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10
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“Behold, verily, I [the Lord], say unto you [Joseph Smith]… this generation shall have my word through you.”
– Doc. and Cov. 5:3a
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”
–
Hebrews 1:1–2
The Doctrine and Covenants is another book the RLDS church considers scripture. It is a compilation of revelations which Joseph Smith and his successors have claimed they received from God.
Early on, the revelations Joseph claimed to receive from God established that the words of “the prophet” were in essence, the words of God. On April 6, 1830, the day his church was organized, Joseph Smith gave a revelation in which the members were told that when he [Joseph] spoke, it was the same as God speaking.
“Behold
there shall be a record kept among you, and in it thou [Joseph Smith] shalt be
called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of
the church through the will of God the Father… Wherefore, meaning the church,
thou shalt give heed unto all his words, and commandments…for his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth” (Doc.
and Cov. 19:1-2).
In July, 1830, three months after the
above revelation was given, Joseph reportedly received a revelation in which he
told his followers that if they rejected his words God would curse them (Doc.
and Cov. 23:3a,b). To further insure his authority to speak for the Lord, Joseph
gave a revelation in September of that year which stated, “No one shall be
appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my
servant Joseph Smith, Jr., for he receiveth them even as Moses”(Doc. and Cov.
27:2a).
In May, 1832, having received more than sixty revelations, Joseph Smith was told to print them into a book entitled, “The Book of Commandments.”[1] In the preface of the book God allegedly said,
“Behold,
this is mine authority…and my Preface unto the Book of my Commandments which I
have given…unto you o inhabitants of the earth:…. Search these commandments,
for they are true and faithful and the prophecies and promises which are in
them, shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken I have spoken and I
excuse not myself.”[2]
Notwithstanding the Lord had pronounced the revelations in the Book of Commandments “true and faithful”, within the next two years, hundreds of changes were made in them. In 1835 the revised revelations were republished, along with additional revelations received by Joseph, in a book called The Doctrine and Covenants.
David Whitmer, one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, gave the following explanation as to why the many changes were needed in the original revelations.
“In the winter of 1834 they [a committee] saw that some of the revelations in the Book of Commandments had to be changed, because the heads of the church had gone too far, and had done things in which they had already gone ahead of some of the former revelations.”[3]
A comparison between the original revelations and the revised versions, reveal Joseph Smith’s changing theology. Some examples appear below.
|
BOOK
OF COMMANDMENTS 1833 |
DOCTRINE
AND COVENANTS 1835 |
|
1a.
“And each priest or teacher, who is ordained by a priest, is to take a
certificate from him at the time, which when presented to an elder, he is
to give him a license, which shall authorize him to perform the duty of
his calling.”[4] |
1
b. “Each priest, teacher, or deacon, who is ordained by a priest, may
take a certificate from him at the time, which certificate, when presented
to an elder, shall entitle him to a license, which shall authorize him to
perform the duties of his calling; or he may receive it from a
conference…every president of the high priesthood…bishop, high
councilor and high priest, is to be ordained by the direction of a high
council, or General Conference.”[5] |
|
2a.
“…and he [Joseph] has a gift, to translate the book [Book of Mormon]
and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I
will grant him no other gift.”[6] |
2b.“And
you [Joseph] have a gift to translate the plates, and this is the first
gift that I bestowed upon you, and I have commanded that you should
pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will
grant unto you no other gift until it is finished. ”[7] |
|
3a.
“…now this is not all, for you [Oliver Cowdery] have another gift,
which is the gift of working with the rod, behold it has told you things
…therefore whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that
will I grant unto you, that you shall know…” [8] |
3b.
“Now this is not all your gift, for you have another gift, which is the
gift of Aaron; behold, it has told you many things; behold, there is no
other power save the power of God that can cause this gift of Aaron to be
with you…you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no
power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is the work
of God. And, therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that
means, that I will grant unto you…” [9] |
|
4a.“…for
I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they
are; [Book of Mormon] and to none else will I grant this power, to receive
this same testimony, among this generation…” [10] |
4b.“I
will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they
are; and to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same
testimony, among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up,
and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness; clear as the moon
and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.”[11](Note:
Joseph Smith copied the phrase “clear as the moon, and fair as the sun,
and terrible as an army with banners” from the Song of Solomon (6:10.)
Yet, he excluded the entire book of the Song of Solomon from his version
of the Bible because he did not believe it to be inspired!) |
Over the years, the RLDS church has voted to move some of the revelations, such as Sections 107, 109, 110, 113 and 123, to the appendix of the Doctrine and Covenants. With subsequent editions it has removed these ‘inspired documents’ from the book entirely.
