Joseph’s desire for salvation led him to search for the true Church of Jesus Christ, believing it was the only path to eternal salvation in the kingdom of heaven. Courtesy of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

ABSTRACT: As the Prophet Joseph Smith sought answers to profound questions concerning salvation and the afterlife, he received instruction through a series of visions. This article explores Joseph Smith’s evolving understanding of salvation as revealed through key visions, including the First Vision, encounters with angelic beings, and revelations on the kingdoms of glory and salvation for the dead. These visions unfolded a comprehensive doctrine of salvation rooted in faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. They also expanded the concept of salvation to include kingdoms of glory and salvation for the dead, making a degree of salvation in heaven possible for nearly everyone. These profound truths invite us to contemplate the greatness of God’s plan and the scope and magnitude of the salvation made available through our Savior Jesus Christ.

KEYWORDS: salvation, kingdoms of glory, salvation for the dead, First Vision, Joseph Smith

“Men of the present time testify of heaven and hell, and have never seen either; and I will say that no man knows these things without [revelation].” —Joseph Smith[1]

Unlike his contemporary professors of religion, Joseph Smith saw heaven and hell in vision and knew of these things by direct revelation. The restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ began with the young Joseph seeking to know how to be saved in the kingdom of heaven, and it continued as he sought further light and knowledge on this essential topic. As he asked in faith, God answered, revealing these truths through a series of visions. These visions were received throughout his life and gradually expanded his understanding of the Savior Jesus Christ and the scope, degree, and magnitude of eternal salvation. This firsthand knowledge makes the Prophet Joseph Smith the greatest modern expert on the doctrine of salvation.

In this article I will briefly examine these key visions of salvation and trace the development of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s understanding of this doctrine to provide an overview of this important topic. Although there are various meanings of the term salvation,[2] I will speak of salvation as inheriting a heavenly kingdom of glory in the next life. Although the Prophet Joseph’s understanding of heaven was initially limited, it expanded to include multiple kingdoms of glory and concluded with the realization that, eventually, almost everyone will be saved in a level of glory in heaven. As President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “All will be resurrected and proceed to the Final Judgment of the Lord Jesus Christ. There, our loving Savior, who, we are taught, ‘glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands,’ will send all the children of God to one of these kingdoms of glory according to the desires manifested through their choices.”[3]

The First Vision

The First Vision was a vision of salvation. Although we often summarize Joseph’s original question as “Which Church is true?” (Joseph Smith—History 1:10), in reality he wanted much more than to simply identify a correct organization to join. In his personal history he explained, “At about the age of twelve years, my mind became seriously impressed with regard to the all-important concerns for the welfare of my immortal soul. . . . My mind became exceedingly distressed, for I became convicted of my sins.”[4] Similarly, Orson Pratt reported that Joseph wanted to know how to prepare himself for the next life and that he believed the “salvation of his soul depended” on him finding out.[5] Joseph’s understanding of salvation at this point in his life was simple and limited to the idea of being forgiven of sins so one could be permitted to live with God in heaven. As Joseph searched for this, he learned many truths[6] about how to gain this salvation.

The Bible is the word of God, but it is not sufficient in finding salvation

In his search for salvation, Joseph turned to the Bible “believing, as [he] was taught, that [it] contained the word of God.”[7] He soon confirmed that belief, because when he read James 1:5, its promise entered “with great force into every feeling of [his] heart,” urging him to “ask of God” directly to find the answers he was seeking (JS—H 1:12–13).

As helpful as the Bible was in pointing him to God, this experience taught Joseph that the Bible alone was not sufficient in helping him find salvation. He had observed the preachers of the different churches using the Bible to “establish their own tenets and disprove all others” (JS—H 1:9) and described these missionary efforts as a “war of words and tumult of opinions” (v. 10). He concluded that he could never find salvation from the Bible alone because “the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible” (v. 12). As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained, “Clearly the Bible, so frequently described at that time as ‘common ground,’ was nothing of the kind—unfortunately it was a battleground.”[8]

It was because of this confusion and contention over biblical interpretation that Joseph realized he needed to “ask of God” (v. 13) to find his answer. He needed “more wisdom than [he] then had” (v. 12). In other words, he needed more revelation to find salvation. And gratefully, more revelation would be received through the Restoration.

