Jesus taught that “... except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5) and said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). On the other hand, Peter taught that “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). Does God only offer salvation to those of his children who happen to be born into circumstances that can lead to a Christian baptism? I keep this question in my mind as I study and ponder the teachings of Christ. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, temple worship is central to this contemplation. In the holy temple, I learn of God’s infinite love for all of his children, as evidenced by the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ, which offers salvation to all people
The Book of Mormon confirms the biblical teaching that the only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance and the ordinance of baptism (see 3 Ne 11:32-38). But the principle that God loves all of His children and invites all to “partake of his goodness” (2 Ne 26:33) is also emphasized throughout.
In chapter 19 of the First Book of Nephi we learn that ultimately all people will come to a knowledge that Christ is the savior -- “Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall be blessed” (1 Ne 19:17).
In chapter 22, Nephi describes the work that the Lord is doing in these Latter days to “...[bring] about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel… [that] they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel” (1 Ne 22:11-12). The Lord will “... gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture.” The Church is global in its scope to bring the gospel to all people throughout the world.
Toward the end of the Second Book of Nephi we see that the Lord extends his mercy and offers salvation to all people, for “all are alike unto God” (2 Ne 26:33). “... Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price. Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance. Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden… and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” (2 Ne 26:24-28,33).
Chapter 29 makes it clear that God is impartial toward nations. “Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? … Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished... Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written ... For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it…. And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews” (2 Ne 29:7-13).
In chapter 30, Nephi continues to prophesy about the restoration of the gospel and the gathering of His people from “... all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” (2 Ne 30:8). In chapter 31 we are exhorted to have “a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men”. Then in the second chapter of Jacob, we read that every soul is as precious in the sight of God as the other (Jacob 2:21).
In the next chapter Jacob councils his people not to judge the Lamanites even though they do not believe in God and have a hatred toward the Nephites, because this is what they had been taught by their parents. “Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers… Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them … but ye shall remember your own filthiness...” (Jacob 3:7,9). Jacob then concludes his writings with prophesies of the gathering of Israel in the latter-days and beseeches his brethren to not harden their hearts, and to come unto Christ (Jacob 6:5).
In chapter 14 of Mosiah we learn from Abinadi that those who “have died … in their ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them… have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord. And little children also have eternal life” (Mosiah 15:24-25). He also prophesies that in the last days “...the salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” (Mosiah 15:28).
In chapter 28 of Mosiah we learn of the great charity the sons of Mosiah had for all people, and the anxious concern for the welfare of everyone, even their enemies, and that this charity was a gift of the Spirit of God: “Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble” (Mosiah 28:3).
In the first chapter of Alma the Nephites are “steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God” (vs. 25). Priestcraft was not practiced: “...the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength” (vs. 26). “And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely” (vs. 27). “They did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need” (vs. 30).
In Alma 6 we learn that none were excluded from the church meetings: “Now I would that ye should understand that the word of God was liberal unto all, that none were deprived of the privilege of assembling themselves together to hear the word of God” (Alma 6:5). The people cared for those not of their faith: “... [they joined together in] fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God” (vs 6).
In chapter 16, Alma and Amulek go throughout the land preaching the gospel and establishing the church. “And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did impart the word of God, without any respect of persons, continually” (vs 14). “And there was no inequality among them” (vs 16).
Chapter 18 contains an interesting exchange between Ammon and king Lamoni, where Ammon teaches the king about God. They were not of the same faith, nevertheless Ammon built on a common belief in a supreme creator. “And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God? And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that meaneth. And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit? And he said, Yea. And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth? And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens. And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God dwells and all his holy angels” (vs 24-30).
At the end of the next chapter we see once again that the Lord’s desire is for His work to go to all of his children “And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will repent and believe on his name” (Alma 19:36)
The next chapter contains the well-known account of the Zoramites and their prideful manner of worship at the Rameumptom (Alma 31:21). They preached falsely that they were the “elect” while everyone else was “elected to be cast by the wrath [of God] down to hell” (vs 17).
In chapter 37, Alma testifies of the purpose of the ancient records which have become the Book of Mormon. He prophesies that the records “should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon” (Alma 37:4).
Alma testifies to his son that God is no respecter of persons: “Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming? Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their children?” (Alma 39:17-18).
In chapter 7 of Helaman we see that the Lord holds people accountable according to the knowledge they have received: “Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent. For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them” (Helaman 7:23-24).
The entire content of Helaman chapter 15 teaches that God judges us according to the light that we have received. This is at a time when the Nephites have rebelled against the knowledge they had been given, and so the words are harsh. “Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them. But behold my brethren, the Lamanites hath he hated because their deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the iniquity of the tradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation hath come unto them through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath the Lord prolonged their days… And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them— Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have been made free… Therefore I say unto you, it shall be better for them than for you except ye repent. For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief. Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return again unto me, saith the Lord. And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I will utterly destroy them, saith the Lord, because of their unbelief notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done among them” (Helaman 15:3-5,7-8,14-17).
The words of Christ to the more righteous part of the people who survived the destructions at the time of his death show that his arm of mercy is extended to all. “Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me... Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved” (3 Ne 9:14-22).
He commands them not to forbid anyone from worshipping with them. “And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not; But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out” (3 Nephi 18:22-23).
The next two verses describe the conditions of the people who belonged to the Church of Christ: “And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift” (4 Ne 1:2-3).
The following verse speaks of the unity of the people: “There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings...” (4 Ne 1:17-18).
The purpose of the Book of Mormon is given in the third chapter of Mormon. The book is written for all God’s children. “Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you, house of Israel, when the work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance; Yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea, unto you, twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged according to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose to be his disciples in the land of Jerusalem. And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and they shall be judged by the other twelve whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem. And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil; And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God. And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ” (Mormon 3:17-22).
The Book of Mormon is consistent throughout making it clear that God extends his love and offers salvation to all his children, regardless of race, nationality, gender, or any other distinction. All are alike unto God. Furthermore we see clearly that all people will be judged according to the truth and light they had been given while in mortality, and we will be shown great mercy as the Lord understands that many are taught incorrect traditions. Those who have been blessed with testimonies of Christ while in this life, on the other hand, are held responsible for being valiant in that testimony.
