King Benjamin further warns his subjects that breaking the commandments will result in the withdrawing of themselves from the Spirit of the Lord and coming out in open rebellion against God; for the Lord will not dwell in an unholy temple (vv. 36–37). Unless that person repents before he dies, the demands of divine justice will cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord (v. 38). This is not a plea for death-bed repentance, for without time to meet the conditions of repentance, as Jacob says, “they who are filthy shall be filthy still” (2 Nephi 9:16). The breast being filled with guilt, pain, and anguish (Mosiah 2:38) is symbolic of the soul or the spirit of the sinner. King Benjamin says this will be “like an unquenchable fire” (v. 38; emphasis added). Jacob’s testimony is the same. These conditions will be “as a lake of fire and brimstone whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end” (2 Nephi 9:16; emphasis added). Thus we have two witnesses in the Book of Mormon of this symbolism.
Mercy exercises no claim on the unrepentant man and his final doom is “a never-ending torment” (Mosiah 2:39). This verse is describing the fate of the sons of perdition, one of the few such descriptions in the Book of Mormon (see 2 Nephi 9:38; and Mosiah 16:5 to be discussed in a later chapter). Because God is Endless and Eternal, “Eternal punishment is God’s punishment. Endless punishment is God’s punishment” (D&C 19:10–12), a punishment when satisfied would be ended. Alma the elder experienced everlasting burning and eternal torment, but was pained no more (see Mosiah 27:28–29 discussed in a later chapter). Never-ending punishment is the punishment of the damned who receive no glory. Thus, it is the suffering of the sons of perdition. The Prophet Joseph Smith’s description of sons of perdition, included in the General Authority quotes of the previous chapter, confirms the conditions set forth by King Benjamin. Jesus also warned of speaking against the Holy Ghost:
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 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. [Matthew 12:31–32]
Paul taught the same doctrine to the Hebrews:
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. [Hebrews 6:4–6]
As quoted in the previous chapter, Joseph also taught that “no man can commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, nor in this life, unless he receives the Holy Ghost, but they must do it in this world” ( TPJS, 357). His teaching is consistent with the context of King Benjamin’s warning. The awful situation of those who fall into transgression (Mosiah 2:40), who have yielded to the evil spirit, could be on the road to becoming a son of perdition. Although there will be few by percentages, the Prophet Joseph said, “This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” ( TPJS, 358). The warning of the king including “old men” to awake to the remembrance of these conditions shows that it is always possible while in this world.