Ok I have been studding the New Testament in my online college course and I read something that confused me. This is what I read, So in the student manual it reads, “Salvation for the dead is limited expressly to those who do not have opportunity in this life to accept the gospel but who would have taken the opportunity had it come to them. ‘All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel,’ the Lord said to the Prophet, ‘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, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.’ (Teachings, p.107)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p, 686 Italics added.) As I read this I understood that not everyone would get the opportunity to hear the gospel after they die if they have not already heard it here. The few who do get to hear it are those that would have received it here on earth with open hearts. This didn’t quite feel right because I remember once learning that Christ organized missionary work in the spirit world. I then was able to confirm with my group that everyone would be given a opportunity to hear the gospel and to have the chance to accept it or not. But then the thought comes to mind how many chances do we get? Is not this life the time to accept the gospel or not? Is this not the time set aside to learn, while we are in a time of probation?

This just didn’t quite agree with me because I had always thought that every one would have a chance to either accept the gospel here or in the spirit world and if they rejected it here they would have the chance to accept it there. In the New Testament student manual it seemed to be saying something different so I went digging and this is what I found.

Ok so I went to Preach My Gospel and studied the section on the Spirit world. There I found in D&C 138:28-33 that everyone was given the chance to hear and accept the Gospel in the afterlife. For the Savior had organized his forces to teach those that were in darkness. The people getting taught were those that were without a knowledge of the truth or in transgression, having rejected the prophets. So this is a place in scripture that tells us that all were going to be given a chance to hear the gospel. This still didn’t satisfy my confusion so my wife found the rest of the quote that was given in the student manual. I think that there is a context hole in the student manual for the New Testament. I say this because the first part of the quote that is not in the New Testament Manuel tells us who will go to the terrestial kingdom. He says that those that accept in the spirit world but were given a chance to accept here in this life can not receive the Celestial glory but are to receive the terrestial glory. Then he continues on and says that those who would have received the gospel but were not given a chance to hear it in this life who then receive it in the spirit world would have the opportunity to enter the Celestial kingdom. I hope this makes sense.

I now know that we are all going to be able to receive the opportunity to either accept or reject the gospel but now is the time to accept. I am reminded of the scripture in Alma 34:32 and 34. Also in 2 Nephi 2:21 both of these scriptures are telling us that we are to do something about which side we stand on now. Now is the time to repent, now is the time to perform our labors while in the flesh.

I know that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and this is the time to choose to follow him. I know that he lives and He loves us. He wants us to have the greatest gift of life and that is eternal Life. I know that these things are true. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.