2.317 I am Grateful for Eternal Contracts

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, a bold reminder that our lives are meant to carry his flavor, his truth, and his love to the world. Join me each day to explore one verse of scripture and one thought, striving to stay full of savor and truly live as savory salt. Hello, my friends, it's great to have you with me.

Today, let's be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness. How important are our covenants with our Father in Heaven? We're reading this week Doctrine and Covenants sections 129 through 132 as well as 3 Nephi chapter 29 through Mormon chapter 2.

We've been looking at a myriad of different We're going to take a look at that inside of Doctrine and Covenants section 132. It's quite a long one today, but I think it very much explains to a non-member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints why we have temples, why we believe in making covenants with the Lord, why we hold those covenants to be kind of the most important things in our lives, right? That's what this verse is going to do here.

So, let's take a look at it, see what we can learn from it. Doctrine and Covenants section 132, verse 7: And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these, all covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power, and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and this power is to be given to. And the keys of this priesthood are conferred are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead.

For all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead. Whoo! That's a big one.

If we cut out the parentheses inside of there, which explains the prophet's keys on the earth, right? That's that chunk in the middle there about Joseph Smith and about the living prophet being the one and only at any given time to have all of these keys there. The Lord is letting us know any covenant, contract, bond, obligation, oath, vow, performance, connections, associations, expectations, any of those made without the authority and the Holy Spirit of Promise, without the keys of the priesthood, have no efficacy on the backside of resurrection.

Why is it important for us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to go to our temples? Why is it important for us to make and keep our covenants? It's because for us, we believe that those covenants are eternal contracts with a living God.

That is why we make, keep, and seek to keep those contracts in our lives. It's also why we seek to be married and sealed in a temple as well. Well, my friends, I am so grateful for this understanding.

Temple covenants change my perspective of life. They help me remember that the decisions I'm making are not just here-and-now type decisions. The growth plan I'm putting in place, the desire for me to learn and grow—these are long-term games for me.

So long term that eternity—I can't even fathom who I'm going to be. I hope that as you consider the covenants that you have made with your Heavenly Father. I'm grateful for this sealing power.

I'm grateful that the Lord has blessed us, me, you, and everyone else today with an opportunity to be on the earth when these keys and authority are on the earth as temples dot the globe. My friends, it's real. These contracts, oaths, covenants we make are real, and we make them with a real and living God, our Heavenly Father.

That's all for today, my friends. Lift up your hearts and rejoice. Cleave unto the covenants you have made, and together we will be savory salt. For more information, visit us at www.fema.org.