The Purpose of Life

Not everyone who believes in life after death finds it a rosy proposition. Hamlet called it the “undiscovered country,” about which our uncertainty “makes us rather bear those ills we have/Than fly to others that we know not of”(III.i.81-84). Fortunately, since Hamlet’s time (or rather Shakespeare’s), the Lord has revealed much about what happens to us after we die. Death does have a specific destination, and we can take comfort in knowing that God’s arms of mercy can reach us even beyond the grave.

Spirit Paradise

Those who have been baptized members of Christ’s church and who have lived up to those covenants will be received into a place known as spirit paradise to await their day of resurrection. This is not heaven in the traditional sense where righteous men and women receive their final rewards and dwell eternally in the presence of God. It is, however, a delightful place. An ancient American prophet named Alma taught the following about spirit paradise:

And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those 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)

Spirit Prison

In contrast to spirit paradise, Alma explained that those who chose wickedness while alive would have a far different experience in what could be called spirit prison:

Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection. (Alma 40:14)

Spirit prison is also the destination of those souls who did not willfully rebel against God, but who never had the chance to embrace His Gospel because they never had it preached to them. Part of what makes spirit prison so awful for the wicked, described by Alma, is knowing they will have to account for their evil deeds in life. This same feeling of terror, however, will not necessarily be experienced by those who were merely ignorant of Jesus Christ and never had a chance for baptism. All the same, spirit prison will not be a desirable final dwelling place. There is, thankfully, a way out.

Joseph F. Smith, the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as Mormons), had a vision revealing to him where Christ went from the moment He died on the cross until He was resurrected. Jesus Christ spent those three days organizing righteous spirits to go and preach the Gospel to those that were in spirit prison. President Smith recorded:

And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel. Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets. (D&C 138:31-32)

God desires to give us every opportunity to return to His presence. We need not fear death, knowing that God is in charge, and all who die will have a fair opportunity to embrace His Gospel in its fullness.

I once knew a woman in a nursing home who, though strong in her Christian beliefs, dreaded death because she questioned what kind of reception a person as flawed as herself could expect. As her friend, I wanted to reassure her that she need not be afraid. My assurance came from what I've learned as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons.)

The Bible indicates that death is joyful for the righteous and fearful for the wicked. Revelation 14:13 tells us that death becomes a time of rest for those who “die in the Lord,” and that they shall be blessed. On the other hand, the sting of death is sin, wrote Paul, “[b]ut thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:55-57) Sin not only makes death painful, but it can hasten it. “When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity,” recorded Ezekiel, “he shall even die therby.” (Ezekiel 33:18)

Christ erases the “sting” of death in two ways. First, He made it possible that we might all be resurrected. An ancient American king known as King Benjamin taught his people that if “Christ had not risen from the dead…there could have been no resurrection. But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.” (Mosiah 16:7-8) This is primarily the sting of separation from those we love. It is comforting to know we may see our loved ones again.

Secondly, Christ made it possible for us to repent of our sins. Ancient American prophets have taught the awfulness of failing to repent while in this life. The prophet Nephi taught:

Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.(1 Nephi 10: 21)

In a similar vein, his brother Jacob warned:

But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! (2 Nephi 9: 27)

Those who knowingly sin against God’s commandments in life can expect death will be an unpleasant experience. They will not be able to hide their sins from God, nor escape the negative consequences of their choices. In contrast, in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, God explained that “those that die in [Him] shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them” (D&C42:46).

The Lord loves us and desires we find happiness even in death, but He cannot reward evil behavior. Only those who willingly rebel against His law will find death to be a tragedy, because it will bring them closer to the time when they will have to account for their wickedness in life. God has, however, provided an opportunity for those who die without knowing his commandments to learn and accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ before receiving final judgment. In the end, we will receive whichever kind of end we have chosen based on the lives we’ve lived and our desires to serve God.