Posted on 07/02/2009 7:44:19 AM PDT by greyfoxx39
The Doctrine and Covenants is an invitation to all people everywhere to come unto Christ. In the revelations of this book “one hears the tender but firm voice of the Lord Jesus Christ,” inviting all to come unto Him “preparatory to his second coming.” [1]
In the Sacred Grove, Jesus Christ informed the young Joseph Smith that the power of godliness had been taken from the earth. Joseph was told that the religious organizations of the day had “a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (JS-H 1:19).
The “power of godliness” was restored to the earth in 1829, when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the priesthood by the hands of heavenly messengers. John the Baptist, the last legitimate holder of the Aaronic, or lesser priesthood, conferred it on Joseph and Oliver on May 15, 1829, on the banks of the Susquehannah River in upper Pennsylvania. Later, the two men received the Melchizedek, or higher priesthood by ordination from Peter, James, and John, the last legitimate holders of the keys of that priesthood. In this way, the “power of godliness,” or the power to come back into the presence of God, was restored to the earth.
Why were the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods restored?
The purpose of the Aaronic Priesthood, named for Aaron, the brother of Moses, is to open to us the gates of the celestial kingdom of God. Encompassed in the Aaronic priesthood is the authority to baptize and to administer the sacrament, which is a renewal of the baptismal covenant.
The purpose of the Melchizedek Priesthood, named for Melchizedek, the great high priest who conferred the priesthood on Abraham, is to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost and to open to us the gates of exaltation, or the highest heaven of the celestial kingdom of God. The celestial kingdom contains three heavens or degrees; “and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; and if he does not, he cannot obtain it” (D&C 131:1-3). Only by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood can the ordinance of eternal marriage be performed.
Thus, the task of these two priesthoods is to prepare people for the presence of our Father in Heaven. His authorized servants are sent into the world to do bring our Father’s children to the temple, so that they may be completely qualified for eternal life and exaltation. No work is more significant than this — it is truly “a marvelous work and a wonder.”
Adam received both the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods, which were passed from father to son through Enoch and Noah to Melchizedek, and from Melchizedek to Abraham to Moses. The Lord wanted to confer both priesthoods on the children of Israel at the time of Moses, but because of their hardened hearts, they declined to receive the blessings and responsibilities of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Nevertheless, the Lord in his mercy gave them the Aaronic Priesthood so they could continue to qualify themselves for his kingdom and prepare for even greater blessings (see D&C 84:6-28).
The priesthood ceased among men with the growth of pride, corruption, and sloth in the Church after the time of Christ. Thus, to re-open the gates of salvation and exaltation, the priesthood had to be restored. Duly authorized administrators were sent from the presence of God to confer the priesthood once again on living men. God’s promise is that it will “never be taken again from the earth” (D&C 13:1).
What blessings does the Lord promise as part of the oath and covenant of the priesthood?
In D&C 84, the Lord makes an oath to those who receive the priesthood and magnify their callings, that He will grant them these blessings if they fulfill certain conditions:
Those faithful to the priesthood will be resurrected first and with glorified, sanctified bodies. “These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection” (D&C 76:64).
As sons of Moses, they are rightful administrators in the Melchizedek Priesthood and are heirs of the privileges of that great prophet — to commune with God, to receive revelation in their callings, and to act in the higher ordinances under God’s direction.
As sons of Aaron, they are rightful administrators in the Aaronic Priesthood, and partake of the privileges of Aaron — to teach the gospel and to administer the saving ordinances of baptism and the sacrament.
As the seed of Abraham, they are entitled to the blessing of Abraham: “Exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds [posterity] for ever and ever” (D&C 132:19) — in other words, the joy of the eternal family belongs to them.
To be elect is to be an heir, as Isaiah prophesied: “I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it” (Isa. 65:9). The faithful priesthood holder and his family are those seeds of Jacob who will inherit the “mountains” of the Lord — the promised land, kingdom, and temples of the Lord.
