This is an interesting question.
The answer is no.
Can an organization that never had God's authority to train his ministers give authority from God to the people they train?
No
The only way to get God's authority is from God or Christ.
Since most people think God stopped talking to anyone after Christ was crucified and all those that Christ gave authority died off before any churches really started, NO ONE had authority to start a church. And, because they didn't have authority to start a church, they certainly didn't have authority to perform baptisms or any other ordinances.
There was an apostacy, or falling away where God's authority was lost and was lost for 1800+ years.
In the early 1820's God and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith, who had prayed to discover which church he should join.
He was told to join none of them because the true church wasn't on the earth. They said that all the churches were filled with the teachings of men mingled with scripture.
They also told him that through Joseph, they would restore the truth and God's authority to the earth.
They did. It is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has God's authority directly from God and Jesus. It has the authority to perform baptisms and other ordinances necessary for our salvation.
It is true. Find out more at mormon.org
Showing posts with label priesthood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label priesthood. Show all posts
Are Mormons Weird?
Are we weird?
Some of us, never. Some of us some of the time, and with 13 million members I would bet some people would consider some of us as really weird. Sometimes my wife thinks I'm weird. Sometimes quite often. Happens in every group when you get that many people.
Are we serious all the time?
Same as above and probably in the same proportions as the rest of the world. Some of us have no sense of humor, some have a great sense of humor and some people are never serious. We are serious when it comes to what we believe. If you believed that the truth had been lost from the earth after the time of Christ and the apostles and that God had restored that truth to the earth through a man that became the Lord's prophet, wouldn't you be serious about it? We believe it with all our hearts.
Do we dress all in black and do we wear hats all the time?
Nope. Some dress up all the time because they work in offices that require it. Some wear jeans and t-shirts. Some like to be dressed up, others casual. For Church we do dress up. Suits or slacks and a dress shirt and tie and dresses for the women.
What kinds of jobs do we hold?
On the whole, we are a pretty educated group of people. We hold every type of job there is I would imagine. Some are doctors, dog walkers, tour guides, writers, news anchors, lawyers, bus drivers, politicians, teachers, dancers, actors, business owners, farmers, ranchers, hamburger flippers, grocery baggers, cowboys, artists, singers, sales clerks, machinists, postal clerks, janitors, nurses, firemen, etc. Pretty normal stuff.
Do we live in huge houses with multiple wives?
Nope. We're not polygamous. Usually one wife is what we can deal with. If you're thinking polygamous groups you're thinking of people who have never been Mormons.
What do we do for fun?
Same things as most people do. We go to restaurants, movies, plays, opera, ballet, some go to truck shows, track meets, football games, some hunt, some fish, and on and on and on. Pretty normal stuff. We are all different, just like every other large group of people.
What about drinking and smoking? Do we party.
We do have parties, just without the booze and smokes. Nearly 175 years ago, the first prophet of the Church received a revelation that mentioned things that are bad for us and that we shouldn't use. Those included alcohol and tobacco, including chewing tobacco. It also mentioned that we should not drink tea and coffee. It talked about exercise and eating right. Eating grains and being careful to not eat a lot of meat. It took medical science nearly 150 years to catch up to what the Lord revealed to a prophet as the Lord's law of healthy living. That's why Mormon's live longer than many groups.
Are we all healthy and do everything right?
Nope. We have people interested in their health, people who are health nuts, people who exercise and people who don't. We even have people whose best friend is a donut. Same as before, with 13 million people you get a mix.
Do we believe in weird stuff?
Well, we believe that everyone who has lived on earth lived with God before this life as his spirit children. We believe he loved us so much that he wanted us to learn more than we could as spirits.
He gave us the opportunity to come to earth and learn good from evil by making choices and living in mortal bodies. He wanted us to have the choice of whether we would follow him or go another way.
We believe he loved us so much that he was willing to risk losing us if we chose to not follow his way, just as parents here on earth have to let go of their children if those children are to learn and grow.
We believe he sent His Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins. So that if we accepted Christ's atonement and repented and followed the commandments, that his sacrifice would pay for our sins. Even he said that was the case, but if we wouldn't repent we would have to suffer for our sins, "even as I (Christ)".
We believe that through priesthood authority that was restored, we can be married in temples so that marriage doesn't end at death but gives us the chance to be with our family for eternity.
We believe that by living righteously we can return to live with God again.
It's true. You can know for yourself.
Some of us, never. Some of us some of the time, and with 13 million members I would bet some people would consider some of us as really weird. Sometimes my wife thinks I'm weird. Sometimes quite often. Happens in every group when you get that many people.
Are we serious all the time?
