Living the Law of the Gospel

by Hollie Ogden

Last month, I discussed the first law we covenant to live in the temple and will be taking a look at each subsequent law of the endowment. These five major laws are made public by the church and can be found with some helpful explanations here.

These laws are majorly understandable and self-explanatory from their names. But personally speaking, the Law of the Gospel has always been the most elusive and mysterious to me. It always seemed so non-specific, and therefore non-specific to me.

So, what does it mean?

Ezra Taft Benson gave the best definition: “The law of the gospel embraces all laws, principles, and ordinances necessary for our exaltation.” In essence, it is the core teachings of the church, which are summarized as the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We read in 2 Nephi 31 about this Gospel, sometimes referred to as the Doctrine of Christ. It is the third missionary lesson, the fourth article of faith, and a common Sunday school concept. We’re taught it, we memorize it, and we in the church talk about it all the time.

Every ordinance points to Christ, and each point in His Gospel is no different. In it, we see His atoning, transforming power. He promises us forgiveness and cleanliness (and more in the temple!) in return for keeping the associated promises.

What we promise

We promise to learn and believe on His promises. (Faith)

We promise to continually change our minds, hearts, and actions to be in accordance with His will and commandments. We promise to use His power to change. (Repentance)

We promise to make, keep, and continually remember our covenants with Him. (Baptism, Sacrament)

We are promised the Spirit’s constant presence, and we promise to follow His guidance to the best of our abilities. (Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost)

And we promise to do this for the rest of our lives! (Enduring to the End)

It is, simply, the process of being born again through Christ, or conversion- day in and day out.

The love and mysteries of God

The Aaronic Priesthood is called the Preparatory or Lesser Priesthood because its ordinances (baptism) prepare us to make and live the ordinances of the higher, Melchizedek priesthood (endowment, sealing). Think of the baptismal covenant as a stepping stool to covenanting to live this Law in the temple.

The Lord loves us; He wants us to succeed. He will not force a covenant upon us that we are not aware of or unwilling to live. He has given us the tools to ready ourselves for the sacred, eternal covenants of the temple. And though some of the laws, principles, and rituals of the temple are mysterious to me, I have found as I have tried to study the core doctrines that, “He that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (1 Nephi 10:19)