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We know the three greatest sins are, in this order:

1. Deny the Holy Ghost – Unpardonable
2. Murder – Unforgivable
3. Sex-related – Hard to be forgiven of

These are related. They are most serious because they all mess with the power of life, which is the power of God; it is the power that God has.

1. Deny the Holy Ghost – Permanent destruction of spiritual life
2. Murder – Unauthorized taking of life
3. Sex-related – Unauthorized giving of life

There is no recompense for the unpardonable sin, that is to receive a perfect knowledge of the nature of God and to outright deny and betray it (citation needed — I know). The unforgivable sin is not covered by the Atonement of Christ. That remission must come from our own suffering and repentance, and it cannot be achieved in this life.

Murder is not made remiss by the Atonement — but did Jesus suffer that anyway?

One realization came to me as I research my talk for this Sunday about prayer. Prayer opened, and also closed, the proceeding of the Atonement on Earth:

“[Jesus] kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, by thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

- Luke 22:41-44

And it ends with a  prayer, just before Christ died:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

- Matthew 27:46

Life is God’s domain. The power of God is the power of Life. It is also the priesthood. The priesthood has the power to command and create living things. How do you think animals got on the ark? How do you think flowers bloom every spring? How do you think creatures have instincts? How do you think it is possible that we were created to be children of our Heavenly Father? It is the priesthood, the power of God.

I do believe the hymns teach true doctrine (see “Identifying Doctrine“). Here’s a bit of “O My Father” (#292, “Hymns”):

I had learned to call thee Father,
Thru thy Spirit from on high,
But, until the key of knowledge
Was restored, I knew not why.
In the heav’ns are parents single?
No, the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason; truth eternal
Tells me I’ve a mother there.

When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, Mother, may I meet you,
In your royal courts on high?

So who bears the life-giving power, it being a power of God? It is certainly not the man. The man cannot bear children. It is the woman – the mother (and consider Mary, the mother of Christ). While man cannot be without the woman, nor the woman without the man, the woman bears the life-giving power, a power of God, which is of the priesthood. While women do not bear the administrative authority of the priesthood, they have an equal role in carrying out the acts of God. Bearing and raising children is an inherent and sacred attribute of what I am sure is the expanse and fullness of the priesthood. So do not think that your role with the priesthood is merely a passerby, one who sits idly back and admires its use and power. In due time and through worthy living you, too, will be exercising a power of God as you create a family, eternally sealed to your husband, and you and him can become like God.

You have more to do with the priesthood than you might think.

Living our life to be like God means to fulfill all the ordinances and make all the covenants required to gain eternal life. These are:

• Baptism
• Confirmation (receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost)
• Obtaining the priesthood (men)
• Temple endowment
• Celestial marriage (sealing)

After worthily completing these, living righteously to the Celestial standard, and enduring to the end, you are guaranteed eternal life in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, God’s residence. It is promised in Doctrine & Covenants, and then “all that [your] Father has shall be given unto [you].”

Now as you continue to recite the Young Women’s Theme, and consider the attributes mentioned there, also consider your whole and literal role pertaining to the Kingdom of God, the building of Zion, and not only the support of the priesthood in your life, but also the sealing power which will liken both you and your husband to the promises and blessings of the priesthood as you exercise God’s power, delegated to mankind, to raise a family, just as he did. You are chosen daughters of God, a heavenly father who loves you just as and probably more than you will someday love your children. Always strive to live up to this calling. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

What is that other office, not ordained to men on earth? To make this distinction, here’s one definition of Priesthood:

“The power and authority of God given to men on earth to act in all things for our salvation.”

This is a true definition. But, this says “men on earth” — certainly that is it? Not necessarily. Another true definition of Priesthood is more general and inclusive:

“It is the very power of God himself, the power by which the worlds were made, the power by which all things are regulated, upheld, and preserved.”

I see a common “all things” theme here between these definitions. Let’s add one more excerpt to this theme. It’s a portion of the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood in D&C 84.

“And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all [things] that my Father hath shall be given unto him.”

Why this theme, “all things”? I want you to have a firm understanding of the inheritance for receivers of the priesthood, because as you marry and be sealed, you will be receivers of the priesthood, not in the sense that it will be bestowed by the laying on of hands as it is to the men — that is their responsibility — but in the sense that you will be sealed to a priesthood bearer for time and all eternity. This sealing does mean that you will be with him for all of your eternal life, should you both live worthily to gain it, however it also means you will become with him as you both grow and develop spiritually.

In our Church we teach that we live this life to eventually live with our Heavenly Father and be like Him, as long as we live righteously, etc. What does it mean to be like Him? What is a god in the eternal and endless sense of the word?

“God” is a priesthood title, just as “Elder” or “Apostle.” It is the office of an exalted man and his exalted wife, eternally sealed by the bindings of the high priesthood and the Holy Spirit of Promise. It is the sealing power which is necessary for one to attain the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, where God lives, and where we must be like Him to live. This means to be exalted to said celestial state, being forever sealed to our spouse. This sealing binds the two bodies as one body, in a spiritual sense. It is the only way to attain the highest degree: “a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; and if he does not, he cannot obtain it” (D&C 131:2-3).

