No, it isn’t being sealed to your spouse on wedding day, although that is a prerequisite (preparatory and required) to receive this highest and most sacred sealing ordinance. The priesthood sealing powers of Elijah, as restored in this last dispensation (D&C 110:13-16) and vested in the presiding high priest of the Church (D&C 132:7), are truly infinite in their application, being enabled to promise eternal life and exaltation to the faithful saints while yet in this life, as Peter explained to the ancient saints (2 Pet. 1; Eph. 1:13-14). Those saints who so receive are they who are of the church of the Firstborn (D&C 76:54, 94), and who may then receive the Second Comforter (D&C 88:3-5).
The Prophet Joseph Smith declared:
After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted.
When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses. ((TPJS, 149-151.))
I would exhort you to go on and continue to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure for yourselves, by obtaining this more sure word of prophecy, and wait patiently for the promise until you obtain it. ((ibid., 299.))
Dr. Andrew C. Skinner, currently Executive Director of The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at BYU, provides more insight into these sacred principles in his recently published book, Temple Worship:
Another aspect of the sealing power of the priesthood is the ability of the Lord’s authorized servant to seal men and women unto eternal life, to perform an ordinance granting them eternal life once they pass beyond mortality, “to place a seal on them so that no matter what happens in the world, no matter what desolation sweeps the earth, yet they shall be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (D&C 88:84-85; D&C 109:38, 46; D&C 124:124; D&C 131:5; D&C 132:19, 46, 49).” ((McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 683.)) Elder Bruce R. McConkie added this significant insight: “Since these sealing blessings are conferred by the laying on of hands of those who hold the keys of this power, it follows that John’s description of placing a seal in the forehead is not just apocalyptic imagery but a literal description of what takes place. As with other sacred things, however, the devil has a substitute seal to place; he puts a mark in the ‘foreheads’ of his followers also. (Rev. 13:16-18)” ((ibid.)) ((Skinner, Temple Worship, 2007, 74; emphasis added.))
As Elder McConkie noted, this sealing is “conferred by the laying on of hands” and therefore is a different sealing than when one is first married and sealed in the temple. Being sealed to your spouse initially at the altar and its associated promised blessings (including those mentioned in D&C 132) are contingent upon enduring faithfulness and righteousness throughout one’s lifetime, whereupon one may then receive this final sealing and ordinance:
The sealing of men and women (couples) to eternal life is predicated upon continued faithfulness in mortality over time, after their temple marriage, and is not automatic or inherent in the marriage ceremony when a couple is first married in the temple, as temple instruction makes clear. Said President Joseph Fielding Smith, “Blessings pronounced upon couples in connection with celestial marriage are conditioned upon the subsequent faithfulness of the participating parties.” ((Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:46.)) In fact, exaltation comes as a result of proven loyalty to the Lord and his kingdom “at all hazards.” ((Smith, TPJS, 150.)) The Prophet Joseph Smith not only described the kind of complete devotion to righteousness that is required to receive this ultimate blessing but showed us the way. ((ibid., 149-51.)) In 1843, after years of serving the Lord at all hazards, Joseph heard the Lord say: “For I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father” (D&C 132:49). ((Skinner, Temple Worship, 2007, 74-75; emphasis added.))
We might ask, “Must we receive this ordinance in mortality, or can it be administered vicariously after we have passed on?” Dr. Skinner helps us in understanding:
Regarding the rest of us, the Lord indicates in D&C 50:5 that whether such a guarantee comes before death or after mortality has concluded, it makes no difference. The result is the same—exaltation. That is why it is so important for all of us to endure faithfully, patiently, and cheerfully to the end of our mortal lives.
In a way, the temple endowment is preparation for the sealing ordinance of eternal marriage, which in turn is preparation for the promise of eternal life preparatory to the realization of exaltation. ((Skinner, Temple Worship, 2007, 75; emphasis added.))
I would add that baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (a type of washing and anointing) are also preparation for the temple ordinances which include initiatories (washing and anointing – D&C 124:39), which are in turn preparation for these higher sealing blessings. Undoubtedly these ordinances have a relationship to the three degrees of glory found within the celestial kingdom (D&C 131:1-5).
