Mormon Theology no. 43 - "Called of God by prophecy"

The fifth Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reads, "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof."  We will discuss this claim in expanded detail herein.

Many a street preacher has gone to and fro around the United States and the world preaching what he termed to be the gospel of Christ.  However, when one looks at those preachers in light of the Restored Gospel, one finds that said preachers are in error, because they have not been called of God.  Indeed, Paul said it best when he wrote, "And no man taketh this honor [the Priesthood or Authority of God to preach the Gospel] unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. (Hebrews 5:4)"  How was Aaron called?  Why, through a prophet of the Lord, even his brother Moses (Ex. 28:1).

Also, through the Prophet Joseph Smith are given these words to his brother Hyrum Smith, which read, "Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called.  Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my Church, and my Gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine. (D&C 11:15-16)"

It follows then that no man nor woman is authorized to preach the Gospel of Christ unless called by revelation through a prophet.  Elder Orson Pratt said, "No person was ever authorized to act in the name of the Lord, unless called by new revelation. (The Essential Orson Pratt, p. 55)"  In order for anyone, then, to be called to preach the Gospel in any capacity, it must be done through living prophets which said prophets are only found within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

An example from former days is the calling of Matthias to be ordained as one of the Twelve Apostles.  This calling was directed by Peter (the President of the Church) in a speech given to the rest of the Eleven, as seen in Acts 1:15-26.

An example in these latter days of one being called to preach the Gospel of Christ by the Lord through a prophet of God is my own missionary call.  It reads:

12 October 2004

Dear Elder Herlin:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  You are assigned to labor in the California Carlsbad Mission. . . . 

[Signed] Gordon B. Hinckley

I hope this essay is sufficient to explain the need of one to be called of God through a prophet, in order to preach the Gospel.  I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and the only Church Authorized by God to appropriately call men and women to preach the Gospel of Salvation.  I know that both the Bible and Book of Mormon teach of the necessity of being called of God.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 42 - The Apostleship

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (as shown in previous posts) is the only Church to hold the Priesthood Keys, delivered under the direction of the Lord by Peter, James, John, Moses, Elijah, and Elias.  In this essay, we will discuss the meaning, power, and authority of the Apostleship in this dispensation.

Since  14 February 1835, the Apostleship has been at work promulgating the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So what is the meaning of the word "Apostleship", or what is the nature of that calling?

Current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  Back Row, R-L: Neil L. Andersen, D. Todd Christofferson, Quentin L. Cook, David A. Bednar, Jeffrey R. Holland, Robert D. Hales, and Richard G. Scott.  Front Row, R-L: M. Russell Ballard, Dallin H. Oaks, Russell M. Nelson, L. Tom Perry, and Boyd K. Packer

Meaning of "Apostleship"
President Brigham Young taught, "All the keys . . . and everything preparatory to entering into the presence of the Father and of the Son . . . are incorporated within . . . the Apostleship. (Millennial Star, 23 July 1853, p. 489)"  Apostles ordain Apostles - that is how the Church of Jesus Christ works.  I say boldly as a warning that no man can be ordained an Apostle of the Lord unless specifically called by the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints personally.  If one says he was ordained an Apostle by one in the LDS Church who does not hold that office - or by one outside the LDS Church - then that man is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  All those off-shoots of the LDS Church - even if they claim to be Apostles, or to have been given a special ordination - unless they are ordained by the body of the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency and then sustained publicly in a General Conference assembled, they are not true apostles.

