Our Commitment to God

“Ultimately what our Father in Heaven will require of us is a total commitment, a complete devotion, all that we are and all that we can be,” Howard W. Hunter said. “A successful life requires commitment – whole-souled, deeply held, eternally cherished commitment to the principles we know to be true in the commandments God has given.”

Chapter 19, Our Commitment to God, is a timely reminder of the need for unwavering faith, strict obedience and dedicated devotion. President Hunter asks these soul-searching questions: “We know that this is the true and living church institutionally, but am I a true and living member individually? Am I deeply and fully dedicated to keeping the covenants I have made with the Lord? Am I totally committed to the gospel? Do I live my religion? Will I remain true? Do I stand firm against Satan’s temptations?” Our honest answers to these will help us determine where we are on our path to devoted discipleship.

Am I a true and living member individually? “As disciples, each of us will be put to the test. At any hour of any day we have the privilege of choosing between right and wrong. This is an age-old battle that started in a premortal realm. And that battle is becoming more intense every day. Your individual strength of character is needed now more than ever before. The day is gone when you can be a quiet and comfortable Christian. Your religion is not just about showing up for church on Sunday. It is about showing up as a true disciple from Sunday morning through Saturday night—24/7! There is no such thing as a ‘part-time’ disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus invited anyone who wants to be His disciple to take up His cross and follow Him. Are you ready to join the ranks?” Russell M. Nelson1

Am I deeply and fully dedicated to keeping the covenants I have made with the Lord? “Once we enter into covenants with God, there is no going back. Giving in, giving up, and giving out are not options. In the kingdom of God, there is a standard of excellence for exaltation. It requires valiant discipleship! There is no room for average or complacent disciples.” Kevin W. Pearson2

Am I totally committed to the gospel? “Let us seek to be totally committed. Then we will not fall upon stony places, wither away, or stray from the paths of security and happiness. Those who serve with complete dedication wherever called do not wilt, wither, wonder, or wander. Their roots are deep and solidly planted in the fertile soils of the kingdom.” Marvin J. Ashton3

Do I live my religion? “Live your life to be a good example of what you believe—in word and deed. How we live our religion is far more important than what we may say about our religion.” Robert D. Hales4

Will I remain true? “Give your deepest loyalties to the highest causes in eternity—those contained in the life and mission and message of the Only Begotten Son of God. If we can remain true there, with an eye single to that standard, all other loyalties will fall naturally into place.” Jeffrey R. Holland5

Do I stand firm against Satan’s temptations? “We need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan’s power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat.” James E. Faust6

What it really boils down to is how we honestly answer another question President Hunter asked. “Am I willing to become totally obedient to God’s law?”

Speaking of obedience to God’s commandments, Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Let’s face it: there may be some that seem harder or less appealing. Perhaps during times such as these, we might find ourselves asking, ‘Do we really need to obey all of God’s commandments?’ My response to this question is simple: I think God knows something we don’t—things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours. Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. In other words, He not only knows what is best for you; He also anxiously wants you to choose what is best for you.”7

If we trust our Heavenly Father and submit our will to His, we will be obedient because we love Him and want to return to live with Him. I love the thought that He is anxious for us to choose the things that will bring us the greatest happiness, not only now but especially eternally!

Kim B. Clark reminds us, “Obedience of the heart and soul embraces all of who we are: our behavior and our attitudes, our actions and our desires, our diligence and our love. That kind of willing obedience connects us to Christ in a powerful way and brings His Spirit, love, power, and joy into our lives. A casual, reluctant, surface kind of obedience will not do. The Lord requires of us obedience that is exact, willing, and deep. He wants obedience of the whole heart and soul.”8

Brigham Young beautifully taught, “In rendering that strict obedience, are we made slaves? No, it is the only way on the face of the earth for you and me to become free. All the sacrifice that the Lord asks of his people is strict obedience to our own covenants that we have made with our God, and that is to serve him with an undivided heart.”9

May we, as did Joshua, boldly declare, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”10 We must make a choice! And now is the time! President Hunter counseled, “We should decide now, in the light of the morning, how we will act when the darkness of night and when the storms of temptation arrive. ... Decide now to do what we ought to do. Decide now to serve the Lord.”