Greg Smith's Review of "Passing The Heavenly Gift"
Posted: October 17th, 2013, 11:39 pm
Greg Smith - Passing Up The Heavenly Gift, Part 1 of 2. Greg Smith of FAIR/Maxwell Institute/Mormon Interpreter, known most recently for this and this.
It's now posted at Mormon Interpreter site: http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/passin ... ne-of-two/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Update: I read it. Felt like he does a good job showing references of later prophets/apostles' visions and sacred experiences. However, I wish he had taken a deeper look at the many statements from Joseph on the connection between the sealing power, keys, the spirit of elijah, fulness of priesthood, ordination as king and priest, and receiving your calling and election - all of which show Joseph's consistent focus on the necessity of the higher temple ordinances to receive a fulness of the priesthood, and that the apostles clearly received, according to Joseph, "all that could be given to man on the earth" or "the last and most important ordinances," which gave them all the authority they needed to "receive, obtain & perform all the ordinances belonging to the Kingdom of God," which "is sufficient to make our calling & Election sure." "To us [those with 2nd antngs] were committed the Keys of the Kingdom and every gift, key and power, that Joseph ever had, confirmed upon our heads by an anointing." "Where it says and they shall seal the servants of God in their foreheads &c it means to seal the blessing on their heads {meaning the everlasting covenant thereby making their calling & election sure." "receiving all the ordinances, Baptisms, Confirmations, washings anointings ordinations & sealing powers upon our heads." "If a man gets the fulness of God, he has to get [it] in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, by keeping all the ordinances of the house of the Lord." And much, much more.
It's now posted at Mormon Interpreter site: http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/passin ... ne-of-two/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Update: I read it. Felt like he does a good job showing references of later prophets/apostles' visions and sacred experiences. However, I wish he had taken a deeper look at the many statements from Joseph on the connection between the sealing power, keys, the spirit of elijah, fulness of priesthood, ordination as king and priest, and receiving your calling and election - all of which show Joseph's consistent focus on the necessity of the higher temple ordinances to receive a fulness of the priesthood, and that the apostles clearly received, according to Joseph, "all that could be given to man on the earth" or "the last and most important ordinances," which gave them all the authority they needed to "receive, obtain & perform all the ordinances belonging to the Kingdom of God," which "is sufficient to make our calling & Election sure." "To us [those with 2nd antngs] were committed the Keys of the Kingdom and every gift, key and power, that Joseph ever had, confirmed upon our heads by an anointing." "Where it says and they shall seal the servants of God in their foreheads &c it means to seal the blessing on their heads {meaning the everlasting covenant thereby making their calling & election sure." "receiving all the ordinances, Baptisms, Confirmations, washings anointings ordinations & sealing powers upon our heads." "If a man gets the fulness of God, he has to get [it] in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, by keeping all the ordinances of the house of the Lord." And much, much more.