Priesthood of believers

[mfbukowski]

12 hours ago, Olmec Donald said:

Like this?

Sweet - Thanks!  Relevant parts bolded.

I no longer have either book so I'm going by memory.  The text of Joseph's address in both books is actually Eliza R. Snow's notes, and then Joseph's introductory journal entry in "History of the Church" gives the purpose of his talk, again relying on memory so this is paraphrased at best, "to show the sisters how they would come into possession of the gifts of the priesthood." 

Wow!

Remembering page numbers?

Blessed Bovine!

Thanks!

[Olmec Donald]

1 hour ago, mfbukowski said:

Wow!

Remembering page numbers?

Blessed Bovine!

Thanks!

That was one of my favorite "fringe Mormon" topics and for whatever reason they stuck in my memory (or at least I think they did).  On the other hand, I sometimes have to do arithmetic to remember my age.

Edited November 3, 2021 by Olmec Donald

[mfbukowski]

On 11/3/2021 at 1:07 PM, Olmec Donald said:

That was one of my favorite "fringe Mormon" topics and for whatever reason they stuck in my memory (or at least I think they did).  On the other hand, I sometimes have to do arithmetic to remember my age.

Yah sure you are probably one of those people that remember what they had for breakfast on May 1 1998.

[RevTestament]

On 11/3/2021 at 5:53 AM, CV75 said:

This may have been covered already, that the priesthood is the power of God. It seems to me that everyone born on earth has a degree of this power with them and can exercise it in some fashion. I would say the priesthood is simply the power to do good. The aspects of power that were restored are the keys of the priesthood, which are the powers to delegate and direct the exercise of priesthood authority to perform a fulness of good (the work of God's kingdom). Christ delegated these keys to the First Presidency and they delegate from there.

I would say it slightly differently. The priesthood represents the authority of God, and the family of God. In fact I consider the Son to be an office of the priesthood. It is an office given by the oath of the Father who told Yeshua, "thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee." This office is not permanent, for His inheritance is to become the Father, and have the same authority, omnipotence and power of the Father - He will be the Father, see Isa 9:6, having inherited the government of the Father. In this way the Church is different from trinitarians, who hold the Son is not the Father, and is unchanging. 

The priesthood is not the power of God, but is the authority to access or exercise that power. Merely holding the priesthood, does not give one the power of God. However, I do believe the holier one is, the more access to God they will be granted. Jesus described feeling virtue leave Him - or being used to help another.

[CV75]

56 minutes ago, RevTestament said:

I would say it slightly differently. The priesthood represents the authority of God, and the family of God. In fact I consider the Son to be an office of the priesthood. It is an office given by the oath of the Father who told Yeshua, "thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee." This office is not permanent, for His inheritance is to become the Father, and have the same authority, omnipotence and power of the Father - He will be the Father, see Isa 9:6, having inherited the government of the Father. In this way the Church is different from trinitarians, who hold the Son is not the Father, and is unchanging. 

The priesthood is not the power of God, but is the authority to access or exercise that power. Merely holding the priesthood, does not give one the power of God. However, I do believe the holier one is, the more access to God they will be granted. Jesus described feeling virtue leave Him - or being used to help another.

Virtually every Church source defines priesthood as the "power and authority" of God. There are a couple of videos on the topic titled simply, "Power of God."

My comment was meant to address the concept of "priesthood of all believers". There is an element of truth to that concept, in that all people naturally have the power of God (to a degree, fundamentally through the Light of Christ), but it lacks a fulness if truth -- namely authority -- as restored (so far) through Joseph Smith.

"We should always remember that men who hold the priesthood are not “the priesthood.” https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/the-powers-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng&abVersion=V03&abName=GLOB88

 

[theplains]

On 11/2/2021 at 2:44 PM, mfbukowski said:

All authority comes from Christ, down through the prophet, and no, women are not ordained to the priesthood, but all the authority comes ultimately from Christ.  NO ONE gets authority on their own say so, women OR men.

Thank you. 

In my church, the women get their priesthood authority directly through Christ.  They don't need to seek
this authority from their male elders if they wished to baptize someone, for example.

[poptart]

Wanted to say thank you to everyone who replied, this thread had some great replies.  One of the many things I love about the LDS faith, they make grassroots stuff work, case in point the priesthood of believers.  As always, I appreciate the inciteful replies. This board really is a blessing.