General Conference October 2014, Saturday Morning Session

Welcome to conference

A Christian friend once spent some time with Mormons in New Zealand researching a paper. He visited with Christian friends there and asked them how they felt being surrounded by so many Mormons. His question mystified them. The Mormon community was so small, they insisted, as to be negligible. He realised that spending time surrounded by Mormons, listening to their self-aggrandising conversation, had put in his mind a completely false picture of the strength of the Mormon Church in that community.

The same is true, multiplied a hundredfold, listening to Thomas Monson welcome the faithful and the habitual to conference. It’s “a great world conference” he insists. People are gathered, “in locations around the world to listen to and learn from the brethren and sisters whom we have sustained as General Authorities and general officers of the Church.”

We are told this is the 90th anniversary of conference broadcasts, the 65th of television transmission. Modern media and technology are being harnessed and he lists them; “television, radio, cable, satellite transmission, and the Internet, including on mobile devices.” “The church” is busy, busy, busy…but, like my friend, we mustn’t be fooled.

The Mormon church has no more temples to announce for now and they don’t have the population of “worthy” members to fully utilize the ones they have. They have had to lower the age at which they call missionaries to achieve the 88,000 he boasts of because numbers were falling at an alarming rate just a few short years ago. And the 15 million membership is largely numbers, names on record, and mainly in the United States. In conference Mormonism seems ubiquitous; out here we see the real scale of things.

Sacrament

If I were to pick one talk in this session to take away with me it would be Cheryl Esplin’s on the power of the sacrament. Mormons, of course, don’t understand that there is more than one sacrament in Christ’s church but she is to be forgiven for following the Mormon convention of calling what we know as communion the sacrament.

She speaks of the power of the sacrament to bring healing and wholeness to the sinner, the importance of renewing covenants at the table (Christians are a covenant people), and the strength we get from the Saviour to help us walk in his ways. Cheryl Esplin is the 2nd counsellor in the primary general presidency.  There is much to commend this talk and if I were a Mormon I would want this woman teaching my grandchildren.

That said, the glow quickly comes off these sessions for me and I want to demonstrate how with a talk about loyalty, another about agency.

Loyalty

Loyalty is an abiding theme for Mormons and Lynn Robbins’ talk is much of a kind as he challenges people not to give in to peer pressure. His is a worthy message as he warns us not to reverse the first and second great commandments given by Jesus to, “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”…and to, “love your neighbour as yourself.” (Mt.22:37-39)

Another context might have lent it greater authority and, certainly, the basic theme would be worthy of any Christian pulpit. This context, however, makes it political as much as theological.

He offers a robust challenge to defy the world and make the commandments our priority. I confess my heart leapt at it, and I cheered him on as, quoting Proverbs 29:25, he warns of the snare that waits those who fear men more than God. His examples are good as he warns us against those temptations that appeal to our compassionate side, eliciting sympathy and drawing us in to condoning sin. He quotes CS Lewis, one of my favourite Christian apologists and fast becoming popular with Mormons:

“Courage is … the form of every virtue at the testing point. … Pilate was merciful till it became risky.” (C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters)

Mormon leaders owe a great debt of gratitude to Christian thinkers down the years, though, given the way they talk about us behind our backs, you wouldn’t think it.

But then certain words and sentences began to stand out for me as carrying the greatest significance in the context of a Mormon conference at the beginning of the 21st century:

“Prophets through the ages have always come under attack by the finger of scorn…”

“The scornful often accuse prophets of not living in the 21st century or of being bigoted. They attempt to persuade or even pressure the Church into lowering God’s standards to the level of their own inappropriate behavior (sic)…Lowering the Lord’s standards to the level of a society’s inappropriate behavior (sic) is—apostasy…”

“Some members don’t realize they are falling into the same snare when they lobby for acceptance of local or ethnic “tradition[s] of their fathers” (D&C 93:39) that are not in harmony with the gospel culture. Still others, self-deceived and in self-denial, plead or demand that bishops lower the standard on temple recommends, school endorsements, or missionary applications…”

“When others demand approval in defiance of God’s commandments, may we always remember whose disciples we are, and which way we face…”

It became very pointed and I thought of Kate Kelly, founder of the Ordain Women movement, who was excommunicated for little more than having a view of Mormon priesthood. You can read about it here. Then there is the on-going struggle within Mormonism to hold onto their perfect “families are forever” message while addressing the question of gay relationships. You can read a New York Times report on Dallin H Oaks’ words on the subject at this conference.

