Mormons have some unique beliefs about life before birth, life on earth, and life after death that differ from some other Christian faiths. Here is an overview of Mormon beliefs about the purpose of life and what happens after we die.
Life before Birth
Mormons believe that before we were born on earth, we lived in a pre-mortal existence as spirit children of God. In this pre-earth life, God presented His plan for us to come to earth to receive physical bodies and be tested. Mormons believe we chose to follow God’s plan and come to earth to gain a body and experience mortality.
The goal of our life on earth is to learn to follow God’s commandments and develop faith in Jesus Christ so we can return to live with God again. The time on earth is seen as an important training ground and test.
Mortal Life on Earth
Mormons believe this life is extremely important – it is our opportunity to learn good from evil and to prove we will follow God’s commandments. Mormons believe that how we use our agency, make choices, and live the commandments in mortality will greatly impact our eternal salvation.
Some key beliefs about mortal life:
- We must be baptized by priesthood authority and follow Christ to achieve salvation.
- Righteous choices and obedience to God’s commandments is necessary.
- God provided prophets like Joseph Smith to restore Christ’s church and authority to the earth.
- Families can be together forever through temple sealings.
Overall, this life is seen as a testing ground and opportunity to follow God’s plan and prepare to meet Him again.
Life after Death
Mormons have some unique beliefs about life after death. Here are some key points:
Judgement
When someone dies, Mormons believe they enter the Spirit World, where they will be judged according to their works on earth and accept Christ as their Savior if they have not already.
Spirit Paradise and Spirit Prison
Based on their righteousness, Mormons believe spirits reside in either Paradise or Prison after death until the resurrection:
- Paradise – For righteous followers of Christ who accept his gospel.
- Prison – For those who rejected Christ’s gospel and those who will need to be taught and accept the gospel in the spirit world.
Degrees of Glory
At the Final Judgement, Mormons believe nearly everyone will be resurrected and assigned to a Kingdom of Glory:
| Kingdom of Glory | Who Goes Here? |
|---|---|
| Celestial Kingdom | Righteous followers of Christ who accept all gospel ordinances |
| Terrestrial Kingdom | Honorable people who reject the gospel in mortality |
| Telestial Kingdom | Wicked and corrupt individuals |
Only the most wicked and rebellious spirits, called sons of perdition, will not be resurrected and will be cast out into outer darkness.
Eternal Marriage
Mormons believe families can be together forever through temple sealings and eternal marriage covenants. So relationships continue in the afterlife.
Conclusion
In summary, Mormons believe life before earth was a time to prepare for mortality where we can learn good from evil and prove we will follow God’s commandments. After death, nearly all people will be resurrected and assigned to different Kingdoms of Glory based on righteousness. Eternal families are an important belief and central to God’s plan of happiness. These unique doctrines emphasize the importance of earth life and trusting in Christ’s grace and atonement.
