Spiritual Death

Spiritual death, in Mormon theology, is an alienation from the things of God (Alma 12:16, 32; 40:26), a separation from righteousness, and an alienation and separation from God himself. The scriptures repeatedly use the same phrase to define it: spiritual death is to be "cut off from the presence of the Lord" (2 Ne. 9:6; Alma 42:9; Hel. 14:16).

Two Types of Spiritual Death

There are two ways we are cut off or separated from the presence of the Lord, and this distinction sometimes causes confusion. Alma and Samuel the Lamanite use the same labels when delineating these two types of separation:

Our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord. (Alma 42:7)

The resurrection ... redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for 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. (Hel. 14:16)

The Guide to the Scriptures makes this distinction by defining spiritual death as "separation from God and his influences." In this definition, "separation from God" refers to the temporal separation, and "separation from his influences" refers to the spiritual separation.

It is important to understand the definition, cause, and resolution of both types of spiritual death.

Temporal Separation

Definition

The temporal separation refers to being separated from Heavenly Father in a physical way, in the literal sense that he is up in heaven while we are down on earth. For example, before the Fall, Adam and Eve walked and talked with God the Father face to face; they were able to be in his physical presence. After the Fall, they experienced a temporal separation in that the earth fell and they were no longer in his literal presence; they could speak to him, but "they saw him not" (Moses 5:4).

Cause

This temporal separation is caused by the fall of Adam and affects every descendant of Adam, including little children who have not reached the age of accountability. That is, every descendant of Adam is born into a world that is apart from God the Father's heavenly dwelling place. Even the Savior Jesus Christ experienced this temporal separation when he left heaven and came to earth; this was partly a result of his being a descendant of Adam.

Resolution

The temporal separation is overcome when all people return to God's presence for the Judgment. This return would not be possible without the atonement: "Because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged"; "the atonement ... bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged" (2 Ne. 2:10; Alma 42:23). At that point, they are in God's physical presence again, and the temporal aspect of spiritual death is overcome.

Conditions

Because the temporal separation is imposed by Adam's Fall, involuntarily, its effects are overcome unconditionally. Samuel the Lamanite teaches that everyone overcomes this first spiritual death, no matter what choices they make in life, when he says "[Christ] redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; ... Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord" (Hel. 14:16--17). Gerald N. Lund emphasizes the importance of this point:

To make coming back into the presence of God (overcoming spiritual death) conditional, when our separation from him was originally caused by the fall of Adam, would mean we do suffer punishment for Adam’s transgression, and such is not the case. . . . Not only does Christ’s redemption bring about resurrection for all without condition, but it also brings all men to the judgment bar where they are brought into the presence of God to stand before him to be judged. If we are brought back into the presence of God, then spiritual death, or our separation from God, is overcome at that point. What does a man have to do to have this happen? Absolutely nothing. It, too, is unconditional. Thus both effects of the fall of Adam are automatically redeemed by the Savior.

Spiritual Separation

Definition

The spiritual separation refers to being separated from the Holy Ghost in a spiritual way, in the figurative sense that, since the Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead, separation from the Holy Ghost is separation from God. For example, before we sin, we can freely have the Holy Ghost's influence. After we sin, the Holy Ghost withdraws and we are cut off from the Spirit, or "cut off ... spiritually ... from the presence of the Lord."

Cause

This spiritual separation is caused by individual sins---while the first separation is caused by the Fall, "the second is our own disobedience." The spiritual separation only affects those who sin, thus excluding little children who have not reached the age of accountability.

Resolution

The spiritual separation is overcome to the extent that a person returns to and dwells in God's spiritual presence. We regain the Holy Spirit's presence in degrees as we repent and keep the commandments, but the greatest single step in this return happens through baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Adam was the first to learn about and overcome the spiritual separation by receiving this ordinance:

Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water. And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man. (Moses 6:64--65)

When we are baptized and confirmed, we enter a covenant that can potentially bind us to the Holy Ghost and allow us to enjoy his presence constantly. This ordinance and covenant are the means of overcoming spiritual death.

Conditions

Because the spiritual separation is caused by individual choices, voluntarily, its effects are only overcome conditionally, on the terms of repentance. The resolution of both spiritual deaths are made possible by the atonement. However, whereas the temporal separation is overcome unconditionally, the spiritual separation is only overcome as we make and keep sacred covenants.

For those who do not exercise faith, repent, get baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end, the spiritual separation is not overcome. While they return to God's temporal presence for the Judgment, they reject the Holy Ghost, God's spiritual presence. Thus, they overcome the first spiritual death, but the second spiritual death still has power over them, and they remain cast out of God's presence. This state is often referred to as the second death (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; Rev. 21:8; Jacob 3:11; Alma 12:16, 32; Alma 13:30; Hel. 14:18-19; D&C 63:17; D&C 76:37).

Comparison of the Two Types

	Temporal separation	Spiritual separation	Source
Description in the scriptures	"Cut off temporally from the presence of the Lord"	"Cut off spiritually from the presence of the Lord"	Alma 42:7; Hel. 14:16
Separation from	Heavenly Father ("God")	The Holy Ghost ("his influences")	Guide to the Scriptures, "Death, Spiritual"
Caused by	Adam's transgression	Our individual sins	True to the Faith, "Death, Spiritual"
Necessity of	Completely necessary (to be tested and to grow)	Completely unnecessary for growth and testing	Alma 42:8--9
Presence symbolized by	The face of God	The voice of God	Gen. 3:8; Deut. 4:12; Enos 1:4, 27; Ether 3:6, 13; D&C 93:1; Moses 5:4
Conditions required to overcome	None	Repentance	Gerald N. Lund, “Salvation: By Grace or by Works?,” Ensign, Apr. 1981, p. 17
Overcome during	The final Judgment	The covenant of baptism	2 Ne. 2:10; Alma 42:23; Moses 6:64--65

Thus, spiritual death can refer to either of two separations. In the scriptures, the Lord's temporal presence is often symbolized by his face, and his spiritual presence is often symbolized by his voice (see Gen. 3:8; Deut. 4:12; Enos 1:4, 27; Ether 3:6, 13; D&C 93:1; Moses 5:4).

The temporal separation, being cut off from Heavenly Father, is caused by Adam's transgression and affects all his posterity unconditionally, even innocent children. Therefore, it is overcome unconditionally by the Atonement when everyone, even sons of perdition, returns to the Father's presence to be judged.

The spiritual separation, being cut off from the Holy Ghost, is caused by individual sins, and affects only those who are accountable and break the commandments. Therefore, it is overcome conditionally by the Atonement only for those who repent.