Why Ordinances and Covenants Matter
(Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
(lds.org – downloaded August 2024)
To the prophet Moses, God delivered in clear language His ultimate
desire for each member of the human family: “For behold, this is my
work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of
man” (see Moses 1:39). (1) The way all of us can receive these gifts is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and obedience to the commandments. (2) Jesus Christ is our Savior, the only One who has the power to save us from the effects of sin and death. (3)
As we give our all to change our behavior to match His will—a process
called repentance—He can change our attitudes, give us additional
strength to choose the right, and ultimately change our nature. In
short, Jesus Christ can help us become like Him. (4)
(1) Moses taught the nation of Israel the greatest commandment.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the
LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in
your heart.” Deuteronomy 6:4-6
(2) The Atonement is the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Romans 5:8-9
(3) Jesus Christ saves us through sincere belief.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
(4) The will of God is everlasting life for believers in Jesus Christ.
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the
Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him
up at the last day.” John 6:40
God has provided a clear plan for you and your family to return to Him. This plan is the gospel of Jesus Christ. (5)
Because God loves all of His children, every person will eventually
have the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel, whether in this
life or the next. (6)
You accept the gospel by exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting,
receiving sacred ordinances, and then obeying His commandments
throughout your life. (7)
(5) The gospel is about Jesus Christ.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to
you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you
are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless
you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I
also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
(6) There will not be a second chance after death to be saved.
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the
judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those
who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin,
for salvation. Hebrews 9:27-28
(7) Exercising faith is sincere confession of Jesus Christ.
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your
heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart
one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will
not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and
Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For
“whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13
Ordinances and covenants have been a part of the gospel from the beginning. (8) An ordinance is a sacred religious ceremony performed in accordance with God’s law and by authority of the priesthood. (9) Some ordinances, such as baptism and confirmation, are essential for our exaltation. (10) With each essential ordinance, we enter into solemn commitments with the Lord. (11)
The commitments we make when we receive an ordinance are called
covenants. Making and honoring covenants with God are necessary to
receive the gift of eternal life that He offers to all of his children.
(12)
(8) The gospel is about Jesus Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of
God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also
for the Greek. Romans 1:16
(9) Faith is necessary not a religious ceremony.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as
it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17
(10) Baptism is not essential for salvation.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no
effect. 1 Corinthians 1:17
(11) Believers are not to make covenants with God.
But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth
or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,”
“No,” lest you fall into judgment. James 5:12
(12) Sincere belief is necessary for eternal life.
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not
believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on
him.” John 3:36
An experience from the life of Jacob, an Old Testament prophet,
illustrates the importance of covenants. As a young man, Jacob was sent
to a distant city by his father with a specific assignment. He camped
during his journey. One night, he experienced a vision. President
Marion G. Romney (1897-1988) related the following about Jacob’s
experience: “When Jacob traveled from Beersheba toward Haran, he had a
dream in which he saw himself on the earth at the foot of a ladder that
reached to heaven where the Lord stood above it. He beheld angels
ascending and descending thereon, and Jacob realized that the covenants
he made with the Lord there were the rungs on the ladder that he
himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised
blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and
associate with the Lord” (Marion G. Romney, “Temples—The Gates to
Heaven,” Ensign, Mar. 1971). (13)
(13) The ladder symbolized Jesus Christ not Jacob’s covenants.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you
under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than
these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter
you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of Man.” John 1:50-51
In connection with this sacred event, the Lord made specific promises
to Jacob regarding himself and his posterity and Jacob made a promise
to God that he would be faithful in observing a specific commandment
(see Genesis 28). After the vision, Jacob set up a stone as a memorial
for what he had experienced there. He named the place Bethel, which
means “the house of God.” Just as Jacob had to climb each step of
the ladder to ascend to heaven, so we must receive and obey the
ordinances and covenants of the house of God to return to His presence
and become like Him. (14)
(14) Sincere belief is necessary for eternal life.
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of
God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that
you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:28-29
The Covenant Path Leads to the Temple
President Boyd K. Packer explained that the temple is the ultimate
earthly destination in our gospel journey: “All roads lead to the
temple, for it is there that we are prepared in all things to qualify
us to enter the presence of the Lord” (Remember Me: Relief Society
Personal Study Guide 1, p. 84). (15)
(15) Believers enter the presence of God through Jesus by faith.
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood
of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through
the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house
of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope
without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23
The ordinances and covenants of the temple are not merely important to
our exaltation—they are essential. President Packer further explained,
“Ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into
[God’s] presence. (16)
To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them
thereafter is the challenge of mortality” (Boyd K. Packer, “Covenants,”
Ensign, May 1987). (17)
Faithfully obeying covenants made with God is the most important goal
we can pursue in this life. In the words of President Russell M.
Nelson, “The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life
is to be known as a covenant keeper. The rewards for a covenant keeper
will be realized both here and hereafter” (Russell M. Nelson,
“Covenants,” Ensign, Nov. 2011). (18)
(16) Believers enter the presence of God through Jesus by faith.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
(17) Salvation comes at the moment of sincere belief in faith.
