What Is God's Power?

In this episode of Gospel First, join Joe Cirillo as he explores the multifaceted nature of the priesthood, its authority, and the significance in the lives of believers. Learn about its restoration, governance, and keys, as well as its role in the organization of God's kingdom on earth.

Transcription:

The word priesthood has two meanings. First, priesthood is the power and authority of God.  “When we [act] in the name of the Lord, as holders of the priesthood, we are doing it in the name and in-behalf of our Heavenly Father. Second, Priesthood is the power by which our Heavenly Father works through men”.

Rooted in God's eternal power and authority, the priesthood serves as the cornerstone of His work on earth. From the creation of the universe to the governance of earthly affairs, God utilizes the priesthood to fulfill His divine purposes. We read in Moses 6:7 “ Now this same Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world also.”

Those entrusted with the priesthood bear the responsibility of representing the Lord and executing His will. As President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “We are the Lord’s agents; we represent him; he has given us authority which empowers us to do all that is necessary to save and exalt ourselves as well as his other children in the world. “We are ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our commission is to represent him. We are directed … to do what he would do if he were personally present”.

In the spring of 1835, Joseph Smith received a revelation explaining the name of the priesthood: He says quote; “There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood. Now why is the first  called the Melchizedek Priesthood?  It’s 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 that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.  All other authorities or offices in the church are appendages to this priesthood. … The second priesthood is called the Priesthood of Aaron, because it was conferred upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations. This priesthood is called the lesser priesthood because it is an appendage to the greater, or the Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in administering outward ordinances”.

Following the apostasy that ensued after the death of Jesus Christ and His apostles, the priesthood's authority was lost. However, it was restored to Joseph Smith in the 19th century through heavenly messengers, marking a pivotal moment in religious history.

Elder Burke Peterson stated that “All of us who hold the priesthood have the authority to act for the Lord, but the effectiveness of our authority —or if you please, the power that comes through that authority —depends on the pattern of our lives; it depends on our righteousness”.  

In the D&C 121:34–37, the Lord has made it clear to us that we must live righteously to have not only the authority, but also the power of the priesthood: “Behold, 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.

“That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man”.

The source of the power of the priesthood is God, who works through the Holy Ghost.  To have the Holy Ghost direct us in using the priesthood, we must keep the commandments and live worthily. Power in the priesthood comes to us only from our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. With the power of the priesthood, we can do the Lord’s work; without it, we cannot.

To function in the Priesthood one must have the keys of the Priesthood.  A key unlocks the door to a house. We cannot appropriately enter a house unless we receive the key or the owner’s permission. Likewise, except for the right that husbands and fathers have to bless their families, a man who holds the priesthood can use it only when he receives proper permission. A priest, for example, has the authority to ordain another to an office in the Aaronic Priesthood, but he cannot do it without receiving permission to do so from his bishop.  This power to give permission is called the keys of the priesthood.

President Joseph Fielding explained: “These keys are the right of presidency; they are the power and authority to govern and direct all of the Lord’s affairs on earth. Those who hold them have power to govern and control the manner in which all others may serve in the priesthood. All of us may hold the priesthood, but we can only use it as authorized and directed to do so by those who hold the keys”.  

Jesus Christ has always held all of the keys of the priesthood and in John 15:16 we read that when He first called His twelve Apostles, Jesus gave all of them the priesthood. Matthew 17:1–9 teaches us that before Jesus was crucified, He gave the keys of the priesthood to Peter, James, and John.  This was done on the Mount of Transfiguration.  However, in the centuries that followed the death of the Apostles, these keys were lost; and before men could exercise the priesthood again, these keys had to be restored. For this reason we read in  D&C 27:12–13 the Lord sent Peter, James, and John to the Prophet Joseph Smith to restore the Melchizedek Priesthood and the keys of that priesthood.  It says:

12 And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;

13 Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fullness of times, in the which I will gather together in gone all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;

These sacred keys have been given to all the Apostles and prophets of the Church and are held by the prophet and Apostles of the Church today. Although each Apostle holds all the keys of the priesthood, it is the Lord’s plan that only one man at a time exercise these keys on behalf of the Church.

President Joseph F. Smith explained: “In their fullness, the keys are held by only one person at a time, the prophet and president of the Church. He may delegate any portion of this power to another, in which case that person holds the keys of that particular labor.

Thus, the president of a temple, the president of a stake, the bishop of a ward, the president of a mission, the president of a quorum, each holds the keys of the labors performed in that particular body or locality. His Priesthood is not increased by this special appointment”.

Some rights are given to a man automatically when he is given the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood. For instance, when a man receives the Melchizedek Priesthood, he is given the authority to give father’s blessings, to give blessings of comfort, and to administer to the sick. He will hold these rights as long as he bears that priesthood. Even death cannot take this authority from him.

Because the priesthood is sacred, we are told to use it with care. The priesthood is therefore governed in an orderly way to avoid confusion and prevent its misuse. 

D&C 132:8 reads; “Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion”.

Such order has always been a part of the Lord’s kingdom on earth. We learn in Exodus 18:17–22  Moses, for example, learned the necessity of order soon after he was called to lead the Israelites. The Israelites needed leadership to keep them united, but Moses found it impossible to guide all the people by himself. He therefore chose “able men, such as fear God, men of truth” and called them to be rulers. He set apart some to be rulers of hundreds, some to be rulers of fifties, and others to be rulers of tens. He then taught them how to preside over their groups.

In conclusion, today our priesthood leaders are given the keys of the priesthood so we can be led in an orderly way and receive the necessary ordinances of the gospel under the direction of Jesus Christ himself through His living Apostles and Prophets.

This concludes our lesson on Priesthood.  The next lesson we’ll focus on is  “The Power of Prayer. “  

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