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| {{EarlyChristianityPortal}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Question: Was the priesthood held by Jesus priesthood not 'transferable' to members of the Church?]] |
| {{draft}}
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| ==Criticism==
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| Critics claim that only Jesus held the priesthood, and that such priesthood was not 'transferable' to members of the Church.
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| ===Source(s) of the Criticism===
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| {{SearchForTheTruthDVD}}
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| ==Response==
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| One of the things that people who are opposed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints criticize us for is our belief in the Priesthood. Latter-day Saints believe the Priesthood is the authority God has given man to perform the ordinances (e.g. baptism, sacrament, sealing, etc.) that Jesus has declared to be necessary, in order that the atonement may have full effect in our lives.
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| Our critics oppose the Priesthood, claiming it does not exist among mortals, as Jesus Christ is the only one with the Priesthood. Unfortunately for them, the Bible contradicts them.
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| ===Why the opposition to priesthood?===
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| It is understandable that creedal Christians desperately need the priesthood, as understood by Latter-day Saints, to be non-existent today. The whole idea of authority, direct from God, being necessary for the saving ordinances of mankind, completely undermines and destroys the traditionally accepted doctrine that one is "saved by faith alone." It also completely destroys their own claims to authority, since they are the result of a break-off from the Roman Catholic faith.
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| If the Catholics did not have the priesthood authority, then the Protestants cannot have taken it with them. Hence, they are anxious to claim a "priesthood of all believers," or claim priesthood isn't needed at all.
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| If the Catholics ''did'' have the authority, then Protestants were wrong to leave in the first place.
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| ===Jesus Christ establishes His Church===
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| When Christ was on the earth during His mortal ministry, He set up aspecific organization (called the Church).
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| Does it make sense that if Jesus Christ organized a Church, that the true Church would have the same positions today? What are some of the offices or positions in the church Christ established?
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| :For they that have used the office of ''a deacon'' well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.({{s|1|Timothy|3|13}}){{ea}}
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| :Is any sick among you? Let him call for ''the elders'' of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:({{s||James|5|14}}){{ea}}
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| :''11 And he [Jesus Christ]gave some, apostles; (12) and some, prophets;
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| (12 Apostles collectively, and the one leading the church with his counselors -- Peter, James, and John)
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| :''and some, evangelists;'' (Patriarchs) and some, pastors (Bishop, Stake President) and teachers;
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| * ''12 For the perfecting''
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| ("Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48)
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| *''of the saints
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| (the members of the Church -- interesting that they are called Saints, just as we are called Latter-day Saints today.),
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| *''for the work of the ministry
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| (The administration and performing the ordinances of the Church),
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| *''for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith
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| (Even though all Christians claim to believe in Christ, and the Bible, there certainly is no unity of faith or doctrine, therefore these offices are still needed.)
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| *''and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
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| (unto a perfect man—NOT some incomprehensible being as the creeds declare.)
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| *''14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine
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| (The creeds came by councils of men, not a singular pronouncement of revelation by a prophet of God, as all other scripturally based doctrines are. The creeds directly contradict scripture. The creeds are not declared to be scripture. The creeds have not been declared to have been given by revelation. The creeds came about by political power struggles. Hence, the creeds are a wind of doctrine.),
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| *''by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;''({{s||Ephesians|4|11-14}}){{ea}}
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| ===Priesthood authority from God===
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| So how can we tell true teachers? First, they will have authority (priesthood) directly from God. Christ was given the priesthood authority from God the Father.
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| : For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son
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| to have life in himself; 27 And ''hath given him authority'' to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. ({{s||John|5|26-27}}.){{ea}}
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| The works that Christ performed were by this priesthood authority:
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| :And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. ({{s||Mark|1|27}}){{ea}}
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| Christ passed on this very same authority to His apostles.
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| Luke 9:1-2
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| :1 THEN he called his twelve disciples together, and ''gave them power and authority'' over all devils, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. ({{s||Luke|9|1-2}}){{ea}}
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| This authority is necessary in order to preach the gospel.
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| :And he ''ordained twelve'', that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach ({{s||Mark|3|14}}){{ea}}
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|
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| :Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ''ordained'' to be a witness with us of his resurrection. ({{s||Acts|1|22}}){{ea}}
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| :Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. ({{s|1|Timothy|2|7}}){{ea}}
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| The apostles ordained others with this authority:
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| For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ''ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee''...{{{s||Titus|1|5}}){{ea}}
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| :And when they had ''ordained them elders'' in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.({{s||Acts|14|23}}){{ea}}
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| This authority was passed directly from God the Father, to Jesus Christ, to the Apostles, to the Elders, and to others. It was a priesthood which any worthy man could have, if called. It was also necessary for the stablishment of the Church. Christ left this priesthood authority on he earth when He left, so that the Church could still function.
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| Mark 13:34
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| :For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and ''gave authority to his servants'', and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.({{s||Mark|13|34}}) {{ea}}
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| In fact, the church would be known as the true church because of the priesthood, for so the church is described in scripture.
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| This priesthood authority is sacred and cannot be bought.
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| :18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he
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| may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou
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| hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.({{s||Acts|8|18-20}}) {{ea}}
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| We cannot choose this priesthood authority for ourselves.
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| :Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.({{s||John|15|16}}) {{ea}}
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| ===How to obtain the priesthood===
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| As shown above, you can't buy it, you can't take it upon yourself, and you can't choose for yourself to have it. So how can we obtain the priesthood?
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| :And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. ({{s||Hebrews|5|4}})
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| How was Aaron called? He was called by Moses—as God instructed Moses—in other words, Aaron did not decide to accept this for himself, but was called by Moses, who was instructed by the Lord, who has authority over him.
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| :13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he. ({{s||Exodus 40:13-16}})
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| ===An "unchangeable" Priesthood?===
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| Most critics of the LDS Church rest most of their argument against the LDS doctrine of priesthood on {{s||Hebrews|7|24}}:
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| :But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an ''unchangeable'' priesthood.{{ea}}
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| The critics of the LDS Church interpret the word "unchangeable" as meaning non-transferable. Therefore, they say, the Priesthood that Christ held (the Melchizedek Priesthood) could not be
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| transferred to anyone. In fact, a look at Strong's would indicate this is true:
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| :unchangable -- ''aparabatos'' {ap-ar-ab'-at-os}
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| :1) unviolated, not to be violated, inviolable, unchangeable and therefore not liable to pass to a successor{{nc}}
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| But is this the correct interpretation? If so, there is a glaring contradiction within this very chapter, for verse twelve says the priesthood has changed:
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| :For the priesthood ''being changed'', there is made of necessity ''a change'' also of the law.({{s||Hebrews|7|12}}) {{ea}}
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| Either the priesthood is transferable (changeable), from Christ to others, or it is not. Which verse are we to believe? Let's take a closer look at this "unchangeable" priesthood:
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| ==Conclusion==
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| ==Further reading==
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| ===FAIR wiki articles===
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| {{ApostasyWiki}}
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| {{PriesthoodWiki}}
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| ===FAIR web site===
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| {{ApostasyFAIR}}
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| {{PriesthoodFAIR}}
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| ===External links===
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| {{ApostasyLinks}}
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| {{PriesthoodLinks}}
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| ===Printed material===
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| {{ApostasyPrint}}
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| {{PriesthoodPrint}}
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