Seven of Everything

This post is an explanation of the use of the fifth quote by Joseph Fielding Smith in my previous post, Misunderstanding Baptism for Salvation . To understand that post please first read, Understanding Baptism Line upon Line . Question: Is baptism necessary to gain entry into the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms? Won't all who are resurrected and go into these lower kingdoms have to be baptized before they can leave paradise? What will happen to those in paradise who refuse to accept the gospel and accept baptism, even by proxy? Answer: The scriptures are very clear in declaring that baptism is for the celestial kingdom only. For a place in the terrestrial or the telestial kingdom, baptism is not required... The kingdom of God mentioned by the Savior in his conversation with Nicodemus points clearly to the fact that it is the celestial kingdom that is meant. This is also implied in the instructions given by our Savior to his apostles when he left them. They were to go into al...

This post is an explanation of the use of the fourth quote by Joseph Fielding Smith in my previous post, Misunderstanding Baptism for Salvation . To understand that post please first read, Understanding Baptism Line upon Line . Will those who enter the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms have to have the ordinance of baptism? No! Baptism is the door into the celestial kingdom. The Lord made this clear to Nicodemus. We are not preaching a salvation for the inhabitants of the terrestrial or the telestial kingdoms. All of the ordinances of the gospel pertain to the celestial kingdom, and what the Lord will require by way of ordinances, if any, in the other kingdoms he has not revealed. It seems to me to be so clear that the ordinances of the gospel are for those who are entitled to enter the Celestial Kingdom, based on obedience to the principles of the gospel, that there should be no question about it.... The First Presidency have said in answer to a similar question: "We know...

This post is an explanation of the use of the third quote by Joseph Fielding Smith in my previous post, Misunderstanding Baptism for Salvation . To understand that post please first read, Understanding Baptism Line upon Line . Baptism is the door into the celestial kingdom. All the ordinances of the gospel pertain to the celestial kingdom, and any person who is faithful to the covenant of baptism will be entitled to enter there, but no person can receive an exaltation in the celestial kingdom without the ordinances of the temple. The endowments are for advancement in that kingdom, and the sealings for our perfection, provided we keep our covenants and obligations. People baptized, and who are not endowed in the temple of the Lord, may enter the celestial kingdom. But that does not mean that a baptized person is going to get the exaltation in that kingdom. He is not going to pass on to the fulness just by being baptized. He will not pass on to the fulness even after he has been bapt...

This post is an explanation of the use of the second quote by Joseph Fielding Smith in my previous post, Misunderstanding Baptism for Salvation . To understand that post please first read, Understanding Baptism Line upon Line . The Prophet says a man may enter into the terrestrial or the telestial kingdom who has not been baptized with water and who has not in this life received these ordinances, but he can never enter into the celestial kingdom without complying with these eternal laws. Each kingdom, of course, is governed by laws. We have nothing to do with the laws of the telestial or terrestrial kingdoms, so far as the preaching of the gospel is concerned. Our mission is to preach the salvation of the kingdom of God, where he and Christ dwell, which is the celestial kingdom. And all of the principles of the gospel which have been given unto us pertain to the celestial kingdom. (DS p.25-26) The paraphrase of Joseph Smith is fairly accurately interpreted as to the meaning of wh...