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(Click here to return to Part One) Officers of the Kingdom have Divine
Authority Officers of the Kingdom have Divine Authority Why
did Jesus go to John? John was a
Priest of the Levitical Priesthood; and held divine authority to baptize with
water. Jesus said of John, “For I
say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet
[preacher] than John the Baptist.” (Luke 7:28)
John, though, did not hold divine authority to baptize Jesus with
the Holy Spirit; as many so-called ministers of today presume to take upon
themselves.
The
John
the Baptist understood that only an officer of the Melchisedec Priesthood
holds divine authority to baptize with the Spirit.
“I indeed baptize you with
water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost,
and with fire.” (Matt. 3:11) After
Jesus was born of water and the Spirit, the Father ordained Him to the
Melchisedec Priesthood.
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have
not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach,
except they be sent [ordained]? as
it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of
peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed
the gospel.” (Rom 10:14-16)
Let
us say there was a certain man who desired to be Sheriff of a certain area.
Although he was not properly elected and sworn into office, he presumed
to hold that office. How do you
think the properly established authorities would treat him?
Jesus will treat those who take the name (authority) of God in vain the
same way. “Many will say to me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt. 7:22,
23)
Jesus
called and ordained other officers of the kingdom with divine
authority to preach the gospel and administer its saving ordinances.
“And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists
[Patriarchs]; and some, pastors [High Priests and Elders] and
teachers; FOR the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: TILL we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (Eph. 411-13)
These
divinely called officers of the Melchisedec Priesthood are required “for the perfecting of the saints” and
“for
the work of the ministry.” Without officers of the Melchisedec
Priesthood, none can enter the Divine
Authority—Keys of the Kingdom
Jesus
gave this power of the kingdom to those whom He ordained. “And I
will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19)
Only these officers have their ordinances recorded in heaven.
If you were not born of water and the Spirit through one holding the
Melchisedec Priesthood, you are not a member of the kingdom. Jesus
stood at the head as an Apostle, Prophet, and Lawgiver.
He then ordained twelve Apostles to a lower order.
“And
he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send
them forth to preach.” (Mark
The
power of the gospel or keys of the kingdom were held by divinely called and
ordained officers from Adam to Abraham. These were all officers of the
Melchisedec Priesthood. The name of
this priesthood was changed in honor of Melchisedec—who some believe was Shem,
the righteous son of Noah. Melchisedec
lived about 2,000 years before Jesus. “For this Melchisedec, king
of There
are only two orders of the priesthood called of God:
(1) the lower Levitical or Aaronic, and (2) the higher Melchisedec.
The Levitical Priesthood was first introduced by Moses.
Its officers include Priests, Teachers, and Deacons.
Their priesthood is for life. Officers
of the Melchisedec Priesthood include Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists,
High Priests, and Elders. This
is the priesthood of an endless life. This
authority remains for eternity (unless lost by apostasy).
“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.”
(Heb. 7:3)
All
of these officers existed in the days of Jesus and the Apostles.
Seven Evangelists or Patriarchs form a quorum.
“8
And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto
“For every high priest taken from among men
is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts
and sacrifices for sins.” (Heb. 5:1)
“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.” (Acts
How
does a person become a citizen of the
Ministers
of God never receive payment for their work.
“Ho, every one that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea,
come, buy wine and milk without money and without price… Incline your
ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.” (Isa. 55:1, 3)
Paid
ministers are not working for the Lord. “11 The heads thereof judge for
reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof
divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the
LORD among us? none evil can come
upon us.” (Micah 3)
Some
modern diviners have thought to take upon themselves authority to preach the
gospel on the basis of the commission given to eleven Apostles.
They call it the Great Commission; as they vainly apply it to everyone.
“Afterward he appeared unto
the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and
hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he
was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye [the eleven] into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark
No
man can claim authority based on that held by another.
Each calling and ordination is individual and specific.
The ordination of Moses did not affect the ordination of Jesus.
