The oath and covenant of the priesthood is a term used by Latter-day Saints (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) for a specific set of two‑way promises between God and those who receive and magnify the priesthood, described in Doctrine and Covenants 84:33–44. In simple terms, the person promises lifelong faithful service in the priesthood, and God promises sanctification, divine power, and, ultimately, exaltation—“all that [the] Father hath”—if those promises are kept.

What is the oath and covenant of the priesthood?

In Latter-day Saint belief, “oath and covenant of the priesthood” refers to how the priesthood is received and used as a sacred contract between God and the priesthood holder. The language and core ideas are drawn from Doctrine and Covenants 84, which explains that those who receive and magnify the priesthood enter into binding promises with God tied to eternal blessings.

At its core, it is called an “oath and covenant” because:

  • God makes an unbreakable oath regarding what He will grant the faithful priesthood holder.
  • The person makes a covenant (a solemn promise) about how they will live and serve.

This is sometimes summarized by LDS scholars as: those who receive and magnify the priesthood will inherit all Heavenly Father has.

What we promise (the covenant side)

Doctrine and Covenants 84 and LDS teachings describe several key promises that priesthood holders make when they accept and magnify the priesthood.

Commonly emphasized responsibilities include:

  1. Receive and magnify the priesthood
    • Be “faithful unto the obtaining” of both the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods (for men who are eligible) and then magnify those callings.
 * “Magnify” generally means to learn the gospel, live it personally, and give devoted service in priesthood duties such as blessing, teaching, and leading.
  1. Live by every word of God
    • Doctrine and Covenants 84 teaches that priesthood holders must “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God,” which implies obedience to commandments and revealed counsel.
  1. Serve others in Christlike ways
    • They covenant to serve in the “ministry of the Master,” forsake the world, and live as befits Saints, including preaching the gospel and building strong, covenant‑keeping families.
  1. Be faithful to the end
    • The covenant is not casual or temporary; it expects lifelong faithfulness, including receiving temple ordinances and keeping temple covenants.

You can think of this side as: “I will fully accept, honor, and magnify the priesthood, follow Christ, and live by God’s word.”

What God promises (the oath side)

Latter-day Saint leaders teach that the “oath” side is God’s solemn sworn promise, especially connected to the Melchizedek Priesthood. Several specific blessings are repeatedly listed in scripture and commentary:

  1. Sanctification and renewal
    • Those who are faithful are “sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies,” meaning spiritual cleansing and a transformation patterned after Christ.
  1. Becoming the sons of Moses, Aaron, and the seed of Abraham
    • Faithful priesthood holders are described as the “sons of Moses and of Aaron” and the “seed of Abraham,” participating in Abrahamic covenant blessings and responsibilities.
  1. Numbered among the elect of God
    • They are promised to be “numbered with the elect of God,” a scriptural phrase pointing to those chosen and sealed to inherit eternal life if they remain faithful.
  1. Receiving the Father’s kingdom and “all that He has”
    • Those who receive God’s servants, receive Christ; those who receive Christ, receive the Father; and those who receive the Father “receive [His] kingdom” and will be given “all that [the] Father hath.”
 * LDS apostles have described this as the covenant of exaltation: to be joint‑heirs with Christ and inherit “all things” in God’s kingdom if we are true and faithful.

This “oath” is portrayed as irreversible on God’s side: He cannot break it if the conditions are met.

Is it just for men or for everyone?

Historically, the discussion of the oath and covenant has focused on men ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood. However, recent LDS commentary increasingly emphasizes that the ultimate blessings described are tied to temple covenants and exaltation, which involve both men and women.

Several modern LDS voices note that:

  • The priesthood is the power and authority of God, exercised through covenants and ordinances that encompass both genders, especially in the temple.
  • Women participate in priesthood power through temple ordinances and callings, even though ordination is currently limited to men in the Church’s practice.

So while the formal “oath and covenant of the priesthood” text in Doctrine and Covenants 84 is addressed to ordained holders, its promised end‑state—receiving all that the Father has—is the goal offered to all who enter into and keep temple and gospel covenants.

How Latter-day Saints talk about it today

In recent years (including 2020s discussions, podcasts, and study materials), Latter-day Saints often frame the oath and covenant of the priesthood in these practical ways:

  • As a training framework : Aaronic Priesthood prepares a person for Melchizedek Priesthood responsibilities and ultimately temple covenants and exaltation.
  • As a promise of identity : becoming Abraham’s seed, the elect of God, and joint‑heirs with Christ gives a powerful sense of spiritual identity and mission.
  • As a motivator for discipleship : knowing that God’s promises are sealed with an oath is meant to inspire deep commitment in ordinary, daily priesthood service and family life.

Some LDS writers even suggest it might be clearer to call it the “oath/covenant of the priesthood” or just “priesthood covenant,” to highlight that the central experience is like other gospel covenants—mutual promises, guaranteed by God’s perfect faithfulness.

TL;DR:
The oath and covenant of the priesthood, as taught by Latter-day Saints, is the sacred two‑way agreement described in Doctrine and Covenants 84: those who faithfully receive and magnify the priesthood covenant to live by God’s word and serve in Christlike ways, and God, in turn, solemnly swears to sanctify them, number them among His elect, and ultimately grant them all that He has if they remain faithful.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.