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1944): Front (left to right): George Albert Smith, George F. Richards, Joseph Fielding Smith, Stephen L. Richards, John A. Widtsoe, Joseph F. Merrill. Back (left to right): Charles A. Callis, Albert E. Bowen, Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Mark E. Petersen

Power and Authority of "Apostleship"
The first power anyone gets in the Apostleship is received by diligent, hard work.  In a letter printed in the Deseret News on 30 April 1853, we read:

"Elder O. Pratt has been indefatigable in his exertions in prosecuting the business entrusted to his charge. . . . Elder Pratt is faithful, useful, and true; he has got the run of matters here very well, and is with me in all my deliberations, visitings, etc.
[signed] Orson Hyde"

Secondly (but actually firstly, in regards to building up the Kingdom of God), the Power and Authority of the Apostleship was discussed by President Young during the cornerstone laying of the Salt Lake Temple in 1853.  Said he, "We will now commence with the Apostleship—where Joseph commenced.  Joseph was ordained an Apostle, that you can read and understand.  After he was ordained to this office, then he had the right to organize, build up the kingdom of God, for he had committed unto him the keys of the Priesthood, which is after the order of Melchizedek, the High priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God.  And this, remember, by being ordained an Apostle. (Journal History, April 6, 1853, 6–8)"

Elder Orson Pratt further commented,

This Church never could have arisen had the Lord stopped with the mere translation of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the lesser priesthood.  It is true that with the latter we could baptize, but it does not impart the power to confer the Holy Ghost; and that this Church might have the power to administer in every ordinance of the Gospel, the apostleship was again restored, which holds all the keys, authorities and powers to administer, not only in the outward ordinances, but also to confer the spirit of the living God. (Journal of Discourses, 12:361)

Thus we can behold the nature, power, and authority vested within the Apostleship, which Apostleship is fully exercised only within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 25 - The Postmortal Spirit World

The LDS Church is the only religion in the world to teach the correct doctrine of where we are going when we die and what occurs there.  We will examine this doctrine through scripture and the words of the prophets.

In the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, Alma teaches his son Corianton what happens after we die.  It is written,

Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.  And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.  And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.  Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection. (Alma 40:11-14)

Spirit Paradise for those Members of the Church of Jesus Christ

It must be remembered that the righteous Alma speaks of are those who have take upon themselves the necessary ordinances to be saved, irrespective of the dispensation of the Gospel they lived in.  Those who go to Spirit Paradise are only the righteous dead, or those who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ in this life on Earth, no matter the Dispensation.  What do they do in Spirit Paradise?  President Joseph F. Smith wrote of a vision he had in 1918.  This was a vision of the Savior's ministry to the Spirit World during the time His body was in the Garden Tomb.  Of this vision President Smith said, "I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.  The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God" (D&C 138:57-58).  Elder Orson Pratt spoke of Spirit Paradise and the happiness found therein.  He said the reason for this happiness is that "it is the reflection of the memory that produces joy; that is one of the elements by which joy and happiness are produced upon the spirit of man in the future state; we remember the acts of our past lives that they have been good; we perceive by our memories that we have been obedient to counsel; . . . The fact is, our spirits then will be happy, far more happy than what we are capable even of conceiving, or having the least idea of in this world" (Journal of Discourses 2:240).

Spirit Prison Reserved for those not Members of the Church of Jesus Christ

Spirit Prison is entered into by all those who were either not members of The Church of Jesus Christ in this life on Earth, or who willfully chose to leave the Church and died outside the faith of the Restored Gospel.  Elder Orson Pratt taught, "We might now inquire, what is the cause of this intense suffering and misery? . . . It is memory, and remorse of conscience; a memory of what they have once done, a memory of their disobedience" (JD 2:239).  President Brigham Young said, speaking of Spirit Prison, said, "The wicked spirits that leave here and go into the spirit world, are they wicked there?  Yes" (Deseret News Weekly, 27 Aug. 1856, p. 3).  Amulek put it this way, "Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis [death], that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth posses your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world" (Alma 34:34).

President Joseph F. Smith taught,"from among the righteous, [Christ] organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and comissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead.  And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel" (D&C 138:30-31).  As he stated above, "The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God."

The Spirit World is real.  What the Savior taught in the Bible concerning the rich man and Lazarus, as well as what Peter taught concerning Christ preaching to the dead spirits, are but glimpses of what the Lord revealed to Prophets and Apostles, both on the American continent anciently and in the modern day.  I know The Church of Jesus Christ is true, and the only true Church on Earth.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.