Post by Nephi –
I cannot think of doing justice to the topic of covenants. In future posts, I am certain there will be those who contribute to this blog and they will be more inspired than I. I do not know the meaning of all things, I do however know the Lord loves His children, including me. And from that context I wish to address a question asked about covenants. That being, “What is the purpose of covenants?” “Why covenant with His children at all?” “Is it not enough to simply obey?”
These are valid questions and based on the knowledge I have that I am a loved child of a loving Father in Heaven, I will attempt a reasonable response.
Certainly our Father in Heaven does not need covenants for His own personal gratification. If we understand that His purpose and objective is to bring us, His children, back to Him in an exaltable condition, we must grow, improve, learn and become like Him. It is not just a matter of being free of sin. It is a matter of us progressing from innocence at birth, wading through a dangerous and rebellious and sinful mortal experience and rising triumphant in our quest to become like He is.
Covenants are an essential tool God uses to help us, His children, maneuver through this mortal world. Though a more clear and eternal understanding of covenants will come by the Spirit, let me share three principles of covenants that I understand.
1) Making and keeping covenants is a demonstration of obedience and humility. Becoming obedient and humble is an essential ingredient in the process of eternal growth. This requires being submissive to the Lord’s chosen servants. These servants are called by God and given His authority. They are not perfect men or women. The act of submitting to the will of God as presented through His servants requires a higher level of humility which is obtained as we place our own personal wishes aside and our wishes become His.
These chosen leaders not only hold the keys to the officiating of these covenant ordinances, they have the responsibility to help us better understand them. This makes it possible for us to understand more fully the requirements and we have inspired individuals to encourage to keep these covenants. It has never been God’s intention for us to make it alone.
God is a God of order. Though some of His covenants are collective covenants made with a people or nation, most covenants are made individually with each of His children one by one.
This process of working with His authorized servants one by one, improves the likelihood and probability that we live our lives in accordance with His will.
2) When we obey a commandment, there is a blessing affixed to it. An integral part of our eternal growth in this life is the development of faith. Faith is required because it becomes the force which gives us the strength to choose and act in accordance with the commandments of God. Without sufficient faith, Christlike behavior will not be cultivated as part of our character. We do not become Christlike.
Covenants, where we promise to obey and blessings are promised, become a powerful faith building tool. Without covenants, specific behavior and promised blessings are not understood. Therefore, without covenants, when by accident or intentionally we obey an eternal law and the blessing is received, we will not recognize God’s involvement and our faith is not strengthened. In like manner, when a covenant is broken and blessings are withheld or punishments given, we again do not recognize God’s hand in our lives. In either instance, our knowledge of God’s great love for us and our faith in Him are unaffected. Progress is not made. Our experiences are thus wasted.
When God covenants with a people hundreds of years in the past and those covenants are recorded for His children who will live many hundreds of years in the future, and those future children see His covenants fulfilled, they recognize that God is the same God yesterday, today and tomorrow. Faith is strengthened.
3) We need covenants as mortals to move us through the process of growth. We make covenants and we renew those covenants regularly. Again, it is God’s purpose to turn us into people that are the kind of people with whom He can share eternal life. Being good is not enough. Being free of sin is not enough. The process of covenant making is a carefully planned procedure that develops His children in a step by step process. We are the ones that need covenants.
His perfect plan for us which includes making and keeping sacred covenants gives us clear direction, clear understanding of what is expected and the support to help us fulfill those requirements we promise to fulfill. In so doing, our faith is strengthened and our ability to continue Godly progress is made possible, only in this way will we ever be able to rise to a level where true Christlike characteristics become part of our nature and we truly become as He is.
