More Than Just Words: What Does It Mean to Be 'Known' by the Savior?

Brothers and sisters, if you’ve ever felt the weight of performance—the feeling that you have to *prove* your worthiness to the Lord—you know the pressure. We live in a culture that loves a good performance, a visible display of piety, and sometimes, we mistake that performance for covenant keeping. We think that if we use all the right terminology, if we show up to every meeting, and if we can recite scripture chapter and verse, we are safe.

But the Savior, in His perfect wisdom, gave us a warning that cuts right through the noise of religious showmanship. When He spoke those sobering words, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:23), He wasn't talking about a lack of intellectual knowledge. He was speaking about something infinitely deeper: a relationship.

The Difference Between Knowing and Being Known

It’s easy to get caught up in the *doing*—the prophesying, the miraculous displays, the impressive service. The people Jesus was warning about, the "fake Christians," were masters of the outward show. They had the vocabulary, they had the fervor, but they lacked the intimacy. They were religious practitioners, but not covenant disciples.

The key takeaway here, one that needs to sink into our hearts as we continue the work, is this: What matters isn't so much that *we* know God on some level, but that *God knows us*. As Paul taught, “Whoever loves God is known by God.”

What is the Father's Will?

If the warning is about performance versus relationship, what is the antidote? The answer, time and time again, points back to the core of the gospel: faith in Christ and living by the Father's will. Jesus pointed us back to John 6:28–29: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

This isn't just a mental agreement; it’s a life transformation. It’s allowing the Spirit to draw us into a relationship with the Savior that permeates our hearts—a relationship that results in genuine, consistent action. It means having Christ’s mind, dwelling in His heart, and acting as His true disciple, even when no one is watching.

A Disciple Challenge for the Rogue Disciples

As we are all striving to be better Internet missionaries, let’s challenge ourselves this week to focus less on *what* we can say, and more on *how* we are living. When you are studying scripture, don't just look up the doctrinal point; ask yourself, "How does this passage change the way I interact with my family, my neighbor, or my study partner?"

If you are feeling the weight of this doctrine, or if you want to discuss the nuances of covenant keeping, I highly recommend diving into the insights shared by Davee. He's trained in the AI Investigator role and can walk you through the hardest questions an investigator might ask about true discipleship. It’s a powerful way to prepare for those inevitable missionary discussions!

For those who want to dig deeper into the Book of Mormon prophets' counsel on true discipleship, check out some of the recent Iron Rod talks on covenant keeping. And if you want to build that foundational knowledge, don't forget to check out the Bible Study Groups in HolyPlaces—that’s where the deep work happens!

Remember, every member can be a disciple anywhere, all the time. Let's strive to be known by Him.