Embracing the
Law of Consecration
By Larry Barkdull
Meridian Magazine
https://latterdaysaintmag.com/

The Law of Consecration permeates every gospel principle and defines a Zion person. Only by living this law can we hope to obtain an inheritance in the celestial kingdom.

What is Consecration?

To consecrate something is to sanctify, purify and set it apart for a sacred use. Latter-day Saints make a covenant to consecrate our lives, including everything with which the Lord has blessed or will bless us, to the building of the Kingdom of God.

Lived properly, the covenant of consecration lays the foundation for the establishment of Zion in a righteous person's life.

This is no small task. Zion is the celestial order of things, for both individuals and societies.

Some descriptions of consecrated Zion people include:
  • their not seeking worldly wealth for its own sake

  • their setting aside selfishness and, according to their personal needs and circumstances, consecrating their time, talents, and material means for the Lord's work

  • their belief that all things belong to God and they are stewards who are accountable to him for the discharge of their stewardships

  • their being unified by esteeming other people as themselves

  • their exercising reciprocal love - loving one another and becoming of one heart and one mind

    • Practicing the Law of Consecration roots out human traits not in harmony with the celestial kingdom.

    Adam was commanded to work to support his family, but he was not commanded to set his sights on empire building, plundering, extorting, leveraging, competing, augmenting his balance sheet or amassing personal wealth on the backs of the poor.

    Nephi worked to establish Zion. He had his people work together for the benefit of all, and they were blessed with prosperity.

    Things began to fall apart when they became selfish. Jacob chastised them for searching for gold and silver, and all manner of precious ores for the purpose of having more than their brethren, being lifted up in pride and supposing that they were better than those who had less. (Jacob 2:12-14) This kind of labor is not justified in Zion; it is condemned.

    President Kimball said, "Zion can be established only by those who are pure in heart, and who labor for Zion , for the 'laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion.'"

    Jacob taught the celestial law of labor and its underlying motivation:
    "Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good." (Jacob 2:17-19)
    Conclusion

    The Law of Consecration is the law of the Celestial Kingdom as revealed to us in this worldly telestial setting for our salvation and exaltation.

    We must learn all we can about this law and then learn to live it, otherwise we cannot expect to gain an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom. This is the law by which hearts are purified, and by which we are ushered into the presence of God.

    Only upon the Law of Consecration can we become one in our marriages, families, wards, stakes, the Church, and one with the Father and the Son.

    (edited by David Van Alstyne)
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