Joseph Smith’s concept of building Zion, (the kingdom of God) as a pre-requisite for Christ’s return, is the principle theme of the Doctrine and Covenants. He declared that Zion was to be established in Independence, Missouri and referred to it as the ‘New Jerusalem.’ His followers were instructed by revelation to gather to Independence from around the world, to build this kingdom.
“Gather
ye out from the eastern lands, assemble ye yourselves. . .and with one heart and
with one mind, gather up your riches that ye may purchase an inheritance [land
in and around Independence]…called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city
of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the most high God; and the glory
of the Lord shall be there…and it shall be called Zion. [And]… every man
that will not take his sword against his neighbor, must needs flee unto Zion for
safety. And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven;
and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another”
(Doc. and Cov.45:12-13).
For the remainder of Joseph Smith’s life a gathering occurred when he moved, as his people followed him from place to place believing that the Lord was directing him by the Holy Spirit. This was seen in the move from New York to Ohio and from Ohio to Missouri. Specific instructions for gathering were given in several of Joseph Smith’s revelations.
“
And now, behold, this is the will of the Lord your God concerning his Saints,
that they should assemble themselves together unto the land of Zion” (Doc. and
Cov. Sec. 63:8a).
“Let the work of the gathering be not in haste, nor by
flight, but let it be done as it shall be counseled by the elders of the
church” (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 58:12b).
“Therefore,
I [the Lord] must gather together my people according to the parable of the
wheat and the tares…. Purchase all the lands by money, which can be purchased
for money, in the region round about the land which I have appointed to be the
land of Zion for the beginning of the gathering of my Saints” (Doc. and Cov.
98:9a,f).
Samuel Taylor, grandson of an early apostle John Taylor, noted that many of the problems of the early Saints stemmed from this phenomena of gathering.
“The
prime cause of violence in Mormon history was the complete breakdown of
communication between the Saints and their neighbors. This was inherent in the
faith of the new sect—the concept of “gathering” that brought them tightly
together in colonies and set them apart psychologically. Conversion involved
withdrawal from the “world,” living in the world, but not being part of it.
(This is still [a] basic belief, and a prime reason for the mental wall,
sometimes called the Zion Curtain, surrounding Mormon country today)…. Total
lack of understanding and communication resulted from the “gathering”
concept, which actually amounted to a withdrawal not only from the world but
from reality, approaching faith-induced group schizophrenia.”[12]
The RLDS church, and especially the
restoration branches, take great pride in the fact that they are favored of the
Lord because of their special truths and ‘divine authority.’ They gain great
strength and security in gathering together to promote and preserve those
truths. There are currently several pockets of Saints who have formed Zionic
communities not only in Jackson County, but throughout the country as well. The
quest to build Zion has always been the primary goal of the Latter Day Saint
movement. However, this goal can never be realized simply because the idea was
initiated by Joseph Smith, not God.
The RLDS concept of Zion is inextricably tied to the story of Enoch as found in Joseph Smith’s Inspired Version of the Bible. Genesis 5:24 (KJV), says concerning Enoch, only that he “walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” However, in the Inspired Version of the Bible, Joseph Smith amplified this verse to read as follows, “And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion, And it came to pass, that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is fled.” (Gen. 7:78 I.V.).
Joseph added l22 verses in his Inspired Version to relate the story of Enoch. In this story, Enoch of old built a city called Zion, and both he and the entire city was taken up into heaven. There they would wait until a latter-day Zion was established by Joseph Smith’s followers.
“And
Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it
came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the city of
Holiness, even Zion…. And lo! Zion in process of time was taken up into
heaven…. And the Lord said unto Enoch, as I live, even so will I come in the
last days…. And righteousness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I
send forth out of the earth [believed by RLDS to be the Book of Mormon]…. And
righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth…to gather out mine own
elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare,
an holy city [Independence, Mo.] that
my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my
coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion; a New
Jerusalem. And the Lord said unto Enoch, then shalt thou and all thy city meet
them there and we will receive them into our bosom…. And all the days of Enoch
were four hundred and thirty year.”(Gen.
7:24–78 I.V.). (Note: The King
James Bible records that Enoch lived only
365 years.)
Joseph Smith included the above verses
in the Doctrine and Covenants, with a little variation (Doc. and Cov. 36:12-13).
It is from these and other related passages the RLDS have traditionally
concluded that Jesus’ second coming
cannot occur until they establish Zion.
Fred M. Smith, second prophet of the RLDS church, added this idealistic vision to what he termed the ‘perfect society’ of Zion.
