God's Inclusivity

In the book The Last Battle, a soldier who had been a worshipper of his people’s god Tash met with Aslan, the symbol of the Savior.  The soldier realized that Aslan was good and worthy of great respect, and he kneeled down before him with these thoughts, “Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honour) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him.”  When Aslan welcomed him to where he was, the solder said, “ Alas Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash.”  Aslan responded, “Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me….  I take to me the services which thou hast done to him.  For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him.”  I really like this scene because of what it teaches us about the Savior and his love for all.  His work is one of inclusivity in which He desires to save all of His Father’s children. 

               I think this message is one of the most compelling pieces of the plan of God that Joseph Smith revealed to the world.  He was able to bridge the gap between the strict requirements of the Savior that are prerequisites for eternal life and the fact that the majority of the world’s population has not even heard His teachings.  In the Book of Mormon we have this powerful statement about the God’s inclusivity: “He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile” (2 Nephi 26:33).  This suggests that everyone—whether in this life or the next—will be invited to come unto Christ.  Joseph also gave us these words displaying the Lord’s perfect justice: “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” (D&C 127:8).  It is through “the most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel” that this is made possible: baptisms for the dead (D&C 128:17).  Indeed, as Alma taught, “The way is prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved” (Alma 41:8).  There will be no one who will say at the judgment bar that he or she didn’t have a fair chance.