PRIESTHOOD OF THE LORD

 

PART 2

 

Here is how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints received their priesthood authority.

 

When Jesus was here on the earth, He ordained his original Apostles with the priesthood and the authority to be able to pass it on and to build His church.  This authority was lost when they were killed.

 

Throughout history, The Lord chose Prophets to talk to and gave certain ones Dispensations, a period of time where they did their work.  Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses had their dispensations, but for the Last Dispensation or the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, He chose a young boy of 14 named Joseph Smith, to re-establish His church in the Last Days before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  Knowing that the priesthood was not on the earth in Joseph Smiths time, the Priesthood has to be brought back by someone who held the authority.

 

The Restored church had to have the true authority that is recognized by God to perform baptisms, and the Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 

 

In May 1829 while Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were translating the Book of Mormon plates, they came across the a place that talked about baptism.  They stopped, and agreed to go to a quiet place and pray and ask about baptisms and authority.

 

They went to the river nearby to pray.  Just after beginning, John the Baptist appeared to them and Conferred on them the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood and were instructed to baptize each other.

 

Doctrine and Covenants 27: 8  Words of the Lord to Joseph Smith:

 

8 Which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto the first priesthood which you have received, that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron;

 

The words of John the Baptist:  D&C 13:

 

1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

 

Later, the original Apostles Peter, James and John appeared and Conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood and the authority of the Laying on of Hands and all the other ordinances that were needed to begin building the Kingdom of God on the earth again.  This is what the Lord said again:

 

Doctrine and Covenants 27: 12

 

12 And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;

 

Anyone in the church that holds the priesthood can show their Line of Authority back to Jesus Christ.  They either carry it or can get it.

 

Some say that a Church is not needed but we believe that it is needed to confer ordnances and covenants.  These ordinances and covenants have to be done by priesthood authority and that authority needs to be overseen to make sure it is performed right and used right. 

 

Priesthood holders can be rich or poor, from all nationalities and walks of life, educated or not, young or old.  They are just normal people.  They do not receive any formal training and are not paid for their service and time.  They do not appoint themselves to priesthood positions.  They are called by inspiration from God from their leaders in authority in church positions like Bishops, Stake Presidents, Apostles and others.  The Lord's house is a house of order, not of confusion.

 

See John 15:16

 

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit....

 

The duties of priesthood holders, depending on which priesthood they hold, perform Baptisms, Conferral of the Holy Ghost by the Laying on of Hands.  They also bless the sick and afflicted using pure olive oil that has been consecrated for the healing of the sick and then confirm the blessing by laying their hands on them.

 

See James 5: 14-15

 

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

 

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

 

That person shall be healed according to the Faith of that person, the faith of the one giving the blessing and the Will of the Lord, unless that person is appointed unto death to come to Him. 

 

They also Bless the Sacrament.  Through the ordinance of taking the Sacrament, you are cleansed as you were at baptism.

 

Their duties are conferring the priesthood and ordaining others to priesthood offices.

 

When we speak of Priesthood Keys we are not talking of keys like your car or house keys.  These Keys unlock the flow of Authority and Power and Direct and Control the Priesthood use in the Church and Kingdom here on earth.

 

Jesus said in Matthew 16: 19

 

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

 

What is meant by binding on earth and binding in Heaven, the Lord is saying that He will Recognize what His Servants do on earth with Priesthood Authority.  He will then Recognize in Heaven that action and will be effective there also. 

 

This means Baptisms, Conferring the Priesthood, and whatever is done with Priesthood Authority will be in force in Heaven also. 

 

Those who are Ordained into certain Offices get the Keys to that office.

Those who hold the Priesthood of God, received from those who have the authority, have authority, but the Power of the Priesthood only comes by how we live our lives.   As stated in Part 1, I repeat this again:

Doctrine and Covenants 121: 36  

36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.

For more information or to read the scriptures directly, go to www.lds.org and search out the site.

 

PRIESTHOOD OF THE LORD - PART 1

If you wanted to be a policeman, can you go and buy a gun and a badge and that would make you official? No. 

You would need to go through a police academy, and pass it and be accepted by a police department in a town or city before you would be recognized as an official policeman. 

If you wanted to be a doctor, can you purchase an official looking degree on the Internet, sign it, and that would make you a doctor? No.  

You would have to go through eight or more years of medical school and pass the tests they give you, to get your degree. Then apply to the medical association and the state to become recognized as a doctor. 

The same is with Priesthood Authority.


Yes, you can go on the Internet and get an official certificate saying you have authority to baptize people and offer sacred sacraments and perform ordinances as a priest or minister. 

BUT are you recognized by God as holding His Priesthood Authority.      NO.  

Will going through a Seminary or Institute and receiving a certificate make you Recognized by God.     NO.  

Will the city or state or local church recognize you?
YES.

