Life After Death

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Who is God?

Who are We?

Sin & the Law

Faith, Grace & Works

Forgiveness

Eternity

Additional Teachings

What does the Bible teach about life after death?

After death, all who believe in God's true gospel go to heaven to live eternally with God. Unbelievers — those who have rejected the gift of Jesus' redemption, either outright or with a Jesus-plus theology — go to hell to live eternally with Satan. Our eternal fate is sealed at our physical death.

There are only two destinations after death, heaven and hell. Those who do good will live eternally with God. Those who are evil will be eternally separated from him.

Those "who do good" are believers who have been purified from their sins and covered with Jesus' robe of perfect righteousness. They will be judged according to Jesus' perfect works and are therefore worthy to dwell eternally with God. Those who do evil are those who have rejected God and his gift of salvation.

While heaven is sometimes described as a destination, it is more often referred to as the dwelling of God with his people forever. It will have no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. In contrast to this eternal joy, those who have not been purified from their sins and covered with Jesus' robe of perfect righteousness are evil and deserve eternal separation from God. They will go to the place prepared for the devil and his angels, a place of torment.

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:42-43

What does Mormonism teach about life after death?

Mormonism teaches that all people first go to spirit paradise or spirit prison, based on one’s worthiness. Spirits in these places continue to work towards exaltation. According to Mormonism, anyone who didn’t have a chance to accept Mormonism may do so in the spirit world after physical death.

Mormonism also teaches that there are multiple eternal destinations: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, the telestial kingdom, and outer darkness. Only Mormons who are worthy enough during their life on earth will receive the highest destination of the celestial kingdom and become gods with “eternal families.”

Other less faithful Mormons and non-Mormons receive lower destinations in the telestial or terrestrial kingdoms. Mormons believe that only those who reject the church and persecute it go to Outer Darkness, Mormonism’s version of hell.

The spirit world is a place of waiting, working, learning, and, for the righteous, resting from care and sorrow. Our spirits will live there until we are ready for our resurrection.

Gospel Principles, Chapter 41: The Postmortal Spirit World

Why this Matters

What makes heaven so glorious is not anything we have achieved but rather the redemptive work of Jesus. Through faith in his saving work, all believers have the sure hope of living eternally with God in heaven.

Many reject the saving work of Jesus and choose instead to stand before God on their own imperfect records. Since a holy God is repulsed by sin, his perfect justice sends the sinner out of his presence forever. Tragically, this will be the eternal fate for the many who choose the wide gate and broad path that leads to destruction. Yet God does not want anyone to perish but wants all to be saved. This desire is why he commands his people to share the gospel with all.

God is loving, and he has provided a path to heaven, but that path is through the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Any other way leads away from Christ and away from eternal life.

By leading its people to work for celestial glory, the teachings of Mormonism lead people further away from God and his ways, to eternal separation from God in hell.

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