“I
think perhaps most of you will agree with me that this state of perfection which
we have indicated as the great objective of the church, and the goal toward
which we are all aiming, spells Zion. For we must not forget that this Zion
glorified will become the justification
for the return of the son of man:
it is useless for us to find comfort in the promise that he has made that he
will return, so long as we fail to comprehend that upon us rests the responsibility of justifying his [Christ’s] return
to the earth. And that return will only be justified when we do have a
people working under perfect conditions and in perfect relations one with the
other”[13]
(emphasis added)
Establishing Zion, with Independence, Missouri as the Center Place, has been the goal of the RLDS church since its inception. This is borne out in an interview by former prophet Wallace B. Smith in which he stated, “Church founder Joseph Smith Jr. had designated Independence as the Center Place for the gathering of the Saints and the establishment of God’s earthly kingdom, called Zion or the New Jerusalem.”[14] The importance of Zion to the church cannot be over-emphasized. Andrew Bolton of the Zionic Relations Office has stated, “Zion, the kingdom of God on earth, is the melody of the Restoration movement. Without the vision and commitment of our people to Zion our history is scarcely worth telling.”[15]
The following excerpt given at a restoration conference emphasizes the importance of Zion in the RLDS belief system.
“There must be an overwhelming sense of urgency within us as we consider the responsibility which is ours in this last day. The entire world cries out for deliverance and hope. And though most don’t know it, they cry out to us [RLDS] that we might fulfill the latter-day purpose which is ours [the building of Zion] – that there might be some sense of order, some sense of purpose, some sense of peace in the lives of the people of this world…. For the weight of the welfare of the souls of all men rests squarely upon the shoulders of the Restoration.”[16] (emphasis added)
When the Bible speaks of Zion it refers to Jerusalem in the Middle East and makes it clear that Zion and Jerusalem are synonymous.[17] However, RLDS believe Zion will exist in two distinct places, Independence, Missouri and Jerusalem, and they quote Isaiah 2:3 as proof, “The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
Paul Trask explains how the RLDS misinterpret this verse.
“Joseph
Smith’s followers often cite this scripture and others like it to support this
idea that there will be two distinct centers of influence for God’s people—Zion versus Jerusalem. They
claim that ‘The law will go forth
from Zion’ whereas ‘the word
of the Lord (will go forth) from Jerusalem,’
as if these were two separate activities occurring in two separate cities.
And, of course, they claim that the Zion spoken
of here is a reference to the one in Independence, Missouri. In so doing they
have convinced themselves that the Bible prophesies of the Zion of Joseph Smith.
“But
rather than displaying a prophecy of their own Zion, RLDS actually display their
lack of understanding of the Old Testament. Major portions of the Old Testament,
and especially the Prophets and Psalms, are written in Hebrew poetic structure.
One of the predominant characteristics of Hebrew poetic structure is its use of
parallelism. While there are various types of parallelism, the most simple is
synonymous parallelism. In synonymous parallelism the thought of the first line
is echoed—and therefore reinforced—by the second line. This is done through
the use of words or phrases that have essentially equivalent meanings. Consider
the following examples.
‘The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul,
The
statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.’ (Psalm
l9:7)
‘I have swept
away your offenses like a cloud,
your
sins like the morning mist.’ (Isaiah 44:22)
“Therefore,
to cite Isaiah 2:3 in support of a Zion in Independence, Missouri is
self-defeating. The scripture actually proves that Zion and Jerusalem are
synonymous terms—they
are really just different names for
the same city.” [18]
“It is
clear that Joseph Smith created an ‘upside-down’ New Jerusalem which bears
no resemblance at all to the New Jerusalem of the Bible. In so doing he doomed
his followers to a life of confusion and frustration by trying to build a city
which was never anything more than a figment of his own imagination. And in the
process he has blinded them to God’s real plan as contained in the Bible.”[19]
The Bible says that the Kingdom of God comes not by observation, nor is it built by man, but that it is within us (Luke 17:2l) and it further states that “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink [visible] but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 4:17 KJV). Joseph Smith’s idea of a utopian society called Zion has no basis in scripture and offers a false hope for the RLDS people.[20]
To accomplish the task of building Zion, Joseph Smith devised two Priesthoods, the Aaronic and the Melchizedek. They are indispensable to the RLDS faith, because in them, the RLDS believe, rests sole authority to speak and act for God. The general purpose for these priesthoods include the following.
·
Provide authority to preach
the gospel
“Again I [the Lord] say unto you that it shall not be given to anyone to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority [RLDS priesthood] and it is known to the church that he has authority, and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the Church.” (Doc. and Cov. 42:4)
“Whatsoever they [the priesthood] shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord; shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord…and the power of God unto salvation.” (Doc. and Cov. 68:1c,f)
·
Perform the ordinances
The RLDS priesthood alone has, “the legal right to represent God in the ordinances of the gospel through which the power of godliness is made manifest.”[21]
·
“Teach but not be
taught”
God supposedly told Joseph Smith by revelation that RLDS priesthood members are sent out to “teach and not to be taught” (Doc. and Cov. 43:4). (This mind-set of “spiritual superiority” not only results in pride, but insulates RLDS priesthood from Godly correction. It also prevents them from considering any view but their own.)
