146. The terrestrial kingdom exceeds the telestial kingdom in glory, in power, in might, and in dominion.
And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the firmament.
91. And thus we saw the glory of the terrestrial which excels in all things the glory of the telestial, even in glory, and in power, and in might, and in dominion. (Vision to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, Feb. 16, 1832) D&C 76:81,91
The glory of the telestial world no man knows, except he partakes of it; and yet, in that world they differ in glory as the stars in the firmament differ one from the other. The terrestrial glory is greater still, and the celestial is the greatest of all; that is the glory of God the Father, where our Lord Jesus Christ reigns. (In Tabernacle, Aug. 15, 1852, JD6:293) TLDP:128
No man will receive a celestial glory unless he abides a celestial law; no man will receive a terrestrial glory unless he abides a terrestrial law, and no man will receive a telestial glory unless he abides a telestial law. There is a great difference between the light of the sun at noonday and the glimmer of the stars at night, but that difference is no greater than the difference of the glory in the several portions of the kingdom of God. (General conference, Oct. 9, 1874, JD17:250) TLDP:357
When you see men and women in the resurrection, we shall see them in very bloom of their glorious manhood and womanhood, and he has promised all who would keep his commandments and obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the restoration of their houses, glorified, immortalized, celestialized, fitted to dwell in the presence of God.
To those who cannot subscribe to those terms, and yet obey others, the lesser law, Jesus has promised a terrestrial body, not so glorious, and yet immortal and eternal, and still to those who cannot do so much, but only obey in part, a telestial body suited to the kingdom in which they dwell. Thus we fix our status in that resurrection, though the resurrection is a fact without our action. Our action makes it either glorious—the resurrection of the just; or the resurrection of the unjust. (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, p. 186) TLDP:565-66
To those who keep the full law he promises to give a celestial body, full of celestial power and glory and splendor; and to those who keep the terrestrial law, a body not so glorious, but still glorious and splendid; and telestial bodies to those who keep the telestial law; thus he extends to each this privilege. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for man. (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin J. Ballard, pp. 169-70) TLDP:50
Related Witnesses:
By one degree of obedience or another, all men, in this life, develop either celestial, terrestrial, or telestial bodies (or in the case of those destined to be sons of perdition, bodies of a baser sort). In the resurrection all men receive back again "the same body which was a natural body," whether it be celestial, terrestrial, or what have you. That body is then quickened by the glory attending its particular type, and the person receiving the body then goes automatically, as it were, to the kingdom of glory where that degree of glory is found. (D&C 76; 88:16-33; 1 Corinthians 15:35-38(Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:196) TLDP:566
The three kingdoms of widely differing glories are organized on an orderly plan of gradation. We have seen that the telestial kingdom comprises several subdivisions; this also is the case, we are told, with the celestial; and, by analogy, we conclude that a similar condition prevails in the terrestrial. Thus the innumerable degrees of merit amongst mankind are provided for in an infinity of graded glories. The celestial kingdom is supremely honored by the personal ministrations of the Father and the Son. The terrestrial kingdom will be administered through the higher, without a fulness of glory. The telestial is governed through the ministrations of the terrestrial, by "angels who are appointed to minister for them."
Exaltation in the kingdom of God implies attainment to the graded orders of the Holy Priesthood, and with these the ceremonies of the endowment are directly associated. HL:83
This earth will become a celestial kingdom when it is sanctified. Those who enter the terrestrial kingdom will have to go to some other sphere which will be prepared for them. Those who enter the telestial kingdom, likewise will have to go to some earth which is prepared for them, and there will be another place which is hell where the devil and those who are punished to go with him will dwell. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:208-10) TLDP:127
147. Honorable people of the earth who refused the gospel in mortality, but in the spirit world repented and accepted it, will inherit the terrestrial kingdom.
Into the terrestrial kingdom will go all those who are honorable and who have lived clean virtuous lives, but who would not receive the Gospel, but in the spirit world repented and accepted it as far as it can be given unto them. Many of these have been blinded by tradition and the love of the world, and have not been able to see the beauties of the Gospel. CHMR1:287-88; DGSM:92
The Terrestrial Glory—We read of others who receive glory of a secondary order, differing from the highest as "the moon differs from the sun in the firmament." These are they who, though honorable, failed to comply with the requirements for exaltation, were blinded by the craftiness of men and unable to receive and obey the higher laws of God. They proved "not valiant in the testimony of Jesus," and therefore are not entitled to the fulness of glory. AF:83
Terrestrial glory may be all right for honorable Gentiles, who have not faith enough to believe the Gospel and who do right according to the best knowledge they have; but celestial glory is our aim. . . .
