The
Kingdoms of Glory
Bruce
R. McConkie
Contrary
to the views found in the uninspired teachings and creeds of modern
Christendom, there are in eternity kingdoms of glory to which all
resurrected persons (except the sons of perdition) will eventually
go. These are named: celestial, terrestrial, and telestial —
the glory of each being beyond mortal comprehension. (D. & C. 76;
1 Cor. 15:39-42; Rev. 21.)
However,
only the celestial kingdom is the kingdom of God where the faithful
saints will gain their eternal inheritance. All who fall short of the
glory of eternal life will in greater or lesser degree be damned
(even though they dwell in a kingdom of glory), for their eternal
progress will be limited, and they can never go on to an eternal
fulness in the Father's presence. (D. & C. 132:16-17.)
Rewards
granted individuals in eternity will vary between and within
kingdoms. Only those who are sealed in the new and everlasting
covenant of marriage and who thereafter keep the terms and conditions
of that covenant will attain the highest of three heavens within the
celestial kingdom. (D. & C. 131:1-4.) Inhabitants of the
telestial kingdom will differ in glory among themselves "as one
star differs from another star in glory." (D. & C. 76:98; 1
Cor. 15:41.) Similar variations will exist among inheritors of the
terrestrial kingdom. (D. & C. 76:71-79.)
Revealed
statements that those quickened with a portion of the glory of the
respective kingdoms shall then receive a fulness of the glory
concerned, mean (for instance) that no one can gain admission to the
celestial kingdom unless by obedience to celestial law he has
obtained a celestial body. (D. & C. 88:16-32.) The glory to be
received by individuals in the kingdoms of glory hereafter will be in
direct proportion to their obedience and diligence in this life (D. &
C. 130:18-19), for all men will be judged in accordance with their
particular works. (Rev. 20:13.)
Celestial
Bodies
By
obedience to celestial law men gain celestial bodies, bodies which
are sanctified by the spirit. (D. & C. 84:33; 88:16-32; Alma
13:12; 3 Ne. 27:19-21.) They become new creatures of the Holy Ghost,
having been born again. (Alma 5.) Their renewed bodies are just as
different from bodies still in their carnal state as the bodies of
the various animals, fowls, and fishes differ from each other. (1
Cor. 15:39-42.) Those who have gained celestial bodies will, in the
resurrection, receive back "the same body which was a natural
body" (D. & C. 88:28), that is their celestial bodies will
be immortalized and then they will gain admission to the celestial
kingdom.
Celestial
Spirits
Those
who by full obedience to gospel requirements develop celestial
bodies, gain at the same time celestial spirits. Then in the
resurrection, when "the same body which was a natural body,"
(that is, the renewed body, the body sanctified by the spirit, the
celestial body) is received back again, "they who are of a
celestial spirit" are quickened by a celestial glory and go on
to an inheritance in a celestial kingdom. (D. & C. 88:28.)
Celestial
Glory
If
a man obeys celestial law in this life, he obtains a celestial body
and spirit. In the resurrection these are received back again
quickened by a celestial glory thus qualifying him to go to a
celestial kingdom where alone celestial glory is found. (D. & C.
88:16-32.) Mortal man has no concept of the glory of that world.
Those who finally attain it are persons "whose bodies are
celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the
highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as
being typical." (D. & C. 76:70; 1 Cor. 15:40-42.) Exaltation
consists in gaining a fulness of celestial glory. (D. & C.
132:19-20.) Those so attaining will receive "a fulness of the
glory of the Father" and be glorified in Christ as he is in the
Father. (D. & C. 93:16-20.) The Prophet said that in the
resurrection the righteous "shall rise again to dwell in
everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die
any more; but they shall be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus
Christ." (Teachings p. 347.)
Celestial
Kingdom
Highest
among the kingdoms of glory hereafter is the celestial kingdom. It is
the kingdom of God, the glory thereof being typified by the sun in
the firmament. (D. & C. 76:50-70, 92-96; 1 Cor. 15:39-42.) The
Prophet has left us this record of a glorious occurrence that took
place in the Kirtland Temple on January 21, 1836: "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. 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; also
the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son.
I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance
of being paved with gold." (Teachings, p. 107.)
