Covenant (Latter Day Saints)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages its members to make and keep several covenants as a part of the new and everlasting covenant of the gospel. In Latter Day Saint theology, making and keeping covenants is necessary for exaltation.
A covenant is a promise to God whereby He also promises blessings in return. Latter-day Saints believe that making covenants helps in overcoming difficulties in their lives. Latter-day Saint leaders teach that just as the God of Israel asked the children of Israel to be a covenant people, "a peculiar treasure unto me ... a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation," today God has asked for a latter-day people who will make and keep covenants with Him.
In the LDS Church, there are formal covenants and informal covenants. Formal covenants are limited in number and are always accompanied by the performance of an ordinance. Informal covenants are made without the performance of an ordinance. Typically, formal covenants are made in the presence of other Latter-day Saints, while informal covenants are made privately between a Latter-day Saint and God without the performance of an ordinance. Informal covenants are most commonly referred to simply as commandments.
Read more about Covenant (Latter Day Saints): Formal Covenants, Informal Covenants, Table of Covenants
Famous quotes containing the words covenant and/or day:
“Happy is the house that shelters a friend! It might well be built, like a festal bower or arch, to entertain him a single day. Happier, if he know the solemnity of that relation, and honor its law! He offers himself a candidate for that covenant comes up, like an Olympian, to the great games, where the first- born of the world are the competitors.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“This day is called the Feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day and comes safe home
Will stand a-tiptoe when this day is nam’d
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours
And say, “Tomorrow is Saint Crispian.””
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)