Purpose of the Church

On the DVD for the movie Saved! there is a deleted scene. In it, Roland is given the line, "You mean Jeffery Dammer could go to heaven by if he gets saved but jungle baby would go to hell if we don't get to them first?" This is a question that really heart of a problem that has bothered me for most of my life.

If the purpose of the church is to save souls, then if Moroni's words are correct, "For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also they who are without the law." (Moroni 8:25), why would I do anything, particularly if I were a Christian. The reason is that if people are without the law, then they are alive in Christ. Therefore, the only thing my taking the gospel to someone would be to introduce them to the fact that they might be condemned to hell. They would literally be worse off than before I took the gospel to them.

Since I believe in the mercies of God, I can only conclude that the purpose of the Church cannot be to save souls. That is, God will save who he will, whether the person is a church member, or a member of some remote tribe in Africa who has never heard of the Community of Christ, or even Christianity. Who am I to limit God and his mercy.

Therefore, I would seek a new purpose for the church, which cannot involve just saving souls.

The purpose is indicated in III Nephi 10:1 "But if they repent, and hearken unto my words, and harden not they hearts, I will establish my church amount them,..." That is, the purpose of the church is not to save souls, but rather is a reward for souls God has already saved. First, a people must repent, and hearken unto the word of the Lord, then the church can be established among them.

Compare this to the recent expansion of the Church. How often has the church gone into any area with the intention of establishing the church there? Most often the expansion has been the other way, the church is contacted by someone in a particular nation or area, and the church is scrambling to send someone there. Whether the nation be Nigeria, or Nepal. Often the church has not been able to keep up with the movement of the spirit of God.

The reason some people can place their hope on the church to save souls is also stated by Moroni. They deny the mercies of God. The spirit chose to move on Abraham. Later, the spirit moved with Jesus, and Mohammad. Who is to say he did not move in the life of a man called the Buddha. Even Confucius, and untold other people through the years. Even Joseph Smith Junior, and Martin Luther. God will move where he will, and with whom he will.