Line upon Line

This article includes excerpts from The Heart of Our Covenants: Temple Principles that Draw Us unto Christ by Valiant K. Jones. Used by permission. See www.valiantjones.com or www.cedarfort.com.

Our temple covenants are meant to guide us on the path back to God’s presence and keep us safe from sin. This is symbolized in the temple garment. When we wear the garment, we carry sacred symbols of our temple covenants with us, and remembering this can strengthen and protect us. The Church’s General Handbook says, “The garment is . . . a reminder of your temple covenants. . . . As you keep your covenants, including the sacred privilege to wear the garment as instructed in the initiatory ordinances, you will have greater access to the Savior’s mercy, protection, strength, and power.”[1]

Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Galatians 6:17). The same is true for us when we wear temple garments. In wearing them, we “bear the marks of the Lord Jesus,” showing that we have taken upon us His name. The garment also resembles the veil of the temple, for they contain the same sacred symbols. So, whenever we wear our temple garments, we carry symbols of both Christ and the temple with us.

Elder Allen D. Haynie spoke of the connection to Christ that comes through wearing the garment: “The garment . . . helps us to honor the sacramental covenant to ‘always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us]; that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]’ (D&C 20:77). President Nelson recently taught something very profound about the temple garment that he gave me permission to share with you: ‘Your garment is symbolic of the veil [of the temple]; the veil is symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, when you put on your garment, you may feel that you are truly putting upon yourself the very sacred symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ—His life, His ministry, and His mission, which was to atone for every daughter and son of God.’ We find Jesus in the temple, in every aspect of it, and we find Him in the symbolism of the garment. In wearing the garment, we declare to God that we rejoice in having Jesus’s name placed upon us in His holy house (see D&C 109:26), and we remember Him always.”[2]

The garment is a sacred covering for our bodies. In Hebrew, the word meaning to cover is kaphar, and this is the same root used to mean atonement. Thus, the garment is a constant reminder that we are covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The first need for the power of this Atonement is recorded in Genesis 3, where it says that Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, after which they recognized their nakedness, covered themselves with aprons sewn from fig leaves, and then hid themselves from God. God called them out of hiding, gave them instructions, and then created covering garments for them made from animal skins—presumably from animals that had been sacrificed to God as a ceremonial atonement for their transgression. This biblical story provides a basis for wearing a holy garment as a covering and a symbol of Christ’s Atonement.

President Russell M. Nelson expounded on how the Atonement covers and embraces us: “Rich meaning is found in study of the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means ‘to cover’ or ‘to forgive.’ Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning ‘a close embrace’—no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace. References to that embrace are evident in the Book of Mormon. One states that ‘the Lord hath redeemed my soul . . . ; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love’ (2 Ne. 1:15). Another proffers the glorious hope of our being ‘clasped in the arms of Jesus’ (Mormon 5:11). I weep for joy when I contemplate the significance of it all. To be redeemed is to be atoned—received in the close embrace of God with an expression not only of His forgiveness, but of our oneness of heart and mind. What a privilege!”[3]

Like the Atonement, our temple garments cover and embrace us. In the Book of Mormon, Amulek taught about the Atonement in ways that similarly remind us of the value of wearing our garments: “The intent of this last sacrifice [is] to bring about the bowels of mercy. . . . And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption” (Alma 34:15–16; emphasis added). Wearing our garments shows our faith in that eternal plan of  redemption and encircles us in Christ’s arms of safety so we are not exposed to sin and condemnation.

Wedding Garments

The scriptures often refer to the symbolism of marriage and the special clothing involved. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10). One interpretation of the temple endowment is that it is a marriage ceremony between Christ and us, as covenant members of His Church. As the bride of Christ, we need to be clothed in ceremonial wedding garments.

In the parable of the royal marriage feast, Jesus taught the importance of being clothed in proper garments for a royal wedding. The parable tells of a king who invited a group of strangers to a marriage feast for his son because the originally invited guests did not show up. The new guests had apparently all been given appropriate wedding clothing, yet one guest had not put on the garment provided. When the king saw this guest who was not properly attired, he inquired, “Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?” (Matthew 22:12). The careless guest was speechless, and the king cast him out, declaring, “For many are called, but few are chosen; wherefore all do not have on the wedding garment” (JST, Matthew 22:14 [in Matthew 22:14, footnote b]; emphasis added).

