Commandments From The Lord

Taken from ldsnest.com

In ancient times, the Lord revealed to Moses the Ten Commandments. These commandments provided guidance for the children of Israel on not only what they couldn’t do, but also what they should do. It can be easy to look at commandments from the Lord as a list of restrictions. It is important, however, to look at them instead as guidance from the Lord that is meant to protect us, and help us become better people.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “Commandments are a blessing, my brothers and sisters, because our Father in heaven has given them to us in order to help us grow and develop the qualities we must have if we are to obtain eternal life and dwell with him. By keeping his commandments, we qualify for his blessings.” When we view the commandments with an eternal perspective, we realize that the commandments we receive from the Lord are given to us to help us become more like Him.

In striving to become more like Him, it is important to be diligent in our obedience to keeping all of the commandments of the Lord. When we follow them with exactness, we will receive promised blessings from the Lord. It is also important to not “pick and choose” which commandments we want to follow. President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated, “You will encounter people who pick which commandments they keep and ignore others that they choose to break. I call this the cafeteria approach to obedience. This practice of picking and choosing will not work. It will lead to misery. To prepare to meet God, one keeps all of His commandments.”

I know that the Lord gives us commandments to help prepare us to return to His presence and obtain eternal life. Because of this, I am able to view the commandments we have been given as blessings rather than burdens. The commandments of the Lord help us learn how to overcome the natural man and become more like our Savior and Heavenly Father. I’m grateful for the commandments that we have received through the word of the Lord, both in scripture and through the words of latter-day prophets.