Covenants were prevalent in the Old Testament. Throughout much of that ancient canon, covenant appears at least 283 times in the English Standard Version. From the Gospel of Matthew, however, the word is used in fewer than 35 occurrences.
Wrong Way
Rather than highlight a loving, saving, graceful, merciful and trusting relationship with Jesus Christ, Mormonism underscores the keeping of legalistic covenants and commandments. The official LDS church Web site claims: “All the saving ordinances of the priesthood are accompanied by covenants. For example, we make a covenant when we are baptized, and we renew that covenant each time we partake of the sacrament (see Mosiah 18:8-10; D&C 20:37, 77, 79). Those who have received the Melchizedek Priesthood have entered into the oath and covenant of the priesthood (see D&C 84:33-44). The temple endowment and the sealing (marriage) ordinance also include sacred covenants” (http://lds.org/study/topics/covenant?lang=eng).
Absurd Assumptions
A major problem with LDS covenants? Nobody can keep them all the time with complete faithfulness. In other words, Mormons perpetually break their covenants. For example, the LDS sacrament prayer says Mormons who eat the sacramental bread “are willing to take upon them the name of [the] Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77). Every Mormon—young and old, male or female, in high position and low—will repeatedly break this agreement. He won’t always remember the Savior, and like the rest of mankind, he’ll perpetually break God’s commandments.
When drinking water blessed at the sacrament table (it was originally wine in the New Testament and in the early days of Mormonism), Latter-day Saints again set themselves up to fail. For Mormons, the water represents Christ’s blood, and by partaking of it, they covenant to remember him always. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:79). Again, to always remember the Savior is impossible, because all men sin repeatedly (Psalm 130:3; Romans 3:9; Ephesians 2:3 ESV). Even after converting to Christ, much to our regret, all of us sin in various ways (Romans 7:15–20).
Sacred Trust
Hebrews 7:22–10:29 speaks of God’s Old vs. New Covenant with his people. The Old Covenant concerns the Mosaic Law, which was “a tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Galatians 3:24, 25).
One of God’s most important covenants with man was with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3; 17:1–5). Though his loins would come the promised Messiah, and those who believe him were to be blessed with Abraham and “heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:9, 29). Perhaps the most significant covenant, though, is that involving Christ’s blood shed on the cross for the sins of mankind (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 10:29; 13:20). You enter that sacred covenant when you turn to Christ, believe in his divine mission as outlined in the Bible, and trust your salvation to him (Hebrews 4:3; 9:15–22; 10:39; 1 Peter 1:19).
Complete Confidence
To receive eternal life, God’s people don’t need checklists or burdensome written requirements. Christ fulfilled the law on behalf of all believers. In fact, Jesus said: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
If Christians were required to keep all of God’s commandments all the time and always remember the Savior, they would be forever condemned because they couldn’t do it. But Jesus has a better way. “God so loved the world,” the Savior explained, “that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life . . . He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16, 18, italics added).
That reassurance from God is light-years ahead of the unworkable covenants required in Mormonism.
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