Atonement Hell Judgement

How do Mormons believe that Christ paid for our sins? What is their belief about hell and judgement?

LDSaints believe that Jesus paid for our sins in two places. Although The Book of Mormon is clear that He was slain for our sins (no one was slain in Gethsemane, although a servant of the High Priest came close), they believe that Jesus suffered for our sins in the garden. They also believe that the cross had something to do with that payment.

This death did not cover only those that repented and came unto God through Christ. This atonement put in motion their plan of salvation that would, in the end, save all the works of His hands (with a few exceptions that won't be covered here).

Their ideas regarding hell is so problematic that you really cannot nail them down on exactly what that is. One would find out, by reading the Book of Mormon, that the sufferings of the wicked begins soon after death continues through the judgement and continues thereafter.

Alma 40:14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.

This state of soul, is described: "these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil". However, LDSaints have turned this outer darkness into a sort of gospel school where the wicked can learn the Gospel after rejecting it all their lives, during the state of probation. They can repent and even suffer for their own sins (like the Catholic Purgatory)! By repenting (even though the Book of Mormon clearly teaches that they can't repent) and believing and atoning for their unrepented of sins and accepting a baptism performed for them by proxy in temples, they can move over into paradise from hell to await the resurrection. Of course this ignores the Parable of Dives and Lazarus where nobody can pass from one place to another. This belief is held even though the Book of Mormon teaches that the wicked will remain in this darkness until the resurrection.

The judgement is not that terrible thing described in the Book of Mormon as being “awful”, striking dread in the hearts of the wicked who die in their sins. According to LDSaints, in the judgement, everyone will be able to choose where they want to spend eternity, taking that detail out of the hands of the Judge of the Quick and the Dead. They will pick a mansion in the house of God where they will be happy beyond comprehension. They will be among many that will knock on the door and, instead of being told to depart, will be allowed through any door they have selected for themselves. Of course this means that they will be glorified in one of three Kingdoms of God. Hell after the judgement consists of remorse that one did not qualify, by obedience to commandments, laws, covenants and ordinances, for a higher Kingdom.

And so the death of Christ only activated this plan. It is so effective that child rapists, murderers, cheats, liars and enemies of God who died in these sins can be glorified in the Kingdom of Heaven. They call this “the most loving plan” ever conceived. Indeed! They dwell only on the Love of God but cast off as irrelevant His Holiness (He can’t view sin with the least allowance) and His Justice (I will repay).

I have to point out for those who may reject the Book of Mormon because they think that this "plan" is derived from that book. The Book of Mormon proclaims from beginning to end against the plan as described above. LDS Professor Terryl L. Givens said:

"It has often been pointed out, however, that those beliefs most commonly associated with Mormonism are nowhere to be found in that text [the Book of Mormon]. Those expecting an exposition of peculiarly Mormon doctrine will be disappointed".

LDS Professor Richard L. Bushman stated, "Despite the effort that went into the translation, Joseph Smith did not make the book the foundation of the church".

Joseph Smith and the Living Oracles that followed him kinda made things up as they went, in other words.

I encourage all faithful Christians to put aside all your conclusions regarding the Book of Mormon and pick up a copy and read it for yourself. It will increase your faith in Christ Jesus and, therefore, will change your life.