Another purpose of life is for us to gain experience. This life is a time to prepare for Eternal Life. It is a time of probation – a kind of practice or trial-period. It includes tests and challenges, with various degrees of difficulty. This may be likened to the physiological fact that building strong muscles requires exercising against resistance. “Blessed are those who endure to the end when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised. [James 1:12]

As we gain spiritual strength and maturity, we become more complete and perfected (In this case, ‘perfect’ means ‘completed’ or ‘accomplished’, not ‘without blemish or imperfection’.) The Messiah encouraged people to “become perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48]

Those who make every effort to follow the Commandments of God the Father, and the Example of God the Son have the potential to become like the Messiah – to resemble Him. “We are God’s children.  We know that when Christ appears we will be like Him.” [1st John 3:2; Moroni 7:48 (7:53)]  

Learning the Plan of Happiness helps people understand who they are, why they are here on earth, and what happens after this mortal life has come to an end. It helps people understand the spiritual and eternal aspects of their lives, and their relationship to the Creator. It includes directions and steps that lead to salvation of the spirit.

 

Life is chaotic, and sometimes painful and frightening. The Plan of Happiness provides a safe, reassuring pattern for us to follow. The Plan of Happiness is a template that, when we align our lives with it, leads to spiritual happiness, security for the soul, and comfort for the heart and mind.

 

How do people learn about this plan? In the beginning, angels were sent to the first spirit-filled humans, Adam and Eve, to “make known unto them the Plan of Redemption”, and to teach them the Commandments. [Alma 12:29-32 (9:48-52)] In the present, people learn the Plan of Redemption through study of the Sacred Word, or by being taught by those who know it.

The Plan of Happiness is also called the Plan of Redemption or Plan of Salvation. It was designed before the physical creation, in the Mind of Elohim  – the God of the Holy Scriptures. It was a plan from the very beginning of time. It was not God’s afterthought or reaction to an Evil scheme, as many have thought. [Alma 12:25 (9:42); Mosiah 4:6-7 (2:10-11)]


1. Our Pre-Mortal Existence With the Creator

• We lived as individual spirits with God before we were born in the flesh. 
     • “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; and before you were born I sanctified you, and ordained you as a prophet to the nations. [Jeremiah 1:5]
     • The apostle Paul wrote: “God…appointed and called me before I was born.” [Galatians 1:15]
     • Through the gift of prophecy, the identity of many individuals, even including their names in some instances, was revealed long before they were born. The virgin Mary [1st Nephi 11:13-18 (3:53-58); Mosiah 3:8 (1:102); Alma 7:10 (5:19)]; John ‘the Baptist’ [1st Nephi 10:7-10 (3:7-12); Matthew 3:1-3; Luke 1:5-17]; John ‘the Revelator’ [1st Nephi 14:19-27 (3:238-251)]; the Twelve Apostles [1st Nephi 1:10 (1:9); 11:29, 34 (3:78, 88); the Twelve Disciples [1st Nephi 12:7-8 (3:113-114); Christopher Columbus [1st Nephi 13:12 (3:147)]; Cyrus [Isaiah 44:28, 45:1-7 {Cyrus was not born until about 150 years after Isaiah lived}]
     • The Elect are those people who may potentially inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. They were chosen...before the foundation of the world” [Ephesians 1:4] 
     • Paul referred to the Elect as those “whom God foreknew.” [Romans 8:27-29]
     • When we die, “the dust returns to the earth from which it came, and the spirit returns to God.” [Ecclesiastes 12:7] The atoms of our physical bodies return to and blend with the elements of the physical universe. Our spirit returns to Elohim.

     • “The resurrection of the Messiah redeems mankind...and brings them back into the presence of the LORD .” [Helaman 14:17 (5:71)] ‘Redeem’ means to ‘buy back’, ‘reclaim’, or ‘tale back’. That which is being redeemed was once with or in the possession of the one who redeems.
     • “The resurrection of the dead brings men back into the presence of God, and thus they are restored into His presence.” [Alma 42:23 (19:105)]
     • At death, people are “restored to that God who gave them breath,” and “they shall return to God.” [2nd Nephi 9:26, 38 (6:55, 72)] ‘Restore’ means to be put back in the original condition – to be made like new.
     • “Because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they [mankind] are brought back into the presence of the LORD. [Mormon 9:13 (4:72)]

• Yahweh  [God the Father] is the Father of our spirits.
     Yahweh is the name of Elohim [God] Who manifests as the Heavenly Father. In most English translations of Scripture, the word LORD has been used to represent Yahweh.

