Meaning of the Second Death

[mburgess1982]

In preparing my School lesson for this sunday in come follow me Alma 13-16 I was reading Alma 13:30 which reads "30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death"

It got me thinking about the second death and what it really means. 

On the LDS.org website spiritual death gives this definition: 

"Spiritual death is separation from God. The scriptures teach of two sources of spiritual death. The first source is the Fall, and the second is our own disobedience. Spiritual death can be overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and by obedience to His gospel.

The Book of Mormon prophet Samuel taught, “All mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.”¹ During our life on the earth, we are separated from God’s presence. Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ redeems everyone from this spiritual death. Samuel testified that the Savior’s Resurrection “redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death. … Behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.”² The prophet Lehi taught that because of the Atonement, “all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him.”³

Further spiritual death comes as a result of our own disobedience. Our sins make us unclean and unable to dwell in the presence of God.⁴ Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from this spiritual death, but only when we exercise faith in Him, repent of our sins, and obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel.⁵"

I then read D&C 76: 32,37-39 which says this: 

32 They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;

 

37 And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;

38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.

39 For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.

So from my understanding it seems like anybody who doesn't repent will partake or taste of the second death, but ONLY those who are the sons of perdition will ultimately not be redeemed from it, do I have this understanding correct? The Book of Mormon prophets aren't specific to this fact and make it seem like anybody who doesn't repent will become a son of perdition and be thrust down to hell for eternity which the D&C clarifies and makes clear this is ONLY for the sons of perdition

Thoughts?

 

 

[Stargazer]

4 hours ago, mburgess1982 said:

So from my understanding it seems like anybody who doesn't repent will partake or taste of the second death, but ONLY those who are the sons of perdition will ultimately not be redeemed from it, do I have this understanding correct? The Book of Mormon prophets aren't specific to this fact and make it seem like anybody who doesn't repent will become a son of perdition and be thrust down to hell for eternity which the D&C clarifies and makes clear this is ONLY for the sons of perdition

I agree with your understanding of this. 

Of the three degrees of glory, the Telestial is the one closest to the second death, in that one is separated from the Father and the Son, but not the Holy Spirit. 

[teddyaware]

7 hours ago, mburgess1982 said:

In preparing my School lesson for this sunday in come follow me Alma 13-16 I was reading Alma 13:30 which reads "30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death"

It got me thinking about the second death and what it really means. 

On the LDS.org website spiritual death gives this definition: 

"Spiritual death is separation from God. The scriptures teach of two sources of spiritual death. The first source is the Fall, and the second is our own disobedience. Spiritual death can be overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and by obedience to His gospel.

The Book of Mormon prophet Samuel taught, “All mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.”¹ During our life on the earth, we are separated from God’s presence. Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ redeems everyone from this spiritual death. Samuel testified that the Savior’s Resurrection “redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death. … Behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.”² The prophet Lehi taught that because of the Atonement, “all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him.”³

Further spiritual death comes as a result of our own disobedience. Our sins make us unclean and unable to dwell in the presence of God.⁴ Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from this spiritual death, but only when we exercise faith in Him, repent of our sins, and obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel.⁵"

I then read D&C 76: 32,37-39 which says this: 

32 They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;

 

37 And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;

38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.

39 For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.

So from my understanding it seems like anybody who doesn't repent will partake or taste of the second death, but ONLY those who are the sons of perdition will ultimately not be redeemed from it, do I have this understanding correct? The Book of Mormon prophets aren't specific to this fact and make it seem like anybody who doesn't repent will become a son of perdition and be thrust down to hell for eternity which the D&C clarifies and makes clear this is ONLY for the sons of perdition

Thoughts?

 

 

A careful reading of Doctrine and Covenants 76 and 138 will reveal to the perceptive reader that one of the main reasons why some of the Father’s children are consigned to become sons of perdition is because they refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and utterly refuse to repent of their sins. Eventually, after suffering the wrath of the justice of God in the spirit prison, even the inheritors of the telestial kingdom of glory will be required to willingly accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and validate that acceptance by bowing in humble reverence before the all-seeing eye of God the Father and confess unto him in sincerity that Jesus is the Christ.

The reason why the inheritors of the telestial glory are worthy enough to enjoy the ministry of angels, ministering visitations by messengers from the terrestrial kingdom, and communion with the Holy Ghost, is because they will have availed themselves of the mercy of God by coming unto Christ and repenting of their sins before the final judgement.

