If the word of God is for us to remember the restoration as given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, then perhaps it might be prudent to ask, "Was a law ever revealed to Joseph Smith as part of the Restoration? If so, where is it?"
Revealing the Law:
On February 9th and 23rd of 1831 the Prophet Joseph Smith received several revelations which now comprise Doctrine and Covenants 42. In this section God's Law was given to the Saints in fulfillment of his promise to them that the law would be given in Ohio, "And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high; And from thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them whithersoever I will, and no power shall stay my hand." (D&C 38:32-33)
So that the people could escape the power of the enemy and be gathered as a righteous people, God was going to reveal unto them his law so that in addition to being delivered they would be enabled and endowed with power from on high in preparation for the great work to be accomplished and so that all Israel would be saved.
So what Law was revealed? What commandments did the Lord give us so that we can escape the power of the enemy and be gathered as a righteous people without spot and blameless?
"18 And now, behold, I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.
19 And again, I say, thou shalt not kill; but he that killeth shall die.
20 Thou shalt not steal; and he that stealeth and will not repent shall be cast out.
21 Thou shalt not lie; he that lieth and will not repent shall be cast out.
22 Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.
23 And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out.
24 Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast out.
25 But he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive;
26 But if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out.
27 Thou shalt not speak evil of thy neighbor, nor do him any harm.
28 Thou knowest my laws concerning these things are given in my scriptures; he that sinneth and repenteth not shall be cast out.
29 If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments." (D&C 42)
God's Law - One Eternal Pattern
The same Law that God gave to Israel through Moses was reiterated to Joseph Smith. The Lord begins to enumerate the same Law given to Moses. It is the same Law found within the Book of Mormon. The very SAME LAW now revealed anew to Joseph Smith to us to escape the power of the enemy and be gathered as a righteous people.
What is interesting is that rather than give an entire complete rundown of all the laws he refers the people back to the scriptures they had--The Bible and the Book of Mormon. Of even further interest he reiterates the same instructions for the care of the poor and the needy by consecration as found in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Gathered Unto Me - Without Spot and Blameless
If we hope to be gathered as a righteous people without spot and blameless we must have the same Law that God gave to Israel whether it be through Moses or Joseph Smith. Without God's Iron Rod (Torah) we are left to wander in the blindness of the mists of darkness finding only destruction on every forbidden path.
Zion was of ONE heart and ONE mind. The Oneness that we seek is expressed in the greatest Law given by God and quoted by the Messiah:
"Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." (Deuteronomy 6:1-9)
To achieve the oneness needed to establish Zion we must embrace Jesus Christ and his law. Without it we will find ourselves upon a sandy foundation so that when the winds and rains beat upon us we will find ourselves washed away.
If we are truly seeking Zion we must remember what was prophesied about Zion,"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:3)
Our current condition is a mystery of iniquity (lawlessness) in that the word of God is present before us like a light shining in a dark place, but the people choose the darkness. Should we embrace God's commandments then there is an amazing promise in store:
"“In the future (latter-days), when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the LORD your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions.If at that time you and your children return to the LORD your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today,then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you. Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the LORD your God will gather you from there and bring you back again. The LORD your God will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will possess that land again. Then he will make you even more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors! The LORD your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! ...
The LORD your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’
It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’
No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.
“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.... (Deuteronomy 30).
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalms 119:105)