Elder David A. Bednar commented on this parable, saying, “An individual may . . . accept the invitation and sit down at the feast— yet not be chosen to partake because he or she does not have the appropriate wedding garment of converting faith in the Lord Jesus and His divine grace. . . .You and I ultimately can choose to be chosen through the righteous exercise of our moral agency.”[4] Like the wedding garments in the parable, our temple garments are symbolic of our faith and our moral choices. By wearing our garments, we carry a constant reminder of our commitment to keep our temple covenants.

Elder Lynn G. Robbins discussed this same parable and added, “The book of Revelation teaches us that the garment represents righteousness: ‘The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready . . . arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints’ (Revelation 19:7–8; emphasis added). In our day, the temple garment is clothing we always wear as a reminder of sacred temple covenants.”[5]

An Outward Expression of your Inner Commitment

One value of wearing this symbol of our covenants is that doing so can remind us that our outward behavior should be consistent with the godly nature of the spirit that resides within us. The General Handbook says, “When you put on your garment, you put on a sacred symbol of Jesus Christ. Wearing it is an outward expression of your inner commitment to follow Him.”[6] This need for consistency between what is outward and what is inward can remind us of Christ’s condemnation of hypocrisy: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:25–28).

Because our temple garments are worn beneath our outer clothing, they are a reminder of this same need to be pure and clean on the inside regardless of how we are dressed on the outside. They also provide a physical line of defense, or a shield, against breaking the law of chastity since it is hard to commit that sin without encountering the reminder of our temple covenants that our garments provide. Those who ignore this final barrier condemn themselves as they set aside their garments and their covenants to commit such a serious sin.

Instead, we should try to be among the faithful Saints that John the Revelator described, “which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear” (Revelation 3:4–6).

John is describing the final Judgment Day when those who are righteous will stand with confidence before God in robes of righteousness. Wearing our garments in righteousness now foreshadows how we will be seen as we approach God for that Final Judgment: “Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness. And . . . then cometh the judgment” (2 Nephi 9:14–15).

When we wear our garments in righteousness, they become spiritual armor for us. Elder Carlos E. Assay wrote: “We must put on the armor of God spoken of by the Apostle Paul [see Ephesians 6:11–18] and reiterated in a modern revelation (see D&C 27:15–18). We must also “put on the armor of righteousness” (2 Nephi 1:23) symbolized by the temple garment. Otherwise, we may lose the war and perish. The heavy armor worn by soldiers of a former day, including helmets, shields, and breastplates, determined the outcome of some battles. However, the real battles of life in our modern day will be won by those who are clad in a spiritual armor—an armor consisting of faith in God, faith in self, faith in one’s cause, and faith in one’s leaders. The piece of armor called the temple garment not only provides the comfort and warmth of a cloth covering, it also strengthens the wearer to resist temptation, fend off evil influences, and stand firmly for the right.”[7]

Like Aaron and His Sons

Moses was commanded to make holy garments for Aaron and his sons in preparation for officiating in their tabernacle temple: “And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel . . . And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty . . . that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office” (Exodus 28:1–3). God even specified this interesting detail: “And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach” (Exodus 28:42). In similar fashion, we need to obtain the authorized style of temple garments from a Church Distribution Center before we participate in temple ordinances, and we should not modify their inspired design.

Later, when the tabernacle was ready, the Lord instructed Moses, “And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him” (Exodus 40:12–13). We also are formally authorized to wear our temple garments as part of the temple washing and anointing ordinances. The association emphasizes the importance of spiritual cleanliness and holiness in wearing our garments.

President James E. Faust has said, “It is possible for us to be purged and purified and to have our sins washed away so that we may come before the Lord as clean, white, and spotless as the newly fallen snow. ‘Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?’ We can see in vision the almost endless hosts of the elect, the devout, the believing who shall come to God’s holy sanctuary to seek its blessings. As they enter those hallowed halls, Nephi would remind all that ‘the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name’ (2 Ne. 9:41). As the Saints come into the sacrosanct washing and anointing rooms and are washed, they will be spiritually cleansed. As they are anointed, they will be renewed and regenerated in soul and spirit.”[8]

The washing and anointing ordinances, along with the wearing of our white temple garments, can remind us of the need to be purified through Jesus Christ. The prophet Alma declared, “There can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins” (Alma 5:21).

