D

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DC 84

• Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood

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Verses 19-22

• Joseph Fielding Smith So if there is no
  priesthood, there is no knowledge of God. And
  that is why the world is in darkness today,
  because they have no priesthood. They have lost
  the knowledge of God. And so they have been
  teaching all manner of tradition, all manner of
  false doctrine, all manner of man-made philosophy
  in relation to God and the principles of truth
  pertaining to the salvation of men. These
  principles can only be received, if you please,
  through the power of the priesthood, for it is by
  the power that the keys of knowledge of God are
  obtained (Doctrines of Salvation, 1956,
  3142-143)

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Verses 19-22

• Charles W. Nibley What power, then, what
  mysterious power is it that had led and guided
  them the Latter-day Saints and that still leads
  and guides them and holds them together as they
  are held? Let me tell you what it is. . . . the
  power of the priesthood. And in the
  administration of it we have seen and do see the
  power of godliness not a form of godliness, mind
  you, but the power of godliness. Paul said that
  in the latter days men would be having a form of
  godliness but denying the power thereof2 Tim.
  35 but what I refer to is the power of
  godliness. Have you ever seen it manifested in
  your lives? We heard of it this morning from the
  leader of the Church as manifested in the healing
  of the sick. We see it in the temples of the
  Lord we see it in the sick rooms we see it
  manifested in presidencies of stakes, bishoprics
  of wards. (CR, April 1927, pp. 26-27)

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Verses 25-26

• Joseph Smith Answer to the question, Was the
  Priesthood of Melchizedek taken away when Moses
  died? All Priesthood is Melchizedek, but there
  are different portions or degrees of it. That
  portion which brought Moses to speak with God
  face to face was taken away, but that which
  brought the ministry of angels remained. All the
  prophets had the Melchizedek Priesthood and were
  ordained by God himself (TPJS, January 5, 1841,
  pp. 180-181).

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Verse 33

• Orson Pratt When the Temple in New Jerusalem
  is built the sons of the two Priesthoods, that
  is, those who are ordained to the Priesthood of
  Melchizedek, that Priesthood which is after the
  order of the Son of God, with all its appendages,
  and those who have been ordained to the
  Priesthood of Aaron with all its appendages, the
  former called the sons of Moses, the latter the
  sons of Aaron, will enter into that Temple in
  this generation, or in the generation that was
  living in 1832, and all of them who are pure in
  heart will behold the face of the Lord and that
  too before he comes in his glory in the clouds of
  heaven, for he will suddenly come to his Temple,
  and he will purify the sons of Moses and of
  Aaron, until they shall be prepared to offer in
  that shall be acceptable in the sight of the
  Lord. Mal 31-4 In doing this, he will purify
  not only the minds of the Priesthood in that
  Temple, but he will purify their bodies until
  they shall be quickened, renewed and
  strengthened, and they will be partially changed,
  not to immortality, but changed in part that they
  can be filled with the power of God, and they can
  stand in the presence of Jesus, and behold his
  face in the midst of the Temple.

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Verse 33

• Orson Pratt continues This will prepare them
  for further ministrations among the nations of
  the earth, it will prepare them to go forth in
  the days of tribulation and vengeance upon upon
  the nations of the wicked, when God will smite
  them with pestilence, plague and earthquake, such
  as former generations never knew. Then the
  servants of God will need to armed with the power
  of God, they will need to have that sealing
  blessing pronounced upon their foreheads that
  they can stand forth in the midst of these
  desolations and plagues and not be overcome by
  them. . . . When they are prepared, when they
  have received a renewal of their bodies in the
  Lords Temple, and have been filled with the Holy
  Ghost and purified as old and silver in a furnace
  of fire, then they will be prepared to stand
  before the nations of the earth and preach glad
  tidings of salvation in the midst of judgments
  that are to come like a whirlwind upon the
  wicked (JD, March 9, 1873, 15365-66)