Same as above and probably in the same proportions as the rest of the world. Some of us have no sense of humor, some have a great sense of humor and some people are never serious. We are serious when it comes to what we believe. If you believed that the truth had been lost from the earth after the time of Christ and the apostles and that God had restored that truth to the earth through a man that became the Lord's prophet, wouldn't you be serious about it? We believe it with all our hearts.
Do we dress all in black and do we wear hats all the time?
Nope. Some dress up all the time because they work in offices that require it. Some wear jeans and t-shirts. Some like to be dressed up, others casual. For Church we do dress up. Suits or slacks and a dress shirt and tie and dresses for the women.
What kinds of jobs do we hold?
On the whole, we are a pretty educated group of people. We hold every type of job there is I would imagine. Some are doctors, dog walkers, tour guides, writers, news anchors, lawyers, bus drivers, politicians, teachers, dancers, actors, business owners, farmers, ranchers, hamburger flippers, grocery baggers, cowboys, artists, singers, sales clerks, machinists, postal clerks, janitors, nurses, firemen, etc. Pretty normal stuff.
Do we live in huge houses with multiple wives?
Nope. We're not polygamous. Usually one wife is what we can deal with. If you're thinking polygamous groups you're thinking of people who have never been Mormons.
What do we do for fun?
Same things as most people do. We go to restaurants, movies, plays, opera, ballet, some go to truck shows, track meets, football games, some hunt, some fish, and on and on and on. Pretty normal stuff. We are all different, just like every other large group of people.
What about drinking and smoking? Do we party.
We do have parties, just without the booze and smokes. Nearly 175 years ago, the first prophet of the Church received a revelation that mentioned things that are bad for us and that we shouldn't use. Those included alcohol and tobacco, including chewing tobacco. It also mentioned that we should not drink tea and coffee. It talked about exercise and eating right. Eating grains and being careful to not eat a lot of meat. It took medical science nearly 150 years to catch up to what the Lord revealed to a prophet as the Lord's law of healthy living. That's why Mormon's live longer than many groups.
Are we all healthy and do everything right?
Nope. We have people interested in their health, people who are health nuts, people who exercise and people who don't. We even have people whose best friend is a donut. Same as before, with 13 million people you get a mix.
Do we believe in weird stuff?
Well, we believe that everyone who has lived on earth lived with God before this life as his spirit children. We believe he loved us so much that he wanted us to learn more than we could as spirits.
He gave us the opportunity to come to earth and learn good from evil by making choices and living in mortal bodies. He wanted us to have the choice of whether we would follow him or go another way.
We believe he loved us so much that he was willing to risk losing us if we chose to not follow his way, just as parents here on earth have to let go of their children if those children are to learn and grow.
We believe he sent His Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins. So that if we accepted Christ's atonement and repented and followed the commandments, that his sacrifice would pay for our sins. Even he said that was the case, but if we wouldn't repent we would have to suffer for our sins, "even as I (Christ)".
We believe that through priesthood authority that was restored, we can be married in temples so that marriage doesn't end at death but gives us the chance to be with our family for eternity.
We believe that by living righteously we can return to live with God again.
It's true. You can know for yourself.
Q & A
Do I believe that there is a living prophet on the earth who directs Christ's Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Yes
Do I believe that there are 12 apostles on the earth today who help direct His Church?
Yes
Do I believe they received their authority through the Melchizedek priesthood to be in those positions?
Yes
Do I believe that they receive inspiration and revelation from God to direct The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Yes
Do I believe you can get God's authority from a college or university to perform God's work?
No. The only way to get His authority is from someone who received it from Him or one of his prophets or apostles or other's who have received the priesthood from them. The living prophet and 12 apostles have received this authority in this way.
Do I think The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has God's priesthood authority.
Yes. It was restored to the earth when Joseph Smith received it from Peter, James, and John who appeared as resurrected beings and laid their hands on Joseph's head and ordained him with that authority. Between the time of Christ and the apostles' deaths and when Joseph received it again, the authority to pass on that priesthood authority was lost and had to be restored by those who had it.
Do I think The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's ONLY church on the earth today?
Yes. I believe that the authority of God through Jesus Christ was lost after he and the apostles died. After that, there was no leadership of the Church to pass along the authority and so it was lost. To direct his Church and perform his ordinances, you must have that authority.
Christ's Church and authority had to be restored. It was, through Joseph Smith, when God and Jesus appeared to Joseph in a vision and told him not to join any of the churches of the day. They told Joseph that they would restore the Church through him with all the authority it had at Christ's time.
Do I believe that no other church has the authority to act in his name?
