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Is The Sacrament An Ordinance?


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Posted

Please correct me if I am wrong but in my thinking a covenant is what we and God promise to do and an ordinance is the act of making that covenant-like baptism, confirmation, Priesthood ordinations, the endowment and marriages in Temples.Those are all things we do. But how would the sacrament be considered an ordinance? we don't make new covenants, we remember the ones we have already made. I found this on the Church website but it honeslty is kind of confusing...

"On the night before His Crucifixion, Jesus Christ met with His Apostles and instituted the sacrament (see Luke 22:19–20). After His Resurrection, He instituted the sacrament among the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 18:1–11). Today the sacrament is an ordinance in which Church members partake of bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice. This ordinance is an essential part of worship and spiritual development. Through this ordinance, Church members renew the covenants they made with God when they were baptized."

http://www.lds.org/study/topics/sacrament?lang=eng

help me out!

Posted

Yes it is. It has very specific prayers that must be said to bless it and by taking it you are renewing the covenants made at baptism and in the temple.

Posted

The last sentence is the most important: "Through this ordinance, Church members renew the covenants they made with God when they were baptized." We don't merely remember the covenants; we make them again.

Posted

I used to have an issue with The Sacrament being so called. But my reasoning changed as I more deeply began to experience God. I find it appropriate because of its relevance and importance.

Also, I have no problem with the use of Communion because I do view the ordinance as communing with God.

Posted

the old articles of faith 4 used to have the lords supper as the 5th listed so i think were on the right track

Posted

Please correct me if I am wrong but in my thinking a covenant is what we and God promise to do and an ordinance is the act of making that covenant-like baptism, confirmation, Priesthood ordinations, the endowment and marriages in Temples.

I don't see the ordinances of healing involving a covenant, so perhaps only some ordinances involve covenants.

http://www.lds.org/study/topics/ordinances?lang=eng

In the Church, an ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood. Some ordinances are essential to our exaltation. These ordinances are called saving ordinances. They include baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriagesealing. With each of these ordinances, we enter into solemn covenants with the Lord.

Additional Information

Other ordinances, such as naming and blessing children, consecrating oil, and administering to the sick and afflicted, are also performed by priesthood authority. While they are not essential to our salvation, they are important for our comfort, guidance, and encouragement.

Ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are. They remind us of our duty to God. The Lord has provided them to help us come unto Him and receive eternal life. When we honor them, He strengthens us spiritually

Posted

the old articles of faith 4 used to have the lords supper as the 5th listed so i think were on the right track

This is news to me! Where can I learn more about this?

Posted (edited)

the old articles of faith 4 used to have the lords supper as the 5th listed so i think were on the right track

The Wentworth letter, the source of the AoF, does not have the Lord's Supper listed:

http://www.archive.o...gut/wlett10.txt

Even after the Wentworth Letter was published in March 1842, many other lists of LDS beliefs continued to appear for the next generation. In April 1849, James H. Flanigan included a list of fourteen statements in a pamphlet published in England, and this list was quoted and sometimes modified in various publications throughout the nineteenth century. For example, it was quoted in Charles MacKay's popular book The Mormons; or the Latter-day Saints (London, 1851, pp. 46-47). This list follows the Wentworth Letter almost verbatim, adding such points as "the Lord's supper" to Article 4; including "wisdom, charity, [and] brotherly love" among the gifts of the spirit in Article 7; and inserting a fourteenth article regarding the literal resurrection of the body. Other lists (usually composed by missionaries) were published in various parts of the world throughout this era.

http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Articles_of_Faith

Edited by calmoriah
Posted

Elder Delbert L. Stapley instructed us in this when he said about covenants:

“The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a covenant between God and his people. … When baptized by an authorized servant of God, we covenant to do God’s will and to obey his commandments. … By partaking of the Sacrament we renew all covenants entered into with the Lord and pledge ourselves to take upon us the name of his Son, to always remember him and keep his commandments” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1965, 14). From: http://www.lds.org/g...rpose+sacrament

Posted (edited)

But how would the sacrament be considered an ordinance?

help me out!

I would say yes, in that it is something that is performed or administered by the authority of the priesthood. It is also a "sacrament" in that is essential to our salvation (baptism being another). However, a father's blessing is not necessarily a "sacrament", though it is an ordinance. A patriarchal blessing might be another ordinance that is not a sacrament. I cannot think of any sacrament that is not an ordinance also. I take that back: birth and death would be sacraments.

Home teaching, collecting fast offerings, etc. are duties and services provided by the priesthood and are not ordinances.

Edited by CV75
Posted

Elder Delbert L. Stapley instructed us in this when he said about covenants:

“The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a covenant between God and his people. … When baptized by an authorized servant of God, we covenant to do God’s will and to obey his commandments. … By partaking of the Sacrament we renew all covenants entered into with the Lord and pledge ourselves to take upon us the name of his Son, to always remember him and keep his commandments” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1965, 14). From: http://www.lds.org/g...rpose+sacrament

O rats :sad: , you beat me to it. I love this teaching and share it whenever I have the chance. MW

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