdition are the truly evil. They are those that want no part in salvation. They deny the truth and defy God’s power, and crucify the Savior unto themselves, and put him to an open shame. They are the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord (D&C 76:31-38). They do not inherit a glory at all, but rather dwell with the devil and his angels forever. Their state is sometimes referred to as “hell” also, or “outer darkness,” though both of those words also refer to the temporary state. It’s hard to be a son of perdition. Really hard. Cain and Judas hard. For all intents and purposes, it’s not even an option for the majority of humanity.

If everyone will just be saved, why does anyone’s conversion even matter? I thought you’d never ask! It matters for two reasons: 1) The wicked will still suffer. A lot. Enough that no amount of raucous fun you could have on earth would ever possibly be worth it. And 2) There are very different degrees of glory that you will inherit forever, based on how much you were “willing to receive.” But that’s a topic for a different day.

(1) See Frederic W. Farrar, Eternal Hope (1892), xxxvi-xlii

Next to Godliness

Q. Do Mormons believe that people have the potential to become the kind of God that made the heavens and the earth? Do Mormons believe that before the God who made the heavens and the earth was God, he was a human?

In other parts of this blog, it has been put forward that we are to be like Christ and our Father in Heaven and that is our purpose in this life. What is less clear, is exactly what that entails. What we do know is that our Father has promised us everything He has. John’s revelation shows that here and here.  Modern revelation also confirms this.

Elsewhere in scripture, Christ speaks of the many mansions in His Father’s house and that He has prepared them for us (John 14:2). In the parables of the faithful steward (Luke 12:42-44) and the prodigal son (Luke 15:31), the faithful steward of the first and faithful son of the second are promised all that the Lord has and ruling power over it.

Even more important than what we receive is who we will become. Christ commanded us to become perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect. As we endeavor to fulfill this commandment throughout our lives, we can indeed progress nearer to godliness. Christ’s atonement makes this possible. This process is the main purpose of our life and to which the majority of the scriptures are devoted.

We also can receive all that is our Father’s (for isn’t infinite power and glory divided a trillion times still infinite?) once we have proven ourselves worthy of such a great responsibility. What specific duties and activities that will entail are currently unknown but since God’s work and glory are to bring to pass our own immortality and eternal life, we ought to work to that end in an ever increasing scope.

As for our Heavenly Father’s origins, there is less clarity in the subject but it does follow that since we are His children and offspring, then our potential is equal to His and our origins similar. My own opinion is that He was more like Christ than any other man of this earth. “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” John 5:19

In the end, God, our Heavenly Father, wishes to foster our growth and happiness.  He has given us unlimited potential, opportunities to take advantage of it and agency to decide for ourselves.  And it is through Jesus Christ that we can overcome our shortcomings to live and to grow.  This is the plan that was created for our benefit and no doubt we will continue to fulfill our potential even after this life.

Salvation

Salvation is another of those context-specific words that requires defining every time you use it. For example, in the Old Testament ‘salvation’ is often used to mean deliverance from the Canaanites or Pharaoh’s army, or the Philistines.

The intent of the word is ‘rescue from some kind of harm or destruction,’ and when Mormons use it, salvation means both deliverance from the effects of Adam’s fall (mortality and death), and from the effects of our own sins (spiritual separation from God–including the influence of the Holy Ghost).
In our most recent general conference, an Apostle, Elder Russell M. Nelson said this:

To be saved—or to gain salvation—means to be saved from physical and spiritual death. Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected and saved from physical death. People may also be saved from individual spiritual death through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, by their faith in Him, by living in obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel, and by serving Him.
Salvation and Exaltation, Russell M. Nelson

Note in his last sentence he emphasizes our role goes beyond faith in Christ. I see little difference between ‘having faith in Christ’ and ‘living in obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel, and serving Him,’ because my definition of faith (see Faith, below) includes such loyalty and devotion. (I believe Paul’s did, too).

I think Elder Nelson included these added elements for those who associate ‘faith’ with ‘belief,’ to be clear in his meaning. The ancient Apostle James did, too, when he said, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:17-18) Merely believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God is insufficient for salvation. The devils also believe, and tremble (see James 2:19).

