Every Word that Proceedeth Out of the Mouth of God

Moses told the children of Israel that the Lord suffered them to hunger and gave them manna in the wilderness, “that he might make [them] know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3).  This idea has been repeated by the Lord a few times since then.  When Satan tempted Him with bread after the 40 day fast, Jesus responded, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).  In our dispensation the Lord said this as part of what we now call the oath and covenant of the Priesthood: “Give diligent heed to the words of eternal life.  For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God” (D&C 84:43-44).  About a year later the Lord repeated this idea again: “Ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God” (D&C 98:11).  So how do we live by every word that comes from God?  President Joseph Fielding Smith suggested that it means at least in part that we will keep all of God’s commandment: “We cannot say that some of them are small and insignificant and therefore the Lord will not care if we violate them.  We are commanded to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, pg 233).  It seems that it is really the quest of a lifetime to obey all of God’s commands, and living after every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God should be a goal we work towards throughout our life.