D&C 84 Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood

Verses Joseph Fielding Smith: “So if there is no priesthood, there is no knowledge of God. And that is why the world is in darkness today, because they have no priesthood. They have lost the knowledge of God. And so they have been teaching all manner of tradition, all manner of false doctrine, all manner of man-made philosophy in relation to God and the principles of truth pertaining to the salvation of men. These principles can only be received, if you please, through the power of the priesthood, for it is by the power that the keys of knowledge of God are obtained” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1956, 3: )

Verses Charles W. Nibley: “What power, then, what mysterious power is it that had led and guided them [the Latter-day Saints] and that still leads and guides them and holds them together as they are held? Let me tell you what it is.... the power of the priesthood. And in the administration of it we have seen and do see the power of godliness; not a form of godliness, mind you, but the power of godliness. Paul said that in the latter days men would be ‘having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof”[2 Tim. 3:5]; but what I refer to is the power of godliness. Have you ever seen it manifested in your lives? We heard of it this morning from the leader of the Church as manifested in the healing of the sick. We see it in the temples of the Lord; we see it in the sick rooms; we see it manifested in presidencies of stakes, bishoprics of wards.” (CR, April 1927, pp )

Verses Joseph Smith: “Answer to the question, Was the Priesthood of Melchizedek taken away when Moses died? All Priesthood is Melchizedek, but there are different portions or degrees of it. That portion which brought Moses to speak with God face to face was taken away, but that which brought the ministry of angels remained. All the prophets had the Melchizedek Priesthood and were ordained by God himself” (TPJS, January 5, 1841, pp ).

Verse 33 Orson Pratt: “When the Temple [in New Jerusalem] is built the sons of the two Priesthoods, that is, those who are ordained to the Priesthood of Melchizedek, that Priesthood which is after the order of the Son of God, with all its appendages, and those who have been ordained to the Priesthood of Aaron with all its appendages, the former called the sons of Moses, the latter the sons of Aaron, will enter into that Temple in this generation, or in the generation that was living in 1832, and all of them who are pure in heart will behold the face of the Lord and that too before he comes in his glory in the clouds of heaven, for he will suddenly come to his Temple, and he will purify the sons of Moses and of Aaron, until they shall be prepared to offer in that shall be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. [Mal 3:1-4] In doing this, he will purify not only the minds of the Priesthood in that Temple, but he will purify their bodies until they shall be quickened, renewed and strengthened, and they will be partially changed, not to immortality, but changed in part that they can be filled with the power of God, and they can stand in the presence of Jesus, and behold his face in the midst of the Temple.

Verse 33 Orson Pratt continues: “This will prepare them for further ministrations among the nations of the earth, it will prepare them to go forth in the days of tribulation and vengeance upon upon the nations of the wicked, when God will smite them with pestilence, plague and earthquake, such as former generations never knew. Then the servants of God will need to armed with the power of God, they will need to have that sealing blessing pronounced upon their foreheads that they can stand forth in the midst of these desolations and plagues and not be overcome by them.... When they are prepared, when they have received a renewal of their bodies in the Lord’s Temple, and have been filled with the Holy Ghost and purified as old and silver in a furnace of fire, then they will be prepared to stand before the nations of the earth and preach glad tidings of salvation in the midst of judgments that are to come like a whirlwind upon the wicked” (JD, March 9, 1873, 15:365-66)

Verse 38 Delbert L. Stapley: “A joint-heir legally inherits and shares all equities and gifts in equal interest with all other heirs. Nothing is excluded nor adjusted in value between the participating joint-heirs.... If we are led by the Spirit of God in our lives, we are promised heirship with him and joint-heirship with Christ our Lord in the great estate of God’s kingdom and glory. [Rom. 8:17] We ‘suffer with Christ’ as we sacrifice the things of the world and yield complete obedience to every truth, principle, and ordinance of the gospel paln. Whatever we contribute in honest tithes and other contributions along with unselfish participation and service to our fellow men to build the kingdom of God on the earth, increases our personal happiness in heirship with Christ the Lord....” (CR, April 1961, pp )

Verse 39 Delbert L. Stapley suggests that the two primary components of the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood are ones faithfulness and magnifying his calling in that Priesthood. Here are some questions that we should ask ourself.

1.Can a man be faithful who does not abide by the first two great commandments, to love the Lord God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and his neighbor as himself? 2.Can a man be faithful who is not honest and truthful in all the dealings and relationships with his fellow men? 3.Can a man be faithful who does not honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy, attend the Sacrament and Priesthood meetings; also worthily fulfill all other duties in keeping with his callings and obligations that day? 4.Can a man be faithful who does not plan and arrange for daily family prayer in the home? 5.Can a man be faithful who does not teach his children the true principles of the gospel of Christ and then set them a worthy example by living according to those truths? 6.Can a man be faithful who does not observe and keep the Word of Wisdom? 7.Can a man be faithful who does not pay an honest tithing and fast offering? 8.Can a man be faithful who does not obey the law of chastity and is not morally clean in his life and habits? 9.Can a man be faithful who does not, through obedience and sacrifice, prepare himself worthily for the holy temple of God where he can receive higher ordinances of the gospel and thus bind his family happily and eternally together in love and understanding? 10.Can a man be faithful who does not honor and obey the laws of the land?

1.Can a man magnify his office and calling without honoring and abiding in the Priesthood faithfully and worthily as a devoted and true servant of God? 2.Can a man magnify his calling without giving spiritual and humble dignity to his office? 3.Can a man magnify his calling who refuses to accept positions and responsibilities of trust when called upon to serve by his stake president, bishop, or other constituted authority? 4.Can a man magnify is calling if he is not obedient to gospel standards and requirements, and if he also fails to be amenable to the counsel and direction of righteous men who are properly called and approved by the people as their authorized leaders? 5.Can a man magnify his calling who refuses to sustain by his faith, prayers, and works those whom God has called and ordained to preside over him? 6.Can a man magnify his calling who does not use his Priesthood in righteousness for the blessing and benefit of his fellow men? 7.Can a man magnify his calling who does not banish all iniquity from his soul, that he may gain favor with God and thus enjoy power in the use of the Priesthood to bless people? (CR, April 1957, pp )

Verse 39 John A. Widtsoe: “He who receives the Priesthood covenants to magnify his calling in the Priesthood. That makes the covenant valid. That is too often forgotten. “Every ordination to the Priesthood implies this covenant between man and God, whether so stated or not. It would be well, fi in all Priesthood ordinations the oath and covenant of the Priesthood were explained. Too many Priesthood bearers feel that they have been given something without a corresponding promise by themselves. They forget too often that every ordinance in the gospel is accompanied by a covenant between God and man. We are a covenant people” (Evidences and Reconciliations, 1951, 3:48-49).