Cut Off From the Presence of God

Being “cut off from the presence of God” refers to a state of spiritual separation from His favor, blessings, and presence. It involves the loss of covenantal blessings and often results as a consequence for disobedience to His laws or commandments. This condition is marked by alienation and the potential for eternal separation, yet reconciliation with God remains possible through repentance and faith.

Keeping the commandments and prospering, is contrasted with disobeying the commandments and being “cut off from God’s presence.” When people are cut off from the presence of God, they are not necessarily also cut off from the presence of false spirits, deceiving “angels of light” and corrupt influences. The consistent result of these false spiritual guides is to violate God’s commandments. They ultimately lead to carnal, foolish, vain and proud practices that disobey God’s commandments. The theme of keeping God’s commandments to prosper in the land is repeated throughout the Book of Mormon and Covenant of Christ. And it is coupled with the promise that, when we fail to keep the commandments, we are cut off from the presence of God.¹

“It may sound odd that Joseph Smith said Melchizedek ‘stood as God to give laws to the people, administering endless lives to the sons and daughters of Adam’ (jsp Documents, Vol. 13, August

–December 1843, 74). That is, however, the actual purpose of the Holy Order. Joseph Smith was not unique in teaching a man can act in the place of God for the benefit of God’s people. When Moses was called to restore Israel to God’s presence, Moses was given that same role: And you shall speak unto him and put words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. And he shall be your spokesman unto the people, and he shall be, even he shall be to you in stead of a mouth, and you [Moses] shall be to him in stead of God (Exodus 2:7).

“Joseph Smith’s comment on this scripture confirms the principle: ‘These scriptures are a [mix] of very strange doctrines to the Christian world, who are blindly led by the blind. I will refer to another scripture. ‘Now,’ says God, when He visited Moses in the bush, (Moses was a stammering sort of a boy like me) God said, ‘Thou shalt be a God unto the children of Israel.’ God said, ‘Thou shalt be a God unto Aaron, and he shall be thy spokesman.’ I believe those Gods that God reveals as Gods to be the sons of God, and all can cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ Sons of God who exalt themselves to be Gods, even from before the foundation of the world, and are the only Gods I have a reverence for.’ (TPJS, 374–375; see also jsp Documents, Vol 15, 274.)”²

“God does not send a messenger to be ignored. Whenever the Lord speaks, He expects His sheep to hear His voice and respond.”³ “Whether in Nephi’s time or in our own, the voice of inspired teachers should always be heeded, no matter the speaker. Inspired teachers of truth are a gift to us. We reject them at our peril… If we listen with the Holy Ghost, they are not difficult to identify.”⁴

“Rejecting teachers from the Holy Order results in being cut off from God. When God appointed Nephi to be a ‘ruler and a teacher’ over his brethren, it was accompanied by this condemnation: And to the extent your brothers rebel against you, they’ll be cut off from the presence of the Lord. (١ Nephi ١:٩ CE). Rejecting Nephi as a teacher was rejecting God’s presence. God’s presence is made available to the faithful through His messengers.”⁵

The Lord’s instructions are strong and clear to us in our day: Therefore those who won’t believe in My words, and I Am Jesus Christ, which the Father will give and empower that servant to set before the Gentiles, it will result exactly as Moses said: They will be cut off from My people who are part of the covenant (3 Nephi 9:12 CE).⁶