Gospel Covenants in LDS theology
Encyclopedia
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages its members to make and keep several covenants as a part of the new and everlasting covenant of the gospel
. In Latter Day Saint theology, making and keeping covenants is necessary for exaltation
.
A covenant is a promise to God
whereby He also promises blessings in return. Latter-day Saints believe that making covenants helps in overcoming difficulties in their lives. Latter-day Saint leaders teach that just as the God of Israel
asked the children of Israel to be a covenant people, "a peculiar treasure unto me ... a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation," today God
has asked for a latter-day people who will make and keep covenants with Him.
In the LDS Church, there are formal covenants and informal covenants. Formal covenants are limited in number and are always accompanied by the performance of an ordinance. Informal covenants are made without the performance of an ordinance. Typically, formal covenants are made in the presence of other Latter-day Saints, while informal covenants are made privately between a Latter-day Saint and God without the performance of an ordinance. Informal covenants are most commonly referred to simply as commandments.
partaking of the sacrament; the oath and covenant of the priesthood
; various promises made in the temple endowment
; and the temple marriage covenant
.
; the Word of Wisdom
health code; the law of chastity
; and keeping the Lord's Day holy.
All covenants, both informal and formal, are considered part of the overarching new and everlasting covenant of the gospel. Officially, partaking of the sacrament is considered by the LDS Church to be a renewal of the covenants made at baptism; however, many Latter-day Saints assume that doing so constitutes a renewal of all formal and informal covenants a person has made.
New Covenant
The New Covenant is a concept originally derived from the Hebrew Bible. The term "New Covenant" is used in the Bible to refer to an epochal relationship of restoration and peace following a period of trial and judgment...
. In Latter Day Saint theology, making and keeping covenants is necessary for exaltation
Exaltation (Mormonism)
Exaltation or Eternal Life is a belief among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that mankind can return to live in God's presence and continue as families. Exaltation is believed to be what God desires for all humankind. The LDS Church teaches that through exaltation...
.
A covenant is a promise to God
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
whereby He also promises blessings in return. Latter-day Saints believe that making covenants helps in overcoming difficulties in their lives. Latter-day Saint leaders teach that just as the God of Israel
Tetragrammaton
The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...
asked the children of Israel to be a covenant people, "a peculiar treasure unto me ... a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation," today God
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
has asked for a latter-day people who will make and keep covenants with Him.
In the LDS Church, there are formal covenants and informal covenants. Formal covenants are limited in number and are always accompanied by the performance of an ordinance. Informal covenants are made without the performance of an ordinance. Typically, formal covenants are made in the presence of other Latter-day Saints, while informal covenants are made privately between a Latter-day Saint and God without the performance of an ordinance. Informal covenants are most commonly referred to simply as commandments.
Formal covenants
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints formal covenants include baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy GhostGift of the Holy Ghost
In the Latter Day Saint movement, Confirmation , is an ordinance essential for salvation. It involves the laying on of hands and is performed after baptism. Through confirmation, the initiate becomes an official member of the church and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost...
partaking of the sacrament; the oath and covenant of the priesthood
Melchizedek priesthood
The Melchizedek priesthood is the greater of the two orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism. The others are the Aaronic priesthood and the rarely recognized Patriarchal priesthood...
; various promises made in the temple endowment
Endowment (Mormonism)
In Mormonism, the endowment is an ordinance designed to prepare participants to become kings, queens, priests, and priestesses in the afterlife. As part of the ceremony, participants take part in a scripted reenactment of the Biblical creation and fall of Adam and Eve...
; and the temple marriage covenant
Celestial marriage
Celestial marriage is a doctrine of Mormonism, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and branches of Mormon fundamentalism.Within Mormonism, celestial marriage is an ordinance associated with a covenant that always...
.
Informal covenants
Informal covenants include the covenant of tithingTithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
; the Word of Wisdom
Word of Wisdom
The "Word of Wisdom" is the common name of a section of the Doctrine and Covenants, a book considered by many churches within the Latter Day Saint movement to consist of revelations from God...
health code; the law of chastity
Law of Chastity
The law of chastity is a moral code defined by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . According to the church, chastity means abstinence from sexual relations before marriage, and complete fidelity to one's husband or wife during marriage...
; and keeping the Lord's Day holy.
All covenants, both informal and formal, are considered part of the overarching new and everlasting covenant of the gospel. Officially, partaking of the sacrament is considered by the LDS Church to be a renewal of the covenants made at baptism; however, many Latter-day Saints assume that doing so constitutes a renewal of all formal and informal covenants a person has made.