To receive the priesthood is to receive Jesus Christ; and to receive Him is to be “encircled about eternally in the arms of his love,” as Nephi taught (2 Ne. 1:15). Those who receive Christ are ensured of their exaltation: “If ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also” (D&C 132:23). Furthermore, we are commanded in 3 Nephi 27:27 to be like Christ (“even as I am”); to be like Him requires holding the priesthood, for His priesthood is His power. All men who seek to be like Jesus Christ must be faithful in their priesthood callings.
Of course, this is the greatest blessing God can bestow, for He cannot bestow more than all that He has. “The priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek,” are the legitimate heirs of God’s kingdom. “They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things — they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory” (D&C 76:55-57).
What do priesthood holders promise as part of the oath and covenant of the priesthood?
These supernal blessings are promised to those who, quite simply, “are faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods ... and the magnifying their calling” (D&C 84:33). To obtain the priesthood, one must qualify. This requires keeping the commandments of God. Additionally, the faithful priesthood holder “magnifies” his calling. In an inspired address, President Gordon B. Hinckley has explained what it means to magnify one’s priesthood calling:
“All of you, of course, are familiar with binoculars. When you put the lenses to your eyes and focus them, you magnify and in effect bring closer all within your field of vision. But if you turn them around and look through the other end, you diminish and make more distant that which you see.
“So it is with our actions as holders of the priesthood. When we live up to our high and holy calling, when we show love for God through service to fellowmen, when we use our strength and talents to build faith and spread truth, we magnify our priesthood. When, on the other hand, we live lives of selfishness, when we indulge in sin, when we set our sights only on the things of the world rather than on the things of God, we diminish our priesthood.
“How do we do this? How do we enlarge the power of the priesthood with which we have been endowed? We do it when we teach true and sound doctrine. The Lord has said: ‘And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom’ (D&C 88:77).
“We diminish that calling, we shrink that mission when we spend our time speculating about or advocating that which is not set forth in the scripture or that which is not espoused by the prophet of the Lord. Rather, ours is the responsibility, as set forth in revelation, ’to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come; that their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come’ (D&C 88:84–85).
“We magnify our priesthood and enlarge our calling when we serve with diligence and enthusiasm in those responsibilities to which we are called by proper authority. I emphasize the words, ‘diligence’ and ‘enthusiasm.’ This work has not reached its present stature through indifference on the part of those who have labored in its behalf. The Lord needs men, both young and old, who will carry the banners of His kingdom with positive strength and determined purpose. [2]
In summary, President Hinckley has taught that to magnify our calling in the priesthood is to:
“There are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson — 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” (D&C 121:34-36). The power of godliness cannot be exercised through the use of force or compulsion. This is one of the reasons the priesthood was taken from the earth in ancient times.
Particularly destructive is the mistaken belief among some priesthood holders that their priesthood gives them the right to dictate to others, particularly to their families. There is a great difference between the gentle firmness shown by the Savior in correcting others and the abusive, swaggering behavior of some men. “No man who abuses his wife or children is worthy to hold the priesthood of God,” President Hinckley has said. [3]
Holders of the priesthood lose the power of godliness if they fail to learn their duties and do them. “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand” (D&C 107:99-100). Power in the priesthood is magnified by our diligence in attending to priesthood duties.
I wish to bear my testimony to you that the power of godliness has been restored to the earth and it is real. It is the power and authority of the Savior Jesus Christ.
[1] D&C Explanatory Introduction
[2] Gordon B. Hinckley, “Magnify Your Calling,” Ensign, May 1989, 46
[3] Gordon B. Hinckley, “What Are People Asking About Us?” Ensign, November 1998, 72.
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Ping
Was there ever a good explanation of why the LDS ritual is a copy of the Masonic ritual?
If this was revealed to Smith, then it wasn’t an original revelation, since the Freemasons had been suing it for a long time already?
Disclaimer: my college fraternity (dtd) used a ritual that was copied from the masons, so I know quite a bit about what goes on the lodges.