Note that this sealing ordinance clearly does not make one like God while in this life, but is the promise, save committing the unpardonable sin (D&C 132:26-27), that one will eventually receive such an inheritance in the hereafter (Rom. 8:16-17; Gal. 4:7). Joseph Smith taught us:
When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel-you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave. ((TPJS, 348.))
More can be learned about this most solemn and sacred ordinance and it’s associated principles at the following links:
Wayne, “The sealing by the Holy Spirit of Promise is not a priesthood ordinance, but a ratification by the Holy Ghost that the ordinance, upon conditions of continued worthiness, is binding and acceptable to God.”
It seems that you are saying the ordinance must come first before it can be ratified by the Holy Spirit of promise, and a person could not receive the promise without having first the ordinance by the “laying on of hands”.
Consider D&C 88:1-5 “Wherefore, I NOW send upon you … the Holy Spirit of promise… This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life…”
These people received their Calling and Election made sure in 1832. But, the authority to perform a sealing ordinance, (The sealing Power), would not be given to Joseph Smith for 3+ years. Without that authority, none of these people could have received the priesthood ordinances in the temple by “the laying on of hands”. This is one of the examples used by President Romney in “The Light of Christ” to show us how it is received.
D&C 6:28 The Law of Witnesses. A witness can, either, be temporal or spiritual. Heavenly Father uses temporal and spiritual witnesses, together, in establishing His word or promises. Spiritual witnesses to revelation are the mind and the heart (See prior posting). As eternal identities, who is the Mind? Lectures on Faith 5:2 Who is the Heart? John 15: 13-14
Certainly, when Heavenly Father delivers His word to us, He uses witnesses. Who assumes the role of Holy Spirit of Promise when it comes to various promises?
D&C 1:38
Mmmm, Bruce, very well said! And great references, especially D&C 1:38! I never saw that verse like that!
“but that is not necessarily an indication of the reception of calling and election or being sealed to eternal life. ”
– I would like to see some specific examples where this applies. As for D&C 88, President Romney indicated that in this moment they received their “Calling and Election made sure”. (Light of Christ – Romney) He followed these verses with the following encouragement, “I should think that all faithful Latter-day Saints “would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God.” Notice that he said they “were sealed”.
Also, note that the Lord said, “I now send upon you…the Holy Spirit of Promise”. When did he send it? Now or in 3+ years when Man received God’s authority to do what God could already do? Unless God can’t use His own sealing authority… D&C 1:38 (What God has spoken he has spoken without excuse it will be fulfilled. His own voice being the preference, but when that’s not possible, we can feel comfortable with his assurance that the voice of his servants will do just fine as well.)
When God makes the Promise of Eternal life, it is a promise that regardless of future sin and transgression, even any sin against the new and everlasting covenant, the person will be exalted. (The only exception is the unpardonable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.) And this promise is sealed by the Holy Spirit by witness. This is clearly spelled out in D&C 132:7, 26-27. My point being that once we have received this promise of Eternal Life from God or his servants, our exaltation is NOT conditional upon our continued obedience and faithfulness. The ONLY way to stop it is to knowingly and willingly become a Son of Perdition which disqualifies us from the blessing.
“No man receives the fulness of the priesthood without a woman at his side. For no man, the Prophet said, can obtain the fulness of the priesthood outside the temple of the Lord. And she is there beside him in that sacred place. She shares in all that he receives. The man and the woman individually receive the ordinances encompassed in the endowment. But the man cannot ascend to the highest ordinances—the sealing ordinances—without her at his side. No man achieves the supernal exalting status of worthy fatherhood except as a gift from his wife.”
(Boyd K. Packer, “The Relief Society,” Ensign, May 1998, 72)
The “sealing” is a Temple ordinance. 2 Nephi 31:3
Alma 37:11
D&C 36:2
D&C 105:35-36
D&C 68:12
So, we can receive this additional, second sealing AFTER DEATH, correct? I hate to think that, despite being married in the temple to my husband, I won’t “truly” be with him or something like that.
Hi Bryce Haymond ! from Monterrey, N.L. México. Thank you for this very interesting subject or topic. Sorry for any grammar error but I´m still learning English. Just I want to tell
you that our concern must be on focus in keeping all commitments ,ordinances and trust completly in the Lord.
