Spirit world
Encyclopedia
In Latter Day Saints theology
, the term spirit world refers to the realm where the spirits of the dead await the resurrection
. In LDS thought, this spirit world is divided into at least two conditions: paradise and spirit prison:
Paradise includes "the spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality."
Spirit prison is the condition of the spirits of "the wicked ... the ungodly and the unrepentant who had defiled themselves while in the flesh ... the rebellious who rejected the testimonies and the warnings of the ancient prophets...." The latter will continue to receive gospel teaching and be given the opportunity to repent, though their disposition toward repentance will only change as they recognize and accept gospel truths and believe in Jesus Christ.
Brigham Young
stated,
Joseph Smith, Jr. taught:
Latter-day Saints believe that spirit prison (a name based on the phrase "the spirits in prison
" in the KJV translation of Peter 3:19) is a place in the post-mortal spirit world for those who have "died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets". This is a temporary state in which spirits will be taught the Gospel and have the opportunity to repent and accept ordinances of salvation that are performed for them in temples. Those who accept the Gospel may dwell in paradise until the Resurrection. Those who choose not to repent but who are not sons of perdition
will remain in spirit prison until the end of the Millennium
, when they will be freed from hell and punishment and be resurrected to a telestial glory.
uses the term outer darkness to refer to a condition in the spirit world. The Book of Mormon
teaches that after death, the spirits of those who "chose evil works rather than good" in mortality will be "cast out into outer darkness". This is considered to be a condition of great torment, where there will be "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth". In this sense, outer darkness and spirit paradise are the two possible destinations for individuals immediately after death. This place of torment in the spirit world is much more commonly referred to by modern Latter-day Saints as spirit prison.
—those who commit the unpardonable sin—will be consigned to outer darkness. It is taught that the unpardonable sin is committed by those who "den[y] the Son after the Father has revealed him". However, the vast majority of residents of outer darkness will be the "devil and his angels ... the third part of the hosts of heaven" who in the pre-existence
followed Lucifer
and never received a mortal body. The residents of outer darkness are the only children of God that will not receive one of three kingdoms of glory
at the Last Judgment
. Sons of perdition will remain in outer darkness and suffer for eternity with Satan
. This state shares some similarities with certain Christian views of hell
.
This second and more common meaning of outer darkness derives from the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement
. Smith taught that those who commit the unpardonable sin are "doomed to Gnolaum—to dwell in hell, worlds without end." The word gnolaum is used elsewhere by Smith to mean "eternal" (in the sense of 'everlasting' or 'forever' with perpetuity in time, and likely not "eternal" as 'outside of time' or having no relationship with the temporality, as is the nature of God).
whether both the temporary and permanent uses of outer darkness refer to physical places or if both are merely descriptions of personal states of suffering and torment. The uncanonized LDS Church Bible Dictionary
suggests that biblical "expressions about 'hell-fire' are probably ... figurative of the torment of those who willfully disobey God." It is also unclear whether sons of perdition will ultimately be redeemed; of outer darkness and the sons of perdition, Latter-day Saint scripture states that "the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows; Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof."
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
, the term spirit world refers to the realm where the spirits of the dead await the resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
. In LDS thought, this spirit world is divided into at least two conditions: paradise and spirit prison:
Paradise includes "the spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality."
Spirit prison is the condition of the spirits of "the wicked ... the ungodly and the unrepentant who had defiled themselves while in the flesh ... the rebellious who rejected the testimonies and the warnings of the ancient prophets...." The latter will continue to receive gospel teaching and be given the opportunity to repent, though their disposition toward repentance will only change as they recognize and accept gospel truths and believe in Jesus Christ.
Paradise
The spirit world is believed to be a place of continued spiritual growth for all spirits who embrace the teachings of Christ. Christ himself organized this teaching process during the time between his death on the cross and his resurrection, among those who had been faithful to the gospel, so that they could teach those who had not yet heard its message.Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
stated,
"Where is the spirit world? It is right here...Do [spirits of the departed] go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not...Can you see it with your natural eyes? No. Can you see spirits in this room? No. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies."
Joseph Smith, Jr. taught:
"The spirits of the just...are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and are often pained therewith."
Spirit prison
Spirit prison is believed by the Latter-day Saints to be both a place and the state of the soul between death and the resurrection, for people who have either not yet received knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or those who have been taught but have rejected it. It is a temporary state within the spirit world. Those who rejected the gospel after it was preached to them may suffer in a condition known as hell. The suffering associated with the spirit prison refers to anguish of soul because of acute knowledge of one's own sins and unclean state.Latter-day Saints believe that spirit prison (a name based on the phrase "the spirits in prison
Spirits in prison
-New Testament:The subject takes its starting point from one obscure Bible reference:-Early Christian interpretations:According to Augustine the spirits are the unbelieving contemporaries of Noah, to whom the spirit of Christ in Noah, preached, or to whom pre-existent Christ himself...