Table of Covenants
| Covenant | Formal or Informal | Action required | Promised blessings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baptism and Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost Gift of the Holy Ghost In the Latter Day Saint movement, Confirmation , is an ordinance essential for salvation. It involves the laying on of hands and is performed after baptism. Through confirmation, the initiate becomes an official member of the church and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost... |
Formal: Baptism by immersion; Gift of the Holy Ghost Gift of the Holy Ghost In the Latter Day Saint movement, Confirmation , is an ordinance essential for salvation. It involves the laying on of hands and is performed after baptism. Through confirmation, the initiate becomes an official member of the church and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost... by the laying on of hands Laying on of hands The laying on of hands is a religious ritual that accompanies certain religious practices, which are found throughout the world in varying forms.... |
Sincere repentance; take upon the name of Christ Jesus Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity... ; serve Him and keep his commandments; be willing to bear others' burdens, mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort; stand as a witness of Jesus in all times and in all places; always remember Him |
Sins are forgiven; presence of the Holy Ghost; come forth in first resurrection; receive eternal life Exaltation (Mormonism) Exaltation or Eternal Life is a belief among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that mankind can return to live in God's presence and continue as families. Exaltation is believed to be what God desires for all humankind. The LDS Church teaches that through exaltation... |
| Partaking of the sacrament | Formal: Partaking of bread and water (or wine) | Same actions as required for baptism | Same promised blessings as baptism |
| Oath and covenant of the priesthood | Formal: priesthood receiving by the laying on of hands Laying on of hands The laying on of hands is a religious ritual that accompanies certain religious practices, which are found throughout the world in varying forms.... |
Be faithful to receive the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods; magnify assigned calling | Sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of the body; become the son of Moses Moses Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed... and Aaron Aaron In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites... and the seed of Abraham Abraham Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam... ; receives all that God has; exaltation Exaltation (Mormonism) Exaltation or Eternal Life is a belief among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that mankind can return to live in God's presence and continue as families. Exaltation is believed to be what God desires for all humankind. The LDS Church teaches that through exaltation... |
| Temple Endowment Endowment (Mormonism) In Mormonism, the endowment is an ordinance designed to prepare participants to become kings, queens, priests, and priestesses in the afterlife. As part of the ceremony, participants take part in a scripted reenactment of the Biblical creation and fall of Adam and Eve... |
Formal: performance of temple rituals | Obedience; Sacrifice everything for Christ and His church; chastity; consecrate Law of Consecration In the Latter Day Saint movement , the term law of consecration was first used in 1831 by Joseph Smith, it was a doctrine of covenanted Christian communalism.... time, talents, and possessions to the building up of the church; keep key words, signs, and tokens learned in the temple confidential |
Admission into the presence of God; exaltation |
| Celestial (temple) marriage Celestial marriage Celestial marriage is a doctrine of Mormonism, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and branches of Mormon fundamentalism.Within Mormonism, celestial marriage is an ordinance associated with a covenant that always... |
Formal: undergo ceremony in temple Temple (LDS Church) In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time... |
Love spouse with heart, might, mind and strength; keep other commandments | Come forth in first resurrection; inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths; name written in Lamb's Book of Life; exaltation; continuation of the seeds forever and ever; godhood; all power |
| Tithing Tithe A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products... |
Informal | Pay one-tenth of all income annually to the church | God will open the windows of heaven; rebuke the devourer; land will be delightsome |
| Word of Wisdom Word of Wisdom The "Word of Wisdom" is the common name of a section of the Doctrine and Covenants, a book considered by many churches within the Latter Day Saint movement to consist of revelations from God... health code |
Informal | Abstain from tobacco Tobacco Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines... , alcohol, tea Tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world... , coffee Coffee Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,... ; eat meat sparingly and give thanks for it; eat grain, fruit, vegetables, and herbs |
Health in the navel; marrow to the bones; wisdom and great hidden treasures of knowledge; run and not be weary; walk and not faint; destroying angel shall pass by |
| Law of Chastity Law of Chastity The law of chastity is a moral code defined by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . According to the church, chastity means abstinence from sexual relations before marriage, and complete fidelity to one's husband or wife during marriage... |
Informal | No sexual relations Human sexual behavior Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons... outside of marriage; do not lust after others |
Presence of the Holy Ghost; will not be kept out of the church and heaven |
| Keeping Lord's Day Lord's Day Lord's Day is a Christian name for Sunday, the day of communal worship. It is observed by most Christians as the weekly memorial of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is said in the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament to have been witnessed alive from the dead early on the first day of... holy |
Informal | Attend church meetings; partake of the sacrament; rest from labors; pay devotion to God; confess sins; fast; prepare food with singleness of heart Singleness of heart Singleness of heart is the ideal of having sole devotion to a task or endeavour. It is normally employed in a religious or spiritual context. In antiquity it was thought of as a counteraction to the divisive effects of civilization on the soul... ; be cheerful; avoid much laughter; |
Will be unspotted from sin; fulness of the earth; all living things may be used for food, clothing, and housing |
| New and everlasting covenant | Informal | Keep all the other covenants of the gospel, formal and informal | Exaltation |