This isnt something like going out and breaking their rule of no drinking. Its just Scary bad. The sons of perdition are those who have had a knowledge of the truth, have known that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, have had the testimony of the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Ghost, and these things have all been revealed so that they know they are true; and then they turn against them and fight them knowingly (Conference Reports, April 1942, p. 27. They must have had a fullness of knowledge; a testimony which cannot be destroyed. A person would have to be very wicked to know the church was true yet still fight against it! Unfortunately, Apple's iOS doesn't support home screen shortcuts in the Chrome browser. It is taught that, in the pre-mortal life, they chose to follow a plan proposed by Satan, rather than that presented by God the Father. The terms spiritual death or second death, lake of fire and brimstone, and outer darkness are all synonymous with hell, and all are descriptive of both the temporary and the permanent hell. kingdoms of glory. They have said things much stranger and I am sure you know of them. 3. What qualifies a person to be a Son of Perdition? 20:6). Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance, that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness. It is impossible for those who never joined Mormonism to become sons of perdition. Doctrine and Covenants / Pearl of Great Price, Mormon Objections to Christian Evangelism, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Why Practically NobodyIncluding You, Former MormonWill Ever End up In Outer Darkness, Divine Love in the Fathers Plan (Dallin H. Oaks, April 2022). If this is the case, the worst fate any former Latter-day Saint can anticipate is the telestial kingdom. While Christianity affirms that many people who were created by God will perish in hell, Mormonism also espouses this . Can someone get out of this state of Perdition once they are in it? 11:3940; 18:13), pains of hell (Jacob 3:1112; Alma 14:6; 26:13; 36:13), chains of hell (Alma 5:7, 910; 12:11; 13:30; 26:14), child of hell (Alma 11:23; 54:11), powers of hell (Alma 48:17), everlasting hell (Hel. Hell - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Latter-day Saints understand hell to be a literal place and/or stateeither the temporary hell in the spirit world where the unjust suffer in a state of torment until they are resurrected to a telestial glory (D&C 76:8185, 98112), or the permanent hell where the wicked (the sons of perdition) continue to suffer eternally after the resurrection (D&C 76:37, 4548). We probably do not want to know how horrible it is just like in this life, some things that are so horrible that happen (especially to children) wed rather not know about it, if possible. Generally, the outer darkness is thought to be hell; however, many Christians associate the outer darkness more generally as a place of separation from God or from the metaphorical "wedding banquet" that Jesus is expected to have upon his Second Coming . [3]. outer darkness | Some Mormon Stuff Cannot be saved at the last day; except W.W. Phelps who was classified as such by Joseph and then redeemed, and we should only trust prophets on the matter because they dont conflict, unless they do. That being said, I don't think it really matters at the end of the day, because if it is all real, I want to stay clear away from anyone who the Church says deserves the Celestial Kingdom. Cain is a Son of Perdition. For many are called, but few are chosen." In revealing Satans tactics, Nephi wrote: And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is noneand thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. First, it is another name for spirit prison, a temporary place in the postmortal world for those who died without a knowledge of the truth or those who were disobedient in mortality. They are sons of perdition because, Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to open shame (D. & C. 76:35). According to tenth President Joseph Fielding Smith. The kingdom that is not a kingdom of glory is called outer darkness. True, some former Mormons have expressed doubts and wondered if the church might possibly be true, which is a completely natural response after having left the one true church. If they decided they made a mistake because they still believed the church were true, they would be more apt to rejoin it rather than stay excommunicated and fight against it. 8:13). The opposition gospel twists the title of Adversary into a positive thing. 67, LDS Church Archives. A) Never had a body B) Did evil things in this world C) Never joined the LDS Church D) All of the above are true. Dennis L. Largey was an associate professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University when this was published. Those mortals who did join the LDS Church in this lifetime must fit the following criteria to be classified as a son of perdition, with a destiny to outer darkness. Outer darkness is a eternal place of torment reserved for those who are sons of perdition. According to LDS scripture, this will be a place that where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth (Doctrine and Covenants 101:91; also see 133:73). At the same time, prophets and apostles have taught that you can be sent to outer darkness for simply disbelieving or for apostasy or for being a part of a religion that doesn't have apostles. 801-422-6975. [DS 2:225.] It honors and glorifies Satan. Yea, Alma wrote, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell (Alma 36:13). 