Church Talks
THE RESTORATION OF PRIESTHOOD AUTHORITY
[Talk given by John E. Enslen at Wetumpka Ward Sacrament Meeting on May 27, 2018.]
I can sympathize somewhat with the unnamed angel sent to Alma the younger: “I [have] come to convince thee of the power and authority of God.” (Mosiah 27:14) I commence with this proposition for your consideration:
To date, there are four essential, foundational events in latter-day world history of which every member of this Church should be keenly aware and knowledgeable. Not only should we be thoroughly familiar with these four events, we should revere them and hold them in sacred memory.
These four events began with the First Vision which revealed anew the true nature of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. As a result of that unique, intense, private experience, young Joseph Smith possessed more information regarding the personal, and physically separate, nature of the beings who make up the Godhead than all the information contained in all the books ever written and all the books that ever could be written. Young Joseph possessed more information about the nature of God than that contained in the collective minds of the world’s most honored religious leaders and theologians in his day. With that singular event, the supposed wisdom of the wise men of the earth perished (see Isaiah 29:14). On that early spring day in 1820, the creeds that proclaimed an alloyed mixture concept for the Trinity were mortally wounded.
Chronologically, the 4th event was the official and legal organization of the Church according to the laws of the land, rendering unto Caesar that which was Caesar’s. That event in Fayette, N.Y., on April 6, 1830, ten years after the First Vision, marked the reestablishment of the true church of Jesus Christ once more upon the earth. From that point forward, church government would continue to progress and expand through the receipt and implementation of continuing revelation divinely designed to meet the ever-changing circumstances in the church and in the world. That revelation has come line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. It has come in a timely manner from Christ, the cornerstone, to his apostles and prophets who constitute the foundation of His living church. Had the revelations of the restoration been given to an older, already-existing church, it would have created a house divided against itself which could not stand. The Lord had to raise up anew his own church. He would not pour new wine into an old bottle. He would not raise up a live tree from a dead branch.
Sandwiched between those two remarkable events, the First Vision and the organization of the church, are two other essential events which occurred somewhat contemporaneously with one another. One was the completion of the translation of the Book of Mormon which would constitute, as to those who prayerfully digest it, the indisputable and irrefutable evidence of the prophetic calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith, “proving to the world that the holy scriptures (the Old and New Testaments) are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old.” (D & C 20:11) The Savior staked his very existence on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon when he declared that Joseph Smith “has translated the book, even that part which I commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth, it is true.” (D&C 17:6) To Joseph the Lord said: “[T]he pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek ... authority and blessings constantly from under thy hand.” (D&C 122:2)
After reading the Book of Mormon, Joseph said: “On reflecting further it was ... easy to be seen that amid the great strife and noise concerning religion, none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel. For the question might be asked, have men authority to administer in the name of Christ, [men] who deny revelations, when His testimony is no less than the spirit of prophecy, and His religion based, built, and sustained by immediate revelations, in all ages of the world when He has had a people on earth? [T]hese facts [relating to the Lord’s use of continuing revelation] were buried, and carefully concealed by men whose craft would have been in danger ...” (Joseph Smith History---1)
It was during the process of translation that there occurred the fourth event, accomplished in two stages. 189 years ago this month, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery became the ordained recipients of the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood and soon thereafter the recipients of the authority of the Melchezidek Priesthood, both of which transpired less than a year prior to the organization of the church.
Said Oliver Cowdery: “I was present with Joseph when an holy angel from God came down from heaven and conferred, or restored, the Aaronic Priesthood … I was also present with Joseph when the Melchizedek Priesthood was conferred by the holy angels of God, which we then confirmed on each other by the will and commandment of God.” (Remarks given on Oct. 21, 1848, in Kanesville, Iowa; quoted in Reuben Miller, Journals 1848–49, vol. 1) Joseph and Oliver saw these personages. They felt tangible hands on their heads. They heard their words spoken in the English language.
Why was it important for John the Baptist to return to the earth as a resurrected being and lay his hands upon the heads of Joseph and Oliver and confer upon them the Priesthood of Aaron? Why was it important for Peter, James, and John, two resurrected apostles and a translated apostle, who constituted the First Presidency of the New Testament church and who participated with Christ at the Mount of Transfiguration, to lay their hands upon the heads of Joseph and Oliver and confer upon them the Priesthood of Melchezidek biblically spoken of in the Book of Hebrews? Why couldn’t the restoration be complete, or at least sufficient, without those ordinations? Those are questions worthy of our most intense pondering.
Without a basic understanding of these four events of which I have spoken, and God’s purposes behind each of them as thus far revealed through the prophet Joseph Smith and his successors, we never really qualify for the title “Latter-day Saints.” We never graduate from preparatory Protestantism; we never grasp the reality and richness of the restoration.
