Our Testament

                The Doctrine and Covenants is the course of study for 2017 for adults and teenagers in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Even though are numerous study helps to assist us in learning the doctrine in this book of scripture, our first source should be the scriptures. The revelations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants were given for people living in our day. It is our book of counsel.

                 Ted Gibbons considers the Doctrine and Covenants to be “our testament” just as the Old Testament is the history and teachings of people in ancient times, the New Testament records the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles, and the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ contains the teachings of ancient Americans. This comparison helps me to see the testament or covenant of the Doctrine and Covenants with new eyes and gives me added reason to study it.

                Gibbons quotes Elder Wilford Woodruff as saying, “I consider that the Doctrine and Covenants, our testament, contains a code of the most solemn, the most godlike proclamations ever made to the human family.” Then he states, “There are eternal lessons to learn from every chapter and nearly every verse of scripture. But these revelations are to us and for us and about us. They really are our testament of Jesus Christ and His involvement with us.”

                The Doctrine and Covenants is a different type of scripture from the Bible or Book of Mormon in that there is no story line to follow. Gibbons explains that we must “be aware … that the lesson outline for the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History is not chronological. It does not examine the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants or the events of Church History in the same order they appear in the scriptures and our histories. The lessons this year are thematic, pursuing concepts and doctrines through the years and revelations that have come since the restoration. Thus, for example, the lesson on the gathering will speak of Kirtland and Missouri and Nauvoo and Salt Lake and the present-day gathering to the stakes of Zion.”

                I am excited at the opportunity to learn more about the Doctrine and Covenants and history of the Church. I hope you will join me in studying this great book of scripture in 2017. Gibbons will apparently write a column about each lesson to give further ideas and concepts for us to consider as we study “our testament.” The Gospel Doctrine teacher’s manual can be accessed at this site. 

Word of God

Mankind receives many blessings because the written word of God is readily accessible. The scriptures contain information that God wants His children to know. The written word of God is contained in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

We cannot over-emphasize the importance of the scriptures in our lives. In the Old Testament we find, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (See Joshua 1:8.)

In the New Testament we find instruction from Apostle Paul to his friend Timothy, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16).

Nephi explained in the Book of Mormon how he taught from the scriptures: "And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning" (1 Nephi 19:23).

The Doctrine and Covenants is a modern-day book of scripture. We can hear the voice of the Savior as we read in this book, "Search these commandments for they are true and faithful and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
"What I the Lord have spoken I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. (See Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38.)

From the time of Adam, God has commanded His prophets to record His revelations and His dealings with mankind. Whenever prophets speak or write under the influence of the Holy Ghost, their words become scripture (see Doctrine and Covenants 68:4).

The Bible is a book of scripture which is a collection of sacred writings. Its pages cover many centuries from the time of Adam through the years of the Apostles of Christ. Many different prophets wrote the words contained in the Bible, which is divided into two sections. The Old Testament contains much history of the people and many prophecies foretelling the coming of the Savior. The New Testament gives us information on the life of the Savior, who is Jesus Christ. Many truths lost from the Bible through the centuries were restored or corrected by Joseph Smith in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ. It is a sacred record of some of the people who lived in the Americas between 2000 B.C. and 400 A.D. It contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it tells of the visit of Jesus Christ to the people in America soon after His resurrection.

Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon into English by the gift and power of God. He said that the Book of Mormon is "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (introduction to the Book of Mormon).

The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of modern-day revelations. This book contains revelations concerning the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in these last days.

The Pearl of Great Price contains the book of Moses, the book of Abraham and some inspired writings of Joseph Smith. The book of Moses is an account of visions and writings of Moses as revealed to Joseph Smith. It gives more information about the Creation as well as clarifying teachings and doctrines that have been lost from the Bible. The book of Abraham is a translation by Joseph Smith from a papyrus scroll taken from the Egyptian catacombs. This book contains information about the Creation, the gospel, the nature of God, the priesthood, and our premortal life. The writings of Joseph Smith include part of his inspired translation of the Bible, selections from his History of the Church, and the Articles of Faith.

I treasure the words of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. I study them and try to live by them. I also treasure the words of our living prophets, which I also consider to be scripture. One of our Articles of Faith states, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" (Article of Faith 1:9).

The scriptures are here for our benefit. We should study them every day and teach the truths from the scriptures to our children. Our children need to see us studying the scriptures and applying their teachings in our lives. Our children also need us to study the scriptures with them in order that they might learn to love the scriptures and live by the truths in them.

We can avoid the evils of the world by feeding our minds with the truth and righteousness found in the scriptures. As we read, ponder, and pray about the scriptures, we will grow closer to God and to each other. When we sincerely and with real intent ask God to help us understand the scriptures, the Holy Ghost will bear witness to us of the truth of the scriptures. By studying the scriptures and receiving the testimony of the Holy Ghost, we can know the truth and avoid deception.

