Unraveling the Mystery of Godliness - Part 4 : The Why and How

  In the Lord’s prayer the Savior says, “Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” [1] Like us, earth is preparing to be inhabited by a select group.The Savior refers to those who inherit earth in His “Sermon on the Mount.”

“And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (RE Matthew 3:8, emphasis added).

The kingdom of God comes to earth, but the meek will not inherit it until earth and those who occupy it complete preparations to reside there. The preparation requires both earth and its inhabitants to be sanctified.

“. . .The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s . . .” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Urim and Thummim, pp. 353-354, emphasis added).

As the sanctification of man is metaphorically referred to as “the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost,” earth experiences sanctification through baptism [flood of Noah, removing the wicked] then a literal burning, removing all impurities so those who inhabit it reside in pristine circumstances both literally and figuratively. For those inhabitants, earth becomes a Urim and Thummim allowing them access to knowledge of kingdoms inferior to sanctified earth. Knowledge of higher kingdoms transcending the Celestial kingdom is obtained through a new name the Lord gives each inhabitant. The new name is a “key word,” enabling them to inquire about kingdoms higher than sanctified earth. Having the earth as a crystalized Urim and Thummim providing knowledge of lesser kingdoms and a “new name” as a key to knowledge of higher kingdoms completes the circle of truth for the earth’s sanctified inhabitants. Truth is knowledge:

“. . . of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; and whatever is more or less than these is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning” (RE T&C 93:8, emphasis added).

Truth is knowledge of the past, present, and future. All truth is knowledge possessed by God. Those sanctified beings occupying a sanctified earth have access to God and His knowledge through Priesthood ordinances He reveals for those prepared to receive it.

“And this greater Priesthood administers the gospel and holds the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof the power of godliness is manifest, and without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the Priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto man in the flesh, for without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live” (T&C 82:12, emphasis added).

It is inadequate to be ordained by man to the Holy Priesthood. The ordination is simply a man “called” or invited by God. Ordination is necessary but may be done by men qualified to receive the Priesthood as well as angels sent by God to ordain “chosen vessels” or “heirs of salvation.” [2] For a man to authoritatively act in God’s name and exercise his Priesthood in righteousness requires God to choose them following ordination. The call comes by the voice of God, [3] not an institution claiming authority to represent Him.

“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson — that the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the Powers of Heaven and that the Powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled, only upon the principles of righteousness. That they may be conferred [by ordination] upon us, it is true, but when we undertake to cover our sins or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the children of men in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the Heavens withdraw themselves, the spirit of the Lord is grieved, and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God [this is apparent when those ordained institutionally confront those “called and chosen” by God’s voice. They are left to themselves, fighting against God and His “chosen” servants]. We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion [called but not chosen]. Hence many are called, but few are chosen” (RE T&C 139:5, emphasis added).

There is no shortage of men claiming authority to exercise Priesthood from God. Lacking the call “by His own voice” they wield institutional authority as a club, imposing their will in God’s name. Consequently, out of vanity and arrogance find themselves in cross-purposes to God and those He calls to His work.

“Then answered one of the lawyers [practitioners of the law of Moses] and said unto him, Master, thus saying, you reproach us also. And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also, for you lead men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you, for you build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly you bear witness that you endorse the deeds of your fathers, for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchers. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles [by the Lord’s own voice, not presumed institutional authority], and some of them they shall slay and persecute, that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation — from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the temple. Truly I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge, the fullness of the scriptures [redacting truth and calling it “inspiration” and “revelation”]. You enter not in yourselves into the kingdom, and those who were entering in, you hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be angry and to urge vehemently [“kick against the pricks and fight against God”], endeavoring to provoke him to speak of many things, lying in wait for him and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him” (RE Luke 8:17, emphasis added).

The first great obstacle to overcome is discerning between institutionally appointed leaders and those called by God’s voice.

To understand why we must be sanctified, we must understand conditions in Heaven. Joseph Smith addressed this subject in the King Follett sermon.

“These are the first principles of consolation. How consoling to the mourners when they are called to part with a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or dear relative, to know that, although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more; but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a God, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before” (TPJS., p.347, emphasis added).

Traditional Christian beliefs equate “everlasting burnings” with dwelling in hell. For Joseph Smith to say the righteous rise to dwell in everlasting burnings claiming, “the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a God, and ascend the throne of eternal power” appears counter to modern Christianity. That is, until we explore Joseph Smith’s teachings contrasting Heaven and Hell.

Joseph Smith explained the damnation of hell:

“Those who seek to enter in any other way will seek in vain; for God will not receive them, neither will the angels acknowledge their works as accepted, for they have not obeyed the ordinances, nor attended the signs which God ordained for the salvation of man, to prepare him for, and give him a title to, a celestial glory; and God had decreed that all who would not obey His voice shall not escape the damnation of hell. What is the damnation of hell? To go with that society who have not obeyed His commands” (TPJS., p.198, emphasis added).

Promised blessings associated with Priesthood ordinances must be in strict compliance with terms of the Lord’s Atonement. Any variation from original terms instituted by the Lord cannot be changed and remain acknowledged by the Lord or His angels. This is why the Lord, through Isaiah, issued a warning not to alter ordinances from their original form.

“Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest [priestly, institutional positions will not save people from destruction because all are offenders of God’s laws and ordinances]; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled, for the Lord has spoken this word. The earth mourns and fades away; the world languishes and fades away; the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore has the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted do sigh. The mirth of tambourines ceases, the noise of them that rejoice ends, the joy of the harp ceases. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The city of confusion is broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in. There is a crying for wine in the streets, all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning-grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea. Wherefore, glorify the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea” (RE Isaiah 7:1, emphasis added).

The land is “utterly emptied and utterly spoiled” because institutional priests believed they had authority to alter foundational ordinances manifesting the power of godliness.

“Without the ordinances thereof [unchanged, as originally ordained by God], and the authority of the priesthood [called and chosen by the voice of God], the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live” (RE T&C 82:12, emphasis added).

When promises are made by God, they can never be broken. When made by man [when the ordinances are altered], they can never be enduring in time and eternity. False priests are among the “many who are called” but never chosen by God’s voice. They take it upon themselves to alter what God has ordained [hence the name “ordinance”], the promises revealed in the ordinances by His authority lose their power when adapted by man. They cease to be revelations from God and become the property of man. It is cavalier for priests to take what is originally given by God and alter it. Changes to God’s original words are presented as “inspiration” and “revelation” when it is really redaction. Those who alter God’s ordinances “neither go in” themselves and “hinder those” who have honest desires to enter in.

Consider a thought experiment to weigh the intellectual process behind making changes to ordinances ordained by God. Are changes to the ordinances correcting mistakes God made in the original declaration? Have changes by those claiming authority led to “the power of godliness” being manifest to men “in the flesh” and do men and women “see the face of God, even the Father and live” after receiving altered ordinances? They are promised fruits of the original ordinances given by God. Have we reaped the benefits of those promises through ever changing ordinances since Joseph Smith? Can we expect to “enter in by another way” and do angels [Patriarchal Fathers] acknowledge and endorse what is done contrary to God’s original ordinations?

The Lord warned the saints in the days of Joseph Smith not to repeat the sins of the past:

“Wherefore, the voice of the Lord is unto the end of the earth, that all that will hear may hear: Prepare yourselves, prepare for that which is to come, for the Lord is near and the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in Heaven and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth, and the arm of the Lord [appendage or extension of, a servant] shall be revealed. And the day comes that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles [those called and chosen by His voice], shall be cut off from among the people, for they have strayed from my ordinances and have broken my everlasting covenant [changes made by survey’s and focus groups and labeled “revelation”]. They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walks in his own way and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol which waxes old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great which shall fall” (RE T&C 54:3, emphasis added).

Two examples of being in jeopardy of a desolation curse from God are one quotation and one dream shared by Denver Snuffer Jr.:

“In Ezekiel 34: 11-12 it is written: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds: woe be unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.”

This description could be applied with several layers of meaning.  However, the one I like best is the interpretation which relates “feeding” to teaching truths.  Shepherds were given the calling of teaching the “flocks” of Israel higher truths which would exalt them.  However, they instead focused their ministry upon things which were trivial, did not raise the inner lives of the “flocks,” and stirred up those who followed them into envy and strife.  These shepherds were unworthy, condemned with the pronouncement of “woe” upon them and warned by the prophet.

Fortunately, Ezekiel’s message goes on to promise that in the latter-days the Lord will “both search [His] sheep, and seek them out.  As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” (34: 11-12.)  We are in that latter-day time now.  He is seeking. [4] But notice that throughout the description of His latter-day work, He alone takes credit for finding and feeding.  (34: 13-17.)

When He has gathered enough to establish again His kingdom, He will then make a new day in which “my servant David” will be the “one shepherd” over them, in that Millennial Day.  (34: 22-24.)

We’re supposed to be getting gathered now in anticipation of becoming numerous enough for there to be a Millennial King provided for us.  We’re supposed to be in contact with the Lord as He alone gathers us in this latter day.  It is a glorious vision for which we should rejoice” (Shepherds of Israel blogpost, Denver Snuffer Jr., March 14, 2010, emphasis added).

The second example is a dream that gives pause to anyone claiming authority to represent God today.

“On the 13th of February 2003 I saw the Lord coming in His glory. At first a sign appeared in the heavens, a light emanating from a single point and turning first this way and that. All the world saw it, and men debated over its meaning. At length the light turned upon us and within it was the Lord, showing His glory, with concourses of angels and the hosts of Heaven following in His wake.

And when we saw that it was the Lord we rejoiced and were filled with joy. I turned to my wife and said, Look, it is Christ!, and she said, Yes, it is! And we were filled with joy and peace of mind, for the long awaited day of the Lord had come.

But others were filled with dread. They feared and lamented and wanted the mountains to cover them and hide them from His presence, for he was clothed in red and came in judgment. And Christian ministers knew they had taught falsely and that their faith could not save — and they begged for relief from the Saints.

This caused me to marvel at how this could be. It was given unto me to understand that without the ordinances of salvation through the authorized ministers of the gospel it was not possible for men to shed their sins. And they could not look upon a just and holy Being without being racked with torment and guilt for their sins. [5] And they pled with the Saints to minister to them, but we could not, for we were constrained by the spirit and were forbidden to do so. For this was the day of judgment which the Lord had in His heart, and he was now come to preach His own sermon, clothed in red, and to deliver those who waited on Him and to convict and condemn those who had not.

I write this in my own hand and bear solemn testimony that it is true. Amen. When I had finished recording the foregoing account I replied to the Lord that it was not complete and that I could give a much fuller account. The Lord replied, When the time comes to bear testimony of this, these are the word

s you shall use. And many other things were told to me that cannot be written” (RE T&C 160, emphasis added).

There’s been a lot of references to burning. It is important to understand two distinctions in the types of burning in the economy of God. One type is metaphorical, not literal. Burning is a metaphor for describing mental anguish one feels when their conduct is contrary to the nature of God triggering an emotional and psychological response that can become physical if acts are too egregious. Words like guilt, regret, or remorse are often used to express these feelings. “Burning” in this context becomes the metaphor to describe the suffering of the wicked in hell. Joseph Smith addressed this type of suffering:

“The great misery of departed spirits in the world of spirits, where they go after death, is to know that they come short of the glory that others enjoy and that they might have enjoyed themselves, and they are their own accusers” (TPJS., pp.310-311, emphasis added).

The use of burning in this context may trigger a physical response if the act is extraordinary. Realization of the depth of our actions in contrast to holy beings and their righteousness is comprehended, triggering intense suffering. For example, Alma the younger after being chastened by a holy angel. He suffered for three days and three nights with “the pains of a damned soul.” [6] Alma described his suffering as “torture” until he recalls the words of his father, Alma the elder and his teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Alma the younger “caught hold on that thought” and began crying to God for deliverance from his sins. He records:

“And as I was tortured like this, while I was pained by the memory of my many sins, I also remembered hearing my father prophesy to the people about the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the world’s sins. Now as my mind took ahold of this thought, I cried out within my heart: O Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me — I bitterly regret my life and I feel doomed to everlasting death. Now when I prayed this, I was released from my pains; indeed, I was no longer tormented by the memory of my sins. But then, I felt such joy, and I saw such light! My soul was filled with joy as great as had been my pains. Indeed, I tell you, my son, nothing is as intense and bitter as were my pains.

But my son, on the other hand, from my experience there’s nothing as intense and sweet as was my joy. And then I thought I saw — just like our forefather Lehi saw — God sitting on His throne [ “without this no man see the face of God, even the Father and live” (RE T&C 82:12)], surrounded by numberless rings of angels engaged in singing and praising Him. And my soul longed to be there. Then I recovered and my limbs got their strength back, and I stood on my feet and declared to the people that I had been born of God. And from then on I’ve worked nonstop to bring souls to repentance, to bring them to taste the great joy I tasted, so they can also be born of God and be filled with the Holy Ghost” (C of C Alma 17:4-5, emphasis added).

This type of “burning” is metaphorical and may be extinguished by turning to Christ, confessing our sins, becoming clean through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. It is not an act of God inflicting punishment on us. It is a natural consequence to being drawn closer to a sanctified being [God] when you are unworthy to be there. As Joseph Smith said, “they are their own accusers.”

“Well, of all the things from which we hope to be healed through Christ, that which is most sought after or should be sought after is the feeling of guilt that you have disappointed a just and holy Being. Every one of us is going to come, at some moment, into the presence of that just and holy Being. And every one of us, if we carry a burden of sin, is going to look upon His holiness and our own uncleanness and recoil in horror. That was the moment that Christ also bore for us—the moment in which He, in Gethsemane, was brought to the point that He looked upon that just and holy Being (called an angel by Luke) who came to visit with Him in this extremity, while Christ reconciled the guilt of transgression and unholiness with the purity and the presence of a just and holy Being. He’s been there; He’s done that. We get an opportunity, from time to time, in this life—through illness and aging and infirmity, through accidents or through disappointments, through the treachery of our fellow man or the disappointment of someone backstabbing or dealing unjustly with you—you get, from time to time, an opportunity to experience a portion of what it is that the Lord can fix. All of those things are incidental. If they draw you back to pray to God to ask for help in the extremities you go through, that’s a good thing. But in the end, what you should be coming to Christ to reconcile/to cleanse/to heal is that form of corruption which alienates us from Him; it’s sin itself” (Easter, Denver Snuffer Jr., p.5, emphasis added).

This form of burning can and should be quenched by repentance through the Atonement of Christ. Deliverance from this type of burning is what the Savior was sent to deliver us from. This is what Isaiah referred to when he said:

“Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourself, make yourself clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land, but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it” (RE Isaiah 1:3, emphasis added).

This type of burning represents self-inflicted suffering for our failure to prepare to associate with those in Heaven. It is suffering from which we may all be delivered if we comply with His terms. All that is required is expressing contrition for our sins, [“broken heart and contrite spirit” (C of C 3 Nephi 4:7)], turning to Christ for His grace and mercy. Failure to do so leads to suffering the consequences of our disbelief. This is why the Savior said to Martin Harris and Joseph Smith:

“Wherefore, I command you to repent and keep the commandments which you have received by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith Jr. in my name; and it is by my almighty power that you have received them. Therefore, I command you to repent, repent lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore — how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent. But if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I, which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit, and would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink. Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. Wherefore, I command you again to repent lest I humble you by my almighty power, and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my spirit” (RE T&C 1, Joseph Smith History 1:5, emphasis added).

Disbelief and lack of faith in Christ are tools of the adversary to keep us from the grace of Christ and deliverance from sin and death. The Atonement of Christ is a gift from God but so is our agency. He cannot compel us to receive His gift, only entice. If we choose disbelief and embrace lies, we are left to suffer those consequences until we come to our senses.

The second reference to burning is not punishment but preservation. When we “wash yourself and make yourself clean” through the blood of Christ, dwelling in everlasting burnings is how Heaven remains free of impurities. The glory of God keeps Heaven and all those who dwell there shielded from impurities of any type by incinerating everything impure approaching those residing in Heaven.

When the Savior returns, He does so with an entourage of those cities of “translated” beings returning to claim their inheritance on earth. Nephi, the initial author of the Covenant of Christ and angelic ministrant, altered a prophecy in Malachi to foretell a day when the earth would experience literal burning by fire. All the wicked and prideful are burned from earth’s face in preparation for the righteous.

“After telling me these things he [Nephi] commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi [Mal. 1:6–8], and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy [Mal. 1:9–11], though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as reads in our books, he quoted it thus: For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall burn as stubble; for they [inhabitants of the Zion of Enoch and Salem of Melchizedek, righteous people dwelling in everlasting burnings] that cometh shall burn them [because they have not repented and been made clean in the blood of Christ], saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root [ancestry] nor branch [branch, because they do not avail themselves of the sealing power when Elijah returns to earth]. And again he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood by the hand of Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great [for the righteous] and dreadful [for the wicked refusing repentance and forgiveness] day of the Lord. He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the [covenant] promises made to the [Patriarchal] fathers, and the hearts [desires] of the children shall turn to their [Patriarchal] fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted [burned] at his coming” (RE T&C 1, Joseph Smith History Part 3:4, emphasis added).

The Patriarchal fathers or “Powers of Heaven” descend through the conduit reopened by Elijah, to prepare earth’s inhabitants to become clean and empowered by God when they are “armed with righteousness” and stand as witnesses of Christ prior to the destruction of the wicked.

Part 5 addresses how Elijah and Patriarchal fathers return to earth to gather God’s people and prepare them to stand when Christ returns in judgment and glory. Because of Heaven’s intervention, the righteous on earth survive the burning and embrace their Patriarchal fathers upon their return with the Lord in glory.

“. . .the day shall come that the earth shall rest. But before that day, the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth. And great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve. And righteousness will I send down out of Heaven. Truth will I send forth out of the earth to bear testimony of my Only Begotten, his resurrection from the dead, yea, and also the resurrection of all men. And righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out my own elect from the four quarters of the earth unto a place which I shall prepare, a holy city, that my people may gird up their loins and be looking forth for the time of my coming. For there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. And the Lord said unto Enoch, Then shall you and all your city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom. And they shall see us, and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other; and there shall be my abode. And it shall be Zion which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made, and for the space of a thousand years shall the earth rest” (RE Genesis 4:22, emphasis added).

We will see them as they are, and we will be pure as they are, because they teach us how to prepare as earth floods with “righteousness and truth.”

[1] “Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth, as it is done in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us. And suffer us not to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen” (RE Matthew 3:29, emphasis added).

[2] “Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also. And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels, and the preparatory gospel, which gospel is the gospel of repentance, and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron, among the children of Israel, until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the holy ghost from his mother’s womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power: to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power” (RE T&C 82:14, emphasis added).

“ . . . While we were thus employed praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from Heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying unto us, Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. And this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. He said this Aaronic priesthood had not the power of laying on of hands for the gift of the holy ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter, and he commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and afterward that he should baptize me . . .” (RE T&C 1, Joseph Smith History 14:1, emphasis added).

Men ordained to this authority by angelic ministrant would not necessarily be recognized by contemporary religious leaders of their day. Consequently, those leaders often find themselves in opposition to men called and chosen by God to accomplish His work. They find themselves enemies of God as they fight to preserve their authority in the eyes of men.

[3] “Now Melchizedek was a man of faith who wrought righteousness. And when a child, he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire. And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained a high priest after the Order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, it being after the Order of the Son of God, which Order came not by man, nor the will of men, neither by father nor mother, neither by beginning of days nor end of years, but of God. And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name” (RE Genesis 7:18, emphasis added).

[4] If there is a question as to whether or not the Lord is “seeking” His sheep today, I have evidence the statement is true. You are the evidence. I have been writing this blog for a while now with no effort to promote it. Occasionally I mention it in casual conversation, but I have not done search engine optimization or sought to emphasize key words. All I have done is research, write papers, and share what I’ve learned. The evidence God is seeking His people from throughout the world is the diversity of the audience now perusing pages of this website. In addition to a predominantly American audience, people from Singapore, New Zealand, India, Iraq, Iran, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Russia, China, Kenya, Canada, and Myanmar are reading the content of this website. It is a testament to the Fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of man. All are His children, and all are precious to Him. I am thrilled to have some interested in the content, but more thrilled to witness the hand of God reach for His children in attempt to save them all, no matter race or creed. We are all His children, and His Son willingly sacrificed all to save mankind, His sons and daughters. Not only to save but to exalt. “. . .For behold this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. . .” (RE Genesis 1:7). We all are His work and glory and He seeks to bring it to pass for all who come to Him.

[5] “Now I’ll also speak to those who don’t believe in Christ. Will you believe when He returns again? When the Lord comes — indeed, on that great day when the earth is rolled together as a scroll and the material elements melt with intense heat — on that great day when you’re brought to stand before the Lamb of God, will you then claim there’s no God? Will you then continue to deny Christ, even when you behold the Lamb of God? Do you think you’ll live with Him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do you think you could be happy living with that holy Being when your souls are tormented with a consciousness of your guilt, that you’ve continually abused His laws? I tell you that you would be more miserable living with a holy and righteous God under a consciousness of your filthiness before Him than you would be living with the damned souls in hell. Indeed, when you’re brought to see your nakedness before God, as well as the glory of God and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will light a flame of unquenchable fire in you. O then, you who don’t believe, turn to the Lord! Cry powerfully to the Father in Jesus’ name, so perhaps you can be found spotless, pure, beautiful, and white on that great and last day, having been cleansed by the Lamb’s blood” (C of C Mormon 4:6, emphasis added).

[6] “Then I fell to the ground, and I couldn’t open my mouth or use my limbs for three days and nights. And the angel said more things to me, which were heard by my companions, but I didn’t hear them. Because when I heard the words: End your efforts to destroy the congregation, unless you want to be destroyed! I was struck with such great fear and amazement thinking I might be destroyed, that I collapsed and didn’t hear anything else. But I was tortured with eternal torment — my soul suffered to the greatest extent and was tortured by guilt over all my sins. I remembered every sin and all my iniquities, and they tormented me with the pains of hell. Indeed, I could see my rebellion against God and that I hadn’t kept His holy commandments. And I had effectively murdered many of His children by leading them away to destruction — to be clear, my iniquities had been so overwhelming that the very thought of coming into the presence of God tortured my soul with inexpressible horror. I thought to myself: I wish I could vanish and cease all existence, both spirit and body, so I could avoid being brought to stand in the presence of God to be judged for my actions. And now I was tortured with the pains of a damned soul for three days and nights” (C of C Alma 17: 3, emphasis added).

Scott Roderick

11/3/25

Unraveling the Mystery of Godliness Part 4.pdf

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