Ready Always / Who we are / Beliefs

Do you think I’m going to hell because I’m not in your church?

1

The hallway answer

About 15 seconds

“No! We believe almost everyone ends up in a kingdom of glory, places so good we can hardly imagine them. And God makes sure everyone gets a fair chance to hear about Jesus, even after this life.”

Then ask them: What do you think happens after we die?
2

The real answer

About 5 minutes

Latter-day Saints have one of the most hopeful views of the afterlife you’ll find. In Doctrine and Covenants 76, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw three kingdoms of glory, which echoes Paul’s words about the glory of the sun, moon and stars (1 Corinthians 15:40–42). Even the lowest, they wrote, “surpasses all understanding.”

The Church’s Topics and Questions page explains that “hell” usually means a temporary spirit prison where people are taught the gospel and can repent. Only a very small group, those who know God fully and then deny Him, stay outside any kingdom of glory.

Because God is fair, people who never had a real chance to accept Jesus in this life will have it in the spirit world (D&C 138). That’s why we do temple work for people who have died. So the honest answer to your friend is no. God loves them more than they know.

Scriptures to know. Tap to read.

D&C 76:89The telestial glory surpasses all understanding
89And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding; Read in Doctrine and Covenants, Connected →
1 Corinthians 15:40-42Glory of the sun, moon and stars
40There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: Read in New Testament, Connected →
John 14:2In my Father’s house are many mansions
2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. Read in New Testament, Connected →
D&C 138:30-34The gospel preached to the dead
30But behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead. 31And 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. 32Thus 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. 33These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, 34And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. Read in Doctrine and Covenants, Connected →
3

Go deeper

Research room

What’s behind the question

Many teens have heard that people outside a particular church will be damned, so they assume we believe the same. They may be worried, or testing whether you look down on them.

Source labels: Official = published by the Church. Scripture = the standard works. Faithful scholarship = independent Latter-day Saint researchers. Helpful, but not official.

4

For me

Think it through
  1. How does knowing God’s plan is fair change how I see my friends?
  2. What do I believe about life after death, and why?
  3. Read D&C 76:22–24. What does Joseph Smith’s testimony of Christ mean to me?
Act in faithWhat do I already know and believe here?
Eternal perspectiveHow does God’s plan change how I see this?
Good sourcesWho could I ask: a parent, a leader, the scriptures?

Notes stay on this page while it’s open and aren’t saved or sent anywhere.

5

Practice this one

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Weak Things is an independent site, not an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Answers are written to match the Church’s published teachings, and every answer links to its sources.

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