As taught in Chapter Nine, ordinances are our passage to eternal life with our Heavenly Father. Covenants show us the path to walk and endow us with blessings along the way. And because the promises are essential and guaranteed by God, they need to be performed with proper authority or they are not efficacious. It is a serious responsibility to administer saving ordinances that bind people to covenants. For this purpose, Jesus Christ, through God the Father, has authorized men on earth to have the power and authority, or priesthood, to bring humankind the ordinances. This happens within the safety of Christ’s Church, and priesthood is administered in a way that protects conferral and use. (5) The protection that God has prescribed is done by Melchizedek Priesthood key holders.
What are Keys of the Priesthood?
Melchizedek Priesthood “keys” are the rights and authority to preside, administer ordinances, and to govern the Church. (See several other definitions of “keys” on pages 91-97)
In the meridian of time, Christ gave the keys of the priesthood to Peter, James, and John. This was done on the Mount of Transfiguration. (6) These keys empowered these apostles to organize, preside over, govern, and regulate the kingdom of God on earth. (7) After Christ’s death and ascension into heaven, the apostles had Melchizedek Priesthood authority to perform ordinances, and to serve, to bless, and to strengthen mankind through The Church of Jesus Christ. (8) The New Testament book, “Acts of the Apostles”, is a lovely narrative of these good mens’ efforts to bless the world with ordinances. They did so with the authority of God and thus could direct, control, and govern the use of Melchizedek Priesthood. (9)
The Book of Acts and the writings of Paul are also a compelling narrative of the dwindling faith of the members of the Church. Priesthood authority was abused and sacred ordinances were defiled. (10) As a result of the wickedness of the members of the Church, there was a great apostasy. Melchizedek Priesthood authority to perform and receive ordinances was not any longer available to mankind.
In 1820, the churches of the day still did not have any authorization from God to baptize or do other spiritual things. One of the specific messages of Joseph Smith’s First Vision was this statement from Jesus Christ, “I (Joseph Smith) was answered that I must join none of the (churches that were on the earth), for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said …they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (11) A most basic commandment is to follow our Lord and Savior into the waters of baptism. (12) For centuries baptism had been altered and was being performed without God’s authority. It had a “form of godliness”, but denied the priesthood power needed to perform it properly—in a way that made it efficacious to salvation.
In the modern Church of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were ordained and given keys, first by John the Baptist, and then by Peter, James and John. (13) These angelic ministers were the last legal administrators of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood keys before the Great Apostasy and it was their privilege to ordain Joseph Smith in this dispensation. It is such a blessing to the world that the authority from God, through Christ, was restored.
Melchizedek Priesthood keys are given by the laying on of hands by someone who already holds them. (14) Moroni recorded the correct manner of conferral in the final chapters of the Book of Mormon, “And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.” (15)
Elder Gary Stevenson told a little story in General Conference to illustrate the need for keyholders who can “unlock” the spiritual blessings of ordinances. “Our family had enjoyed a fun-filled day on the ski slopes, which was now coming to a frosty close. Arriving at the car, I reached in my coat pocket for the keys and then another pocket and another. “Where are the keys?” Everyone was anxiously waiting on the keys! The car battery was charged, and all the systems—including the heater—were ready to go, but without the keys, locked doors would deny entrance; without the keys, the engine would not provide power to the vehicle. Without this restoration (of Melchizedek Priesthood keys), we would be locked out from the vehicle necessary to transport us on our journey home to loving heavenly parents. The performance of every ordinance of salvation comprising our covenant pathway back to the presence of our Father in Heaven requires appropriate governance through priesthood keys.” (16)
Elder Stevenson taught that, like the car, the “systems are all ready” for mankind’s benefit, but the blessings need to be opened by authorized priesthood key holders. This analogy teaches that mankind would be “locked out” of covenants and ordinances without the authority to perform them and protect them.
