To read the first part, “You Mormons Are Ignoramuses: Appreciating the Doctrine of Pre-Mortal Life,” CLICK HERE.

This is a second article urging greater appreciation of the doctrines of the restoration. The first focused on the concept of pre-mortal life. This one considers the spirit world. Together, the two concepts bracket our mortal existence.

An early apostle, Orson F. Whitney, recounted the following experience:

Many years ago, there came to Salt Lake City a learned Doctor of Divinity, a member of the Roman Catholic Church…… One day he said to me: “You Mormons are all ignoramuses. You don’t even know the strength of your own position.

The account focuses on the question of the true church, but it can also be applied to doctrines of the restoration. Too often, church members are ignoramuses because we fail to appreciate the unique, powerful, and inspiring implications of the principles that were restored. The purpose of this article is to consider the concept of the spirit world—and to show what it teaches us and why that knowledge is so important. The basic question will be “So What?” Why does knowledge of the spirit world matter? I will suggest 12 important reasons why our understanding and behavior are influenced by this key doctrine.

Basic Concepts Associated with the Spirit World

The spirit world is where spirits temporarily reside after death and before resurrection and the final judgment. Those in the spirit world are disembodied after death and exist in one of two conditions: (1) paradise, which is a state of peace and rest for the righteous who have accepted the gospel and lived according to its teachings or (2) spirit prison for those who have not yet accepted the gospel or who have lived unrighteously. It’s not so much a place of punishment as it is a condition where spirits can learn and change. Spirit prison is sometimes referred to as “hell”, but in a temporary sense. The Bible Dictionary entry on Hell states that “In latter-day revelation, hell is spoken of in at least two senses. One is the temporary abode in the spirit world of those who were disobedient in this mortal life.” The other hell is reserved for those who won’t inherit a kingdom of glory in the eternities. In his April 1930 General Conference address, James E. Talmage provided additional insight regarding the spirit prison/hell:

“Hell is not a place to which a vindictive judge sends prisoners to suffer and to be punished principally for his glory; but it is a place prepared for the teaching, the disciplining of those who failed to learn here upon the earth what they should have learned… No man will be kept in hell longer than is necessary to bring him to a fitness for something better. When he reaches that stage the prison doors will open and there will be rejoicing among the hosts who welcome him into a better state.”

The spirit world is a place of missionary work. Those in paradise are charged with teaching the gospel to those in spirit prison. The two groups are not physically separated, but they probably tend to associate with others in the spirit world based on their desires and spiritual conditions. Spirits in both paradise and spirit prison can progress as they better understand God’s plan and make good choices. Eventually, all spirits will be resurrected and receive perfected, immortal bodies, consistent with their status at the final judgment.

What Do Other Faith Traditions Believe Happens Immediately After Death?

The concept of a spirit world in the LDS tradition posits a preliminary and temporary judgment before the great and final judgment. Other faith traditions have a wide variety of beliefs. Following are some examples that, to the best of my knowledge, are accurate representations of their teachings.

Islam. In Islam, all people face judgment after death. Those who knowingly and deliberately disbelieve are generally destined for Hellfire, a place of torment. However, there is hope for those who have never accurately heard the message of Islam. Their fate is left to God, who is the ultimate judge.

Hinduism. The key is reincarnation, the ultimate recycling. The nature of rebirth depends on the overall quality of mortal life and not primarily on whether they did or didn’t believe in Hinduism.

Buddhism. It is much like Hinduism, where the nature of rebirth depends on how ethically the last life was lived. The ultimate goal is Nirvana, which frees one from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.

Roman Catholic. Judgment occurs immediately at death. Those who die in God’s Grace go to heaven. The “imperfectly purified” go to Purgatory to improve. Those who die in a state of mortal sin without repentance go immediately to Hell. But those who are ignorant of the Christian faith through no fault of their own are judged by God’s wisdom and can still achieve “salvation” through the grace of Christ.

Eastern Orthodox. The souls of the righteous are in a state of repose and joy (sometimes called Paradise or Abraham’s Bosom), anticipating their final glory. The souls of the wicked are in a state of suffering (Hades), awaiting final condemnation.

Southern Baptist. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. The unrighteous will be “consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment.”

United Methodist. The righteous go to eternal life and the wicked to endless condemnation. However, many pastors leave final judgment to God’s wisdom and mercy and reject the heaven/hell dichotomy.

