Monday, October 5, 2009

On Restoration of the Priesthood

In our Fast and Testimony meetings we often speak of our gratitude for the restoration of The Gospel by Joseph Smith.  This are wonderful sentiments,  but that leaves me to wonder, if it is possible, to restore The Gospel of Jesus Christ?

The Gospel is the "Good News", that Christ suffered in Gethsemane, was placed on cross, descended to Hell, released her captives, and ascended to to Heaven (see the Apostles Creed, oldest written form of the Baptismal Covenant).  The Old Testament Covenant only condemns us,  who are unable to fulfill it's conditions (see Parable of the Wicked Mammon, William Tyndale).  Grace, through the intervention and condescension of The  Christ restores us again to The Father's presence.  If The Law of the Gospel is an eternal law , it can neither be lost nor restored.  Can one restore The Law Gravity.  One's ignorance of a law's technical description can not prevent it's proper operation.

Sir Isaac Newton restored to us a technical description of the Law of Gravity in his "Principia".  He never restored The Law of Gravity, only our proper understanding of it's of operation.

I wonder, if in sharing these views, in our testimony meetings. We, in our common experience, are seeking to express our gratitude for the Restoration of the Priesthood.

I have studied the writings of the men  who laid the ground work for the Restoration of the Priesthood.  Men such as, John Chrysostom, Arius,  Pelagius , John Wycliffe,  Miles Smith, John Milton, Martin Luther, John Calvin,Thomas Cranmer,  William Tyndale, Thomas More, and John Milton.  These men possessed  a very good working knowledge of The Gospel of Jesus Christ.   All their attempts to reform, or the restore the ministry of the church ended in dissolution  or usurpation.  The missing key to their puzzle was the Priesthood, or authorization by God to act in his name.  The return of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood's through the Prophet Joseph Smith the restored this element missing from their ministries.

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