Is Life Fair?

Skype Bible Study, Tuesday 3/19/13
Is Life Fair?
"Regarding resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment, is this life fair? After all, some are born into wealth, some into poverty surrounded by crime; some are born to the parents of Christians, while others to Muslims. How can all have an equal chance to live with God?"
With the exception of the Devil and His angels, we have very few specific examples of an individual’s fate regarding salvation. Nonetheless, He does provide us with all the scriptures we need to adequately answer this question. Plan of Salvation given from the beginning
Alma 9 : 38 38 Now we see that Adam did fall by partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his fall, that all mankind became a lost and a fallen people. 41 Therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state, which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead. 42 Now if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was laid
from the foundation of the world, there could have been no resurrection of the dead;… 46 But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto man that they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment; even that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.47 And after God had appointed that these things should come unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto them; 48 Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, which caused men to behold of his glory. 49 And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; 50 And this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance, and their holy works; 51 Wherefore he gave
commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good; 52 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; 54 54 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son (this being the plan of redemption which was laid), saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine only begotten Son.55 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine only begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest. 56 And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest….64 And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption. 65 And this is the manner after which they were ordained: being called and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil
I Corinthians 7 : 17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk.
Romans 1 : 20 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet….11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as
have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
We will all be Judged by or works whether they are good or evil
Revelation 20 : 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Mosiah 1 : 126 Whereof, they shall be judged, every man, according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil;
Book of Mormon 1 : 87 And ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil; and also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; … 89 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Alma 19 : 66 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;
We all know Good from Evil
Genesis 3 : 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil….7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Moroni 7 : 14 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that they may know good from evil; wherefore I shew unto you the way to judge: for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ;
Alma 19 : 83 Now we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever, that the Lord God placed cherubim, and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit;
Alma 9 : 51 Wherefore he gave commandments unto men, they having first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal, and becoming as gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good;
II Nephi 1 : 67 and men are instructed sufficiently, that they know good from evil.
Helaman 5 : 86 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death, and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.
Alma 15 : 56 Yea, and I know that good and evil hath come before all men; or he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires; whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.
Justice
II Timothy 4 : 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.
Mosiah 1 : 83 Therefore, if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice doth awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt,
Isaiah 11 : 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. (Equity: The quality of being fair and impartial: "equity of treatment".)
Psalms 98 : 9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Alma 19 : 106 And thus they are restored into his presence; to be judged according to their works; according to the law and justice; for behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.
Understanding God’s Just Judgment: We are all Judged according to our Knowledge
Luke 12 : 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Deuteronomy 1 : 39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither,
and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. 40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea….Say unto them. Go not up, neither fight
Matthew 11 : 20-24 20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Mosiah 1 : 107 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died, not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned . 108 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God; for salvation cometh to none such, except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. 109 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceeding great joy, even as though he had already come among them…. 119 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been, from the fall of Adam, and will be, for ever and ever; 120 But if he yieldeth to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man, and becometh a saint, through the atonement of Christ, the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. 121 And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come, when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 122 And behold, when that time cometh, none shall be found blameless before God, except it be little children, only through repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent;
Mosiah 8 : 58-61 58 And these are those who have part in the first resurrection; and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them. 59 And thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord. 60 And little children also have eternal life. 61 But behold, and fear, and tremble before God; for ye had ought to tremble: for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebelleth against him, and dieth in their sins;
III Nephi 3 : 15, 17 15 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, …Now the cause of this iniquity of the people, was this: Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.
I Timothy 1 : 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
Moroni 8 : 25 For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. 26 For the power of redemption cometh on all they that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, can not repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing. 27 But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works. 28 Behold, my son, this thing had not ought to be; for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation, and under the curse of a broken law.
Alma 7 : 19 18 Now we see that the word of the Lord hath been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their transgressions in the land. 19 Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in your sins; 20 Yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life, than for you, except ye repent, for there are many promises which are extended to the Lamanites: 21 For it is because of the traditions of their fathers that causeth them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them, and prolong their
existence in the land. 22 And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; 23 And many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name. 24 But behold, I say unto you, that if ye persist in your wickedness, that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; 25 And if ye repent not, they shall come in a time when you know not, and ye shall be visited with utter destruction; 26 And it shall be according to the fierce anger of the Lord; for he will not suffer you that ye shall live in your iniquities to destroy his people. 27 I say unto you, Nay; he would rather suffer that the Lamanites might destroy all this people which are called the people of Nephi, if it were possible that they could fall into sins and transgressions, after having had so much light and so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their God;… 31 And having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts; the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation:… 35 And now behold I say unto you, that if this people,
who have received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should transgress, contrary to the light and knowledge which they do have; 36 I say unto you, that if this be the case; that if they should fall into transgression, that it would be far more tolerable for the Lamanites than for them.