Artists’ renderings of David and Goliath

Unknown Artist

 Peter Paul Reubens

"The New and Everlasting Covenant" and "The New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage"

"The new and everlasting covenant" is composed of "all covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows performances, connections association or expectations" [1] that God invites his children to enter into by the Holy Spirit (ie: ratified as in effect by the Holy Ghost)[3].  These covenants referred to are entered into in conjunction with God's authority and power.  

The new and everlasting covenant is also called "the fullness of the gospel"[4] in part, I believe, because it reminds us that we are ultimately called to enter into a complete (full) commitment/covenant to incorporate every part of Jesus's gospel into our lives, covenanting ourselves to being fully united with God; to take upon ourselves the name of Christ.

 

The new and everlasting covenant includes, therefore, all covenants that we make to more fully live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Those covenants include covenants we make at baptism, during the sacrament, when we marry, when we receive priesthood ordination or priesthood power, etc.

 

"The new and everlasting covenant of marriage" is the gospel marriage covenant, made in conjunction with God's authority and power, and made between God and two of his children who are in, or who are entering into, a marriage.[5]  It involves a man and a woman giving themselves to each other to be husband and wife in a holy marriage[6] and, like every covenant, each of them, individually, solemnly makes a covenant to the Lord that they will be faithful to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their marriage; loving and caring for each other. [7] 

This covenant also involves a covenant and a promise, on God's part, to seal upon those individuals, certain, specific, heavenly blessings and power to act in godly ways, pronounced by someone who has been given God's power to do so,[8]which, covenant "in the process of time"[9]  may "sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise".[10]  They are reminded that the efficacy of the sealing of those blessings and power to act is dependent upon their faithfulness to the Lord.  And none of those blessings say anything about people being "sealed to each other".  Specific blessings are sealed upon them dependent upon their faithfulness. Being "sealed to each other" is not one of those blessings. 

 

In the temple marriage ceremony what is sealed is the promise of blessings upon each of the two individuals involved, both the husband and the wife, with counsel that their receiving those blessings, individually, depends upon their respective faithfulness to the Lord, and their living the principles of His gospel throughout their lives.   This is not an ordinance that is focused on who lives with whom.  It is an ordinance that invites us, as individuals, to live holy lives in our relationships, and to be prepared, therefore, to receive the grace and glory that God hopes we will embrace with joy.  This is a classic gospel covenant pattern.

 

Contrary to Latter-day Saint vernacular and happy but theologically sloppy Primary songs, and even the occasional misuse of the phrase in church manuals, a husband and wife are not "sealed to each other" in the temple.   Rather, each individual enters into a "new and everlasting covenant of marriage" before God, promising to God that each will, individually, seek to create a holy marriage; a marriage upon a full commitment to the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They are also pronounced married and in a marriage relationship that may (if they individually keep the covenants into which they have entered)[11] last beyond this life.[12] and divine blessings are conditionally "sealed" upon them[13] dependent upon their individual faithfulness to the commitment they have made.  Again this is a classic gospel covenant pattern.

 

Temple marriage "sealings', in other words the things that are actually sealed in a marriage in a temple, are not sealings (bindings, tying, gluing eternally into the same celestial relationship) of two people to each other.  Temple marriage sealings are actually provisional sealings of specific future blessings upon individuals who have made specific promises to God to live a holy life in their marriage.[14]

 

The blessings that are sealed upon them are dependent upon their individual faithful keeping of their promise to live by the word of God in their marriage thoughout their lives and beyond.[15]  Those blessings are blessings that, like the blessings of other holy covenants, are ones connected to and are a result of one's efforts to live a holy, or celestial, life.[16]

  

We are not "family groups" to God (though He does delight in a good and loving family).  We are, first and foremost, His individual, beloved children.

---

[1]Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith p.165.

[2] Doctrine and Covenants 1:15-16, 22-23

[3] Smith Joseph F, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:46

[4] Doctrine and Covenants 66:2

[5] Doctrine and Covenants 132:9

[6] Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/manual/preparing-to-enter-the-holy-temple/preparing-to-enter-the-holy-temple?lang=eng

[7] True to the Faith p. 171, The Family a Proclamation to the World

[8] Doctrine and Covenants 132:19

[9] Moses 7:21, Bednar, David A.,  Ensign, May 2007, p. 22

[10] Doctrine and Covenants 76:51-53, Smith, ibid. 2:94-95, Bednar, David A, Ensign, May 2007 p.22

[11] Doctrine and Covenants 121:41-42, 

[12] Lee, Harold B. Stand Ye in Holy Places, p.53

[13] Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20

[14] Cofford, Kree-L, "Marriage in the Lord's Way, Part 1", Ensign June 1998

[15] Smith, ibid. 2:46,  Doctrine and Covenants 132:21

[16] Doctrine and Covenants sections 121, 76, and 132

Fear, Impatience, and Thinking That Simply Performing Ordinances Is What You Need to Get God to Assist You 1st Samuel 13:8

 Before battle, ancient Israelites were counseled to offer sacrifices to God, seeking His help and blessing in the coming fight.  Those sacrifices were under the direction of men set apart by God to oversee them, as  directed by the Lord.

Saul found himself preparing for battle against the Philistines in Gilgal following Jonathan’s attack on their garrison at Geba.  The huge army gathered by the Philistines was (vs. 5) was frightening to behold, and Saul’s soldiers began to hunker down in defensive positions or desert all-together (vs. 5-6).

Samuel, the prophet called to express God's will to Saul and all his people, had told Saul to wait 7 full days, and that he (Samuel) would be there to for that rite of sacrifice at the end of that period.

It must have been excruciating for Saul to watch his outnumbered army increase in fear and decrease in numbers as they awaited the arrival of Samuel.  Every day he waited made their situation look worse.

So he gave up waiting and went ahead and offered the sacrifices himself.  It seems to indicate that for him, paying attention to God and making acting under His direction for timing and place…working with Him and drawing nearer to Him that process, was not what was important.  Instead it was simply the ritual of sacrifice, by itself,  that He believed would bring God’s blessing upon his effort and solve his mounting challenges.

He was reducing what should have created an experience of divine connection and guidance into an experience that simply went through a ritual in order to get something he felt he desperately needed.

Samuel’s famous sentence, “Obedience is greater than sacrifice” is not so much a lauding of the principle of obedience, as it is a reminder, when we engage in religious rites, to truly engage with God, receiving  direction from Him about how, when, where , who etc. and recommitting ourselves to Him and opening our hearts to further connection and instruction as we do so  (a foundational principle of holy obedience).  The rite (in this case sacrifice, but it could be applied to any other religious rite) itself is not what is most important.  It is humility before God and desire to seek Him and learn from Him and follow His counsel that is the vital part of any such outward form of worship or covenant making.

When we reduce God to a hander out of favors that we merit through rites (or ceremonies or rituals or performances) rather than discovering the communing with Him that comes as we seek His will and understanding about those rites and during  those rites,  and seeking to trust and obey His will  in that, and  in all other things on an ongoing  basis.

“Obedience is  greater than sacrifice”  is, in essence,  “Seeking to do God’s will and working with God as you engage in ordinances and rites and rituals (animal sacrifice in this case) is of far  greater importance and value to you, and connects you with God in far more blessedly, than simply participating in or carrying out those ordinances, rites  and rituals”.

Overlooking Weaknesses

“I have long felt that happiness in marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one’s companion.  That involves a willingness to overlook weaknesses and mistakes.” 

Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 325.