Mormon Beliefs: Salvation
According to the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the term Salvation means, "to be saved from both physical and spiritual death." Mormons believe that every person will be saved from physical death by the grace of God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "Each individual can also be saved from spiritual death as well by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ. This faith is manifested in a life of obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel and service to Christ" (LDS Guide to the Scriptures).
This definition explains why some scriptures say "salvation is free" (see 2 Nephi 2:4), and others say, "work out your own salvation with fear" (see Philippians 2:12). It is because there are two types of salvation, physical and spiritual. Physical salvation is a gift from God to all mankind. All will be resurrected and enjoy immortality. Spiritual salvation is living with God again in the eternities after having lived a righteous life and having been cleansed through Christ's Atonement.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that salvation means "like unto" Christ, "and he was like the Father, the great prototype of all saved beings; and for any portion of the human family to be assimilated into their likeness is to be saved; and to be unlike them is to be destroyed; and on this hinge turns the door of salvation" (Lectures on Faith, pp. 63-67).
Salvation of Children
Mormon doctrine teaches that little children under the age of eight years old, and others who are mentally incapable of discerning good from evil or understanding the mechanics of repentance, are saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ. For this reason, the Church does not practice infant baptism. It is believed instead, that a child cannot truly sin until he reaches the age of accountability, which is set at eight years old. All children who die before eight receive spiritual salvation (exaltation) and dwell with God eternally.
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See also Animals, Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms
