Authority and Power in the Priesthood

In my three previous writings, various aspects of the Priesthood of God or the Melchizedek Priesthood have been explored, and the subject of priesthood authority has been a central theme in them. In conclusion, it would be fair to say that all priesthood is Melchizedek given that the Aaronic Priesthood as well as “all other authorities or offices in the church are appendages to this priesthood” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:5 & 14).

What has not been discussed in these previous writings is a subject that the Prophet Nephi brings to our attention because of his having been shown a vision of our day. “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14). Nephi’s words are a motivation to consider some thoughts concerning priesthood power.

For more than thirty years, I taught courses in political science with particular emphasis on international relations. I believe it is safe to say that there is no subject more central to the study of political science than the role power plays in human relationships. Early in my studies, I came across A. F. K. Organski’s definition of power which I adopted as my starting point each quarter. “Power,” writes Organski, “is the ability to determine [control] the behavior of others.” Examples of such control of one human being’s behavior by another range from the most fleeting of instances to those of blatant oppression.

In the secular world, unequal positions of authority do not necessarily endow their holders with opportunities to exercise commensurate power. For example, it is not difficult to imagine individuals serving in government in apparently unequal positions of authority who in fact exercise power in some inverse proportion to their authority levels. A member of the National House of Representatives elected to the House for the first time last November and who will take office in January of 2011 will enjoy a position of authority apparently greater than that of a mid-level bureaucrat in one of the agencies within the jurisdiction of the executive branch. However, it does not take long when studying the power attendant in the federal bureaucracy to realize that a well placed bureaucrat may easily exercise more real power per Professor Organski’s definition than an elected representative, particularly a novice.

I use this illustration because the Melchizedek Priesthood is the authority and power by which the universe is governed, and its potential is far, far in excess of anything our puny intellects may conceive. However, as holders of that Priesthood, we ought never to lose sight of the fact that having such authority does not in and of itself give us power in that Priesthood. Once we have had authority conferred upon us, we are responsible to magnify our callings and our other opportunities to exercise the priesthood thus enabling us to be granted the power to bless ourselves and those about us in light of the gospel and the purposes of our mortal probation. How sorrowful the Lord must be when He looks upon most of us and understands how little of our true potential for priesthood power we have realized.

Obedience is the law of heaven, and obedience to the laws of heaven is the only means by which we may exercise power in the priesthood. “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” (D&C 121:34-36).

Daniel while interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream prophesied that a stone cut out of the mountain without hands would roll forth destroying the “terrible” image that had so troubled the king and would eventually fill the whole earth. We understand this stone to be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is our prophetic future, and it will be fulfilled in all of its particulars. Even now, this Church is well on its way to covering the earth. The growth of the Kingdom of God is like an unstoppable tide. Its mission is to prepare the earth for the triumphant return of its King. At the second coming of the Savior, the secular and religious kingdoms that are not His will be destroyed or at the very least come under His authority. It is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by which and through which He will govern the earth during the Millennium. The fulfillment of the Church’s mission will only be possible to the extent that individual members exercise appropriate power in the priesthood as they seek to fulfill their respective callings in priesthood and auxiliary organizations consistent with the instructions found in Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants namely, “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.”