Chapter 18

Fifth Principle:
God's House Is a House of Order

"Mine house is a house of order . . . and not a house of confusion" (D&C 132:8).

Revelation and Divine Order

The next principle that helps us better understand the conditions for receiving and recognizing revelation is based on a simple but important doctrine. We know that the very nature of God involves absolute perfection in every attribute He possesses. He is not just full of love, His love is perfect and infinite. He is more than just; His justice is perfect in every respect. He has all knowledge and all power. It is this perfection that makes Him God and that allows us to have perfect faith in Him.

By His own declaration, one of the attributes He possesses is order. "Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion" (D&C 132:8; see also v. 18).* That should not be difficult to understand. The very idea of a God who is confused or disorderly is incomprehensible. And if order is one of His attributes, then clearly He desires that our lives reflect order as well. Further, certainly His Church and kingdom should be a church and kingdom of order.

President Joseph F. Smith clearly explained why order is essential in the Church:

The house of God is a house of order, and not a house of confusion; and it could not be thus, if there were not for those who had authority to preside, to direct, to counsel, to lead in the affairs of the Church. No house would be a house of order if it were not properly organized, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized.¹

When Jesus suggested that we make part of our prayers a petition that "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10), that certainly would include a desire on our part to create and maintain order in all aspects of our lives and in God's kingdom.

Revelation and the Order of Heaven

From the concept of God's order, we can derive a pair of principles, with some accompanying applications, that are important to our understanding of how revelation works:

Principle: Any and all direction for the governance of the Church always flows downward from God to His called, ordained, and sustained servants and through them to the rest of the Church.

Application: The Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve are the only ones who receive revelation and set doctrine and policy for the whole Church.

Application: When something that is supposedly for the whole Church comes to us through any other source, we can know that it is contrary to the order of God.

Application: Individuals do not receive revelation for those above them in the priesthood line.

Principle: Revelation does not move horizontally from one person to another (for example, from one bishop to another) except under strictly defined conditions; otherwise there would be great confusion in the Church.

Application: We are entitled to receive inspiration in our lives and callings so we can live better and serve others.

Application: However, unless we have a specific stewardship, that is, a priesthood or doctrinally based responsibility, over someone else, we do not receive revelation that seeks to direct them or correct them.

Order in the Church

An interesting phenomenon in the Church is the frequency with which this or that sensational rumor or story gets picked up and passed on from member to member. E-mail, the Internet, and text-messaging on cell phones has only increased the speed with which these things are passed on and spread. Even though many of these stories defy logic and common sense, they are nevertheless breathlessly shared with others. They are almost always sensational and usually involve some aspect of supposed revelation—a dream, someone's patriarchal blessing, a supposed prophecy, a new interpretation of scripture or doctrine, or some marvelous "spiritual experience" had by someone in authority. Another characteristic of these spurious reports is that they are almost always credited to an "impeccable" source.

President Harold B. Lee gave a stirring talk to the priesthood some years ago where he warned the Church about this very kind of thing:

It never ceases to amaze me how gullible some of our Church members are in broadcasting sensational stories or dreams, or visions, or purported patriarchal blessings, or quotations, or supposedly from some person's private diary. . . . Brethren of the priesthood, you defenders of the faith, we would wish that you would plead with our Saints to cease promoting the works of the devil. Spend your time promoting the works of the Lord, and don't allow these things to be found among those under your charge, for they are the works of Satan, and we are playing his game whenever we permit such things to be heralded about and repeated and passed about on every side. ²

Early in the history of the Church, Hiram Page, a son-in-law of the Whitmers, found a seer stone and started receiving "revelation" for the Church. This left even faithful members of the Church, like Oliver Cowdery, confused. In a revelation directed to Oliver, the Lord not only flatly declared that these supposed "revelations" were not from Him, but He laid down three principles related to revelation that were being misunderstood:

• Satan's deceptions can imitate revelation. What Hiram Page was receiving was not from God, but from Satan (see D&C 28:11).
** • No one was appointed to receive commandments and revelations for the Church excepting Joseph Smith, the prophet of the Church (see D&C 28:2).
• We are not to command someone who is at our head, that is, who presides over us (see D&C 28:6).

