THE LDS PRIESTHOOD IS UNBIBLICAL
THE LDS "RESTORATION" OF THE PRIESTHOOD
Mormon teaching is that the Aaronic priesthood was given to Joseph
Smith and Oliver Cowdery by John the Baptist; and then later on
the Melchizedek priesthood was bestowed by the Apostles Peter, James
and John. They maintain that the priesthood is their authority from
God to act in His name and to do His work on earth. But this is not
biblical. And God is not a God of confusion. He doesn't teach us one
thing in the Bible and then give "divine revelations" that
teach us something different or contradictory. He is a God of truth,
and His word can be relied upon eternally. So if a revelation is
from God, then it will agree with what He has already revealed to us.
Otherwise we can be certain that it hasn't come from Him. In other
words, revelations from God will always confirm, build on, clarify
or amplify existing revelations. The main ingredient of truth is its
consistency. So if it changes, then it isn't the truth.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
(Matthew 24:35, KJV)
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God
shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8, KJV)
According to the Bible, the Aaronic/Levitical priesthood was an
office that was inherited solely by males who were genuine,
direct bloodline descendants of Levi. Never ever was it
passed on by some person with so-called authority, to another.
Moreover, anyone who presumptuously performed the duties of a
priest without being in that direct bloodline came under God's
judgment, as did King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:16-21. That's why
the Jews were so strict about their genealogies.
THE OLD COVENANT PRIESTHOOD
According to the LDS, the priesthood is something that gives LDS
men of any lineage the authority to act in God's name. But
according to God's word, the priesthood had a completely different
purpose. The biblical priest was a man who represented the people
before God. And so, under the Old Covenant, the priests served as
mediators between men and God. They interceded for their
fellow-men and offered sacrifices on their behalf. The tribe of
Levi was set apart by God to be the sole priestly line.
Because the Lord Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, He didn't
qualify to hold the Levitical priesthood (Matthew 5:17). His
priesthood was of the order of Melchizedek, the biblical
requirement of which was the power of an indestructible life. He
qualified in this regard as the grave couldn't hold Him, and He
arose out of it in bodily form.
For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe,
of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that
our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing
concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that
after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but
after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews
7:13-17 KJV) (Author's italics.)
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to
continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth
ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able
also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:23-25 KJV).
(Italics inserted by writer.)
If God decreed that Christ Himself didn't qualify for the
Levitical/Aaronic priesthood because he had the wrong lineage, then
what makes Mormons believe that they're entitled to qualify? Their
excuse that they are the "spiritual" Israel doesn't hold
water, because if anyone could have qualified on those grounds,
surely it would have been the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
CHRIST'S DEATH RATIFIED THE NEW COVENANT
When our High Priest, Christ offered the final, perfect, unblemished
sacrifice, which was Himself. His death fulfilled the Old Covenant
of Law on our behalf. His shed blood also ratified the New Covenant
of grace and rendered the Old Covenant and its priesthood
obsolete.
In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
(Hebrews 8:13, KJV).
THE LEVITICAL/AARONIC PRIESTHOOD IS OBSOLETE
The Levitical/Aaronic priesthood is Old Covenant theology,
tied up with the Law, the sacrificial system and the temple. Under
the New Covenant of grace there is only one mediator between God
and man, our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. Nowhere in
the New Testament do we find any mention of any church member ever
being given the priesthood. That went out along with the Old
Covenant, the temple and the sacrificial system, when the New
Covenant was ratified by Christ's death on the cross. Not even
the apostles held the priesthood.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all ..... (1 Timothy
2:5-6, KJV).
Because He had fulfilled the Old Covenant on our behalf, the death
of Christ issued in a new era under a New Covenant. Now all who are
"in Christ" are priests in the sense that we all have
direct access to God through the blood of Christ, our
substitutionary sacrifice.
The priesthood that pertains to the church under the New Covenant
has no connection with that of the Aaronic/Levitical, but is the
"spiritual" priesthood mentioned in 1 Peter 2:5 and 9.
And this spiritual priesthood applies to all believers who have
been washed in the blood of Christ, regardless of race, sex or
nationality (Galations 3:28). The Bible teaches that New
Covenant 'priests' offer spiritual sacrifices, such as praise.
(Hebrews 13:15, I Peter 2:5).