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Verse 38

• Delbert L. Stapley A joint-heir legally
  inherits and shares all equities and gifts in
  equal interest with all other heirs. Nothing is
  excluded nor adjusted in value between the
  participating joint-heirs . . . .
• If we are led by the Spirit of God in our
  lives, we are promised heirship with him and
  joint-heirship with Christ our Lord in the great
  estate of Gods kingdom and glory. Rom. 817 We
  suffer with Christ as we sacrifice the things
  of the world and yield complete obedience to
  every truth, principle, and ordinance of the
  gospel paln. Whatever we contribute in honest
  tithes and other contributions along with
  unselfish participation and service to our fellow
  men to build the kingdom of God on the earth,
  increases our personal happiness in heirship with
  Christ the Lord. . . . (CR, April 1961, pp.
  66-67)

8
Verse 39

• Delbert L. Stapley suggests that the two primary
  components of the Oath and Covenant of the
  Priesthood are ones faithfulness and magnifying
  his calling in that Priesthood. Here are some
  questions that we should ask ourself.

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• Can a man be faithful who does not abide by the
  first two great commandments, to love the Lord
  God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind,
  and his neighbor as himself?
• Can a man be faithful who is not honest and
  truthful in all the dealings and relationships
  with his fellow men?
• Can a man be faithful who does not honor the
  Sabbath day and keep it holy, attend the
  Sacrament and Priesthood meetings also worthily
  fulfill all other duties in keeping with his
  callings and obligations that day?
• Can a man be faithful who does not plan and
  arrange for daily family prayer in the home?
• Can a man be faithful who does not teach his
  children the true principles of the gospel of
  Christ and then set them a worthy example by
  living according to those truths?
• Can a man be faithful who does not observe and
  keep the Word of Wisdom?
• Can a man be faithful who does not pay an honest
  tithing and fast offering?
• Can a man be faithful who does not obey the law
  of chastity and is not morally clean in his life
  and habits?
• Can a man be faithful who does not, through
  obedience and sacrifice, prepare himself worthily
  for the holy temple of God where he can receive
  higher ordinances of the gospel and thus bind his
  family happily and eternally together in love and
  understanding?
• Can a man be faithful who does not honor and obey
  the laws of the land?

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• Can a man magnify his office and calling without
  honoring and abiding in the Priesthood faithfully
  and worthily as a devoted and true servant of
  God?
• Can a man magnify his calling without giving
  spiritual and humble dignity to his office?
• Can a man magnify his calling who refuses to
  accept positions and responsibilities of trust
  when called upon to serve by his stake president,
  bishop, or other constituted authority?
• Can a man magnify is calling if he is not
  obedient to gospel standards and requirements,
  and if he also fails to be amenable to the
  counsel and direction of righteous men who are
  properly called and approved by the people as
  their authorized leaders?
• Can a man magnify his calling who refuses to
  sustain by his faith, prayers, and works those
  whom God has called and ordained to preside over
  him?
• Can a man magnify his calling who does not use
  his Priesthood in righteousness for the blessing
  and benefit of his fellow men?
• Can a man magnify his calling who does not banish
  all iniquity from his soul, that he may gain
  favor with God and thus enjoy power in the use of
  the Priesthood to bless people? (CR, April 1957,
  pp. 76-77)

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Verse 39

• John A. Widtsoe He who receives the Priesthood
  covenants to magnify his calling in the
  Priesthood. That makes the covenant valid. That
  is too often forgotten.
• Every ordination to the Priesthood implies this
  covenant between man and God, whether so stated
  or not. It would be well, fi in all Priesthood
  ordinations the oath and covenant of the
  Priesthood were explained. Too many Priesthood
  bearers feel that they have been given something
  without a corresponding promise by themselves.
  They forget too often that every ordinance in the
  gospel is accompanied by a covenant between God
  and man. We are a covenant people (Evidences
  and Reconciliations, 1951, 348-49).