The Book of Commandments
The Book of Commandments Section 17 - Priests
1Behold, thus Sayeth the Lord; I am the alpha and the omega - he who created the heavens and the earth.
2My love for my children spans time and eternity. I have not forsaken you but you have sold yourselves for naught. And you shall be redeemed without price.
3Stand fast, my children, in the great and Holy priesthood wherein you have been called and ordained, which is the everlasting priesthood after the order of the Son of God.
4The priesthood is the greatest gift of responsibility and authority given unto men. The highest of callings, my priesthood spans throughout existence.
5And you have been tricked by the hands of fallen and wayward leaders.
6Wo! Wo unto these secretive and sinister men who have led my priests astray and into a snare of weakness and failure! Wo unto these men, who themselves have fallen prey to the secretive works of Gadianton men who work for Satan!
7For never have I called men into the Holy Priesthood so as to do nothing in the face of certain evil.
8My heart pains for the sins and abominations you wayward leaders have committed and even more for the sins you have tricked my sheep - even my children - into committing.
9My children have been led astray and they know not what they do - but they all know that something is wrong. My sheep know their shepherd. You have succeeded in brainwashing them into failure and misery. But you shall not have their souls.
10These wrongs shall continue no longer, for a time of great change is afoot. A time of recompense in my vineyard is at hand.
11I the Lord, even Jesus Christ, call all men to repent and to give unto me the great sacrifice of a contrite heart. For it is only in the depths of true humility that a man can safely wield the power of the priesthood, delivered from on high.
12There are many good men upon the earth who ask why there is no power in their priesthood, that they might bring forth good works on the earth in the face of the forces of darkness.
13Your forefathers in the beginning of this restoration asked this as well. The answer is faith. True faith which is tied to righteousness. It is not possible to have true faith without righteousness, nor is it possible for righteous men to exist without faith.
14The powers of my holy priesthood cannot and may not be handled except in the most sincere depths of faithfulness and righteousness - the greatest depths of humility which are only experienced when a man has passed through the great crucible of life and has been found worthy.
15My priesthood is a priesthood of power. I say again - the priesthood after the order of the Son of God is in place so as to wield the power of God upon the earth.
16My friends - if you do not feel the power of the holy priesthood coursing through your veins - the power of he who created the heavens and the earth and all things therein - then you are not worthy to receive this power. You have not offered the great sacrifice of repentance and humility before your Lord.
17It is a truth that men find hard to bear, but it is the truth nevertheless.
18The man who has come closer to me through repentance and who approacheth me with a broken heart is given more power from on high. And that man is a man to be feared; not for his wrath nor his own glory - but for his righteousness. He is to be feared because he can feel the love of his Father in heaven and can no longer be corrupted or controlled by the dark forces of the world.
19Yea, I say - fear the good priest. For he has sacrificed all, especially the corrupt and misleading doctrines of men; nay even the wayward church elders, to come closer to me.
20The earth has fallen again, even since the fullness of my gospel was brought forth. The priesthood has fallen; even as modern prophets predicted.
21But the time of confusion is now at an end. The time of weakness in my priesthood is at an end.
22By the hands of my priests, shall the power and the terror return to the Holy priesthood. Terror for those who fight against my word and my prophet. Terror for those who do evil in my sight.
23But a great peace and joy shall fall upon those who believe in my name and those stand for good on the earth - those beautiful children willing to give all for the glory of Zion and the glory of their Father in Heaven.
24From henceforth, my priests shall gather and shall commence the building of Zion upon the earth. My priests shall be chosen by the Holy Ghost, and shall give all to their callings as worthy priesthood holders, after the order of Jesus Christ.
25Zion shall be built. Weakness shall depart and my priests shall feel the power they have been tricked out of by the false prophets and apostles who are currently at the helm of my church.
26My priests shall no longer be caught in cunning and lascivious business tactics, following the snares of the wicked one unto damnation.
27For too long have my priests been tricked into the notion that I will not provide for them, so they must trick and deceive their fellow man in wicked schemes and tactics.
28The incorrect notion that “all things done in the Lord’s name” are good is false. Men must be perfect and righteous in their hearts and their acts, to be found worthy of the power and blessings of my priesthood.
29My priests are to be pure, both in their hearts and in their dealings. And through their faith shall great blessings come to pass.
30I say again to all who will listen - the current leaders of the churches of the world are misled, unlearned and wise in the ways of the world, which are not my ways. They have and are leading my saints towards hellfire, weakness and darkness; even towards the snares of Satan.
31But this shall stand no longer. It is time for the priests to be powerful and terrible. It is time for the world to see that my hand is not slackened, nor is my arm shortened.
32For I am Jesus Christ. I AM he who created all things and I have commenced the next great reckoning on the earth, which shall be done at the hands of my labourers - even my priests - guided by my living prophet.
33Even so, Amen.