And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because
he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to
save that which was lost.” Luke 19:9-10
(18) Believers are to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Learning From the Lord Through Ordinances and Covenants
In vision, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah saw temples that would be
built in a future day, as well as the faithful who would enter these
sacred houses of worship. He prophesied: “And it shall come to pass in
the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be
established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the
hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and
say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the
house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we
will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the
word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:2-3). (19)
(19) This prophecy concerns only Jerusalem and Judah.
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:1
Isaiah speaks of God’s people going up to the House of the Lord—the
temple— where God teaches them of His ways. The ordinances and
covenants of the temple reveal to us His way of learning, and His
priorities for those who desire to follow Him. (20)
When we are baptized, for example, God desires that we give particular
attention to the commands to “mourn with those that mourn… and comfort
those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God
at all times and in all things” (Mosiah 18:9). (21)
These commandments are emphasized at the time of baptism to show us how
to live after making a covenant to follow Jesus Christ. In a similar
way in the temple, God directs our attention to specific commandments
to emphasize how we can deepen our relationship with Him and our loved
ones, and to give our true best to the Lord—in other words, to “love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). (22)
(20) Believers’ priority will be Jesus Christ.
For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2
(21) Believers will be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading
through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 2
Corinthians 5:20
(22) The tangible temple is not important in the New Covenant.
Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples
came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to
them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not
one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown
down.” Matthew 24:1-2
Proxy Temple Service—A Gift to Others and an Opportunity for Continued Growth
Making and keeping covenants is part of the plan of salvation and
essential for all who have ever lived. To fully understand the plan, we
must also understand the principle of vicarious service—that is, that
one person can act on behalf of another. In other words, one person can
act as a substitute for the benefit of another. The principle of
vicarious service is best shown through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,
as He made payment for the sins and shortcomings of all humanity.
President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: “We must never forget … our
Savior, our Redeemer, the Son of God, gave Himself, a vicarious
sacrifice for each of us” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Symbol of Our
Faith,” Ensign, April 2005). (23)
(23) Vicarious service will not help rejectors of Jesus Christ.
For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous
man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these
things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians
5:5-6
Heavenly Father knew that many of His children would not have a chance
to learn about the plan of salvation in this life. He provided another
way for them to receive ordinances and covenants. In the temple,
baptisms and other ordinances can be performed by proxy, meaning that
someone living receives these ordinances on behalf of someone who is
deceased. Those who have died can then choose whether to accept the
ordinances performed for them. President Gordon B. Hinckley explained:
“Through living proxies who stand in behalf of the dead, the same
ordinances are available to those who have passed from mortality. In
the spirit world these same individuals are then free to accept or
reject those earthly ordinances performed for them, including baptism,
marriage, and the sealing of family relationships. There is no
compulsion in the work of the Lord, but there must be opportunity”
(Gordon B. Hinckley, “Why These Temples?,” Liahona, June 1992). After
receiving ordinances for ourselves, we can return to the temple again
and again to both serve those who died without these opportunities and
to deepen our own commitment to the covenants we have made there. (24)
(24) Baptism for the dead was a pagan ritual in Corinth.
Otherwise, what will they (pagans) do who are baptized for the dead, if
the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they (pagans) baptized for
the dead? And why do we (Christians) stand in jeopardy every hour? 1
Corinthians 15:29-30
President Russell M. Nelson taught how our temple service follows the
example of Jesus Christ: “Ordinances of the temple relate to personal
progress and to the redemption of departed ancestors as well… Service
in their behalf provides repeated opportunities for temple worship. And
that service deserves commitment to a planned schedule. By doing for
others what they cannot do for themselves, we emulate the pattern of
the Savior, who wrought the Atonement to bless the lives of other
people” (Russell M. Nelson, “Personal Preparation for Temple
Blessings,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2001). Proxy ordinances extend the
saving grace of Jesus Christ to all people and are a clear reflection
of God’s love for all His children. (25)
(25) The tangible temple is not important in the New Covenant.
But Solomon built Him a house. “However, the Most High does not dwell
in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne,
and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the
LORD, or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these
things?’” Acts 7:47-50
President Boyd K. Packer further highlighted our duty to provide temple
ordinances to our deceased ancestors. He said, “Once we have received
[temple ordinances] for ourselves and for our families, we are
obligated to provide these ordinances vicariously for our kindred dead,
indeed for the whole human family” (Boyd K. Packer, “Covenants,”
Ensign, May 1987). (26)
God has promised that the blessings of marriage, family, and eternal
life will be made available to all of His children who faithfully
accept and follow his plan of happiness. (27)
(26) The tangible temple is not important in the New Covenant.
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s
building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a
wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on
it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other
foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear;
for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and
the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s
work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If
anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be
saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple
of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the
temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy,
which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:9-17
(27) Vicarious service will not help rejectors of Jesus Christ.
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need
that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the
day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say,
“Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor
pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you,
brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as
a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of
the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do,
but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and
those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day
be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet
the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to
obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 1
Thessalonians 5:1-10