How Are Men Called of God? And Who was Melchizedek?

The Lord’s approved pattern for how someone becomes a priesthood leader is by being called from another priesthood leader. For instance, in Numbers 27: 18-23 Moses called Joshua as the Lord commanded.  Likewise, in our day bishops are called by Stake Presidents and General Authorities are called by other General Authorities, but the process of election is guided by the Spirit of the Lord. We can know who has authority in the church today by knowing who called them. If they were called through proper priesthood channels then their authority is in force. However, if they called themselves to a certain task, such as warning others of impending disasters, etc. we can know that they have no authority. Callings come from the Lord through priesthood channels. 

Melchizedek was one such authority. He was considered a great high priest because he was in the priesthood line of authority, receiving his priesthood through the lineage of Noah. He then went on to bestow it to Abraham. He was a king who ruled in righteousness, and the name of his city was Salem.  Some think that Salem and Jerusalem are one and the same. In Hebrews 5:8 we learn that he suffered many things but learned obedience by the things which he suffered. He was also a performer of miracles, according to the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 14: 25-40. He stopped the mouths of lions and quenched the violence of fire. He was also given power equal to Enoch, to break up the earth and the sea, to stand in the presence of God, to put at defiance the armies of earth, etc. 

At later times Melchizedek also blessed Abraham, ministering to him after he defeated the wicked kings of the land in a mighty battle in which Lot was rescued. He also collected tithing from Abraham. Obviously he was a man of stature and great importance, being known at the time as the high priest of God. Before his day, the higher priesthood was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. They changed the name to both honor Melchizedek, who was such a great high priest, and to avoid the too frequent repetition of the sacred name of our Lord. 

In Hebrews 6:1-3 Joseph Smith (see footnote 1a) again makes an important doctrinal correction. He says that we don’t leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ, but we leave behind the beginning, meaning we are to delve deeper. It’s important to not leave those behind because they are the foundation on which the deeper principles are built. 

The only sin which is unforgivable is to sin against the Holy Ghost. To do this, one must have had sure knowledge of Christ’s existence and yet deny that he is real. It says that one has to see the sun shining and yet deny that it is there. This is apparently the fate of many of the apostates of the church. The consequence of this sin is to be resigned to a lake of fire and brimstone, with no chance for redemption, which is apparently the only group of people who will have no opportunities for redemption. 

Melchizedek was such a great man that even Abraham paid him his tithes. He wasn’t personally without father or mother or beginning or end of days, but the priesthood which he held was, meaning that it wasn’t passed down through family lines as the Levitical priesthood was, but was given through oath and covenant to he who was righteous. Melchizedek was actually a prototype of the Savior, similar to Moses and Isaac in that there were similarities between their lives. He was called the Prince of Peace, just as Christ is. He sought after God all the days of his life and was able to do mighty miracles. They were both men of faith and high priests after the order of the Son of God. 

In Hebrews 7: 15-28, Paul taught us more about the priesthood and about Christ.  He taught that Christ was after the order of The Melchizedek priesthood, that he was created after the power of an endless life,  that the Melchizedek priesthood lasts forever, that the greater priesthood is given with an oath, that the law of Moses or even the commandments doesn’t bring us to Christ, but the gospel of Christ and repentance does. He also taught that Christ would continue forever, and his priesthood would be unchangeable, that he can save anyone who comes to him and that he is holy, undefiled and higher than the heavens. We also learn that the atonement happened once and for all when he offered himself up as a sacrifice.

Real Life Application of Paul’s Teachings

This week we are studying more of Paul’s writings in my New Testament class. We are supposed to find solutions to common problems from the advice of Paul. Here are the problems: 

#1. People sometimes argue and complain about petty matters in church meetings or throughout the week. 

Paul’s advice: (Phillipians 2: 1-8, 14-15) Be of one heart and one mind and esteem your brother as yourself. We should all treat each other with the respect that we desire for ourselves. Let nothing be done in strife or vain-glory, but instead let’s treat each other even better then ourselves.  Do all things without murmurings and disputings that we may be a light to the world, blameless and harmless, sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked world.  In other words, let it go, and if it must be discussed, discus it in a manner that respects the worth of those with whom you have a difference of opinion. Doing so will set us as a church apart from the rest of the world and we will be behaving as Christ behaved, He who was on the level with God, yet lowered himself willingly for our sakes. 

#2. Many youth feel that their parent’s testimony is sufficient for them. Since they have good parents they rely on them for all of their spiritual strength.

 

Paul’s advice: (Phillipians 2: 12-15, Life and Teachings of Christ Institute Manual commentary “Work Out Your Own Salvation with Fear and Trembling”, based off of Phillipians 2: 12) It is a great blessing to be born into a home where you have faithful parents leading the way! Timothy was blessed with such great ancestors and it clearly lit his path towards Christ. However, salvation is an individual matter. We will not be saved because of our parents’ faith, just as we will not be condemned because of our parents’ mistakes. We must each individually work out our salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. That means that it takes effort, not just dreaming, to achieve exaltation. We must make a daily concerted effort to do good works and to move towards the brighter way. If we do this, coming to Christ with humility, acknowledging our weakness and our need for grace in all things, we will attain our salvation. Let your parent’s be your example, but you must build your own faith, too.

#3. An investigator is considering joining the church but his family will no longer associate with him if he does. 

Paul’s advice: (Phillipians 3: 7-16, 4: 13) This is such a difficult position to be in, but the choice to make is easy. If you gain Christ, you gain the whole world, even if you lose it. By joining the church you are committing yourself to the giver of all things, he who is mindful of your needs and who understands your situation. Nevertheless, sometimes we are called on to make sacrifices, and when we do so we are blessed in such a way that we realize how small the sacrifice was for the gain that was given to us. You can do this, and live a new life that God wants you to live. God will give you the strength to do all things he requires of you.