There is reference to the Masonic influence in an article I posted Here with a live link to the "NAUVOO ENDOWMENT CEREMONY RITES COMPARED TO CONTEMPORARY PUBLISHED FREEMASONIC RITES" about half-way down the page and this quote:
"This pattern of resemblances indicates that Smith drew on Masonic rites in shaping the temple endowment and specifically borrowed tokens, signs, and penalties, as well as possibly the Creation narrative and ritual anointings. Still, the temple ceremony cannot be explained as wholesale borrowing, neither can it be dismissed as completely unrelated. As Mervin Hogan, a Mormon Mason, explained in 1991, "[L]ittle room for doubt can exist in the mind of an informed, objective analyst that the Mormon Temple Endowment and the rituals of ancient Craft Masonry are seeming intimately and definitely involved."
It has similarities, but it isn't a copy. Many fraternal orders use similar types of rituals, and I believe (but may be wrong) that Smith was a Freemason. If he was, it stands to reason that he would have been inspired by said rituals.
All the rituals were surprisingly similar to the ones I had experienced when going active in my college fraternity. Coincidence? I think not. Actually I laughed about how very amateur it all was. Wish I had had the courage to walk away from it all back then, however the social pressures were so overwhelming that it was not possible.
Oops.
I did use the word “copy”.
Didn’t mean to say that.
I meant “very, very similar”..............
I’m sorry Bing. It took me a long time to extricate myself from the clutches of the House of Handshakes too.
Just two more steps and you really will be free : )
"In the strange, twisted world of Mormon theology as promulgated by official LDS apostles and prophets, their "God" (a.k.a. "Elohim") was once a mortal man on another planet who became a deity by proving himself worthy to attain to that exalted status. He was appointed by a counsel of gods in the heavens to his high position as god of planet Earth. He took another, female deity as a wife (probably many of them), and began to procreate literally billions of spirit-offspring in heaven. Included in these offspring were not only all of mankind (as pre-mortal beings), but Lucifer and every demon as well--all are spirit brothers and sisters according to LDS belief, all born in the spirit world as spirit babies to their man-god "Heavenly Father" and his "goddess" wives.
And though some modern-day Mormon apologists desperately try to downplay it by calling the doctrine mere 19th century "speculation," official LDS teaching is still that their god Elohim in a physical body begat, literally, the body of Jesus Christ here on earth with Mary (his own spirit daughter). As far as I am aware, that has been taught consistently by every single General Authority of the LDS Church who has addressed this topic up to the present day. The fact is (if you've read very much of the theological controversy about the subject) Mormonism continues to show a great deal of shame for its own roots and its own history, resulting in a lot of dishonest, modern-day public relations rewriting and white-washing of that history.
From an orthodox Christian perspective, that much of this freakish religious concoction is certainly bad enough. But Mormonism's clear corollary teaching is that man and god are of the same species. The only difference between them is a matter of spiritual exaltation and its progression over aeons of time. After all, their "God" Elohim was once a mortal man, just as we. He lived on another planet in a mode of existence very similar to ours, and gained exaltation by the same process that is taught to Latter-Day Saints today......."
Quoted from HERE............
Still will never comprehend how Joe's Myths somehow actually permeated through the last few years of history. It just baffles me endlessly.
Just visited Temple Square for the —nth time this week. Amazing how such an empire can be built on the foundation of such depraved false prophets.
The movie they show in the JS Building, oy. No mention of the fraudulent bank in Kirtland, the 34 wives, the declaration of war with Missouri, the destroyed printing press, Joseph shooting back at the mob in Carthage. Paint job.
The movie they show in the JS Building, oy. No mention of the fraudulent bank in Kirtland, the 34 wives, the declaration of war with Missouri, the destroyed printing press, Joseph shooting back at the mob in Carthage. Paint job."
Did they hand-out any "seer stones"? I need a few of those. I want to see if I can clean my kitchen post-haste before the July 4th weekend crowd comes over.
Another more valuable place in beautiful SLC is 'Squatter's Pub'or even better (IMO) 'The Red Rock Brewery' - Try the grilled chicken pasta!
