Do souls get a second chance in heaven?


Guest
 Share

Recommended Posts

My dad is a non member and has been taught by the missionaries. He rejected what was taught because he doesn't believe in an afterlife. If he passes away and I do the temple work for him and seal my parents together, will that all be a pointless action, because he had his chance in mortality to accept the gospel and chose not to, or will he have a second chance in the spirit world and help our family be sealed together finally? I would hate to think of temple work as being pointless, especially when it's my parents. I ask because I read the Duane Crowther book Life Everlasting, and in it it's said anyone who rejects the chance in this life, won't have a chance in the next life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First, for the living, one point of doing proxy ordinances is to obey the Lord.  Whether your father accepts the ordinances will not alter whether you have obeyed.  Another reason (I think) is to enable the dead to choose (you cannot choose to accept an ordinance that was never done).  Whether your father accepts the ordinances will not alter whether you have helped to give him a choice.

Second, we mortals cannot judge what constitutes someone's "chance" in mortality.  I expect we often think we can, and we often think it seems obvious, but I am not convinced it is so obvious as we think.

So, I think you should not give up on your father in life, and I think after he's gone, perhaps when the Spirit tells you or confirms it's right, you should do his work - to be obedient, to give him a choice, to show faith in the Savior's ability to change hearts even after death, and just in case your father's "chance" didn't end in mortality after all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Zarahemla said:

My dad is a non member and has been taught by the missionaries. He rejected what was taught because he doesn't believe in an afterlife. If he passes away and I do the temple work for him and seal my parents together, will that all be a pointless action, because he had his chance in mortality to accept the gospel and chose not to, or will he have a second chance in the spirit world and help our family be sealed together finally? I would hate to think of temple work as being pointless, especially when it's my parents. I ask because I read the Duane Crowther book Life Everlasting, and in it it's said anyone who rejects the chance in this life, won't have a chance in the next life.

No, a soul does not get a second chance after Judgement Day.  However, before Judgement Day the spirits in Spirit Prison will have an opportunity to accept the Gospel.  This is an elementary part of the Plan of Salvation.

Edited by Jane_Doe
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've often wondered what "having a chance and rejecting" the gospel means. 

Clearly, if LDS missionaries knock on your door, you answer and say no you're not interested, I wouldn't consider that an opportunity.  I would expect an element of the Holy Ghost/Spirit of Christ strongly testifying of truth is an element that needs to be present before it would be considered an official chance.  Also if we consider that forgiveness is an eternal part of the plan, then I would expect that one could be forgiven of not accepting the gospel and be given more than a single chance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, FogCity said:

I've often wondered what "having a chance and rejecting" the gospel means. 

Clearly, if LDS missionaries knock on your door, you answer and say no you're not interested, I wouldn't consider that an opportunity.  I would expect an element of the Holy Ghost/Spirit of Christ strongly testifying of truth is an element that needs to be present before it would be considered an official chance.  Also if we consider that forgiveness is an eternal part of the plan, then I would expect that one could be forgiven of not accepting the gospel and be given more than a single chance.

I'm with you on this.. When I has testimony the Church was true there was no way I couldnt act on it without knowing what I was doing would have been wrong.   In that case me refusing to be baptised would have been rejecting the Gospel.

My husband is a non member,  he likes the lifestyle of the Church,  has members who are friends, feeds the Missionaries,  we have family home evening etc.. But there is just certain things he just doesn't get.. I'm going to do his work or the kids can do us both, i see no reason if I uphold my Covenants why we won't be together.   We think of time as a straight, measurable line, but that's not how Heavenly Father sees it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Zarahemla said:

I read the Duane Crowther book Life Everlasting, and in it it's said anyone who rejects the chance in this life, won't have a chance in the next life.

Before or after Judgement day?

After Judgement day yes I agree, Before no. All will have the opportunity

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Zarahemla said:

My dad is a non member and has been taught by the missionaries. He rejected what was taught because he doesn't believe in an afterlife. If he passes away and I do the temple work for him and seal my parents together, will that all be a pointless action, because he had his chance in mortality to accept the gospel and chose not to, or will he have a second chance in the spirit world and help our family be sealed together finally? I would hate to think of temple work as being pointless, especially when it's my parents. I ask because I read the Duane Crowther book Life Everlasting, and in it it's said anyone who rejects the chance in this life, won't have a chance in the next life.

Some have already responded - but the point is that everyone gets the opportunity to hear about and accept the atonement of Christ.  What we learn from scripture that point to the future is that all will bend knee and accept Jesus as the Christ and so overcome sin (death) and be resurrected.  Beyond that great act of sacrifice and mercy of G-d we may then make an account before G-d as to the law (Celestial or otherwise) that we are desirous and capable of abiding by.  This will all be accomplished by whatever chances or opportunities are necessary or needed to complete – in this life or the spirit world.  Part of what is necessary to complete anyone’s chances are the ordnances performed in the temple – either in this life or by proxy for someone in the spirit world.

