LDS Doctrine and Covenants Critique
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The Doctrine and Covenants
SECTION 13
An extract from Joseph Smith’s history recounting the
ordination of the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood
near Harmony, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1829. The ordination was done by
the hands of an angel who announced himself as John, the same that is
called John the Baptist in the New Testament. The angel explained that
he was acting under the direction of Peter, James, and John, the
ancient Apostles, who held the keys of the higher priesthood, which was
called the Priesthood of Melchizedek. The promise was given to Joseph
and Oliver that in due time this higher priesthood would be conferred
upon them. (See section 27:7–8, 12.)
The keys and powers of the Aaronic Priesthood are set forth.
1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the
Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels,
and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the
remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth,
until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in
righteousness.
Note: Only the tribe of Levi were to be priests.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and
present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. And they
shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation
before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle.
Also, they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of
meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of
the tabernacle. And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;
they are given entirely to him from among the children of Israel. So,
you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their
priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
Numbers 3:5-10
Note: The Christian Gospel is Jesus Christ.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to
you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you
are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless
you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I
also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Note: Baptism is not the Christian Gospel.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no
effect. 1 Corinthians 1:17
Note: The New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ has made the Aaronic Priesthood obsolete.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have
been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says:
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day
when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them,
says the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house
of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their
mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they
shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his
brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least
of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember
no more.” In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first
obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to
vanish away. Hebrews 8:7-13
Note: The righteousness of God is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ.
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being
witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God,
through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there
is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood,
through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His
forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously
committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that
He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:21-26