It is key to remember that God’s power is the power by which the worlds were made, and on those worlds, all forms and the essence of life. For God’s power is the priesthood, and God’s power is the power of life, is it not? Why do you think the three most severe sins are those ones regarding life? The unpardonable sin is destruction of spiritual life, the unforgivable sin is taking of another’s life, and the “hard to be forgiven of” sin is the unauthorized giving of life.

Many of you young women already know the things in this lesson, but I hope that it still gets you to think a little more about the topic.

Let’s start by going through the offices of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. The lesser, or Aaronic priesthood, has three offices: Deacon, Teacher, Priest. It is preparatory for the higher Priesthood of Melchizedek, which contains Elder, High Priest, Patriarch, Seventy, and Apostle.

What happened to the office of Prophet? In this context, there is no distinction between apostle and prophet. The Quorum of the 12 Apostles is a quorum of prophets, seers, and revelators, just as much as “the” prophet is our President of the Church. So one called as an apostle and ordained to the office of  Apostle also becomes a prophet, seer, and revelator, however, does not hold the keys to presiding over the whole Church as the President does (today, Thomas S. Monson). If you want details, the Bible Dictionary’s entry on “Melchizedek Priesthood” explains it clearly.

Each office in the Melchizedek Priesthood is likewise preparatory to the offices above it whereby more keys are given. If the man is living worthily, each step of the way is a learning experience. He learns how to use it properly, according to God’s will. He learns the effects of it and gains a deeper understanding as he develops spiritually. These priesthoods are administrative: ordinances performed in the Church must be overseen by a Melchizedek Priesthood holder (give or take some witnesses, depending) and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (D&C 132:7).

Most of that should have been review. Now let’s look deeper. Those are the offices of the priesthoods. That is true, however, is that all? No. Those are the offices to which we ordain men in this world.  There is one other. What is it?

I don’t teach young women’s class. I’m the least qualified person ever. But if I could one day, I would do something like this. Now, Part 1 of a short series.

Today, I’m going to teach you about the priesthood. You all know about it; you’ve had lessons on it. I would expect that most of you could even tell me the dates and events related to the restored priesthood better than the young men in this ward. So, if I were to open the class to questions right now, I wonder what the most pressing desire among all of you would be?

Why is this his lesson subject? What does this have to do with me, again…? I don’t know exactly what you are taught, but based on what I gather from the Young Women Theme, it appears you all have a divine purpose and destiny. You’ve been instructed, and rightly so, that you have a mutual loving relationship with your Father in Heaven, that you will always be a witness of Him by living certain values: faith, integrity, virtue, divine nature, etc; and preparing to build a home built in Zion through covenants and blessings revealed in the Holy Temple. I have never known a purer, more distinct calling of anyone than to you: young women of the Church of Jesus Christ.

You’ve probably been taught to revere your future husband as an honorable priesthood holder and to be a support to him (’cause trust me, he’s going to need your help). This is all well and good. The men, if you’re curious, are likewise instructed to always remain worthy and truthful at any cost. You young women are taught things of a sacred and divine nature, fitting for your inherent traits as daughters of God.

In this brief lesson I want to convey to you something of a likewise sacred nature, something that hopefully satisfies some deeper questions in your minds. I personally wish it was taught to me sooner than it was (I had to wait until a mission prep class with Brother Bott at BYU for some reason) — and I wish our young men were taught this thing, too. I hope that by the end of this short discourse, you’ll have a greater understanding of your direct and literal role pertaining to the priesthood, not only as supporters to your husbands, but also inheritors of His Kingdom, as will be discussed.

(If you recognize some of the doctrine here, it’s probably because you’re familiar with Randy Bott’s religion class(es) at Brigham Young University. While he cited scripture to most of what he said, I couldn’t jot it all down fast enough. But he was always very clear what was fact and what was his opinion or his speculation. I will try to maintain those distinctions here.)

I think most men need to re-think the way they treat women:

“You [sisters] belong to the great sorority of Saviorhood. You may not hold the Priesthood. Men are different. Men have to have something given to them to make them saviors of men, but not mothers, not women. You are born with an inherent right, an inherent authority, to be saviors of the human souls. You are the co-creators with God of his children. Therefore, it is expected of you by a right divine that you be the saviors and the regenerating force in the lives of God’s children here upon the earth.”

- Matthew Cowley (”Matthew Cowley Speaks,” p. 109)

… for women have perhaps the most sacred calling in our eternity.

Agency is one of the oldest institutions in the history of our eternity: it was before the world, as we know from various scriptures such as Moses 4:3. We also know it is one of our most precious gifts, one that cannot be revoked by God. It’s the only one that we alone can surrender to the adversary (by addiction, etc). Because it was decided in the council in heaven before the Creation, agency is one of the fundamental laws of our universe, even as gravity and relativity are. Unfortunately scientists don’t talk about it too much.

