I Am

I recognized recently that in order for a belief to qualify under the scriptural definition of faith, it must meet at least two criteria: 1. It must be a belief in something unseen, and 2. It must be a belief in something that is true. A belief in something seen and true (like gravity or the sunrise), or a belief in something unseen and untrue (aliens or monsters in the closet), or a belief in something seen but untrue (an illusion at a magic show), are all incompatible with the scriptural definition of faith.

Not only is faith based on what is unseen yet true; to effect our salvation, it must be centered in Jesus Christ. A relative asked me why we are told to have faith in His name, rather than Him. Here in mortality, all we have is words about Him, especially His name, which is attached to, and associated with, descriptions of His life, ministry, works, miracles, etc. We believe on His name because that is the main part of Him we actually have. (The people who were privileged to see Him in mortality and witness His miracles did not do so well, collectively.)

Through ordinances, we covenant to remember Him, and show that we are willing to take His name upon us. We pray, and perform all ordinances, in His name. The priesthood is the authority to act in His name, or as His representatives. A name is invisible when applied to a person. When we are spiritually begotten, we become the sons and daughters of Christ, and are called in His name. If we are not called by His name, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (Mosiah 5:8-14).

His premortal name, Jehovah, or "I exist," is pertinent to this subject. In order to be saved, we must have faith in Him, and that includes not seeing Him while He is still "true," or while He actually exists. He even told the Pharisees outright, "before Abraham was, I am." This is not bad grammar; it is Jesus explaining that He was the God of the Old Testament.

So much depends on things that we cannot physically see or quantify in the gospel. At least, you do not see physical manifestations until after you exercise faith. Yet that backwardness of going from belief to concrete evidence, rather than going from evidence to belief, is what qualifies genuine faith in Christ. (The way the Lord does so many things, and His priorities, are backwards from the way tend to do them as mortals.)