Up or down?

Well, that seems fairly straightforward, doesn't it?

After all, that's what the Bible says, doesn't it?

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ~John 3:18

Or what about Romans 3:23, which says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

So, we can see that those who believe in Jesus Christ go to heaven, whereas those who do not are condemned.  But in all this, I want to know one thing:  what about those who didn't have the chance?

After all, if we believe some people's interpretation of the Bible, all those who didn't believe in Jesus Christ during this life will enjoy eternity being constantly burnt in a lake of fire and brimstone.  I say that this sounds nothing like the loving God that I know.  If he loves us, doesn't that mean that he wants us to be happy? 

This whole "Saved or Not" business is a bit like a mail contest where if you get a letter and send it, you get an all expense paid vacation for eternity.  If you don't send in a reply, the government takes you and drops you off in the Sahara desert to be there for eternity.  What if you don't get a letter?  It's not fair that you get the vacation, because you didn't fulfill all the requirements; however, it's also not fair that you get sent to suffer for eternity if it's not your fault.

Why would a being who loves his children send people to spend an eternity in a lake of fire and brimstone, especially if some people had no chance whatsoever to repent?

The simple answer is that he doesn't.

Of course, some people would get all up in my face right now if I was there in real life.  "Blasphemer!" they cry.  "Why don't you believe the Bible?"  I believe in the Bible, don't get me wrong.  What I don't believe is an erroneous interpretation of the Bible.

You see, God is a perfectly fair being.  Everyone in the entire world is going to receive an equal chance to choose to follow Christ.  It may be here, or it may be in the next world.

You see, there's more to life than this.  Most people think that once you die, that's it.  Once you die, it's like the story about you is set; either you're going to heaven or you're going to hell.  That's not the way it is.

Now, concerning the ^astate of the soul between ^bdeath and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are ^ctaken ^dhome to that God who gave them life.

And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of ^ahappiness, which is called ^bparadise, a state of rest, a state of ^cpeace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

And then shall it come to pass, that the ^aspirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the ^bdevil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer ^cdarkness; there shall be ^dweeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

Now this is the state of the ^asouls of the ^bwicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, ^cfearful looking for the fiery ^dindignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this ^estate, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection. ~Alma 11-14

After death, we are able to learn of Jesus Christ, and come closer to him.  Those who didn't get a chance to learn of Jesus will.

For Christ also hath once ^asuffered for sins, the just for the ^bunjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to ^cdeath in the flesh, but quickened by the ^dSpirit:

By which also he went and ^apreached unto the ^bspirits in ^cprison;

Which sometime were ^bdisobedient, when once the ^clongsuffering of God waited in the days of ^dNoah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were ^esaved by ^fwater. ~1 Peter 3:18-20

^aFor for this cause was the ^bgospel ^cpreached also to them that are ^ddead, that they might be ^ejudged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. ~1 Peter 4:6

Else what shall they do which are ^abaptized ^bfor the dead, if the dead ^crise not at all? why are they then baptized for the ^ddead? ~1 Corinthians 15:29

This is one of the most precious doctrines that was lost during the general apostasy of the church following the death of the Apostles.  Many of the truths, known and practiced by the Christians of the time, were lost or changed, and only the smallest portions survive in the Bible today.

It's the truth.  There is redemption after this life.  Jesus can save even those who have perished without ever finding out about Jesus Christ.  There is hope for your loved ones.  In heaven, we can all be with our deceased relatives.  It's true.  God loves all men equally, and all men will have the chance to hear His voice.  I know this.