The Book of Mormon is verily true when it repeatedly testifies that no man can be saved in his sins, and that the one and only way anyone can obtain salvation and inherit a place in one of the God the Father’s many mansions of post-resurrection glory is to come unto Christ in faith and repent of their sins. Doctrine and Covenants 76 makes it abundantly clear that all but the sons of perdition will eventually receive forgiveness and redemption from the fallen state through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The plan of salvation as presented in the Book of Mormon and the plan of salvation presented in the Doctrine and Covenants are in accord.

109 But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore;

110 And heard the voice of the Lord saying: These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever;

111 For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his oww works, his own dominion , in the mansions which are prepared; (Doctrine and Covenants 76).

and…

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2).

 

Edited June 26, 2024 by teddyaware

[CV75]

7 hours ago, mburgess1982 said:

In preparing my School lesson for this sunday in come follow me Alma 13-16 I was reading Alma 13:30 which reads "30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death"

It got me thinking about the second death and what it really means. 

On the LDS.org website spiritual death gives this definition: 

"Spiritual death is separation from God. The scriptures teach of two sources of spiritual death. The first source is the Fall, and the second is our own disobedience. Spiritual death can be overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and by obedience to His gospel.

The Book of Mormon prophet Samuel taught, “All mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual.”¹ During our life on the earth, we are separated from God’s presence. Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ redeems everyone from this spiritual death. Samuel testified that the Savior’s Resurrection “redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death. … Behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.”² The prophet Lehi taught that because of the Atonement, “all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him.”³

Further spiritual death comes as a result of our own disobedience. Our sins make us unclean and unable to dwell in the presence of God.⁴ Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from this spiritual death, but only when we exercise faith in Him, repent of our sins, and obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel.⁵"

I then read D&C 76: 32,37-39 which says this: 

32 They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;

 

37 And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;

38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.

39 For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.

So from my understanding it seems like anybody who doesn't repent will partake or taste of the second death, but ONLY those who are the sons of perdition will ultimately not be redeemed from it, do I have this understanding correct? The Book of Mormon prophets aren't specific to this fact and make it seem like anybody who doesn't repent will become a son of perdition and be thrust down to hell for eternity which the D&C clarifies and makes clear this is ONLY for the sons of perdition

Thoughts?

 

 

The terms "first death" and "second death" are used differently by different writers. 1st death usually refers to the physical death, but in mortality is includes the spiritual separation from God until we are spiritually reborn through Christ. His resurrection brings us back into the presence of God to be judged, overcoming both physical and spiritual death, after which the 2nd death is the spiritual separation from God suffered by the unrepentant.

We learn from D&C that there are degrees of immortal glory; Perdition would be the absolute absence of glory. What that entails is anyone's guess at this point. 

Edited June 26, 2024 by CV75

[Calm]

1 hour ago, teddyaware said:

one of the main reasons why some of the Father’s children are consigned to become sons of perdition is because they refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and utterly refuse to repent of their sins.

That is not the only qualification though.

[CV75]

Other qualifications described here:

Sons of Perdition

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/sons-of-perdition?lang=eng

[CV75]

3 hours ago, teddyaware said:

A careful reading of Doctrine and Covenants 76 and 138 will reveal to the perceptive reader that one of the main reasons why some of the Father’s children are consigned to become sons of perdition is because they refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and utterly refuse to repent of their sins. Eventually, after suffering the wrath of the justice of God in the spirit prison, even the inheritors of the telestial kingdom of glory will be required to willingly accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and validate that acceptance by bowing in humble reverence before the all-seeing eye of God the Father and confess unto him in sincerity that Jesus is the Christ.

The reason why the inheritors of the telestial glory are worthy enough to enjoy the ministry of angels, ministering visitations by messengers from the terrestrial kingdom, and communion with the Holy Ghost, is because they will have availed themselves of the mercy of God by coming unto Christ and repenting of their sins before the final judgement.

The Book of Mormon is verily true when it repeatedly testifies that no man can be saved in his sins, and that the one and only way anyone can obtain salvation and inherit a place in one of the God the Father’s many mansions of post-resurrection glory is to come unto Christ in faith and repent of their sins. Doctrine and Covenants 76 makes it abundantly clear that all but the sons of perdition will eventually receive forgiveness and redemption from the fallen state through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The plan of salvation as presented in the Book of Mormon and the plan of salvation presented in the Doctrine and Covenants are in accord.

109 But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore;

110 And heard the voice of the Lord saying: These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever;

111 For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his oww works, his own dominion , in the mansions which are prepared; (Doctrine and Covenants 76).

and…

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2).

 

How is it you envision that people "come unto Christ in faith and repent of their sins" before the resurrection and yet not end up in the celestial kingdom?