An
inheritance in this glorious kingdom is gained by complete obedience
to gospel or celestial law. (D. & C. 88:16-32.) By entering the
gate of repentance and baptism candidates find themselves on the
strait and narrow path leading to the celestial kingdom. By devotion
and faithfulness, by enduring to the end in righteousness and
obedience, it is then possible to merit a celestial reward. (2 Ne.
31:17-21.)
No
unclean thing can enter this kingdom, and the plan of salvation is
the system whereby men are washed and cleansed, whereby they are
"sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost," and thus
enabled to stand spotless before the Lord. (3 Ne. 27:19-21.) "The
sanctified" are "them of the celestial world." (D. &
C. 88:2.)
"In
the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees," and in
the same sense that baptism starts a person out toward an entrance
into the celestial world, so celestial marriage puts a couple on the
path leading to an exaltation in the highest heaven of that world.
(D. & C. 131:1-4; 132.)
Terrestrial
Bodies
By
obedience to terrestrial law men develop terrestrial bodies and
spirits, thus conditioning themselves to be quickened in the
resurrection with terrestrial glory, which is found in a terrestrial
kingdom. (D. & C. 76:71-80; 88:16-32.) As is the case with the
development of celestial bodies, those who gain terrestrial ones have
bodies as different from other kinds of flesh as one form of life
differs from another. (1 Cor. 15:39-42.)
Terrestrial
Glory
Those
attaining a terrestrial kingdom will be inheritors of terrestrial
glory which differs from celestial glory "as that of the moon
differs from the sun in the firmament." (D. & C. 76:71; 1
Cor. 15:41.) In effect they bask, as does the moon, in reflected
glory, for there are restrictions and limitations placed on them.
They "receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness
of the Father" (D. & C. 76:77), and to all eternity they
remain unmarried and without exaltation. (D. & C. 132:17.)
Terrestrial
Kingdom
To
the terrestrial kingdom will go: 1. Accountable persons who die
without law (and who, of course, do not accept the gospel in the
spirit world under those particular circumstances which would make
them heirs of the celestial kingdom); 2. Those who reject the gospel
in this life and who reverse their course and accept it in the spirit
world; 3. Honorable men of the earth who are blinded by the
craftiness of men and who therefore do not accept and live the gospel
law; and 4. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints who have testimonies of Christ and the divinity of the great
latter-day work and who are not valiant, but who are instead lukewarm
in their devotion to the Church and to righteousness. (D. & C.
76:71-80.)
Telestial
Bodies
"All
flesh is not the same flesh," Paul says, with reference to the
flesh of various forms of life, thus using a self-evident truth to
establish in the minds of the Corinthians that there is also a
distinction in the kinds of bodies that men have. The fact that some
of these are telestial bodies has been lost from the King James
Version of the Bible. The Inspired Version, however, restores the
lost phrases, explaining that there are "celestial bodies, and
bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the glory of the
celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial,
another." (inspired Version, 1 Cor. 15:40.)
Most
accountable men on earth have telestial bodies because they live a
telestial law, that is the law of carnality and worldliness. These
bodies will be quickened in the resurrection with telestial glory,
which is found in a telestial kingdom. (D. & C. 76:81-112;
88:16-32.)
Telestial
Glory
That
glory granted the inhabitants of the lowest kingdom of glory is
called telestial glory. In the infinite mercy of a beneficent Father
it surpasses all mortal understanding, and yet it is in no way
comparable to the glory of the terrestrial and celestial worlds.
Telestial glory is typified by the stars of the firmament, and "as
one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from
another in glory in the telestial world" (D. & C. 76:81-112;
1 Cor. 15:41), meaning that all who inherit the telestial kingdom
will not receive the same glory.
Telestial
Kingdom
Most
of the adult people who have lived lived from the day of Adam to the
present time will go to the telestial kingdom. The inhabitants of
this lowest kingdom of glory will be "as innumerable as the
stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore."
They will be the endless hosts of people of all ages who have lived
after the manner of the world; who have been carnal, sensual, and
devilish; who have chosen the vain philosophies of the world rather
than accept the testimony of Jesus; who have been liars and thieves,
sorcerers and adulterers, blasphemers and murderers. (D. & C.
76:81-112; Rev. 22:15.) Their number will include "all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly" (Mal. 4:1), for all such
have lived a telestial law. "And they shall be servants of the
Most High; but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds
without end." (D. & C. 76:112.)
Bruce
R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1958, 1966