1. What is the Holy Priesthood?
Our Father in Heaven gave unto His Son, Jesus Christ, power and authority over all things in heaven and earth. By that power the sun, moon and stars are governed. By that power the earth was created, and the forces of nature are controlled. By that power life comes to all plants and animals and humans, and through it all men are able to move, think and act. That power is the greatest force in the universe. That power of God is the power of His priesthood.
Because our Savior was an obedient Son, our Father in Heaven gave to our Savior all power. Our Savior would like to share this power and authority with men. If men will be obedient to God, they may receive of this great power, and by it assist God with His works. Those whom God makes responsible for ordering the material affairs of His Kingdom are ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood. Those whom God make responsible for ordering the spiritual side of His Kingdom are ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood. There is no greater honor on earth than to be a co-worker with God in bringing to pass righteousness and happiness on earth through His priesthood.
The Holy Priesthood is power and authority from God to assist with the work of God on the earth.
2. Why is Bearing the Holy Priesthood Important to Men?
Our Father in Heaven placed us, His children, here on earth to see how much we would want to become like Him. As we desire to be like Him, He helps us to grow to be more like Him. If we love righteousness as much as He does, eventually we can become like our Heavenly Father in all things.
The work of our Father is to bless all of His children. He uses the power of His Holy Priesthood to do this. To help us become like Him, our Father gives us some of His power of Priesthood and also responsibilities to bless our fellow men using this power. If we delight in blessing our neighbors, our Heavenly Father carefully instructs us as to how and where and when to use His power and authority. The more good we can do and the more we enjoy it, the more our Father in Heaven increases our responsibility and the more we share in His work of blessing mankind. If we never tire of doing good for our fellow men through the Priesthood, our Father in Heaven can give us a fulness of His Priesthood. Then we can do all good things.
To have the Holy Priesthood is to have the opportunity to become like our Father in Heaven.
3. When is One Worthy to Bear the Holy Priesthood?
No man can earn, buy, or deserve the Holy Priesthood of God. But our Heavenly Father is willing to give it to men as a gift if they will prepare themselves to receive it. What preparation does God ask of men? There are three basic things a man must do to profit from bearing the Priesthood.
First, a man must love the Lord with all of his heart, might, mind and strength. He will see Jesus Christ as the most wonderful person who ever lived, and will long to be like Him. He will honor God as being all-wise, all-knowing, all powerful, and especially as being the fulfillment of the ideal of pure love. He will strive day and night to draw closer to His Savior. As he does this, the Lord draws closer to him and blesses him with light, truth and power.
Second, the man must love his neighbor as himself. He will radiate kindness and love to his fellow men by the help of the light, truth and power God gives him. He will esteem every man as himself, a child of God. He will liberate the captive, nourish the hungry, clothe the naked; and do these in both a physical and spiritual way.
Thirdly, a man must have self-mastery. He will recognize that every sin he commits keeps him from honoring his God and blessing his fellow men. He will strive with all his soul to be steadfast, constant, selfless, and spiritual. He will never let the temptations of Satan linger in his mind. He will cry unto the Lord night and day for strength to avoid evil and to do what is good.
To be worthy to bear the Holy Priesthood, the power and authority of Jesus Christ, we must become Christ-like.
4. Where Should One Use His Priesthood?
There are three parts to the Priesthood God shares with men.
The first part is the office, or the power. One is ordained to an office in the priesthood such as Deacon, Teacher, Priest, or Bishop in the Aaronic Priesthood. One is ordained to the offices of Elder, Seventy, High Priest, Patriarch, Apostle, or Presiding High Priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood. When one receives one of these offices, he knows for what duties in God’s Kingdom he must prepare himself.
The second part is the calling, or the authority, sometimes called the “keys.” This is the assignment given to one who has the power of the priesthood; it is his permission to use that power. One might be called to be a quorum officer, a missionary, a bishop, a Ministering Brother, etc. When one receives a calling, he knows where he is supposed to labor in the Kingdom of God.
The third part of the Priesthood is direction from the Lord, which comes by revelation. This revelation may come through the leader in the kingdom who is over us, or it may come directly from the Lord, or both. Every righteous servant of God listens carefully both to the instructions of the prophets and leaders of the Church and to the voice of the Lord in his own heart.
It is the will of the Lord that every bearer of the Holy Priesthood carefully study the powers of his office, carefully examine the needs of his calling and carefully minister to those needs as he receives instruction.
5. What will the Priesthood Do for Mankind?
Our Heavenly Father sends the power of His Holy Priesthood among men in order that the earth may become a heaven.
Most of the children of our Father in Heaven live under miserable conditions. Poverty, ignorance, disease and slavery have been the companions of most of the people who have ever lived, including most of those now living. Obviously, something needs to be done about this. Men have been trying for six thousand years to solve the problems themselves. But they have always failed.
There have been bright spots in the history of mankind. Our Heavenly Father has repeatedly sent His prophets to teach people of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and some have responded. When men have lived all or part of the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, their lives and civilizations have been blessed.
Today, as in past ages, there is a Prophet of God on the earth. He bears the Priesthood of God. He and those who serve with him can, with that Priesthood, solve every problem that oppresses mankind. The key to men’s problems is the condition of their hearts. If men will come unto Jesus Christ and let their hearts be purified through partaking of the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, the way to peace and happiness will be open to them.
Those who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow His prophets will know a happiness and joy that surpasses anything of which the world dreams.