“Priesthood: The Power of Godliness”
Lesson 25
– D&C 84:33-44; 121:34-46; D&C 107; Our Heritage, pgs.
26-27
This lesson will help us gain a greater understanding of the
priesthood, its covenants and blessings.
Both the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods were restored
in 1829 before the organization of the Church.
After the Church was organized, the Lord began to reveal the complete
organization of the priesthoods’ offices, quorums, and councils. Today, the Lord continues to give
revelations about the priesthood to guide the growth of the Church. One example
is the calling of the Area Authority Seventies and the organization of the
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Quorums of the Seventy in 1997. The following is the historical timeline of
the Priesthood:
The oath and covenant of the priesthood reveals the
covenants made by men to God and by God to men concerning the Melchizedek
priesthood.
·
Elder Carlos E. Asay said: “Of all the holy agreements pertaining to the
gospel of Jesus Christ, few, if any, would transcend in importance the oath and
covenant of the priesthood. It is
certainly one of the most sacred agreements, for it involves sharing of
heavenly powers and man’s upward reaching toward eternal goals” (Ensign, Nov.
1985, 43).
·
Joseph Fielding Smith taught: “…the blessings of the
priesthood are not confined to men alone. These blessings are also poured
out…upon all the faithful women of the Church…The Lord offers to his daughters
every spiritual gift and blessing that can be obtained by his sons, for neither
is the man without the woman, not the woman without the man in the Lord” (Improvement Era, June
1970, 66).
Priesthood holders’ covenants are found
in D&C 84: 33, 36, and 39-44:
·
Be faithful in obtaining the Aaronic Priesthood and
the Melchizedek Priesthood (33)
·
Magnify their callings
(33).
President Gordon B. Hinckley said:
“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…We magnify our calling, we enlarge the potential of our priesthood
when we reach out to those in distress and give strength to those who falter…We
magnify our calling when we walk with honesty and integrity” (Ensign, May 1989,
48-49)
Giving counsel about achieving the
correct balance between priesthood service and support of our families, Elder
Neal A. Maxwell said: “Sometimes, unintentionally, even certain extracurricular church
activities, insensitively administered, can hamper family life. Instructively,
after the resurrected Jesus taught the Nephites, He said ‘Go ye unto your
homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said,’ and pray and prepare ‘for
the morrow’ (3 Nephi 17:3). Jesus did not say go to your civic clubs, town
meetings, or even stake centers!” (Ensign, May 1994, 89)
·
Receive the Lord’s servants (36). When we accept the messages and ordinances
of the gospel from the Lord’s servants, we also receive the Lord.
·
Give diligent heed to the words of eternal life (43-44)
The Lord covenants to:
·
Sanctify us by the Spirit (33),
meaning that we become pure and holy.
This baptism, which truly makes us Saints as the Holy Ghost removes
impurities from us, is also called “the baptism of fire”.
·
Renew our bodies (33). This promise may have reference to our
resurrection, when those who have lived a celestial law will be resurrected
with a perfected, celestial body. In
addition, President Hugh B. Brown bore testimony that this promise was realized
in the long life and health of President David O. McKay as well as many of the
Church leaders as they are sanctified because of their priesthood service.
·
Give us the blessings promised to Abraham and his
posterity (34). These include blessings mentioned in Abraham
2:9-11…the blessings of the gospel, salvation, and eternal life.
·
Make us His elect, or chosen (34)— the
“elect” belong to the “church” and “kingdom” of God and will be exalted in the
celestial kingdom and have membership in “the church of the Firstborn”.
·
Give us all that the Father has
(38)—including eternal life, which is “the greatest of all the gifts of God,”
·
Give His angels charge over us (42)—we
will have heavenly beings protecting and prompting us to do those things which
will further the work of the Lord and develop celestial attributes within us.
·
D&C 121:34-40 reveals that some priesthood holders are
not able to exercise the priesthood with power because they are too worldly,
aspire to vanity and worldly honors, attempt to cover sins, gratify their pride
or vain ambition, or exercise unrighteous dominion. The priesthood may be used only in righteousness and a spirit
of love in the service of others. Elder
M. Russell Ballard said: “Those who hold the priesthood must never forget that they have no
right to wield priesthood authority like a club over the heads of others in the
family or in Church callings…Any man who…seeks to use the priesthood in any
degree of unrighteousness in the Church or in the home simply does not
understand the nature of his authority.
Priesthood is for service, not servitude; compassion, not compulsion;
caring, not control” (Ensign, Nov. 1993, 78)
·
D&C 121:41-42 reveals principles for exercising the
priesthood—persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness and meekness, love unfeigned,
kindness, pure knowledge, humility and guilelessness.
·
D&C 121:43-44 teach principles for giving correction or
discipline. (Note: Betimes means
“promptly” or “soon”. Sharpness means “clearly” or “precisely”.)
·
D&C 121:45 counsels us to “let virtue garnish thy
thoughts unceasingly”, and D&C 27:15-18 explains that we can do that by
taking upon us the whole armor of God and the shield of faith.
·
In D&C 121:45-46, the Lord promises, if we are “full of
charity” and “let virtue garnish [our] thoughts unceasingly”, that our
confidence will wax strong in the presence of God and the Holy Ghost shall be a
constant companion. Elder Gordon B.
Hinckley said: “It
has been my privilege on various occasions to converse with Presidents of the
United States and important men in other governments. At the close of each such
occasion I have reflected on the rewarding experience of standing with
confidence in the presence of an acknowledged leader. And then I have thought,
what a wonderful thing, what a marvelous thing it would be to stand with
confidence—unafraid and unashamed and unembarrassed—in the presence of
God. This is the promise held out to
every virtuous man and woman” (Improvement Era,
Dec. 1970, 73).
Responsibilities of the presiding quorums in the Church:
The First Presidency: D&C 107:9, 22, 65-66, 78-81,
91-92; 112:30-32. “…officiate in all offices”,
“…form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church”, “…one be appointed…to preside
over the Priesthood…”, accept appealed cases of church courts and make the
“final decision upon controversies in spiritual matters”, “…preside over the
whole church… be a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet…”,
“be…counselors”, and hold the keys of the dispensation.
The Quorum of the Twelve: D&C 107:23, 33, 35, 39, 58; 112:30-32. “…special witnesses…of Christ in all the world”,
…”officiate in the name of the Lord”…”…build up the church, and regulate all of
the affairs…in all nations”, proclaim the gospel and preside over the
missionary work, “…ordain evangelical ministers”, “…ordain and set in order all
the other officers of the church..”, and hold the keys of the dispensation.
The Quorums of the Seventy: D&C 107:25-26, 34,
38, 97. “…preach the gospel, and to be especial
witnesses..”, be equal in authority to the Quorum of the Twelve, ”…build up the
church, and regulate all of the affairs…in all nations”, preach and administer
the gospel, and be “traveling ministers”.
Lessons are
available at www.NeumannInstitute.org