If we were asked this question: “How is your church different from other churches?”, we have many answers. Perhaps the very most important of all those answers is centered in the restoration of the priesthood. [As an aside, if forced to choose, we might prefer the restoration of the priesthood to the First Vision although God mercifully decreed that they would not be mutually exclusive.] I am still searching for a more tactful, diplomatic way to say how our Church differs, grasping for a more palatable explanation of our theological position. But in my weak-mindedness I can only come up with this simple explanation of the difference: We are the only church that has been given by God the authority to administer his saving ordinances and to conduct the affairs of his kingdom on the earth.
As my friends with their rising temperatures chew on that monopolistic concept, I want to say: Don’t get mad at me. I’m just the messenger. If you must get mad at someone, get mad at God. He did it! But try to understand God. How else could he maintain control and still involve humans in the work of his kingdom? How else could he be a God of order and not a God of confusion? (D & C 132:8) The true name of the higher priesthood, which fully encompasses the lower, is the Holy Priesthood after the “Order” of the Son of God. (D & C 107:3) Perhaps the word “order” as contained in that title has special meaning.
Here are some scriptures, ancient and modern, that reflect how the Lord ensures that order prevents chaos: “Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called.” (D&C 11:15) “Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” (Matt. 15:12) “And no man taketh this honor unto himself,” referring to the honor of holding the priesthood, “except he be called of God as was Aaron,” (Heb. 5:4) who was called by a living prophet having authority, even Moses, to whom the Lord Jehovah had said: “[T]ake thou unto thee Aaron thy brother ... that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.” (Exodus 28:1)
Even Jesus Christ, the very son of God, could not take upon himself the holy priesthood. “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 5:5-6)
The Savior told his apostles: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” (John 15:16) The works of those who choose themselves, although temporarily appearing successful, amount only to iniquity and evil for they keep their followers from finding the truth. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt. 7:22-23) “Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to anyone to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by someone who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church.” (D&C 42:11) “And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” (Romans 10:15)
What is the direct and original source of any man’s claim to authority? Authority must proceed downward from one who already possesses it, and the bestowal of it must be by physical ordination—hands to head. Not even Paul’s visionary encounter with the resurrected Savior on the road to Damascus constituted a priesthood-ordained call to the ministry. (See Acts 9:6; Acts 13:2-3) Not even Joseph Smith’s First Vision experience constituted a priesthood-ordained call to the ministry. Visions, dreams, good feelings, and promptings are wonderful communications for which we should all be grateful, but they should not be misinterpreted as a priesthood-ordained call to the ministry. Owning a Bible, holding a Bible in one’s hand, carefully reading the Holy Bible, and receiving the promptings of the Holy Ghost associated with prayerfully studying the Bible, do not and will not confer priesthood authority upon the reader no matter how sincere he or she may be. That erroneous assumption produces an unlimited supply of divergent, unauthoratatively-led Christian religions which all claim to be based upon the same Bible or some diluted modern translation of it.
It seems that few things anger the Savior more than those who assume the authority to act for Him when He has granted no such authority. “Will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?”, he asked. (D & C 132:10; See Jer. 23:21) The unapproved assumption of authority naturally results in using the Lord’s name in vain in a way that will likely carry more severe consequences than simply swearing and cursing in anger.
“Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips — For behold, verily I say, that many there be who are under this condemnation, who use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority.” (D&C 63:61-62) Authority, or the lack thereof, is the distinguishing feature between genuine priesthood and disingenuous priestcraft.
We are not to follow after those who do not hold the priesthood. The Lord chastised David Whitmer for allowing himself to be “persuaded by those whom I have not commanded.” But beware. The greatest condemnation is reserved for those who hold the priesthood and then turn against it. It is “amen to the priesthood and the authority of that man.” (D&C 121:37)
Beginning with Judas, there have been apostles, seventies, mission presidents, stake presidents, bishops, and others who have seriously violated the oath and covenant of the priesthood. One might ask: Why is such important responsibility entrusted by God to those who are or become untrustworthy? The Lord will not intervene to prevent people from doing evil because of his respect for our moral agency. He was the great champion of free agency in our pre-mortal world.
