Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect. (3 Nephi 12:48)
The presence of the Lord causes the earth to tremble. The Psalmist wrote, “tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;” (Psalm 114:7) “The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.” (Psalm 68:8)
The presence of God is a consuming fire. “The Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24). The wicked are tormented by fire in his presence. The Psalmist wrote that “As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.” (Psalm 68:2) John said:
The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: (Revelation 14:10)
His presence consumes everything that is corruptible:
A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. (Psalm 97:3-5)
What endures before God’s presence? What remains after refinement? What endures through the fire?
But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. (3 Nephi 24:2-3)
Those who are pure will withstand the presence of God. When we “shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness” it will be “the righteous [who] shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.” (2 Nephi 9:13-14) It is only those who are clothed upon with purity—those who have reconciled themselves to God’s commandments—that can enter into God’s presence.
And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end. (Mormon 7:7)
If you are in violation of the commandments of God, as far as you know them, to any degree, you are not guiltless before God. The only way you can be guiltless before God is to be reconciled to God’s commandments. The idea that a man can be a sinner and still dwell in God’s presence is a fabrication created by men.