Salvation requires revelation

Under these circumstances, Joseph Smith decided to ask of God. In his own words he described what happened in answer to his prayer: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JS—H 1:16–17).

In this moment Joseph Smith received direct revelation from God and learned that the path to salvation requires such current revelation. He would later observe that “salvation cannot come without revelation” [9] and “there is no salvation between the two lids of the Bible without a legal administrator,” [10] meaning an authorized prophet receiving revelation.

The doctrine that the Bible alone is not sufficient and that modern revelation is essential to guide us to salvation is a teaching that sets Latter-day Saints apart from all other churches. As Elder Holland taught, “The scriptures are not the ultimate source of knowledge for Latter-day Saints. They are manifestations of the ultimate source. The ultimate source of knowledge and authority for a Latter-day Saint is the living God. The communication of those gifts comes from God as living, vibrant, divine revelation. This doctrine lies at the very heart of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”[11]

Not only is current revelation required for salvation, but Joseph learned that everyone can receive it. If they ask of God, they can receive personal revelation to know for themselves the true path of salvation. He observed, “I had found the testimony of James to be true—that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain” (JS—H 1:26). This confidence in everyone’s ability to receive personal revelation to confirm the modern revelation God gives to his prophets is another distinguishing feature of Christ’s restored church.

Salvation comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

In the First Vision, Joseph saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and heard the resurrected Savior declare, “Joseph, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. . . . Behold, I am the Lord of glory. I was crucified for the world, that all who believe on my name may have eternal life.”[12] From this profound experience, Joseph learned that the first and foundational principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Articles of Faith 1:4) and that salvation, or “eternal life,” comes to “all those who believe on [his] name.”[13] President Henry B. Eyring explained the significance of this when he taught, “That moment [was] when Joseph Smith learned there was a way for the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to be unlocked fully. Because of what Joseph saw and what began at this moment . . . all who live [can] have the benefit of Jesus Christ’s Atonement work in our lives. . . . I know He lives. I know Joseph Smith saw Him, and I know that because He lives and because Joseph Smith looked up and saw Him and because He sent other messengers, you and I may have the thing that the Prophet Joseph wanted as he went to the grove: to know, not just to hope, that our sins can be washed away.”[14]

The path to salvation had been lost

Joseph’s desire for salvation led him to search for the true Church of Jesus Christ (JS—H 1:10), believing that it was the only path to eternal salvation in the kingdom of heaven. As he explained, “When about fourteen years of age, I began to reflect upon the importance of being prepared for a future state, and upon inquiring [about] the plan of salvation, I [found] that there was a great clash in religious sentiment. If I went to one society they referred me to one plan, and another to another, each one pointing to his own particular creed as the summum bonum of perfection. Considering that all could not be right, and that God could not be the author of so much confusion, I determined to investigate the subject more fully, believing that if God had a church it would not be split up into factions, and that if he taught one society to worship one way, and administer in one set of ordinances, he would not teach another principles which were diametrically opposed.”[15]

These feelings and concerns were confirmed in the First Vision when Jesus Christ taught him that “none of [these churches] was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom; and I was expressly commanded to ‘go not after them,’ at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness of the gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.” [16] In a powerful response to the commonly held view that all Christian churches lead to salvation, Jesus Christ commanded Joseph to “join none of them” (JS—H 1:19) because Christ’s church, and the path to salvation that it offered, had been lost from the earth.

These are just a few of the fundamental doctrines of salvation that Joseph Smith learned from the First Vision. After this experience of seeking and finding, he knew by direct revelation that Jesus Christ is the Savior, that salvation comes only to those who have faith in him, and that his church offering the path to salvation was no longer found on the earth.

The Vision of Moroni

A vision is defined simply as a “visual revelation” and includes revelations seen in one’s mind as well as personal appearances from divine beings.[17] A few years after Joseph Smith’s First Vision, or “visitation,”[18] he had his second vision, the appearance of the angel Moroni. He later recorded that the Lord “showed unto me a heavenly vision. For behold, an angel of the Lord [Moroni] came and stood before me.”[19] As with the First Vision, this vision came as a result of seeking salvation.