Seventh-day Adventist and Jehovah’s Witness. After death, there is an unconscious state for all people until Christ’s return. The person ceases conscious existence, called “soul sleep.” If you are a science fiction aficionado, think of it as being in stasis during a long space journey.

What Do Restoration Scriptures Add About Our Situation Immediately After Death and About the Spirit World? 

Bible insights are limited. The three most often-cited Bible references are:

Christ’s statement to the thief on the cross in Luke 23:43: Today shalt thou be with me in

paradise

1 Peter 3: 18: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might

bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which he went and preached unto the spirits in prison. 20 Which sometime were disobedient………..,

and, 1 Peter 4: 6: For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they

might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Book of Mormon insights include:

Moroni 8: 22: For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law…….

And, especially, Alma 40:

11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness⁠, which is called paradise⁠, a state of rest, a state of peace⁠, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness⁠; there shall be weeping⁠, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked⁠, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus, they remain in this state⁠, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.

But the richest source of scriptural information about the spirit world is in the Doctrine and Covenants. In Section 137, the opportunity for those who die without the law or are not accountable before the law is described:

8 Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom;

9 For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works⁠, according to the desire of their hearts.

10 And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.

The most complete explanation is found in D&C 138, The Vision of the Redemption of the Dead. It was received by President Joseph F. Smith during a time of reflection because of his frail health, the recent death of his son, and the effects of the worldwide Spanish flu. There, we learn that Christ visited the righteous spirits in paradise in the period between his death and resurrection. The Savior organized the righteous to preach the gospel to those in spirit prison who died without a knowledge of the truth and/or who had been rebellious during mortality. The plan is summarized by verses 57-59:

57 I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.

58 The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house

of God,

59 And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works⁠, for they are heirs of salvation.

Note how the rather dire outlook in Alma 40:13-14 is tempered by verses 58-59 above.

How Will We Be the Same and How Will We Be Different in the Spirit World?

Struggling to get out of your chair? Taking a long walk now means just getting to the bathroom? Fed up with the hassles of airline travel? Frustrated by your inability to learn what would have been easy in earlier life? Tired of being misunderstood because you can’t articulate your thoughts? Take heart and be of good cheer. Your troubles will pass. Stay with me and read on.

Those in paradise will exist in a state of happiness, rest, and peace. They will converse and interact with one another as naturally as in mortal life, and family relationships will continue. But they will be busy and engaged in the work of personal progression and preaching the gospel. They will not be entirely separated from their mortal loved ones and associates. Joseph Smith taught that the spirits of the just “are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.326).

Those in spirit prison will exist in a state of discomfort because they “know that they have come short of the glory that others enjoy.” (Teachings, p. 326) However, it is also a place where spirits who were in ignorance or unbelief will be taught the gospel and have the opportunity to repent and accept Christ.

Those in both categories will be disembodied, but their form will be perfect and free from the effects of aging, disease, or physical handicaps. All spirits, even those who died as infants or children, will be in their adult form. They retain their individual identities, personalities, intelligence, and desires. However, even for those in paradise, the lack of a physical body will be a challenge. D&C 138:50 says that they “looked upon the long absence of their spirits from their bodies as a bondage.”

But the lack of a physical body may have some advantages. Spirits see, hear, and understand spiritual things better than mortals. Having put aside the shackles of physicality, Brigham Young taught that they “move with ease and like lightning.” He also taught that spirit beings are not constrained by time and can witness past events. (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 14, p. 231)

Spirit beings have enhanced mental capacities. Brigham Young stated that when he arrives in the spirit world, he will be able to “learn with greater facility.” (Journal, Vol. 7, p. 333) Orson Pratt explained that in the spirit world, “Instead of thinking in one channel, knowledge will rush in from all quarters…..giving understanding concerning ten thousand things at the same time.” He also taught that communication is not dependent upon sound, but is instead mind-to-mind, and spirit-to-spirit. (Journal, Vol 3, p. 100-101)

And now I return to the question posed at the beginning: So, What? Why does understanding the concept of the spirit world matter?

The doctrine of the spirit world is a key element of the Plan of Salvation. It provides insight into the mercy and justice of God. I suggest 12 reasons why knowledge of the spirit world is important.

