Keeping the Commandments without Making Covenants has no Power to Sanctify

11Jul/0911

Keeping the Commandments without Making Covenants has no Power to Sanctify

For those who have made covenants to follow Christ there is a simple plan that needs to be obeyed in order to realize the promised blessings. The following scripture clearly describes the plan and promise:

Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day. 3 Nephi 27:20

In forty words the Savior succinctly explains the gospel plan. Receiving the Holy Ghost is the focal point of the gospel plan. In other words, the purpose of repentance and baptism is to receive the Holy Ghost. Without the Holy Ghost, repentance and baptism have no power to sanctify. And without becoming sanctified we cannot stand spotless before the Lord.

As Latter-day Saints we have many responsibilities. Following is a brief list of some of the things expected of us. There is no particular order to this list:

1. Visiting teaching/Home teaching

2. Attend the three hour block of meetings

3. Accept and magnify callings

4. Sustain church leaders

5. Keep the commandments

6. Repent

7. Pay tithing and offerings

8. Daily prayer

9. Have weekly home evenings

10. Every member a missionary

11. Home storage

12. Receive the priesthood

13. Serve a mission (especially young men)

14. Read the scriptures

15. Temple marriage

16. Regular temple attendance

17. Genealogy

The things contained on this list, in and of themselves, have no power to sanctify a follower of Christ. Putting it another way, the power to sanctify comes exclusively from the Holy Ghost. Diligently doing those things on the list might help us be better people, but being better people isn't the ultimate goal of the gospel. We don't need the gospel to become better people. We can do that on our own by following moral and ethical principles.

The only way we can be prepared to stand spotless before the Lord at the last day is by coming unto Christ and receiving the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a sanctifier and once we've been baptized we have the right to receive His companionship. To qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost we must keep the commandments---the most important being the commandment to repent. In other words, we do those things on the list to be obedient. It is through obedience (to those things on the list) we keep our covenants. When we keep our covenants we become eligible for the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost sanctifies us so that we can stand spotless before the Lord at the last day---this being the ultimate goal of the gospel.

About Jared

Thanks for coming by. The primary reason I write this blog is to increase awareness and understanding about the doctrine of Christ as taught in the Book of Mormon. Click here to read about, "My Experience with the Savior" to understand my reasons for doing a blog.

Filed under: Holy Ghost, Repentance, Sanctification Leave a comment

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Jacob J
July 12th, 2009 - 10:59

Jared,

I am unclear as to why you say keeping the commandments doesn’t sanctify us. My understanding of sanctification is that it is the process of becoming holy. If through discipline and self-control we train ourselves to think of others first and obey our moral sense it seems to me that this is sanctification. After reading your formula above (obedience->Holy Ghost->sanctification) I can’t tell where we differ.
Thomas Parkin
July 12th, 2009 - 13:34

I’m with Jared, I don’t see overcoming through self-discipline, alone, as sanctification. Sanctification is not just being able to control oneself, but has to do with acquiring a Christ-like nature, and having access to his mind, and these things are only accomplished though the companionship of the Spirit. Disciplining ourselves in so far as we are able, and exerting effort in bending our will to keep the commandments may help us get in the right way where the Spirit can have a greater influence, but it doesn’t count for sanctification itself.

I see this as a typical Mormon problem for those who think that obedience to the law brings salvation. ~
Jared
July 12th, 2009 - 15:54

Jacob J–

Thanks for coming by and reading this post and making a comment.

I would guess that most church members would have the same reaction to this post as you have.

Keeping the commandments is essential but ultimately insufficient if we are to stand spotless before the Lord at judgment day.

The reason this is true is because men and women can not keep all the commandments perfectly. In order to be saved by the law we can’t sin, even one time, or else we have failed.

The Savior is the only one capable of sinlessness, all the rest of us fail at some point. Therefore, we can not be saved by the law because we are incapable of living the law perfectly. If we could live the law perfectly then we would be spotless at judgment day on our own merits and power–we wouldn’t need a Savior.