Gaining salvation: A process of continual repentance

Despite being “called of God” as he had previously been in the First Vision, Joseph still fell into “many foolish errors,” demonstrating the “weakness of youth” (JS—H 1:28). As a result, he explained, “I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections,” which caused him to again approach God seeking “forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him . . . as I previously had one” (v. 29). In answer to his prayer, Moroni appeared to him and explained that Joseph was called of God to translate the Book of Mormon, which contains the “fulness of the everlasting Gospel” (v. 34).

One principle this experience taught Joseph was that gaining salvation and maintaining a remission of sins was a process, not an event. Contrary to the popular notion that one can be declared “saved” simply by a one-time confession of faith in Christ, Joseph learned that salvation required sustained obedience and regular repentance. Even though he had seen God and been told his sins were forgiven, Joseph still needed to continue to repent if he was to attain salvation in the kingdom of heaven.[20] He also learned that because it contained the fullness of the gospel, the Book of Mormon would be a guide to him in repenting and coming unto Christ and salvation.

The Vision of John the Baptist

The Book of Mormon functioned as something of a handbook on salvation for Joseph Smith, and he learned many important truths as he translated it. Among the most important was what he learned while translating “the account of the Savior’s ministry” to the Nephites.[21] Jesus Christ taught that “whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they . . . shall inherit the kingdom of God” (3 Nephi 11:33). Joseph understood from the Book of Mormon that baptism is essential to salvation and that this ordinance serves as the gate (2 Nephi 31:9) to the heavenly kingdom of God.

Baptism by priesthood authority essential to salvation

Inspired by this knowledge, Joseph followed the pattern that had worked before: he “went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord” on the subject (JS—H 1:68). In response God sent the angel John the Baptist to confer the “priesthood of Aaron” with the authority to administer “baptism by immersion for the remission of sins” (v. 69). From this experience Joseph learned in vision that there are ordinances essential for salvation and that they must be performed by proper priesthood authority to be valid. With the authority to baptize—delivered by the very man who baptized Jesus Christ himself—Joseph could now receive and administer this saving ordinance. This was a major step forward in his personal journey to find salvation.

The Vision of Peter, James, and John

When the angel John the Baptist conferred the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith, he explained that this authority “had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this power should be conferred on us hereafter” (JS—H 1:70). The stewards of this higher priesthood authority, Joseph was informed, were “Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on us” (v. 72).

The gift of the Holy Ghost is essential to salvation

The implication of John the Baptist’s instruction about the Holy Ghost is that the priesthood ordinance of baptism by water is not enough where eternal salvation and a full remission of sins are concerned. One must also receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Explaining this principle later in his life, Joseph Smith taught, “Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.”[22] Joseph learned this principle in vision from the angels John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John.

Christ’s church administers salvation

Although many today have lost confidence in “organized religion,”[23] Joseph learned about the importance of an organized Church of Jesus Christ when the three ancient Apostles conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon him. John the Baptist had explained to him that after the higher priesthood was conferred he would have the authority to be the “first Elder of the Church” (JS—H 1:72).[24] This means that the priesthood and keys given by Peter, James, and John would authorize him to lead Christ’s church, just as these Apostles had done anciently. The restored Church of Jesus Christ was to be organized by this priesthood authority, and with it Joseph and others could “teach the gospel and administer the ordinances of salvation” that had just been restored.[25] In effect, this church would function as “the Atonement delivery system” so that “all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel”[26] that Christ’s church alone administers by priesthood authority (Doctrine and Covenants 84:19).

It is interesting to note that through these visionary experiences Joseph Smith was powerfully and sequentially taught about the first principles of the gospel.[27] From the First Vision, he came to better understand faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. From the vision of the angel Moroni, he learned about the process of continual repentance. From the vision of John the Baptist, he learned more about baptism for a remission of sins as a necessary ordinance of salvation. Finally, from the vision of Peter, James, and John, he learned about the gift of the Holy Ghost and confirmation as a member of Christ’s church. When Joseph Smith summarized the first principles and ordinances of the gospel in the fourth article of faith, he was speaking from the knowledge he gained by personal experience with divine beings who taught him these principles in visionary visitations.

The Vision of the Savior and Kingdoms of Glory

Joseph Smith’s understanding of the scope and magnitude of salvation in the kingdom of heaven would expand dramatically through a vision recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76. While translating the Bible by revelation, Joseph felt inspired to make a small change to the text of John 5:29.[28] Unsure about the meaning of the change, Joseph and his scribe Sidney Rigdon began to marvel and ponder about it (vv. 18–19). As they did, “the Lord touched the eyes of [their] understandings . . . and they beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, . . . and heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father” (vv. 19–20, 23). Not only did this vision affirm Jesus Christ’s divine sonship and relationship to God, but it also revealed the staggering magnitude and scope of the salvation that our Savior provides.

