Beliefs and Practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Ordinances and Covenants

Ordinances and Covenants

Latter-day Saint sacraments are called ordinances, of which there are two types: saving ordinances and non-saving ordinances. All ordinances, whether saving or non-saving, must be performed by a man ordained to the appropriate priesthood office, with the exception of certain parts of the temple Endowment and the initiatory or washings and anointings, in which men and women are separated, and women administer the ordinances for women, and men administer the ordinances for men. However, both men and women must be "set apart", or authorized and "blessed by the laying on of hands" by those who have proper authority before serving as temple ordinance workers.

Saving ordinances are those that are required for salvation or exaltation, and include baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost (confirmation of membership in the church of Jesus Christ), with the "sacrament" of the Lord's supper, taken each Sunday, to keep in remembrance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and to renew the covenants made at baptism, ordination to an office of the priesthood (for males), the initiatory or washings and anointings, the Endowment, celestial marriage, and family sealings. Each saving ordinance is associated with one or more covenant that the person receiving the ordinance makes with God, and one or more blessing that God promises to the recipient.

Three primary covenants are administered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the heading “new and everlasting covenant,” called “new” because they have been restored again and “everlasting” because they are eternal with God. Specifically, they are the gospel, or baptismal covenant; the priesthood covenant; and the marriage covenant. The latter two are administered in the temple. Each covenant, or “contract,” between God and Man has one or more pre-requisites, offers one or more rewards, and specifies punishment for breaking it.

The first, the gospel covenant, is entered into after the sincere communicant fulfills the pre-requisite of exercising faith in Christ, repents of his sins, is baptized by proper authority, receives the gift of the Holy Ghost, and promises to endure to the end of his mortal life continuing to exercise faith in Christ and repentance from his sins. He also agrees to stand as a witness for Christ at all times and in all places, and bear the burdens of his fellow servants Mosiah 18:9. The scriptures are replete with references to all these gospel elements (3 Nephi 27:13-22). The covenant maker receives the reward of the gift of the Holy Ghost, receives membership in the Church of Jesus Christ, receives forgiveness of sins, peace of conscience, a rebirth of the Spirit (Mosiah 4:1-13; Alma 5:49; Alma 7:14), grace, a hope in Christ, salvation or eternal life, and the joy of the saints. The punishment for breaking the covenant is perdition (Hebrews 10:25-31,39). The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, or partaking of bread and wine instituted by Jesus, is in remembrance of this covenant, in remembrance of His blood, or atonement for sins, and His resurrection, or body. The “milk” of the kingdom of God has to do with learning of and keeping this gospel covenant. The “meat” is “going on unto perfection,” or entering into subsequent covenants, to obtain a fullness of the life God leads Hebrews 5:11-14; Hebrews 6:1-4; John 17:3).

Latter-Day Saints believe the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a God of covenants. In return for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s faith and obedience, God promised them (1) a numberless posterity, (2) a chosen land, and (3) the blessing of all nations through their posterity and the priesthood of their posterity, the “blessings of heaven.” God promised Jacob’s son, Joseph, additional blessings, a special land and a righteous branch to be separated from the rest of the house of Israel (Genesis 48; Genesis 49:22-26). Even later, promises and assurances were given through Moses and other prophets that, even though all Israel should be scattered and many persecuted, the earlier promises would not be forgotten, and a day of restoration and gathering would come in which all the tribes of Israel would be united in peace under the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Book of Mormon is a witness to the truth of these promises, and it is an assurance that more of them will not be left unfulfilled.

The church teaches there are three rewards or degrees of glory in the heavenly world (1 Corinthians 15:29-,40-42; D&C 76; D&C 131:1-4), and that to obtain the highest degree of salvation (referred to as "exaltation" in the celestial kingdom), all people who have lived to the age of eight must participate in each of the saving ordinances. However, the church teaches that they may be performed for a person either during their lifetime or by proxy after the person has died. Therefore, church members participate in the saving ordinances on behalf of dead relatives and others whose names have been extracted from historical records. The performance of these proxy ordinances are one of the functions of the church's temples.

All the saving ordinances are currently open to all worthy church members of the appropriate age. Prior to 1978, black members were restricted from some of the priesthood ordinances, but this policy was changed in 1978. Celestial marriage is open to one man and one woman at a time, but a widower may enter a second celestial marriage.

Apart from sealings to parents, the church does not perform saving ordinances for those younger than age eight or for those who have died before the age of eight (when children reach the "age of accountability"), because young children are deemed "alive in Christ" and not responsible for sin. Likewise, the church teaches that the saving ordinances are not required for persons age eight or older who are "mentally incapable of knowing right and wrong". They are saved by the grace and mercy of Christ without baptism and will inherit the celestial kingdom of God.

Non-saving ordinances include the dedication of graves, the dedication of buildings, the prayer circle, the Hosanna shout, shaking the dust from the feet, and various kinds of blessings, including the patriarchal blessing.