A couple things come to mind as I read through this blog and comments. One is the the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood described in D&C 84. I think this section gives a wonderful summary of this topic. I’ve read the section many times. Especially after President Faust gave a wonderful talk about entitled, “The Key of the Knowledge of God” given in 2004.
In short, the oath is outlined in the section as described in the progressive ordinances. The covenant isn’t as clearly explained. As I read it, and please correct me if I’m wrong, is found in D&C 84:43-44. The covenant is established when the Lord, through His annointed servant or by himself, provides the “words of eternal life.”
The calling and election of Alma found in Mosiah 26:20 provides a great example of this covenant and an example of one who recieves the words of eternal life.
I have another scripture to share, but…I’m at work and the verse slips my mind. It is in the D&C and when I read it it seemed like it mentioned that those who are provided such blessings are made know to the president of the church. I appologize for my lack of reference. I’ll find it and post back.
Alright….alright… I promise to leave this alone after sharing these verses.
D&C 105:35-36
35 There has been a day of calling, but the time has come for a day of choosing; and let those be chosen that are worthy.
36 And it shall be manifest unto my servant, by the voice of the Spirit, those that are chosen; and they shall be sanctified;
As I read these verses, particularily 36. I couldn’t help to think that Spirit will manifest to the prophet those who are “chosen,” and then they are presented before the Lord to be sanctified.
I noticed the post (Sep 6, 2008 at 1:28 pm) about satans counterfeits. I think that gangs may be his imitation of the temple, the gaddianton robbers being the most familiar one. Modern gangs are probably no different from ancient ones as they are “inspired” from the same source, so lets look at them. Gangs have initiation rights, signs for recognition (both hand signals and in grafiti), initiates get new names/gang names, there is specific vocabulary/code words for initiates as well as laws and punishments when those secrets are revealed. There are probably more paralells. Most importantly, however, the gang supplants the family with the intent to destroy it, whereas the family is God’s ordained sociatal organization that is properly organized in the temple through the priesthood. The society that allows gangs to operate will be destroyed by them.
I posted the above because I think it is important to know the enemy as well as God. Jesus said And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Joseph Smith said “If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.” Sun Tzu said, “If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.” The temple is far and away the best place to find out who you are and what your potential is as well as recieve instruction on who the enemy is, what he will do/use to overcome us, and how we can avoid deception and win the race.
Wow, thanks Bryce, and all. I feel so fed after reading all these comments and the washing of feet post. Wow!
I even got a new insight as I was writing a paper on sacrifice when I saw that the imposition or laying on of hands for sacrifice was meant to show that the officiator was dedicating it to God. I’ve since thought about how that applies to the laying on of hands in the Church.
So incredibly interesting 🙂
Oh, and it was great to see what Mconckie said about the sealing the servants of God on their foreheads. That makes more sense to me now.
I suppose this comment is a couple years late, but the subject never gets old. I think a lot of misconception be cleared up for most people by referring to some authoritative literature (of course the scriptures are packed full of the subject) – I don’t have all references handy, but you can find the material within the references pretty easily:
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pgs 150-151, and 307-309
Doctrines of Salvation, Joseph Fielding Smith
Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Bruce R. McConkie
Making Your Calling and Election Sure, Marion G. Romney (Conference Talk)
The Fullness of the Priesthood, Joseph Fielding Smith (Conference Talk April 1970)
What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children About The Temple, Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, Aug 1985
Also see “Accepted of the Lord: The Doctrine of Making Your Calling and Election Sure” by Roy Doxey, in Ensign, July 1976.
There are several hundred references that could be provided, but these sources will provide a good understanding.
A few comments on prior posts. Joseph couldn’t have received the 2nd Comforter during the First Vision, as he had not yet received the 1st Comforter (again see TPJS). There are several phrases that relate to the same subject, all pertaining to being sealed to eternal life. It was mentioned whether revelation was sufficient, or whether an ordinance was sufficient – either being alone. The answer is in D&C 131, as previously commented. “The more sure word of prophecy [equivalent to the Fullness of the Priesthood, Calling and Election sure, etc.] means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood. There are either two or three elements there: revelation, the spirit of prophecy, and the Holy Priesthood. I’m not sure about timing on each of these, but Heber C. Kimball received a revelation that he was sealed to eternal life years before he received an ordinance (Life of Heber C. Kimball, 241, vs. HCK Journal for 1843). Perhaps it is like baptism, in that it is incomplete without the baptism of the Holy Ghost as well. It is my opinion that revelation and ordinance will be necessary prior to exaltation.