" in the KJV translation of Peter 3:19) is a place in the post-mortal spirit world for those who have "died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets". This is a temporary state in which spirits will be taught the Gospel and have the opportunity to repent and accept ordinances of salvation that are performed for them in temples. Those who accept the Gospel may dwell in paradise until the Resurrection. Those who choose not to repent but who are not sons of perdition
Son of perdition (Mormonism)
Son of perdition is a phrase used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and by Mormon fundamentalists to describe a person who will not take part in the glory of God in the afterlife...
will remain in spirit prison until the end of the Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
, when they will be freed from hell and punishment and be resurrected to a telestial glory.
Outer darkness
In the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), "outer darkness" has two separate meanings.Temporary abode of the wicked
First, LDS Church scriptureStandard Works
The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon.* The Holy Bible * The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...
uses the term outer darkness to refer to a condition in the spirit world. The Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
teaches that after death, the spirits of those who "chose evil works rather than good" in mortality will be "cast out into outer darkness". This is considered to be a condition of great torment, where there will be "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth". In this sense, outer darkness and spirit paradise are the two possible destinations for individuals immediately after death. This place of torment in the spirit world is much more commonly referred to by modern Latter-day Saints as spirit prison.
Popular use: permanent abode of sons of perdition
Second, in modern Latter-day Saint vernacular, outer darkness usually refers to an eternal state of punishment. It is believed by Latter Day Saints that very few people who have lived on the earth will be consigned to this state, but Latter-day Saint scripture suggests that at least Cain will be present. Other mortals who during their lifetime become sons of perditionSon of perdition (Mormonism)
Son of perdition is a phrase used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and by Mormon fundamentalists to describe a person who will not take part in the glory of God in the afterlife...
—those who commit the unpardonable sin—will be consigned to outer darkness. It is taught that the unpardonable sin is committed by those who "den[y] the Son after the Father has revealed him". However, the vast majority of residents of outer darkness will be the "devil and his angels ... the third part of the hosts of heaven" who in the pre-existence
Pre-existence
Pre-existence , beforelife, or pre-mortal existence refers to the belief that each individual human soul existed before conception, and at conception one of these pre-existent souls enters, or is placed by God, in the body...
followed Lucifer
Lucifer
Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
and never received a mortal body. The residents of outer darkness are the only children of God that will not receive one of three kingdoms of glory
Degrees of glory
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' theology, there are three degrees of glory which are the ultimate, eternal dwelling place for nearly all who lived on earth after the Spirit world.Joseph Smith, Jr...
at the Last Judgment
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
. Sons of perdition will remain in outer darkness and suffer for eternity with Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
. This state shares some similarities with certain Christian views of hell
Hell in Christian beliefs
Christian views on Hell vary, but in general traditionally agree that hell is a place or a state in which the souls of the unsaved suffer the consequences of sin....
.
This second and more common meaning of outer darkness derives from the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
. Smith taught that those who commit the unpardonable sin are "doomed to Gnolaum—to dwell in hell, worlds without end." The word gnolaum is used elsewhere by Smith to mean "eternal" (in the sense of 'everlasting' or 'forever' with perpetuity in time, and likely not "eternal" as 'outside of time' or having no relationship with the temporality, as is the nature of God).
Meaning
It is unclear in the teachings of MormonismMormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
whether both the temporary and permanent uses of outer darkness refer to physical places or if both are merely descriptions of personal states of suffering and torment. The uncanonized LDS Church Bible Dictionary
Bible Dictionary (LDS Church)
Bible Dictionary is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Since 1979, Bible Dictionary has been published as an appendix to most copies of the King James Version of the Bible printed by the LDS Church. The dictionary contains 1285 entries on 196 pages...
suggests that biblical "expressions about 'hell-fire' are probably ... figurative of the torment of those who willfully disobey God." It is also unclear whether sons of perdition will ultimately be redeemed; of outer darkness and the sons of perdition, Latter-day Saint scripture states that "the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows; Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof."
See also
- Baptism for the deadBaptism for the deadBaptism for the dead, vicarious baptism or proxy baptism is the religious practice of baptizing a living person on behalf of one who is dead, with the living person acting as the deceased person's proxy...
- Fate of the unlearned: Latter-day Saint tradition
- Intermediate stateIntermediate stateIn Christian eschatology, the intermediate state or interim state refers to a person's "intermediate" existence between one's death and one's resurrection from the dead...
, a non-LDS term for the period between death and resurrection in Christian eschatology - Latter-day Saints
- ParadiseParadiseParadise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
, for non-LDS usage of the term - SpiritSpiritThe English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
- Spirit bodySpirit BodyA spirit body is the organization of the spiritual element, made into the spiritual form of man, which according to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was made in the same likeness of God the Father...
- Temple (Latter Day Saints)
- Temple (LDS Church)Temple (LDS Church)In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...