The New Testament Testifies of Salvation in the Telestial Kingdom of God

Delivered unto Satan
In 1 Corinthians 5:5, Paul says he judges "to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh." In this verse 'such an one' is referring to a brother who committed the sin of fornication - that is, having sexual relations of any kind with someone who is not your legal spouse according to God's laws. In 1 Cor 5:11-12, Paul includes others to have delivered the same judgment, "any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner."

Saved Spirit
Next there is an unexpected twist that is unbecoming of any Christian doctrine outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Verse 5 continues, "that the spirit may be saved." On the surface, the thought seems ridiculous that any man should be delivered unto Satan for destruction in the flesh in order to be saved. From the next chapter it can be assumed that this is not possible: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor 6:9-10) Do not think that there is some play on words going on here, there is not; to be saved, to receive or inherit salvation, and to inherit the kingdom of God are synonymous phrases.

Telestial Kingdom
So where is the disconnect? How do these two verses not contradict themselves? This is where more knowledge is needed to have a clear understanding of these two truths and how they do not contradict each other. First, it should be noted that Jesus said, "in my Father's house are many mansions." (John 14:2) Second, God has revealed that in the kingdom of God there are three kingdoms; and I'm sure many mansions in each. One of these is the Telestial kingdom of God, said to be the lowest of the three. The idea of three kingdoms in one should not be that difficult to accept especially among Christians who believe in the trinity.

Consistent with the first part of 1 Cor 5:5, this is what was revealed about those who go there: "These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth. These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God." (D&C 76:103-106) These are they who are delivered unto the devil in hell. (D&C 76:84-85)

Consistent with the next part of 1 Cor 5:5, what was revealed about this portion of God's Kingdom is that those who will go there "shall be heirs of salvation." (D&C 76:88) This is no surprise being that it is part of God's kingdom. But this does not resolve the disconnect stated above, but emphasizes it.

The Day of the Lord Jesus
Before I fill the gap of understanding I want to finish 1 Cor 5:5. The whole verse says, "to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." As Paul is the one saying this, it is many years before the day of the Lord Jesus. The day referred to is either the second coming of Christ or the day of judgement, which is connected to the resurrection. Either way, it is many years after the death of anyone living in Paul's day. So this fornicator spoken of by Paul, and groups of people like him, are delivered unto Satan to suffer the destruction of the flesh, die, live as a spirit in hell until the day of the Lord Jesus and then be saved. This introduces the idea that someone can be saved after they are dead. This is not a welcomed idea among many Christians that I have talked to outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Consistent with this last part of 1 Cor 5:5, here is what was revealed about the Telestial portion of God's kingdom: "These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work. ... These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work." (D&C 76:85,106)

Filling the Gap
Now let me close that gap. The answer is already given in relation to a scripture above. This follows the verse describing those who "shall not inherit the kingdom of God;" unrighteous, fornicators, thieves, drunkards, etc. "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor 6:11) Paul uses the past tense, "and such were some of you." This means that there must be a change that occurs in order for one who is unrighteous and unworthy, to become righteous and to enter or inherit the kingdom of God. This change required for salvation is spoken of throughout all scripture, it is faith in Jesus Christ, repentance as taught by John the Baptist, and, as the verse continues, baptism allowing 'such an one' to be washed, sanctified, and justified and worthy to inherit the kingdom of God and be saved.

To bring this full circle, a brother who has been cleansed from sin who then falls back in sin is delivered "unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh" in order to be inspired or persuaded to have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and be baptized, which, if they do before the day of the Lord, allows them to be saved even if this occurs after they die and are spirits in hell. They then, being cleansed from all unrighteousness, inherit a portion of the kingdom of God called the Telestial kingdom of God. The same is true for someone who never was a brother but continued in sin all their lives they must follow the same process.

Baptism Possible
This brings up one last question, how can a spirit repent and be baptized in water? The answer is that they cannot, not on their own. Just as we cannot pay for our own sins, we required Christ to act as a vicarious sacrifice for us; He provided a way for us to perform vicarious baptisms for those who are dead. This is a doctrine that was practiced in New Testament times but only briefly mentioned in the New Testament. Being baptized for the dead God has revealed again in our day allowing mercy to satisfy the demands of justice even for those who are dead.

What a beautiful doctrine taught ever so silently in 1 Corinthians 5:5 and brought to life through the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which started in 1820.