Old Testament lesson 4 - Commandments

I originally found the ideas for my view of keeping commandments, from a scripture that states that if we obtain any blessing from the Lord, it is by obedience to the commandment upon which the blessing is predicated. (Okay, you do the work and find the scripture -- hint: I extensively use Internet search functions)

In Old Testament lesson 4, section 3 "Adam and Eve begin life as mortals, bear children, teach them the gospel, and worship and obey God", there is a discussion on keeping commandments.

I admit that I've never been a fan of only doing what the Lord commands, just because he said it. I want to know what He has up His sleeve. So I obey the commandment, on the expectation that someday (maybe years) I usually will find out the reason for the commandment.

We need to find the gospel principle taught by each commandment. Mindless obedience reminds me of an old saying from high school, when teachers said something we didn't like. The revised words of a guru from India, said while bowing three times, "Salami, salami, baloney".

We should be learning from the Spirit, the reason for each commandment. This is done by obeying the commandment, then analyzing the principle taught as we gain the Spirit due to obedience. Joseph Smith once was told that a certain brother didn't feel like doing his assignment. The prophet said something like, "Oh, go ahead and do it, and you will get the spirit of it by and by."

I train the class to remember the two words "Think celestial" and the three words "Keep the commandments". IMHO every commandment is a training tool in how to think like an occupant of the celestial kingdom. I don't believe you can enter the celestial kingdom, until you have been trained in how to live there. That's the reason for commandments. That's also one reason for the temple, but that's a different discussion.

There are some commandments that are simply warnings of danger ahead. The training then is simply to listen for the Spirit and instantly obey the prompting. My wife once had a prompting one evening that she should not take her usual evening walk around the then-dark block. She didn't. We will never know the reason for the prompting, but are confident she avoided some danger.