Word of Wisdom principles: 1. God respects our agency. 2. We should avoid habits which limit our freedom. 3. Keep things simple, and avoid extremes. 4. Be realistic, and acknowledge your constraints. 5. Allocate resources wisely.
Why Celestial Is Better
God honors our agency, and He finds joy in blessing us. He will ultimately give us the glory which we have chosen—celestial, terrestrial, or telestial—and He is willing to help us channel our agency in a way that maximizes our ultimate happiness and freedom.
Biblical References in Doctrine and Covenants 76
The revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76 was prompted by meditation about a single Bible verse, but it contains an enormous number of biblical paraphrases and allusions. The revelation demonstrates the unity of God's word as revealed to many prophets and apostles throughout history.
These Truths
The Declaration of Independence of the United States articulates several important principles which are affirmed in modern revelation. These principles include the equality of God's children, our universal ability to recognize truth, and the right of each person to seek after happiness.
To Please the Eye and to Gladden the Heart
Doctrine and Covenants 59 emphasizes God’s desire for His children to be happy. Revealed in 1831 to Saints settling in Missouri, it links obedience and gratitude with “the fulness of the earth,” invites worship that feels like rejoicing, and celebrates food, nature, and beauty— “to please the eye and to gladden the heart.”
Profit and Learning
Nephi, Lehi, and the Lord in modern revelation all emphasize that scripture is intended for our "profit and learning." We must therefore do more than understand the scriptures; we must apply them to our daily decisions. President Nelson has emphasized that we should apply scriptural principles holistically, to all aspects of our lives.
The Joy of Our Redemption
Eve recognized that the Fall and the Savior's Atonement enabled her and Adam to experience "the joy of our redemption." This joy is not limited to a future event. As Sister Kristin M. Yee has testified, the Savior's redemptive power can be active in our lives every day.
“I Will Drink of the Fruit of the Vine with You”
At the Last Supper, Jesus promised to partake of the sacrament again with His disciples. A revelation to Joseph Smith expanded on this future event, naming twelve ancient prophets who will join Him. All of God's children, past, present, and future, need Christ’s grace. The sacrament symbolizes His universal Atonement.
Samuel the Lamanite on the Burden of Freedom
Samuel the Lamanite concisely synthesized the teachings of prior Book of Mormon prophets into a sobering statement about agency: You own your choices and their consequences, including the choice to repent.
Received or Cast Out
In the next life, we will either be received into a state of peace and joy called paradise, or we will be cast out into a state of sorrow and pain. To enter that state of paradise, we must be changed by the grace of God.