In Mormonism, paradise is part of the spirit world where the righteous go immediately after death. The spirit world is divided into two parts: paradise and spirit prison. Faithful Mormons enter paradise, while others go to spirit prison, where they can be taught the LDS gospel. Mormons believe that spirits in paradise can go on missions to spirit prison to help convert non-Mormon spirits.
Paradise is not the final destination, but a temporary state before resurrection and final judgment. From paradise, the righteous continue their progression toward godhood, while the disobedient in spirit prison may still accept the gospel and ordinances performed for them by the living in LDS temples.
Biblical Christianity, however, teaches that paradise is another word for heaven itself. When Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), he was promising immediate presence with him in heaven. Revelation 2:7 and 22:2 confirm this by connecting paradise with the tree of life in God’s presence. The Bible does not describe a divided spirit world or a second chance to receive the gospel after death.
