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Oath & Covenant of the Priesthood

Each new Aaronic priesthood holder is told about the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood which is located in D&C 84:33-44.

In vs. 41 it says that whosoever breaks the covenant after receiving it "...and altogether turneth therefrom shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come."

The question is... what is 'altogether turneth therefrom'? Does that mean less activity? Excommunication? Fighting against the Church?

I think it is important to think about since the Lord says that there will be no forgiveness of sins.

What are your thoughts?

Priesthood the Covenant and Oath

Well, we know that priesthood holders who are excommunicated are allowed back into the Church after a repentance period, so it must mean something other than just you do something bad or you stop coming to Church.

Maybe it means if you turn away and don't repent in this life, the Savior will offer you none of his grace during your judgment and you will need to bear the weight of your own sins.

I think the term "altogether turneth therefrom" is key to this discussin and it's meaning. We can't judge here on earth if someone has truly turned altogether therefrom, because if they repent and return they didn't turn altogether. Also, what if they die just before they were about to repent? Did they turn away altogether?

Oath & Covenant of the Priesthood Studies Doctrine Mormon

I tie this together with what we know about the unforgivable sin to understand that D&C 84:41 is talking about this unforgivable sin. That is, consider that the person must fully accept and live the oath and covenant before they are able to commit this sin. Then they must altogether turn away from it.

So, to turn from it to this extent must be a lot more than just becoming inactive, or even being excommunicated (having been there, I can guarantee this). It must be to become so firmly entrenched as an enemy of God, that the person approaches or even surpases Cain.

Just my take on it.

NightHawk

Priesthood the Covenant and Oath

I agree with this point of view, the fact that the Lord says that "shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come." we are talking about serious business here, not merely a disciplinary action but somebody who having the testimony of knowing the Truth by direct revelation from Heavenly Father decides to turn away from it.

Edited: LDS_forever on 19th Dec, 2003 - 5:07pm

Priesthood the Covenant and Oath

This morning, I just randomly turned to D&C 84. While reading it, I came across the verses that JB talked about, and I was struck by the fact that the verses before 41 pretty fully explain verse 41.

41 But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come.

So, the question becomes, "what does it mean to receive it?"

So, "receiving" the oath and covenant means much more than just hearing it, believing it, or even attempting to live our lives according to it. Go back to verse 33, and read:

So, receiving the oath and covenant, or receiving the Priesthood, seems to be a rather more involved process than most, if not nearly all, the men of the Church ever do, at least in my experience.

(Verse 34 takes me into even further areas of consideration, things that would not be welcome in this topic, so I just included it above.)

NightHawk

Oath & Covenant of the Priesthood

Nighthawk, I like how you turned the question around... I have often thought about that I am thinking that 'receiving it' may be refereing to the 'fulness' thereof or being placed in the same stance that would allow you to sin against the Holy Ghost, something that only few members can actually commit.

Oath & Covenant the Priesthood

The question is... what is 'altogether turneth therefrom'? Does that mean less activity? Excommunication? Fighting against the Church?

This is referring to the sin against the Holy Ghost.

I have often thought about that I am thinking that 'receiving it' may be refereing to the 'fulness' thereof or being placed in the same stance that would allow you to sin against the Holy Ghost, something that only few members can actually commit.

Any member who receives the Holy Ghost and is "sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their body" can commit this sin. If, as you stated, only a few members can actually commit this sin, this means only a few members are sanctified. And if only a few members are sanctified, only a few members will be exalted. You can't have one without the other.

Men must receive these two priesthoods and enter into the covenant of the Holy Priesthood, by the reception of it, and God makes an oath to them that He will give them all He hath (exaltation) and if they sanctify themselves by the reception of the Spirit, He fulfills that oath, but if, after they sanctify themselves before Him, they sin against the Holy Ghost, they become the sons of perdition.

Women do not need the priesthood to enter into their exaltation. However, they do need to be sanctified and, like men, if they receive the Holy Ghost and then later reject Him and blaspheme against Him, they, too, will be children of perdition.

None of this, of course, refers to those sanctified, elect people who have made their calling and election sure and have received the more sure word of prophecy, meaning that they have overcome the world and been sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (the unconditional guarantee of eternal life.) Such people have done all that is necessary to do for their salvation and exaltation. Nothing more is required. The Lord is referring to prior to that point, when the sanctified can still fall from grace, such as when the Lord says,

Oath & Covenant the Priesthood Mormon Doctrine Studies

"We don't know in detail all that is going to be required of
humanity, of the Saints of God in the uncertain days ahead. Everyday
righteous living will be increasingly difficult. . . ."

" . . .But great eternal promises are extended to those who persist in
righteousness. . . . The key of the knowledge of God, administered by those
who keep the oath and covenant of the Melchizedek Priesthood, will enable
us to come off as the sons of God."
-- President James E. Faust, "The Key of the Knowledge of God," Ensign, November 2004, 55)