D&C 137:5-10

137:5-10 - Sorry that it’s been a while, I want to say that I’ve been busy at work, and legitimately I have, but I feel like I could have made more of an effort, and I definitely can feel the loss of the Spirit when I take my scripture study so casually. Joseph Smith says that he “saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother.” This reminds me of the section that talked about JS’s father sitting with father Abraham. It’s also interesting because at the time this vision was given, JS’s parents were both still alive and his father was in the same room! He also saw his “brother Alvin, that has long since slept; And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.” I think that this was contrary to the prevailing beliefs at the time, which, I believe, was that all who weren’t baptized go straight to hell. This is a truly the most merciful doctrine there is, that all will have a chance to accept the gospel. The Lord answered this astonishment saying, “all who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom.” This was really something that I thought about quite a bit recently because it goes back to the conversation that I had with my classmate who answered my question about “what about all those who didn’t get to know about Jesus in this life?” and her answer was “he’ll judge them on their hearts.” This is basically saying that that doctrine is true, which it is, but it’s not just, “oh you would have been a good follower of the gospel, you’re in.” We’ve talked about how that isn’t just because everyone has to have the same opportunity and accept the same ordinances, but those who would have accepted it in this life will accept it in the next life as well, therefore they will be heirs to the celestial kingdom just like the rest of us who accepted it here. I think that it’s possible their trial might be to want the gospel so badly and not be able to have it in the next life because they are waiting for their ordinances to be done. Our own personal trials. I heard a thing today from the Ensign that said something to the effect of, “we all face our own personal trials, and they are different from anyone else’s, and the Lord knows them all.”

When I read the part that says that those “who would have received it with all their hearts,” I thought, “we need more people who receive the gospel with all their hearts in this world, we need them in our wards and in our government and in our lives.” I had to ask myself, what is the purpose of withholding the gospel from those who would have received it in this life, or for taking those who would have embraced the gospel to heaven before they were able to grow up? What is the purpose? Why not send more good, believing people down to this life to help the rest of us out?  The thought came to me that if there were too many people devoted to the gospel it might make the evidence overwhelming and therefore skew the balance of agency. For example, we know that during the Millennium everyone will be righteous even though there will still be temptation and work by the adversary. Satan will be bound but not because he literally “cannot” tempt us, but he will be bound by the righteousness of the people. One of the reasons that the people will be so righteous that Satan can have no control is that there will be an outpouring of the Spirit and preaching and administering of the gospel by those who have embraced it with their whole hearts. This will be so powerful that there will be no sin and Satan will have no power. From this we can see that the balance between good and evil is very delicate and that the line for allowing agency is also very fine. My thought is that if those valiant spirits who have been taken from this life very young were allowed to tarry then their influence for good might tip the balance of agency such that people might not be able to make the decision for themselves in the way that the Lord intended. Anyway, just a thought. The Lord continues that he will judge us “according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.” The IM says, “The true desire of our hearts determines our future. If we have had the opportunity to hear the gospel, our obedience to it demonstrates our true desire. If not, our desire will determine whether we accept it when we are given the opportunity, either in this life or the spirit world. All whose hearts are right will receive and live the gospel whenever they have the opportunity and will be ‘heirs of the celestial kingdom of God.’ Vicarious ordinance work is performed in the temple for those like Alvin Smith who did not have the opportunity to receive the ordinances of the gospel in mortality. Heavenly Father provides the way for all His children to receive salvation.”