     • He is the “Father of spirits”, just as we had biological “fathers of our flesh” [Hebrews 12:9]
     • “We are the children of God.” [Romans 8:16; Acts 17:29]

• Eloah or the Holy Spirit is the Divine Feminine within Elohim 
     • The Hebrew word ‘Eloah’ means Goddess. The Divine Feminine is also called El Shaddai, which means God with Breasts. She is also known as the Holy Spirit, and also called Wisdom.
     • “Wisdom is justified by Her children.” [Luke 7:35]
     • “The Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles.” [Luke 11:49] “Wisdom is the Designer of all things…She is the Breath of the power of God.” [Wisdom of Solomon 7:21-26] The rebellious “will not seek Wisdom, nether do they desire that She should rule over them.” [Mosiah 8:20 (5:85)]

• Yahshua is the Messiah 
     • In modern English, the Messiah is commonly called Jesus Christ. But in the Hebrew-Aramaic of the Scriptures His name was Yahshua. His Name means “the salvation of Yah[weh]”. “Only in Him is there Salvation; for of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only One by which we can be saved.” [Acts 4:12]
     • He is our Kinsman-Redeemer. He is the “Firstborn among many brethren” – “the eldest of many children.” [Romans 8:29]
     • “Both the Sanctifier and they who are sanctified originated from a single origin [whole Source]; that is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers.” [Hebrews 2:11]

• Mankind has an eternal spirit. This eternal spirit is sometimes referred to as the soul. Whereas our physical body is subject to death, our spirit or soul is immortal, which means it exists after our death [and also existed before our physical birth]. The Hebrew name for this eternal spirit is neshamah.
     • The soul [spirit] is eternal. [Alma 42:16 (19:98)] 
     • The soul can never die. [Alma 42:9-11 (19:90-92); 2nd Nephi 9:13-15  (6:31-36)]
     • Our eternal spirit remains conscious between death & resurrection, and it retains its identity. [Revelation 6:9-11; Luke 16:22-25; Matthew 17:1-3; 1st Samuel 28:14-19]

     • There has been misunderstanding about this eternal spirit or soul within man. The reason for the confusion is that there are three Hebrew words that can be translated into English as ‘soul’ or ‘spirit’. When the Bible was translated into English, these words were not carefully and consistently distinguished.
     For example, nephesh is the Hebrew word that is most often translated as ‘soul’, but really would be better translated as ‘life’ or ‘living creature’. The Hebrew word nephesh applies to the animating force that gives life to animals as well as man.  An example of this is found in Leviticus 17:11 – “the life [nephesh] of the flesh is in the blood.” The nephesh within living things is what gives the body life – but it is not the eternal spirit.
     Ruach is another word that can be translated as ‘spirit’, but also means ‘breath’ or ‘wind’.
     Neshamah is the Hebrew word that always relates to the highest form of spirit within a person – that spirit that can have communion with Elohim.
     Just as ‘spirit’ and ‘soul’ have more than one meaning in English, depending upon the context, one must remember that the context of ruach, nephesh, and neshamah are essential to consider when studying Scripture.

• The War in Heaven
     Long ago, in the spirit world, there was a war in Heaven. Lucifer, who was originally an exceptionally beautiful heavenly creature, rebelled against the sovereignty of Yahweh. [Ezekiel 28:12-16; Isaiah 14:13-14]
     The Devil [Lucifer] and his angels fought against those spirits who chose to obey the Creator. Lucifer and the spirits who followed him were defeated by the more righteous spirits, driven out of Heaven, and hurled down to the earth to be exiled. [Revelation 12:7-9]


2. Life on Earth  

• During our mortal lives we are to strive toward becoming more like Elohim. In order for our spirits to mature and develop fully, Elohim’s Plan required that we temporarily leave the Heavenly Presence to come to earth to experience things we could not experience in the spiritual realm, and to learn and to grow through those experiences and challenges. Here, in imperfect physical bodies and minds, we are placed in circumstances in which we will be tempted, challenged, and tested, and can prepare ourselves to return to Heaven. 
     • “Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48; 1st John 3:2; Moroni 7:48 (7:53)]   
     • Elohim organized the Creation from chaos by use of the Word. [Genesis 1:1-2; John 1:1] In a similar way, we are to order and organize our lives from the chaos around us by following the guidelines of the Plan of Happiness, as found within the Word of the Scriptures.