A Vestment of Godly Power

President Jeffrey R. Holland taught that the formal name of the garment is “the garment of the holy priesthood.” He explained, “This full name of the garment, like the full name of the Church, is instructive. The priesthood is the power of God, and wearing the garment is a reminder of godly power available to us when we make and keep covenants with God.”[9]

The garment of the holy priesthood is both a vestment of godly power for this life and a mantle of godly potential for the life to come. BYU professor of ancient scripture, Daniel Belnap, has taught that temple garments include markings of a compass and a square, which are tools used by architects to build things, and that these symbols pertain to our potential to become like our Heavenly Father who designed and created the universe.

Professor Belnap said, “In the garment is this beautiful representation of the building tools that you will have: You can make perfect circles; you can make perfect squares. They represent the ability for you to become like a divine being who makes cosmos. And to have that right next to my skin underneath any other type of clothing—that I wear this beautiful piece of clothing that was given to me via an ordinance that represents the cosmic power to make cosmos like God Himself—I think that might change the way you act every day. What if every day we acted as if we were making a cosmos, having been given the tools and the identity to do so?”[10]

Wearing our garments also sets an example for our children and shows them an outward, physical sign that our temple covenants are a priority to us. This became apparent to me when I watched a home video of my son, who was about four years old at the time. In the video, I asked him why he was wearing his summer pajamas in the middle of winter. The pajamas he had on were mostly white with short sleeves and short pant legs that reached a little above his knees. He looked down at them and declared, “I like ’em. They look like undies.” It was apparent that he liked them because they made him feel like he was wearing garments like he had seen his dad wear, and he wanted to be like his dad. His positive attitude toward garments continued as he matured, and he was excited when he finally got to go to the temple and be clothed in the garment of the holy priesthood and be endowed with godly power in preparation for his mission. He is now setting a similar example of covenant living for his own sons.

In most wedding ceremonies, couples exchange rings, which they continue to wear as symbols of their unending love and commitment to one another. The temple garment is similarly given to us as part of a covenant ceremony and is to be continually worn thereafter to show our unending commitment to God and Jesus Christ. President Nelson emphasized the enduring value of the temple garment when he said, “Wearing the temple garment has deep symbolic significance. It represents a continuing commitment. Just as the Savior exemplified the need to endure to the end, we wear the garment faithfully as part of the enduring armor of God. Thus we demonstrate our faith in Him and in His eternal covenants with us.”[11]

Wearing the temple garment is full of symbolism and meaning. When we understand the sanctity of the garment and its connection to our covenants and to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we realize that it is not only a great privilege to wear the temple garment, but it is also a spiritual protection against the powers of Satan. We will then want to be wearing our temple garment in all circumstances where we can reasonably do so. Our faithfulness in wearing our temple garments will demonstrate to God our enduring faithfulness in keeping our covenants with Him, and He will bless us for our consecrated obedience.

Valiant K. Jones is the author of The Heart of Our Covenants: Temple Principles that Draw Us unto Christ. For more information, see www.valiantjones.com or www.cedarfort.com.

[1] General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 38.5.5, Gospel Library.

[2] Allen D. Haynie, “Meeting Jesus in the House of the Lord” (Brigham Young University devotional, Oct. 10, 2023), 6, speeches.byu.edu.

[3] Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 34.

[4] David A. Bednar, “Put On Thy Strength, O Zion,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 94.

[5] Lynn G. Robbins, “Oil in Our Lamps,” Ensign, June 2007, 48.

[6] General Handbook, 38.5.5.

[7] Carlos E. Assay, “The Temple Garment: ‘An Outward Expression of an Inward Commitment’,” Ensign, Aug. 1997, 20–21.

[8] James E. Faust, “Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord?,” Ensign, Aug. 2001, 4.

[9] Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Garment of the Holy Priesthood,” Liahona, Sept. 2024, footnote 6.

[10] For All The Saints With Ben Hancock, “Astonishing Insights Into Sacred Rituals & Symbolic Clothing – Daniel Belnap,” YouTube, Sept. 29, 2024, 1:16:10–1:17:51, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhWvbKGMaBc.

[11] Russell M. Nelson, “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings,” Ensign, May 2001, 33.