This was the church using a low-ranking General Authority to send a shot across the bows of any who might be wavering. This was Mormonism struggling to hold the line against the rising tide. We might sympathise, except our loyalty as Christians is not to an institution, nor to its leaders. It is certainly not bought by intimidation, but by the love of Christ that compels us (2 Cor.5:14-15).

Mormons struggle with the tension between agency and authority. The Mormon Church relieves that tension periodically by making gestures, such as the website dedicated to gay issues, even by changing doctrine, such as allowing Black men to hold the priesthood and take their families through the temple. But make no mistake, the price is unquestioning loyalty to the church and, where it can, it demands such loyalty.

Agency

Countless thousands of hymns, songs, and choruses have been produced over the centuries. Some have become household favourites, church-wide anthems, others have been forgotten, some regrettably, some deservedly. The hymn I want to bring is wonderful!

I bring it because of something that was shared in this session by D. Todd Christenson of the quorum of the twelve. You can read him hear. Speaking of agency, he presented the classic Mormon doctrine of salvation, demonstrating that in the essentials Mormon teaching is just as wrong and dangerous as ever it was.

Mormon “salvation” is of the greasy pole variety. It is driven by vain ambition for godhood, it reflects the classic can-do attitude of the culture from which it sprung, chains people to a system that will never deliver what it promises, and it offers no real help for poor sinners who realise the impossible task set before them. The hymn words I bring hold out that hope, absent from Mormon teaching, and I want to explain why.

Christenson’s theme runs, “It is God’s will that we be free men and women enabled to rise to our full potential both temporally and spiritually.” He declares:

God intends that His children should act according to the moral agency He has given them, “that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.” It is His plan and His will that we have the principal decision-making role in our own life’s drama.

This is a version of the fifth century heresy of Pelagianism, which insists that mortal man is capable of justifying himself by good works without justifying and enabling grace. Pelagius wrote:

“It was because God wished to bestow on the rational creature the gift of doing good of his own free will and the capacity to exercise free choice, by implanting in man the possibility of choosing either alternative…he could do either quite naturally and then bend his will in the other direction too. He could not claim to possess the good of his own volition, unless he was the kind of creature that could also have possessed evil. Our most excellent creator wished us to be able to do either but actually to do only one, that is, good, which he also commanded, giving us the capacity to do evil only so that we might do His will by exercising our own. That being so, this very capacity to do evil is also good – good, I say, because it makes the good part better by making it voluntary and independent, not bound by necessity but free to decide for itself.”

The similarity is striking! But both Pelagius and Christenson deny the Bible’s teaching on original sin.

“…sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…” (Ro.5:12)

When did all men sin? When they chose that path and began sinning in this life? No!  All men sinned when Adam sinned. Death and sin are not natural to man in his original state; sin brought death. Sin is our inheritance because we are “in Adam.” This is why Paul wrote that, “all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin…None is righteous, no not one…” (Rom.3:9-10)

Paul is very clear in stating that, “by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners.” (Ro.5:19) and that “as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Cor.15:22)

Note this is not universalism since it clearly states that all “in Adam,” or of the line of Adam, will die because “in Adam” many were made sinners, and sin brings death. By the same token, all “in Christ,” or born-again into the line/family of Christ will live because in Christ they are made alive. That is why Christ is called “our ever living head” in the Christian hymn “I Know That my Redeemer Lives” found in the LDS hymnbook (136). They sing it but hardly could they be accused of believing it.

