LDS Church News, June 5, 2015, ‘Covenants Connects Us to Heaven’
Today’s dilemma is about a speech delivered by BYU President Kevin Worthen and we’re wondering…
Are covenants the means by which we’re connected to God as the LDS Church stated last week, or is it ordinances? Oh, and what about Jesus? Does He play any part?
BYU President Kevin Worthen gave a speech at the Marriott Center BYU Women’s Conference earlier in the month that was published by Deseret News on June 5, 2015.
We’re taking a look at just a couple of things he said to compare them with God’s word and also to see if they line up with our article from yesterday on covenants. If you’d like to read the article in DN in full you can do so here.
In the last LDS General Conference held in April 2015, Primary President Carol Stephens delivered a speech reminding people that ordinances are what connects us to God. So now we have two talks each with a different message and sadly, neither of them point to Jesus as being our connection to heaven.
Let’s take a look at some of what the Deseret News had to say about Worthen’s talk –
“Gospel covenants open up the powers of heaven,” said BYU President Kevin J Worthen during a keynote address delivered in the Marriott Center during BYU Women’s Conference on May 1. “And they open up those powers both for those who make and keep those covenants — and for those whom they love”
Why would someone think man holds any authority to open the powers of heaven?
Furthermore, you can’t perform good works for others to earn their way into heaven. Each person is responsible for their own life and will be held accountable before God for what he has, or hasn’t done.
“How can individuals increase their ability to keep their covenants so the powers of heaven are more available to them?”
“One of the best ways we can strengthen our ability to keep the covenants we have made is to reflect on those covenants often enough to make them an active, ongoing part of our lives,” he said. “In that regard, we would do well to take greater advantage of the wonderful opportunity we have each Sunday to partake of the sacrament. I believe that many of us underestimate both the importance of that sacred ordinance and the power that can come from greater focus on it.”
Oh, that ordinance holds power all right, but the power it holds further solidifies and builds up the wall you’ve placed between you and God.
Taking the Mormon Sacrament which is made up of bread and water so how is this going to remind you of what Jesus did? The way they present this message is nothing but another reminder of another ordinance they must perform to gain salvation in a false god’s idea of heaven.
The rest of Mr. Worthen’s speech is filled with much of the same mantra unfortunately. He didn’t talk about the true covenants we know about in His word, nor did he address the fact Jesus’ spilt blood is the power that opens the door to heaven for us.
It’s by God’s mercy and benevolence we are able to approach His throne (Hebrews 4:16), and it’s by faith, not works we are saved – Ephesians 2:8-9.
One more thing – ordinances and covenants are not the same thing! Ordinances are works and covenants are promises. Some covenants do contain the promise of an ordinance, but not always. The Church uses these two words interchangeably to confuse members.
Please, remember to pray! These kids are being taught these false ideologies at university, at church, and even at their activities all through the week.
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