Hey, what do you think about when I mention the Law of Consecration?
If your mind went to a group of Saints in the 1800s trying to practice the Law of Consecration, but failing, and then having the Law of Consecration removed until we will be able to practice it better in the future…
Know that this is basically what I thought for a long time, too, until someone corrected me.
And my mind was blown!
While it is totally true that various groups of early saints did try– and fail– to organize systems through which they could live the Law of Consecration…
The actual Law of Consecration has NEVER been removed since it was restored!
In fact, as stated on the church’s temple website, the Law of Consecration is one of the specific covenants made during the endowment ordinance.
In D&C Section 51, the Lord was giving Edward Partridge, the bishop, some of the first directions when it came to giving members of the church stewardship over certain items and then redistributing them.
And the Lord’s main focus was to help everyone remember one important truth:
“And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise, and command them to go hence” D&C 51:16
The Lord wanted them to remember that everything. EVERYTHING. Was from Him.
THAT is the biggest purpose of the Law of Consecration.
Which means… we can do that now!
Sure, we haven’t been asked to deed everything we physically own to our bishop to then redistribute.
But we can still consecrate EVERYTHING.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught in 2010:
“The Lord’s law of consecration… has an economic role but, more than that, is an application of celestial law to life here and now.
“To consecrate is to set apart or dedicate something as sacred, devoted to holy purposes.
“True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives—that is, our time and choices—to God’s purposes.”
But I can consider all the blessings that I have been given:
My time, my body, my financial situation, my talents and gifts, my leadership abilities, my education– how can I consecrate these?
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
4 Responses
You are absolutely right! Every time we make that covenant in the Temple endowment, I agree with it and do my best to follow it. However, I do not always think that what I am doing is following that law of consecration even when I am. Thanks for the reminder.
Yes! We are living it now and consecrating the blessings we have been given. <3
Thank you for this reminder. I will be teaching SS on June 6, but will touch on the lesson from D&C 51 onward. This gives me a whole new perspective on The Law of Consecration. I also like the video that the church has embedded in the lesson.
Yes, wasn’t that church video awesome?! I loved it! I’m also teaching Sunday School this Sunday, so I’m starting to gather my thoughts on what I’ll actually share with the kids!