Then you say, that's all I need to start doing the things that a pastor or priest do and it will be official.


That may be true, HERE ON EARTH. The sacraments you give out, the baptisms you perform and the ordinances you do, may be accepted by the church you belong, the town, city or state in which you live may accept them and that is all you care.  

BUT will all the things you do be BOUND ON EARTH?   YES.


But will they be BOUND IN HEAVEN once people are dead. NO.  

For the ordinances to be Recognized by the God of Heaven, YOU must be Recognized by God as to Holding His Holy Priesthood.


You must have received it by the Laying on of the Hands by SOMEONE WHO HAS THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD.  

What is Priesthood Authority?

PRIESTHOOD IS: 

“The Power and Authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God's children".

Doctrine and Covenants 121: 36:


36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. 


The Prophet Joseph Smith said this when conferring priesthood authority:


Articles Of Faith 1:5:


5.  "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophesy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in Authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof" 

There are TWO PRIESTHOODS.

AARONIC: This priesthood was named after Moses' brother, Aaron.


It is called the Lesser Priesthood.  

Doctrine and Covenants 107: 20 

20 The power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments.

Remember, Jesus was 12 when he was teaching in the Temple.  


This priesthood has three offices.

Deacon, Teacher, Priest.

Deacon:  Ages 12-14  Passes Sacrament among other duties.

Teacher:   Ages 14-16  Also Passes Sacrament among other duties.

Priest:  Ages 16-18  Blesses the Sacrament and can also Baptize. 


The Aaronic priesthood is like a training period for His sons to advance to the Melchizedek or Higher Priesthood. 

MELCHIZEDEK: The Higher Priesthood has: 

Doctrine and Covenants 107: 18-19


18 The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church—

 

19 To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.

In this priesthood there are 5 levels or offices of responsibility.

Elder, High Priest, Patriarch, Seventy, and Apostle.

Mormon Doctrine by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, pages 595-597 says: 

The Priesthood is GREATER than any of it's offices.


No office adds any power, dignity, or authority to the priesthood.


No one can hold an office in the priesthood without FIRST holding the priesthood itself.


Priesthood is conferred.


An Office can be given only by Ordination. 


Every Elder holds as much Priesthood as an Apostle or as the President of the Church, though these latter officers hold greater administrative assignments in the kingdom.


Those with the office of Elder or higher can do all things that an Aaronic Priesthood holder can do, but with the higher priesthood he can do all other things as authorized by the President of the High Priesthood, who is the Prophet.


Mormon Doctrine, by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, page 594 states: 


Priesthood is the eternal power and authority of Deity by which ALL THINGS EXIST. By which they are created, governed, and controlled. 


And, ALL WORTHY men SHOULD RECEIVE THE PRIESTHOOD. 

Jesus Christ Himself, held this priesthood.   


Hebrews 5: 5-6


5  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.


6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 

(Remember the Doctrine and Covenants is Revelation TODAY to His Prophet in this day, RESTORING Gospel truths that were lost). 


Doctrine and Covenants 107: 2-5 

2 Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. 

3 Before his day it was called THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD AFTER THE ORDER OF THE SON OF GOD.

4 But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.

5 All other authorities or offices in the church are appendages to this priesthood. 

Now you say... Who was Melchizedek?


The Book of Mormon RESTORED this information through the Prophet Alma:  


This is about 82 B.C., made known to this Prophet BEFORE Christ came.


Alma 13: 18 


18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father. 


(Notice: His father was also a King).


(Now you say that you never heard of Salem?


Back then, it was known as JERUSALEM.)


Not much is known about Melchizedek except that after Abraham was done rescuing Lot, he met the Great High Priest Melchizedek in the desert and paid TITHES to him.


Everyone is required to pay tithing which means ten percent of their increase.  ARE WE?  Read the last part of Malachi in the Old Testament.


Alma 13: 15 


15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.


You just don't pay tithes to any person.  


Abraham knew of him.


Melchizedek was THE Great High Priest of Jerusalem. 


Today, the President of the Twelve Apostles, Boyd K. Packer said:


"The Priesthood CANNOT be conferred like a diploma. It cannot be handed to you as a certificate. It cannot be delivered to you as a message or sent to you in a letter. It comes only by proper ordination. An authorized holder of the priesthood has to be there. He must place his hands upon your head and ordain you". 


Where did the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints GET it's PRIESTHOOD AUTHORITY?


We will talk about this in PART 2.


For more information and to access the scriptures online, go to: www.lds.org.


By contacting the church you can also get a FREE copy of the Book of Mormon.



 

 

PROPHETS OF THE LORD and REVELATION

 

Religions of today declare that prophets and revelation from God does not exist today.  They say it all ended with the original Apostles.  They are wrong.  God is not dead or asleep.  There has been a prophet on the earth since 1820 and God has spoken and continues to speak to His chosen servants. 