This vision of salvation begins with an explanation of the relatively few who will not ultimately be saved by Jesus Christ, referring to them as the “sons of perdition” (v. 32). These are those “who know my power and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power” (v. 31). Explaining how one becomes a son of perdition, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “he must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against him: after a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost there is no repentance for him; he has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it—he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. . . . He gets the spirit of the Devil—the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of life—the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost. You cannot save such persons—you cannot bring them to repentance; they make open war like the devil and awful is the consequence.”[29] Because they have completely rejected their Savior after he has saved them, there is “no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come” (v. 34).

Jesus Christ saves all but perdition

The vision of the sons of perdition sets the stage for the dramatic announcement that follows: “And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—that he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; that through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him; who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him. Wherefore, he saves all except them” (vv. 40–44).[30]

That is the “glad tidings,” literally the “good news,” of this vision! All will be saved. Salvation, in this sense, is universal. Except those few who become perdition, every loved one we have, every person we care about, and everyone we will ever meet[31] will be saved by Jesus Christ in a kingdom of heaven. As this vision will reveal next, they will not all be saved in the same kingdom of glory, but they will all eventually be saved to a degree of salvation and a level of glory in heaven. This is among the most loving and merciful doctrines ever revealed. As President Russell M. Nelson explained, “We know that God loves His children so much that . . . ‘all the children of God’—with the fewest of exceptions—will ‘wind up in a kingdom of glory.’ Just think of it! Our Father created kingdoms of glory—telestial, terrestrial, and celestial—to provide a glorious place for His children.”[32]

Those who obey Christ’s gospel will be saved in the celestial kingdom

Those who inherit the celestial, or highest, degree of glory are described as having “received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, . . . that by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands” (vv. 51–52). This is a description of the first principles and ordinances of the gospel listed in the fourth article of faith. Because the third article of faith states that obedience to these laws and ordinances is necessary to be “saved,” this reveals that when the scriptures speak of salvation, they are usually speaking specifically of salvation in the celestial kingdom and not any of the lesser kingdoms.[33] Through Jesus Christ, celestial salvation will be given to all who faithfully obey these first principles of the gospel.

Additional revelation would expand Joseph’s understanding of the celestial kingdom, teaching him that within that kingdom there are also “three heavens or degrees” and that the “new and everlasting covenant of marriage” is an essential ordinance to receive exaltation in the highest degree of celestial glory (Doctrine and Covenants 131:1, 2).[34] In fact, higher ordinances for exaltation are hinted at in section 76 where it mentions being “sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise” in verse 53 (associated with temple marriage, 132:7, 19), “priests and kings” in verse 56 (associated with the temple endowment), and “priests . . . after the order of Melchizedek” in verse 57 (associated with Melchizedek Priesthood ordination).

For those who obey Christ’s gospel, including repentance when they fall short, the promise in section 76 is that in the celestial kingdom “they are gods, even the sons of God—wherefore, all things are theirs . . . and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things. . . . These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever” (vv. 58–60, 62). That is God’s ultimate promise and blessing, and it should inspire us. As President Nelson explained, “These truths ought to prompt your ultimate sense of FOMO—or fear of missing out. You have the potential to reach the celestial kingdom. The ultimate FOMO would be missing out on the celestial kingdom, settling for a lesser kingdom because here on earth you chose only to live the laws of a lesser kingdom.”[35]

Some get concerned about their own inadequacy and assume that a person must be perfect in this life to inherit the celestial kingdom and receive these great blessings, but the Lord has assured us that this is not the case. Celestial glory is attainable for all “who are just men [or women] made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement” (v. 69; emphasis added). The term just often means “righteous” in the scriptures.[36] This verse is explaining that the standard to enter the celestial kingdom is righteousness, not perfection. The promise is that those who faithfully strive to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, although far from perfect in this life,[37] will eventually be “made perfect,” not by their own power but through the “perfect atonement” of Jesus Christ. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained, Jesus Christ’s command to his followers to “be ye therefore perfect” (Matthew 5:48) will not be fulfilled in this life, but it will be “eventually.”[38]

