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Authoritative Priesthood John 15:16: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit. With the apostasy, revelation from God ceased, leaving uninspired men without priesthood authority. The early reformers realized that only God could bring authority back into His church. Roger Williams lived in an isolated religious condition, preaching the gospel to the Indians, but refused to participate in the ordinances. His biography states, “He denied that any ministry now exists which is authorized to preach the gospel to the impenitent or to administer the ordinances.” Mr. Williams was convinced that the apostasy of Anti-Christ had so far corrupted all, that there could be no recovery out of that apostasy, until Christ sent forth new apostles to plant churches anew. John Wesley in a sermon said, “What could God have done which He hath not done to convince you that the day is coming, that the time is at hand, when He will fulfill His glorious promises; when He will arise and maintain His own cause, and to set up His kingdom over all the earth?” The reformers recognized what Isaiah foretold: And it shall come in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left. (Isaiah 11:11) In spite of the darkness that would come, here was a promise that the Lord would make things right, and restore His church with an authoritative priesthood once again. At the beginning of the latter day restoration in 1830, an angel of God restored the priesthood, conferring upon Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery, first the Aaronic and later the Melchisedec priesthood. Of this experience they wrote: “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 unto us, “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 sin: 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.” (Joseph Smith, Church History, volume 1, page 35) The restored church of 1830, known today as the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints, arose from the fact that there had been a departure from the New Testament faith. This ancient faith was restored by divine revelation. The apostasy from the original faith consisted of a series of errors that were multiplied and which were taught in the name of Christian religion and resulted in a departure from the true and living Church. During the Reformation various attempts were made to reform the Church. Thus many churches arose which taught conflicting doctrines and caused great religious confusion. It has been generally admitted that none restored the simplicity and purity of the gospel as it was in the New Testament age, neither could they do so, for the Church was of God, divinely revealed and manifesting His power. Only God could reorder and restore it to its original condition, not man. A divine religion must be based upon divine authority. When this divine authority is committed to man, it is called priesthood. The priesthood on earth represent God, except when men reject Him and forfeit the right to divine guidance. In the New Testament church, the divine law required that only those who were called of God should be ordained to the ministry. Not only was the priesthood called by God, but also each man was ordained to a particular office. The priesthood of that age included apostles, prophets, evangelists, bishops, seventies, elders, priests, pastors, teachers, and deacons. These priesthood offices make up the Aaronic and Melchisedec divisions of the priesthood. Men called and authorized of God to teach and to administer the ordinances of the church filled the priesthood offices. In the course of time, failure to follow this practice enabled false teachers to obtain priesthood. Many errors and false doctrine crept into the Church. Paul and others had warned the Saints about these false teachers. II Timothy 4:3-4: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned into fables. II Peter 2:1: But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in abominable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Paul insisted that those to be ordained must be divinely called. Hebrews 5:4: And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. “On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, while the veil was parted and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously looked for message, and the keys of the gospel of repentance!... I shall not attempt to paint to you the feelings of this heart, nor the majestic beauty and glory which surrounded us on this occasion: but you will believe me when I say, that earth, nor men, with the eloquence of time, can not begin to clothe language in as interesting and sublime manner as this holy personage.” (Church History, volume 1, pages 37, 38) From the revelations of Isaiah to the insights of the reformers, the Lord moved to restore His church with authoritative priesthood. This church today is the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. |