·
The right to act in God’s
stead
The Evangelism Commission of the RLDS Church states concerning priesthood, “The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has its being in the action of God influencing Joseph Smith in the development of the Restoration movement…. The foundation of the church is divine…. The church is empowered with authority to act in behalf of its Lord to administer the ordinances through which the covenant is established and new life is begun. Our testimony is that God has invested the church with such authority and that he has called and ordained certain persons [priesthood members] to act in his stead…. We affirm that God has restored his church and that the process of restoration continues today.”[22]
·
The salvation of humanity
In
a revelation, Prophet Wallace B. Smith stated that God gave the RLDS priesthood
for the salvation of humanity, “Hear, O my people, regarding my holy
priesthood. The power of this priesthood was placed in your midst from the
earliest days of the rise of this work for the blessing and salvation
of humanity” (Doc. and Cov. 156:7a).
The Aaronic Priesthood was allegedly restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829 by John the Baptist. Joseph’s account of the experience is as follows.
“
‘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 [John the Baptist]
commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize
Oliver Cowdery and afterwards that he should baptize me.
“Accordingly, we went and were baptized,
I baptized him first and afterwards he baptized me —after which I laid my
hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic priesthood, and afterwards
he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same priesthood—for so we were
commanded.
“The messenger who visited us on this
occasion and conferred this priesthood upon us, said that his name was 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 Melchisedec, which
priesthood he said should in due time be conferred on us.”[23]
1. Only men from the tribe of Levi, who were descendants of Aaron, could serve in the Aaronic priesthood. Joseph Smith, who claimed to be from the tribe of Ephraim (Doc. and Cov. 108:6d), would have been disqualified from holding this priesthood (Num. 28:6-7).
2. Joseph and Oliver had not been baptized at the time John the Baptist ordained them to the priesthood, so according to RLDS teachings, their ordinations were invalid.
3. If their ordinations were invalid, then they baptized each other without priesthood authority, which made both baptisms invalid as well.
4. If the ordination of Joseph and Oliver by John the Baptist was authentic, there would have been no reason for them to ordain each other.
5. There were no New Testament Christians who exercised the office of Aaronic priest or High Priest.
Hal Hougey, who has written extensively on Mormonism, commented on this account of the Aaronic priesthood being restored by John the Baptist.
“This
story sounds like two children playing that they have a million dollars. Each
says he will give the other a million, and they go through the acts of giving
the money, but neither has any money when they finish, because neither had any
money at the start. This absurd and contradictory account could have been
completely avoided if Joseph Smith had simply said that the angel first baptized
them, and then conferred the priesthood on them. And this is what he would have
said if the story were true.”[24]
Major flaws are exposed in the RLDS Aaronic priesthood when it is compared with the Bible.
1.
The RLDS Aaronic priesthood includes the three offices: 1) priest, 2) teacher and 3)
deacon, whereas the Bible includes only
priests with a single high priest.
2. In the Bible, priests served in the Aaronic priesthood based on Aaron’s male descendants. The RLDS church does not follow this Biblical injunction, but instead, people are called to the Aaronic priesthood from ‘all sorts of people’ thus committing the same sin as that of Jeroboam in the Bible. The seriousness of the random calling of priests is shown in the Biblical account of Jeroboam, king of the ten northern tribes.
“Jeroboam
did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high
places from all sorts of people.
Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated…. This was the sin of the
house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face
of the earth” (I Kings 13:33-34).
3. The Lord declared the Law with its Aaronic priesthood obsolete at Christ’s atonement, “By calling this covenant new, he has made the first one obsolete [the Law with its priesthood]; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear” (Heb. 8:13). The Aaronic priesthood then, has no place in God’s plan after the atonement of Christ.
4. Both the New Testament and early church history confirm that there has never been an Aaronic priesthood in the Christian church. If anyone had started an Aaronic priesthood in the first century they would have been laughed right out of the church. Those early Christians understood that there was no need for one since its purpose and function ended with Christ’s crucifixion.
In
Summary
The Old Testament tabernacle, priesthood and sacrificial system was actually, “a 1400-year-long arrow pointing to the perfect work that Jesus would one day accomplish on the cross for our sins, ‘once—for all time’ (see Heb. 10:14). Consequently, the Mosaic law, including its integral Levitical priesthood, was completely and forever annulled by Jesus’ perfect and completed work on the cross on our behalf. In reality, it simply doesn’t exist anymore.”[25] Joseph Smith, by claiming to restore the Aaronic priesthood, completely ignored this Biblical truth.
