On August 8, 2017, the LDS website featured a 3 minute video on their front page called, ‘Where are the Keys?’. As an FYI, the main target audience is directed at the youth of the Church.
As you might imagine, the video is also filled with the usual mantra one would expect from the Church, but what struck me is the claim their apostle Gary Stevenson made towards the end of their video. You can find it at 2.04 minutes in.
After explaining that we can’t get into heaven without their priesthood keys, Mr. Stevenson pointed out another unbiblical doctrine about their god.
This is a huge problem because of what Paul told the early believers in Rome –
Romans 10:9; “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
He emphasized this even further to the believers in Ephesus –
Ephesians 2:8-9; “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Nowhere in Paul’s letters is there any hint that priesthood keys are needed to get into heaven. If anyone would know these things, it’d definitely be Paul!
Mr. Stevenson went on to also state,
‘the Lord has shown us he will not leave us standing in the bitter cold without keys and authority to lead us safely home to him’.
Question/observation:
According to Mormonism, the Mormon god already did that by not fulfilling biblical promises that He’d never leave, nor forsake us, as it says in Hebrews 13:5.
Joe Smith’s testimony declared God told him not to join any church at all, because every Christian church on earth was wrong. Joseph Smith History 1:19 –
‘I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”’
According to Joe Smith, God deserted his followers! Stevenson also made the following claim –
‘priesthood authority and priesthood keys start the engine, open the gates of heaven, facilitate heavenly power, and pave the covenant pathway back to our loving Heavenly Father’.
What about the covenant God made with his people that Jeremiah prophesied about?
Jeremiah 31:31, 33; “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Stevenson’s comment has classified him as not being one of God’s people. This is tragic! In this video he has 3 young sons, and he’s obviously leading them into the same godless eternity he’s espoused.
Make no mistake beloved, our hearts are broken over this seemingly innocuous video put out by the Church. Although it looks pretty with the professional editing, and graphics, this is a ploy to draw people in to trick them into believing an angel of light!
Our righteousness is found at the foot of the cross of Calvary where Jesus shed His precious blood to wash us clean.
There’s no such thing as ‘priesthood keys’ in the eyes of a Biblical True God. Those keys belong to Satan, and his priest-craft, who’s just chomping at the bit to suck you into a godless eternity of grief.
One of the more substantial effects of the Great Apostasy is that knowledge once had among the first century saints became lost. Even though Jesus said a man must be born of the water (baptism) and the Spirit (through the laying on of hands) to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, there are always some who think they can find another way. So important was baptism that the saints were baptized for those who are dead (1 Corinthians 15:29).
Paul tells us that the priesthood was changed, but didn’t tell us how. And the apostle Peter foolishly accepted the Keys of the Kingdom from Jesus because neither of them knew they weren’t necessary! Peter didn’t need to be able to bind on Heaven and Earth! And where did Jesus get the idea such keys were needed? After all, Peter just needed to believe! Suck it up, Peter! It was a test! You should have told the Creator of All Things right then and there that those keys weren’t necessary. Just believe and cruise!
When in Rome, President Spencer W. Kimball explained the importance of such keys. According to one who was there:
“They stood near the marble statue of Peter, which was depicted holding a set of heavy keys. The caretaker explained that the sculpted keys are symbolic of the keys of the kingdom. President Kimball then testified to the caretaker, ‘We hold the real keys, as Peter did, and we use them every day.’ President Kimball then turned to President Benthin and declared, ‘I want you to tell every prelate in Denmark that they do not hold the keys! I hold the keys!’”
First Peter, then President Kimball! Will the deception ever end? Don’t mind them, just believe. It’s all you’ll ever need.
The knowledge was never lost… sounds like you’ve been brainwashed in LDS thinking. Go back to the beginning with the Bible alone, no Mormon helps, read it simply as it is. Ask God for guidance to lead you down the road.
The simplicity of the Triune God is there for those who are sincerely looking for Him. If not, you will stay blinded by Mormonism.
Well put gardensof. Jesus is our high priests and He and He alone holds the keys. The priesthood is NOT transferable. If you believe any different then Jesus died in vain and accomplished nothing and His sacrifice and shed blood means nothing.
If the keys were not transferable, Melissa, then why did Jesus give those keys to Peter? Jesus said, “And I will give unto you the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven….” (Matthew 16: :19) You also appear to believe that Jesus is the only High Priest in New Testament times. That’s not found anywhere in the scriptures. The priesthood is authority to minister, and anyone who’s read the book of Exodus knows that priesthood is service and administration.
