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.
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).
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.
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