The Doctrine of Salvation for the Dead
Of all the teachings unique to Mormon theology, there are few doctrines more earth
shattering or confounding to other religions than that contained in the doctrine of salvation for
the dead. The singular message of a perfectly fair, just God who “knoweth all things”1 and is
conscious of a sparrow’s fall,2 cannot exist without the doctrine of missionary work in the Spirit
World and vicarious baptisms and sealings for those who have passed beyond the veil.
Unfortunately, these messages which are unique to the LDS faith are so thoroughly indoctrinated
in church members from primary on throughout adulthood that they have been rendered more
commonplace than praying at the dinner table. The solution to this, however, is not restricting the
teaching of these principles so that they appear more special, but rather to study them more in
depth so that their beauty and magnitude can be more fully appreciated. In the Explanatory
Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants it states that the messages contained in the book are
the words of Jesus Christ “speaking to [us] for [our] temporal well-being and [our] everlasting
salvation.”3 A thorough understanding of the history behind sections 137 and 138 and the
principles taught in them will increase our appreciation for the perfection of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, motivate us to live our lives in such a manner that we are deserving of celestial glory in
“The same which knoweth all things, for all things are present before mine eyes.” See D&C 38:2.
“Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” See Matt. 10:29-31.
3
See “Explanatory Introduction” of The Doctrine and Covenants (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, 1981).
4
President Spencer W. Kimball has said that the people of the world are in peril because they can’t be saved alone.
In order to ensure their own salvation, the members of the church must see to the ordinances of their friends and
families. See Spencer W. Kimball, The Things of Eternity- Stand We in Jeopardy? Ensign, January 1977.
1
2
the life to come, and help us remember that our salvation depends upon our participation in the
saving ordinances of our ancestors.4
On January 21st 1836 Joseph Smith and his Presidency, which consisted of Oliver
Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, met in a council room of the Kirkland
Temple in order to ordain Joseph Smith Sr, as Patriarch of the restored church.5 According to
later accounts given by the men, that evening was illuminated by the spirit of prophesy. Oliver
Cowdery stated that “the glorious scene is too great to be described. . . . I only say, that the
heavens were opened to many, and great and marvelous things were shown.”6 Some of these
“marvelous things” included visions of the Savior and angels by the brethren present, but the
most spectacular vision was seen by the Prophet Joseph Smith and later recorded as section 137
of the Doctrine and Covenants. In this section, Joseph Smith is shown a vision of the Celestial
Kingdom in all its glory. He beholds gold-paved streets, the “gate through which the heirs of that
kingdom will enter”,7 the Father seated upon his throne, and the Son of God. Of the images in
the vision shown to Joseph Smith, the sight that he makes particular mention of is that of his
elder brother Alvin, who appeared as a joint-heir to the kingdom of God along with Joseph’s
parents, Father Adam and the Prophet Abraham.8 Previous traditions had taught that salvation of
the un-baptized was impossible- that regardless of whether they were adults at the time of death
or small children, all would be cast into a fiery pit.9 The wonderful news of the possibility of
5
Bruce R. McConkie, A New Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred! Ensign, August 1976.
Steven C. Harper, Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants: A Guided Tour through Modern Revelation (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 2008), 506.
7
“…which was like unto circling flames of fire…” See D&C 137:2.
8
See D&C 137:5.
9
“In his day the fiery evangelists of Christendom were thundering from their pulpits that the road to hell is paved
with the skulls of infants not a span long because careless parents had neglected to have their offspring baptized.
Joseph Smith’s statements… came as a refreshing breeze of pure truth: little children shall be saved.” Bruce R.
McConkie, The Salvation of Little Children. Ensign, April 1977.
6
salvation for the dead, along with subsequent revelations explaining the means by with this
redemption was possible, has since distinguished the merciful Heavenly Father who visited the
boy Joseph Smith, from the unjust, spiteful god worshiped by most other sects at the time. When
these principles were later taught to Father Smith (who, by then, himself lay dying), they were
eagerly accepted by the Patriarch, who responded that “Joseph should be baptized for Alvin
immediately.”10
While Joseph Smith’s vision of the Celestial Kingdom was preceded by the glorious
restoration of the saving ordinances of the temple, the events surrounding the reception of
section 138 could not have been more dismal. On October 3rd 1918, World War I was drawing to
a close with its death count in the millions, while the Spanish Influenza swept around the globe
claiming even more lives.11 The President of the church at that time, Joseph F. Smith, son of
Hyrum Smith, was no stranger to death, as his own life was filled with the grief of the passing of
many of his close family members.”12 While he sat pondering on the condition of the vast
multitudes of departed spirits and upon “the great atoning sacrifice that was made by the Son of
God”,13 his mind reverted to the teachings of Peter, who spoke of the Savior’s visit to the Spirit
World in the space between his death and resurrection. As he was meditating, he saw a vision in
which “there were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of the
just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality”.145 What
followed was an account of the Savior’s ministry in the Spirit World as He organized his
10
Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Alvin Smith Story: Fact and Fiction. Ensign, August 1987.
