LDS - What is your interpretation of Matt 7:13-15?

Destruction = spiritual death, which is another term for sin, hell, or being cut off from the presence of God. Although the telestial and terrestrial kingdoms are still considered heaven, only those who attain the celestial kingdom (or what Paul called "the third heaven") will be in the presence of God. The only way to enter the celestial kingdom is to follow the straight and narrow path.

I don't get anything about the 3 degrees of Glory from the scriptures you listed in Matt. What is see a path in life which you should take. Maybe not the easy wide road, but perhaps the narrow less traveled road. Might be a bit more bumpy, but it will get your to your goal of life eternal.

However, you will find info on the 3 degrees in these verses.

1 Cor. 15: 40

40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

2 Corinthians 12:2

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

How does this contradict with Jesus?

Now when talking about false prophets, its true you must watch out for people like Jim Jones, Charles Manson, David Koresh, David Berg- founder of the family, Marshall Applewhite-of Heaven's Gate. These men were self proclaimed prophets. And few, if any, of their followers survived their leaders genocide.

There is an interesting difference in the LDS definition of heaven and that of other Christian religions. Although there are different kingdoms, Paul described them as equivalent to the sun, the moon, and the stars, Doctrinally would consider anything less than the top degree of glory...well hell. So there is absolute agreement that straight is the gate and narrow is the way to Eternal Life.

And actually if you ask an LDS member, the gate to what LDS members consider heaven is very narrow. Most feel that there will be a significant number of LDS members who will not make it.

About the false prophets, I always wonder why most of the Christian world doesn't believe that there can be non-false prophets. They grasp on to that verse and reject all "prophets" as false. If you keep reading the scripture it will say that by their fruits you shall know them. Some fruits of the LDS faith:

1. 2nd Largest humanitarian organization in the world

2. Non-paid ministry-the ministry recieves NO recompension for thier services and a required to work.

3. Healthy, sober population. Joseph Smith's revelation in the 89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants prohibited tobacco and alcohol well before science knew that these things caused severe health problems. There was an interesting study recently that showed that this helps LDS members have one of the longest life expectancies of any organized group.

4. Continuing increase in membership year after year while other churches suffer from continual attrition.

Even though only those who are cast into outer darkness do not recieve any form of glory, it is few who will recieve Celestial glory. Few will be in the presence of our Father again after the final judgement. Those who recieve a lesser glory, are still out of the presence of God and will remain that way for always.

However we will know that the judgements we recieve are just, and those who recieve not a Celestial glory will know that is the right place for them, and their eternal anguish will be knowing they will never see the face of their Father. That is how I've come to understand this. If during the resurrection our bodies are made new (this corruption will put on incorruption) then there is no need again for a physical death. However, the Spiritual death or is still in effect which is being out of the presence of God.

I'm sure you've read the scriptures concerning the 3 degrees of glory in 1Cor 15 and 2Cor 12. There is a distinction of glories spoken of being likened to the sun, moon, and stars. Even the Celestial, and Terrestrial are mentioned by name.

Judge not; ask of God; beware of false prophets

LDS do believe in three degrees of glory or heaven - but we also believe in spirit prison. In latter-day revelation hell is spoken of in at least two senses.

One is the temporary abode in the spirit world of those who were disobedient in this mortal life. It is between death and the resurrection, and persons who receive the telestial glory will abide there until the last resurrection (D&C 76: 84-85, 106), at which time they will go to the telestial glory. In this sense the Book of Mormon speaks of spiritual death as hell (2 Ne. 9: 10-12). Hell, as thus defined, will have an end, when all the captive spirits have paid the price of their sins and enter into a degree of glory after their resurrection.

Statements about an everlasting hell (Hel. 6: 28; Moro. 8: 13) must be interpreted in their proper context in the light of D&C 19: 4-12, which defines eternal and endless punishment.

On the other hand, the devil and his angels, including the sons of perdition, are assigned to a place spoken of as a lake of fire - a figure of eternal anguish. This condition is sometimes called hell in the scriptures (2 Pet. 2: 4; D&C 29: 38; D&C 88: 113). This kind of hell, which is after the resurrection and judgment, is exclusively for the devil and his angels, and is not the same as that consisting only of the period between death and resurrection. The one group are redeemed from hell and inherit some degree of glory. The other receive no glory. They continue in spiritual darkness. For them the conditions of hell remain.

