Hasa Diga Eebowai wrote:My understanding was that this vision of Alvin rather than triggering inquiry was meant to provide a definitive answer, that those that died without the gospel didn't need baptism all that was required according to this vision was the desires of their hearts. The same was true and remains true in Mormon doctrine for little children who still don't require baptism.
Here's what it says:
"All who have died without a knowledge of this Gospel, 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. And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven."
The wording is a rehash of Alma 41:3 which talks about the resurrection and says:
"And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good."
It also falls in line that "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). Since the person who lives a good life but doesn't have the opportunity automatically falls under this category.
The LDS version of events pretends that Joseph Smith was surprised by the revelation that Alvin would receive the highest heaven. At Alvin Smith's funeral the minister suggested that since Alvin wasn't a church member he wasn't getting to heaven.
(William Smith Interview, 13 November 1893)
Oh, it "pretends" that, does it?
Let's see what the scripture itself has to say:
[5] I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since slept;
[6]
And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.[7] Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God;
Thus, it's not some "version of events" that anyone "pretends" anything, but is Joseph's own account of his experience.
Hasa Diga Eebowai wrote:Since he and his whole family rejected the idea that Alvin would not go to heaven it shouldn't shock anyone.
Actually verse 6 explains precisely why Joseph "marveled" to see Alvin there.
Does that explain why you quoted verse 7 and not verse 6? Because verse 6 does not support your evidence-free speculation?
I agree that there is someone in view who "pretends" something about this scripture; but it's not the Latter-day Saints.
Hasa Diga Eebowai wrote:Even with it being in the future at the time of resurrection, if the vision had been from God what a perfect time it would have been to explain Baptism for the dead. Instead God inspired Joseph Smith to contradict the Baptism for the dead justification in 1832 in his Inspired translation of Hebrews 11:40 and in 1836 explained that people who had good desires and did good things will be resurrected in the highest heaven because God judges their works and hearts and children who die don't need baptism either. Then within the space of a decade, in 1840, God is contradicting himself because Joseph Smith has found something else in the Bible he wants to "restore".
The later innovation of Baptism for the dead resulted from the attempt to restore the lost practice in 1 Corinthians 15:29, in a similar fashion to the way he attempted a restoration of a 1 Corinthians 15:40-42 "telestial" kingdom that wasn't necessary. As per usual, consideration wasn't even given to his 1832 JST Hebrews 11:40 or to this past 1836 vision when Smith started preaching Baptism for the dead four years later on 15 August 1840. It seems Joseph Smith had no problem with contradicting past "revelations" with new "visions" and new "visions" with past "revelations".
Except there is no actual contradiction. Baptism for the Dead does not contradict anything in Section 137; it merely contradicts your
interpretation thereof.
And your interpretation is driven by your need to find fault with the Church of Jesus Christ, and with Joseph Smith in particular.
As such, it is without value in any actual discourse regarding the meaning of LDS scriptures.
Joseph's vision of the future kingdom saw Alvin after the resurrection. Alvin subsequently received baptism for the dead
before the resurrection, which is one of the ways that the Father's promises to Joseph can be fulfilled without compromising the requirement for baptism set out in John 3:3-5.
Regards,
Pahoran