As one strives to find God, he should study the works of others who claim to have found him, that is, the prophets. The words of the Lord as given to us by the prophets declare that we must have faith in Jesus Christ. This is not simply faith in God, but faith in Jesus as the Christ. There are many scriptures illustrative of this point but Jesus’ words as recorded by John are as fitting and clear as any, where he said “… if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24. See also Acts 4:10-12; Rom. 6:23)
Although God provided bodies of spirit for the intelligences, and provided this earthly abode for them, as well as the means for them to come here, along with a program for their individual development and progression, he did not originate, create, nor bring them into being or existence.
As we go through our daily routines, doing the things which are required of us to maintain our livelihood, and performing those other tasks which we have assumed, school, church, and other responsibilities, we are continually met with problems. This life we are living is called by the Book of Mormon prophets a probationary state, that is, a period when men are on trial, so to speak. It is a period when men are given an opportunity to meet situations which require making decisions, and on the basis of those decisions, depending upon what they are, men either progress or retrogress, they develop or hinder their development. So, it is in the nature of things for men to be faced with problems and difficulties. The significant thing is not the fact that we have problems, but the question, how do we face them?
Essentially the revelations and the Prophet Joseph Smith declare that the original beings, which in our present estate we speak of as mortals, are uncreated. The intelligences, or the original entities, were not formed, organized, structured, made, created, nor begotten of God. They have co-existed with God from eternity.
Identifying himself for Moses, the Lord declared his name to be “I Am THAT I AM.” (Exodus 3:13-14). In effect the Lord was saying to Moses that he is without beginning of days or end of years, that he is identical with existence, that he did not come to be nor will he cease to be. The connotation is essentially the same as another of his names used in the scriptures, Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, or the beginning and the end. Summarily, his names mean I am he who really is, or I am he who eternally exists.
The revelations declare God is the Creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. The world and its embellishments are the handiwork of God through eternally organizing processes.
The gospel bears his name; the Church bears his name; he was the Creator of this earth; he is Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament; he is the Redeemer, and also the great judge. We have been told to do all that we do in is name. We must not forget that when we speak of truth in any ultimate sense it cannot be dissociated from Jesus Christ.
As one strives to find God, he should study the works of others who claim to have found him, that is, the prophets. The words of the Lord as given to us by the prophets declare that we must have faith in Jesus Christ. This is not simply faith in God, but faith in Jesus as the Christ. There are many scriptures illustrative of this point but Jesus’ words as recorded by John are as fitting and clear as any, where he said “… if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24. See also Acts 4:10-12; Rom. 6:23)