In Latter-day Saint (LDS) theology, the sorting
of God's children occurs through divine processes at the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ and in the final judgment. This involves the gathering of the
righteous—often referred to as being "caught up" to meet Him—and the
separation of the prepared from the unprepared. Scriptures such as Matthew
24:40–41, Matthew 25:10, Matthew 25:31–46, 1 Thessalonians 4:17,
and sections from the Doctrine and Covenants (e.g., 88:96–98 and 76) illustrate
these events. This overview presents how God's children are divided based on
spiritual preparedness, faith, repentance, and covenant keeping, emphasizing a
continuum of mercy and judgment rather than a strict binary outcome.
At the Second Coming, the righteous are gathered
to Christ in an event described as being "caught up" to meet Him in
the air. This aligns with the concept of the rapture in broader Christian
theology but is integrated into the Second Coming itself in LDS doctrine,
marking the beginning of the Millennium—a thousand-year period of peace under
Christ's reign.
·
The Wise Virgins (Matthew
25:10): In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, five wise virgins with
oil in their lamps enter the wedding feast when the bridegroom
arrives. The oil symbolizes spiritual preparedness, including faith,
righteousness, the influence of the Holy Spirit, and covenant faithfulness.
These represent God's children who are ready to be gathered to Christ, entering
His presence as part of the millennial kingdom.
·
One Taken, One Left
(Matthew 24:40–41): This imagery depicts a sudden separation
where one is taken (gathered to safety with Christ) and another left to face
judgment or destruction, akin to the days of Noah. The "taken" are
those spiritually vigilant and obedient, caught up to meet the Lord as
described in 1 Thessalonians
"For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1
Thessalonians 4:16–17)
In LDS theology, this gathering includes both
the resurrected righteous dead and the living who are
transfigured. It is not a pre-tribulation event but occurs at Christ's visible
return, sorting God's children based on their readiness to abide His presence
(Doctrine and Covenants 45:56–57).
The final judgment, occurring after the
Millennium, involves a comprehensive sorting of all God's children into degrees
of glory. This is vividly illustrated in the Parable of the Sheep and the
Goats, where individuals are placed on Christ's right hand or left hand based
on their lives, works, and treatment of others.
·
The Right Hand (Sheep,
Matthew 25:31–46): Those on the right hand are the righteous who
have served Christ by serving others—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked,
and visiting the sick. They inherit the kingdom prepared for them, representing
celestial glory in LDS doctrine, where the faithful dwell eternally with God.
·
The Left Hand (Goats,
Matthew 25:31–46): Those on the left hand are the unrighteous who neglected these acts of charity and failed to live
according to Christ's teachings. They are separated from God's presence,
assigned to lesser kingdoms (terrestrial or telestial) or, in cases of willful
rejection, outer darkness (Doctrine and Covenants 76).
"When the Son of man
shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit
upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and
he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from
the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the
left." (Matthew 25:31–33)
LDS theology teaches degrees of glory rather
than a simple heaven-or-hell dichotomy. The terrestrial kingdom is for honorable
people who did not accept the fullness of the gospel, while the telestial is
for those who continued in sin but did not deny the Holy Ghost. This judgment accounts for faith, repentance, and opportunities for
growth, even during the Millennium (Doctrine and Covenants 138:58–59).
While the gathering at the Second Coming (wise
virgins, one taken, caught up) initiates the sorting process, the final
judgment (right hand/left hand) completes it after the Millennium. There is
significant overlap:
·
The wise virgins and those taken
align with the sheep on the right hand—both are the prepared righteous who
qualify for celestial blessings.
·
The foolish virgins and those left
behind correspond to the goats on the left hand—unprepared and facing
separation, though with potential for mercy and lesser glories in LDS doctrine.
·
The 50% divisions in the parables
(five wise/five foolish, one taken/one left) are symbolic, illustrating the
principle of separation rather than literal proportions. No fixed percentage is
specified; the number depends on individual agency and God's mercy.
During the Millennium, opportunities for
repentance and gospel acceptance continue, allowing some who were initially
"left" to progress. Ultimately, God's sorting reflects His perfect
justice and infinite love, inviting all to prepare through faith in Christ,
repentance, and covenant living (2 Nephi
The sorting of God's children at the Second
Coming and in the final judgment underscores the importance of spiritual
preparedness. Through events like being caught up to meet Christ and the
division into right and left hands, the righteous are gathered to eternal joy,
while others receive according to their works and desires. In LDS theology,
this process is one of mercy, offering degrees of glory and endless
opportunities to turn to the Savior. All are encouraged to fill their lamps
with oil, serve others, and strive to be among those welcomed into His presence.