Bound By Oaths

The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood is a beautiful principle.  It teaches us that if a man is valiant in keeping his baptismal and temple covenants, the Lord promises (or makes an oath) that he will be rewarded with His greatest gifts: eternal life and all that He has.  This means so much to the Lord that He allows himself to be bound by the oath, similar to other oaths and principles he promises.  The Book of Mormon reveals an example of the Lord allowing Himself to be bound by His own promises -- in this case, an oath regarding the principle of faith.

 Ether 12:10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God.

  20 And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that when God put forth his finger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken unto him, which word he had obtained by faith.

 21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil.

LESSON LEARNED: It is by faith that Christ showed himself to Ether and others. He did not do this until after they had sufficient faith in Him.  And because of their requisite faith, the Lord could not withhold Himself from them.

FEEDBACK: HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL ABOUT FAITH, THE LORD’S OATHS, AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO BE BOUND BY THEM?