This is what the Prophet Joseph Smith referred to when he taught, “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.”[39]

Although the doctrine of salvation is often presented as a transactional result of obedience to God’s laws, [40] these teachings help us see that through Christ’s Atonement our obedience becomes transformational. We become perfect through Jesus Christ (Doctrine and Covenants 76:69). As President Dallin H. Oaks has taught, “We must act and think so that we are converted by [the gospel]. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.”[41] Through the strengthening and sanctifying power of Christ’s perfect atonement, we can become like God and belong with him in his kingdom.[42]

Those who live honorable lives will inherit the terrestrial kingdom

Those who inherit a terrestrial kingdom are generally described in the revelation as “honorable” people who were “blinded by the craftiness of men” (v. 75) so that they did not live the higher law that would qualify them for the celestial kingdom. This includes those who “received not the testimony of Jesus” when it was taught to them “in the flesh, but afterwards received it” when they heard it preached again in the postmortal spirit world (v. 74).[43] It will also include members of Christ’s church who were “not valiant in the testimony of Jesus” (v. 79).[44] These too are saved by Jesus Christ and rewarded for their honorable works with a kingdom of glory that differs from the celestial “as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament. . . . These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness. These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father” (vv. 71, 76–77). As President Oaks noted, the terrestrial kingdom is the heaven most Christians envision “because it has the presence of the Son.”[45]

Those who repent after suffering for their sins will inherit the telestial kingdom

Those who inherit the telestial kingdom are characterized in the vision by their sins. “These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie” (v. 103). Those who live a life of lying, cheating, stealing, and sexual immorality are “as innumerable as the stars” (v. 109) and will face the consequences of their disobedience to divine law because they were unwilling to repent and receive the gospel. The revelation states that “these are they who are cast down to hell [in the spirit world] and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times” (v. 106). Fortunately, after suffering for sin, “these all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne” (v. 110). In other words, they will eventually repent to a degree and therefore receive a degree of salvation in the telestial kingdom.

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that “those who enter into the telestial kingdom . . . are the ungodly, the filthy who suffer the wrath of God on the earth, who are thrust down to hell where they will be required to pay the uttermost farthing before their redemption comes. . . . Nevertheless, even these are heirs of salvation, but before they are redeemed and enter into their kingdom, they must repent of their sins . . . and bow the knee, and acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world.”[46]

As a testament to God’s perfect love and mercy, the revelation in section 76 states that after these people bow the knee and confess to Christ, they will receive a telestial glory that “surpasses all understanding” (v. 89). However, lest we be tempted to settle for this lesser kingdom, the revelation is quick to add that “the glory of the celestial . . . excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever” (v. 92).

Gradation of salvation based on laws we choose to live

The Prophet Joseph Smith’s vision of kingdoms of glory greatly expanded the magnitude and meaning of salvation. Through it, Joseph learned that basically everyone will eventually be forgiven of their sins and ultimately saved in a kingdom of heaven. He also learned that salvation ranges from this generic salvation to full exaltation as “gods” in the celestial kingdom. This gradation of salvation based on the laws we choose to live reveals God’s perfect justice and mercy. Because he is just, there are laws—a divinely ordained standard—one must meet to inherit a kingdom (Doctrine and Covenants 88:21–24). Because he is merciful, there are lesser laws and rewards so that we all can enjoy the degree of salvation and kingdom of glory that we are “willing to receive” (v. 32).

Ultimately, we decide which kingdom of glory we will inherit. As President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “During this life we get to choose which laws we are willing to obey—those of the celestial kingdom, or the terrestrial, or the telestial—and, therefore, in which kingdom of glory we will live forever.”[47] In this sense, we are our “own judges” (Alma 41:7), deciding which kingdom of glory we will receive in heaven by deciding which divine laws we are willing to live on earth.[48]

The Vision of Salvation for the Dead

Another vision that greatly expanded Joseph’s understanding of the scope of salvation was one he received in the Kirtland Temple and recorded in section 137 of the Doctrine and Covenants. In it he saw “the Father and the Son” seated on their throne in the celestial kingdom of God (vv. 1–3). He also described seeing “Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother” (v. 5), giving him an early glimpse at the doctrine of eternal families in heaven. But what surprised him was whom he saw next. “I saw . . . my brother Alvin, that has long since slept” (v. 5).