The ordination of Jesus did not affect that of the twelve Apostles.
The ordination of the Twelve did not affect the ordination of Elders in
every church.
Other
powers were given to officers of the Melchisedec Priesthood.
“And
when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease.” (Matt. 10:1) “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: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and
the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be
forgiven him.” (James 5:14, 15)
Such
power was to continue with all those who believed and obeyed the gospel.
“And
these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast
out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and
if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on
the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark
Each
person born of the Spirit, if he cherishes it, is inspired with blessings
of faith, intelligence, and understanding. “Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he
shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13)
Everyone
born of the Spirit is given a very special spiritual gift.
“1 Now
concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant…. 4
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are
differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of
operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the
manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man [member of the kingdom]
to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith
by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to
another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues;
to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one
and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Cor.
12:1, 4-11)
Through
faith all things that are good and proper are possible in their season.
“And
Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye
have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove
hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible
unto you.” (Matt. 17:20) “1 Now faith is the
assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the
elders obtained a good report…6 But without faith it is impossible to please
him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of
God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of
his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called
to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;
and he went out, not knowing whither he went… 32 And what shall I more say?
for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of
Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped
the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to
flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life
again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might
obtain a better resurrection.” (Heb. 11; read whole chapter)
Look
about you the next time you attend your church.
Are there any that claim to hold the Melchisedec Priesthood?
Have there been, or there now, any Apostles, Prophets, Patriarchs, High
Priests, or Elders? Were they called
of God as was Aaron, by the spirit of prophecy?
Do you see the signs that are to follow them that believe?
How many of the spiritual gifts have you seen?
Who among your members has prophesied?
“Follow
after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”
(1 Cor. 14:1)
What
went wrong? God does not
change. Yet, He no longer spoke
to the Christians after John. “Behold,
the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy,
that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your
God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
(Isa. 59:1, 2) “Remember therefore
from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works [repentance and
baptism]; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy
candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:5)
The
Bible, ecclesiastical historians, and church leaders are all witnesses that the
Gentiles reverted to their former pagan traditions and apostatized soon after
the Apostles. The first evidence is
that God no longer spoke to the Gentiles. Then the officers of the kingdom were
lost. “Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of
bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And
they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they
shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.”
(Amos 8:11, 12)
“O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge
in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends
of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity,
and things wherein there is no profit.” (Jer. 16:19)
In
325 AD, an unbaptized, pagan Roman Emperor—
He
changed the identity of God and Jesus into pagan doctrines of the Trinity
and Virgin Birth. Knowledge of the
true and living God of Israel was lost. The Melchisedec Priesthood was gone.
He changed the Sabbath—the blessed and sanctified day of the
Lord—to “the venerable day of the sun.”
The
Sabbath is the second law found in the Bible (Gen. 2:3).
The Sabbath was given as a sign and as a perpetual covenant between God
and His people. “Speak thou also unto the
children of
You
say you are not of the “children of
John
saw the apostasy of the Gentiles, told of the
“1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a
woman clothed with the sun, and the moon
“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great
things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two
months [1260 years]… And it was given unto him [Satan] to make war with the
saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all
kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (Rev. 13:5, 7)
“And here is the mind which hath wisdom.
The seven heads are seven mountains [
John
also spoke of an image of the beast. He
referenced the “image
of the beast” after he saw the dragon, “having seven heads and ten horns,” (12:3)
the beast (13:1), and “another
beast” (
There
has only been one image of the beast: the
other churches that derived their doctrines, rites, and festivals from the
Catholic Church. “And the beast [the
Papacy] was taken, and with him the false prophet [Mohammed] that wrought
miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of
the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
(Rev. 19:20)
Ecclesiastical
historians have recorded this great apostasy.