•  We have no memory of our time with God prior to this present life. There is a type of veil that separates this mortal life from the spirit world.
      • “There is no memory of former things…” [Ecclesiastes 1:11] 
     • Our choices during this mortal life must be based upon faith – not upon perfect knowledge. [Alma 32:21, 19 (16:143, 141)]

•  Mortal life is a time of probation – a time of testing during which we must prepare to return to God. [Alma 12:24 (9:41); 34:32 (16:228); 42:4 (19:84); Moroni 9:6 (9:6)]
     Our mortal life is a necessary part of the overall Plan of Elohim for our spiritual growth. If we could have experienced and learned all we needed to in the Spirit realm, there would have been no need for us to have been born into this moral life in the physical world. This life on earth is an essential component of the overall Plan for our spiritual development.

• We do not come into this life randomly; the Creator places our spirit into a specific time, place, and set of circumstances. 
     • “He not only created the whole human race…but He decreed the times and limits of their habitation.” [Acts 17:26] 
     • We are “predestinated according to [God’s] purpose.” [Ephesians 1:11] 
     • Mordecai said Queen Esther was “born for just such as time as this.” [Esther 4:14]

•  Yahweh gives people advantages and disadvantages during this probationary life. 
     • “Everyone has his own gift from God; one this kind, and the next something different.” [1st Corinthians 7:7] 
     • Several spiritual gifts are given to each believer, based upon the decision of the Creator. [Moroni 10:17 (10:12); 1st Corinthians 12:11]
     • Yahweh “give[s] unto men weakness that they may be humble.” [Ether 12:27 (5:28)]
     • The LORD gives people handicaps and disadvantages, including deafness, speech defects, and blindness. [Exodus 4:10-11]
     • Experiencing challenges and circumstances that may make us sad helps us appreciate goodness and happiness. Successfully overcoming obstacles strengthens us, and allows us to enjoy victory. [2nd Nephi 2:11 (1:81-84); Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-4; 1st Peter 1:7; Ether 12:6 (5:7)]
     • Yahweh gives us trials to test our faith, and discover whether we will be obedient to Him. [Exodus 16:4; Mosiah 23:21 (11:23); Judges 2:22; Psalm 11:5; Zechariah 13:9]
     • The difficulties and tests we face are matched to our level of spiritual maturity, our personality, and our strength. Each person is tested fairly. “God will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist.” [1st Corinthians 10:13]
     • Sometimes the purpose of a disability or weakness is to enable Heavenly Father to reveal Himself through a person’s life. [John 9:3; 1st Corinthians 1:26-29]
     • Another reason for certain disadvantages and handicaps during this mortal life are sins that were committed during our premortal existence. “Who did sin – this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” [John 9:1-3] The only way that the man’s own sins could have resulted in him being born blind would have been related to his actions prior to his birth. Notice that the Messiah did not correct the Apostles for asking the question Instead, He told them that this particular instance of blindness had not been the result of sin.

•  We will receive eternal rewards or punishments based upon the works that we do during this life. 
     • “It is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good. And if their works were evil, they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order…raised to endless happiness to inherit the Kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the Kingdom of the Devil.” [Alma 41:3-6 (19:66-68)]
     • “The Son of Man [Messiah] shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then shall He reward every man according to his works.”[Matthew 16:27; Psalm 58:11]
     • The parable of the talents [Matthew 25:14-30] and the parable of the pounds [Luke 19:12-27] illustrate plainly that we are tested during this life, and that how we respond determines our eternal future. 
     • “And they were judged every man according to their works.” [Revelation 20:12-13]

• Human nature is ungodly. 
     • “For the natural man is an enemy [not a friend] to God, and has been from the fall of Adam.” [Mosiah 3:19 (1:119)] 
     • “The carnal mind [human nature] is enmity against [hostile toward] God.” [Romans 8:6-8] 
     • Human temperament is stubborn and, naturally resists God. 