A Prophet is a Key Holder
We have been taught that throughout human history, God and Jesus Christ have made their true Church available whenever and wherever people have been willing to receive its blessings. As recorded in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, when a prophet is on the earth and a group of people are keeping the commandments, the people enjoyed all the blessings of true teachings and ordinances performed by priesthood authority. (17)
There is a pattern to how Heavenly Father makes the Church available to us. It begins with calling a prophet. (18) The prophet receives priesthood keys, which are the power and authority to direct the work of God on earth. The purposes of Melchizedek Priesthood are accomplished through ordinances and covenants. Or in other words, to give people access to the Savior's Atonement (19) and to relieve the burden of sin (20), the Melchizedek Priesthood is available for the purpose of delivering these opportunities. (21) Ordinances bring the opportunity of redemption and exaltation to God the Father’s children (22), and are the means whereby the Lord acts to save souls. (23) Ordinances bring the power of godliness, or exaltation, to mankind. (24)
All Melchizedek Priesthood keys ultimately come from Heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. (25) God first revealed this priesthood of salvation to Adam. Thereafter the patriarchs and prophets in every dispensation have had this authority. (26) Prophets in all ages have understood their responsibility. One example is found in the midst of an explanation to Joseph Smith on the Melchizedek Priesthood and how the ordinances bring godliness. Doctrine and Covenants section 84 tells the story of Moses and his people.
The section teaches that when Moses was given the temporal responsibility of bringing the Children of Israel back into the promised land, his number one concern was for their spiritual welfare. He was their prophet and had stewardship to help ready his people so that they could stand in God's presence. He wanted to see them sanctified so that they could return to God and see His face.
The Doctrine and Covenants teaches that “...in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest….For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live...Moses plainly (taught this doctrine) to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God.” (27) Moses wanted to see his people worthy of exaltation and he knew that that could only happen through the ordinances of the Gospel.
Moses made a visit to the mountain Sinai and, in prayer, importuned God. He descended from the mountain with the ordinances that would cleanse the people and teach them to walk in covenants towards eternal life. Moses had been given the fullness of the gospel, which meant the ordinances of baptism, confirmation, the endowment, eternal marriage, and more. (28)
When he rejoined his people, their behavior showed spiritual immaturity. He broke the stones, returned to the mount, and brought back to the people the first ordinance—baptism for the remission of sin. While baptism and its associated covenants were not the fullness of the gospel with the promises of exaltation, it was a wonderful first, preparatory step in bringing the people through the gate and to the path. (29)
Like the Children of Israel anciently, ordinances and their associated covenants bring us the possibility of exaltation. Moses wanted that for his people, as have the prophets throughout the history of the earth. Having authorized administrators of The Melchizedek Priesthood so that ordinances can be performed brings mankind the possibility of godliness.
Who actually holds Keys? (The VERY few)
A key holder directs, controls, presides, governs, administers, confers and protects Melchizedek Priesthood and the Church of Jesus Christ. In the Church, a very few, rotating, group of men are serving at any given time in priesthood callings with keys. Here is a list of the men who are key holders (30):
·
The First Presidency and Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles
·
The Presidency of the Seventy
·
The Presidents of Temples, Missions,
Stakes, and Districts
·
Bishops and Branch Presidents
· Quorum presidents (including Elders, Teachers and Deacons)
Key Holders are Guardians
Within the jurisdiction for which the key holder is called and set apart, he ensures that the priesthood is used according to Christ’s direction. (31) The keys control the priesthood power in their area of stewardship. Those leaders bear the sacred responsibility of making sure that the ordinance-performing mission of the Church is accomplished. (32) Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained, “Priesthood conferral is safeguarded by priesthood keys, which are the rights of presidency given to man." (33) The priesthood is therefore governed in an orderly way to avoid confusion and prevent its misuse. (34) These key-holding men protect and govern the use of Jesus Christ’s authority.
Melchizedek Priesthood key holders also have the right of presidency over the offices of the Church. Brethren holding Melchizedek Priesthood keys have the authority needed to lead in the Church and oversee the preaching of the gospel. They also have the authority to preside over wards, branches, stakes, and missions. They are authorized to protect the Church that houses the ordinances.
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained, “Keys are the right of presidency; they are the power and authority to govern and direct all of the Lord’s affairs on earth. Those who hold them have power to govern and control the manner in which all others may serve in the priesthood. All of us may hold the priesthood, but we can only use it as authorized and directed so to do by those who hold the keys.” (35)
That makes key holders guardians. Harold B. Lee spoke of key holders when he said, “The priesthood holders are in truth the watchmen upon the towers of Zion. You are they who are set to preside over any branch of the Church and to be alert to the dangers that beset the world, both the seen and the unseen.” (36)
This is a lovely, protective pattern. It is evidenced by bishops who watch over the distribution of the ordinance of the Sacrament, by Bishops or Branch Presidents interviewing people in order to assess readiness and worthiness for baptism or priesthood ordination, by training sessions led by a stake president for the elders quorum presidents who serve under his keys, by temple recommend interviews with bishops and stake presidents, by men and women being called and set apart for callings and serving in the Church under a key holder’s direction. To be a Melchizedek Priesthood keyholder is a serious and solemn responsibility.
