“Ye Must Be Cast off Forever”

Those who revel in uncleanness in mortality will be cleansed by suffering and repentance during the thousand years they spend in hell at the time of the earth’s millennium; they will come forth from the grave clean and free from sin but will suffer a spiritual death in that their opportunity to live eternally in celestial realms with their Father in Heaven is forever lost. “These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth. These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire”-they are destroyed by the glory and brightness of the Savior’s return. “These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work.” (D&C 76:104-6.)

“Language of My Father”

The matter is ambiguous. Joseph Smith told us very little about the process of translation and the nature of the language he translated. In one of the early conferences of the Church, Hyrum Smith called on his brother Joseph to tell about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

Joseph declined to do so saying:

“It was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon” and that “it was not expedient for him to relate these things.” (Far West Record, p. 23.)

The Lord had already told Joseph Smith that if people would not believe his word as found in the Book of Mormon, they would not believe any explanation that Joseph could give, even if he were able to show them everything the Lord had committed to them (D&C 5:7).

Ultimately the only valid evidence for the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is in the doctrines it teaches and the effects of those doctrines on the lives of those who live up to their principles.

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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