LDS Religion Section

Priesthood Authority Restored

April 29, 2005

Perhaps the greatest announcement we make to the world is that the ancient priesthood authority of the Lord Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. The priesthood was restored through the personal visitations of John the Baptist, and later the Lord's apostles Peter, James and John visited the young Joseph Smith. These men came to lay their hands on Joseph's head to bestow the priesthood, in the same manner this gift was given in ancient times. Here is the account of what occurred as Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were progressing on the translation work of the Book Of Mormon from the ancient plates:

We still continued the work of translation, when in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying:

"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."

He said this Aaronic Priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter; and he commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and afterwards that he should baptize me...

The messenger who visited us on this occasion, and conferred this priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which priesthood he said would in due time be conferred on us...
History of the Church, by Joseph Smith, Vol 1 p.41

What is the Priesthood?

The priesthood is the authority to perform sacred ordinances and to act in the name of God. It is God's authority and power, delegated by Him to those whom he calls. Such men must be ordained - through the laying on of hands - to the priesthood. The Latter-Day Saint position then, accepting the account of Joseph Smith to be factual, is that this priesthood authority has been restored to the earth after after a long absence (the apostasy). Further, those ordained to the priesthood in the LDS church actually have this real authority, traceable back through others who received it, to Joseph Smith, and from Joseph to Peter, James and John who ordained him, and from them finally to Jesus Christ himself.

Some questions of the Christian reader

Many people don't understand, or perhaps don't accept that there is a need for the priesthood. I would like to ask a few questions of these people, and then examine what the bible has to say about it. First, most will accept the idea that baptism is an essential priesthood ordinance (John 3:5), and yet can anyone perform this ordinance? Without real priesthood authority, how is one man to claim to be a servant of God and to thus baptize another? Surely if a man is to perform such an act in the name of God or Jesus Christ, he ought to have valid authority to do so?

Every civilization and society has some structure of power and authority. It is necessary to allow the society to exist. For example, I am not a policeman. If someone happened to be speeding down the road near my home and I decided to stop them and attempted to give a speeding ticket, how would they react? Or, in another example, would we accept a verdict in a case from a pretend court, or from a man impersonating a judge? Of course not. Every orderly society has authorities to administer the laws. And these authorities would have to be granted real power from the state or government, or their actions would be a sham.

God also has a government (Isaiah 1:26, 2:3). God's house is a house of order, not chaos. God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33,40). God's government system is perfect. He calls righteous men as prophets, and gives them his power and priesthood authority. They are called to teach the gospel and to organize the church. God has always acted in this way (Amos 3:7). Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Isaiah, all were prophets. They in turn ordained others as God inspired them to.

Some further questions then: How exactly does one receive priesthood authority? Can we obtain it through attending a college or seminary? Which one exactly? What accrediting body has authority to bestow the priesthood of the Almighty? Where did they obtain it?

Or will sufficient study of the scriptures, or a man's personal virtue qualify him to legally perform baptism or other sacred ordinances? Some may say "A person simply feels the spiritual call come to him, and this means he has priesthood." But the scriptures do not bear this out.

Scriptural Evidence

There is an encounter recorded in Luke 20:2-8, where the chief priests and scribes question Jesus. They ask him by what authority he performs his works. Thus we see that the Jews were familiar with at least the notion of priesthood authority. Jesus answered their question with one of his own. He asked them about John the Baptist. "The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? (v.4)" They could not answer him. Do we not see in this that Jesus acknowledges the reality of priesthood authority? John the Baptist certainly had it, whereas the scribes and Jewish priests did not - although they claimed it. It then certainly is possible to baptize and not have the baptism accepted in heaven, then it would only be "of men".

Recorded in Acts is an account where the Apostles laid their hands on the heads of certain new converts to the church, and they received the gift of the Holy Ghost. A man named Simon was jealous and sought to buy this priesthood power with money.

And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money. Saying, "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." But Peter said unto him, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." Acts 8:18-20

Another important scripture about the priesthood is found in the writings of Paul to the Hebrews. Paul teaches how the priesthood is obtained.

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God... And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 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. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. Heb. 5:1-5

How was Aaron called? He was ordained, together with his sons, by Moses to the priesthood (Exodus 28:1). There are in fact two priesthoods. The first, the Aaronic (or Levitical), is called the preparatory priesthood. It has powers as described by John the Baptist when it was first conferred (see above). The duties of the Aaronic priesthood are mainly the outward ordinances such as baptism, administering the sacrament, etc. The higher priesthood is called the Melchizedek priesthood. Paul speaks about Melchizedek (or Melchisedec) in his epistle to the Hebrews - chapter 7. He was a righteous king over the land of Salem to whom Abraham paid tithing (Heb 7:2).

Jesus Christ himself was an apostle and high priest after the order of Melchizedek (Heb 7:11, 3:1). What do other churches understand about any of this? Only through the lens of the revealed and restored Gospel do these scriptures make any sense. In a revelation on the priesthood to the prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed the following:

Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God. 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 the priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood. D&C 107:2-4

There are numerous details about the priesthoods and the offices within them which I won't cover here. The crucial point is that the priesthood of God has been restored to the Earth in all it's fullness. That is a grand announcement to the world. If it is true, and the reader must judge, then it means that the sacred ordinances that are required for men to become saved in the Kingdom of God are available. Real baptism, performed by the servants of God here on earth and recognized by heaven, is possible. I testify that these things are real, for I have seen and felt their power. I have witnessed miracles performed, and have seen the blessings of the priesthood in my own life.

I would invite all who read this to learn more about it. I hope you will seek out more information through talking with the missionaries, accepting a Book of Mormon, or visiting an LDS church service. I testify to you that the Lord's Gospel has been revealed in this day, in its fullness. The priesthood is here.

Feel free to email me.