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Thank you for this review. I’ll be sure to get a copy of this book.
I especially like the reminder that covenants are about family relationships. The plan of salvation is all about 4 families. In order for a person to move from being a premortal intelligence to being like and with God in the highest degree of the Celestial kingdom, they must belong to 4 families.
1. The premortal family of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. An Intelligence is clothed with a male or female spirit body. Those who, through their agency, choose not to belong to the next family cannot enter into a kingdom of glory.
2. A mortal family with a mortal father and mother. A spirit son or daughter is clothed with a mortal body. Those who are born to a couple married in the Temple are said to be born in the covenant, that is, they are natural heirs of the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant. Those who, through their agency, choose not to belong to the next family cannot enter into the celestial kingdom of glory.
3. The family of Jesus Christ. Through the baptismal covenant we are spiritually reborn into the family of Jesus Christ (become new creatures in Christ). He becomes the Father of our Salvation. We become the children of Christ. Christ is seen as the bridegroom and the church is seen as the bride, symbolically. The other members of the church are our brothers and sisters and we call them as such. We take upon us the family name (the name of Christ) and seek to do the family business (serve God by serving others, obeying the commandments, etc.). Those who belong to this family (those who make and keep their baptismal covenant) have the possibility of entering into the Celestial kingdom. Those who, through their agency, choose not to belong to the next family cannot enter into the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of glory.
4. “And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.” Those who enter into this type of marriage and keep the associated covenant until they are sealed by the Holy Spirit have the possibility of entering into the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, which is the entire purpose of the plan.