In the premortal world, our Father in Heaven provided a plan, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, whereby we are able to return to His presence. The path leading us home is often referred to as the covenant path, because it makes clear the terms and conditions for our return. A covenant is a sacred agreement between God and a person or group of people. God sets specific conditions, and He promises to bless us as we obey those conditions (1). President Nelson taught, “Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere” (2).
The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated – And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (3). Elder D. Todd Christofferson reminds us, “The covenants God offers to His children do more than guide us. They bind us to Him, and, bound to Him, we can overcome all things” (4). We are promised of the Lord that He is bound when we do what He says, “but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (5).
Throughout time God has made covenants with his people. We know the Lord covenanted with Adam & Eve, prophets after them, and many others. In our day, we often talk about the covenant that God made with Abraham, the Abrahamic Covenant. God promised to bless Abraham and his posterity, “with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal” (6).
As heirs to the Abrahamic Covenant, we have a responsibility to carry the gospel to all the people of the earth, to invite others to come unto Christ, and to be bound to Him. Inviting others unto Christ is an invitation to enter the covenant path, to open the door through the “covenant of baptism to every blessing,” and ultimately receive the greatest of all the gifts of God, the gift of eternal life (7).
The blessings God promised Abraham and his posterity about the great latter-day gathering are being fulfilled in our day. President Nelson declared, “That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty.” “Anytime you do anything that helps anyone – on either side of the veil- take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances you are helping together Israel. It is as simple as that” (8).
Each week we are given the opportunity to reflect on the covenants we have made with God. As we worthily partake of the sacrament, we recommit ourselves and strive to always remember Jesus Christ and take His name upon us. As we keep His commandments, we will always have His spirit to be with us (9). It is through our covenantal relationship with God that we come to know Him and prepare to return home to receive the greatest of all the gifts of God. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (10).
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Gospel Library, Topical Guide
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Russell M. Nelson, “As We Go Forward Together”, Ensign or Liahona Apr. 2018, 7
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Doctrine & Covenants 130:20-21
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D. Todd Christofferson, “Why the Covenant Path”, General Conference April 2021
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Doctrine & Covenants 82:10
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Abraham 2:9-11
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Doctrine & Covenants 14:7
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Russel M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel”, Worldwide Youth Devotional June 3, 2018
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Doctrine & Covenants 20:77,79
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John 17:3