Gospel Covenants in LDS theology
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Leaders and teachers in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourage the members of the LDS Church to make and keep several covenants as a part of the new and everlasting covenant of the gospel. Keeping gospel covenants is an important aspect of enduring to the end, and is necessary for exaltation. Since a covenant is a promise to God whereby He also promises blessings in return, each covenant made sincerely can provide strength and commitment to each person individually, and to each group of people collectively who have made the same covenants, as they strengthen each other to resist temptation and follow Christ through daily choices. Latter-day Saints attest to how making covenants helps in overcoming trials of faith or adversity in their lives, through a heart-felt assurance that God will grant the blessings He has promised. LDS leaders teach that just as the God of Israel asked the children of Israel, through Moses, to be a covenant people, "a peculiar treasure unto me...: a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation," (Exodus 19:5.6), God has asked for a latter-day covenant people who will live the gospel fully and will provide leadership in helping fulfill the covenant promises of Jeremiah 31:31-34, that among the house of Israel and the house of Judah "they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them..." (See also Hebrews 8:6-13)
Gospel covenants in LDS theology with promised blessings include baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost (Book of Mormon, Mosiah 18:9,10), the oath and covenant of the priesthood (Doctrine and Covenants 84:33-40, 121:34-46), the marriage covenant in a holy temple (D&C 132:15-19), the covenant of tithing (Malachi 3:10-12), the sacrament of partaking bread and water (communion), the Word of Wisdom (health code) (D&C 89:18-21), the law of chastity (D&C 121:45-46), keeping the Lord's day holy (D&C 59:9-19), the covenant of turning the "heart of the children to their fathers" for blessings to both ancestors and descendants (Malachi 4:6; D&C 128:15-18), and the Abrahamic covenant that through his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed with the blessings of the gospel (Abraham 2:9-11). All of these are considered part of the new and everlasting covenant of the gospel.
| Covenant | Covenant Promises and Blessings |
|---|---|
| Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost | Repent sincerely, take upon you Christ's name, bear one another's burdens, serve Him and keep His commandments: Your sins are remitted; the Lord will pour out His spirit more abundantly upon you, bring joy to your soul and prepare you for eternal life |
| Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood | Magnify your calling by persuasion, gentleness, love unfeigned, kindness, pure knowledge without hypocrisy, and unceasingly virtuous thoughts: Receive "my Father's kingdom" and "all that my Father hath," and "thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever" |
| Celestial marriage | Love each other with all your heart for time and for all eternity: Inherit thrones and "a continuation of the seeds forever" |
| Tithing | Pay one-tenth of income: I will "open you the windows of heaven," "rebuke the devourer," and "ye shall be a delightsome land." |
| Partake the Sacrament | Partake worthily (repent); "Witness that ye do always remember me": "Ye shall always have my Spirit to be with you" |
| Obey the Word of Wisdom | Abstain from harmful substances and eat wholesome foods with "prudence and thanksgiving": "Shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge," "shall run and not be weary," and the "destroying angel shall pass by them" |
| Law of chastity | Unceasingly virtuous thoughts, words, and actions, including dressing modestly: "Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God;... The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion" |
| Sabbath Day holy | "Offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High," prepare food "with singleness of heart" and "with thanksgiving": "The fulness of the earth is yours,"..."to strengthen the body and enliven the soul." |
| Family history work and sealings | Gather family history records and do temple work for kindred ancestors: "We without them cannot be made perfect." |
[edit] References
- Bonnie D. Parkin, "Celebrating Covenants," Ensign (Conference Report), May 1995, p.78
- Smith, Joseph Fielding, Doctrines of Salvation, Volume 1, 1954, pp. 152-166