  1. Guarantees Universal Opportunity for Salvation: Eternal damnation for those whose circumstances didn’t allow them to hear the gospel or who were “blinded by the craftiness of men” is unfair and antithetical to the concept of a loving God. Since the gospel is preached to those in the spirit world, this doctrine guarantees that every soul who has ever lived will have a full opportunity to hear, understand, and accept the saving ordinances of the gospel, showing God’s universal justice and mercy.
  2. Extends the Length of Our Probationary Period: Mortality is a probationary state to learn and to test our ability to keep God’s commandments. The spirit world is a continuation of that probationary state. While our actions in mortality are crucial, the opportunity to learn, repent, and choose Christ continues, implying that spiritual growth does not cease at death.
  3. Provides Motivation for Righteous Living in Mortality: Knowing that the same attitudes and desires are carried into the next life motivates us to cultivate righteousness, goodness, and devotion now. Our nature in the spirit world will reflect the character we developed on earth. Our sins can be wiped clean by the atonement, but many of our imperfect inclinations will remain.
  4. Helps Connect the “Pieces” of God’s Plan of Salvation. The plan of salvation is a set of linked steps towards exaltation. The concept of the spirit world provides the definitive answer regarding what happens between death and resurrection.
  5. Reveals There is a Two-Part Judgment: The separation of spirits into paradise and spirit prison immediately after death is a preliminary judgment or consequence based on a person’s faith and works in mortality, which is later superseded by the definitive final judgment after the resurrection.
  6. Assures There Will be Rest and Peace for the Righteous: Spirits in Paradise are specifically described as entering a “state of rest, a state of peace,” where they are “rested from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.”
  7. Focuses on Service and Ministering: Although the righteous spirits in paradise are at peace, they are not idle; they are organized to teach those in spirit prison. This implies that rest for the righteous is not idleness but an active, joyful state of meaningful service and ministering.
  8. Elevates the Importance of Family History Work: The necessity of performing temple ordinances for the dead changes family history from a hobby to a sacred religious duty, with members actively engaged in identifying their ancestors to facilitate their redemption.
  9. Explains the Need for Temple Building: Efforts in the spirit world provides the rationale for building temples world-wide—to administer the saving ordinances for the dead, making the number of temples a direct measure of the progress of the work of salvation.
  10. Emphasizes the Importance of Eternal Family Ties: The presence of family members in the spirit world reinforces the eternal nature of the family unit. Sealing ordinances performed in temples link families across the veil, giving purpose to family relationships both in this life and the next.
  11. Provides Comfort in Mourning and Loss: Knowledge that the spirit world is “right here on the earth” provides profound comfort. Deceased loved ones are not distant, inactive, or unconcerned, but close and capable of knowing and understanding the concerns of the living. Moreover, death carries the prospect of a joyous future reunion with the previously departed.
  12. Mitigates the Fear of Physical Death: By establishing death as a transitional, temporary separation and not an end, the doctrine lessens the fear of the unknown. Death is understood as a necessary step in the eternal journey, allowing the spirit to gain intelligence and to progress, while freed from the mortal body’s limitations.

CONCLUSION

All 12 suggestions are important but #1. Guarantees Universal Opportunity for Salvation may be the most compelling. Joseph Smith forcefully taught of the injustice of mortal life without any second chances for repentance and personal progress. On one occasion, he conjectured: 

“Suppose the case of two men, brothers, equally intelligent, learned, virtuous and lovely, walking in uprightness and in all good conscience…. One dies and is buried, having never heard the Gospel of reconciliation; to the other the message of salvation is sent, he hears and embraces it, and is made the heir of eternal life. Shall the one become the partaker of glory and the other be consigned to hopeless perdition? (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 425.)

On another occasion, he wrote about two men who were equally wicked and both neglected religion. They both became ill, and one of them was visited by a praying man and got converted minutes before he died. The other sends for three praying men—a tailor, a shoemaker, and a tinsmith. None can come because the tailor has to fix a button on a coat, the shoemaker must patch a shoe, and the tinsmith has to solder the handle on a can. So, this man dies unconverted. The first is taken to God and enjoys eternal happiness. But the second sinks to eternal damnation, just because his praying men were busy.

Joseph observed that the “plans of Jehovah are not so unjust, nor the plan of salvation so incompatible with common sense; at such proceedings God would frown with indignance, angels would hide their heads in shame, and every virtuous, intelligent man would recoil.” (History, vol. 4, p. 597-8)

The reality of the spirit world is a testament to God’s love and justice, by providing all His children with the opportunity to progress and prepare for eternal life. In Romans, Paul proclaimed, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…” (1:16). We need to avoid being doctrinal ignoramuses and better appreciate the profound implications of the concept of the spirit world and other restored gospel truths.