Lessons for Our Day From the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ - 2024
Lesson No. Twenty-Nine

The Power of Priesthood Ordinances

On the first day of His ministry to the Nephites Jesus emphasized the power and importance of the ordinances of individual salvation:

Photo of the Salt Lake Temple. (Image sourced from churchofjesuschrist.org.)

1. The ordinance of baptism – Jesus taught that baptism gives access to the power to be saved in the kingdom of God: “And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God” (3 Nephi 11:33). Remission of sins by the power of the atonement of Christ is extended through the ordinance of baptism.

2. The ordinance of the sacrament – In 3 Nephi 18 Jesus teaches of the power and importance of the ordinance of the sacrament. By the power of the atonement of Christ we can retain a remission of our sins from week to week through the ordinance of the sacrament

3. The ordinance of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost – The last thing Jesus did on this first day was to give his Twelve Nephite disciples power to confer the Holy Ghost. (See 3 Nephi 18:36-39). We are guided in our lives by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).

Jesus gave the Nephites the temple ordinances of family exaltation – Because of the sacredness of these ordinances and the associated covenants nothing is mentioned of them in the Book of Mormon. However, we know “that the Lord truly did teach the people, for the space of three days; and after that he did show himself unto them oft, and did break bread oft, and bless it, and give it unto them” (3 Nephi 26:13). Jesus taught at the temple, and I believe these Nephites were worthy of and did receive the temple ordinances and covenants of family exaltation.

Priesthood ordinances do not change – The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that "the ordinances of the gospel...were laid out before the foundations of the world" and "are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles....If a man gets the fulness of the priesthood of God, he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the House of the Lord" (TPJS, pp. 367, 308).

Priesthood ordinances are eternal – After His crucifixion the Lord ministered to the righteous spirits who were in the spirit world. And He "gave them power to come forth, after his resurrection from the dead, to enter into his Father's kingdom, there to be crowned with immortality and eternal life" (D&C 138:51). Likely, the Lord gave this power to those in the spirit world by a priesthood ordinance. In the marriage ordinance, conditioned on our faithfulness, we receive this same power. There are ordinances performed in temples in the spirit world which make effective the vicarious work we do in our temples. (See The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, P. 252-53). Priesthood ordinances are performed in the pre-earth life, in mortality, in the spirit world, and in eternity after the resurrection.

Spiritual power is received through priesthood ordinances and keeping covenants – Elder John A. Widtsoe gave a definition of spiritual power: “Power is knowledge made useful and active.” For example, we learn the plan of salvation though latter day scriptures and prophets, and at the temple. This knowledge is made useful and active through the ordinances of the gospel and as we keep our covenants. Through the temple ordinances and covenants of family exaltation we can enjoy the full redemptive power of the Lord’s atonement. Remember, spiritual power (SP) comes by priesthood ordinances (PO) and keeping covenants (KC). This can be reduced to a spiritual formula: SP = PO + KC.

The sealing of husband and wife is the crowning ordinance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is required for family exaltation – All other ordinances administered by the Lord’s Church are preparatory to the sealing of husband and wife, which is the ordinance of exaltation. Furthermore, the sealing of husband and wife seals and makes eternal all the other ordinances of the gospel previously received. (The concluding words of the ordinance which seals husband and wife confirms this doctrine)

Testimony – “And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest” (D&C 84:19-20). The power of godliness is manifested in temple ordinances, especially in the sealing ordinances.

A sealing session can be a remarkable spiritual experience for all in attendance. In a typical sealing session a small group of 5 – 8 worthy temple patrons are together for 40 minutes, and they feel the goodness of each other. As a patron concentrates on the words and participates in the sealing ordinances the power of godliness is manifest, and the fruit of the Spirit is felt. This fruit includes “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). As the sealing session concludes everyone in the session who have desired to feel the power of godliness have great reason to rejoice. This especially includes the sealer.