Lesson Highlights
Scripture references for
study:
Mosiah 2528
Alma 36
Note: Underlined scripture references have been hyperlinked
to the LDS Scriptures at LDS.org and will open in a new window.
Lesson 20 Handout (PDF format)
Mosiah 25
Mosiah 26
Mosiah 27
BLESSINGS OF BIRTH UNDER THE COVENANT. Death does not separate righteous
parents who are joined by decree and authority of the Father, neither does
it take from these parents their righteous children, for they are born
under the covenant, and therefore, their parents have claim upon them forever.
President Brigham Young has said: "When a man and a woman have received
their endowments and sealings, and then had children born to them afterwards,
these children are legal heirs to the kingdom and to all its blessings
and promises, and they are the only ones upon this earth." This is
certainly true; how can children whose parents have not been married by
divine authority be heirs of that kingdom?
It may be asked, what is the advantage coming to those born under the covenant?
Being heirs they have claims upon the blessings of the gospel beyond what
those not so born are entitled to receive. They may receive a greater
guidance, a greater protection, a greater inspiration from the Spirit of
the Lord; and then there is no power that can take them away from their
parents. Children, on the other hand, who are born to parents who
were married until death separates them, have no claim upon such parents,
and such parents have no claim upon the children after the resurrection
from the dead.
RECLAIMING CHILDREN BORN UNDER THE COVENANT. Those born under the
covenant, throughout all eternity, are the children of their parents.
Nothing except the unpardonable sin, or sin unto death, can break this
tie. If children do not sin as John says, "unto death," the parents
may still feel after them and eventually bring them back near to them again.
On this point President Brigham Young has said: "Let the father and the
mother, who are members of this Church and kingdom, take a righteous course,
and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all
their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct
themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their
faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, the are bound up
to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can
separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to
the fountain from whence they sprang."
PARENTAL CLAIM ON CHILDREN BORN UNDER COVENANT. All children born
under the covenant belong to their parents in eternity, but that does not
mean that they, because of that birthright, will inherit celestial glory.
The faith and faithfulness of fathers and mothers will not save disobedient
children.
Salvation is an individual matter, and if a person who has been born under
the covenant rebels and denies the Lord, he will lose the blessings of
exaltation. Every soul will be judged according to his works and
the wicked cannot inherit eternal life. We cannot force salvation
upon those who do not want it. Even our Father's children had their
agency before this life, and one-third of them rebelled.
It is the duty of parents to teach their children so that they will walk
uprightly and thus obtain the blessings of their birthright.
But children born under the covenant, who drift away, are still the children
of their parents; and the parents have a claim upon them; and if the children
have not sinned away all their rights, the parents may be able to bring
them through repentance, into the celestial kingdom, but not to receive
the exaltation. Of course, if children sin too grievously, they will
have to enter the telestial kingdom, or they may even become the sons of
perdition.
When a man and a woman are married in the temple for time and all eternity
and then separate, the children will go with the parent who is justified
and who has kept the covenants. If neither of them has kept his covenants,
the children may be taken away from both of them and given to somebody
else, and that would be by virtue of being born under the covenant.
A
child is not to be sealed the second time when born under the covenant, but by
virtue of that birthright can be transferred.
Resources Used In This Lesson
Next Lesson
The Gospel Doctrine Class Gospel Doctrine Lesson Archives
Page created by: bill@beardall2000.com.
Please E-Mail comments.
Changes last made on:
24 April 2008