One of the most commonly discussed theological questions is, “Is there life after Death?” Some believe that we cease to exist. Some believe that we will be reincarnated into a new life. Some believe in a heaven or a hell. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that we lived before we came to this earth. That because of Jesus Christ, we will continue to live after.

Before this life, we lived with God. Jeremiah 1:4-5 says, “Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” This scripture teaches us that God knew you, He loved you, and He had a plan for you, before you ever came to earth. He taught you about choices you could make on earth that would lead to happiness. He gave you specific duties and responsibilities to accomplish while here in mortality.

God sent us to earth so that we could go through challenges and trials. These would eventually help us become like Him. God knew that we couldn’t be perfect on our own, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer for our sins and to allow Him to be our advocate before the Father.

Death

Death is a necessary step in God’s plan for us. When we die, our body and our spirit separate. We enter the spirit world. This spirit world is not our final destination, however. It is a period of time that allows us to continue to grow and to become more like God. There are many people who never get the chance to learn about Jesus Christ or accept His teachings while on the earth. In the spirit world, they are taught the gospel. They also are given the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior and strive to follow Him. 

Jesus’s power over death means everyone will also be resurrected, whether they believe in Him or not. He suffered for everyone who has ever and will ever live, and all are given salvation through His Atonement. We will be resurrected, which means our bodies and spirits will reunite into a state of perfection. Our future resurrected bodies will be free from pain, sicknesses, suffering, and imperfections, and we will never again die. Each of us will stand before Jesus Christ to be judged according to our actions and our desires. He will be as merciful as He can. Because God and Jesus Christ know our hearts and our lives perfectly, they can judge us perfectly.

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The Book of Mormon teaches us that, “The spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.” (Alma 40:12) God’s ultimate goal is to help all of His children be able to live with Him and their families forever. He loves us, and He wants us to be happy. Our choices here on earth determine how comfortable we will be in God’s presence. Additionally how long we want to stay there. Because of Jesus Christ, we can repent when we sin. We can grow in confidence before God on the day of judgment. As we pray and try to change, we can be cleansed from our past mistakes, and can become more like our Savior. Because of Jesus, death is not the end. 

The Book of Mormon gives additional insight about God’s plan for us and Jesus Christ’s role in it. Learn what is life after death in it! For a free copy of the Book of Mormon, click on the “Meet with the Missionaries” button on our home page!