A Covenant making people

One of the most important things a child of God can do in this life is take upon his or herself the name of the Only Begotten of the Father who is full of grace and truth.

During work one day I met a new coworker who knew little about me. During the conversation the topic of me being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came up. His response was one I was not expecting. He asked me, "Why are Latter-day Saints one of the happiest people I know?". This happiness comes from the joy that Latter-day Saints get from making, keeping and renewing their covenants with God. Covenants are most sacred to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are promises designed by our Father in Heaven that fulfill three roles in our life on earth.

1. Covenants are given to “prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.” Abraham 3:25

2. Bind ourselves with Christ and take his name upon us, that we may be "joint heirs with Christ". Romans 8:17

3. Practice a Celestial way of living and access the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them

Covenants are essential to our Father in Heavens plan. Making and keeping Covenants are a way to show our faithfulness and love for our Heavenly Father. That we are willing to do all that he commands us with the promise of blessings in this life and the life to come. God sets the conditions of the Covenant, and we can then choose to accept those conditions or not. When we make covenants, they are associated with what Latter-day Saints call ordinances. An ordinance is the ceremony itself, which is symbolic and can teach us of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Take for example baptism. The ordinances itself would be the process of being fully immersed in water, and the covenant would be the promise the member is making by fulfilling our Heavenly Fathers' commandments.

Take the name of Christ name upon us

The first Covenant Latter-day Saints make is during the ordinance of baptism. This covenant is taught in the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ; "This be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?". One of the most important things a child of God can do in this life is take upon his or herself the name of the Only Begotten of the Father who is full of grace and truth.

When one takes upon themselves such a holy and sacred name, they are promising to be witness of His name, minister to "the one" and continue to obey Gods commandments. In return the newly baptized Saint is promised to be numbered among the covenant people in the house of Isreal, receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, receive a remission of their sins through the grace and power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the promise of eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom. As the member faithfully keeps their baptismal covenants they truly become "join heirs with Christ"

Practicing for a Celestial Life

One of the biggest misconceptions of these sacred covenants is the preposterous idea that Latter-day Saints are earning a place in heaven by "works". That the faithful saint is completing a "check list" in hopes for glory. This is not only wrong but a ridiculous notion. Covenants are a means in which the Latter-day Saint puts aside the natural man and entering into a sacred agreement in hopes to learn to be more like the Master himself. Jesus Christ is the truth and the light of the world; He has set the example in which we are to act, minister, behave, and live while on the earth. Covenant keeping Saints are following the Saviors way, preparing to return back to live forever in their presents. When a Saint keeps their sacred covenants with God, they are practicing daily repentance and relying on the Atonement of Jesus Christ to cleanse them and eventually perfect them.

The joy that Latter-day Saints feel comes not only from the notion of covenant making but the redeeming feeling that comes from the grace of Christ. Keeping covenants helps the imperfect Saint see life in a different view; they begin to see the way the Savior sees others and walk the path the master teacher walks. They walk in obedience to the Lord's covenant path with a heart filled with faith and love for all the eternal blessings in the life to come.