An Audience with Christ

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

As Jesus closed out his mortal ministry, he spoke these words:

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And _this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent._ (John 17)

Jesus described eternal life as knowing him and the Father. Some may be tempted to interpret this scripture in a non-obvious or non-literal way. For example, some might consider that we are supposed to know God figuratively, and that we get to know him by worshipping him and studying the scriptures. Others might consider that you only know him when you die.

Reading this scripture in context of other scriptures saves us from these and other similar interpretations. John made it even clearer when he wrote: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:12) You might be able to claim that you know someone you’ve never met (though that is dubious), but could you claim that you “have” someone you have never met? To have someone, they have to be with you. The Lord Jesus can literally come to you. If he has not literally come to you, you do not have him. If you do not have him, you do not have eternal life.

Some believe it is not possible for God to come to you. The scriptures witness that this is not true, providing a litany of examples of God appearing to men. Adam saw God face to face. Enoch did as well. Jacob also saw God: “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:30) Moses and dozens of others saw God face to face.

9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. (Exodus 24)

The resurrected Christ appeared to hundreds of people, people who had known him well before his crucifixion.

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1)

Some believe that while God visited and spoke to some people in the past, it isn’t something he does today. There isn’t a single scripture that suggests that this is the case, and there are many that show that just the opposite is true. The Lord made this promise in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) This promise and others like them did not come with an expiration date.

As wonderful as it is to see God, a visitation is only the beginning! Seeing God is still not the same as knowing God. Moses wanted all Israel to be prophets (see Deuteronomy 5:4). Only a few were. Prophets have not only seen and spoken with the Lord, they see him and speak with him often. Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23) An abode is much more than a single visitation. If someone abides with you, you have constant access to them. To see and speak with the Lord is not meant to be a rare event. It is possible for you to hear the voice of the Lord whenever you ask him a question, to see him often, and to spend a great deal of time in his presence—all while still in this life. It is not only possible, but arriving at this point is the very purpose of your life.

God is an unchanging God. He operates today according to the same perfect attributes he has always had. He still stands at the gate to eternal life.

O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. (2 Nephi 9:41)1

He still ministers personally to all who inherit salvation. Jesus is still the author and finisher of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2).

The smallness of the number of people who have obtained an audience with Christ is not due to any unwillingness on God’s part, but a lack of understanding and desire on the part of his children. Hosea described the two reasons that believers have not yet seen the face of the Lord:

6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.
9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be...
15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. (Hosea 5)

Believers who have not seen the Lord are practicing one or both of Hosea’s conditions. Either they are sinning, they are not seeking God, or both.

No amount of self-applied labels, scriptural wresting, or pastoral assurance can make up for the plainness of this argument: if you have not yet had an audience with Christ, you have not yet qualified for eternal life. Even seeing God is just the start of the relationship required to get to know God. While sobering, this conclusion need not be depressing. You cannot improve upon a situation until you first realize it stands in need of improvement.

If you do not find yourself in possession of eternal life in the presence of God, you must conclude that you are either unaware of the instructions in the scriptures on these topics, you have not applied them, or you are mistaken in your understanding of what they are or what it means to live them.

The rest of the chapters in this book describe the process of obtaining not only an audience with Christ, but a habitation with him. That process begins with an understanding of repentance grounded in the particulars of the fall of Adam and Eve. After repentance, you are ready to learn how to interact with God in ways that you have only read about. You will come to understand how it is possible to come to know God while still in this life. You will comprehend what great things God has designed in this life for those who love him. If you follow the instructions given in the scriptures on these topics, you will find yourself in possession of eternal life in the presence of God.