In
1 Nephi 19:23-24 Nephi tells us that we should liken the scriptures unto
ourselves. I couldn’t help but think of
my wayward children as I read from 2 Nephi 10 this morning.
For
quite some time I’ve been wondering about the baby born to wicked parents who
grow up without the gospel and dies having never heard about our Savior. How unfair this seems to be. I believe – and know they will get their
opportunity to hear about the gospel after they die. I believe they will be given the opportunity
to accept or reject. That is doctrine
from the Book of Mormon as well, and I don’t really worry about it. But I keep thinking about the millions who
die in calamities in parts of the world where the gospel has never gone. It just seems so unfair to me because I have
been given so much because I have the gospel in my life.
Well,
2 Nephi 10:2-4 covers these concerns beautifully. Or at least this morning it is my wayward
children I thought of as I read these verses.
In
v2 it says “For behold, the promises which we (I interpret this to mean me as
well because I have received promises in the temple), have obtained are
promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto
me that many of our (my) children shall perish in the flesh because of
unbelief, (You mean they just might not come back to the gospel in this
life? Can I bear this?) nevertheless,
God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they
may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer.” These are temple blessings!
I’ve
never doubted this teaching, but it is hard to deal with the fact they may not
come back to the gospel in this life.
Even though Jacob is talking about the Jews, it’s not a stretch to liken
this to children of the covenant who have strayed. They too “crucify” Christ in that they take
those things they have been taught that are sacred and cast them aside as a
thing of naught.
In
verse 6 there will be destructions, famines, pestilences, and bloodshed among
those who crucify their Savior. I see
this in my children’s lives that have wandered far from the path of
righteousness. Their lives are not happy
ones. They have forgotten their Savior
who is mighty to save. I pray constantly
– not just daily, but constantly that somehow they will reach out for
help. I pray there will be someone there
to reach out to them when they tire of the destruction in their lives.
So
this really does answer my question about the millions of people who come to
this earth never hearing the gospel truths and having the choice to accept
them. That said, I come to the
conclusion that this life is a lot more about gaining a body than it is about
the things of the spirit. We will get
that eventually. The sad thing is the
opportunities lost from not having the gospel in your life. Once I discovered the truth for myself and
embraced it, the world became a beautiful place. The mountains were beautiful; I saw the
beauties of nature and the goodness of others.
I promise I did not see these things before. They were just objects. Oh what a blessing the gospel has been in my
life. What a blessing the scriptures
continue to be in my life. Oh how I pray
for all my children and grandchildren that they will have the blessing of
seeing these things for themselves in this life and embrace it with all their
hearts. But if not, what comfort comes from knowing the things Jacob taught me
this morning.