I love to read the scriptures and feel the love of God through His words, through the words of His prophets, and through the presence of the Holy Ghost.

Sacrament

The Savior introduced the sacrament on His last evening as He gathered His Apostles around Him in an upstairs room. He knew that He would soon die and that this was the last time He would meet with the Apostles whom He dearly loved. He gave them the holy priesthood ordinance to help them remember His great atoning sacrifice and keep His commandments. After His Resurrection, Jesus Christ came to the people who lived on the American continent and taught them the same ordinance. When the Church was restored in the latter days, Christ once again commanded His people to partake of the sacrament in remembrance of Him. Christ wants His people to meet together often to partake of the sacrament and renew sacred covenants. The broken bread and water represent His flesh and blood, which He sacrificed for the good of all mankind. The scriptures contain instructions for the administration of the sacrament. It is administered by those who hold the necessary priesthood authority. A priest or a holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood breaks bread into pieces, kneels, and blesses it (see D&C 20:76). A deacon or other priesthood holder then passes the sacrament bread to the congregation. A priest or Melchizedek Priesthood holder then blesses the water, which is also passed to the congregation. When Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament, He used bread and wine, but He said in latter-day revelation that it really doesn't matter what we eat and drink during the sacrament as long as we do it in remembrance of Him (see Doctrine and Covenants 27:2-3). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses water instead of wine - a practice for which I am very grateful. Jesus Christ revealed the exact words for both sacrament prayers. They are beautiful prayers. We should listen carefully to them and strive to understand the promises we make as well as what is promised to us. The following prayer is offered on the bread: "O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77). The prayer on the water is as follows: "O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine [water] to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:79). The sacrament ordinance is performed in a simple and reverent manner. Each time we participate in this ordinance, we renew covenants with God. These covenants are clearly stated in the prayers on the bread and water. Since a covenant is a sacred promise between God and His children, it is important for us to know what the covenants are as well as what they mean. When we covenant to be willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, it shows that we are willing to be identified with Christ and His Church. We also make a commitment to serve Christ and our fellowman and to bring honor to His name. When we covenant to always remember Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to make sure that all our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions will be influenced by Christ and His mission. When we promise to keep His commandments, we commit to keep all of them. We take these obligations upon ourselves when we are baptized (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:37; Mosiah 18:6-10), and we renew our baptismal covenants each time we partake of the sacrament. The pattern for partaking of the sacrament was given by Jesus Christ (3 Nephi 18:1-2). When we follow this pattern of repenting of our sins and believing in His name, we gain a remission of our sins (see Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 26:24). God's part of the covenant promises that if we keep our covenants, we will have His Spirit with us always. The Spirit brings knowledge, faith, power, and righteousness enough to gain eternal life. Because the sacrament is such a sacred ordinance, we should prepare ourselves spiritually prior to the experience. In fact, the Lord has commanded that no one should partake of the sacrament without being worthy of doing so. This means that we should repent of our sins before we take the sacrament. During the sacrament service, we should be prayerful and reverent, keeping our minds off of worldly things. This is a good opportunity to examine our lives and look for ways to improve and to become more committed to keeping the commandments. Perfection is not required in order to partake of the sacrament, but a spirit of repentance should be in our hearts. Partaking of the sacrament with a pure heart brings the promised blessings from God. Worthily partaking of the sacrament increases our spiritual strength because it helps to bring us closer to God. I am grateful for the opportunity to renew my covenants on a weekly basis. I like the idea of starting each week with a clean slate.

