-Gary- > The only person among Elders with keys is the Elders Quorum president.
In other words, the only elder with keys is the presiding elder. Well, of course. And the only high priest with keys is the presiding high priest. > Yet, his keys are limited. As are the bishop's or stake president's. > He cannot perform most of his responsibilities without the > okay of either the presiding high priest in the ward or the > presiding high priest in the stake. Just as the presiding high priest needs the okay of his superiors to exercise his keys. > He cannot authorize the ordination of elders. He cannot > authorize the calling and setting apart of his counselors. > Those are responsibilities (and keys) laid to the High > Priesthood as those who officially preside. Not so. First, an elder holds the high Priesthood. Second, those keys reside only in the appropriate presiding high priests, not in the office of high priest. > To preside over and hold all the keys of presidency, one has > to be a high priest. No. Currently, one must be an apostle. A stake president cannot call and set apart another stake president. > There isn't anymore salvation promised to a high priest as to > an elder (as the MP is all that is required in this life), but > eventually (presumably if not now, in the next life) one will > have to be a high priest to preside over a presidency in heaven. You have already made this assertion. I just want to see some evidence of this claim. > I guess you could say that elder does fulfill the minimum > requirements for exaltation, at least in this life. But prior > to us being "kings and priests unto God and his Father" we > will have to obtain the right of presidency, which pertains > to high priests in the high priesthood. Again, I would like more than your assertion that this is the case. > Otherwise, why have the distinction? why not just have elder > and leave it at that? Asking the question is hardly producing evidence. I could just as well ask, Why have deacons and teachers? Why have seventies? Or why not? The answer is the same: Because that is how the Lord chose to restore his Priesthood at this time. > However, once exalted, one will have to have the right of > presidency and to hold those keys, which keys belong to the > high priest's office. Not so. There are two usages of the term "keys" that apply here, and your sentence above doesn't conform to either usage. The first is a key of knowledge, of the right to communicate with God by virtue of the Preisthood, such as D&C 6:28, the keys of translation. The Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the ministering of angels; the Melchizedek Priesthood holds "the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God" (D&C 84:19) and "the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church" (D&C 107:18). These keys belong to the Priesthood itself, not to any particular office therein, and all those who hold and honor the Priesthood they hold have access to these keys. The second usage of the term "keys" is the right of presidency. These keys reside in the presiding authority, be he deacon, teacher, bishop, elder, high priest, or apostle. These keys are often associated with an office; however, no office of the Priesthood confers such keys on those ordained to the office. Rather, the keys are explicitly conferred on those called as leaders. You seem to believe that the office of high priest is both eternal (which I see no evidence for) and also the highest office (which is demonstrably false). I have never heard taught by any authorized person the idea that all men must eventually be ordained to the current office of high priest in order to achieve exaltation. I believe this to be a false precept. If you can substantiate it with something other than your say-so, I'd love to come to understand. Stephen ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