Jesus is the great High Priest of all time because of his marvelous sacrifice, but it doesn’t mean that no one else can hold that office. That notion began as an interpretation and turned into a doctrine.
Meanwhile, GardenBWM says the knowledge of New Testament doctrines was never lost. Really? What about Christ’s teachings during his 40-day ministry? (Acts 1:2-3) Luke writes of Jesus showing himself “alive [unto his apostles]…by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”
Yet we have not the slightest idea what the Lord taught during those 40 days pertaining to the Kingdom of God. There are many questions the Bible doesn’t answer or provide information about. How does one perform the ordinance of baptism? Who can baptize and what words do they say? How about the gift of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands? Who can perform that and is it necessary? What about baptism for the dead? (I Corinthians 15:29) Why are the scriptures silent on this doctrine which persisted for more than three hundred years before being declared a heresy? There are many such questions that, without revelation, we’re left to guess at, so no, not everything was passed on.
Finally, we have the oft-quoted phrase by John: “…there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” (John 21:25.)
The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church on Earth that is founded on Jesus Christ, by Jesus Christ. He called it forth and gave it power and authority. We, like most Christian faiths, believe that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three individuals who are One in purpose. As Jesus prayed to the Father concerning the Twelve, “…that THEY may be ONE, even as WE are ONE. Jesus made an exact correlation in how HE, the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT are ONE. There’s no mysticism, no silly ice, steam and liquid analogies — just common sense. Like Moses and Jesus, we have witnesses, an open canon and an abiding faith that God can and does speak to man using the weak things of the earth to bring forth His mighty works.
Mr. Roberts.
The next time you write in you need to keep your comments to 200 words or less. This is not the place to write a long apology that looks like a book. Using 471 words in a response is far too long and will automatically go in the delete file.
Thank you Mr. Robert’s for replying. I hope you are visiting LAM because you have questions and concerns. So concerning the priesthood Hebrews is a great place to start. Hebrews 7:23_24 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Before Jesus’s death He went to the temple and tore down the veil. No veil no more need for the high priest. Jesus is the only one now that separates us from God. Jesus is all the authority we need. 1 Peter 2: 5-9
Melissa
Thank you, too, Melissa, for your comments.One thing we can agree on is the priesthood of the Savior. We LDS view all things through Christ, and through his church. Priesthood is the power by which ordinances and knowledge are administered to the Church.
We see the Church today as being one with the early church and being fundamentally the same, with apostles and prophets. And though I agree with you regarding the veil being rent, it happened at the moment of Jesus’ death. “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.”
The rending of the veil symbolized the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises regarding the atonement of Christ. Where you and I differ is in whether this event meant the end of ordinances and covenants between God and man. One asks modern Christians about the Church and hears about the body of believers. But that was not how the early Christian church was organized. Paul tells us the priesthood was changed, but he never said it was eliminated.
Thank you Mr. Robert’s for acknowledging that Jesus entered the temple and tore down the veil. This signifying there is no more need for the priesthood.keys
Thanks Melissa
Melissa, just for clarification, I never said that Jesus entered the temple and tore down the veil. Nor did I say priesthood keys were no longer needed. These are things you’re reading into the scripture in you’re attempt to negate LDS claims. If you can show me just the latter, I will give you that Jesus entered the temple. The veil was rent the instant Jesus died, so whether it was Jesus or an angel makes little difference. The veil was rent.
Jesus gave Peter the keys to bind in Heaven and Earth, so it’s unlikely the keys were unnecessary. It raises the question of where the keys are now. The three claimants are the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Oh, and the Restored Church of God, which claims them through Herbert W. Armstrong. Of these, I believe the LDS has the greatest claim.
John,
This is a Christian website. You need to let us know why you are here. I asked you before and you did not answer yet. We are helping Mormons find the Real Jesus of the Bible. We are not here for you to tell us about Mormonism, refute what is posted, or grandstand your LDS principles.
We are not going to your Mormon website and posting like this. Now, there is nothing comparable with Christianity in Mormonism. Nothing. FYI, I have not seen even one Mormon post publicly their sincere questions. Only the Mormons that are trying to make a statement have done this in the years I’ve been on here.
I’m a Christian for 70 years and know the sincere person by their posts. You are not one of them and are wasting our time. I suggest you go elsewhere.
Still, should you have a sincere desire to know Jesus’ love and escape the slavery of Mormonism, you’re welcome to come back later.
Sue J