Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines; Salvation
From this we learn that the Lord has prepared a prison for the souls
of all those who rejected the testimony of the antediluvian prophets,
where they were to remain in torment until the time when Jesus should
atone for their sins and return to the Father. Isaiah also says: "And
it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host
of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the
earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered
in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days
shall they be visited."[T] This is spoken of those who keep not the law
who live in latter-days. Again, he says: "The Spirit of the Lord God is
upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto
the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are
bound."[U] This was spoken of as the mission of the Redeemer, both his
work for the living and the dead who were prisoners that were bound.
When the Savior commenced his ministry, he entered into the synagogue
in the city of Nazareth--his home town--on the Sabbath day, the book
of Isaiah was handed him, he turned to this passage and read, closed
the book, handed it back to the minister, and while the eyes of all
the congregation were riveted upon him, he said: "This day is this
scripture fulfilled in your ears."[V] But the Jews rejected him and his
testimony, and with violence drove him from the city. Nevertheless, he
continued to proclaim liberty to the captives, declaring that he came
not alone to save the living but also to save the dead.
[Footnote T: Isaiah 24:21, 22.]
[Footnote U: Isaiah 61:1 and 42:7.]
[Footnote V: Luke 4:16-21.]
We hear the objection made from time to time, that Jesus did not come
to save the dead, for he most emphatically declared himself that there
was an impassable gulf that separated the righteous spirits from the
wicked. In defense of their position they quote the words in Luke, 16th
chapter and 26th verse, which are: "And besides all this, between us
and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from
hence to you cannot: neither can they pass to us that would come from
thence." These words, according to the story, were spoken by Abraham's
spirit to the rich man who raised his eyes and asked that Lazarus might
go touch his lips and relieve his torment. Abraham replied that it
could not be for there was a gulf fixed between them that the spirit
of no man could pass. Therefore, say the objectors to the doctrine
of universal salvation, "it is quite evident that the righteous and
the wicked who are dead, cannot visit each other, hence there is no
salvation for the dead."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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