The False Doctrine of Telestial Glory Detailed Out
I created a paragraph in a previous blog post titled, The False Doctrine of Telestial Glory, which is considered to be completely true by some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I created it as an exercise to see if you could spot what was false and what was true. If you haven't done that, go ahead and read it, then come back to this post after you have tested your own knowledge of the telestial kingdom.
The False Doctrine of Telestial Glory
In reality every sentence of the paragraph was false doctrine. I will outline the details here:
"Their are many who are wicked in this life, who will remain wicked after they die, never accepting Jesus, but not denying or rejecting the Holy Ghost."
This is false because all those who remain wicked, deny and reject the Holy Ghost in their wicked nature. The Holy Ghost does not dwell in unholy temples. For someone to choose wickedness, they inherently reject the Holy Ghost. I don't know where the idea came from that someone could be wicked and not reject the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost testifies of the Father and the Son. To have the Holy Ghost constantly with them they could not remain wicked or reject the Father or the Son.
"They will be capable of being saved, and be clean and spotless before God at the judgement day, because they will have paid the penalty of their transgressions, which alone cleanses them."
The idea that anyone can pay the penalty of their transgressions is mind-boggling in and of itself; but then to also assume that it could cleanse them, is a blatant denial of scripture and of Christ. What is the point of having an anointed savior if there are other ways of becoming clean from sin that do not include an atoning sacrifice? The wicked who follow Satan will suffer for their sins for eternity; why didn't their suffering cleanse them? Because they didn't repent while the hand of mercy was extended.
"They will do this by suffering the wrath of God and the vengeance of eternal fire for their own sins for a thousand years which will cleanse them and justify them before God."
This false concept is a repeat of the preceding sentence with the added justification. I do not know that being punished for our sins justifies us. Paying for them perhaps, which can only be done in full through the Redeemer, but not the punishment for them. The above argument can be extended, why do the wicked who follow Satan not become justified before God because of their sufferings and punishments? The same answer is true here.
"They will not rely on the sufferings, mercies or merits of Jesus because they rejected Him, His testimony, His gospel, His prophets, and His everlasting covenant in this life and the next."
Anyone who does not go through Christ in any way, or at any time, cannot be saved with any degree of glory. The scriptures only talk of one salvation and only one way to receive salvation.
"While remaining in their wicked state, yet being saved, they will receive a portion of God's glory, but certainly not a fullness."
This is a contradiction in and of itself. God does not give His glory to the wicked, as Isaiah mentions. The wicked cannot be saved. Where this idea came from is not scriptural.
"They will receive glory because they were not as wicked as the sons of perdition and yet they will still be in hell, incapable of being good."
This is a repeat of the false logic of the preceding sentence. Really? Some people think that because one bad person is not as bad as the worst that God will give them glory? This is not scriptural and is false.
"They will still be liars, sorcerers, adulterers, and whoremongers at heart and will have wicked hearts and intentions."
The idea that God saves liars and the like, in their sins, contradicts God's word and all scripture. Remember, those who go to the telestial kingdom are heirs of salvation, meaning they are saved in the kingdom of God. But they cannot be saved in their sins, Alma and Amulek made this abundantly clear.
"In their wickedness they will be able to stand in the presence of God the Holy Ghost, but not in the presence of God the Son or God the Father."
If this were true then the wicked and unclean could dwell in the presence of God, again contradicting the scriptures.
"They will be wicked servants of the Most High and receive ministering angels from those who do believe in Jesus in the terrestrial kingdom, yet they still will not accept Him."
Why would a wicked person who rejected Jesus be His servant or receive His servants?
The false logic of each of these sentences is describing those who go to what is conventionally called outer darkness after the resurrection. While those who go to the telestial kingdom will have to pay for their sins in ways that those who did not reject Christ in this life will not have to, it does not cleanse them. They can only be cleansed through the gospel of Jesus Christ, faith, repentance, and baptism, by being born again through the water, blood, and spirit and by relying on the merits and mercies of the Only Begotten of the Father. Once they have done this, they will be clean and worthy of glory, even the glory of God whose glory shines forth in brightness. Not a fullness of brightness, but for them that brightness is compared with the brightness of the stars.
