Post-Mortal Existence

�����I have decided to answer here yet another question that wasn't ever expressly asked through this page, but rather, one that people have asked me about before. The question has always been with how we view heaven in the post-mortal existence. There are two main points to this answer. The first is what happens immediately after death, and the second is what happens after the millenium.

�����First is the question of what happens right after death. When we die, our spirit bodies go to the Spirit World. In a sense, there is a form of judgement at which you go to Spirit Prison or Paradise, depending on your works and standing on the earth. Here is what Alma (in the Book of Mormon) says about it: "And then shall it come to pass, that the 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. "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" (Alma 40:12-13).

�����The combination of Spirit Prison(more commonly called Hell) and Paradise comprise what is collectively called the Spirit World. It is here that the spirits of those who have died wait for their resurrection and judgement. There is the problem in the New Testament that there are two hells spoken of without a much of a differentiation mentioned. The hell of the Spirit World is that spoken of in Revelations 20:13 where it says, "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." The other hell mentioned in the scriptures described in Revelations 19:20 is that hell that Satan and the Sons of Perdition will be cast into; this is that lake of fire and brimstone that people are used to hearing about.

�����When the "great and dreadful day of the Lord" comes, a judgement will take place within the Spirit World. Depending on the works and faith of the spirits there, they will be sent to one of three kingdoms. As it states in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41: "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial but the glory of the celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial, another(italics showing additions made in the Inspired Version of the Bible, or the Joseph Smith Translation). "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another in glory." From this we can see that the glory of the Celestial Kingdom is comparable to the radiance with which we can view the sun, the Terrestrial Kingdom to the radiance of the moon, and the Telestial Kingdom to the radiance of the stars. The thing that must be remembered about all of these is that each of these has some glory, but that of the Celestial far exceeds those glories of the Terrestrial and Telestial.

�����I will start now to explain each of the kingdoms, starting with the Telestial. Since this information is not contained within the Bible, I will be drawing from the Doctrine and Covenants, section 76 verses 50-112 unless otherwise noted. The Telestial Kingdom is the lowest in glory in heaven. President Joseph Smith once said something to the effect that a man would kill himself to enter into the glory of the Telestial Kingdom(of course, with that action, you would have no hope of entering any kingdom higher than the Telestial).

�����The requirements for entering the Telestial Kingdom are rejecting the gospel of Christ and not denying the Holy Ghost. The kinds of people that will comprise the Telestial Kingdom will be liars, sorcerers, adulterers, whoremongers, etc. These are the kinds of people who will come forth in the resurrection of the evening, or in other words, at the end of the millenium when the Lord has finished his work. Until that time they will remain in the agony of Spirit Prison, paying for the crimes which they have comitted.

�����The Terrestrial Kingdom has several more requirements for entering its gates. Those requirements are that they died without the law, received the testimony of Jesus Christ after death or were not valiant in that testimony, honorable on the earth, but blinded by the craftiness of men. It is often this glory that the spirits of those who were "good men" on the earth.

�����The spirits that gain the Terrestrial Kingdom will come forth in the second resurrection, the resurrection of the day. These good spirits will come forth before those of the Telestial Kingdom, but after those of the Celestial glory (I'm actually not sure where in the scriptures this is mentioned, and I haven't been able to find it while I right this, so I will have to put down the reference later). As stated before, the glory of the Terrestrial Kingdom is that of the glory of the moon. While theirs can illuminate the path for many souls, their light is not near the light and glory of the Celestial.

�����Though there were many more restrictions to entering the Terrestrial Kingdom as opposed to the Telestial, there are even more restrictions to gaining entrance into the Celestial Kingdom. To gain admittance to the Celestial Kingdom, you must reveice the testimony of Jesus, be baptized, keep the commandments, and receive the proper ordinances, including the ordinance of a temple marriage, as stated in D&C section 131. The spirits who inherit the Celestial Kingdom are the priests, kings, and other spirits who have received the fulness of God's glory.

�����Those in the Celestial Kingdom will come forth in the first resurrection, in the morning of the day of the Lord. They will come forth to do his work from the beginning of the millennium. They will inherit all things, including the opportunity to live with our Father in Heaven, as well as Christ, while those in the Terrestrial Kingdom may only be in the presence of Christ and those in the Telestial will only be able to be in the presence of the Holy Ghost.

�����It is my fervent prayer that we will all do what is necessary to enter into the Celestial Kingdom, and come forth in the first resurrection. This is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 76:103).