• Freedom of Choice 
     • Having freedom to choose between right and wrong is a necessity for the process of the state of probation, and being tried. We are allowed to choose freely between good and evil, and receive according to our choices. The choices we make in this life will help determine our circumstances in the existence that follows this temporary life on earth.
     In order for free will to be meaningful, there must be opposites, and there must be situations and things to choose between. The choices and the consequences must be genuine, else freedom of choice would be pointless.
     • “Remember my brethren that whosoever perishes, perishes unto himself; and whosoever does iniquity does it unto himself. For behold, you are free – you are permitted to act for yourselves. For behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and He hath made you free. He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and He hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death. And ye can do good and…have that which is good restored unto you, or ye can do evil and have that which is evil restored unto you.” [Helaman 14:30-31 (5:85-86); Alma 29:5 (15:56); Alma 42:27-30 (19:109-114)]  
     • “I am offering you a blessing or a curse. A blessing if you obey the commandments of Yahweh your God; a curse if you disobey…”  [Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 2nd Nephi 10:23 (7:40)]
     • The opposites of good and evil must exist in order for us to be able to choose. A Law must exist in order for there to be rewards and punishments. [2nd Nephi 2:11-16 (1:81-100)] “Sin is not reckoned when there is no Law.” [Romans 5:13]

•  The Elect
     The Greek word that we translate as ‘church’ is ekklesia, which means ‘those who have been invited’. It refers to the people who have been ‘summoned’ or ‘called’ to follow the Messiah Yahshua. The Elect are those who will, during this mortal life, have the privilege to hear the good news of the Plan of Redemption. 
     • Those who are chosen to hear the gospel  message are known as ‘the elect’ in Romans 8:33, Matthew 24:24, and Colossians 3:12.The Elect are those who will have the opportunity to become sons and daughters of God, and to inherit a place within the Kingdom of Heaven.  
     • The apostle Peter referred to the church members as the “elect [those who have been chosen] according to the foreknowledge of God.” [1st Peter 1:2] “God the Father knew you long ago, and chose you.” 
     • During the pre-earth existence, our neshamah spirits made conscious choices. The spirits who faithfully followed the will of Yahweh during that time, and resisted Evil are privileged to be among the Elect during mortality. During the premortal time they were given the freedom to “choose good or evil”. They did not “harden their hearts” to the Word, but exercised “exceeding faith” and performed “good works” during that time. Because of that, they were “called with a holy calling”  [Alma 13:1-5 (9:62-68)]
     • During this mortal earthly life, the Elect are spiritually attracted and pulled toward the Messiah. “No man can come to Me unless drawn by the Father.” [John 6:44] Yahshua told His followers, “you did not choose Me, but I chose you.” [John 15:16] 
     • The Messiah did not pray for the world, in general, but only for those who are the Elect. While praying to the Father, the Messiah said: “I have revealed Your name to those whom You took from the world to give Me…it is for them that I pray. I am not praying not for the world, but for those You have given Me.” [John 17:8-9]
     • How a person responds to the invitation to follow Christ determines whether he or she will be considered to be Righteous or Wicked. Once a person has learned the Plan of Redemption, he or she is no longer in the category of the Ignorant, who do not know. 

•  The Righteous Saints
     The Righteous [who are also known as Saints] are those of the Elect who decide to enter a covenant with Messiah and are willing to keep His Commandments. They believe in and follow the Plan of Happiness. [2nd Nephi 9:18 (6:42)]
     • The Saints are those who have made a covenant with Yahweh. [Psalm 50:5] A covenant is a type of contract, with requirements, rewards for compliance, and penalties for non-compliance. 
     • Those who make the “righteous covenant” with Christ become His sons and daughters. [Mosiah 5:6-7 (3:7-8)]
     • The Saints “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” [Revelation 14:12]
     • “Walking in all the commandments and ordinances, blameless” defines those who are  “righteous before God.” [Luke 1:6]
     • The Saints are they who believe in Christ, and willingly yield themselves to obey Him. [Mosiah 3:19 (1:120)]
     • The Righteous are willing to listen to the Truth, obey it, and walk uprightly before God. [1st Nephi 16:3 (5:3)] 
      • “The Righteous, the Saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world…shall inherit the Kingdom of God.” [2nd Nephi 9:18 (6:42)]