As stated, key holders represent a very small percentage of ordained priesthood men, and those who hold keys are constantly changing as callings change. It isn’t common to hold onto this guardian responsibly for very long. Many, many men and boys, over a lifetime, will have the opportunity to protect and guard the use of priesthood by being a key holder for a little, limited season. In the case of a man called to be a bishop, he might serve for five years or so and then be released and the keys of the presidency are taken from him. Or a deacons quorum president may serve for nine months or a year before being released.
Men who have been ordained to offices in the priesthood do not automatically hold keys with the rights of the presidency. An ordained priesthood holder is sort of “holding the possibility” and being ever-ready and worthy for the time when he might take a turn guarding the ordinances. Until then, he has priesthood rights as a father, and he has important duties as a servant in Christ’s Church under the direction of keys. This oversight includes his ability to administer ordinances. (see Chapters Eight and Twelve)
And
for Clarification, What is the Role of a Key Holder’s Wife?
In order to understand a woman’s relationship to
Melchizedek Priesthood key holders, it might be helpful to explore the
questions: What is the role of a key holder's wife? We understand well what it
means to be a mission president, an apostle, a stake president, or a bishop,
but what of his wife? Is she nothing? Is she a "third counselor"? Can
we call her "the Mother of the Ward or Stake"? Does she have a special
ministerial role with the members of her husband's jurisdiction? Is she a
quiet, arm-holding, smiling ornamentation? Is she the real reason that the man
has been called, like when people say, "They pick the finest woman in the
congregation and call her husband"? Is it kind of an unofficial calling?
Elder Oaks began to answer these questions when he taught that the
priesthood keys that a husband may hold in the hierarchical Church are NOT the
same as the co-equal partnership of marriage and the family. He said, "I
have...seen some faithful women who misunderstand how priesthood authority
functions. Mindful of their partnership relationship with their husband in the
family, some wives have sought to extend that relationship to their husband’s priesthood
calling, such as bishop or mission president." (37)
Sister Barbara Morgan Gardner, church educator and author, recently taught,
"Although men and women must work together to effectively oversee the
programs of the Church both generally and locally, each member of the
Church has a specific calling for which he or she is given priesthood
authority. A wife would have no more stewardship over her husband’s bishopric
calling than he would have over hers if she were the ward Relief Society
president and he were a Sunday School teacher. They may counsel with each other
and learn from each other, but the authority for each calling belongs to the
individual." (38)
Over the years I have been asked by newly called bishops'
wives to describe her new wifely role. I'm not sure that my pragmatic response
is exactly what anyone was looking for but here was my reply, "Your role
hasn't really changed. Remember, this key-holding calling is his, not yours.
Support him, the man. Then, focus on your own callings and stewardships. "
This answer is a practical one about ecclesiastical
jurisdiction. When you are called to any calling, it is always within a
specific jurisdiction. Your responsibility, and your power and authority, is
limited in scope. A wife of a key holder has no calling nor is she set apart in
the bishopric or stake presidency, thus no jurisdiction in her husband's
calling. She should focus on her own callings-- where the Lord has called her and set her apart.
This principle was reinforced with me some years ago when Greg had a new
calling and the presiding authority asked me, "What did you learn (about a
specific ecclesiastical function) while Greg was a bishop?" I was stuck. I
could not think of anything. The only thing I could produce for him was how I
had stayed out of it per Elder Oaks' counsel (above). I actually spent the next
bit of the afternoon curled in a fetal ball on my bed with a heavy heart. I
worried that I had not been able to think of a single thing that I had learned.
I got out a paper and pencil to think it out. After some time, I concluded that
I had learned an awful lot during those years but almost none of it had to do
with Greg being the bishop. That was his
calling. What I had learned came from the circumstances of my own life, mostly
upper-division-level parenting. The truth was that it had been a time of
great stretch and growth and learning for me, but that development had come
from my own callings-- assignments that I had been called and set apart to do,
including in large part, mothering.
Again, if you asked me "what is the role of a key holder's wife", I
would answer, “Support and love the man. Care for your family. Do your own
callings. Run your own personal ministry.”
In summary, a Melchizedek Priesthood keyholder is a protector. He is a guardian of the conferral and use of the power and authority to perform ordinances and administer Christ’s Church. A key holder directly presides over a jurisdiction of the Church, gives permissions, and watches over the use of the power and authority of God, delegated to man. This responsibility to hold keys is given to a relatively few men at any given moment and it is a solemn responsibility.
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