By seeing his own living father and mother in the celestial kingdom,[49] Joseph knew that he was seeing a vision of the future. What surprised him about seeing his brother Alvin was that he “had not been baptized for a remission of sins” before he died (v. 6). Joseph knew from his previous vision of kingdoms of glory that baptism was essential to enter the celestial kingdom (76:51). Although Joseph would have understood that Alvin would not spend eternity in hell for not being baptized (as one preacher intimated at Alvin’s funeral),[50] he likely would have assumed that his brother would be saved in the terrestrial kingdom due to the honorable life he had lived.[51] Seeing him in the future celestial kingdom forced Joseph to reconsider this assumption and “[marvel] how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom” (137:6).

Those who would have obeyed the gospel on earth will also inherit the celestial kingdom

As Joseph marveled, the voice of the Lord spoke and expanded his understanding with these words: “All that shall die . . . without a knowledge of [the gospel], who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of [the celestial] kingdom” (v. 8). The way we “receive” the gospel is by obeying the first principles and ordinances, including baptism. To do so with “all [our] hearts” requires us to faithfully endure to the end. In this original revelation announcing the doctrine of salvation for the dead, the Lord made clear that this new doctrine is not intended to contradict previous revelations. The basic standard revealed in section 76 for entering the celestial kingdom is to obey the first principles and ordinances of the gospel and faithfully endure to the end. What this added to Joseph’s understanding (and adds to ours) is that those who “would have” done these same things in mortality if they had the opportunity will also be eligible for the celestial kingdom.[52] This is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. It applies the same universal standard to everyone. God alone in his infinite wisdom and knowledge knows what we “would have” done in mortality and will judge us by “[our] works, according to the desires of [our] hearts” (v. 9).

Elaborating on this principle, President Nelson taught, “This life really is the time when you get to decide what kind of life you want to live forever. Now is your time ‘to prepare to meet God.’ Mortal lifetime is hardly a nanosecond compared with eternity. But, my dear brothers and sisters, what a crucial nanosecond it is! During this life we get to choose which laws we are willing to obey—those of the celestial kingdom, or the terrestrial, or the telestial—and, therefore, in which kingdom of glory we will live forever.”[53] This helps us better understand Peter’s teachings that the dead will be “judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6). Even those who receive the gospel in the spirit world will still be judged by what they would have done with it in the flesh.

This vision dramatically expanded Joseph Smith’s understanding of how many would be saved in the celestial kingdom. Historically, there have been so many who have lived and died without the opportunity to receive the gospel but likely would have faithfully received it under different circumstances. These all will be saved in the celestial kingdom. Subsequent revelations would teach Joseph about the role of vicarious baptism and confirmation in this process (Doctrine and Covenants 124:29), but this vision laid the foundation for the celestial salvation of the dead and gives us hope of seeing our family members, like Alvin, in that kingdom.

Little children who die will be saved in the celestial kingdom

The vision that the Prophet Joseph received in the Kirtland Temple also confirmed that “all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven” (137:10). Historically, it is estimated that half of earth’s population died as children,[54] and all these will be saved by Jesus Christ in the celestial kingdom.[55] Adding this to the already-expanded understanding this vision gave of salvation for the dead, it is no wonder that the inhabitants of the celestial kingdom are described as “innumerable” (76:67).

Expounding on this hopeful topic later in life, “Joseph Smith taught the doctrine that the infant child that was laid away in death would come up in the resurrection as a child; and, pointing to the mother of a lifeless child, he said to her: ‘You will have the joy, the pleasure, and satisfaction of nurturing this child, after its resurrection, until it reaches the full stature of its spirit.’” To this President Joseph F. Smith added, “There is restitution, there is growth, there is development, after the resurrection from death. I love this truth. It speaks volumes of happiness, of joy and gratitude to my soul. Thank the Lord he has revealed these principles to us.”[56]

Some have wondered if little children will have the opportunity to receive temple ordinances in the future so that they can receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Responding to this question, President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, “The Lord will grant unto these children the privilege of all the sealing blessings which pertain to the exaltation. . . . When they grow, after the resurrection, to the full maturity of the spirit, they will be entitled to all the blessings which they would have been entitled to had they been privileged to tarry here and receive them.”[57]