Shortly after the ordination of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic priesthood, they were allegedly ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood by the apostles Peter, James and John. One of the most familiar statements concerning this ordination is found in the Doctrine and Covenants. Jesus, speaking to Joseph and Oliver, says,
“…John
[the Baptist] I have sent unto you my servant, Joseph Smith, Jr., and Oliver
Cowdery, to ordain you unto this first priesthood [Aaronic]…and also…Peter,
and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and
confirmed you to be apostles [in the Melchizedek priesthood].”(Doc. and
Cov. 26:3a,b).
F. Henry Edwards confirms the ordination of Joseph and Oliver to the Melchizedek priesthood when he wrote that it was, “under the authority of Peter, James and John that the Melchizedek priesthood was conferred on Joseph and Oliver.” [26] After being ordained by these three apostles, Joseph and Oliver then ordained each other to the Melchizedek priesthood (How on earth does this make sense?)
1. No man or woman can ever belong to the Melchizedek priesthood because Christ alone, holds this priesthood, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You [Christ] are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek’”(Psalms 110:4). Paul Trask notes that this prophecy in Psalms concerning the future Messiah, relates uniquely to the role of Jesus Christ who will rule and reign as both king and priest in the Messianic kingdom age yet to come (Heb. 4:14, 7:24).
“This
entire Psalm [110:4] is a powerful and prophetic description of the millennial
rule of Israel’s Messiah. Jesus applied it to Himself in Matt. 22:43-45; Mark
12:36 and Luke 20:42. Peter affirmed the early church’s Messianic
understanding of it in Acts 2:34-35. And the author of Hebrews makes numerous
Messianic interpretations of it as he unfolds to Israel its fulfillment in Jesus
(Heb.1:23; 5:6; 7:17,2l; 10:12,13). This scripture, then, alerts us to the fact
that Israel’s Messiah is to share the same type
of priesthood as Melchizedek. Indeed, the type of priesthood held by Melchizedek
was to actually prefigure that of the coming Messiah. And the way in which
Melchizedek’s priesthood did this was by possessing the designation of both
priest and king. This was perhaps a
surprising, yet important message for Israel to hear, since they had long
anticipated priestly ministry from only the sons of Aaron. To now learn that
their long-awaited Messiah, the highest priest of all, would not be of Aaron’s
lineage was a major reorientation for them.”[27]
2. When, at the atonement of Christ, the Aaronic priesthood was made obsolete, Jesus became our great and final high priest under the new covenant. He will never pass his priesthood on to another as all other high priests did upon their death, because He will never die, “Now there were many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood” (Heb. 7:24). In this passage, the Greek word for permanent is aparabatos, and is literally rendered untransferable or without successors. This puts to rest the idea that the Melchizedek priesthood could ever be held by anyone other than Christ Himself.
3. There never has been a Melchizedek priesthood system in the Christian church (every high priest, according to the Bible, belonged to the Aaronic priesthood which was done away in Christ). So then, Joseph Smith’s claim that the Melchizedek priesthood was restored to the earth in 1829 by Peter, James and John, is absurd.
The chart on the following page shows a comparison between RLDS high
priests and Biblical high priests.
RLDS Church
|
Bible
|
|
High priests belong in the Melchizedek priesthood. |
High
priests were unique to the
Aaronic priesthood. |
|
There
are many high priests functioning simultaneously in the RLDS Church today.
|
Only
one high priest functioned at a time.[28]
Christ is the only high priest functioning in the Christian Church today. |
|
High
priests are called at random, having no lineage traced to the tribe of
Levi. |
The
office of high priest was hereditary—only
Aaron’s descendants were eligible to serve as high priests. |
|
RLDS
high priests are sinners, and therefore are not able to save anyone. |
Our
great High Priest, Jesus Christ, is “able to save completely those who
come to God through him, because he always
lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need...
[because he is] holy, blameless, pure, set
apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Heb. 7:25–26). |
The Bible mentions three priesthoods: the Melchizedek, the Aaronic, and the Royal Priesthood of all believers. The Levitical (Aaronic) priesthood was instituted by God at Mt. Sinai when the law was given to Moses and was reserved for Aaron and his descendants only, and restricted to the tribe of Levi.
“Consecrate
Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests…The
priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance” (Ex. 29:9, 44).
“Appoint
Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone
else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death” (Num. 3:10).
In this Levitical priesthood the priest and high priest served in various functions in the tabernacle and later the temple. The Levites that were not Aaron’s descendants assisted them in these functions but could not perform the priestly duties, “The Lord said to Moses, bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the Tent of Meeting.”
The reason for the office of the Levitical (Aaronic) priest was to be a mediator between man and God offering sacrifices to God for the sins of the people. This need ceased to exist after the atonement of Christ, He having died once for all, for all time (Heb 10:10-12, I John 1:7).
