“Entering the Rest of the Lord” Question

A little over a year ago on Sunday, July 13, 2014, a friend of mine asked a sincere question in Priesthood meeting. It was brushed off rather quickly and was not really answered, at least from my point of view. Here is part of my e-mail response to my friend:

… In our priesthood meeting, we superficially covered some key doctrines of salvation and I’ve been thinking about them. Your question posed, which was something like, “Can a person entering the rest of the Lord happen in mortality or only after death?”, is not only insightful and worth asking, but it is significantly vital to fully understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

During class we discussed, at least in part, Elder Zwick’s talk entitled, “Enter into the Rest of the Lord”, in which he focused on the teachings of Alma in the Book of Mormon. Reading Alma 13 at face value, a few questions arose that may be worth considering.

Who was it that ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son?

Was it God the Father? Men? Some other source?

For what purpose were they ordained after the order of his Son?

What were the qualifications to be ordained to this order?

Was the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works based on superficial hope or on actual witnessed past performance?

If it was past performance, where did it happen? When did it occur?

In what state is it possible to exercise exceeding faith and good works?

Can exceeding faith and good works be manifested and put to test in the presence of God or is mortality behind the veil needed to exercise exceeding faith and good works?

Is sanctification, white garments, and being pure and spotless necessary to enter into His rest?

What is His rest? (D&C 84:24)

Have these chosen ones already entered His rest?

Is entering His rest a requirement to be called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest?

Holy calling? Who calls?

Holy ordinance? Who ordains?

Holy order? Whose order?

High priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father?

What does it mean that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest?

How did Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order and who also took upon him the high priesthood forever, receive the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God? (See JST Genesis 14:25-40)

Did Melchizedek obtain the Holy order from God Himself?

By His own voice?

Is this manner consistent among all those who receive the Holy order?

What order of the priesthood do we possess when we associate with and are ordained by men?

What order of the priesthood do we possess when we associate with and are ordained by angels?

What order of the priesthood do we possess when we associate with and are ordained by Christ?

What order of the priesthood do we possess when we associate with and are ordained by God, the Father?

Is association with men the same order as association with the powers of heaven?

Is there a difference?

Does it matter?

What order of the priesthood do we obtain in the LDS church when we are ordained Deacons? Teachers? Priests? Elders? High Priests? Seventies? Apostles?

Who ordains us?

From which order are we reckoned?

With whom do we associate?

What order of the priesthood do we possess?

Do we hold the priesthood described in D&C 84:19-25 and D&C 107:18-19?

Do we hold the greater priesthood, which administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God?

Do we possess the order of the priesthood to see the face of God, even the Father, and live?

Do we have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto us, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant?

If we currently possess this greater priesthood, why do few see the face of God, even the Father, and live?

If this greater priesthood is among us, why do so few have the heavens opened and commune with Jehovah?

Would it be a possibility that almost everyone on earth do not possess the fullness of the priesthood today?

Since the fullness of the priesthood was lost as of January 1841 (See D&C 124:28), is there any record or evidence in the Church today that it has been restored since then?

If it has been restored, where is the proof and how do we know?

If it has not been restored, is that a problem?

What order of the priesthood do we actually possess today?


Is that worth considering and finding the truth?