Do You Love Me?

What does it mean to believe? What does it mean to have faith? I know there are many who believe that we are saved by faith alone, and not "works," but I ask each of us to think for a second about faith/belief, and what that means. For example, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I also believe that because He is my Savior, that He loves me. I believe both those things. With my mind? Yes. With my heart? Yes. On the inside? Yes. However, my belief that He is our loving Savior does more than sit within the walls of my mind--it shapes who I am, it shapes how I act, and it makes me want to show love back to Him.

Nephi said, "all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God" (2 Nephi 25:13). He also said, "for we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23-25). So which is it? Are we saved more by grace? Are we saved more by whatever "after all we can do" means? 

Consider this: Christ is the One who can and will save; He wants to do that, He volunteered to do that, He will do that. "He commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation" (2 Nephi 26:24) "He hath given it free for all men..." (2 Nephi 26:27). Now look what it says later in that verse! "He hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance" (vs. 27). To what??? Repentance. (Oh, there it is). So He will save us, BUT He will not do it without our wanting it. How do we show that we want it? Again, repentance!!! Honestly, there are lots of people who believe in Christ (well, at least that He is really there), who I don't think really want to be saved. They enjoy sin, so what would He save them from? Repentance implies change. Repentance is change. So if someone doesn't really want to change and live His laws, why would you want Him to save you? 

That's what I'm saying -- that there are two necessary people for our salvation, and neither can be without the other. Christ is necessary because He is perfect and is the Savior. He is the merciful one who can forgive any sin because He has taken them all upon himself. We are the other half to the equation. I need "me" to be saved too. I need to do all that I can do, which to me means to "bow down before Him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul" (2 Nephi 25:29). "He denieth none that come unto Him" (2 Nephi 26:33), but we have to COME! 

How do we come? "He said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?" (2 Nephi 31:10) (Oh, there it is, again). Clearly, faith and believing implies more than an inward thought. We have to try to be like Jesus, and want to be like Him. We need to be obedient. 

That's the danger of thinking it's enough to be "spiritual"... all zen-like and unorganizedly independent spirituality. Spirituality is necessary, spirituality is great, but it is not enough by itself. We need God's commandments. Why? Because that's how we show Him that we love Him. He has a myriad of ways that He shows us His love. He asks that we also show our love to Him. Makes sense, right? If only one person in a relationship is showing love that's pretty unbalanced. "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). 

I know that Heavenly Father loves me because He has provided me a way to get back to His presence; He has provided us with a Savior. I know that the Savior loves me because I have felt his healing forgiveness and mercy in my life. I feel it all the time actually, because there isn't one day that I don't make a mistake, and there isn't one day that I don't wish I could be better. That's why we have Him, to [rely] wholly upon the merits of his who is mighty to save... [pressing] forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ (plug for scriptures and libing prophets), and endure to the end, behold saith the Father: ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31:19-20). 

My challenge for us all is to think of the ways you show Christ that you love Him. Then, think of the ways He has asked you to show that you love Him. I promise that things will come to each of our minds as we thoughtfully ponder those invitations with a desire to apply what answers may come.