Author's Note: Ordinances are rites or ceremonies essential to salvation and exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God, such as baptism, celestial marriage, temple endowments and sealings, and the sacrament. Other rites or ceremonies are helpful but not necessary for spiritual salvation, such as blessing of children, blessings of comfort or consolation, healing of sick, and dedication of graves. (See Mormon Doctrine, pp. 548-49.)
492. We must receive all the essential ordinances of the gospel if we are to gain exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God.
quoted by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
There are a great many wise men and women too in our midst who are too wise to be taught; therefore they must die in their ignorance, and in the resurrection they will find their mistake. Many seal up the door of heaven by saying, So far God may reveal and I will believe.
All men who become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ will have to receive the fulness of the ordinances of his kingdom; and those who will not receive all the ordinances will come short of the fullness of that glory, if they do not lose the whole. (At the Stand in Nauvoo, Ill., June 11, 1843) HC5:424; TPJS:309
Clearly, attaining eternal life is not a matter of goodness only. This is one of the two important elements, but one must practice righteousness and receive the ordinances. People who do not bring their lives into harmony with God's laws and who do not receive the necessary ordinances either in this life or (if that is impossible) in the next, have thus deprived themselves, and will remain separate and single in the eternities. There they will have no spouses, no children. If one is going to be in God's kingdom of exaltation, where God dwells in all his glory, one will be there as a husband or a wife and not otherwise. Regardless of his virtues, the single person, or the one married for this life only, cannot be exalted. All normal people should marry and rear families. To quote Brigham Young: "No man can be perfect without the woman, so no woman can be perfect without a man to lead her. I tell you the truth as it is in the bosom of eternity. If he wishes to be saved, he cannot be saved without a woman by his side."
Celestial marriage is that important. (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 245) TLDP:380
No man ever did or ever will obtain salvation, only through the ordinances of the gospel and through the name of Jesus. There can be no change in the Gospel; all men that are saved from Adam to infinitum are saved by the one system of salvation. The Lord may give many laws and many commandments to suit the varied circumstances and conditions of his children throughout the world, such as giving a law of carnal commandment to Israel, but the laws and principles of the Gospel do not change. (In Bowery, June 12, 1863, JD10:217) TLDP:441
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
There is no ordinance that God has delivered by his own voice, through his Son Jesus Christ, or by the mouths of any of his Prophets, Apostles or Evangelists, that is useless. Every ordinance, every commandment and requirement is necessary for the salvation of the human family. (In Tabernacle, July 17, 1870, JD13:215) DBY:152
This Church is the Lord’s vehicle for crucial doctrines, ordinances, covenants, and keys that are essential to exaltation, and one cannot be fully faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ without striving to be faithful in the Church, which is its earthly institutional manifestation. (CR 2004Apr; “Abide in Me”, Ensign, May 2004, p.30)
We must understand the basic doctrines and receive the saving ordinances that are essential for our eternal exaltation and happiness. (CR 1995Apr; Answers to Life’s Questions, Ensign, May 1995, p.22)
Related Witnesses:
Will those who enter the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms have to have the ordinance of baptism? No Baptism is the door into the celestial kingdom. The Lord made this clear to Nicodemus. We are not preaching a salvation for the inhabitants of the terrestrial or the telestial kingdoms. All of the ordinances of the gospel pertain to the celestial kingdom, and what the Lord will require by way of ordinances, if any, in the other kingdoms he has not revealed. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:329) TLDP:441
So far as I know there is not an ordinance of the Church now enjoyed or practiced that was not revealed to the Church by the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know of no new doctrine that has been revealed. Principles that were revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith have grown and developed more fully and clearly to the understanding; but we have received nothing new that I know of. Yet, if we should receive something new, through the proper channels of the Church, we should be as ready and willing to receive it as we were, or would be, to receive the same at the hands of the Prophet Joseph himself. CR1900Oct:47
Author's Note: What is an ordinance? John A. Widtsoe says:
"An ordinance is an earthly symbol of a spiritual reality. It is usually also an act of symbolizing a covenant or agreement with the Lord. Finally, it is nearly always an act in anticipation of a blessing from heaven. An ordinance, then, is distinctly an act that connects heaven and earth, the spiritual and the temporal." PCG:366
Ordinance defined by Boyd K. Packer: "The word ordinance means, 'a religious or ceremonial observance'; 'an established rite'."
The Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford, England, 1970) gives as the first definition of the word order, 'arrangement in ranks or rows,' and as the second definition, 'arrangement in sequence or proper relative position.' At first glance that may not strike a person as having much religious significance, but indeed it has." (See The Holy Temple, pp. 144-45.)
493. Although a man by his ordination holds authority of the priesthood, before he can lawfully perform any ordinance, he must receive authorization from one who holds the keys in the Church for the administration of that ordinance.
President Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund
Every man holding the Priesthood of God, may exercise its power in behalf of himself and family. He may seek revelations for his own guidance; he may administer to his own family; teach, rebuke and bless them, he may bear witness everywhere of the truth of the Gospel and seek to help his fellowmen. In all this, his Priesthood will sustain him.
But no man may exercise the power of his Priesthood for the Church except by appointment of those who hold the keys of the Priesthood—that is, those called to presiding positions. A Priest has authority to baptize, but may not exercise that power, unless called to do so by the authority presiding over the division of the Church in which he lives. Thus, confusion is avoided, and order is preserved, without in any degree violating the rights of the Priesthood. Every holder of the Priesthood may and should use it, always, for his personal welfare; but officially for the Church only when authorized to do so. PCG:73
(First Presidency)
The leading fact to be remembered is that the Priesthood is greater than any of its offices; and that any man holding the Melchizedek Priesthood may, by virtue of its possession, perform any ordinance pertaining thereto, or connected therewith, when called upon to do so by one holding the proper authority, which proper authority is vested in the President of the Church, or in any whom he may designate. ("The Priesthood and its Offices," article published by the First Presidency in May 1902) MOFP4:42-43
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
[THERE IS A] DISTINCTION BETWEEN KEYS OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND PRIESTHOOD. The Priesthood in general is the authority given to man to act for God. Every man ordained to any degree of the Priesthood, has this authority delegated to him.
But it is necessary that every act performed under this authority shall be done at the proper time and place, in the proper way, and after the proper order. The power of directing these labors constitutes the keys of the Priesthood. In their fulness, the keys are held by only one person at a time, the prophet and president of the Church. He may delegate any portion of this power to another, in which case that person holds the keys of that particular labor. Thus, the president of a temple, the president of a stake, the bishop of a ward, the president of a mission, the president of a quorum, each holds the keys of the labors performed in that particular body or locality. His Priesthood is not increased by this special appointment, for a seventy who presides over a mission has no more Priesthood than a seventy who labors under his direction; and the president of an elders' quorum, for example, has no more Priesthood than any member of that quorum. But he holds the power of directing the official labors performed in the mission or the quorum, or in other words, the keys of that division of that work. So it is throughout all the ramifications of the Priesthood—a distinction must be carefully made between the general authority, and the directing of the labors performed by that authority. (IE1901Jan:230) PCG:200-01
I have no right, notwithstanding I belong to the Council of the Twelve, to baptize one of my own children without first going to the bishop in the ward where I live and getting his consent, because he holds the keys for that ward to which I belong as member. I have never baptized any of my children except—and I have baptized nearly all of them as far as I could do and on their birthdays, too, when they were eight years old—except I have gone to the bishop and gained his sanction to perform that ordinance and to confirm them members of the Church.
I have no right to go into a stake of Zion and ordain a man an elder without the appointment coming to me from the presidency of the stake, after the man to be ordained has been voted upon by those who have the right to vote to sustain him in that stake. If a man goes into a stake to perform an ordinance and he is not sent, if he is not called, he is violating authority, he is doing that which he has no right to do, and it is not valid.
All this authority radiates from the President of the Church. The President of this Church could say, if the Lord gave him that inspiration, that we shall not preach the gospel any more in the New England states, or in the United States, or in Europe, and there would not be an elder in this Church that would have any authority, notwithstanding his priesthood, to go into any place where he had been forbidden to go and preach the gospel, if the President of the Church withdrew the authority. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:136-37) TLDP:442
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had received the Melchizedek Priesthood under the hands of Peter, James, and John; however, it was necessary for the prophet Elijah to restore special keys, “in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness.” (CR 1990Oct; Temples and Work Therein, Ensign, November 1990, p.59)
Related Witnesses:
The one baptizing must be properly appointed by the presiding officer. If the candidate desires a particular individual, or if a father desires to baptize a child, this may be granted provided the man is worthy and willing. PCG:368
The power, glory and blessings of the Priesthood could not continue with those who received ordination only as their righteousness continued; for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteousness, was cursed. It signifies, then, that the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed; otherwise their Priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a blessing.
If Cain had fulfilled the law of righteousness as did Enoch, he could have walked with God all the days of his life, and never failed of a blessing. . . .
Elijah was the last Prophet that held the keys of the Priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, restore the authority and deliver the keys of the Priesthood, in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness. . . . Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood; and without the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness. (From an article on priesthood, read at a general conference held in Nauvoo, Ill., Oct. 5, 1840) HC4:209,11
The word ordinance means, "a religious or ceremonial observance"; "an established rite."
The Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford, England, 1970) gives as the first definition of the word order, "arrangement in ranks or rows," and as the second definition, "arrangement in sequence or proper relative position." At first glance that may not strike a person as having much religious significance, but indeed it has.
