Priesthood revisited

This will be a short post. I don't wish to lay out all the scriptures just to point out a few things and than you can take it to the Lord and determine if its true.

A Quote by Joseph Smith and the fulness of the priesthood.

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History of the Church, (5:554-556) Version (Can read the two "recorded" versions here)

Respecting the Melchizedek Priesthood, the sectarians never professed to have it; consequently they never could save any one, and would all be damned together. There was an Episcopal priest who said he had the priesthood of Aaron, but had not the priesthood of Melchizedek and I bear testimony that I never have found the man who claimed the Priesthood of Melchizedek. The power of the Melchizedek priesthood is to have the power of "endless lives;"[fulness of the priesthood] for the everlasting covenant cannot be broken.

The law was given under Aaron for the purpose of pouring out judgments and destructions. (1)

The sectarian world are going to hell by hundreds, by thousands and by millions.

There are three grand orders of priesthood referred to here. 1st. The King of Shiloam. (Salem) had power and authority over that of Abraham, holding the key and the power of endless life.[again fulness of the priesthood] Angels desire to look into it, but they have set up too many stakes. God cursed the children of Israel because they would not receive the last law from Moses.

The sacrifice required of Abraham in the offering up of Isaac, shows that if a man would attain to the keys of the kingdom of an endless life; he must sacrifice all things. (2) When God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man, and he refuses to receive it, he will be damned. The Israelites prayed that God would speak to Moses and not to them; in consequence of which he cursed them with a carnal law.

What was the power of Melchizedek? 'Twas not the Priesthood of Aaron which administers in outward ordinances, and the offering of sacrifices. Those holding the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood are kings and priests of the Most High God, holding the keys of power and blessings. In fact, that priesthood is a perfect law of theocracy, and stands as God to give laws to the people, administering endless lives to the sons and daughters of Adam.

Abraham says to Melchizedek, I believe all that thou hast taught me concerning the priesthood and the coming of the Son of Man; so Melchizedek ordained Abraham and sent him away. Abraham rejoiced, saying, Now I have a priesthood.

Salvation could not come to the world without the mediation of Jesus Christ.

How shall God come to the rescue of this generation? He will send Elijah the prophet. [This lecture was given in 1844, was is this future tense?] The law revealed to Moses in Horeb never was revealed to the children of Israel as a nation.

Elijah shall reveal the covenants to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers.

The anointing and sealing is to be called, elected and made sure.

"Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually." The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the right from the eternal God, and not by descent from father and mother; (3) and that priesthood is as eternal as God Himself, having neither beginning of days nor end of life.

The 2nd Priesthood is Patriarchal authority. Go to and finish the temple, and God will fill it with power, and you will then receive more knowledge concerning this priesthood.

The 3rd is what is called the Levitical Priesthood, consisting of priests to administer in outward ordinance, made without an oath; but the Priesthood of Melchizedek is by an oath and covenant.

The Holy Ghost is God's messenger to administer in all those priesthoods.

Jesus Christ is the heir of this Kingdom--the only begotten of the Father according to the flesh, and holds the keys over all this world.

Men have to suffer that they may come upon Mount Zion and be exalted above the heavens.
I know a man that has been caught up to the third heavens, and can say, with Paul, that we have seen and heard things that are not lawful to utter.
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All those who receive the fulness of the priesthood becomes kings and queens (check out the orson hyde diagram)

• All those who receive the fulness of the priesthood have power of an endless lives
• Zion requires those who are willing to receive it. ("Awake, Awake, ...Put on thy strength")
• We receive it by Gods voice (not by descent from father to son) as seen in Helamen 10 or JST Gen 14.
• This is the sealing power of elijah (along with translation)
• Angels set up stakes (limits) for God, saying "he cannot do that" or won't do that, or "this far I will go and no further" and they are damned and cannot look into this priesthood.
• We refuse a gift or blessing, God curses us. (Such as seeing God in the flesh, D&C 84:23-25)
• Israelite's could not and would not enter into God's presence therefore they were Cursed
• The priesthood of  "Aaron [is] for the purpose of pouring out judgments and destruction's". Its a cursing priesthood while the fulness is a blessing priesthood. If you won't accept the blessings than you are cursed with the aaonric. If you won't receive the Fulness you will be cursed with the aaonric. Why anyone would "want" this priesthood is beyond me.
• Aaronic priesthood is appendage priesthood (added due to transgression). 
• Appendage means its not part of the 'order of God', or that which is eternal. 
• Many of the offices we have are only appendages due to transgression (meaning it won't be part of the original when Zion returns, only temporary (a cursing))

5 All other authorities or offices in the church are appendages to this priesthood [Melchezidek Priesthood].
14 Why it is called the lesser priesthood is because it is an appendage to the greater, or the Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in administering outward ordinances. (D&C 107:5,14)

Outward ordinances don't save us (Cross reference "law of moses", "dead works")
Inward ordinances save us.

One can receive the inward blessings before the "outward" are ever received. For example one can receive the gift of the holy ghost before they have had it by laying on of hands (as did Joseph in JSH and many others in the scriptures). Likewise, the remission of sins comes (should) before one is baptized and than we must retain it.

Outward ordinances are for a "witness and testimony" of what one has done (Mosiah 21:31-35). Thus Christ experienced all the blessings of the gospel before he was baptized at age 30. Yet he was still baptized as a "witness and testimony" of what he had done inwardly because we are commanded to do so. If we change our focus to the inward, the outward can take care of itself in its due time. But if we focus on the outward and never receive the "inward" ("know ye not the kingdom of God is within you"?) you will not be received by Heavenly Father. That is what the pharisees did, it was entirely focused on the outward.

See my post The Covenant Before Baptism

Not By Virtue of the Priesthood

41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; (D&C 121:41)

The priesthood does not give anyone a right to govern, control, influence, or power over anyone. We don't listen to another because they have keys or authority. We listen because 1) They teach truth, 2) they do it by "persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;" respecting ones agency. If keys or authority were enough, which the new testament church had both, they would still be the source of all truth today. The great apostasy occurred while the apostles and prophets were still alive. (See Talmage, The Great Apostasy, pg 18 and 41) showing that an apostasy can occur even when "authority" or "keys" are still present. It wasn't because, as sometimes taught, they were all killed. Instead the "truth" was lost or distorted (changed). They retained a "form of godliness" (ordinances) but denied the power thereof.

Pray to the father to receive of his fulness.