Non-LDS beliefs

[abqfriend]

Hi I am not LDS. Can you please give the Scripture for Terrestrial and Celestial. If not found in the OT or NT, Please give the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenant references.
Thanks
-Carol

Originally Posted by Traveler

This is an excellent post but let us clarify an important notion about the resurrection of the dead. The scriptures tell us of three resurrections. The First (greatest or most noble) is Celestial, the second (not greatest and less noble) is the Terrestrial, and the third is the least great and least noble and is called the Telestial. (See 1Cor 15)

Some confuse the First, Second and Third resurrections as being in strict chronological order and count the number by when the resurrection begin. This is only true in part because there will be two first resurrections. One for the saints prior to Christ (that began when Jesus was resurrected) and the second - first resurrection for the saints after the admonition of Christ which will begin when Christ returns.

The second resurrection will not begin until all Celestial (or first) are completed. The third or Telestial will not start until the second (or Terrestrial) has been completed.

The Traveler

[VisionOfLehi]

Originally Posted by abqfriend

Hi I am not LDS. Can you please give the Scripture for Terrestrial and Celestial. If not found in the OT or NT, Please give the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenant references.
Thanks
-Carol

John 14:
2 In 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.

1 Cor. 15:
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

41 There 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.

2 Cor. 12:
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven.

D&C 88:
22 For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.

23 And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.

24 And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.

D&C 76:
96 And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.

97 And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.

98 And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;

[John316]

People who lived before Jesus died as sacrifice for our continual sin, only went to Heaven if they followed all of the law listed in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. If a person were to commit sin or break God's law, they had to complete the appropriate sacrifice ritual to atone for their sin. This was very tedious and nearly impossible for many people, so God sent his one and only begotten son to fufill the Old Testament prophesy by being born of a virgin and walk the Earth without sin. He was crusified and died. Then three days later, he rose from the tomb and walked the Earth. Without a professed belief in him today, and confession of your sins, it is impossible for anyone to go to heaven and be in God's presence.

[abqfriend]

I assume you mean the Hebrews or Jews in the first part of your comment. Most of the world of that day knew little of the Hebrew's beliefs.
The NT did not come into formal existance till around the year 300 AD or so. There was no NT at the time of Jesus.
Source: Bible - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Does the second part of your comment leave out the Buddhist, Hindu, Islam and those that have not heard the Gospel through no fault of their own?-What about them?

Originally Posted by John316

People who lived before Jesus died as sacrifice for our continual sin, only went to Heaven if they followed all of the law listed in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. If a person were to commit sin or break God's law, they had to complete the appropriate sacrifice ritual to atone for their sin. This was very tedious and nearly impossible for many people, so God sent his one and only begotten son to fufill the Old Testament prophesy by being born of a virgin and walk the Earth without sin. He was crusified and died. Then three days later, he rose from the tomb and walked the Earth. Without a professed belief in him today, and confession of your sins, it is impossible for anyone to go to heaven and be in God's presence.

[bytor2112]

John 3:16

We believe that Salvation must come to all mankind exactly the same way. From Adam to our time present. Every person who has ever lived or will ever live will have the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, whether in this fallen sphere in which we now live or in the Spirit world after they pass from mortality. Each will have to accept Jesus Christ, repent and be baptized. This is why we perform sacred ordinances like baptism in Holy Temples around the world. The Savior himself was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness". Confusion and contradiction still prevails in Christendom over how mankind is to be saved because of Christ's Atonement. One of the many reasons for the restored Gospel.


To be a Christian.... to be a follower of Christ.... to be saved..... to recieve salvation because of the grace of Jesus Christ, because he drank of the Fathers bitter cup and bore our sins, our griefs, sorrows and afflictions.... we must strive to live his example."if you love me, keep my commandments." If we love him, if we are his.... we strive to keep his commandments. Is this salvation by works? Or is this being a true and faithful servant of the Savior of mankind?