While WWI took the lives of 9 million people, it is estimated that the influenza virus claimed over 50,000 souls.
See Steven C. Harper, Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants: A Guided Tour through Modern Revelation (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 2008), 508.
12
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, 1998), 128.
13
D&C 138:2.
14
D&C 138:12.
11
missionary army and sent them to preach the gospel among the rebellious spirits, and a charge to
the Saints to carry on with the work of performing vicarious temple ordinances for the dead. On
October 31st, 1918 this revelation was endorsed by the First Presidency of the church and less
than a month later, Joseph F. Smith departed the mortal realm.15
There are many lessons we can learn from the histories of sections 137 and 138 of the
D&C as well as from the doctrine itself. Both revelations were received in response to questions
the prophets had about the final destination of their deceased loved ones. Section 137 teaches
that there is much hope for those who have died without receiving the gospel, because men will
be judged “according to the desires of their hearts”.16 This revelation, received in the winter of
1836, at first must have appeared to contradict earlier statements made by prophets and Christ
himself concerning the futility of anyone hoping to enter the kingdom of God without first being
baptized as the Savior was.17 However, later revelations such as that found in section 138 of the
D&C, explain how salvation and even exaltation are possible to those who died before they had a
chance to accept the gospel on earth. D&C 138 reveals that gospel would be preached to all
captive spirits through the ministry of a host of ministers organized on the other side of the veilthat all mankind might “be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the
spirit.”18 Thus, having had an equal opportunity to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, these spirits
could accept their vicariously performed ordinances and obtain exaltation. Only through the
principles found in these sections can both justice and mercy could be extended to everyone,
while also fulfilling all the words of the Lord. Secondly, both revelations seek to motivate with
love rather than with fear. Section 137 describes the beauty of the place our Heavenly Father has
16
D&C 137:9.
“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” See John 3:3-5, 3
Nephi 27:16, 33, Ether 4:18.
18
D&C 138:10 (also 1 Peter:4:6).
17
prepared for us and makes known his desire to link all generations of families together. Section
138 describes the joy of the resurrection when our bodies would be perfected, and the blessing of
being “crowned with immortality and eternal life”19 would follow. It then it describes the
enormous, love-driven undertaking of preaching the gospel to perhaps billions of God’s children
imprisoned in the Spirit World. So important was this duty that Christ himself oversaw the
organization of a missionary force “clothed with power and authority”20 to rescue the even the
most rebellious spirits- because “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”21 Finally,
section 138 speaks of the joint efforts required by those still living on the earth to perform
ordinances on behalf of their deceased ancestors, “lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse
and utterly wasted at his coming.”22 While the threat of a curse might be compelling enough of a
reason to carry out this work, meditating on the Atonement of Jesus Christ (as Joseph F. Smith
did before receiving 138) can inspire our hearts to do it for a more holy purpose: that we may
become “Saviors on Mount Zion”23 and follow the teachings of President Gordon B. Hinckley,
who said that “vicarious work for the dead more nearly approaches the vicarious sacrifice of the
Savior Himself than any other work of which I know.”24 A thorough study of sections 137 and
138 of the Doctrine and Covenants can help us understand that the gospel of Jesus Christ
contains the only laws in existence that can be universally applied with perfect fairness to every
living being. Such mercy and equity extended to us is born of the pure love of God, and has the
power to motivate us to live our own lives in such a way that we will desire to bring not only
salvation to our own souls, but also to the souls of all those who have come before us.7
19
D&C 138:51.
D&C 138:30.
21
D&C 18:10.
22
D&C 138:48.
23
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, 2007), 472.
24
Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign: January 1998, 73.
20
D&C 137:1-10
1. The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory
thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell.
2. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter,
which was like unto circling flames of fire;
3. Also the blazing throne of God,25 whereon was seated the Father and the Son.
4. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with
gold.
5. I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin,26 that has
long since slept;
6. And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he
had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time27, and had
not been baptized for the remission of sins.28
President Joseph Fielding Smith stated that “God is full of energy, and should we mortals stand in his presence,
unless his spirit was upon us to protect us we would be consumed. That is how much energy there is in a celestial
body.” See Joseph Fielding Smith, Seek Ye Earnestly (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1970), 275. Always when God
the Father or his resurrected Son, Jesus Christ are seen by mortals, light or fire or both are mentioned in the
description of the event. This light is the glory of intelligence that the Father and the Son have gained, having
become perfect Beings. See also JS-H 1:16, Ex. 3:2, Rev. 1:14.
