The Law of Consecration

Close your eyes and bring your attention to your body. Whether you are sitting, standing, or laying down, make sure your body feels relaxed and supported. Relax the muscles in your face, jaw, neck, and shoulders.

Take a few deep breaths. As you breath in, imagine drawing peace, calm, humility, and openness into your body and mind. As you breath out, imagine expelling tension, negativity, pride, and stress from your body and mind.

In this state of calm and receptiveness, take a moment to say a brief prayer that your mind will be guided to any revelation the Lord has for you today as you ponder. 

As your breathing returns to normal, turn your thoughts and attention to the temple endowment covenants. As I share teachings about the Law of Consecration, allow your thoughts and the Spirit to guide you. Do not worry about focusing on every statement or question I share.

The Law of Consecration 

The last covenant in the endowment ceremony is the covenant to obey the Law of Consecration.

What is it?

This means to “dedicate [your] time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed [you] to building up Jesus Christ’s Church on the earth.” (General Handbook, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Section 27.2.)

President Hinckley has taught that, contrary to some common beliefs, the law of consecration has not been done away with. It is still in effect. (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 639.)

Hugh Nibley taught that the law of consecration is “the consummation of the laws of obedience and sacrifice" and "the threshold of the celestial kingdom" ("Approaching Zion," vol. 9 of The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley [1989], 168; see also Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 121).

Similarly, Ezra Taft Benson said that “Until one abides by the laws of obedience, sacrifice, the gospel, and chastity, he cannot abide the law of consecration.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 121)

How do the other laws we covenant to follow in the temple (obedience, chastity, sacrifice, and the law of the gospel) culminate in the law of consecration?

Difference between Sacrifice and Consecration

I am going to read a quote from Professor Anthony Sweat about the difference between sacrifice and consecration. After I do so, ponder the differences between sacrifice and consecration and try to see instances in your life when you have sacrificed something versus when you have consecrated something.

“Sacrifice is to give things up; consecration is to dedicate them to God, but often we retain them. Sacrifice is the release of the unholy; consecration retains to make holy. Where sacrifice is about letting go of our will, consecration is about absorbing God’s will.” (Anthony Sweat, The Holy Covenants: Living Our Sacred Temple Promises, Deseret Book, pg. 85.)

When have you sacrificed and when have you consecrated in your life?

Stewardship and Accountability

There are at least two components of consecration: stewardship and accountability.

A steward is an individual who manages property or other things for another individual. The steward has control of the property, but not ownership. In D&C 42, the Lord warns that “every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property.” (D&C 42:32.)

Take a few moments to picture either your material possessions, your property, your financial accounts, or your skills and talents, and think of yourself not as an owner of those things, but as a steward for the Lord. Pick something really specific to focus on. What changes when you view yourself as a steward?

In D&C 104 the Lord says again, “For it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures.” (D&C 104:13.)

Imagine that God’s executive secretary calls you up tonight and says that the Lord wants to meet with you to hear about what you have done with the things that you have been given thus far in your life. How do you prepare for this meeting?

After being tarred and feathered for his commitment to the church, Edward Partridge declared in a letter “I am willing to spend and be spent in the cause of the Blessed Master.” (Edward Partridge: One of the Lord’s Great Men – History of the Saints; see also 2 Corinthians 12:15.) Can you declare the same? What are you willing to spend for the Lord? How are you willing to be spent? What, if anything are you holding back?

Elements of a Consecrated Life

In the October 2010 General Conference, Elder D. Todd Christofferson identified five elements of a consecrated life. Those elements are purity, work, respect for one’s physical body, service, and integrity. (D. Todd Christofferson, “Reflections on a Consecrated Life,” General Conference, October 2010.) I’ll let you read the talk to find out what he said about each element, but spend a few minutes pondering these five elements and what they have to do with consecration.

Why do you think Elder Christofferson identified purity as an element of a consecrated life?

Why do you think Elder Christofferson identified work as an element of a consecrated life?

Why do you think he identified respect for one’s body as an element of a consecrated life?

Why do you think Elder Christofferson identified service as an element of a consecrated life?

Why do you think he identified integrity as an element of a consecrated life?

Blessings of Consecration

The primary hymnbook has a great song about consecration titled “Give, Said the Little Stream.” The first and second verses read:

“Give,” said the little stream,
“Give, oh! give, give, oh! give.”
“Give,” said the little stream,
As it hurried down the hill;
“I’m small, I know, but wherever I go
The fields grow greener still.”

“Give,” said the little rain,
“Give, oh! give, give, oh! give.”
“Give,” said the little rain,
As it fell upon the flow’rs;
“I’ll raise their drooping heads again,”
As it fell upon the flow’rs.

Consecration is unique because it simultaneously blesses the giver and the receiver, albeit in different ways. Think of a time you have given of your time, talents, or possession, like the stream or the rain in this song, and have been blessed by your efforts.

When have you been like the grass or the flowers blessed by another’s efforts at consecration?

Another blessing of consecration is that when we turn our lives over to God, He shapes us and guides us and we end up living up to our full potential, fulfilling the full measure of our creation, finding truth and peace in a confusing world, and experiencing true and lasting joy.

Ponder this quote from Ezra Taft Benson and think of a specific instance in your life where your efforts to consecrate brought the blessing President Benson identifies. He taught that “When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Great Commandment—Love the Lord” General Conference, April 1988.)

To wrap up our pondering the law of consecration, think about anything that stood out to you while you were pondering. Did you learn anything new? Were you prompted to act or to make any changes? How do you feel about your efforts to live the law of consecration? Consider asking the Lord at some point how He feels about your efforts as well.

When you are ready, take a final deep breath. As you open your eyes and return to your surroundings, take a few minutes to write down any thoughts, questions, or promptings that came to mind while you were pondering. And if necessary, make a plan to act on those things.