Death is one of those universal laws that all mankind is subject to, yet it remains a mystery to almost everyone, and considered part of the “Great Unknown”.
Death is the separation of our eternal spirit from our physical body until the universal resurrection takes place where the spirit and body are re-united again.
At death our eternal spirits enter the Spirit World to await resurrection and judgment
From the Scriptures, we learn that at death, as each spirit leaves the physical body, there is a partial judgment by the Lord that separates the righteous from the wicked. The righteous spirits go to “Paradise” (part of the spirit world) and the wicked go to “Spirit Prison” (a spiritual prison caused by sins not repented of and a lack of spiritual knowledge and understanding). The Savior said to the person on a cross by him, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23: 43 in the Bible)
The apostle Paul said about himself, “And I knew such a man…How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words…” (2 Corinthians 12: 2-3 in the Bible)
Gospel of Jesus Christ taught in the Spirit World
The Savior opened the doors to teaching the gospel to the spirits in spiritual prison as the apostle Peter explained, “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: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient…” (1 Peter 3: 18-20 in the Bible)
“For 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.” (1 Peter 4: 6 in the Bible)
Our eternal spirit remembers our earthly experiences and relationships
After death our spirit continues to remember our experiences on earth and the people we associated with. An ancient prophet gave these details of our memory after death, “Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness…”
(2 Nephi 9: 14 p. 73 in the Book of Mormon)
Preparing for our death
Though all of us will die physically, we do not need to die spiritually during our earth life. The apostle Paul stated, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6: 23 in the Bible)
He is speaking of spiritual death (separating ourselves from the influence of God in our lives). The apostle explains further, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8: 6 in the Bible). From this scripture we learn that the type of life we live on earth will affect our happiness after death.
Dallas Jones is a local leader for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For a more detailed free write-up on Life After Death, call (231) 383-8359 or send an email: [email protected]