26
In “The book of the Law of the Lord” Joseph Smith describes his brother Alvin by saying “In him there was no
guile” he is also reported to have said that Alvin “lived without spot from the time he was a child.” Alvin Smith died
on November 15, 1823 in Palmyra at the age of 25 due to complications involving an overdose of calomel. (See
Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Alvin Smith Story: Fact and Fiction, Ensign: August 1987) Because he died before
having a chance to accept the gospel and be baptized, Joseph did not expect to see his brother in the celestial
kingdom and thus made the remarks recorded in verse 6. See Steven C. Harper, Making Sense of the Doctrine &
Covenants: A Guided Tour through Modern Revelation (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2008), 505.
27
Israel will be gathered spiritually before it is gathered physically. This will be done through the efforts of
proselyting missionaries. The physical gathering of Israel will not be completed until after the Second Coming of the
Savior. See Gospel Principles (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2009), 248-249.
28
During his translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith would’ve come across countless scriptures such as 3
Nephi 27:19, which states that “…nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in
my blood…” These passages would’ve obviously led him to the conclusion that salvation for the unbaptized dead
would be impossible. (see also John 3:3-5, 3 Nephi 11:33, 2 Nephi 9:23)
25
7. Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of
this gospel,29 who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the
celestial kingdom of God;30
8. Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with
all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom;
9. For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works31, according to the desire of their
hearts.
10. And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability32
are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.33
“Those who have lived without law, will be judged without law, and those who have a law, will be judged by that
law.” See Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, 2007), 404. This teaching parallels the parable of the talents, in which one servant is given one
talent, another two and another five. The servant which received one talent is not expected to gain five more
(although great would be his reward if he did), but instead is only expected to put the talent he has to work and gain
one more. Likewise, God requires only that we obey to the best of our ability the laws we have received. See Matt.
25:14-30.
30.
Being heirs to the Celestial Kingdom indicates that these people who died in ignorance will be fully educated on
the other side of the veil, accept the gospel, repent of their sins, have vicarious ordinances performed on their
behalves and be forgiven of every guilt or evil deed ever committed. Tad R. Callister said that “…to be saved in the
fullest sense means to be exalted. This means that someone is not only rescued from physical death, Satan, and
banishment from the Father’s presence, but in addition is saved from every form of damnation. In other words, there
is absolutely nothing that can stop this person’s progress…. The Atonement of Jesus Christ not only saves us from
the effects of the Fall, but in addition endows us with those powers necessary to save us from every weakness, every
ignorance, and every obstacle that might otherwise hinder or prevent our progress in some way.” Tad R. Callister,
The Infinite Atonement (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000), 52.
31
When we come before the judgment bar of God, our performances we will not be judged against those of our
fellowman, but against our own individual abilities and circumstances. “God knows our circumstances, and He
judges us accordingly. He knows who is standing in a whole and who is standing on a chair, and he does not just
measure height- he measures growth.” See Stephen E. Robinson, Believing Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book,
1992), 97.
32
Little children are not capable of committing sin until they reach the age of accountability (8 years of age), at
which time they will have a better understanding of the difference between good and evil. Because of this, little
children and infants have no need of baptism. They are redeemed through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. See
Preach My Gospel (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2004), 64.
33
In 1842 Joseph taught that “the Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man,
and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly
considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have
them again.” He went on to say that these small children would have the opportunity to be raised by their earthly
mothers during the millennium and that they would arise from the grave at the same age as they were when they
died. See Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, 2007), 176-178.
29
D&C 138:12-20, 30-34, 47-59 10
12. And there were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of the
just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality;
13. And who had offered sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the Son of God, and
had suffered tribulation in their Redeemer’s name.
14. All these had departed the mortal life, firm in the hope of a glorious resurrection,34 through
the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
15. I beheld that they were filled with joy and gladness, and were rejoicing together because the
day of their deliverance was at hand.
16. They were assembled awaiting the advent of the Son of God into the spirit world35, to
declare their redemption from the bands of death.
17. Their sleeping dust was to be restored unto its perfect frame, bone to his bone, and the
sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be united never again to be divided,
that they might receive a fulness of joy.
“A resurrected body is not subject to pain or disease or exhaustion. There is no bullet that can harm it, poison that
can pollute it, or cancer that can invade it. There is no resurrected being who suffers loss of limb, speech
impediment, or failing sight…. The prophets have testified that blood, the mortal element that eventually brings
death, will one day be replaced by a spiritual substance flowing through our veins.” Tad R. Callister, The Infinite
Atonement (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000), 170. Not only is the description of a resurrected body (an eternity
of perfection without pain or sickness) appealing, but the spirits must’ve thought often on the alternative. 2 Nephi
9:8 States that if the atonement and resurrection had not taken place, then our spirits would’ve become subject to the
devil and we would’ve been shut out of the presence of God for all eternity.