PROVO, Utah — Significant misperceptions shape the LDS church's image and standing in America, said a church apostle Friday.
Speaking during Women's Conference at Brigham Young University, Elder L. Tom Perry of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Quorum of the Twelve, asked more than 16,000 women gathered in the BYU Marriott Center to dedicate themselves to strengthening the image of the church.
"Your personal experiences can be of comfort and a blessing to many," Elder Perry told the women.
Now in its 34th year, Women's Conference draws thousands to Provo annually. The two-day event is co-sponsored by BYU and the LDS Church's Relief Society.
Offering the conference's closing general address, Elder Perry said that church leaders have been looking at the church's image to better understand how the organization approaches its missionary efforts. "We have employed some professional firms to help us define and project our true image to the world."
Recent studies, he said, found that "51 percent of people have no awareness of Mormon practices and beliefs," that "47 percent of people do not have a favorable view of Mormons," and "that 31 percent of people believe that Mormons are not Christian."
"These statistics clearly show the imperfect way we have communicated who we are and what we believe," said Elder Perry.
Further, he said, one-word impressions of the Church include: polygamy, family, cult, different, and dedicated. Three wrong impressions out of five "is not a good batting average for us," he said.
It is evident, he said, that significant misperceptions exist about the church and its members.
Elder Perry said that although 84 percent of Americans have seen Latter-day Saint ads, been given LDS literature, and/or had missionaries approach them, less than 30 percent can identify the church's main claim — "that we follow Jesus Christ, and are the re-established original Christian church…"
So, he asked the women, "How do we close the gap between how we see ourselves and how the world sees us?"
A person's view of the Church is the sum of personal experiences they have had that relate in any way to the church organization, he said. Outside influences, church media, missionaries and members all shape the image of the church, said Elder Perry. But, he added, the members are the most important.
There are several things church members can do to help people become "more aware of our true beliefs," he said. They can listen, know the doctrine, live their standards, be exemplary citizens, be good neighbors, open their mouths, extend invitations, use technology and be bold but not overbearing.
Elder Perry's address was the second general session address of the conference; Sister Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, addressed the crowd in the morning session.
She told the group that Latter-day Saint women should be defenders of right and truth and seen as lights in a world where the family is under attack.
"We are in those times, when we are the ones who must preserve our families amidst the gathering of evil around us," said Sister Beck.
LDS women can protect their families by clearly keeping their focus on the temple and the blessings of eternal life, she said.
"We see decline everywhere," she said, noting that marriage rates are down, and there is an increase in unmarried couples living together. Divorce, abortion and out-of-wedlock births have increased and low birth rates are reported and dropping every day, she added.
"Children are less valued and families are less valued," she said. "Families are about (the words) 'us' and 'we.' The doctrines we are hearing preached by the world today are about 'I' and 'me.'"
Quoting from a 1980 address by former church President Spencer W. Kimball, Sister Beck said there are those "who would define the family in such a non-traditional way that they would define it out of existence."
Sister Beck said Christian women should never forget that "anti-Christ teachings and principles are always anti-family" and that "anti-family teachings and policies are also anti-Christ."
"We know and believe and testify of Christ. We are baptized into a covenant with him and we support and sustain his doctrine and his theology," she said.
Ya think? <smirk>
I thought Father God spoke directly to the prophet and elders on such matters. Hmmm there must have been a new revelation that told them He now speaks through PR firms and private consultants.
When was the last time that the prophet received new revelation anyway?
Isn't it OBVIOUS??
Jesus, as our High Priest, was not GOOD enough!
IS there ever ANY explanation of what Joseph Smith supposedly 'learned' that was UNTRUE about PRESBYTERIANism of his day?
Isn't it OBVIOUS?
GOD gave the information to BOTH groups!!
--MormonDupe(That's what I believe anyway...)
It's simple; really.
My wife complains about the same old lame jokes I tell waitresses - wanting me to get some new material.
I tell her...
"As long as I get new AUDIENCES; I need no new material."
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