This is as fundamental as it gets for Christians. Read the first eight chapters of Romans and I defy you to get a different message. Nothing else could explain how we are “justified by faith [and] have peace with God” (5:1); this is how Paul can write confidently, “For by grace you have been saved, through faith…” (Eph.2:8); this is how we can know no condemnation – because we are “in Christ Jesus” (8:1)

How does a person transfer their heritage from Adam to Christ? “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no-one can boast.” (Eph.2:8-9)

Mormonism teaches a form of universalism that is reiterated in this talk.

We are forever grateful that the Savior’s (sic) Atonement overcame original sin so that we can be born into this world yet not be punished for Adam’s transgression. Having been thus redeemed from the Fall, we begin life innocent before God and “become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for [ourselves] and not to be acted upon.” We can choose to become the kind of person that we will, and with God’s help, that can be even as He is.

In the Mormon scheme this universalism is what they call “salvation.” But the Bible clearly states that salvation is a) by faith and not universally distributed and b) faith puts the believer “in Christ,” and salvation by grace through faith thus means life eternal. It is clear that the Mormon scheme has Christ deal with Adam’s sin for everyone, faithful and faithless, clearing the way for us to “rise to our full potential.”

If there were any doubt read his words further:

So God does not save us “just as we are,” first, because “just as we are” we are unclean, and “no unclean thing can dwell … in his presence…And second, God will not act to make us something we do not choose by our actions to become. Truly He loves us, and because He loves us, He neither compels nor abandons us. Rather He helps and guides us. Indeed, the real manifestation of God’s love is His commandments.

What an appalling state of affairs! Where the Bible states that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, Mormonism teaches that all are saved whether they believe or not, and only those who follow the Mormon plan can truly know God, indeed, reach their full potential in becoming gods. Consider those words, “So God does not save us “just as we are,” first…” This is the antithesis of Jesus’ message:

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

Paul wrote:

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Ro.10:9-10)

The Mormon will now have rattling around in his head the familiar trope “faith without works is dead,” (James 2:20) and would be quite right. The apparent conflict between Paul and James is not a conflict of ideas however but a difference of ministry. Paul is writing, indeed Jesus is speaking to a people who need salvation. It is a missionary work. James is writing to a saved people and firmly reminding them that we are saved by grace alone but that grace does not come alone. God does save us “just as we are,” but he does not leave us as we are. You can read more about this on The Mormon Chapbook.

But now consider the hymn I started talking about. It is entitled Just As I Am. Here is the plea of the sinner, here the answer to Paul’s question, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” May the Lord reveal its wonderful truth.

Just As I Am

Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt;
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive;
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thy love unknown
has broken every barrier down;
now to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
the breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
here for a season, then above:
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

---

Words: Charlotte Elliott, 1841

Music: Woodworth, Saffron Walden, St. Crispin, Misericordia

Teachings of Lorenzo Snow Manual, Chapter 17 by Gary Carter

Chapter 17 – Priesthood – ‘for the Salvation of the Human Family’

 

As we approach the end of the book, we have seen many trends in Snow’s theology such as specific Mormon theology being wrapped around orthodox Christian theology. This can be seen in our discussions on salvation by works and the Trinity. This trend is still prevalent in chapter 17 but this time we shall be exploring a different topic, priesthood, godliness and the theology of generations and godliness. In terms of priesthood and godliness, we shall be exploring the difference that Snow makes between ‘conferring’ godliness and ‘acquiring’ godliness and the importance within Mormonism of priesthood authority. In terms of generations, we shall be exploring the responsibilities of priesthood with regards to generations past, present and future and what the Bible has to say regarding the topic of generation.

