“By the Law Men Are Cut Off”

Joseph F. McConkie, Robert L. Millet

Some have falsely supposed that salvation comes by obedience to divine law alone, and that God is God by virtue of his knowledge of eternal laws coupled with his ability to live in harmony with them. Were this the case, law would be our God; no atoning sacrifice, no redeemer would have been necessary.

Such a doctrine makes of God a divine engineer, a master scientist, who, having discovered eternal law, now conforms his every action to it. In fact, law is the servant of God, not his master or copartner. God is the giver of the law, the author and maker of it. Such is the testimony of all scripture- such was the doctrine of the Prophet Joseph Smith. (See D&C 29:31-35; D&C 82:4; D&C 88:36-38; Teachings, p. 354.)

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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