• The Ministry
     The ordained ministry consists of those men who are chosen to have the “great privilege” of the “everlasting priesthood”. The Scriptures tell us they were selected because of their great faith, right choices, and good works during their premortal existence. [Alma 13:1-11 (9:62 to 10:3)]
     One type of pre-mortal work that resulted in the reward of the priesthood, was having been zealous and valiant during the War in Heaven [Revelation 12:7] This would have included being willing to fight in defense of Yahweh’s Law and Will, even against one’s spirit brethren, if necessary. There are two examples in which willingness to obey the commandments of Yahweh, without respect of person, combined with zealous actions, resulted in certain men being rewarded with priesthood ordination.
     • The Levites were willing to carry out Yahweh’s commandment to purge Israel, without respect of person. For that reason they were “ordained by hand as the LORD’s priests…because each of [them] fought with [their] own sons and brothers.” [Exodus 32:29] 
     • “Phinehas…in return for his burning zeal, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.” [Numbers 25:12-13; 1st Maccabees 2:54]

• The Covenant
     The Covenant which the Saints make with the Messiah includes placing faith in His mercy, repenting of one’s sins, being baptized in water as a witness of making the covenant, and obeying His commandments.  
     • “Come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with Him to keep His commandments, and witness it unto Him this day by going into the waters of baptism.” [Alma 7:15 (5:26-27)]
     • “And whoso believeth in Me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.” [3rd Nephi 11:33 (5:34); Moroni 7:34 (7:36)]
     • “And He commands all men that they must repent, and be baptized in His name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the Kingdom of God.” [2nd Nephi 9:23 (6:48)]
     • “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” [Mark 16:16; Ether 4:18 (1:115)]
     • “What have you against being baptized in the name of the LORD, as a witness before Him that ye have entered into a covenant with Him, that ye will serve him and keep His commandments, that He may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?” [Mosiah 18:10 (9:41); Acts 2:38]
      • “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” [Hebrews 11:6; Moroni 10:21 (10:16)]
     • “And [Yahweh] declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments; and He wrote them upon two tablets of stone. [Deuteronomy 4:13; Exodus 34:28]
     • Observing the Sabbath is one outward sign of the covenant made between us and the Creator [Exodus 31:13-17; Ezekiel 20:12 & 20]. 
     • Those who “take hold of” the covenant with Yahweh, and keep the Sabbath commandment are promised a very special place within His Kingdom  [Isaiah 56:4-6; 58:13-14]
     • “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” [John 14:15]
     • “The Saints…are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” [Revelation 14:12]
     • Those who took upon themselves the name of Christ “entered into a covenant with God to keep His commandments.” [Mosiah 6:1-2 (4:1-2)]
     • “If you would enter into [eternal] life, keep the commandments.” [Matthew 19:17]

• The Wicked
     The Wicked are those who choose not to be saved. They literally do not desire to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; they shun redemption. They decide to follow their own way, or the way of the Devil, and refuse to yield themselves to the covenant and commandments of Yahweh. They reject the path of spiritual happiness revealed to mankind by Elohim.
     • The Wicked reject the Plan of Redemption. [Jacob 6:8-10 (4:13-15)]
     • The Wicked “did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore, they willfully rebel against God.” [3rd Nephi 6:17-18 (3:19-20)]
     • These are they who “would not be redeemed”. [Mosiah 26:25-27 (11:133-134)] 
     • “They chose evil works rather than good.” [Alma 40:13 (19:45)]
     • “The soul of the Wicked desires evil.” [Proverbs 21:10] 
     • “As he has desired to do evil all the day long, even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.” [Alma 41:5 (19:68); 29:5 (15:56); 42:27-28 (19:109-111)]  
     • “They who rejected the gospel…did not dwindle in unbelief, but they did willfully rebel.” [4th Nephi 1:38 (1:42)]
     • “Remember…that whosoever perishes, perishes unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself. [Helaman 14:30 (5:85]
     • “And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned.” [2nd Nephi 9:24 (6:49)]
     • “The Wicked…would not hearken unto the voice of the LORD…having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires…being warned of their iniquities and yet they would not depart from them; and they were commanded to repent and yet they would not repent. [Mosiah 16:2-12 (8:72-88)]