Mosheim wrote a century by century account of the apostasy of the Gentile
Christian church. Of the fourth
century, when
John
Wesley, one of the founders of the
Restoration
of Melchisedec Priesthood and Kingdom
A
restoration of the Melchisedec Priesthood was to come after the 1260 year
complete apostasy. “And
I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel
to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6)
The
Papacy was established in 570 AD. When
we add the 1260 year complete apostasy, the result is 1830.
Joseph Smith organized the Church of Christ, according to the law
of the land, on April 6, 1830. He
claimed to have been ordained an Apostle, Prophet, and Lawgiver like Moses and
Jesus. He established the same
organization in the church; as Jesus before him.
“And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists
[Patriarchs]; and some, pastors [High Priests and Elders] and
teachers.” (Eph. 4:11) If
Joseph Smith did not restore the Melchisedec Priesthood, not one person has
entered the kingdom of God since the time the Melchisedec Priesthood was lost
and baptism was changed to sprinkling.
At
the same hour Joseph was murdered on June 27, 1844, James J. Strang (some
400 miles away) claimed to have been ordained the same as Joseph, under the
hands of angels, to the office of Apostle, Prophet, and Lawgiver. Second
Gentile Apostasy
There
was to be a second Gentile apostasy. Unfortunately,
the Gentiles were again to turn from the will of God.
“The
earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed
the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore
hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate:
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.” (Isa.
24:5, 6) “And they [the Jews] shall fall by the edge of the
sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and
This
prophesy of the end of the last Gentile dispensation of the gospel was fulfilled
after the six day war in 1967. The
times of the Gentiles is over. We
are now in the last generation that is to continue until the return of Jesus.
Only a very few are to enter the kingdom during this time.
“I tell you that he will avenge
them speedily. Nevertheless when the
Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) He
will return before the end of this last generation, possibly near 2007.
Many parts of Scripture indicate this last generation will be forty
years; but, we cannot say with absolute certainty.
No man knows the day and the hour.
Our
generation will soon inherit the very worst of times.
Read Revelation Chapters 8-11, and 15-17.
“For
then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the
world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be
shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days
shall be shortened.” (Matt. 24:21, 22)
An
overflowing scourge that will put an end to all nations has been promised for
this generation. “And
your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell
shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye
shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take
you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it
shall be a vexation only to understand the report.” (Isa. 28:18, 19)
But, all is not lost.
A
third of God’s chosen people are to survive.
“And I will bring the third
part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try
them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will
say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zech. 13:9)
When
Jesus returns, it will be to his elect people, the House of Israel, and not to
the Gentiles. “For
I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all
countries, and will bring you into your own land… And ye shall dwell in the
land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be
your God.” (Ezek. 36:24, 28)
A
very small remnant of the Gentiles is to survive.
“And the daughter of Zion
[Gentile church in America] is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a
garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto
us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have
been like unto Gomorrah.” (Isa. 1:8, 9)
In
70 AD, the Gentile army of Rome destroyed over ninety percent of the
Jews. The rest were taken as
captives around the world. “For
the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen [“goi,” also translated Gentile]:
as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return
upon thine own head. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all
the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow
down, and they shall be as though they had not been.” (Obad. 1:15, 16)
James
J. Strang was ordained under the hands of angels as an Apostle, Prophet, and
Lawgiver—like Moses, Jesus, and Joseph Smith before him.
He ordained Apostle L. D. Hickey, who ordained Samuel Martin a High
Priest, who ordained Lloyd Flanders a High Priest, who ordained Samuel E. West
an Elder.
Here
is the good news. The Melchisedec
Priesthood remains on the earth. The
word of the gospel is preached in truth. The
power and keys of the kingdom keep the gate into the kingdom of God open.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” You are invited to become a member of
the church of the First Born and a member of the You to
walk on the path of light and know the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Discover the truth about the real Jesus and His sacrifice.
Obey the gospel of Christ; and become a member of the Go with me, will you go to the saints that have died,- Go with me where the truth and the virtues prevail; Go with me where there is no destruction or war;
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