EDIT: I'll try and clarify what is above -

First, it is the temporary abode in the spirit world for those who were disobedient in mortality. In this sense, hell has an end. The spirits there will be taught the gospel, and sometime following their repentance they will be resurrected to a degree of glory of which they are worthy. Those who will not repent, but are nevertheless not sons of perdition, will remain in hell throughout the Millennium. After these thousand years of torment, they will be resurrected to a telestial glory (D&C 76: 81-86; 88: 100-101).

Second, it is the permanent location of those who are not redeemed by the atonement of Jesus Christ. In this sense, hell is permanent. It is for those who are found “filthy still” (D&C 88: 35, 102). This is the place where Satan, his angels, and the sons of perdition—those who have denied the Son after the Father has revealed him—will dwell eternally (D&C 76: 43-46).

If you consider that there are millions and millions and millions of individuals that have lived on this earth, and that out of all of those, there are but few who learn and know of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its pureness, there will indeed be only a few (in comparison to all) that will find the highest place in heaven. That is, where God dwells.

While you are correct in stating that Mormons believe all with reach one of the three degrees of heaven, save the sons of perdition......it is only the Celestial kingdom that allows us to dwell directly with God and to live eternally with our families. That will not occur in the lower two degrees. SO, in a very real sense, only a "few" again in comparison, get to live in the Celestial.

Also, If you consider that already before even coming to earth, a third of the hosts of heaven fell with Satan, that means already 33% do not enter the narrow gate.

Well, this is what I think it means. Let me just say first that we all have our own personal interpretation as to what scriptures mean. It just depends on what level we are ready to understand them. On that note, here's what I think.

13-14 talks about the way to God's presence, not necessarily heaven. God's presence to me, is different than just heaven.

The way to God's presence is very set. There are certain things we need to do to gain that. There are many people who say "this is the way to heaven!!" "Follow what I believe or you will go to hell!!" I have heard it many times. Those paths aren't the way to God. The way to God is very marked, and is about following what Christ taught. That doesn't mean just saying you believe, but actually living what you believe.

15 is one that I think people misinterpret all the time!! If there are false prophets, there has to be real ones too, correct? Well, if there are real prophets, then couldn't it be possible that those real prophets are actually called of God to be prophets, not just say they are? Hmm.. what is your definition of a prophet?

We do have three degrees of glory. It doesn't contradict Jesus at all. Since only the top one is where the full glory of God is, that would mean that that scripture applies even more to us then you think.

First of all Christ is talking about a pathway to a destination. The three degrees of glory are all destinations, and cannot be considered as pathways to a destination as you cannot go from one degree of glory to another. The narrow gate is here on earth, not in the afterlife.

What Christ was saying was that the way to life is narrow and only a few will find it. That way is through faith in Christ, repentance of sins, baptism by immersion by one who has authority, and the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by one who holds the authority.

The broad way is the many forms of baptism by those that do not have the authority, churches that teach that all Christian churches are correct, despite the fact that they teach different doctrines, such as once saved always saved, baptism not essential for salvation, etc. The multitude of Christian and non-Christian denominations is the broad way. There are not many denominations or ways to salvation, only one single narrow way.

How does it contradict?

Many people are walking the wide road, however the LDS church believes you can be forgiven of your sins, even after death. So say someone alks the wide road, even into death. They can repent and be forgiven.

I don't see a contradiction here. The 3 glories doesn't mean there are 3 separate roads to each of them either. Lets just use the parable that there is a long road going up a mountain. One town is a few hundred feet up (terrestrial) another town a few hundred feet up (telestial) and at the summit of the mountain is another town (celestial)

1 road gets you to many places.

"and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction"

Here destruction I believe refers to "spiritual death", and spiritual death refers to being cut-off from God's presence.

Eternal Life is living in God's presence, sharing in the divine nature of God, and progressing eternally.

To obtain life, you must do the will of the Father....obey the teachings of Christ, a strong statement is made in the sermon on the mount that works matter when they come from the right spirit...

Your absolutist (100%) view regarding Prophets isn't supported by scripture. Prophets can falter, but I generally agree with your sentiment.

Isaiah 28:7:

"But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment."

"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them...."