“The Abrahamic Covenant with God”

“Abraham made covenants with God when he received the gospel, when he was ordained a high priest, and when he entered into celestial marriage. In these covenants, God promised great blessings to Abraham and his family. These blessings, which extend to all of Abraham’s seed, are called the Abrahamic covenant.

“Among the promises made to Abraham were the following:

- - His posterity would be numerous (see Genesis 17:5–6; Abraham 2:9; 3:14).
  - His seed, or descendants, would receive the gospel and bear the priesthood (see Abraham 2:9).
  - Through the ministry of his seed, “all the families of the earth [would] be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal” (Abraham 2:11).

“A person can receive all the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant—even if he or she is not a literal descendant of Abraham—by obeying the laws and ordinances of the gospel (see Galatians 3:26–29; Galatians 4:1–7; Doctrine and Covenants 84:33–40).

“The Gospel of Jesus Christ”

“The gospel is our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness. The central doctrine of the gospel is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “The first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:4).

“In its fulness, the gospel includes all the doctrines, principles, laws, ordinances, and covenants necessary for us to be exalted in the celestial kingdom. The Savior has promised that if we endure to the end, faithfully living the gospel, He will hold us guiltless before the Father at the Final Judgment (see 3 Nephi 27:16)?

“The fulness of the gospel has been preached in all ages when God’s children have been prepared to receive it. In the latter days, or the dispensation of the fulness of times, the gospel has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

“What then is the Abrahamic Covenant?”

“What, then, is the Abrahamic covenant? It is that Abraham and his seed (including those adopted into his family) shall have all of the blessings of the gospel, of the priesthood, and of eternal life. The gate to eternal life is celestial marriage, which holy order of matrimony enables the family unit to continue in eternity, so that the participating parties may have posterity as numerous as the sands upon the seashore or the stars in heaven. The Abrahamic covenant enables men to create for themselves eternal family units that are patterned after the family of God our Heavenly Father. A lesser part of the covenant is that the seed of Abraham have the Millennial destiny of inheriting as an everlasting possession the very land of Canaan whereon the feet of the righteous have trod in days gone by” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 503–5.)”

Elder John A. Widtsoe (1872–1952) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated: “All who accept the gospel become by adoption members of the family of Abraham” (Evidences and Reconciliations, arr. G. Homer Durham [1960], 399). The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) taught: “As the Holy Ghost falls upon one of the literal seed of Abraham, it is calm and serene and his whole soul and body are only exercised by the pure spirit of intelligence; while the effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. That man that has none of the blood of Abraham (naturally) must have a new creation by the Holy Ghost” (“Discourse between circa 26 June and circa 2 July 1839, as Reported by Willard Richards,” 18–19, josephsmithpapers.org; capitalization, punctuation, and spelling standardized).”

Abraham desired the blessings of the fathers—the right to administer in the Melchizedek Priesthood. He was a rightful heir, and because of his righteousness he became a high priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood (see Abraham 1:2). The Lord promised him that his posterity would also be rightful heirs of the priesthood. “Being an heir to the Abrahamic covenant does not make one a ‘chosen person’ per se, but does signify that such are chosen to responsibly carry the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham’s seed have carried out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day. (Matt. 3:9; Abr. 2:9–11)” (Bible Dictionary, “Abraham, covenant of”).

“President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) said: “The responsibility of the seed of Abraham, which we are, is to be missionaries to ‘bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations’ (Abraham 2:9)” (“The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants,” Ensign, May 1987, 85).”

“The same keys of the priesthood given to Abraham have been restored to the earth in the latter days. On April 3, 1836, a prophet named Elias appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the newly dedicated Kirtland Temple and committed to them “the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed” (D&C 110:12). With these keys of the priesthood on earth once again, a person can receive all of the blessings given to Abraham (see D&C 132:29–33).”

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “Abraham was guided in all his family affairs by the Lord; was told where to go, and when to stop; was conversed with by angels, and by the Lord; and prospered exceedingly in all that he put his hand unto; it was because he and his family obeyed the counsel of the Lord” (“The Government of God” [Editorial], Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, 857).

(Note: The above information is a collection of direct quotes from the website of “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”)

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