Lake of Fire and Brimstone!

Reading:   Alma 11-12

Alma has returned to Ammonihah, after being rudely rejected in his preaching and then being sent back by an angel (the same angel that struck him dumb back in the day of his being a hater with the sons of Mosiah).  Amulek, a wealthy prominent member of the city, invites him to his house and feeds him because he too was visited by an angel and told that he would meet a man of God.  They eventually go out to preach amongst the people and come across Zeezrom, an oily man of words,  who attempts to catch Amulek in a lie.  Amulek succeeds in answering all of his questions and even rebukes Zeezrom when he offers him a lot of money to deny God (funny because the entire Nephite monetary system is explained in order to get the Zeezrom rebuking incident understood (Alma 11:4-19)).  Anyway, finally, Alma steps in to finish the man off and goes on to explain the difference between temporal death (physical) and spiritual death...

ALMA 12:16-17

16    And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also die a spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness. 

17    Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever; and then is the time that they shall be chained down to an everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of Satan, he having subjected them according to his will. 

Spiritual death is the death of things pertaining to righteousness.  A death we experience after we die physically, a death that comes from judgement, from our evil works.  If we physically die in our captivity, in our "captivation" to the devil, then we reap the reward of this work which is described in verse 17 as a "lake of fire and brimstone" and being "chained down to everlasting destruction."  Now, a lot of folks believe that the "lake of fire and brimstone" is literal, that we will burn physically forever, but this is not the case, it is a simile.  The beginning of the verse clears that up, "Then is the time when their torments shall be as..." comparing two items, the real with its likeness.  That which has us captivated in this life shall be a chain dragging us down to everlasting destruction.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said: "A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. ... The torment of disappointment in the mind of man [or woman] is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and
brimstone." (Deseret News, 8 July 1857, 138)

Wake up! We all need to acknowledge our chains and loose our bonds.  We cannot suffice temporal
addictions after death and will be tormented by our desire to do so...need a smoke, need that porn fix,
how about another drink or whatever, wake up! Spiritual death is not the glory I hope to reap...

~Kipling