A more accurate and expanded definition of “the face of God” provides practical next steps in our progression towards God. A key example is found in the idea of “seeking the face of God.”
Many have been inspired by God’s promise that those who forsake their sins, come unto him, call on his name, obey his voice, and keep his commandments will “see my face and know that I am.”11 Few are willing and able to read the conditions provided beyond the ambiguous but inapplicable familiarity with which we tend to endlessly rehash scripture. The conditions of the promise are to learn and live the Lord’s character.12 If you understand that Jesus is one with the Father because he has learned and lives the character of the Father, and that he is “the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world,” you know that the only way to obtain this promise is by learning and living the character of Christ. By doing so you won’t just know that he exists, but “that I AM.”13 You will see as he sees and know as he knows,14 even if you don’t see his literal face. You will know how he is,15 even if you don’t know what he looks like.
You seek the face of God by finding and emulating the examples of those who know him better than you. Since the beginning, God has carefully arranged creation such that all people always have access to whatever human or heavenly messengers may be required so that each person can learn as much about God as they are willing to live.16 The Lord’s messengers help you prepare for the Lord’s presence by walking ahead in17 and turning others toward18 the path that leads closer to him.19
Seeking the face of God is not an overtly religious practice, but rather an activity that spans every domain in your life. To seek the face
of God is to seek improvement in yourself, others, and the world itself.1268 The path toward God’s face is the path of improvement.1269 You seek the face of God by learning more about the potential and relative worth of all things, and working toward helping everything be as good as it can be.1270
Footnotes
- 1. Panim (Strong’s Hebrew 6440), panah (Strong’s Hebrew 6437), and prosópon (Strong’s Greek 4383). ↩
- 2. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (Genesis 1:29) ↩
- 3. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? (Genesis 4:5-6) ↩
- 4. And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.... And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. (Genesis 31:2, 5) ↩
- 5. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (Revelation 12:14) ↩
- 6. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8) ↩
- 7. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. (Genesis 45:3) ↩
- 8. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. (Genesis 31:21) ↩
- 9. And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. (Genesis 29:26) ↩
- 10. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. (Genesis 48:20) ↩
- 11. Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one— (D&C 93:1-3) ↩
- 12. And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. (D&C 88:67-68) ↩
- 13. And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14) ↩
- 14. They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace; (D&C 76:94) ↩
- 15. And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen. (Ether 12:41) ↩
- 16. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24) ↩
- 17. Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. (Exodus 23:20) ↩
- 18. For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory. (Alma 13:24) ↩
- 19. “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1) Here, “prepare the way before me” literally means “to walk in and turn others into the way toward my presence.” ↩