#4. How is this assignment an example of the principle taught in 2 Nephi 32:3? 

2 Nephi 32:3 tells us that we can find the answers to all things in the word of God. This shows you that in numerous situations the answers can be found in the scriptures. It make take a little digging, but it’s in there.

Overall, I think these are some very good questions to get us looking into how the scriptures can really be translated into real life help for our problems. What do you think?  

Paul Taught Us to Live as Saints Should Live

We can earn a lot about how we should behave as members of "the body of Christ" through the teachings of Paul. 

When we come to Christ, awaking out of sleep, our salvation is nearer than it was before. (Romans 13:11) In order to work out our salvation with the Lord we must continue in the right way. This means continue turning away from sin and doing what is right, for if a righteous man sins his righteousness will not be remembered, but he will die in iniquity, and receive punishment and death. However, if he endures to the end and keeps the commandments he shall have eternal life, which is the greatest gift of all. 

            Paul taught that the following things would lead to salvation:

·         Romans 12: 1- present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God 

·         Romans 12:2- be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

·         Romans 12:9- love without dissimulation (hypocrisy), abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good

·         Romans 12:13- distributing to the necessity of the Saints, given to hospitality

·         Romans 12:16- be of the same mind one towards another, mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate

·         Romans 12:21- be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good

·         Romans 13:1- be subject to higher powers, for the powers that be are ordained of God

·         Romans 13:3- do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same

·         Romans 13:8- owe no man any thing, but to love one another

·         Romans 13:9- thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself

Paul taught us also not to judge others, for we may all be different, but those differences aren’t necessarily bad. He also reminded us that every one of us will confess that Christ is the son of God and every one of us will stand before god to be judged of our maker. God is fully in control and fully capable of passing appropriate judgment. We ought to stop trying to do it for Him, and let others fight their own battles without interference from us.  God is no respecter of persons. This means that he will not give favor to one of his children while heaping condemnation on the head of another. He will treat and judge us all fairly according to our works and our repentance. 

Paul frequently referred to the church members of his day as saints. I believe that this was partially to unify them and to demonstrate their need to be fused together in the gospel, not judging one another, but helping and edifying one another. My hope is that I can become a better member of the body of Christ, that I can defer judgment to He who judges in righteousness, and that I can become a better saint through the advice of Paul and through the healing and strengthening power of the atonement.

A Word about Baptism

       This week in my New Testament class we have been reading Romans. There is a lot of good stuff in there, including some talk about baptism. I think it's interesting that it talks about baptism by immersion as symbolizing death and rebirth, something that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches, which is why we believe in baptism by immersion.

        Before baptism can occur, man must be dead to sin. In other words, man must discontinue his acts of sin and repent before he can be baptized unto life. When Christ was baptized he was baptized by immersion. His baptism symbolized death, with his body being buried in the water. When he came out of the water it symbolized his triumph over death, both symbolizing resurrection and Christ’s triumph over sin. Likewise, when we are baptized it should be by immersion, symbolizing the death of our old man or our putting to rest our sins.  When we come out of the water it symbolizes our new man, our new life with Christ. If we are baptized by sprinkling, it doesn’t really capture the symbolism of the death of our sins. We need to be fully washed free of them, not lightly sprinkled in cleanness.

       In order to remain new and clean, and maintain the “newness of life” we need to use our members in righteousness. We need to root out our evil tendencies, becoming dead to sin, and not allowing the lust of our bodies to control us. We need to not yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness. But use them in righteousness. At baptism, the natural man should die, because it is the natural man that is an enemy to God. When we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, we are becoming the new man that is born after our baptism. We become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon {us}, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19).

       We know whose servant we are by seeing what our fruits are. If we are the servants of God, we have fruit unto holiness. However, when we are servants of the devil our fruits are evil, bringing shame and death. We see that “to whom we yield ourselves servants to obey, his servants we are to whom we obey; whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness”(Romans 6:16). The true source of freedom is found in becoming servants to God. 

What Paul Taught Us about Forgiveness

Paul had quite the task, sorting out the affairs of the church and working his tail off to help them understand what was expected of them. He also, invariably, had to solve some of their disputes, and direct them towards a higher way of behaving, towards Christ's ideals for living as opposed to the structure and deadness of the Mosaic law. 

What were the people of Corinth commanded to do if any “have caused grief”?

They were told that if anyone has caused them grief that they need to forgive them.  They were also told to comfort them and give them encouragement lest their sins weigh them down and they “be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” He also reminded them that holding grudges was a tool that Satan used to get an advantage over them. 

What blessings do we see if we forgive? What is the danger of failing to forgive?

If we forgive others, according to Matthew 6, God will forgive us also. There’s a reason we are supposed to forgive everyone and let God sort it out. He knows the intricacies of all our situations, which affords him the unique outlook necessary to truly judge us fairly. I’m so glad that my Heavenly Father, who is merciful and aware of my immaturity and inexperience, is the one who will do the judging. If I repent and change my behavior, or are working on it, I will be forgiven, as long as I forgive others and allow them the same mercy that I am hoping to receive myself. But I can’t expect to receive this mercy if I turn around and judge others. 

Matthew 6:15 says, “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

 As long as we’re judgmental of others and fail to forgive them of their shortcomings, God will treat us the same. It’s really only fair, although it does make me think that it must be the one commandment we are expected to keep perfectly. If we have to always forgive others, then what happens if we fail to do so? None of our sins are forgiven? What if we repent of our lack of compassion? Then are we forgiven? Interesting thoughts. One thing is positive though. It’s pretty dang important to develop a forgiving attitude in our relationships with others.