Jesus did the same thing, explaining to his disciples that He taught with parables so as not to be easily understood as if He didn't want them to be forgiven of their sins. He quotes Isaiah when the disciples ask why He speaks in parables instead of plainly: "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." (Mark 4:11-12)
This always sounded wrong to me, doesn't Jesus want everyone to be forgiven and find happiness? No. Those who receive the Holy Ghost and deny Him are much worse off in Eternity than those who remain ignorant. He doesn't want anyone to suffer the wrath of Almighty God. He wants those who aren't strong in the faith, who can't pass the tests of discipleship, to remain ignorant so they aren't condemned. He does it to "bless those that would curse Him!"
Nephi explains why it is important to only give salvation to those who will "endure to the end." "After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me." (2 Nephi 31:14) In other words, it is better to never be converted than to be converted and turn away.
We understand why it would be better to have never known the Lord when we know about the "unpardonable sin." Alma is talking to his son about the sin of adultery and tells him about the hierarchy of sins, and especially the worst sin of all. "Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost? For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable." (Alma 39:5-6) "The shedding of innocent blood" is the same as "denying the Holy Ghost" because Jesus is the only innocent man to have walked the Earth. When those who receive the cleansing power of the blood of Christ and then altogether turn against Him, they shed His blood. The Lord expounds on this to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon:
Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power
They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;
For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity;
Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come
Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame.
These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels
And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;
Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.
Wherefore, he saves all except themthey shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment. (D&C 76:31-38,45)God doesn't want a single person to suffer this Eternal torment so He hides the information that could condemn those who can't handle it. This, however, is the same information they need for salvation. He purposely keeps them ignorant to save them from themselves. They cannot be judged for the things they don't know so they can still be saved by Him. For these, ignorance is bliss. Oh, how merciful is our God! He will withhold knowledge from those who would use it for evil or deny Him. He blinds their eyes so they don't see, and by this spares those who would deny Him from Endless suffering. He is the perfect example of the injunction to "love your enemies." He arranges for the salvation of even His enemies through His foreknowledge and power. How awesome is our God! His grace extends to all, even His enemies! Blessed be His holy name forever and ever, amen!