15:29, 35; Alma 19:29; 54:7), sleep of hell (2 Ne. The Book of Mormon contains one reference to outer darkness. While John could be referring to the sons of perdition in this passage, the specific sins he identified are characteristic of those who will suffer in hell but, after experiencing their part in the lake of fire, will be released from their torment and be resurrected to a telestial glory (see D&C 76:10312). In contrast, Book of Mormon references to the second death are embedded in sermons that teach it in context with other essential elements of the plan of salvation. Salvation is release from the guilt and power of sin through God's gift of grace. 20:14). According to Smith: It is very clear in the Doctrine and Covenants Section 76:30-37, that the only persons who will be completely overcome by this dreadful fate are the sons of perdition who go with the devil and his angels into outer darkness. (Answers to Gospel Questions 5:107-108). He is damned by mortification and is his own condemner and tormenter. He called the Pharisees and scribes vipers and questioned, How can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Matt. The first example would be spirits from the preexistence who sided with Lucifer rather than Jesus at the Council in Heavenwhere it was decided who would become the Savior of the World. These men and women cannot be redeemed, and will be the only ones who will suffer the second death. Ellipsis mine). Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R. McConkie have rejected the idea that those in perdition can ultimately be redeemed, which contradicts Brighams speculations. 14:34), awful hell (1 Ne. Thank you! And I said unto them that it was a representation of that awful hell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked. The ExMo Candle Co. - lighting outer darkness together Thirty-three times it stands alone, without modifiers or explanation of what it means, as in And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell (Alma 30:60). In this context, outer darkness is the spirit prison, or that part of the spirit world that the wicked inhabit prior to their resurrection. It's not as simple as you make it out to be. Smith taught: The sons of perdition are those who have had a knowledge of the truth, have known that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, have had the testimony of the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Ghost, and these things have all been revealed so that they know they are true; and then they turn against them and fight them knowingly. Severe punishment for eternity, reserved for Satan and his demons as well as the sons of perdition, those humans who once embraced Mormonism and left to fight against the faith, even though they knew Mormonism was true. In the D&C, the definition of those who go to Outer Darkness is stated as: the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows; Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof;Nevertheless, I, the Lord, show it by vision unto many, but straightway shut it up again; Wherefore, the end, the width, the height, the depth, and the misery thereof, they understand not, neither any man except those who are ordained unto this condemnation (D&C 76:45-48). In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a son of perdition is a person who will not take part in the glory of God in the afterlife. The Concept of Hell | Book of Mormon Central The New Testament contains four references to the second death, all located in the Revelation of John. In the Bible, the phrases lake of fire and lake of fire and brimstone, describing the fate of the wicked, are unique to the book of Revelation. . Christians have debated for centuries the nature of the hell fire of which Jesus spoke (Matt. Did I really have full knowledge? In Christianity, the "exterior darkness" or outer darkness is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:12, 22:13, and 25:30) into which a person may be "cast out", and where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth". This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. and they were judged every man according to their works (Rev. And as such I would qualify. One of the messages of the Book of Mormon is that people sometimes lose the desire to repent. The apostle James taught that the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity . Mormons also believe that those on Earth with bodies can become a Son of Perdition, tho this is difficult to do. If he were ignorant, he could not have become perdition. Alma 40. What is the Mormon plan of salvation? Outer darkness is something which cannot be described, except that we know that it is to be placed beyond the benign and comforting influence of the Spirit of God-banished entirely from his presence. Outer darkness is a eternal place of torment reserved for those who are "sons of perdition." According to LDS scripture, this will be a place that "where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth" (Doctrine and Covenants 101:91; also see 133:73). Thus ensued the War in Heaven, which resulted in Satan and his followers being cast out of heaven and denied the opportunity of receiving a physical body. For example: everlasting fire (Matt. In Mormonism, it depends. The Prophet Joseph Smith would not countenance the teaching of this doctrine, and sanctioned the decision of the bishop that any who taught it should be barred from communion (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 125). To the Church in Smyrna the Apostle John wrote: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death (Rev. But the children of the kingdom [i.e., covenant breakers] shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. According to the Doctrine and Covenants, this will be a place that even in outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth (Doctrine and Covenants 101:91; also see 133:73). Thus, the second death is taught in conjunction with the first death, which came as a consequence of the Fall of Adam and Eve, and also with the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which redeems all of humankind from the first death through resurrection and the second death through repentance. Meanwhile, sixth President Joseph F. Smith, also taught that a full knowledge of the truth is necessary, adding that not even Judas Iscariotthe betrayer of Jesuswill be destined for Outer Darkness: It is probable that only personages who have acquired similar full knowledge, who willfully and deliberately deny the truth, when they know it to be the truth, can commit the unpardonable sin and become sons of perdition. For those who once were baptized and confirmed into Mormonism, what is your status? (see Rom. Some Christians have believed the lake of fire John spoke of to be a literal lake. So, in conclusion, I would have a hard time believing that you or billions of souls as you put will qualify for perdition even while taking Mormon beliefs into account. Hell is outer darkness; it is the lake of fire; and it is the second death. Another manual states, Baptism is the first saving ordinance of the gospel (see Articles of Faith 1:4). ( Miracle of Forgiveness 129-30) The Lord Will Judge For persons not to receive forgiveness neither in this world nor in the world to come does not mean that they will be cast into outer darkness, for the sin of murder can be pardoned even though it is unforgivable. 5:22), as were those who failed to cast away their sins (JSM 5:34; cf. The Plan of Salvation kind of negates the reason for missionary work Wilford Woodruff in a meeting with the apostles, 1893 D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1997) p. 795. Alma 40. (2) We believe in allowing our candles to burn for a maximum of four hours at a time. (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Church Leaders and the Scriptures, [original title When Are the Writings or Sermons of Church Leaders Entitled to the Claim of Scripture?] Immortality and Eternal Life: Reflections from the Writings and Messages of President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Vol, 2, (1969-70): 221; address to Seminary and Institute Teachers, BYU (7 July 1954); reproduced in Church News (31 July 1954); also reprinted in Dialogue 12/2 (Summer 1979): 6881.). It even warns its readers to beware of the devils temptation to disbelieve the doctrine of a personal devil and that there is an actual place and/or state called hell. Also God says no one knows in scripture, so stop asking; but He also said in scripture that He upbraideth not those who have questions and if you ask it shall be opened unto you. Twenty-nine times the word hell is used with descriptive modifiers, for example, depths of hell (1 Ne. 16:811)meaning to be left with those who would partake of that permanent hell reserved only for those who, as Jacob stated, are filthy still.. Smith said this will be practically indescribable: The extent of this punishment none will ever know except those who partake of it. These are they who do two very specific things. The Nephites became so wicked, that contemplating murder was a source of happiness. Finally, John saw that death and hell delivered up the dead to be judged according to their works, and death and hell were cast into [a] lake of fire (Rev. They did what they did with their eyes open, and were in rebellion against God. Comparison Chart - Mormonism and Christianity - Apologetics Who goes to Outer Darkness, a handy guide - Exploring Mormonism (Conference Reports, October 1958, p. 21. But to pass it off as a belief of an entire Church, organization and people is wrong. Jesus also referred to outer darkness in two parables he gave during the last week of his life. Clearly fire is used as a metaphor for sufferingnot a literal fire but a state of misery. Again Mormons think this is a very hard place to get into. Mormons believe we existed before coming to Earth. 14:1519). Articles 1 - 7 will help your candle last longer and perform its best. At the end of the twenty years, the knife would be withdrawn and again stabbed into us, with the resulting excruciating pain lasting another twenty years; this process would then be repeated for all eternity. and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell (James 3:6). And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end (1 Ne. Thus, by the definition given by the leaders cited above, these people cannot be considered sons of perdition. He once said that a person. This is a place very close in nature to the biblical hell. The Outer Darkness Dilemma - Official Website of the ex-Mormon Apologist First, LDS Church scripture uses the term outer darkness to refer to a condition in the spirit world. This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The first three are referred to as the three degrees of glory, often compared to the sun, the moon, and the stars ( D&C 76:70, 78, 98 ). so we will be able to realistically discuss the likelihood that a person who left the church could ever end up in Outer Darkness. 11:23). There was a movement a few years ago to have people deny the holy spirit on Youtube, where many a youtuber claimed they would now go to Outer Darkness. I can give you more than plenty of examples of that. Outer darkness - Wikipedia