(Addressing the body of Christ, Peter said:) ..... Ye also, as
lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5, KJV) (Author's italics)
"THE CHURCH" IS NOT ISRAEL UNDER ANOTHER
NAME
The Old Covenant, with its priesthood, temple, sacrificial system,
laws and ordinances, was strictly between Jehovah God and the nation
of Israel. It applies to them alone, and not to the church. The
church falls under the New Covenant.
Whereas the Israel of the Old Covenant is a nation, the New Covenant
church is comprised of an elect body of believers in Christ, who come
from every nation and tribe. They're not a continuation of Israel
under another name. So scriptures, teachings, prophecies and
promises applying to Israel as a nation should not be applied to the
church. God hasn't finished dealing with the nation of Israel yet.
Although He has set them aside, this is only temporary. The apostle
Paul writes:
I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also
am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew ..... For I
would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part
is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in
..... (Romans 11:1, 2, 25, KJV)
God also spoke through his prophet Malachi, assuring him that He
would not turn his back on His people, Israel, forever:
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own
son that serveth him. (Malachi 3:17 KJV)
MOVING FROM THE OLD COVENANT TO THE NEW
We can only be under one Covenant at a time, either the Old Covenant
of Law or the New Covenant of Grace. The New Covenant has an
entirely different set up to the Old Covenant with its priesthood,
temple, ceremonies and rituals.
By "restoring" the temple and its Levitical/Aaronic
priesthood, laws and ordinances, the LDS church has taken Mormons
back into the Old Covenant of Law. However, it must be said that
the LDS temple, rituals and priesthood bear no resemblance
whatsoever to those of the Bible. So how Joseph Smith could ever
have imagined that these things were being "restored"
is beyond a thinking person's comprehension. Nevertheless, the
restoration of Old Covenant practices and of reverting to earning
one's right to salvation amounts to the same thing as trampling
underfoot the blood of Christ that ratified the New Covenant of
forgiveness of sins by grace through faith alone.
THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD
The First Presidency of the LDS church always holds the Melchizedek
priesthood. But they don't qualify to hold this priesthood any more
than they qualify to hold the Aaronic. As mentioned at the start of
this article, the book of Hebrews makes the point that the
qualification for the Melchizedek priesthood is the power of an
indestructible life. And that presents a real problem for Mormons.
However, the LDS always has a long list of "excuses" to
explain away the numerous mistakes and contradictions in their
teachings. LDS Apostle and doctrinal writer Bruce McConkie gives
the peculiar explanation that the Melchizedek priesthood was
eternal because it was occupied by God's people from Adam onward
(Mormon Doctrine, page 475). But that is not what the word
"eternal" means. And anyway, the Melchizedek priesthood
was never practiced by the Jews, even although they were God's
chosen people. Nor was it ever given to ordinary people at all.
(Because of the qualifications given in the book of Hebrews of an
indestructible life and because the one tenth that Abraham gave to
Melchizedek was the amount specified as a tithe to the Lord, one
can only surmise that the Melchizedek of Genesis may have been a
theophany of Christ. But this is only a guess, because we aren't
told.)
SUMMARY
The LDS maintains that they have the same organization as the
primitive church. But neither history nor the Bible supports
their stance on the priesthood (or their temple).
There are four types of priesthood in biblical history:
Firstly, prior to Abraham, there was the family priest. (Job lived
before Abraham, and was a priest to his family.) Secondly there was
the Melchizedek priesthood, which can only be held by one person at
a time, and the qualification for which is the power of an
indestructible life. Thirdly there were the Levitical priests under
the Old Covenant. The descendants of Levi were the sole source of
this priesthood. Then lastly there is the spiritual priesthood that
applies to all believers under the New Covenant.
The first priestly sacrifice offered to God by all who are "in
Christ," both male and female, is themselves, as a living
sacrifice (Romans 12.1.) They also offer the sacrifice of praise
(Hebrews 13:15) and the sacrifices of doing good and sharing
(Hebrews 13.16).
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1, KJV).
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his
name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:15-16, LJV)
The following lead will take you to an article on how greatly the
LDS's organization differs from that of the primitive church, in the
areas of deacons, elders, prophets and apostles:
Comparing the LDS's Organization with that of the
Primitive Church
Copyright 2007, Mormonism and Biblical Truth. All rights reserved.
