Spiritual death is separation from God. The scriptures
teach of two sources of spiritual death. The first source is the
Fall, and the second is our own disobedience.
The Book of Mormon prophet Samuel taught, “All
mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence
of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal
and to things spiritual” (Helaman 14:16). During our life
on the earth, we are separated from God’s presence. Through
the Atonement, Jesus Christ redeems everyone from this spiritual
death. Samuel testified that the Savior’s Resurrection
“redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual
death. . . . Behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind,
yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the
presence of the Lord” (Helaman 14:16–17). The prophet Lehi
taught that because of the Atonement, “all men come unto
God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be
judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in
him” (2 Nephi 2:10).
Further spiritual death comes as a result of our own disobedience.
Our sins make us unclean and unable to dwell in
the presence of God (see Romans 3:23; Alma 12:12–16, 32;
Helaman 14:18; Moses 6:57). Through the Atonement, Jesus
Christ offers redemption from this spiritual death, but only
when we exercise faith in Him, repent of our sins, and obey
the principles and ordinances of the gospel (see Alma
13:27–30; Helaman 14:19; Articles of Faith 1:3).
Additional references: 1 Nephi 15:33–35; Alma 40:26; 42:23
See also Atonement of Jesus Christ; Faith; Fall; Obedience; Repentance; Sin
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