Consecration, Law of

The path to Zion does not go through consecration. Consecration comes after there is a Zion. Even Father Abraham did not live the law of consecration. He was sanctified and qualified to receive all the blessings of the fathers and now sits on a throne (T&C 157:42), but he paid tithes to Melchizedek. Joseph Smith inquired about consecration and received an answer. But the answer did not produce a community dwelling in righteousness, of one heart and one mind, with no poor among them. They failed, and all subsequent attempts have likewise failed to produce Zion. The early attempts at consecration ended, and the Lord rescinded the law of consecration. In a council meeting on March 6, 1840 in Montrose, Iowa Territory, Joseph Smith announced to the church the Lord rescinded the law of consecration: “He said that the Law of consecration could not be kept here, & that it was the will of the Lord that we should desist from trying to keep it, & if persisted in it would produce a perfect abortion, & that he assumed the whole responsibility of not keeping it untill proposed by himself.” (JS Papers, Documents Vol. 7, p. 215, emphasis added, all spelling as in original.)¹ Joseph died before the Lord gave any command to resume it. Therefore the earlier commandment, still in the T&C, as well as the D&C, is not to be kept. Since it was the will of the Lord that consecration end, it will require a new command from the Lord to resume the attempt.² “It had to end because consecration is never the starting point. Consecration is the result of society’s evolution and no society is prepared at present to evolve quickly into that state of harmony. It is inevitable when people live in righteousness. But, even then, it is distant and will follow time, experience, careful and solemn thoughts, and love unfeigned. The Lord has explained this principle: Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal in all things, and this not grudgingly; otherwise, the abundance of the manifestations of the spirit shall be withheld (T&C61:4). This important principle is to be followed by those who gather. Between now and that day there is a lot of preparation needed. Like Abraham paying tithes, we can also rise up to be God’s chosen people before living consecration. Consecration is always a by-product, never a goal. The fact that Abraham paid tithes and did not live consecration should make clear that there is a long way to go before consecration will be attempted. Having all things in common should be understood as the byproduct of a different culture. We cannot live it and should not attempt it until we are in a different culture. Those who raise up to restore the Order of Heaven will find they have enough concern for their fellow-citizen to have no poor among them.”³

But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform anything unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul (2 Nephi 14:3); cf. But I tell you that you must always pray and not be discouraged, and you must not begin to work on anything for the Lord unless you first pray to the Father in the name of Christ that He’ll consecrate your performance to you, so your performance can be for your soul’s well-being (2 Nephi 14:3 CE). “Do not perform anything for the Lord until you have in the first place prayed to consecrate your performance. Here Nephi teaches you how to live the law of consecration. You don’t need others to join you. You don’t need a city to live where all things are held in common. You only need your own pure intent, acting no hypocrisy, consecrating your performance to the Lord for the welfare of your soul.”⁴