Over the last couple of years the “Power of the Priesthood”
has been emphasized over and over again. We have been implored to study it and
build up our Power in the priesthood. We have been directed to do this in meetings
throughout the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. To include General
conference, Sacrament, Priesthood, Stake Priesthood, Sunday School meetings. It
is a trend that if you haven’t noticed is considered really important, and you
must not be paying any attention at all.
The Priesthood is important and holds a very important place
and is spoken of in the scriptures, specifically in the Doctrine and Covenants,
but really mostly ignored through all other works of scripture. The Book of
Mormon hardly even uses the term, Priesthood. In fact only Alma the Younger
uses the term Priesthood at all in the Book of Mormon.
For a man who has been given the responsibility over the
Church his father established and the responsibility over the National religion
as inherited from King Mosiah, who ran the equivalent of the States Religion, with
the transition to governance by Judges verses the past Theocratic Monarch. Then
as Alma the younger stepped away from his role of Chief Judge he repeatedly
struggled to convey his authority to the people, now having separated the
Church from state it is no wonder we have his words regarding the role of
Priesthood Authority, but never does he mention Priesthood Power!
Most places in the Book of Mormon where you would expect to
find the term Power of the Priesthood it talks instead of the Power of the Holy
Ghost which is oddly not something we talk much of in the Lexicon of the
Church. Although I feel most of the time when we say Power of the Priesthood we
are really talking about the Power of the Holy Ghost. If the book that holds
the “fullness of the gospel” is so silent on Priesthood how important can the Power
of the Priesthood be.
If you look for the exact term “Priesthood power” you will
find zero (0) references. Only a quick search of the exact phrase “Power of the
Priesthood” will you find any references to this doctrinal topic in all conical
scripture. You might be surprised to find there are only two (2) results for this
term that is so important.
They are found in D&C 128:8 and D&C 132:45 and in
both cases they are talking about the exact same thing. This makes it really
easy to identify what the Power of the Priesthood is. I encourage all to read
these verses and there surrounding verses to uncover the mystery to Power of the
Priesthood’s importance.
All I can weed out of these verses is that Priesthood Power
is the administration process by which ordinances, specifically sealings, are
recorded on Earth and in Heaven to have eternal import. Wait! What?
The Power of the Priesthood is simply and most accurately: The
administrative function of recording simultaneously the accomplishment of
sealings on Earth and in Heaven. Which is truly a remarkable thing, but why are
we spending so much time talking about it, and why are we attaching so much to
it that is simply not there according to the scriptures.
I admit my search criteria might be considered overly
restrictive. If you were to search for instead “Power of” you will get many
more results. But here is a synopsis of those that pertain to the question at
hand.
Doctrine and Covenants 113:8 – Denotes that The power of the
Priesthood is to bring again Zion, and redemption if Israel by putting on
Priesthood Authority. This is talking about what Priesthood Authority has the
power to accomplish, not “Power of the Priesthood.”
Doctrine and Covenants 112:30 – Talks about Power of the
Priesthood as it relates to Priesthood Keys over a dispensation, once again
Authority not some ominous Power.
Doctrine and Covenants 131:5 – Talking about the means by which
a person is sealed up unto eternal Life.
Most of the other 40+ search results are talking about the
Power of the Holy Ghost, or power of my Spirit. Not relating to Priesthood.
If you really want to know about what leaders are calling the
Power of the Priesthood, I strongly encourage you to study the Power of the
Holy Ghost and just understand when people are using the wrong term that this
is what they are really talking about most of the time.
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