Too often we throw around the term “free agency” as if prepending the “free” implies freedom. This is a false charge, as agency itself is the definition of the freedom we have to make a choice (D&C 29:36). “Free agency” then is like saying “Free freedom” or likewise “Free lemonade” — costing nothing. Agency was certainly earned both by us and paid for by our Savior, Jesus Christ. We fought for God’s plan in the life before this one, with “one third part” cast down without agency in a body as a consequence of the war of ideas. And the Atonement works to compensate the flaws in ourselves because of our agency: for without the Atonement, our agency would be cause to destroy us in the eternities, because our natural selves are not able to become clean and perfect before God.

Another facet of agency that’s interesting to look at is governance – perhaps another law of the universe, ordained to man before the world was. We know the idea of government is God-given too, as Adam was charged with “having dominion over all the land,” and the Constitution of the USA arose from inspired men as stated in D&C 101:80. He gave us government to allow our agency to prevail in an organized society.

I don’t intend this blog to be political, but may I interject that while both [US parties] have pros and cons, there are “right and correct” values in the way of thinking that offers to the citizens more control than the other, because of agency’s sacred role. For example, we ought to be wary of petitions and policies that provide more power to the government, for that limits what the citizens have control over: a concept that is contrary to what God intended. Ever wonder why all three pillars of eternity (Creation, Fall, Atonement) revolve around agency?

“When we allow the State to replace the Creator in our minds as the source of our freedoms, we invite the government to treat our liberties as temporary favors, rather than irrevocable properties of our human existence. To seek for prosperity at the hands of government is a mockery of our most sacred and solemn virtues. To attempt to delegate authority that is not ours to give is neither just nor sensible.”

- Brian Ensign

We know also in 1 Nephi 13:12-19 that this country, the United States, was founded for the allowance of man’s agency and freedom in the world, a land where Christ’s Gospel could be restored because of the agency allotted to man by government.

Agency is also our power against the devil. We can choose to not follow him and instead follow the one and only true God who knows us better than we know ourselves. That is what makes our judgment fair. It is not an accident we have it. I can’t imagine a world without it. These things, along with what was mentioned in the last post, are what make agency so sacred and important.

Before I quote President Howick, I’d like to comment on his use of the words “free agency.” Man’s agency is not free, nor has it ever been. It was certainly paid for. Personally, I think the use of the term “free agency” is a misnomer and it should be referred to just as “agency:” the ability to choose. Here, now, President Howick offers some great insight on this said subject.

“Some people want to believe that free agency means there should be randomness in our Father’s plan — as if it’s important that we have the ability to surprise Him — even though, in my mind, that would undermine faith.

“However, to add spice to the discussion, let me throw a wrench into your example. D&C 137:7:  ‘All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God.’  By the same reasoning,  all who die without the opportunity to choose for themselves in mortality will be assigned whichever Kingdom suits them based on our  Father’s knowledge of how they would have decided had they been permitted to tarry.

“Too often we fall into the trap of believing that the only reasons we are here are to get a body and be judged.  But we are also here to gain experience. D&C 130:18, ‘Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.’ In a very real sense, we are not here to prove ourselves worthy of a particular Kingdom — our Father knew before the world was made which kingdom each of us would attain — but to prepare ourselves to serve in the kingdom we receive.  There would be no value in handing us the proverbial keys of the kingdom, even if we deserved them, had we not first been prepared to receive them.

“And yet, it would seem that some do not need this experience.  When I was young, I believed that the revelation of D&C 137:7 was unfair because it granted the Kingdom to people who hadn’t lived to earn it. But as I grew, I learned that we simply don’t yet know everything about that revelation.  Mosiah 29:12, ‘Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of man, for the judgments of God are always just….’  The judgment of God will be fair and those who did not experience this life either didn’t need it or will yet receive it in another way — and whether my belief is right or wrong, I know that I will be judged fairly, and that is enough for me.”

- President Howick

In a later post, I will add some more commentary on the topic of our agency: why is it not “free agency,” how does the mere fact of having agency affect our salvation, and what does a truly fair judgment imply? Go read it.

Why do bad things happen to good/covenant people? Doesn’t God love His children?

Yes, of course God loves His children. The Lord reminds us in D&C 121, 122, and 123 why afflictions are allowed on good people by our loving and devoted God. From these sections, I can conclude at least six main reasons for them.

1. Sin — Transgressing God’s law will bring negative consequences.
2. Experience — Trials bring to our spirits vital experiences through which we learn new things.
3. Agency — Man has the freedom to choose, and God must allow it, and He cannot forbid it. It was decided upon in the Counsel of Heaven before the world was.
4. Covenants — The righteous are rewarded for keeping them, and those who falter are offered the way to make it right through trials.
5. Trust — Trials build a relationship between the Godhead (our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost) and an individual.
6. To condemn the wicked — Tribulation caused by wicked men who persecute the righteous dominion can then be judged accordingly.

Items 2, 5, and 6 are particularly interesting. Many non-members, or those who are unfamiliar with the Gospel are frustrated or mad at a god that could send destruction and other bad things to righteous or innocent people. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as proclaimed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, answers these types of questions.

What other questions have the teachings, doctrine, and scriptures of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answered for you? Or, if you are not a member, what questions might you have?