The ordinances of the gospel referred to in previous chapters of
this series, cannot be effectually administered without divine
authority. That authority does not and cannot originate in man. It
may be assumed, it is true, and presumptuous men may claim to be
called of God without communication from him. But their performances
will be without avail and will not be recognized in heaven, either
in time or in eternity. When there is no revelation from God there
can be no divine authority on earth. Baptism, even if solemnized
according to the form and pattern followed by the Savior and his
appointed servants, will be of no avail and will not bring remission
of sins, unless the officiating minister has received authority from
Deity to act in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Ghost. Men may lay their hands on the baptized believer in the
form of confirmation, but if they have not been divinely appointed
to do so, the Holy Ghost will not flow to the convert, and the
performance will be void in the sight of heaven. Those who have the
temerity to act in that manner will be counted guilty of taking the
name of the Lord in vain. No council, convocation, conference,
synod, or presbytery, composed of any number of learned, devout and
venerable persons, without divine communication can confer the
smallest amount of divine authority. Their power is only human,
their decisions, their commissions and their creeds are equally
valueless in the plan of salvation.
Whenever the Almighty desired to communicate with man on earth, he
selected his own representatives and endowed them with authority to
speak and act in his name. What they uttered by the power of the
Holy Ghost, and what they administered as he directed, was
recognized by him as if performed and spoken by Deity in person.
When he gave them authority to call and ordain others to the same
duties, their administrations were also accepted by the Lord, and
were fully efficacious. This divine authority was called the holy
priesthood. It was bestowed in the earliest ages. It existed among
the patriarchs, was exercised in the Mosaic dispensation, was held
by many of the prophets, and was established in the Christian Church
by the Savior himself. There are two orders, or branches, of that
priesthood.
The higher, which includes the lower, came to be known as the
Melchizedek Priesthood. This was because Melchizedek the King of
Salem, who lived in the time of Abraham and from whom "the father of
the faithful" received his blessing, obtained great power in that
priesthood. It is referred to in the epistle to the Hebrews, 7th
chapter. Much controversy has arisen over the meaning of the third
verse, which says: "Without father, without mother, without descent,
having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like
unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." The difficulty
has arisen through the application of these remarks to the
individual instead of the priesthood which he held. The higher or
Melchizedek Priesthood was not limited, as the Levitical Order
subsequently was, to a special lineage. It did not depend upon
parentage or descent, and it was an eternal priesthood, and those
who possessed it worthily retained it through life, being kings and
priests unto God forever.
The lesser priesthood was held notably by Aaron and his sons, in the
line of the first born, and has therefore been called by his name.
It had authority to administer in the lesser ordinances and in
temporal affairs, but not in the higher and more spiritual concerns
of the kingdom of God. But no man could take this honor unto
himself. He must be called of God as was Aaron, or he could not hold
that priesthood (Hebrews 5:4). Aaron was called by revelation
through Moses the prophet, and ordained under his hands.
This being so, as a matter of course, no man can take unto himself
the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood. Unless called of God by
revelation and properly ordained, he could not obtain that
authority. Even Jesus of Nazareth, though he was the Son of God, did
not assume that priesthood. He was "called of God, a high priest
after the order of Melchizedek." It is written further: "So also
Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that
said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee" (Hebrews
5:5, 10).
It has been erroneously taught among the Christian sects of the
present age that this priesthood, in both of its branches or orders,
was done away in Christ. That it has not been on earth for several
centuries may be true, and therefore the authority to administer in
the name of the Lord has not been enjoyed among men. But the
authority held by Jesus Christ as "a priest forever after the order
of Melchizedek" was conferred by him upon his apostles, to whom he
gave the keys of that power and authority, so that what they sealed
on earth should be sealed in heaven, and what they loosed on earth
should be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18). He said to them: "As my
Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21). Again he
said: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained
you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain" (John 15:16). The apostles thus authorized had power
to call others to this priesthood and ministry, when directed by the
Holy Ghost, as Moses called and ordained his brother, Aaron.