Mormons also use another word, closely related to salvation: exaltation. This represents the highest potential we can reach (with God’s grace). It’s relationship to salvation is illustrated best through analogy:

We grow in two ways—removing negative weeds and cultivating positive flowers. The Savior’s grace blesses both parts—if we do our part. First and repeatedly we must uproot the weeds of sin and bad choices. It isn’t enough just to mow the weeds. Yank them out by the roots, repenting fully to satisfy the conditions of mercy. But being forgiven is only part of our growth. We are not just paying a debt. Our purpose is to become celestial beings. So once we’ve cleared our heartland, we must continually plant, weed, and nourish the seeds of divine qualities. And then as our sweat and discipline stretch us to meet His gifts, “the flow’rs of grace appear,” like hope and meekness. Even a tree of life can take root in this heart-garden, bearing fruit so sweet that it lightens all our burdens “through the joy of his Son.” And when the flower of charity blooms here, we will love others with the power of Christ’s own love.

Christ’s Atonement is at the very core of this plan. Without His dear, dear sacrifice, there would be no way home, no way to be together, no way to be like Him. He gave us all He had. Therefore, “how great is his joy,” when even one of us “gets it”—when we look up from the weed patch and turn our face to the Son.
The Atonement: All for All, Bruce C. Hafen

One of the best things in life

We have something that you may want. One of the main emphases in the LDS (Latter-day Saint) Church is on the family. The family is the central unit of society, of our church, and of our lives. Therefore, we are encouraged and assisted in creating strong, stable, happy families. The kind of families that want to stay together not only for this life, but for eternity.

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And the church also offers that option.

It breaks my heart to see couples who have been together for 50+ years, holding hands, taking care of each other, becoming more and more alike everyday; and know that they were married “till death do you part” by the civil/church ordinance that only has authority over what will happen in this life.

But this is not God’s way. He intends for all of us to continue those relationships after we move on from this life to the next. How could heaven be heaven for me without my wonderful husband and my adorable child and a half (I’m sure this one will be adorable too.)? How could any of us be truly happy and fulfilled when we are separated from the ones we love so dearly? I know that being in the presence of God and Jesus Christ will be more fulfilling than anything else we have ever experienced, but I also know that They love us and want us to be happy. They want us to have everything that they have, which includes our families.

Joseph Smith received revelations about this issue that help to clarify it for me. Jesus was talking about this blessing of eternal marriage and He said,

“All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed. . .whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power. . .are of no efficacy, virtue or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.
Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
Will I accept of an offering saith the Lord, that is not made in my name?
Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?
And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was.” Doctrine and Covenants 132:7-11.

Or in modern terms, the Lord is saying, “Why do you think that I will just acknowledge any old arrangement you come up with when I rule by laws. There is order in my universe, and I expect order when it comes to your lives too. If you want to be married for eternity, you’d better do it under My authority”

And that authority is precisely what makes the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ powerful and amazing.

God has used this “sealing power” as it has been termed in this dispensation of the gospel throughout the ages. Elijah was the last one to have it before Jesus Christ–he sealed the heavens from rain, raised a boy from the dead, called down fire from heaven and, of course, ascended into heaven on a chariot of fire. He also held the authority of God to do things on the earth and they would be accepted in Heaven.

It goes without saying that Jesus Christ, as part of his earthly ministry, also held this authority. He IS the authority. He was persecuted for not only healing and raising from the dead, but for forgiving sins and making eternal pronouncements. What he said on earth was valid in heaven.

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That highest power of the priesthood was restored to Joseph Smith on April 3, 1836. Because God works with laws and order, he sent Elijah (the last holder of this power on earth, besides Jesus Christ) to ordain Joseph Smith to the same order of the priesthood.

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**sidenote: As you learn more about the restoration of the gospel, you will see these ‘cameos’ by past prophets, who held authority in some form or another, that are sent back to restore what they had to Joseph Smith. It is fascinating and unifying**

Today, there are hundreds of worthy, righteous priesthood holders working in LDS temples that also hold this authority to seal on earth and it will be sealed in heaven. This is what the Lord was referring to in the Doctrine and Covenants section cited above. They can seal you to your family FOREVER. God recognizes their authority to act in His name and through your faithfulness, your family will stay together eternally.

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It is simply one of the most amazing aspects to being a member of Christ’s church. And it brings me a lot of joy. Talk to your local LDS missionaries if you want to know more about how you can go to a temple and be sealed to your family.