We all must come to salvation in exactly the same way. Same ordinances. One faith, one baptism. God is perfect and as such it could be in no other way.

[abqfriend]

I am not LDS, but your explaining of it makes sense. My religious tradition leaves such decisions ultimately up to God.

Originally Posted by bytor2112

John 3:16

We believe that Salvation must come to all mankind exactly the same way. From Adam to our time present. Every person who has ever lived or will ever live will have the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, whether in this fallen sphere in which we now live or in the Spirit world after they pass from mortality. Each will have to accept Jesus Christ, repent and be baptized. This is why we perform sacred ordinances like baptism in Holy Temples around the world. The Savior himself was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness". Confusion and contradiction still prevails in Christendom over how mankind is to be saved because of Christ's Atonement. One of the many reasons for the restored Gospel.


To be a Christian.... to be a follower of Christ.... to be saved..... to recieve salvation because of the grace of Jesus Christ, because he drank of the Fathers bitter cup and bore our sins, our griefs, sorrows and afflictions.... we must strive to live his example."if you love me, keep my commandments." If we love him, if we are his.... we strive to keep his commandments. Is this salvation by works? Or is this being a true and faithful servant of the Savior of mankind?

We all must come to salvation in exactly the same way. Same ordinances. One faith, one baptism. God is perfect and as such it could be in no other way.

[bytor2112]

abqfriend.....ultimately the decision is ours. Salvation is free if we choose it. Jesus Christ is our mediator with the Father. He makes eternal life available because he took upon himself our sins. If we would choose eternal life we must follow the Savior......

2 Nephi verse 27: Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

It really is very simple...... if we choose to follow the Savior, we must first have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized by someone having authority to do so and then recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.... again by authorized servants of Christ. Finally, receive the sacred ordinances made available in Holy Temples and then endure till the end.(follow his commandments)

It is that way for everyone who has ever lived or will ever live. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Think about the confusion that exists among Christians today...... is God the author? The truth has been restored and is available to all. In the end, if we are to inherit Eternal Life....life with our Heavenly Father...it is the only way.

[bytor2112]

Abqfriend..... Families are forever!! You have probably heard this if you have been around many LDS folks. But it is true. The family is central to God's plan of happiness for each of us. How happy would you be if you were not together with your family in Eternity. Not very, I am guessing. THe sacred ordinances that I mentioned above make this possible. These ordinances are performed in Holy Temples and seal in both Heaven and on Earth families together.

The plan of happiness, as we call it, is for all of God's children to return home to the God who created them.... with there families...... husband, children, grandchildren, etc. Learning about the church on this site is great and reading the Book of Mormon is even better. But, the best way I can think of to really find out if this stuff is really true is to meet with some of our fulltime missionaries and attend a local LDS church. I promise you, that if you will meet with the missionaries and attend church that you will come to know for yourself that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is indeed the Lord's church, that Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ and that he did translate a sacred record called the Book of Mormon by the power of God.

And you will know why Heavenly Father brought forth this record......

2 Nephi verse 7-9 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

[jadams_4040]

Originally Posted by bytor2112

How are people who lived before the Savior "saved" according to non-LDS denominations?

I,ve always been told by non l.d.s that they are saved because of the grace of God, and another one i hear is that God knows there heart and therfore saves them, {but always seem to ferget about the baptism comandment in the bible that applies to "all" not just us; it applies to all whom have ever lived}.

[jimuk]

I beleive my father in heaven to be a loving, kind, forgiving father, i try to follow what he would have us do and i would not send anyone to hell because they had not heard of Jesus, "its hardly their fault" and neither would he.
To even think of our father as such a bad unkind person would surely be classed as blasphemy.

He loves us all, each and every one of us, and anyone who truly loves him knows this.
You cant love someone that you are terrified of, "lets all pretend to be good or father is sending us to Hell" what a load of Medieval rubbish, brought about by people who frighten people into worshiping some kind of god.