 

On page 212, we find a very interesting couple of sentences:

 

‘We expect in the resurrection to exercise the powers of the priesthood – we can exercise them only in proportion as we secure its righteousness and perfections; these qualifications can be had only as they are sought and obtained, so that in the morning of the resurrection we will possess those acquisitions only which we secured in this world! Godliness cannot be conferred but must be acquired, a fact of which the religious world seems[s] strangely and lamentably unconscious.’

 

What makes this section interesting is this difference that Snow makes between ‘conferred’ and ‘acquired’. These terms are very different when we consider the actions of God and behaving in a godly manner. When a person is conferred with something, the implication is that the person being conferred in essence sits and receives whatever is being conferred upon them. There is no agency on the part of the ‘conferee’. The entire agency is with the ‘conferer’ as the one conferring the gift, in this case godliness. ‘Acquired’ has an entirely inference and meaning. Let us look at an example, when I acquire food; it means that I have worked to earn the money to go and buy the food. In essence, to acquire, one must work for it. Another relevant example, using the referenced section as a guide, would be qualifications. When one acquires a qualification, one has worked towards one and spent the money on course fees. There is work and effort to attain and acquire the qualification. The agency is all with the ‘acquirer’ not the one who ‘confers’ what has been ‘acquired’. When we look at this through the eyes of godliness, Snow is arguing that we can acquire godliness through the ‘proper spiritual qualifications’ not that God confers the godliness on us.

 

There are some New Testament scriptures that may prove helpful in investigating Snow’s argument.

 

 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; (2 Peter 1:3-6)

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:1-2)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Timothy 6:11)

The idea that links these verses together is the ‘mystery of godliness’ and that this mystery is something that comes from God himself. It is from God that the gifts of godliness come from God himself. If there is any ‘qualification’, these qualifications flow from God. There are no ‘proper spiritual qualifications’ such as priesthood that to be obtained by humanity in their own strength. Faith alone is the only ‘qualification’ (Titus 1:1-2).

 

The next interesting aspect when we look for unique Mormon theology is the idea of priesthood as a vehicle for the salvation of generations that Snow discusses in this chapter. The particular quotation that we shall be referencing is:

 

‘Upon you rest high and sacred responsibilities, which relate not only to the salvation of this generation, but of many past generations, and many to come’.

 

This idea of salvation for past generations is linked to the idea of baptizing the dead, an idea that we can find in Doctrines and Covenants 128 with links to Joseph Smith’s interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29. Mormonism teaches that if a living member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is baptized by proxy on behalf of somebody who is deceased properly in a temple, then that person can be saved despite his or her death. The title of this chapter therefore is incredibly pertinent. In Mormon theology, priesthood does actually bring salvation for the whole human family as that extends into the past and the deceased. This can be linked with an idea that Bruce McConkie terms as the Patriarchal Chain that binds us all faithful humanity to Adam. By fulfilling the responsibilities that Snow states that all those who are members of the priesthood have towards the past generations, this must include baptisms for the dead to bring them salvation.

 

There are a number of verses from the Bible that raise questions about this doctrine. One particular verse of interest is 1 Timothy 4:18.

 

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

 

Not only does this verse state that works (bodily exercise) do not profit us in terms of salvation, but this verse also speaks of the biblical pattern on generations. We can see that the present is mentioned in this verse. We can also see that the future generations are also mentioned. What is not mentioned in this verse is the past and the past generations. This pattern is seen in other biblical texts. An example of this is the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 when God speaks of punishing to the fourth generation those who indulge in idolatry but blessing of those who worshipped the name of the Lord to the thousandth generation. What is not mentioned is the past and any punishment or blessing for those who have already died. The idea of baptism for the dead and using godliness and godly authority as a way to achieve salvation for the deceased past generations that will not be in the present or the future does not stand side by side with 1 Timothy 4:18 and Exodus 20. It also does not stand with Hebrews 9:27 which states that we shall be judged according to our acceptance of Christ. It also goes against Romans 2:3 which states that we cannot escape the judgment of our God. One could argue that the doctrine of the baptism of the dead is a potential ‘escape’ from the truth of Romans by attempting to change the judgments of God after death.