Conclusion

The Prophet Joseph Smith once declared, “Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.”[58] Joseph Smith had the privilege of gazing into heaven many times in his life as the Lord used visions to instruct him on the doctrine of salvation. Through these visions he learned many truths, including those principles that this article has sought to identify and explain. Some of the most salient of the truths he learned are that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, administered by Christ’s church, are necessary for the salvation he sought. He learned that through Jesus Christ all but a few will be saved in a degree of salvation and a kingdom of heaven, with those who abide the celestial law becoming like God. He learned that those who would have received the gospel in mortality had they had the opportunity will be treated as if they had done so and will inherit a celestial glory. Similarly, he learned that all little children who die will also be saved in the celestial kingdom.

Through these visions, Joseph Smith saw the grandeur of the Savior and God’s plan of salvation. He saw that Jesus Christ saves practically everyone. He saves Saints and even sinners who eventually repent, individuals and families, living and dead, young and old. He saw that the Atonement of Jesus Christ truly is infinite and eternal. These visions invite us to see these things too. Through the eyes of the Prophet Joseph Smith, we can catch a glimpse of our salvation and see how great is our God and how amazing is our Savior.

Notes

[1] Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007), 195.

[2] See “Salvation,” Topics and Questions, www.churchofjesuschrist.org; and Dallin H. Oaks, “Have You Been Saved?,” April 1998 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[3] Dallin H. Oaks, “Kingdoms of Glory,” October 2023 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org. The quoted scripture is from Doctrine and Covenants 76:43.

[4] History, circa Summer 1832, 1–2, www.josephsmithpapers.org; spelling, capitalization, and punctuation modernized for all JSP citations herein.

[5] Appendix: Orson Pratt, A[n] Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions, 1840, [3], www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[6] For more on the First Vision, see BYU Studies 59, no. 2 ( 2020); Steven C. Harper, Joseph Smith’s First Vision: A Guide to the Historical Accounts (Deseret Book, 2012); and Harper, First Vision: Memory and Mormon Origins (Oxford University Press, 2019).

[7] History, circa Summer 1832, 2.

[8] Jeffrey R. Holland, “My Words . . . Never Cease,” April 2008 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[9] Teachings: Joseph Smith, 195.

[10] Teachings: Joseph Smith, 85.

[11] Holland, “My Words . . . Never Cease.”

[12] History, circa Summer 1832, 3.

[13] History, circa Summer 1832, 3.

[14] Henry B. Eyring, “Remarks Given at the Unveiling Ceremony of ‘The Vision,’” Religious Education History, Brigham Young University, 66–68. As quoted in Daniel J. Fairbanks, “The Arts, the Sciences, and the Light of the Gospel,” Brigham Young University devotional, May 2, 2000, https://speeches.byu.edu; and Steven C. Harper, “First Vision-Based Christology and Praxis for Anxious Teens,” in How and What You Worship: Christology and Praxis in the Revelations of Joseph Smith, ed. Rachel Cope, Carter Charles, and Jordan T. Watkins (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Deseret Book), 1‒10.

[15] “Church History,” 1 March 1842, 706, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[16] “Church History,” 1 March 1842, 707.

[17] “Vision,” Guide to the Scriptures, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[18] Journal, 1835–1836, 37, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[19] History, circa Summer 1832, 4.

[20] This was a lesson Joseph repeatedly learned as he continued to be refined through repentance while preparing himself over the ensuing years to retrieve the plates. See Steven C. Harper, “Moroni, Visits to Joseph Smith,” in The Pearl of Great Price Reference Companion, ed. Dennis L. Largey (2017), 212–16.

[21] See Oliver Cowdery’s account in JS—H 1:71, note. See also Latter-day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate 1, no. 1 (October 1834): 14–16.

[22] Teachings: Joseph Smith, 95.

[23] Frank Newport, “Why Are Americans Losing Confidence in Organized Religion?,” Gallup, July 16, 2019, https://news.gallup.com.

[24] For more on Joseph Smith’s role as first elder, see Doctrine and Covenants 20:2; 28:2; 43:4.

[25] See the introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants.

[26] Dale G. Renlund, as quoted in Jason Swenson, “God Is ‘Mindful About Establishing the Church,’ Says Elder Dale G. Renlund During 2016 Seminar for New Mission Presidents,” Church News, June 30, 2016, www.thechurchnews.com.

