10: Covenanting to Christ and meeting the standard

Christ’s covenant requires a few things. One, he wants us to have faith in him. Two, he wants us to repent of our bad thoughts, feelings, and actions. Three, he wants us to be baptized and then renew that covenant every Sunday with him. It is in the renewing of the covenant that forgiveness for the previous week’s bad thoughts, feelings and actions is made effective. Four, he wants us to endure to the end. Enduring to the end means continuing to try each day to have good thoughts, feelings, and actions. The wonderful thing about this new and everlasting covenant is it provides a way whereby man can be forgiven of his bad thoughts, feelings and actions on a weekly basis while also granting access to the infinite resources of the Savior in our own attempt for perfect thoughts, feelings and actions. The covenant is like a Band-Aid and training wheels in one.

9: The good news

God provided a way to meet His standard and overcome all that is stacked against us. This is the good news of the gospel known as the atonement of Jesus Christ. The atonement provides a way to both cover the repercussions of falling short and it enables us to find access to Christ’s infinite resources. Through covenants with Christ we become joint heirs to Christ’s perfect attributes while we work on perfecting our own. (Col 1:28; 1 Pet. 5:10; Moro. 10:32; D&C 67:13) Christ was whole and complete in thought, feeling, and action. He is the model of good thoughts, feelings, and actions. Through the making of covenants we have access to these infinite resources. We also can be forgiven for the misuse of our agency. It is also Christ’s atonement that gives us the power to forgive others in the misuse of their agency upon us.