Yes. I believe there are many good people on the earth and wonderful people in churches all over the world. There are leaders of churches that are great men and women. The problem is, they have no authority to act in God's name or perform baptisms or any other ordinance like the sacrament. Only one church has received that authority through a restoration of the priesthood authority.
Yes
Do I believe that there are 12 apostles on the earth today who help direct His Church?
Yes
Do I believe they received their authority through the Melchizedek priesthood to be in those positions?
Yes
Do I believe that they receive inspiration and revelation from God to direct The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Yes
Do I believe you can get God's authority from a college or university to perform God's work?
No. The only way to get His authority is from someone who received it from Him or one of his prophets or apostles or other's who have received the priesthood from them. The living prophet and 12 apostles have received this authority in this way.
Do I think The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has God's priesthood authority.
Yes. It was restored to the earth when Joseph Smith received it from Peter, James, and John who appeared as resurrected beings and laid their hands on Joseph's head and ordained him with that authority. Between the time of Christ and the apostles' deaths and when Joseph received it again, the authority to pass on that priesthood authority was lost and had to be restored by those who had it.
Do I think The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's ONLY church on the earth today?
Yes. I believe that the authority of God through Jesus Christ was lost after he and the apostles died. After that, there was no leadership of the Church to pass along the authority and so it was lost. To direct his Church and perform his ordinances, you must have that authority.
Christ's Church and authority had to be restored. It was, through Joseph Smith, when God and Jesus appeared to Joseph in a vision and told him not to join any of the churches of the day. They told Joseph that they would restore the Church through him with all the authority it had at Christ's time.
Do I believe that no other church has the authority to act in his name?
Yes. I believe there are many good people on the earth and wonderful people in churches all over the world. There are leaders of churches that are great men and women. The problem is, they have no authority to act in God's name or perform baptisms or any other ordinance like the sacrament. Only one church has received that authority through a restoration of the priesthood authority.
Does any Church have God's Priesthood Authority?
When Jesus Christ was on the earth, he had authority from his Father to do what he did.
He had the priesthood and the authority to act in God's behalf and in his name.
After Christ and the apostles and early priesthood leaders were killed, the priesthood was lost to the earth.
So where did all the churches since then get their authority? They decided on their own to create religions based on their desires to follow God. They used their own authority to act in God's name. Some tried to follow the truth, but little by little, the teachings of men replaced Christ's true gospel.
No church had the priesthood. That's right, not one.
We Mormon's believe that the authority was lost and the only way for it to be back on the earth was if God restored it. That is exactly what we believe happened in the early 1800's.
When he was 14, Joseph Smith wanted to know which church to join. It was confusing because every church insisted they had the truth and everyone else was going to hell.
What did he do? He looked in the bible for an answer. He read, "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God..."
He believed in the bible and God's teachings. He went to a grove of trees to pray. As an answer to his prayer, God and his son Jesus Christ appeared to him.
They told Joseph that he should join none of the churches because they taught the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. He was told that the truth was no longer on the earth and that there was no one that had God's priesthood authority.
Joseph was told that God would restore the truth and the gospel to the earth. It would be restored through Joseph. It would have the priesthood authority to administer the gospel and the ordinances that had been lost from the earth.
The truth has been restored. Priesthood authority to baptize has been restored.
The organization set up by Christ has been restored with a living prophet and twelve apostles who guide his Church today.
His Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It is true.
Mormon.org
He had the priesthood and the authority to act in God's behalf and in his name.
After Christ and the apostles and early priesthood leaders were killed, the priesthood was lost to the earth.
So where did all the churches since then get their authority? They decided on their own to create religions based on their desires to follow God. They used their own authority to act in God's name. Some tried to follow the truth, but little by little, the teachings of men replaced Christ's true gospel.
No church had the priesthood. That's right, not one.
We Mormon's believe that the authority was lost and the only way for it to be back on the earth was if God restored it. That is exactly what we believe happened in the early 1800's.
When he was 14, Joseph Smith wanted to know which church to join. It was confusing because every church insisted they had the truth and everyone else was going to hell.
What did he do? He looked in the bible for an answer. He read, "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God..."
He believed in the bible and God's teachings. He went to a grove of trees to pray. As an answer to his prayer, God and his son Jesus Christ appeared to him.
They told Joseph that he should join none of the churches because they taught the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. He was told that the truth was no longer on the earth and that there was no one that had God's priesthood authority.
Joseph was told that God would restore the truth and the gospel to the earth. It would be restored through Joseph. It would have the priesthood authority to administer the gospel and the ordinances that had been lost from the earth.
The truth has been restored. Priesthood authority to baptize has been restored.
The organization set up by Christ has been restored with a living prophet and twelve apostles who guide his Church today.
His Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It is true.
Mormon.org
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