• The Ignorant
     Those whom we label as the spiritually Ignorant are those people who will live all their mortal life “not knowing the will of God concerning them”. [Mosiah 3:11 (1:107)] The billions of people who have “not [had] salvation declared unto them” in their lifetimes are the spiritually Ignorant. [Mosiah 15:24 (8:58-59)] They either will not hear the gospel at all during this life, or they will be exposed to a portion of the Plan of Happiness but will not comprehend it. Speaking
strictly in a spiritual sense, they are ‘non-Israel’, meaning that they do not know the True and Living God, nor do they know the Commandments of the Covenant, nor how to rightly worship Elohim.
     Although most church denominations believe that the people in this category [those who have never heard of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah, and His commandments] will perish in Hell, the Scriptures plainly state otherwise.
     • “Sin is the transgression of the Law.” [1st John 3:4] Sin is disobedience. It is impossible for an individual to disobey rules that he or she knows nothing about. 
     • No sin is charged where there is no knowledge of the Law. [Romans 5:13]
     • “All little children are alive in Christ, and all also they that are without the Law. For the power of redemption comes on all them that have no law. Wherefore, he…that is under no condemnation cannot repent…for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law.” [Moroni 8:22-24 (8:26-28); Mosiah 3:11 (1:107)]


3. Physical Death & The Spirit World

     • At the moment of death, the spirits of all people are taken home to the presence of God. At that time, there is what may be termed a ‘preliminary judgment’. At that moment of that initial judgment, either the mercies of the Atonement save the person’s spirit and it is granted peace, or the justice of Yahweh condemns the stubbornly unrepentant spirit to punishment. [Alma 40:11-14 (19:42-47)]
     This is not the same as the Final Judgment that follows the Resurrection, which will be based upon works [see below]. This initial judgment is based upon the grace and compassion of the Atonement made by Yahshua the Messiah – Jesus Christ the Savior. “For by grace are you saved…not of works, lest any man should boast.” [Ephesians 2:8-9] 

     • There is an interval of time between death and the resurrection [Alma 40:9 (19:39)]. During that time, the spirit either rests peacefully in Paradise, or is miserable in Outer Darkness. These two places in the Spirit World are separated by a ‘great gulf’ that cannot be crossed [Luke 16:24-26; 1st Nephi 12:18 (4:46)]
     Paradise is not synonymous with the Kingdom of Heaven, yet it is peaceful and heavenly. Outer Darkness is a place of spiritual torment of spirits between death and the resurrection; it is sometimes called Hell. [2nd Nephi 9: 10-12 (6:27-29)] 

• Paradise
     • “And then it shall come to pass that the spirits ofthose 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.” [Alma 40:12 (19:44); 2nd Nephi 9:13 (6:31)]
     • Paul wrote of a man having been “caught up into Paradise” [2nd Corinthians 12:4]
     • “To him who overcomes [faithfully perseveres in following Elohim during mortality] I will give to eat of the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God.” [Revelation 2:7]
     • “I soon go to rest in the Paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite…” [Moroni 10:34 (10:31); 4th Nephi 1:14 (1:15)]
     • “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:43]

• Outer Darkness 
     • “The spirits of the Wicked…who chose evil works rather than good…shall be cast into Outer Darkness; there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth…because of their own iniquity. Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked:…in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful, looking-for of the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them. Thus they remain in this state…until the time of their resurrection.” [Alma 40:13-14 (19:45-47)]
     • “The children of the kingdom [of the devil] shall be cast into Outer Darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [Matthew 8:12]
     • “Cast the unprofitable servant into Outer Darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [Matthew 25:30; 22:13]


