There are three degrees of glory in this kingdom, the celestial, into which those who keep the whole law shall enter; the terrestrial, in which are found the honorable men of the world, and those who were blinded by the craftiness of men, and were overcome by the things of the world, and also those who have accepted Christ but were not valiant in his cause, and those who died without law among the heathen: the third, or telestial, is that glory which contains the great majority of mankind who differ in their glory as the countless stars of heaven. These are the inhabitants of the earth who have been unworthy, unclean, unfit for an exaltation in the other kingdoms. And still there will be some who, because of their filthiness and abominations in the flesh, will be unworthy of a kingdom of glory at all. The sons of perdition, those who are lost, having rejected the atonement of Christ and crucified him afresh to themselves, these will be cast out of the kingdom into outer darkness. All the rest shall be saved in some degree of glory in one of the three grand divisions of the kingdom of God. A full discussion of this is found in Doctrine and Covenants, section 76.
That sins are forgiven in the world to come, we need only refer to the words of the Savior:
All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto
men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be
forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the
Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in
this world, neither in the world to come.[Y]
[Footnote Y: Matt. 12:32.]
This shows that some sins will be forgiven in the world to come. We are also informed in First Corinthians, fifteenth chapter, that "if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." But we have hope in Christ both in this life and in the life to come. Salvation does not come all at once; we are commanded to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. It will take us ages to accomplish this end, for there will be greater progress beyond the grave, and it will be there that the faithful will overcome all things, and receive all things, even the fullness of the Father's glory.[Z]
[Footnote Z: Doc. & Cov. 84:38.]
Salvation for the dead was understood in the days of the primitive Christian Church, and to some extent baptisms for the dead continued to be performed until A. D. 379, when the Council of Carthage forbade any longer the administration of this ordinance and "holy communion" for the dead. Paul uses baptism for the dead as an argument against the Corinthian Saints, who, even in that day, were falling away from the true gospel. These saints understood the doctrine of baptism for the dead, yet they doubted the general resurrection. Paul argues with them thus:
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how
say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not
risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain,
and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses
of God; because we have testified of God that he raised
up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ
be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then
they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in
this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become
the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death
by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam
all die; even so in Christ shall all be made alive. * * * * Else
what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the
dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
and why stand we in jeopardy every hour?[A]
[Footnote A: I Cor. 15:20-30.]
Joseph Smith, the prophet, informs us that salvation for the dead was introduced in the days of Christ who had reference to this subject when, in addressing the Jews, he said: