Benjamin concludes this section of the discourse by declaring that “the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.” Why does he use this theme as his conclusion? He has been talking directly to and about his own people, and now he states that others will hear of the Savior also. Of course we can read this in the modern context of the news of the Savior spreading to all, but we would miss an important piece of Benjamin’s message.
The essence of the message is not in the spread of the gospel in verse 20 but in the application of the requirements of the gospel to all peoples in verse 21. Benjamin has made a contrast between the “natural” yet “saved” infants and the “natural” yet condemned “men.” Yet the very thing that creates the condition for damnation for the “men” is that they have the knowledge of the gospel, and therefore the choice to obey it (“yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit” v. 19) or live contrary to it (“come out in open rebellion against God” Mosiah 2:37). The key is the knowledge of the gospel. This leaves wide open the salvation of those who are in ignorance of the law, and are not children may yet be saved (Mosiah 3:11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned.)
In the New World at this time there were more people who did not know the law that there were who did known the law. Benjamin’s people might have considered themselves at some sort of disadvantage in that they were being held to a higher standard, with greater possible condemnation than their Lamanite brethren. To combat this possible misconception, Benjamin must make it clear that eventually all will be under the requirement of the gospel. They may be earlier than others, but eventually “none shall be found blameless before God, except it be little children, only through repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent.”