Can You Repent After Death?

K. Douglas Bassett

Mosiah 2:33, 38-40; 15:26; Alma 42:4; Hel. 13:38; 2 Ne. 9:27, 38; D&C 84:41; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 197; Doctrines of Salvation, Smith, 2:97-98. Contrast with D&C 138:58; Moses 7:38-39

“We know not fully on what terms repentance will be obtainable in the hereafter; but to suppose that the soul who has willfully rejected the opportunity of repentance in this life will find it easy to repent there is contrary to reason. To procrastinate the day of repentance is to deliberately place ourselves in the power of the adversary… .” (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 115)
“Now I have read to you the scripture. (Alma 34:30-35). I believe it is the word of God ‘with the bark on it,’ where the prophet of the Lord declared unto apostates and those who have heard the gospel that if they did not repent and come into the Church now, in this day of repentance, but continued to procrastinate their repentance unto the end, that the night would come when no work could be done for them, and their souls would be lost. I think that is pretty good scripture. I do not know how the Lord could do otherwise in justice.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:189)
“You can progress much more rapidly here on earth with your mortal body in this environment of good and evil than you will as a spirit in the spirit world.” (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 1997, p. 54)

Latter-Day Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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