Biblical Keys For Discerning True And False Prophets

[Guest]

Most Prophets speak of things that will come after their death...tough to kill them when a prophecy does not come to pass, when already gone.

[Calm]

Exaltation, being one with God and inheriting all that he has---the greatest blessing/treasure ever...do you really think (notamormon) that God will give it to those who did not seek him as fully as possible all though their existence to the best of their abilities and instead choose to hedge their 'bets' and play it safe or easy when given a chance to discover if this faith is God's gospel? Do you really believe that there is any reason they would desire it more in the next life if they can't muster up enough desire in this one?

[Vance]

So why should any Catholic, Protestant or Muslim convert to the LDS church? Why not avoid the complications from a change like that and just receive the Gospel in the next life?

Why not enjoy the blessings of the true gospel as soon as possible?  Why wait for the happiness that can be had now?

If the apostasy happened in the 1st century, then it was the early church rejecting the Gospel. What does that have to do with people who lived 100 or 1000 years later?

It means that they didn't have the true gospel available to them. 

 

Since the Gospel was already gone, they never had a chance to accept or reject it while on earth.

True.  That is why God gives them the opportunity after this life.

 

Many of those later people sincerely wanted to follow God.

True.  And they will be given the opportunity in the world of the dead.

 

Why would God wait so much longer when there were people who wanted to follow Him?

 

The Church barely survived as it was.  I am quite sure that God restored it as soon as it's survival could be insured.

 

Did the sincere believers during those 1700 years have a chance to experience the blessings of the Gospel during their life on earth?

Nope.  But it is God's method of operation that He does not prevent evil but rather compensates for it.  Those people will be compensated with an opportunity to hear and accept the gospel in the world of the dead.

 

 How was God respecting their agency?

By not forcing the restoration of His gospel before it could survive and thrive without disrespecting their agency.  It isn't that complicated. Really.