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The Melchizedek Priesthood
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Eternal Marriage
Contents:
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Prophet Joseph Smith
President Brigham Young Elder Bruce R. McConkie Diagrams:
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Defining the Melchizedek
Priesthood The Eternal Blessings and Privileges of the Melchizedek Priesthood
The Abrahamic Covenant and Its Restoration |
| Questions for Review |
The Prophet Joseph Smith
Defining the Melchizedek Priesthood
Teachings, p. 166
... [the Melchizedek Priesthood] is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation and every important matter is revealed from heaven. Its institution was prior to the "foundation of this earth...", and [it] is the highest and holiest Priesthood, and is after the order of the Son of God, and all other Priesthoods are only parts, ramifications, powers and blessings belonging to the same, and are held, controlled, and directed by it. ...
[the Melchizedek Priesthood] is the channel through which the Almighty commenced revealing His glory at the beginning of the creation of the earth, and through which He has continued to reveal Himself to the children of men to the present time, and through which He will make known his purposes to the end of time.
... the Melchizedek Priesthood ... holds the highest authority which pertains to the priesthood, and the keys of the Kingdom of God in all ages of the world to the latest posterity on the earth; ...
President Brigham Young
The Eternal Blessings and Privileges of the Melchizedek Priesthood
Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 49
The Priesthood of God, that was given to the ancients and is given to men in the latter days, is co-equal in duration with eternity—is without beginning of days or end of life. It is unchangeable in its system of government and its Gospel of salvation. It gives to Gods and angels their supremacy and power, and offers wealth, influence, posterity, exaltations, power, glory, kingdoms and thrones, ceaseless in their duration, to all who will accept them on the terms upon which they are offered.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
The Abrahamic Covenant and Its Restoration
The Mortal Messiah, Book 1, p.56
Abraham is everywhere revered as the father of the faithful and the friend of God. Whatever patriarchal lines may have been for the first 2,008 years of man's life on this earth, with the advent of Abraham in 1996 B.C., the Lord centered all things in his friend from Ur. From that day onward as long as time should roll or the earth should stand, the decree was that faithful spirits (in the main), those who would believe God and work righteousness, would come to earth as Abraham's seed. Those not of his literal bloodline who accept the gospel are adopted into his family, become his seed, and rise up and bless him as their father.
With Abraham, and then with Isaac, and then with Jacob, the Lord made the covenant that their seed would continue, both in the world and out of the world, as innumerable as the sand upon the seashore or as the stars in heaven for multitude. This is the promise of eternal increase that is made in connection with celestial marriage, and that has been restored in modern times. It was restored by Elias and Elijah: by Elias, "who committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham," under which commission all who enter into celestial marriage receive the promise that in them and in their seed after them shall all generations be blessed; and by Elijah, who brought back the sealing power so that once again legal administrators could seal on earth and have it bound eternally in the heavens.
The Prophet Joseph Smith
The Melchizedek Priesthood and the Abrahamic Covenant
Teachings, p. 171; Journal of Discourses 6:238
... the keys of this Priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah ... in a familiar and friendly manner, [and in obtaining] the keys, the covenants, the power and the glory, with which [the Lord] blessed Adam at the beginning ...
This is why Abraham blessed his posterity--he wanted to bring them into the presence of God. ... In the first ages of the world they tried to establish the same thing: and there were Eliases raised up who tried to restore these very glories, but did not obtain them: but they prophesied of a day when this glory would be revealed. Paul spoke of the dispensation of the fulness of times, when God would gather together all things in one, &c.; and those men to whom these keys have been given will have to be there; and they without us cannot be made perfect.
The "Good Tidings" of Abraham (Abraham 2:9-11)
The Sealing Power
The power and authority by which the administration of any of the blessings of the Gospel of Abraham made by a righteous mortal priesthood holder--which administration is made by means of ordinances and covenants--would be recognized (or validated) in eternity.
The Orders of the Priesthood (D&C 107:1, 5-8, 18-20)
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Priesthood Organization in the Church (D&C
107:21-27, 30)
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1. What promise from the ancient Abrahamic Covenant is a key component of eternal marriage? (Elder Bruce McConkie)
2. What is a blessing included in the oath and covenant of the priesthood? (Doctrine & Covenants 84:33-38)
3. How should decisions be reached in quorums–and likewise in families? (Doctrine & Covenants 107:27,30)
4. How can one exercise "unrighteous dominion"? (Doctrine & Covenants 121:37)
This web page was published only as a support for classroom
discussion.
For more information, contact Dr. Marcus Martins at:
martinsm@byuh.edu