. . . . All that I am on this earth for is to get celestial glory. CR1900Apr:55-56
So that, according to the revelations of God, all shall come forth by the power of Jesus Christ, and all who are worthy to enter into the celestial world will receive the celestial glory; those who were not valiant in the testimony of Jesus receive the terrestrial glory; honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men, who did not receive the gospel in the flesh, but afterwards received it, inherit the terrestrial glory. (CR 1911Oct; Second Day—Morning Session., p.52 - 53)
Related Witnesses:
And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament.
72. Behold, these are they who died without law;
73. And also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh;
74. Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.
75. These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.
76. These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.
77. These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father.
78. Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.
79. These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God. (Vision to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, Feb. 16, 1832) D&C 76:71-79
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
Some might suppose that it would be a great blessing to be taken and carried directly into heaven and there set down, but in reality that would be no blessing to such persons; they could not reap a full reward, could not enjoy the glory of the kingdom, and could not comprehend and abide the light thereof, but it would be to them a hell intolerable and I suppose would consume them much quicker than would hell fire. It would be no blessing to you to be carried into the celestial kingdom, and obliged to stay therein, unless you were prepared to dwell there. (In Tabernacle, March 1856, JD3:221) DBY:95; DGSM:92
148. Those who accepted the gospel in mortality but were not valiant, may not inherit the celestial kingdom.
And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament. . . .
79. These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God. (Vision to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, Feb. 16, 1832) D&C 76:71,79
Those men, or those women, who [allow themselves to be] led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another's sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming Gods. They cannot rule themselves, to say nothing of ruling others, but they must be dictated to every trifle, like a child. . . . They never can hold scepters of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial kingdom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly to do as they please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides should take the opposite course. (In Tabernacle, Feb. 20, 1853, JD1:312) TLDP:127
The terrestrial kingdom. Into this kingdom will go all those who have lived clean lives, but were not willing to receive the gospel; also those who have lived clean lives but who, notwithstanding their membership in the Church, were not valiant, and those who refused to receive the gospel when they lived on the earth, but in the spirit world accepted the testimony of Jesus. All who enter this kingdom must be of that class who have been morally clean. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:208-10) TLDP:127
Related Witnesses:
To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to bridle our passions, control our appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things. It is to overcome the world as did he who is our prototype and who himself was the most valiant of all our Father's children. It is to be morally clean, to pay our tithes and offerings, to honor the Sabbath day, to pray with full purpose of heart, to lay our all upon the altar if called upon to do so.
To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord's side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father. CR1974Oct:46
We [Latter-day Saints] will not be judged as our brothers and sisters of the world are judged; but according to the greater opportunities placed in our keeping. We will be among those who have received the word of the Lord, who have heard His sayings, and if we do them it will be to us eternal life, but if we fail condemnation will result. CR1906Oct:47
Author's Note: According to Elder Ezra Taft Benson: "Concerning those who will receive the terrestrial, or lesser, kingdom, the Lord said, 'These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.' (D&C 76:79) Not to be valiant in one's testimony is a tragedy of eternal consequence. These are members who know this latter-day work is true, but who fail to endure to the end. Some may even hold temple recommends, but do not magnify their callings in the Church. Without valor, they do not take an affirmative stand for the kingdom of God. Some seek the praise, adulation, and honors of men; others attempt to conceal their sins; and a few criticize those who preside over them. . . .
President Joseph F. Smith said, 'There are at least three dangers that threaten the Church from within, . . . they are flattery of prominent men in the world, false educational ideas, and sexual impurity'." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp. 392-93)
149. The torment of those who are damned is the knowledge that if they had kept the commandments they might have achieved a greater glory.
This earth will become a celestial kingdom when it is sanctified. Those who enter the terrestrial kingdom will have to go to some other sphere which will be prepared for them. Those who enter the telestial kingdom, likewise will have to go to some earth which is prepared for them, and there will be another place which is hell where the devil and those who are punished to go with him will dwell. Of course, those who enter the telestial kingdom, and those who enter the terrestrial kingdom will have the eternal punishment which will come to them in knowing that they might, if they had kept the commandments of the Lord, have returned to his presence as his sons and his daughters. This will be a torment to them, and in that sense it will be hell. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 2:208-10) TLDP:127
Those who dwell in the lower [glory] may look wistfully to the higher as we do here. The hell on the other side will be felt in some such way. (Message of the Doctrine and Covenants, p.167) DCSM:166
A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man. (To the Church in general conference—a congregation of 20,000—"King Follett Sermon", April 7, 1844) (See HC6:302-317, also see The Words of Joseph Smith, pp. 340-62.) HC6:314
