But baptism for the dead negates the Alma scripture you quoted. In essence, you absolutely are better off hearing the gospel in the ext life, having someone pay 10% of their gross for the privilege of doing your baptism for you and you can decide to accept or not from a position of much greater knowledge. No downside.
Doesn't seem to be the case according to D&C 76. Those who had opportunity in this life and refused it are relegated to the Terrestial at most (vs. 74). Those who don't receive it at all inherit the Telestial at most and likely spend the time between death and the judgement in hell (vs. 84, 99-101). In other words, neither case can result in eternal life. So Alma is fulfilled and the notion that one can just avoid it in this life when it comes goes out the window.
Did I read that right - you are saying that the people in the Terrestial and the people in the Telestial don't have eternal life?
“We look to not only the spiritual but also the temporal, and we believe that a person who is impoverished temporally cannot blossom spiritually.” Keith McMullin - Counsellor in Presiding Bishopric
"One, two, three...let's go shopping!" Thomas S Monson - Prophet, Seer, Revelator
Did I read that right - you are saying that the people in the Terrestial and the people in the Telestial don't have eternal life?
That is correct. Eternal life is not simply living forever, which is what those in any degree of glory will do. Eternal life is only to be had in the highest degree of the Celestial kingdom; to live with God as Gods.
Consider this Biblical example. John 5:28-29 says that all, the righteous and the wicked, will be resurrected. However 1 John 3:15 says that murderers do not have eternal life. So here is a simple example of how we all will live forever but not all have eternal life. Thus eternal life in the scriptures refers to a quality of life rather than longevity.
Last edited by Guest on Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Did I read that right - you are saying that the people in the Terrestial and the people in the Telestial don't have eternal life?
That is correct. Eternal life is not simply living forever, which is what those in any degree of glory will do. Eternal life is only to be had in the highest degree of the Celestial kingdom; to live with God as Gods.
Consider this Biblical example. John 5:28-29 says that all, the righteous and the wicked, will be resurrected. However 1 John 3:15 says that murderers do not have eternal life. So here is a simply example of how we all will live forever but not all have eternal life. Thus eternal life in the scriptures refers to a quality of life rather than longevity.
Thanks for explaining.
“We look to not only the spiritual but also the temporal, and we believe that a person who is impoverished temporally cannot blossom spiritually.” Keith McMullin - Counsellor in Presiding Bishopric
"One, two, three...let's go shopping!" Thomas S Monson - Prophet, Seer, Revelator