Do We Really Need to Know God in This Lifetime?

God tells all of us to come unto him. He tells us that if we do, we will be saved. 

“Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.” 3 Nephi 9:14

I also believe that God will come to us in His timing. He will not come to us until we are ready. I believe we should do every thing in our power to come unto Him. If we procrastinate the day of our repentance until we die, then it will be too late.

“But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.” Helaman 13:38

When we stand before God to be judged, many of us will say "Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in your name and cast out devils in your name and have done many wonderful works in thy name. Then the Lord will say to them, I never knew you, depart hence ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:22-23 If we do not truly know God before we come before his judgment seat, we will be cast off.

What does it mean to know someone? When you know someone you have met and talked with them. You do not just know about him or her, but you know them. Many people believe that Christ is real, but do they really know him personally? The prophets and God have told us many times to come unto Christ.

“And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.” Moroni 10:30

“Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.” 3 Nephi 9:22

We need to repent and come unto Christ if we want to be saved. To be able to be saved we need to be redeemed by God.

“And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;” Mosiah 27:25

How do we know we are redeemed? The brother of Jared had an experience where he was redeemed from the fall.

“And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.” Ether 3:13 God showed himself to him and redeemed him.

Everyone needs to have this experience, if they want to be saved. God tells us that He is the same yesterday, today and forever and that he does not change. 

“For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?” Mormon 9:9

He does not play favorites. He doesn’t only show himself to the “special” ones. He tells all of us to come.

 By Rachel Willis age 13