D&C 78

Throughout the scriptures, the Lord constantly reminds us of our obligations for the poor and the needy. Again, on this matter the Lord commands -

"...the time has come, and is now at hand; and behold, and lo, it must needs be that there be an organization of my people, in regulating and establishing the affairs of the storehouse for the poor of my people, both in this place and in the land of Zion—
4 For a permanent and everlasting establishment and order unto my church, to advance the cause, which ye have espoused, to the salvation of man, and to the glory of your Father who is in heaven..." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 78:3 - 4)

And with most commandments, the Lord explains -

"...that you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things.
6 For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things;
7 For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 78:5 - 7)

It becomes apparent that this commandment in connection with others are part of and a requirement of The New and Everlasting Covenant as the Lord warns -

"...a commandment I give unto you, to prepare and organize yourselves by a bond or everlasting covenant that cannot be broken.
12 And he who breaketh it shall lose his office and standing in the church, and shall be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 78:11 - 12)

The serious nature of this of this covenant becomes quite apparent. As the Church in general struggled with this new order or the law of consecration, more focus was placed to prepare the saints with tithing and the Church welfare program to help the saints understand -

"That through my providence, notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, that the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world..." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 78:14)

Elder Marion G. Romney taught on this matter -

"I do not want to be a calamity howler. I don’t know in detail what’s going to happen in the future. I know what the prophets have predicted. But I tell you that the welfare program, organized to enable us to take care of our own needs, has not yet performed the function that it was set up to perform. We will see the day when we will live on what we produce.

We’re living in the latter days. We’re living in the days the prophets have told about from the time of Enoch to the present day. We are living in the era just preceding the second advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told to so prepare and live that we can be . . . independent of every other creature beneath the celestial kingdom. That is what we are to do.

This welfare program was set up under inspiration in the days of President Grant. It was thoroughly analyzed and taught by his great counselor, J. Reuben Clark, Jr. It is in basic principle the same as the United Order. When we get so we can live it, we will be ready for the United Order. You brethren know that we will have to have a people ready for that order in order to receive the Savior when he comes.

I know from my own experience and the witnesses by the thousands that I have received of the Spirit that this is the Lord’s work. It is to prepare us. If you’ll think of the most sacred place you ever have been, you’ll remember that the final thing that we are to do is to be able and willing to consecrate all that we have to the building up of the kingdom of God, to care for our fellow men. When we do this we’ll be ready for the coming of the Messiah." (In Conference Report, Apr. 1975, pp. 165–66.)