You asked about a statement I made in a prior answer regarding those who die and go to the spirit world being taught the gospel of Jesus Christ while they await their day of judgement and eventual resurrection. I will clarify this so that you can see that this doctrine is not exclusive to the LDS Church, but in fact was being preached by the apostles after Christ’s resurrection (please see 1 Peter chapter 3, verses 18 and 19;

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

and First Peter chapter 4, verse 6).

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

As you can see, this is not a new doctrine but was a principle of Christ’s original church in the meridian of time, as was the doctrine of baptism for the dead as we learn from:

1st Corinthians chapter 15, verse 29, which says,
"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for the dead?"
If baptism for the dead was not taking place at that time, why would Paul bring it up as a question for the Corinthians (who had also been taught that doctrine) to consider?

You also asked if you should assume that this practice of baptism for the dead is done for those who have heard the LDS gospel while on the earth and rejected it, or whether it was done for someone who had died and never heard the LDS gospel. To that I can only say that we as mortals are not able to know the intent of others hearts. Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, knows the intent of everyone’s heart. They know whether people have actually had the opportunity to really hear and understand the gospel. In any event, we know that the gospel of Jesus Christ will be preached in its fullness to all that have not accepted it on this earth, once they reach the spirit world. If in our temple work we perform a proxy baptism for them so that they will have the privilege of entering into our Heavenly Father’s kingdom, wouldn’t that be a great blessing for them? I think so, and I think that it shows our Father’s great and tender mercy towards all of His children. He is ever patient, kind, and willing to provide those things that are needed by His children to enter His presence, if they will humble themselves before Him and take upon themselves the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Your third question was "How could Jesus not be God?" If by that you mean, is God, our Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ the same being? Following are scriptures that you should ponder relative to the question. First, look at
Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 through 3.

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Notice that even though Christ is "the brightness of His glory" and "the express image of His person" (He looks like His Father), when He had finished his work upon the earth, He "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." He did not become the Majesty on high, but rather sits at the right hand of His Father and our Father, and He sits there as a resurrected, glorified being, the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh.

Next, see Acts chapter 7, verses 54 through 56.

54 ¶ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

As you can see, as Stephen was being stoned to death, he looked up into Heaven and saw our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ standing on the right hand of the Father. Again, He did not look into heaven and see that Christ had become the Father, but that the two of them, separate and distinct individuals were there.

From there, I would direct you to John chapter 17, verses 9 through 11.

 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

We see here that Christ is praying for the eleven apostles and asking that they be made "one" as our Heavenly Father and Christ are one. What should we assume about that? Is Christ asking that the eleven be made one great conglomerate person with 22 arms and legs? No, but rather that they may be made one in purpose. To amplify that further, in the same 17th chapter, read verses 20 through 23. Here we can plainly see that He is praying for all that would ever hear and read the words of the apostles and He again asks that all of us who hear the message be made one. Since there are billions who have heard and accepted the words of the apostles, we know clearly that the "one" he has spoken of is not oneness in body, but oneness in purpose.

I hope this is helpful to you.

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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