4. Resurrection & Judgment

• Resurrection Comes to All
     • All mankind will eventually arise from the dead. The resurrection of each individual will take place regardless of how they chose to live their lives. [John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; 1st Corinthians 15:22; Alma 11:41 (8:98); Helaman 14:16-17 (5:70-71] 
     • “The spirit and body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we are now at this time…and even there shall not be so much as a hair of their heads be lost.” [Alma 11:43-44 (8:100-103); 2nd Nephi 9:12-13 (6:29 & 32); Philippians 3:20-21]
     • As the result of the Resurrection, all mankind will become immortal. This means that after the spirit is restored to a perfected body, it cannot ever die. [Alma 11:45 (8:106-107); 2nd Nephi 9:13 (6:36)]
     • There is more than one time of resurrection: “every man in his own order”. [1st Corinthians 15:23] The Resurrections in which the Righteous and Ignorant come forth are called “the first resurrection”. [Revelation 20:6; Mosiah 15:21 (8:55-56)]
     • The Messiah was resurrected first. [1 Corinthians 15:20 & 23; 2 Nephi 2:8-9 (1:73-76)]
     • When Christ arose from the grave, those who were the Righteous (and Ignorant) who had died before Him were also resurrected. [Matthew 27:52-53; Mosiah 15:21-24 (8:55-60)]
     • When Messiah returns in the future, there will be another resurrection of the Righteous. [1 Thessalonians 4:16]
     • The Wicked have no part in any ‘first resurrection’. They will be resurrected later – at the end of the thousand-year Millennium. [Mosiah 15:26 (8:62); Revelation 20:5]

• The Millennium
      There will be a thousand-year interval during which Messiah will live on the earth. His Kingdom will replace all the kingdoms of mankind. [Revelation 11:15; Micah 4:1-4] 
     • Satan will be bound during those thousand years, and the Wicked will remain in their graves until after the Millennium. [Mosiah 15:26 (8:62); Revelation 20:3-5] 
     • During that time, the resurrected Righteous will be kings and priests, queens and priestesses of Elohim and will reign with Messiah on earth for a thousand years. [Revelation 20:6; 5:10; 1:6] 
     • “But ye shall be named ‘The Priests of the LORD.’ Men shall call you ‘The ministers of our God....’” [Isaiah 61:6; 1st Peter 2:5 & 9]
     • “Blessed are the meek  for they shall inherit the earth.” [Matthew 5:5; 3rd Nephi 12:5 (5:52)]  {Meek means humble and submissive to the Creator.}
     • “Evildoers will be cut off. But those who trust in Yahweh will inherit the earth. A little while and the Wicked will be no more…but the meek will inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” [Psalm 37:9-11]  
     • “He that overcomes, and does My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a Rod of Iron." [Revelation 2:26-27; Psalm 2:8-9] {The Rod of Iron is symbolic of the Word of God. See 1 Nephi 11:25, 15:23-24 (3:68, 4:38-39)}

     • Those who have been faithful servants of the Holy One during their mortal lives, having diligently used their God-given gifts and talents to serve Elohim, will be given dominion over one or more earthly cities, serving Elohim as kings and rulers. In the parable of the pounds, the Master rewards trustworthy servants by appointing them to be rulers over cities.
     • “Well done, My good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, I give you authority over ten cities.” To the next most productive servant He said, “And you shall be in charge of five cities.” [Luke 19:11-19] 
     • The Righteous will rule the nations of the earth during the Millennium. “I will give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as your possession.”  [Psalm 2:8] 

     • “Yahweh the Most High is …King over the whole earth. He brings people under our authority, and puts nations under our feet. He chooses our inheritance for us…He reigns over the heathen." [Psalm 47:2-4, 8] {The heathen do not know the true Elohim, nor the right way to worship; they are ignorant.}

• Judgment According To Works 
     • “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it was good or bad.” [2nd Corinthians 5:10]
     • “You must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ; yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam…to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil.” [Mormon 3:20 (1:86-87)]
     • “And they were judged every man according to their works.” [Revelation 20:13; 1st Nephi 15:32 (4:52); Mosiah 3:24 (1:126)]
     • “My reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” [Revelation 22:12; 2:23]


5. Eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of the Devil

• The eventual end of all mankind will be to either become part of the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of the Devil. 
     • “Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order…raised to endless happiness to inherit the Kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the Kingdom of the Devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other.” [Alma 41:4 (19:67)]
     • “Wherefore, the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the Kingdom of God, or to be cast out [into Hell].” [1st Nephi 15:35 (4:60-61)]

• The Righteous will live near to God, in His Kingdom
     • “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne.” [Revelation 3:21] The Creator’s throne is in Heaven [Psalm 11:4; Alma 18:30 (12:108); Isaiah 66:1; Revelation 4:2]
     • “Consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For…if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into Heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. [Mosiah 2:41 (1:90)]
     • The Righteous will “be received into the Kingdom of the Father to go no more out, but to dwell eternally in the heavens.” [3rd Nephi 28:40 (13:53)]