As a result of Christ’s final sacrifice the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood was made obsolete and was replaced by Christ’s Melchizedek priesthood (Heb. 8:13). The book of Hebrews establishes the superiority of Christ’s Melchizedek priesthood, and explains why it is superior, “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood…why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?” (Heb. 7:11). The author of Hebrews goes on to say that this change in priesthood was necessary because it was impossible for the “blood of bulls and goats to take away sin” (Heb 10:4). No one could attain perfection under the old Aaronic priesthood system. Jesus alone makes us perfect by imputing to us his righteousness, “He sets aside the first to establish the second and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Heb. 10:9–13).
That Joseph Smith would include a Melchizedek priesthood in his church shows he lacked understanding of the Bible. In his book, Part Way to Utah: The Forgotten Mormons, Paul Trask summarizes the seriousness of Joseph Smith’s claim that mortal men can hold the Melchizedek priesthood.
“Since
the Biblical concept of a Melchizedek priesthood always refers to the unique and
exclusive role of Jesus Christ alone, any attempt by mere humans to appropriate
this title or ministry to themselves actually constitutes a form of blasphemy,
by usurping a unique title and function which
belong to Jesus alone. We conclude, therefore, that God could never have
authored the institution of a Melchizedek priesthood order within His church. He
would never do anything to detract from the glory due Him or His Son.
Furthermore, we hold Joseph Smith and his accomplices guilty of blasphemy by
attempting to restore a Melchizedek priesthood to the church—a priesthood
which was never there to begin with. The fact that they were led to do this by
spiritual forces they neither understood nor could control is no excuse for
their sin. And as if this wasn’t bad enough, they set up a system through
which many others would become partakers, albeit ignorantly, of this same
blasphemy.” (emphasis added)[29]
Speaking to the church the apostle Peter said, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (I Peter 2:9).
Unfortunately, Joseph Smith chose to
include in his church the two priesthoods that are not available to Christians (Aaronic
and Melchizedek) and neglected to include the only one that is, the Royal
priesthood! (For an in-depth Biblical study of the Aaronic and Melchizedek
priesthoods, see Part Way to Utah, the
Forgotten Mormons by Paul Trask.)
While all authority to act for God in the RLDS church is centered in their priesthood system, the Christian’s source of authority is found in Matt. 28:18-19, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’ ”
Accordingly, all born again believers have been given the power and authority to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. Bible scholar Walter Martin concludes,
“If
Mormonism insists on maintaining the fiction of its priesthood, it should be
pointed out that, although John the Baptist allegedly bestowed the Aaronic
Priesthood, and Peter, James, and John bestowed the Melchizedek Priesthood, the
Gospel of John declares that Jesus Christ bestows an authority and priesthood
[on believers] which surpass any other concept of authority…. True authority
is given by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and He gave both power and
authority to the church to proclaim the gospel to the earth…. The Christian
church has absolute authority in the words of the Lord Jesus and Holy Scripture,
but not in some mythical priesthood…. Let us resist any attempt by Mormonism
to equate its priesthood to the true priesthood and authority, which originate
only in Jesus Christ.”[30]
No doubt one of the strangest and most ambiguous of Joseph Smith’s revelations is found in Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants. There he tells of a vision in which he and Sidney Rigdon were shown Heaven, Hell/Prison house and the Lake of Fire.
The following excerpts are taken from Joseph Smith’s vision as recorded in Sec.76 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
1.
The three Glories
· Celestial Glory - (Highest glory, where God dwells, reserved only for baptized members of the RLDS Church)
“[These]
are they who received the testimony of Jesus [Joseph Smith’s gospel]…and
were baptized…according to the commandment which he has given, that by keeping
the commandments, they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and
receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and
sealed unto this [Latter Day Saint priesthood] power…. They are they…who
have received of his fullness…and are priests of the Most High after the order
of Melchisedec, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of
the only begotten Son: wherefore, as it is written they are gods….. These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose
glory is that of the sun…[whose] firmament is written of as being typical”
(Doc. and Cov. 76:5).
· Terrestrial Glory - (Middle glory, where Christ dwells but not God)
“And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and, behold and lo; these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn [celestial]…even as that of the moon differs from the sun of the firmament. Behold, these are they who died without law [Joseph Smith’s gospel] and also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison…who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it, these are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men; these are they who receive of his glory but not of his fullness; these are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fullness of the Father; wherefore they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial…. These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore they obtained not the crown over the kingdom of our God. And now this is the end of the vision which we saw of the terrestrial” (Doc. and Cov. 76:6).
· Telestial - (Lowest glory, where only angels minister)
“And
again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser,
even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the
firmament; these are they who received not
the gospel of Christ, neither the
testimony of Jesus; these are they who deny not
the Holy Spirit…. These are they who receive not of his fullness in the
eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the
terrestrial; and the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial: and
also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels…who are appointed
to be ministering spirits for them, for
they shall be heirs of salvation….