But the fact is, we need a Savior, and that is why He came into the world and died for our sins–thus allowing us to repent. But even with the option of repentance we would never be able to overcome the flesh on our own and arrive at a state of perfection. That is where the gift of the Holy Ghost comes in. Through the ordinance of baptism we become eligible for the gift of the Holy Ghost–the sanctifer. Over time the Holy Ghost sanctifies us (fire and the Holy Ghost)as we keep the commandments and serve the Lord. We are commanded to repent (D&C 19) and the Lord has given us the sacrament. Each week we take the sacrament and renew are covenants. If we will endure to the end, sincerely trying to keep the commandments, and repenting we will be found spotless at the last day.
Jared
July 12th, 2009 - 16:15

Thomas Parkin–

Thanks for coming by. Also, thanks for your insightful comment. I always enjoy it when you’re present and accounted for.
Jacob J
July 12th, 2009 - 17:33

Jared,

I don’t think you’ve understood my question yet. I agree that we all need a Savior and that we can’t be perfect on our own. What I don’t understand about your position is why you think keeping the commandments doesn’t sanctify us. Do you agree with my definition of sanctification? Are you saying that learning to love others (sometimes by our own efforts) does not make us holier?
Jacob J
July 12th, 2009 - 17:40

Thomas,

Sanctification is not just being able to control oneself, but has to do with acquiring a Christ-like nature, and having access to his mind, and these things are only accomplished though the companionship of the Spirit.

I’m with you on developing a Christ-like nature, but that is exactly what I mean when I say “keeping the commandments.” The whole point of the commandments is to teach us how to develop a Christ-like nature. I don’t mean to discount the spirit in the process, as though we can do it on our own, but neither do I think the spirit does something to us totally unrelated to our own efforts to follow Christ’s teachings.

I see your reaction as a typical problem of those who think that because salvation is by grace that being perfected is unrelated to our own efforts. The magic wand theory of perfection doesn’t sit well with me.
Jared
July 12th, 2009 - 21:08

Jacob J–

Thanks for restating your question.

My understanding of these things leads me to believe it is best to use the words that involve deity separately from those we use for the works we do.

I prefer using the word sanctification for the Holy Ghost and the word reformation for the works we do as men and women.

With that said, the scriptures do say:

Purge ye out the iniquity which is among you; sanctify yourselves before me… D&C 43:11

This would seem to agree with what you’ve said.

But even then I would think the intent of the verse is to seek the Holy Ghosts companionship in order to sanctify ourselves.

The purpose of my post was to zero in on preparing for the judgment day by seeking diligently for the Holy Ghost so that we can stand spotless in that day.

Click below for a post on the differences between reformation and repentance.

Thank again for your thoughtful comments.

http://www.ldsaliveinchrist.com/2008/01/reformation-or-repentance/
Thomas Parkin
July 12th, 2009 - 21:37

“but neither do I think the spirit does something to us totally unrelated to our own efforts to follow Christ’s teachings.

I see your reaction as a typical problem of those who think that because salvation is by grace that being perfected is unrelated to our own efforts. The magic wand theory of perfection doesn’t sit well with me.”

Agreed. We are sanctified by the Spirit as we genuinely try to keep our covenants and even “purify ourselves.” Controversy over. ~
Jacob J
July 12th, 2009 - 22:13

Thomas, ha, hope you don’t take my love of controversy the wrong way. I always enjoy our exchanges.
Jacob J
July 12th, 2009 - 22:52

Jared, thanks for your response and the link to your previous post.
Thomas Parkin
July 13th, 2009 - 06:36

Jacob,

No worries, mate.

I’ve been especially sensitive, lately, to the fact that I’m often to abrupt with people. It’s like, oh dang, I’ve done it again! Not ready yet, put me back in the oven. ~