Among the ordinances we perform in the Church are these: baptism, sacrament, naming and blessing of infants, administering to the sick, setting apart to callings in the Church, ordaining to offices. In addition there are higher ordinances, performed in the temples. These include washings, anointings, the endowment, and the sealing ordinance, spoken of generally as temple marriage.
The word ordinance comes from the word order, which means, "a rank, a row, a series." The word order appears frequently in the scriptures. Some examples are: " . . . established the order of the Church" (Alma 8:1); ". . . all things should be restored to their proper order " (D&C 20:68), "mine house is a house of order" (D&C 132:8). Mormon even defined depravity as being "without order" (Moroni 9:18).
The word ordain, a close relative to the other two words, has, as its first definition, "to put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare"; also, "to appoint or admit to the ministry of the Christian church . . . by the laying on of hands or other symbolic action."
From all this dictionary work there comes the impression that an ordinance, to be valid, must be done in proper order. (The Holy Temple, pp. 144-45) TLDP:442-43
receiving the Word of the Lord
Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion. (Revelation relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternal nature of the marriage covenant, July 12, 1843, [1831]) D&C 132:8
. . .that all things may be done in order. (Revelation on Church Organization and Government, April 1830) D&C 20:68
For all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith. (Revelation for Oliver Cowdery, Sept. 1830) D&C 28:13
Let all these things be done in order; . . . (Revelation for the elders of the Church, Aug. 1, 1831) D&C 58:55
. . .that all things may be done in order and in solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness. (Revelation on priesthood, received as the Twelve met in council, March 28, 1835) D&C 107:84
Let all things be done decently and in order. (Letter to the Church at Corinth, Greece, about A.D. 55) 1 Corinthians 14:40
The death of these priests for performing an unauthorized ordinance [Leviticus 10:1-2gives us insight into how the Lord deals with those of his people, at least, who do that which he has not authorized them to do. Certainly in principle, and to some degree the same condemnation, in a spiritual sense, rests upon all ministers who perform unauthorized ordinances. (The Mortal Messiah, 1:82) TLDP:443
receiving the Word of the Lord
Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church. (Revelation "embracing the law of the Church," Feb. 9, 1831) D&C 42:11
We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof. (The fifth of the thirteen Articles of Faith; letter to John Wentworth, March 1, 1842) Articles of Faith :5
Several examples have occurred in the history of the Church where men through transgression, duly proved and decided upon by the constituted authorities, have been stopped from acting in the Priesthood, which is just as effectual as taking away their Priesthood would be, if it were possible; but this has taken no ordination from them, and if in such cases the transgressors should repent and make complete and satisfactory restitution, they would still hold the same Priesthood which they held before they were silenced, or stopped from acting. A person once ordained a bishop, an elder, or high priest, continues to hold those offices. A bishop is still a bishop though he may remove to another ward, or for other reason temporarily lose his calling. But in case he is wanted to act in a new office, or place, and the proper authorities call him to act, it is not necessary to re-ordain him a bishop; he would only need to be set apart for his new calling. So with other officers in the Priesthood, once having received the Priesthood, it cannot be taken from them, except by transgression so serious that they must forfeit their standing in the Church. But, as stated, their right to officiate, may be suspended or stopped. The Lord can take away the power and efficacy of their ordinations, and will do so if they transgress. No endowments or blessings in the House of the Lord, no patriarchal blessings, no ordination to the Priesthood, can be taken away, once given. To prevent a person for cause from exercising the rights and privileges of acting in the offices of the Priesthood, may be and has been done, and the person so silenced still remain a member of the Church, but this does not take away from him any Priesthood that he held. (In a Church published statement, "Order of the Priesthood," April 1908) MOFP4:174-175
quoted by Mormon
And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order. (King Benjamin concludes his discourse, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 4:27
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
We have found occasionally that men blessed with some peculiar gift of the spirit have exercised it in an unwise—shall we say, improper—manner. For instance: brethren strongly gifted with the power of healing have visited far and near amongst the Saints (to the neglect sometimes of other duties), until it has almost become a business with them, and their visits to the homes of the Saints have assumed somewhat the character of those of a physician, and the people have come to regard the power so manifested as if coming from man, and he himself has sometimes grown to so feel, and not that he was simply an instrument in the hands of God of bringing blessings to their house. This view is exceedingly unfortunate when indulged in, and is apt to result in the displeasure of the Lord. It has sometimes ended in the brother possessing this gift, if he encouraged such a feeling, losing his power to bless and heal. Departures from the recognized order and discipline of the Church should therefore be discountenanced and discouraged. (Juvenile Instructor, vol. 37, pp. 50-51, Jan. 15, 1902) PCG:75
