Popular films sometimes depict churchgoers gathered in crowded pews on a hot Sunday afternoon while a stern and impassioned preacher stands high on his pulpit, warning of hellfire and damnation to those who disobey God. Indeed, the Bible is rife with passages urging all to “fear” God.
In contrast, Latter-day Saint teachings explain that fear of God is often misinterpreted. According to the bible dictionary in the LDS edition of the King James Bible, “The ‘fear of the Lord’ is frequently spoken of as part of man’s duty. . . . In such passages fear is equivalent to reverence, awe, worship, and is therefore an essential part of the attitude of mind in which we ought to stand toward the all-holy God.”
With this interpretation in mind, Mormons are taught that obedience to God is not a burden but a joy, because it brings peace of mind and immeasurable blessings poured out by a loving Heavenly Father in order to help us achieve our potential (see Heavenly Parents; Divine Potential). Most Mormons believe that obedience to God’s commandments leads to a degree of freedom and happiness that could not otherwise be obtained.
He who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.
—Doctrine & Covenants 59:23
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
—Book of Mormon, Mosiah 3:19
When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.
—Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994)
I desire the Spirit of God to know and understand myself, that I might be able to overcome whatever of tradition or nature that would not tend to my exaltation in the eternal worlds.
—Emma Hale Smith (1804–1879)
When God commands, do it.
—Joseph Smith (1805–1844)
Obedience brings peace in decision-making. If we have firmly made up our minds to follow the commandments, we will not have to redecide which path to take when temptation comes our way.
—James E. Faust (1920–2007)
Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life.
—Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994)
A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.
—Joseph Smith (1805–1844)
The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things he has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!
—Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004)
The great test of life is obedience to God.
—Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994)
Being bridled, or yielding obediently to restraint, is necessary for our personal growth and progression.
—James E. Faust (1920–2007)
How shall we know that we obey [God]? There is but one method by which we can know it, and that is by the inspiration of the Spirit of the Lord witnessing unto our spirit that we are his, that we love him, and that he loves us. It is by the spirit of revelation we know this.
—Brigham Young (1801–1877)
We believe that worship is far more than prayer and preaching and gospel performance. The supreme act of worship is to keep the commandments, to follow in the footsteps of the Son of God, to do ever those things that please him. It is one thing to give lip service to the Lord; it is quite another to respect and honor his will by following the example he has set for us.
—Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972)
There are certain eternal laws by which the Gods in the eternal worlds are governed and which they cannot violate, and do not want to violate. These eternal principles must be kept, and one principle is that no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God.
—John Taylor (1808–1887)
No obstacles are insurmountable when God commands and we obey.
—Heber J. Grant (1856–1945)
If we are faithful in keeping the commandments of God, his promises will be fulfilled to the very letter. . . . The trouble is, the adversary of men’s souls blinds their minds. He throws dust, so to speak, in their eyes, and they are blinded with the things of this world.
—Heber J. Grant (1856–1945)
There are two influences in the world. The one is the influence of our Heavenly Father and the other is the influence of Satan. We can take our choice which territory we want to live in, that of our Heavenly Father or that of Satan.
—George Albert Smith (1870–1951)
We believe it is by grace that we are saved after all that we can do, and that building upon the foundation of the atonement of Christ, all men must work out their salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord.
—Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972)
Disobedience is essentially a prideful power struggle against someone in authority over us. It can be a parent, a priesthood leader, a teacher, or ultimately God. A proud person hates the fact that someone is above him. He thinks this lowers his position.
—Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994)
The great task of life is to learn the will of the Lord and then do it.
—Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994)
There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
—Doctrine & Covenants 130:20–21
When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives.
—Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994)