• The Wicked dwell eternally in the Kingdom of the Devil – far from Elohim.
     • The Wicked are far from Yahweh – during their mortal lives as well as throughout eternity. [Genesis 18:25; Proverbs 15:29; Psalm 119:155] 
     • The Wicked would be more miserable to exist in the holy presence of God than to live in Hell. [Mormon 9:3-4 (4:62-64)]

•  Kingdom of the Devil 
     • Hell 
     In the Bible the word ‘hell’ sometimes refers merely to physical death and the grave, and other times it refers to a place of spiritual torment. The Nephite Record makes a simple and plain distinction. Hell is referred to as the death of the spirit, or eternal death. [2nd Nephi 9:10-12 (6:24-27)] The word Hell generally refers to the places of torment of the Wicked – first Outer Darkness, and finally the Kingdom of the Devil. 

     • Lake of Fire & Brimstone
     • The torments of the Wicked will be “as a Lake of Fire and Brimstone, whose flame ascends up forever and ever.” The Wicked are “chained down to an everlasting destruction according to the power and captivity of Satan.” [Alma 12:16-18 (9:28-32)]
     • The Wicked will “go away into that Lake of Fire and Brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascends up forever and ever; which Lake of Fire and Brimstone is endless torment.” [Jacob 6:7-10 (4:11-15)]
     • The Wicked [they who are spiritually filthy] “shall go away into everlasting fire; prepared for them; and their torment is as a Lake of Fire and Brimstone, whose flame ascends up forever and ever and has no end. [2nd Nephi 9:16 (6:39-40)]
     • Those who are wicked will be “tormented with fire and brimstone…and the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day or night.” [Revelation 14:10-11] 
     • The Wicked “are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the LORD into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return. Therefore, they have drunk damnation to
their own souls…and their torment is as a Lake of Fire and Brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascends up forever and ever.” [Mosiah 3:25-27 (1:127-129] 
     • The Wicked “shall go away into everlasting punishment”. [Matthew 25:46]
     • Those who refused to accept redemption will “depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” [Mosiah 26:25-27 (11:131-135); 16:2 (8:72-73); Matthew 7:19-23; Revelation 20:10]
     • The spirits of the Wicked become like the Devil, and actually become devils themselves. [2nd Nephi 9:9 (6:21)]

• Kingdom of Heaven
     “The Righteous, the Saints of the Holy One of Israel…shall inherit the Kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.” [2nd Nephi 9:18 (6:42)]
     • Messiah will say to the Righteous, “come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” [Matthew 25:34]
     • “Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters…and
unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” [Mosiah 27:25-26 (11:187-188)]
     • “Whoso believeth in Me, and is baptized, the same…shall inherit the Kingdom of God.”  [3rd Nephi 11:33 & 38 (5:34 & 40); Alma 7:14 (5:24-25)]
     • The sons and daughters of Christ are “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.”  [Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29; 4:7]

• Messiah is “heir of all things”. [Hebrews 1:2; 1st Corinthians 15:27] The Saints will share in His inheritance.
     • “He that overcomes shall inherit all things.” [Revelation 21:7; Romans 8:32]
     • The Faithful will be made rulers “over all that He has.”  [Luke 12:44; Matthew 24:47]

• The Righteous become like the Messiah. "When He returns we will be like Him." [Moroni 7:48 (7:53); 1st John 3:1+]

• The Kingdoms of Heaven & Hell are arranged in multiple levels or degrees, similar to a multi-storied building, or an arrangement of concentric spheres or circles. One’s location within those levels is determined by Divine judgment, based upon a combination of Heavenly mercy and justice, and one’s own works.
     • “A fire is kindled in Mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell.”[Deuteronomy 32:22]
     • “You have delivered me from the lowest hell.” [Psalm 86:13]
     • “I knew a man...caught up to the third heaven.” [2nd Corinthians 12:2] 
     • “There are celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial; the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars…so also is the resurrection of the dead.” [1st Corinthians 15:40-42]
     • “Heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’s." [Deuteronomy 10:14]
     • “He builds His stories in the heavens.” [Amos 9:6]
     • “In my Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you.” [John 14:2]

Compiled by:

David Bruce Clark
Lion of God Ministries
PO Box 33 Oak Grove MO 64075