[27] Richard E. Bennett, “Joseph Smith and the First Principles of the Gospel,” Religious Educator 11, no. 2 (2010): 11–29.

[28] Joseph was inspired to change the phrase “resurrection of life” to “resurrection of the just” and “resurrection of damnation” to “resurrection of the unjust” (Joseph Smith Translation, John 5:29).

[29] History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 (1 July 1843–30 April 1844), 1976, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[30] And this almost universal salvation includes the inhabitants of other worlds, according to Doctrine and Covenants 76:24.

[31] Most of us will probably never personally know someone who qualifies to be perdition. President Dallin H. Oaks explained that “all the children of God—with exceptions too limited to consider here—will ultimately inherit one of three kingdoms of glory.” Oaks, “Kingdoms of Glory.”

[32] Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity,” worldwide devotional for young adults, May 2022, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[33] “Salvation means eternal life; the two terms are synonymous; they mean exactly the same thing. . . . I know of only three passages in all our scriptures which use salvation to mean something other and less than exaltation.” Bruce R. McConkie, “The Salvation of Little Children,” Ensign, April 1977, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[34] See Russell M. Nelson, “Celestial Marriage,” October 2008 general conference; and Oaks, “Kingdoms of Glory.”

[35] Nelson, “Choices for Eternity.”

[36] “Righteous, Righteousness,” Guide to the Scriptures, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[37] “Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though is far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom.” Bruce R. McConkie, “The Probationary Test of Mortality,” address given at the University of Utah Institute of Religion, January 10, 1982, https://www.ldsscriptureteachings.org/2018/07/5867-2/.

[38] Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” October 2017 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[39] Teachings: Joseph Smith, 268. See Dallin H. Oaks, “The Godhead and the Plan of Salvation,” April 2017 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[40] For example, “all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3), “any blessing from God” comes “by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:21), and “he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory” (88:22).

[41] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32.

[42] “Our covenants are not merely transactional; they are transformational. Through my covenants I receive sanctifying, strengthening power of Jesus Christ, which allows me to become a new person, to forgive what seems unforgivable, to overcome the impossible.” Joaquin E. Costa, “The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day,” October 2023 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[43] This interpretation is consistent with prophetic teachings. See Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. (Deseret Book, 1979), 2:209; True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2004), 94; Bruce R. McConkie, “A New Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred!,” Ensign, August 1976, www.churchofjesuschrist.org; Melvin J. Ballard, Three Degrees of Glory: A Discourse by Melvin J. Ballard (Deseret Book, 1922); Joseph Smith and W. W. Phelps, “A Vision,” Times and Seasons 4, no. 6 (February 1, 1843): 82–85; Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Deseret Book, 1969), 249; Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2010), 90, 92; and Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, chap. 3, lesson 2, “Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation.”

[44] “Kingdoms of Glory,” in True to the Faith, 92–95; see Quentin L. Cook, “Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus,” October 2016 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org; and D. Todd Christofferson, “The Testimony of Jesus,” April 2024 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[45] Dallin H. Oaks, “Apostasy and Restoration,” April 1995 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[46] Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings of Joseph Fielding Smith, ed. Bruce R. McConkie (Bookcraft, 1955), 2:22.

[47] Nelson, “Choices for Eternity.”

[48] “Your choices will determine where you will live throughout eternity, the kind of body with which you will be resurrected, and those with whom you will live forever.” Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial,” October 2023 general conference, www.churchofjesuschrist,org.

[49] Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2018), 233.

[50] Saints, 1:28.

[51] To learn more about Alvin’s faithfulness, see Saints, 1:26–28.

[52] See Preach My Gospel, chap. 3, lesson 2, “Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation,” which states: “This [celestial] kingdom will also include people who did not have the opportunity to receive the gospel during their mortal life but ‘would have received it with all their hearts’ and did so in the spirit world (Doctrine and Covenants 137:8; see also verse 7).”

[53] Nelson, “Choices for Eternity.”

[54] Saloni Dattani et al., “Child and Infant Mortality,” Our World in Date (website), 2023, https://ourworldindata.org/child-mortality.

[55] Mark A. Mathews, “The Salvation of Little Children Who Die: What We Do and Don’t Know,” Liahona, July 2021.

[56] Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1998), 132.

[57] Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:54.

[58] Teachings: Joseph Smith, 419.