D&C 82

John the Revelator wrote -

"...I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (New Testament Revelation 21:2)

The holy city was Zion of the last days, prepared to receive the Master. We know that Enoch of ancient days -

"...walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." (Old Testament Genesis 5:24)

In modern day we learn of Enoch, being a great prophet, called on the people and they did. And Enoch -

"...built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even ZION." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:19)

And even -

"...the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:18)

"And after that Zion was taken up into heaven..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:23)

...because it was a city of holiness.

A city of holiness is that which John prophecied would be prepared to receive the Savior. As the saints gathered in Missouri, the Lord wanted his people to be called Zion, "being of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them." He taught -

"For Zion must increase in beauty, and in holiness; her borders must be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 82:14)

Thus Zion would "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband". So the Lord said -

"Therefore, I give unto you this commandment, that ye bind yourselves by this covenant, and it shall be done according to the laws of the Lord.
16 Behold, here is wisdom also in me for your good.
17 And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just—
18 And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord's storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church—
19 Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.
20 This order I have appointed to be an everlasting order unto you, and unto your successors, inasmuch as you sin not." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 82:15 - 20)

This was to be the order of Zion, the same order of Enoch. This is the law of consecration. President Harold B. Lee explained -

“Zion, as used here, undoubtedly had reference to the Church. At that time there was but a small body of Church members just beginning to emerge as an organization, after having experienced harsh treatment from enemies outside the Church. . . .

To be worthy of such a sacred designation as Zion, the Church must think of itself as a bride adorned for her husband, as John the Revelator recorded when he saw in vision the Holy City where the righteous dwelled, adorned as a bride for the Lamb of God as her husband. Here is portrayed the relationship the Lord desires in his people in order to be acceptable to our Lord and Master even as a wife would adorn herself in beautiful garments for her husband.

The rule by which the people of God must live in order to be worthy of acceptance in the sight of God is indicated [in this verse]. This people must increase in beauty before the world; have an inward loveliness which may be observed by mankind as a reflection in holiness and in those inherent qualities of sanctity. The borders of Zion, where the righteous and pure in heart may dwell, must now begin to be enlarged. The stakes of Zion must be strengthened. All this so that Zion may arise and shine by becoming increasingly diligent in carrying out the plan of salvation throughout the world." (In Conference Report, Apr. 1973, pp. 4–5; or Ensign, July 1973, p. 3.)