These are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas; these are they
who say they are some of one and some of another, some of Christ, and some of
John and some of Moses, and some of Elias; and some of Esais, and some of
Isaiah, and some of Enoch, but received
not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets;
neither the everlasting covenant…these are they who are liars, and sorcerers,
and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie…these
are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God until the fullness of times….
And where God and Christ dwell they can not come” (Doc. and Cov. 76:7,
emphasis added). [31]
The primary scripture Joseph Smith used to support his doctrine of three glories, is I Cor. l5:35-44 (KJV). But these verses taken in context, are simply answering the question ask in vs. 35, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” Paul was explaining the difference between our earthly bodies and the heavenly bodies that we will receive when we die.
Many RLDS also cite 2 Cor. 12:2 as a proof-text for there being three glories in heaven. However, when the Paul spoke of being caught up to the third heaven in this verse, he only meant that he had been in the presence of God. When the Bible speaks of heavens in a plural sense, it is speaking of three different realms which make up the heavens, l) the atmosphere where the birds fly (Gen. 7:11, Acts 14:17), 2) outer space where the stars and galaxies exist (Psalm 33:6, Isaiah 13:10), and 3) the place where God resides (2 Cor. 12:4, I Kings 8:30).
The idea that there are three separate glories (or kingdoms) in heaven is not a Biblical concept and therefore the vision Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon claimed to have had could not have been given by God.
2.
Hell/prison house
Joseph Smith taught that hell was a temporary place for those who will
have a second chance after this life to receive the gospel.
3. Lake of fire
The lake of fire is the final destination for those who have once accepted Joseph Smith’s gospel and then rejected it.
“Thus
saith the Lord, concerning all those who know my power and have been made
partakers thereof, and suffered themselves, through the power of the Devil, to
be overcome and to deny the truth [Joseph Smith’s teachings] and defy my
power, they are they whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor
in the world to come; having denied…the only begotten Son…. These are they
who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone…the only ones who shall
not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord” (Doc. and Cov. 76:4).
After moving to Far West, Joseph Smith began exploring the land for possible settlements. One of the men in his party discovered the ruins of what appeared to be an altar. After examining it, Joseph concluded that it was an altar built by Adam and exclaimed, “This is the valley of God in which Adam blessed his children…and upon this very altar Adam himself offered up sacrifices to Jehovah…. Here Adam, the Ancient of Days, shall come to visit his people. He shall sit on a throne of fiery flame, as predicted by Daniel the prophet, ‘with thousand thousands ministering unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him.’” [32]
Joseph told his men the place was to be named Adam-ondi-Ahman.[33] He claimed “it was the place to which Adam fled when driven from the garden of Eden…and that Far West was the spot where Cain Killed Abel.”[34]
In a revelation, Joseph gives added information concerning Adam-ondi-Ahman:
“Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch and Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-on-Diahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing. And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the Prince, the Archangel. And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him, I have set thee to be at the head: a multitude of nations shall come of thee; and thou art a prince over them forever. And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation and…being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation. These things were all written in the Book of Enoch” (Doc. and Cov. 104:28a,b, c, 29:b).
Not surprisingly, this revelation has been removed from the current
edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Could it be, that it is this type of
‘proclamation’ from Joseph Smith that is embarrassing RLDS leaders today,
and one of the reasons why they are distancing themselves from his teachings?
Joseph Smith included an office of Patriarch in his Melchizedek priesthood. The duty of the patriarch is to give a special blessing to members who request it. Joseph Smith’s father, Joseph Sr., was called to be the first Patriarch of the church followed by Hyrum Smith.
The calling of Joseph Smith’s brother Hyrum, to the office of Patriarch is recorded in the following revelation.
“I [the Lord] say unto you [Joseph Smith]…that my servant
Hyrum may take the office of…patriarch…. That from henceforth he shall hold
the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people, that,
whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curseth shall be cursed….
And from this time forth, I appoint unto him that he may be prophet, and a seer and revelator unto my church, as well as my servant
Joseph…whereby he [Hyrum] may…be crowned with the same blessing, and
glory, and honor” (Doc. and Cov. 107:29).
There are at least three discrepancies in this account of Hyrum’s calling.
According to a previous revelation given to Joseph Smith, the Lord said “… there is none other appointed…to receive commandments and revelations until he [Joseph Smith] be taken” (Doc. and Cov. 43:1b)
Christ alone is worthy to receive Glory!
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jacob’s twelve sons and David, are the only patriarchs mentioned in the Bible. There is no priesthood office of Patriarch in the Christian church.
Joseph Smith Jr.’s Patriarchal blessing. Below are excerpts from Joseph Smith’s Blessing, given by his father, Joseph Smith, Sr., on Dec. 9, l834.
