I've got a question, you might answer, and has been going around my head, and is the following:

My girlfriend told me that the baptism for the dead was meant to save all those people who didn't hear the Word of God, Jesus or anything of the Gospel....so us as Christians, what does the Bible teaches about all this people who didn't hear about God and His Gospel? (because I KNOW there is no second chance after death......)

Thanks again, in Christ...Roberto

Roberto,

Hope this helps a little:

Mormonism teaches that those who do not hear the Gospel on earth will get a chance to do so in the after-life. Such a view is not taught in the Bible. But it raises the question: How can it be that those heathen who do not have a chance to hear the Gospel and either accept it or reject it are lost?

To address the Mormon solution:

First, their "solution" is nowhere taught in the Bible. It isn't taught in the Book of Mormon either. It is a later invention of Mormonism. It is an idea that is pleasing to the mind of man. However that doesn't make it true. The carnal mind would applaud a theological position which grants salvation to everyone, even people who openly reject the Gospel. That idea (universal salvation) is often defended because "a Good God would not let _anyone_ perish."

We however, cannot let theological propositions be determined by how we feel about them. Orthodox Christianity declares theological truth must be based on the revelation of God to man-upon the Bible. If we reject that standard for discovering theological truth, we have opened the floodgates to every so-called Prophet who comes along. Mormonism, orthodoxy teaches, must be judged by the Bible.

So what does the Bible teach about salvation?

1. Everyone is separated from God by sin.
2. God sent His Son to die in the place of sinners.
3. Those who believe this are saved, those who do not perish.

This is the Gospel message. There is no other message. There is no other name given whereby men may be saved. Whether or not we like the message, it is what God has chosen to tell us. That is all we know. Armed with that knowledge we are driven to go into all the earth and deliver the Gospel message to as many as possible.

Now, we may speculate that God has a secret plan to save heathens who do not hear the message. But that speculation is only speculation. The fact that we may like the speculation does not make it true. Mormonism makes up the story that people get a chance after they die. As I said, the Book of Mormon as well as the Bible teach no such thing. In fact, both books teach the opposite. The Book of Mormon is explicit:

Alma 34:32-33
32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. 33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

Again, we can speculate as much as we like, but if we are honest, we are limited to believe and teach what we have been told in the Bible. I hope God has a secret plan that will save unconverted heathen, but I have to reason to believe such a plan exists. It is pointless for me to speculate about it. If He does, He is still God; is He does not, He is still God. My job is to be obedient to that which I know is true.