One day we had a General Authority in the ward and this topic came up. I asked a few questions in the hall after the meeting. One of them was along the lines of “Is this done in the temple? Salt Lake only? and “What was the content of that?” He said yes could be done in any temple and as for the language used “read the first 10 or 15 verses of D&C 88 and some words and phrases will jump out at you.”
I did read and they did jump out at me.
I know that I am coming late to this party, but I would like to add some thoughts. As Amonhi has stated, the example of Nephi in Helaman Chapter 10 makes clear Nephi did not have anyone lay their hands upon his head but yet received the fulness of the priesthood by God’s own voice. In JST Genesis 14:29-31 we read:
29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.
30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;
31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.
When God speaks the debate is over. When He tells you that you are going to gain eternal life, count on it you will, nothing doubting. When God tells you that you now have the fulness of His Holy Priesthood, (God-like powers given to those sons of God whom the Father knows He can trust with it) you have it. No hands are needed to be laid upon your head, period! In 3rd Nephi Chapter 11 Jesus speaks to brethren without laying his hands upon them and gives them authority.
3 Nephi Chapter 11 to Nephi Jesus says:
21 And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven.
To other brethren present He says:
22 And again the Lord called others, and said unto them likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize. And he said unto them: On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no disputations among you.
So it is with one’s calling and election made sure. The Father sends the Holy Ghost and fills a person head to foot. Every particle of their soul consumed by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. This cleanses the person of all sin, far beyond forgiveness of sin, and while filled with this indescribable joy, power and all consuming love that is the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, the Father speaks directly to that blessed person and says to them, calling them by their first name, my son or my daughter, (Which ever applies, for wives can receive this blessing before their husbands do if they are worthy. For God is no respecter of persons) “Thou shalt be exalted. Thou shalt gain eternal life.”
That is the Holy Spirit of Promise. The promise of eternal life. That ratifying seal cannot be lifted and is UNCONDITIONAL. Only open rebellion to become a son of perdition can cancel it from being carried out fully. One can receive this wonderful blessing before one is married in the temple. God knows that this person will get sealed in the temple and fulfill all righteousness whether in this life or the next. Yes, the person who has the above experience would have already known the Savior face to face as Joseph Smith did. These events could be years apart from each other as Joseph’s were. The 144,000 are married high priest, they do not serve without their spouses, are sealed up to eternal life by angels of the Lord, not the president of the Church. These couples are translated beings who teach faithful members of the church how they too are to receive their calling and elections made sure and then when a person is ready, one of these brethren will seal that worthy person up to eternal life. That is their responsibility. Those who are sealed up to eternal life have already had the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost experience, they have already met with the Savior face to face, and they have had the Holy Spirit of Promise experience and thus already knew that they were going to gain eternal life.
D&C 50: 26-29 gives us further insight to receiving the fulness of the priesthood by God’s own voice not man laying his hands upon someone.
26 He that is a ordained of God (not man) and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all.
27 Wherefore, he is possessor of all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life and the light, the Spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus Christ, his Son.
28 But no man is possessor of all things except he be purified and cleansed from all sin.
29 And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done.
Thus we see that we have the Melchezedek Priesthood conferred upon us by men, but receive the fulness of the priesthood by God Himself. Men do not possess all things and therefore cannot give something that they do not have. God does possess all things and therefore can and does give His God-like powers to worthy sons whom God knows that He can trust with it. For these holy sons of God will never ask for that they should not. Does He have to lay His hands upon those whom He ordains or can a man receive the fulness of the priesthood by God’s own voice as Genesis 14 states? I testify that God can and does bestow the fulness of His Priesthood by his own voice. Thank you for your time.
The Most Important Chapters in Scripture? Part: 3
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