The
Law of the Gospel is the law of spiritual commandments. "Man shall
live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
of God". Not to long after Jesus had ascended into heaven the Holy Ghost
was poured out upon the members of the Church. Everyone who was baptized into
the Church was given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. This
gift is the gift to receive the word of God straight into ones own soul, as
long as one lives worthy of this blessing.
The
definition of living worthily is to earnestly strive to obey the law of carnal
commandments (with the changes to it announced by
Jesus and the Apostles), and the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, and to
live by the words of Jesus and the Apostles and the words of God as they are
given to your own soul. Perfection is heard to attain, so when we fail to obey
the will of the Lord, we must have our mind set to repentance, so that we won't
be unclean any longer than we need to.
Many
Christians would react to the idea of the law of carnal commandment being a
part of Christian living. But it should not come as
a surprice to anyone, since Jesus himself said:
17 Think not that I
am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18 For verily I say
unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled.
19 Whosoever
therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do
and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:17-19)
The way the Law and the prophets are fulfilled,
to be overtaken by the law of the gospel, is on a commandment by commandment basis, and on a case by case
condition. A Christian who doesn't live a chaste life must first go through the
steps of contrite repentance, obedience and repentance being the very central
themes of the law and the prophets. The Law of the gospel has added a vital
element to repentance, namely a broken heart and a contrite spirit on behalf of
the sinner. Before the law of the gospel the motivator of repentance was fear
of God alone. Eventually, when the
saving grace of Jesus has cleansed the sinner, when the fear of God is
vanished, and the heart is no longer pained by guilt and sorrow, then the
sinner is a sinner no more. As far as chastity goes s/he is now living the law
of the gospel, being led by the Holy Ghost to stay clean, testifying about the
blessings of chastity to others etc.
The person so repenting from a sin of the flesh is at the
same time delivered from a host of other weaknesses by the grace of God. Thus we will find ourselves climb from level to
level by the by repenting of the sins we commit.
The Law of the gospel is administered by the Higher
Priesthood. The Law of Moses is
administered by the Lesser Priesthood, or the Aaronic, or Levitical
priesthood. Since the law
of Moses was given to a people with a lot of wickedness amongst them, the Levitical/Aaronic priests were not required to swear an
oath of righteousness to God. God in his mercy knew that they would break such
an oath and be cursed because of it. But the priest of Melchisedec were spiritually
mature, and in order to be blessed with this higher priesthood they were
required to enter into a covenant with God to be obedient to his commandments;
11 If therefore
perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for
under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another
priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec,
and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood
being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
13 For he of whom
these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe,
of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For [it is]
evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which
tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far
more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec
there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not
after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is
verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19 For the law made
nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20 And inasmuch as
not without an oath he was made priest:
21 (For those priests
were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The
Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for
ever after the order of Melchisedec:) (Hebrews 7:11-21)
Salvation does not come by the Law of Moses. But in the ordinances of the Melchisedec
Priesthood, which administers the Law of the Gospel, there is salvation to be
found, in and through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.