Covenant People

God has made covenants with His children from the time of Adam and Eve. When people make covenants with God, they know exactly what God requires of them as well as the blessings they can expect from Him. Individuals and groups who make and keep covenants with God are known as His covenant people. Within the gospel of Jesus Christ, a covenant is a promise or a sacred agreement between God and a person or a group of people. The terms of any covenant with God are set by God and revealed to his prophets. God sets forth the commandment and names the blessing that is promised for obedience to that commandment. We either decide to obey the terms of the covenant and receive the blessing or to reject the covenant with its blessing and sometimes to receive a penalty for disobedience. Abraham was a very righteous man who became a great Old Testament prophet. He recognized that worshipping idols as his father did was wrong. He refused to follow his father's example and kept the commandments of God. Then God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants because Abraham was so righteous. The covenant that God made with Abraham is known as the Abrahamic covenant. God promised to give Abraham numberless descendants. He promised that all these descendants would be entitled to receive the gospel, the priesthood blessings and all the ordinances necessary for exaltation. The descendants would in turn use the power of the priesthood to take the gospel to all nations. In this way, God would bless all the families of the earth through the descendants of Abraham. God promised that He would renew His covenant with all the generations of Abraham's posterity if they were righteous. There are two different groups of people who are included in the covenant between God and Abraham. The first group includes all of Abraham's righteous blood descendants. The second group includes all those who are adopted into Abraham's family by accepting and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. God told Abraham, "As many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed [lineage], and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father" (Abraham 2:10). (See also 2 Nephi 30:2.) People who are baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enter into the covenant that God made with Abraham and renewed with Isaac and Jacob (see Galatians 3:26-29). If they are obedient, they inherit all the blessings of that covenant. Being part of the covenant people of the Lord brings many blessings as well as responsibilities. The blessings include the right to be guided by the Holy Ghost, the right for males to hold the priesthood, and the right for families to receive the blessings of the priesthood. The greatest blessing of all is to gain eternal life in the celestial kingdom. The Lord's covenant people have the great responsibility to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the inhabitants of the earth. The Church is fulfilling this responsibility by sending full-time missionaries out into the world as well as by the missionary work done by members. Taking the gospel to the world is an opportunity which belongs only to the Lord's Church and His covenant people. The Lord requires His covenant people to keep the covenant by keeping His commandments. He said, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do as I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10). Without righteousness, the covenant becomes void. The fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is called the new and everlasting covenant and includes covenants made at baptism, during the sacrament, in the temple, and at any other time. This covenant is everlasting because God is everlasting and because the covenant will never change. God made the same covenant with Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and other prophets. It isn't a new covenant, but each time the gospel is restored to the earth, it is new to the people who receive it. (See Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 37:26.) Any person who accepts the new and everlasting covenant also agrees to repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, receive temple endowments, receive the covenant of temple marriage, obey the commandments, and follow Christ to the end of their life. In return for a righteous life, Heavenly Father promises exaltation in the celestial kingdom. (See Doctrine and Covenants 132:20-24.) Heavenly Father loves all of His children and desires to bless all of them. He gave commandments for the benefit of His children. His faithful sons and daughters will forever share the blessings and beauties of both earth and heaven.

Scriptures

From the time of Adam, God has commanded His prophets to record His revelations and His dealings with mankind. When prophets speak or write under the influence of the Holy Ghost, their words become scripture (see Doctrine and Covenants 68:4). The Bible is a book of scripture which is a collection of sacred writings. Its pages cover many centuries from the time of Adam through the years of the Apostles of Christ. Many different prophets wrote the words contained in the Bible, which is divided into two sections. The Old Testament contains much history of the people and many prophecies foretelling the coming of the Savior. The New Testament gives us information on the life of the Savior, who is Jesus Christ. Many truths lost from the Bible through the centuries were restored or corrected by Joseph Smith in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ. It is a sacred record of some of the people who lived in the Americas between 2000 B.C. and 400 A.D. It contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It tells of the visit of Jesus Christ to the people in America soon after His resurrection. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon into English by the gift and power of God. He said that the Book of Mormon is "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (introduction to the Book of Mormon). The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of modern-day revelations. This book contains revelations concerning the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in these last days. The Pearl of Great Price contains the book of Moses, the book of Abraham and some inspired writings of Joseph Smith. The book of Moses is an account of visions and writings of Moses as revealed to Joseph Smith. It gives more information about the Creation as well as clarifying teachings and doctrines that have been lost from the Bible. The book of Abraham is a translation by Joseph Smith from a papyrus scroll taken from the Egyptian catacombs. This book contains information about the Creation, the gospel, the nature of God, the priesthood, and our premortal life. The writings of Joseph Smith include part of his inspired translation of the Bible, selections from his History of the Church, and the Articles of Faith. I treasure the words of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. I study them and try to live by them. I also treasure the words of our living prophets, which I also consider to be scripture. One of our Articles of Faith states, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" (Article of Faith 1:9). The scriptures are here for our benefit. We should study them every day and teach the truths from the scriptures to our children. Our children need to see us studying the scriptures and applying their teachings in our lives. Our children also need us to study the scriptures with them in order that they might learn to love the scriptures and live by the truths in them. We can avoid the evils of the world by feeding our minds with the truth and righteousness found in the scriptures. As we read, ponder, and pray about the scriptures, we will grow closer to God and to each other. When we sincerely and with real intent ask God to help us understand the scriptures, the Holy Ghost will bear witness to us of the truth of the scriptures. By studying the scriptures and receiving the testimony of the Holy Ghost, we can know the truth and avoid deception. I love to read the scriptures and feel the love of God through His words, through the words of His prophets, and through presence of the Holy Ghost.