35
At the time of Jesus’ ministry in the Spirit World He had not yet been resurrected, nor had He been to the
Celestial Kingdom. “It was not until after his resurrection that he mentioned returning to the kingdom of heaven.”
See Elder Bernard P. Brockbank, Entrance into the Kingdom of God, Ensign: January 1973. The only person to see
the resurrected Savior prior to his ascension into heaven was Mary Magdalene, to whom He said “Touch me not; for
I am not yet ascended to my Father”. (See John 20:17) Shortly after that Mary Magdalene saw the Savior again (this
time accompanied by “the other Mary”) and was able to hold him by the feet and worship him. (See Matt. 27:1-9)
36
While there is a gulf in the spirit world that divides the righteous from the wicked, D&C 138:18 makes it apparent
that because of the pain that accompanies the absence of a spirit from its body, all the spirits consider themselves
imprisoned. For this reason the “captives who had been faithful” rejoice at the coming of the Savior and their
deliverance from death. See Bruce R. McConkie, A New Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred!, Ensign:
August 1976.
34
18. While this vast multitude waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance
from the chains of death, the Son of God appeared, declaring liberty to the captives36 who had
been faithful;
19. And there he preached to them the everlasting gospel, the doctrine of the resurrection and
the redemption of mankind from the fall, and from individual sins on conditions of repentance.11
20. But unto the wicked he did not go, and among the ungodly and the unrepentant who had
defiled themselves while in the flesh, his voice was not raised;37
30. But behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers,38
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.
31. And the chosen messengers39 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.
32. Thus 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.
37
In a vision received by Joseph Smith in December of 1830, he learned that those who perished in the flood in
Noah’s day were sent to spirit prison and were destined to remain “in torment” until the advent of the coming of
Christ. According to a talk by Bruce R. McConkie (A New Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred! Ensign:
August, 1976), the eventual acceptance of the gospel will not ensure the casualties of the flood a place in the
celestial kingdom. “Theirs is an everlasting terrestrial inheritance because they rejected the truth when it was offered
to them in mortality.” See also Moses 7:38–39.
38
“All that have lived or will live on this earth will have the privilege of receiving the Gospel. They will have
Apostles, Prophets, and ministers there, as we have here, to guide them in the ways of truth and righteousness, and
lead them back to God. All will have a chance for salvation and eternal life.” It only makes sense that the same
organization that we have in the church on earth also be used in the Spirit World, since the work of bringing souls
unto Christ is to be done there just as is done here. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young (Salt
Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1997), 294.
39
Years prior to his vision, President Joseph F. Smith taught that in the women minister to other women in the Spirit
World, just as they do in many instances on earth. It is likely that “Mother Eve and many of her faithful daughters”,
who President Smith sees in his vision, would become ministers and teachers to those women held captive in Spirit
Prison. Robert L. Millet, Beyond the Veil, Ensign: October 1985.
33. These 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,
34. And 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.
47. The Prophet Elijah was to plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to their
fathers,4012
48. Foreshadowing the great work to be done in the temples of the Lord in the dispensation of
the fulness of times, for the redemption of the dead, and the sealing of the children to their
parents, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse and utterly wasted at his coming.41
49. All these and many more, even the prophets who dwelt among the Nephites and testified of
the coming of the Son of God, mingled in the vast assembly and waited for their deliverance,
50. For the dead had looked upon the long absence of their spirits from their bodies as a
bondage.
51. These the Lord taught, and gave them power to come forth, after his resurrection from the
dead, to enter into his Father’s kingdom, there to be crowned with immortality and eternal life,
52. And continue thenceforth their labor as had been promised by the Lord, and be partakers of
all blessings which were held in reserve for them that love him.
Joseph Smith taught that the word “turn” (found in Mal. 4:6) should have been translated “bind” or “seal”, which
has much more meaning now that the doctrine of vicarious sealings has been restored. The Prophet Elijah did not
mean to just remind us of our ancestors, nor of our posterity, but to restore the keys necessary to allow us to all be
bound or sealed to each other, and into the family of God. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith
(Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007), 472-473.
41
The sense of urgency present in verse 48 was echoed by Joseph Smith when he said: “I would advise all the Saints
to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to [the temple], that they may be sealed and
saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth; and if the whole Church
should go to with all their might to save their dead, seal their posterity, and gather their living friends, and spend
none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come, when no man can
work.” Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, 2007), 474. Although it is tempting to feel that this work could be better left for the millennium,
this quote and verse 48 clearly show the condemnation that will follow such slothfulness and procrastination.
40