"Their are many who are wicked in this life, who will remain wicked after they die, never accepting Jesus, but not denying or rejecting the Holy Ghost."
This is false because all those who remain wicked, deny and reject the Holy Ghost in their wicked nature. The Holy Ghost does not dwell in unholy temples. For someone to choose wickedness, they inherently reject the Holy Ghost. I don't know where the idea came from that someone could be wicked and not reject the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost testifies of the Father and the Son. To have the Holy Ghost constantly with them they could not remain wicked or reject the Father or the Son.
"They will be capable of being saved, and be clean and spotless before God at the judgement day, because they will have paid the penalty of their transgressions, which alone cleanses them."
The idea that anyone can pay the penalty of their transgressions is mind-boggling in and of itself; but then to also assume that it could cleanse them, is a blatant denial of scripture and of Christ. What is the point of having an anointed savior if there are other ways of becoming clean from sin that do not include an atoning sacrifice? The wicked who follow Satan will suffer for their sins for eternity; why didn't their suffering cleanse them? Because they didn't repent while the hand of mercy was extended.
"They will do this by suffering the wrath of God and the vengeance of eternal fire for their own sins for a thousand years which will cleanse them and justify them before God."
This false concept is a repeat of the preceding sentence with the added justification. I do not know that being punished for our sins justifies us. Paying for them perhaps, which can only be done in full through the Redeemer, but not the punishment for them. The above argument can be extended, why do the wicked who follow Satan not become justified before God because of their sufferings and punishments? The same answer is true here.
"They will not rely on the sufferings, mercies or merits of Jesus because they rejected Him, His testimony, His gospel, His prophets, and His everlasting covenant in this life and the next."
Anyone who does not go through Christ in any way, or at any time, cannot be saved with any degree of glory. The scriptures only talk of one salvation and only one way to receive salvation.
"While remaining in their wicked state, yet being saved, they will receive a portion of God's glory, but certainly not a fullness."
This is a contradiction in and of itself. God does not give His glory to the wicked, as Isaiah mentions. The wicked cannot be saved. Where this idea came from is not scriptural.
"They will receive glory because they were not as wicked as the sons of perdition and yet they will still be in hell, incapable of being good."
This is a repeat of the false logic of the preceding sentence. Really? Some people think that because one bad person is not as bad as the worst that God will give them glory? This is not scriptural and is false.
"They will still be liars, sorcerers, adulterers, and whoremongers at heart and will have wicked hearts and intentions."
The idea that God saves liars and the like, in their sins, contradicts God's word and all scripture. Remember, those who go to the telestial kingdom are heirs of salvation, meaning they are saved in the kingdom of God. But they cannot be saved in their sins, Alma and Amulek made this abundantly clear.
"In their wickedness they will be able to stand in the presence of God the Holy Ghost, but not in the presence of God the Son or God the Father."
If this were true then the wicked and unclean could dwell in the presence of God, again contradicting the scriptures.
"They will be wicked servants of the Most High and receive ministering angels from those who do believe in Jesus in the terrestrial kingdom, yet they still will not accept Him."
Why would a wicked person who rejected Jesus be His servant or receive His servants?
The false logic of each of these sentences is describing those who go to what is conventionally called outer darkness after the resurrection. While those who go to the telestial kingdom will have to pay for their sins in ways that those who did not reject Christ in this life will not have to, it does not cleanse them. They can only be cleansed through the gospel of Jesus Christ, faith, repentance, and baptism, by being born again through the water, blood, and spirit and by relying on the merits and mercies of the Only Begotten of the Father. Once they have done this, they will be clean and worthy of glory, even the glory of God whose glory shines forth in brightness. Not a fullness of brightness, but for them that brightness is compared with the brightness of the stars.
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