“Joseph, my son, I lay my hands upon thy head in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to confirm upon thee a father’s blessing…. Thou hast been called, even in thy youth to the great work of the Lord: to do a work in this generation which no other man would do as thyself. A marvelous work and a wonder has the Lord wrought by thy hand…. Thou shalt hold the Keys of this ministry, even the presidency of this church, both in time and in eternity. Thy heart shall be enlarged, and thou shalt be able to fill up the measure of thy days according to the will of the Lord. Thou shalt speak the word of the Lord and the earth shall tremble; the mountains shall move and the rivers shall turn out of their course. Thou shalt escape the edge of the sword, and put to flight the armies of the wicked. At thy word the lame shall walk, the deaf shall hear and the blind shall see.
“Thou shalt be gathered to Zion, [Indep.
Mo.] and in the goodly land thou shalt enjoy thine inheritance; thy children and
thy children’s children to the latest generation…And now, my son, what more
shall I say? Thou art as a fruitful olive and a choice vine…. Thou shalt stand
upon the earth when it shall reel to and fro as a drunken man, and be removed
out of its place: thou shalt stand when the mighty judgments go forth to the
destruction of the wicked: thou shalt stand on Mount Zion when the tribes of
Jacob come shouting from the north, and with thy brethren, the sons of Ephraim,
crown them in the name of Jesus Christ: Thou
shalt see thy redeemer come in the
clouds of heaven, and with the just receive the hallowed throng with shouts
of hallelujahs, praise the Lord. Amen.”[36]
(Emphasis added)
Note the predictions in Joseph’s Blessing that did not come to pass.
He would be able to fill up the measure of his days. (He was killed at age 38)
He would speak the word of the Lord and the earth would tremble. (There is no record of this happening)
He would speak the word of the Lord and rivers would turn out of their course. (This did not happen)
He would put to flight the armies of the wicked. (Instead it was Joseph Smith and his followers that were put to flight from Kirtland, Independence, Far West and Nauvoo)
He would be gathered to Zion, Independence, Missouri, and enjoy his inheritance. (Joseph died in Nauvoo, and did not return to Independence to enjoy his inheritance).
He would stand upon the earth when it reeled two and fro and be removed out of its place. (This did not occur)
He would see Christ return in the clouds of heaven. (A short ten years after receiving this blessing, Joseph Smith was killed by a mob in Carthage, Ill.)
The
above examples of unfulfilled promises should be very sobering to RLDS since
they put great trust in their Patriarchal blessings. Many times the recipient is
told in their blessing which of the twelve tribes they belong to and what
“special work” the Lord has for them to do. Numerous individuals have been
told in their blessing that they would live
to see Zion but have long since
passed away. Patriarchal blessings, (a form of divination or sooth-saying), have
a profound effect on church members, and for many, bond them to the church their
entire lives.
In 1835, Joseph Smith gave seven lectures in the school of the prophets at Kirtland, Ohio. They were included in the original edition of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants but were removed in 1894. Some examples of Joseph Smith’s theology in these lectures are listed below.
“For as we have previously observed, all the heavenly beings [angels] work by this principle [faith] and it is because they are able so to do that they are saved, for nothing but this could save them.” [37] (Joseph Smith is saying here that angels need salvation!)
“But notwithstanding all this, he [Christ] kept the law of God and remained without sin; showing thereby that it is in the power of man to keep the law and remain also without sin.[38] The Bible says, “If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him [God] out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives” (I John 1:10).
Joseph asked, “How many personages are there in the Godhead:” Then answered, “Two: the father and the son.”[39] Christians believe the Trinity: God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, which constitute one God.
“For any portion of the human family to be assimilated into their likeness [God and Christ] is to be saved and to be unlike them is to be destroyed. And on this hinge turns the door of salvation.”[40]
“Where is the saved being? We conclude as to the answer of this question…it is Christ. We will agree in this that he [Christ] is a saved being. ” [41]
The above statements made by Joseph
Smith are in opposition to sound Christian doctrine. RLDS will often exclaim to
their Christian friends, “We believe just like you do.” However, excerpts in
the chart below, taken from Joseph Smith’s revelations, show clearly that this
is not the case.
|
DOCTRINE
AND COVENANTS |
BIBLE |
|
Speaking
of Baptism for the Dead, Joseph Smith said, “This doctrine was the
burden of the scriptures. Those Saints who neglect it in behalf of the
deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation.”
(Teachings of Joseph Smith the Prophet, by Joseph Fielding Smith, p. l93)
Joseph commented further in a revelation concerning baptism
for the dead, “This most glorious of all subjects belonging to the
everlasting gospel.” (Doc. & Cov. 110:17a, 1955 ed.) |