 

What can we say in conclusion? We can say that we can see two distinctive Mormon doctrines through the medium of the priesthood. We can see that Snow argues that there are certain qualifications needed for godliness, therefore salvation and these are achieved through holding the priesthood offices. We can also see that it is the responsibility of the priesthood holder to ‘save’ the past generations through the baptism of the dead. What links these two areas together is the act of the human. The human being has to ‘acquire’ the spiritual qualifications for godliness. The human being has to act by baptizing the dead to save those who have already died and met their God. The human actions are emphasized and not the actions of God. This emphasis on the human and not God, something we see repeatedly with Snow, is something that is not in line with the pattern of scripture and where Mormonism and Christianity differ.

Choose The Right Jesus

Do you know Jesus?

Knowing people is a fascinating part of life, seeing the different aspects, personalities, preferences quirks etc of people is always very interesting. It goes without saying that some people we only get to know to a very limited extent and some we really build relationships and maybe build a life together with.

The more important someone is to us the more likely we are going to know them better, that’s again basic stuff, but leads right into looking at Jesus. Those who know Him to any extent know that He is the most significant, life changing person that ever existed.

In the Bible we see that eternal life comes from knowing Jesus.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

This is a massive issue, many people in the world today often think that if they just do their best in life and let the good things they do outweigh the bad then they will be ok. We see Jesus Himself speak to people here that were seemingly doing good things.

Matthew 7:21-23   Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 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.

If we do not truly know Jesus even good works that we do are nothing to Christ. Isaiah 64:6 says we are ALL unclean and our good works are like filthy rags to God. Knowing Jesus is what truly saves, not anything that we can do.

So who is this Jesus? This article is going to look at two areas.

1, The person of Jesus.

2, The Offices of Jesus.

So for number 1 We see that Biblically Jesus is completely and utterly God.

Colossians 1:16 says For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

All things created By Him and For Him.  We see that the Saviour is not only able to create, but the things that He creates are created for Him. We see this in Isaiah.

Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

We see that this old Testament God that created man for His glory, this Jesus in the New Testament created all things for Himself. If Jesus was not God He would be subject to the wrath of this Old Testament God as we see here:

Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

In Philippians we see the amazing humility that this Jesus displayed in coming to earth and doing all that He did for us.

Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus thought is not robbery to be equal with God. That is very significant. In the New Testament greek we see “Theos” as the word used to mean God, which is mostly by far referring to the Father. We see here then that Jesus thought it not robbery to be equal to the Father. This is because of His absolute glory and majesty before He came to the earth.

 

Consider this scene in Batman Begins.

Here we see Bruce Wayne trying to experience the Criminal world without ever actually becoming a criminal. He is caught robbing a warehouse but rightly claims he is no criminal because He actually owns the warehouse. He thought it not robbery to take items from it, this is the same with Jesus absolute equality with His Father. However in Mormonism we see a different story.

Also its worth noting that in the LDS Church it is taught that most of the references to God in the Old Testament are the pre human Jesus. It is taught that Jehovah is Jesus and Elohim is God the Father, here is a quote from a past Mormon Apostle James Talmage.

“It is to be remembered that the Personage most generally designated in the Old Testament as God or the Lord, is He who in the mortal state was known as Jesus Christ, and in the antemortal state as Jehovah” (Articles of Faith, 465-466).

However Biblically this seems to not be the case. In the Hebrew when it says Lord it is referring to Jehovah and when it says God it is referring to Elohim, with that in mind consider these verses.

• “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him” (Deut. 4:35).
• “That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else” (1 Kings 8:60).
• “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;” (Psalm 100:3).
• “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God” (Zech. 13:9).

Here is a quote from 10th Mormon President Joseph Fielding Smith showing something of the LDS view of the nature of Christ.