 

The Traveler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only Christ will judge. Everyone will be rewarded with the kind of life they will be happiest with. And it's not over till it's over, as the quote goes.

The important thing is that God (and we) should keep trying to become more ourselves; and keep trying for other people, to teach and persuade them, to try to be more, to follow God better.

If we, or others, do not want to be more, then we should ask God to give us that desire and the faith to do it. I think he wants the utmost for us, and will help us if we ask and work for it.

Temple work will be done for everyone eventually, as I understand it. It's never a wasted exercise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see the spirit world as being that different than the world we are in now.  We don't get a chance here and/or a chance there.  We have the same attitudes and beliefs going from one world to the next, and we ultimately will decide if we are willing to live the covenants of God fully knowing the consequences.  We won't be duped into rejecting the gospel, but we may be stubborn in our beliefs, or we may just never have learned enough about compassion, love or forgiveness in time to change.  And accepting the gospel doesn't just come to an atheist because he discovers there is an afterlife.  He still must change his heart and become Christlike.  So consider the journey as a whole, and not just what is here and now.  Even on Earth, we change over time, and what we believe today will evolve (hopefully for the better).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/29/2016 at 10:40 PM, Zarahemla said:

My dad is a non member and has been taught by the missionaries. He rejected what was taught because he doesn't believe in an afterlife. If he passes away and I do the temple work for him and seal my parents together, will that all be a pointless action, because he had his chance in mortality to accept the gospel and chose not to, or will he have a second chance in the spirit world and help our family be sealed together finally? I would hate to think of temple work as being pointless, especially when it's my parents. I ask because I read the Duane Crowther book Life Everlasting, and in it it's said anyone who rejects the chance in this life, won't have a chance in the next life.

Yes. That's the beauty of the gospel.  Your father, like all of us, when he dies will go to the Spirit World where missionaries and members work and teach and preach like (mortal) missionaries do.

The Final Judgement won't occur until after the 1,000 year Millennium, during which time, your father and the rest of us will be given another chance to repent, improve, accept more gospel truth, etc.

Many, many, many more chances...one might say an almost-infinite amount infinite amount of chances since the Atonement is infinite, (noting the Final Judgement)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 29/07/2016 at 11:40 PM, Zarahemla said:

My dad is a non member and has been taught by the missionaries. He rejected what was taught because he doesn't believe in an afterlife. If he passes away and I do the temple work for him and seal my parents together, will that all be a pointless action, because he had his chance in mortality to accept the gospel and chose not to, or will he have a second chance in the spirit world and help our family be sealed together finally? I would hate to think of temple work as being pointless, especially when it's my parents. I ask because I read the Duane Crowther book Life Everlasting, and in it it's said anyone who rejects the chance in this life, won't have a chance in the next life.

Interesting question!

Many have said lots of important things and I'd just like to give a word or two on the subject:

I'll quote D&C 50:17-22

17 Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

18And if it be by some other way it is not of God.

19And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

 

20 If it be some other way it is not of God.

 

21 Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?

 

22 Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.

 

That's a key point for us to understand the situation you mentioned:

HOW DO WE PREACH IT? HOW DO THEY RECEIVE IT?

So, if the missionaries taught by the Spirt of truth, that isn't enough, for Nephi said that “for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men” (2 Nephi 33:1) “Unto” is different than “Into”. “Into” refers to agancy and level of understanding. Agency is when a person knows by the Spirit that a gospel truth is true and denies it. Level of understanding is when an individual, due mostly to the traditions of the fathers, has barriers in his mind and heart.

 

Besides, The Lord (fortunately) is the One who holds judgment, because He is just and knows the hearts of man. Do what you can to support your father in every good thing and be an example of faith and devotion to him.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/29/2016 at 8:40 PM, Zarahemla said:

My dad is a non member and has been taught by the missionaries. He rejected what was taught because he doesn't believe in an afterlife. If he passes away and I do the temple work for him and seal my parents together, will that all be a pointless action, because he had his chance in mortality to accept the gospel and chose not to, or will he have a second chance in the spirit world and help our family be sealed together finally? I would hate to think of temple work as being pointless, especially when it's my parents. I ask because I read the Duane Crowther book Life Everlasting, and in it it's said anyone who rejects the chance in this life, won't have a chance in the next life.

In the end God must be just He cannot give more chances to one person than another.... within that purview i think the sticking point would be "did he really get a full chance, or a chance as good as the best chance anyone else got?" also we ultimately don't know what that limit initially is either. Have you studied out section 76 in the doctrine and covenants? Also keep in mind that those in greater kingdoms can visit leser kingdoms.

Personally i'd assume the worst, and work like heck for the best, with much prayer and pleading to God for mercy upon anyone I was concerned about.

Repentance revolves around a person changing and i figure there's always hope right up until the last judgement- Christ is our lawyer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share