slhw4@cc.usu.edu (Jason Hunsaker) (04/06/91)
Number 2 of 2 postings
(The following is from the student manual "Doctrines of the
Gospel" for Religion 231 and 232 prepared by the Church
Educational System and published by The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. For the sake of brevity, I have omitted the
Introduction, and the Supporting Statements.)
Chapter 33 (pp.90)
Kingdoms of Glory and Perdition
Doctrinal Outline
A. There are three kingdoms, of degrees, of glory, which are
compared to the sun, the moon, and the stars. See
1 Corinthians 15:40-42; Doctrine and Covenants 76:96-98.
B. The Lord has prescribed requirements for eternal life in
the celestial kingdom.
1. We must receive the testimony of Jesus, be baptized,
receive the Holy Ghost, and keep the commandments (see
D&C 76:51-52).
2. We must overcome all things by faith and be sealed by
the Holy Spirit of Promise (see D&C 76:53, 60).
3. We must comply with the new and everlasting covenant
of marriage (see D&C 131:1-3).
C. Great opportunities and rewards have been promised to
those who inherit the celestial kingdom.
1. The celestial kingdom is a kingdom of resplendent
glory (see D&C 137:1-4).
2. Faithful members of the Church will come forth in the
morning of the first resurrection and receive a
glorified, celestial body (see D&C 76:64-65;
88:28-29).
3. Those who inherit the celestial kingdom will dwell in
the presence of God and Christ forever (see
D&C 76:62).
4. Those in the celestial kingdom will minister to the
inhabitants of the terrestrial kingdom (see D&C
76:86-87).
5. Those who inherit exaltation, the highest degree in
the celestial kingdom, will become kings and priests
unto God and members of the Church of the Firstborn
(see D&C 76:54-57).
6. Through the Atonement and their own faithfulness,
those who obtain exaltation become gods (see D&C
76:58; 132:19-20).
7. Exalted beings receive all things that the Father has
(see D&C 76:55, 59; 89:38).
D. The Lord has described those who will inherit the
terrestrial kingdom.
1. Those who inherit the terrestrial kingdom are
described as honorable people who, either in this
world or in the spirit world, receive the testimony
of Jesus but are not valiant in that testimony (see
D&C 76:71-79).
2. Among those who inherit the terrestrial kingdom will
be people who died without the law, spirits kept in
prison, and some members of the Church who were not
sufficiently valiant (see D&C 76:72-75, 79).
3. Those who rejected the prophets in this life and then
accept the gospel in the spirit world will inherit the
terrestrial kingdom (see D&C 76:73-74; 138:32).
E. The Lord has told us some of the conditions in the
terrestrial kingdom.
1. The inhabitants of the terrestrial kingdom will enjoy
the presence of the Son but not the fulness of the
Father (see D&C 76:77).
2. Those in the terrestrial kingdom will minister to
those in the telestial kingdom (see D&C 76:81, 86).
3. The terrestrial kingdom exceeds the glory, power,
might, and dominion of the telestial kingdom (see
D&C 76:9).
4. Those who inherit the terrestrial kingdom will come
forth in the first resurrection after those who
inherit the celestial kingdom have been resurrected
(see D&C 88:99; 45:54).
F. The Lord Has described those who will inherit the
telestial kingdom.
1. Those who profess to follow Christ or the prophets but
willfully reject the gospel, the testimony of Jesus,
the prophets, and the everlasting covenant will
inherit the telestial kingdom (see D&C 76:99-101).
2. The inhabitants of the telestial kingdom will include
those who were murderers, liars, sorcerers,
adulterers, and whoremongers--in general, the wicked
people of the earth (see D&C 76:103; Revelation
22:15). These inhabitants of the telestial kingdom
will have become clean through their suffering so that
they can abide telestial glory.
3. The inhabitants of the telestial kingdom will be as
innumerable as the stars (see D&C 76:109).
G. The Lord has outlined the conditions and limitations of
the telestial kingdom.
1. The inhabitants of the telestial kingdom will suffer
the wrath of God and be cast into hell until the end
of the Millennium (see D&C 76:84, 104-106; 2 Nephi
28:15).
2. Those in the telestial kingdom will receive the Holy
Ghost through the ministration of those in the
terrestrial kingdom (see D&C 76:86, 88).
3. Telestial glory surpasses all human understanding
(see D&C 76:89).
4. Those obedient to telestial laws will be resurrected
with telestial bodies in the second, or last
resurrection (see D&C 76:85; 88:31; Mosiah 15:26).
5. Those in the telestial kingdom will be servants of
God, "but where God and Christ dwell they cannot
come, worlds without end" (see D&C 76:112).
H. The scriptures explain who the sons of perdition
are and what their fate will be.
1. Satan and the one-third of the hosts of heaven
who followed him became sons of perdition (see
D&C 76:25-30; 29:36-38; Revelation 12:7-9;
2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6).
2. Those who in mortality have known the power of God,
been made partakers of it, and then later denied the
truth and defied God's power will also be sons of
perdition (see D&C 76:31-32).
3. Those who deny the Holy Ghost after having received it
and crucify the Savior unto themselves will have no
forgiveness and will be sons of perdition (see D&C
76:34-36; Matthew 12:31-32).
4. Sons of perdition will suffer the wrath of God and
partake of the second death (see D&C 76:33, 37-38).
5. Those who become sons of perdition in mortality will
be resurrected but will not be redeemed in a kingdom
of glory (see D&C 76:38-39, 43-44; 88:24, 32).
6. Only those who become sons of perdition will be
able to comprehend the magnitude of the misery of
those who inherit such a state (see D&C 76:44-48).
Supporting Statements
...
H. The Scriptures explain who the sons of perdition
are and what their fate will be.
"All sins shall be forgiven, except the sin against
the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons
of perdition. What must a man do to commit the
unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost,
have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and
then sin against him. After a man has sinned against
the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has
got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it;
he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have
been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation
with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that
time he begins to be an enemy. . . ." (Joseph Smith,
_History of the Church,_ 6:314.)