“CHRIST GAINED FULNESS AFTER RESURRECTION. The Sav- ior did not have a fulness at first, but after he received his body and the resurrection all power was given unto him both in heaven and in earth. Although he was a God, even the Son of God, with power and authority to create this earth and other earths, yet there were some things lacking which he did not receive until after his resurrection. In other words he had not received the fulness until he got a resurrected body, and the same is true with those who through faithfulness become sons of God. Our bodies are essential to the fulness and the continuation of the seeds forever” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:33). 

In Mormonism Jesus is another one of us. Just elevated initially because He was the firstborn of our heavenly parents. He had to go through the same plan of salvation that we all do, so that then what was lacking in Him could be made complete. This is not the Jesus of the Bible. This is actually not humility.

Ask yourself the question, if Jesus coming to the earth and carrying out the Atonement for us, brought upon Himself an eternity of honour and glory in His exaltation, where was the sacrifice in what He did on the earth? Was it not really an opportunity?

Jesus said unless you believe that I AM He, you will die in your sins. (John 8:24) Do you really believe that Jesus is the great I am? The eternal glorious creator of all things who never needed anything, who never had need of anyone to give Him council, who is eternally glorious?

Or is He your elder brother, simply going through the same plan of salvation you are, and may one day be your equal, depending on how you live your life?

Secondly,  I want to focus on the Offices of Christ. Actually I am going to look at just one, that is his Priesthood.

In Old Testament times High Priests carried that role one person at a time until death, we see that stated in Hebrews.

Hebrews 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

Old Testament High Priests daily offered sacrifices to seek to atone for the sins of themselves and Gods people. This was their most significant role. This role is now totally fulfilled and complete in Christ.

Hebrews 7:24-28   But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Jesus, because He will never die has the role of the High Priest forever. The primary role of the High Priest is done and that role is held eternally by Christ. There is no longer the need for human priests to mediate between God and man and here is why:

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Yet in Mormonism we see this:

Doctrine and Covenants 68:19

“But, as a high priest of the Melchizedek Priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices he may officiate in the office of bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, provid- ed he is called and set apart and ordained unto this power, under the hands of the First Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood”

15th LDS President Gordon B Hinckley

“We have more than 18,000 bishops in the Church. Every one is a man who has been called by the spirit of prophecy and revelation and set apart and ordained by the laying on of hands. Every one of them holds the keys of the presidency of his ward. Each is a high priest, the presiding high priest of his ward. Each carries tremen- dous responsibilities of stewardship. Each stands as a father to his people” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Shepherds of Israel,” Ensign (Conference Edition), November 2003, p. 60).

Biblically we see one high Priest, that person is Jesus, He carries that role forever like no one ever could. In Mormonism there are thousands of high Priests. An easy way to see the difference between a Mormon and a Christian is to ask who their high Priest is. The Mormon points to a man in their ward, the Christian points to Jesus.

In the great commission we see Jesus say this, watch as this is massively significant!

Matthew 28:18-19  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto ME in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Jesus said all power is given to ME therefore go! Do you want to know why you NEVER see a Priesthood blessing referenced in the New Testament? Its because its not the power or authority of the priesthood that the Church needs, but rather it is the power and authority of Jesus.

Hebrews 1:3 says Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

All things are upheld by His Word, by His word He calmed a storm (Mark 4:39), raised a dead man (John 11:43) forgave sin (Luke 5:20), healed the sick (Luke 5:24), and called Apostles (John 1:42) this Jesus word alone carried more power than any church governmental authority, He has all power and authority by vitrtue of His nature alone.

If you are in Jesus then all the power and authority you need is given unto you, because He has it, and has said GO. You are commissioned, equipped, and empowered by being in Christ.

Finally and most significantly, Salvation comes from His name and no other place. If you know and trust Christ your eternity is sealed in Him.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do you know this Jesus? Has He saved you to the uttermost? Is His authority in you? Do you look to Him for all you need or is it found in an organization? The answer will affect your eternity.