The law of carnal commandments in which the lesser or Levitical
Priesthood administered was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, but the
priesthood or authority to administer in the name of the Lord was
not then abolished, the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood was
restored. That was the change in the priesthood referred to in
Hebrews 7:12: "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of
necessity a change also of the law." From this it is evident that
the priesthood was not abolished, but the law of the gospel being
introduced by Christ in place of the Mosaic code, the higher
priesthood was also introduced, for the gospel is a higher law than
that of Moses. The sacrifice of animals in which the lesser
priesthood administered was no longer required, after the great
sacrifice of the Son of God of which they were typical, so that
function of the lesser or Aaronic Priesthood was discontinued. But
the administration of the ordinances of the gospel was necessary,
and could not be rightfully performed without divine authority.
Therefore, the priesthood of God held by Jesus Christ, and by his
apostles and by others called of God through them, was a part of and
essential to the Christian dispensation.
The term "called of God" appears to be as much misunderstood as is
the subject of the priesthood of God. Men assume to act in the name
of Jesus Christ, either because they feel or imagine they have a
call in their hearts to this ministry, or because they have been
called by some person or conclave having no more divine
communication and authority than they had themselves. In contrast to
their assumption let us view the case of Saul of Tarsus, afterwards
called Paul the Apostle. In the narration of his case as given in
Acts 22 he says that on his way to Damascus the Lord Jesus Christ
appeared to him in glory, and he was stricken blind thereby. He
received his sight by miracle and was informed: "The God of our
fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldst know his will, and see
that Just One, and shouldst hear the voice of his mouth. For thou
shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
And now why tarriest thou, arise and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Paul subsequently received
another divine communication, informing him that the Lord would send
him unto the Gentiles (Verses 12-21). After all this he was not
authorized to act as a minister of the gospel, because he had not
yet been properly called and ordained.
It was ten years after this, according to the chronology of the New
Testament, that Paul was ordained to the priesthood or authority to
act in the name of the Lord. It is stated that certain prophets and
teachers were in the Church at Antioch, and "As they ministered to
the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and
Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had
fasted and prayed, and laid their hands upon them, they sent them
away" (Acts 13:2, 3; see also Acts 9:15-18). Paul in his epistles
invariably declared that he was not called by the will of man and he
taught that no man of himself could rightfully assume the authority
to administer in the name of the Lord. To the Galatians he wrote:
"Paul, an apostle (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ,
and God the Father, who raised him from the dead)" (Galatians 1:1).
Writing to Titus, Paul said: "For this cause left I thee in Crete,
that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and
ordained elders in every city as I had appointed thee" (Titus 1:5).
Writing to Timothy, Paul says: "Neglect not the gift that is in
thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the
hands of the presbytery" (I Timothy 4:14). It was thus that the
seven deacons were ordained, as recorded in Acts 6:6.
That there was a divinely appointed ministry in the Church
established by our Savior must be evident to every mind open to the
truth, on reading the New Testament; also that it was essential to
the Church, and that without it there can be no true Church of
Christ on earth. Explaining this subject and stating the order of
the Christian ministry given by Christ, Paul says: "And he gave some
apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors
and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11). These inspired men were, as we have
seen, called of God, not of men, and were appointed and ordained to
their respective callings by divine authority. It is claimed that
these were necessary only in the first days of the Church of Christ
on earth, and that they are no longer needed. But the succeeding
verses of the scripture we have quoted show most positively to the
contrary. They were given, Paul says, "For the perfecting of the
Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive" (Verses 12-14). Without these divinely
ordained and inspired men, holding this holy priesthood, the work of
the ministry cannot be performed acceptably to God, neither can the
Church be perfected. They are absolutely necessary until all shall
come to the unity of the faith and a knowledge of the Son of God.
The absence of that divine authority, and of the gift of the Holy
Ghost, has caused the division and dissension that now exist among
professing Christians, who are "tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine," led hither and thither by unauthorized
and uninspired men, and by the "cunning craftiness" whereby
hirelings who preach for money, "lie in wait to deceive" and "make
merchandise of the souls of men."
All the ministrations, ordinances, baptisms, confirmations,
performances and ceremonies that have been instituted by men and
conducted under merely human authority, whether devoutly, sincerely
and piously, or with wilful intent to impose upon the ignorance and
credulity of mankind, are void in the sight of heaven, are not
recognized of God, and have no virtue or effect as aids to
salvation. God's house is a house of order, and he will accept only
that which he has authorized and ordained. However startling this
may appear, it is the eternal truth, which will stand the test of
both reason and revelation. Truth is mighty and will prevail. The
remedy for these tremendous evils will be pointed out in succeeding
chapters.