We are presently tested in a telestial world and our choices are unconstrained. If God were to jump in and prevent or punish every wrong, there would be no testing. It is a miracle that the instances of betrayed trust by holders of the priesthood are as rare as they are. The atonement will cover the victims and also the perpetrators conditioned upon repentance. As to those instances where the evil works have been hidden, the Lord declared: “But as you cannot always judge the righteous, or as you cannot always tell the wicked from the righteous, therefore I say unto you, hold your peace until I shall see fit to make all things known unto the world concerning the matter.”’ (D&C 10:37)
The scriptures can teach us much about the power of and need for the priesthood, which is the power to create an earth, and then bind or seal on earth and in heaven throughout the eternities. (Matt. 16:19) “[W]ithout the ordinances ..., and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh ...” (D&C 84: 21) From the New Testament we can learn that an ordinance such as baptism that is done without proper priesthood authority must be re-done, notwithstanding appropriate words of the ordinance were spoken (Matt. 7:22-23; Acts 19:13-16) and the prescribed physical procedure was followed (Acts 19:1-7). God is jealous of his authority, and he does not tolerate unauthorized hands burning incense in the temple or steadying the ark of the covenant, whether they be the hands of a king or the hands of a simple man with good intentions. (II Chron. 26:16-20; I Chron. 13:9-10)
Although God is a jealous God, he is not a stingy God. He desires that holders of the priesthood be ordained in each and every one of his congregations; (see Titus 1:5) and God bestows his priesthood upon common men like fishermen, tax collectors, tent makers, physicians, sheepherders, carpenters, (Matt. 4:18-22; Matt10:1) and all other honorable workers; and absolutely no portion of the priesthood can be acquired by religious training or education of any nature. No amount of money can purchase the authority to perform ordinances or otherwise act for God in matters pertaining to the salvation of man. (Acts 8:18-20) And among those who actually hold the priesthood, neither will God allow the acquisition of money or fame to be the motivation for performing His work. (I Peter 5:2; Micah 3:11-12; 2 Ne. 26:29)
“[E]very man which will embrace [the restored gospel and its commandments] with singleness of heart may be ordained and sent forth ...” (D&C 36:7) He desires that all worthy adult male members of the Church be called by inspiration and ordained to the priesthood, thus producing an army, “chosen of God, and precious, an Holy Priesthood, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation” of authorized workers. (I Peter 2:9) To put on Zion’s strength is to put on the authority of the priesthood. (D&C 113:8)
Every soldier in that royal army possesses authority to preside over his family in righteousness and to carry out his individual assignments in the kingdom, authority acquired from an unbroken chain of ordinations from hands to head extending all the way back to our Heavenly Father. In this dispensation, those ordinations extend back to the Savior through Peter, James, and John who laid their hands on the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1829.
I am grateful for the priesthood authority which I hold. I am grateful that Peter ordained Joseph Smith in the summer of 1829; I am grateful that on February 14, 1835, Joseph Smith, as instructed, ordained the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon to select and ordain the first twelve apostles in the Lord’s restored church. I am grateful that on that same date in 1835 the three witnesses ordained Brigham Young an apostle; I am grateful that on July 1, 1866, Brigham Young ordained Joseph F. Smith an apostle; I am grateful that on April 9, 1906, Joseph F. Smith ordained David O. McKay an apostle; I am grateful that on April 10, 1952, when I was but 5 years of age, David O. McKay ordained LeGrand Richards an apostle; I am grateful that on November 2, 1975, LeGrand Richards ordained Frank W. Riggs III a high priest; I am grateful that on May 21, 1978, when I was age 31, Frank W. Riggs III ordained me a high priest. (See also, D & C 27:12 and D & C 20:2-3)
Because of the restoration of the priesthood to the earth in these latter-days, every priesthood holder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a similar connective chain of ordinations, from hands to head, proceeding from the only true source of authority, God the Father himself who ordained his son Jesus Christ.
“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy [or inspiration from the Holy Ghost], and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.” (Articles of Faith 1:5) It is the possession of sacred authority that separates The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from all other churches of the world. [And because this authority is necessary for the conferral of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, it is only the members of the Church who have the opportunity for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.] It is through this priesthood authority that the Lord’s house is established and maintained as a “house of order, … and not confusion.” (D & C 132:8; see also 2 Chronicles 29:35) It is through this priesthood that its holders can boldly speak, teach, and act as one having authority. (See Mark 1:22, 27; Matthew 7:29; D&C 68:8; 3 Nephi 11:25; Moroni 8:16)
I conclude with this statement by President Gordon B. Hinckley: “What is the priesthood? [The priesthood] is veritably the power of the Almighty given to man to act in His name and in His stead. It is a delegation of divine authority, different from all other powers and authorities on the face of the earth … Without it there could be a church in name only, lacking authority to administer in the things of God. With it, nothing is impossible in carrying forward the work of the kingdom of God. It is divine in its nature. It is both temporal and eternal in its authority. It is the only power on the earth that reaches beyond the veil of death.” (“Priesthood Restoration,” Ensign, Oct. 1988, 71).
May we hold in honorable remembrance the restoration of the priesthood to the earth in these latter days.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.