In the Bible, Amos 3:7

7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.  (The Lord inspired the Prophet Joseph Smith to change the word BUT to Until.  Now the meaning is more clear)

 

Latter Day Saints believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ (two separate beings) appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.  God The Father called him by name and pointing to His Son Jesus Christ said:  "Joseph, This is my beloved son, hear him".  From that moment on, all instructions to the Prophet Joseph Smith came from Jesus Christ, (who was Jehovah in the Old Testament).  According to John, Jesus Christ was "the Word". 

 

We also believe that there has been a succession of prophets since Joseph Smith, down to the present day.  We also believe that the Lord has continued to speak to His prophets, even today.  As of today (3 September 2012)the prophet is President Thomas S. Monson.

 

This is the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (center, President Monson, and his counselors, all Apostles).  Next picture will be of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

There are fifteen Apostles, all considered Prophets, Seers and Revelators.  The secession is that the most Senior Apostle becomes the Prophet of the whole church.  Here is how the Lord has set this up. 

 

Upon the death of the prophet, his two counselors (also Apostles) fall back into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, making Fourteen.  The most Senior Apostle becomes the prophet of the whole church and chooses two Apostles to be his counselors.  This leaves Eleven.  After prayers in the Temple another is chosen by direction of the Lord to fill the vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  These Apostles are chosen for life.  If the Lord wants them to be in the position of Prophet of the whole church, he will live until that time otherwise he will be taken in death.  All the Apostles have sometimes more than 40 years of experience in the Quorum by the time they are chosen.  

Why do prophets of the Lord wear suits today instead of the robes like Moses and Abraham?  Moses and Abraham wore the clothes of their day, prophets today wear the clothes of today.  They are all human beings like us. 

Can the Prophet lead the people astray?  NO.

After his revelation on Ending the practice of Plural Marriage, President Wilford Woodruff said:

"The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty." (Sixty-first Semiannual General Conference of the Church, Monday, October 6, 1890, Salt Lake City, Utah. Reported in Deseret Evening News, October 11, 1890, p. 2.)  

 

With the choosing of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the establishment of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times began.  Each of the prophets that came before had a Dispensation and this is the LAST Dispensation to man before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 

 

Ephesians 1:10

 

10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.

 

What is a dispensation?  The Bible dictionary says:

 

Dispensations. A dispensation of the gospel is a period of time in which the Lord has at least one authorized servant on the earth who bears the holy priesthood and the keys, and who has a divine commission to dispense the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth. When this occurs, the gospel is revealed anew, so that people of that dispensation do not have to depend basically on past dispensations for knowledge of the plan of salvation. There have been many gospel dispensations since the beginning. The Bible suggests at least one dispensation identified with Adam, another with Enoch, another with Noah, and so on with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus with his apostles in the meridian of time.  The fullness of times is the (7th) and final dispensation, and began with the revelation of the gospel to Joseph Smith. It is a dispensation of restoration and of fulfillment of the Lord’s plans and purposes since the world began. There are also things reserved for the fullness of times that have not been revealed previously.  It is a glorious time, the time in which we live today. 

 

And so, we believe that the modern-day prophet acts and speaks as God's mouthpiece just as Moses did thousands of years ago.

 

Article of Faith 1:9, by the Prophet Joseph Smith says:

 

9 We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

 

God is the same yesterday, today and forever meaning He is not done with man by guiding and instructing him to become a better son or daughter of God.  We are His children and He cares about us.  He has given us DIRECT communication with Him, through PRAYERS.  Prayers do not go by the slow speed of light, but by the speed of thought.  He has not left us alone, NO MATTER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCE or COUNTRY WE ARE IN.  He loves us all.

 

He has Restored His Church and Kingdom on the earth in this The Dispensation of the Fullness of Times and has given us New and Additional scripture to guide us, which is the Book of Mormon (a second witness of Jesus Christ which strengthens the Bible), The Doctrine and Covenants (modern Revelation to US TODAY) and it is still coming daily. 

 

We are in the Times of the Gentiles Now.

 

Modern Revelation says:  Doctrine and Covenants 45: 24-30

 

24 And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem; and when that day shall come, shall a remnant be scattered among all nations; (Jews were scattered among all nations - already done)

 

25 But they shall be gathered again; but they shall remain until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

26 And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth.  (sound familiar?)

 

27 And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound.

 

28 And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel;  (it's here now)

29 But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men. 

 

(The church and kingdom and the Restored Gospel IS HERE NOW.  Do not turn your hearts away because of what others say (precepts of men), Let your Heart guide you.

 

30 And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

 

For further information or to see these scriptures in full, go to www.lds.org and go into the scriptures.  Also check out your family history.  We have the largest Family History Library in the world.

More will be spoken on Revelation in another article.