Each year, in general, stake, ward, district, and branch conferences we are asked to sustain one man as the prophet and President of the Church. We sustain him and the fourteen other brethren of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve*** as prophets, seers, and revelators to the Church. These fifteen men are the governing body of the Church.

In a talk on councils of the Church, Elder M. Russell Ballard described one council that is over all others. This is a council that is not clearly understood by some members of the Church. Elder Ballard said: "The Lord's church is organized with councils at every level, beginning with the Council of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles."³

There is the Quorum of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, but together they form the Council of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. This council meets together weekly in the Salt Lake Temple and all matters that affect the Church are considered by this council.****

Although he did not use its formal name, President Hinckley explained the importance of this governing body of the Church:

The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, called and ordained to hold the keys of the priesthood, have the authority and responsibility to govern the Church, to administer its ordinances, to expound its doctrine, and to establish and maintain its practices. . . . Therefore, all incumbent members of the Quorum of the First Presidency and of the Council of the Twelve have been the recipients of the keys, rights, and authority pertaining to the holy apostleship.⁴

Joseph Fielding Smith said:

Let me add that when a revelation comes for the guidance of this people, you may be sure that it will not be presented in some mysterious manner contrary to the order of the Church. It will go forth in such form that the people will understand that it comes from those who are in authority, for it will be sent either to the presidents of stakes and the bishops of the wards over the signatures of the presiding authorities, or it will be published in some of the regular papers or magazines under the control and direction of the Church, or it will be presented before such a gathering as this at a general conference. It will not spring up in some distant part of the Church and be in the hands of some obscure individual without authority, and thus be circulated among the Latter-day Saints. Now, you may remember this. ⁵*****

When this pattern is so clearly established as the order of the Church, how is it that so many are enticed by these wild rumors and sensational stories and reports that are outside of the Lord's pattern of order? When we hear these things or see them passed around, we should ask ourselves two questions:

•Did it come from the First Presidency or the combined Council of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve?
• Did it come through the official channels of communication used by that body?

If we cannot answer yes to both of those questions, then let us first reject those things as being spurious and, second, let us do all we can to stop them from spreading in the Church by teaching the proper order of things.

Steadying the Ark

A second application of this principle of order has to do with priesthood lines of authority. If any member of the Church could receive revelation or direction for the Church or for a group of people or for individuals over whom they have no jurisdiction, the result would be mass confusion and disorder.

There was an incident in the Old Testament that teaches this principle. The Ark of the Covenant was the most sacred and revered object in ancient Israel. It rested within the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and later the temple. Even the priests who had responsibility for its care were not allowed to touch it. When it had to be moved, two staves were put through four rings on the sides of the Ark.⁶  This allowed it to be moved without anyone touching it.

Centuries later, the Ark was captured by the Philistines. Later, when David became king, he determined to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem. As it was being moved by the priests back to Jerusalem, it passed through a village over a rough piece of ground. The Ark rocked back and forth and looked as if it might fall off. A man by the name of Uzzah, who was not a priest, reached out to steady the Ark. The record states, "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God" (2 Samuel 6:7).

To some this may seem to be a harsh response. Were not Uzzah's motivations good? Wasn't he just trying to protect something very sacred? Why then would he be punished so severely? The account is very brief and there may be other factors that are not given, but some things are clear. Uzzah was not a priest. Therefore he knew he had no right to even be close to the Ark, let alone touch it. These restrictions surrounding the Ark were well known to all of Israel. What was Uzzah thinking? The Ark was the symbol of the power and glory of God. Did he think that somehow Jehovah was not capable of preventing the Ark from being damaged? Did Uzzah think that God depended on him and him alone to save it?

It doesn't matter that Uzzah's intentions may have been good. He was unwise and went directly counter to the order that God had established. And he did so knowing that others who had approached the Ark unworthily had previously been struck down.

There is a great lesson in the tragedy of Uzzah for us today. There are those in the Church who feel like they are the only ones who can "put things right." They feel they have a special spiritual endowment that allows them to see things where there is need for correction. This may be at a local level with a bishop or a stake president, or, in some cases, they are convinced that the prophet is going astray and needs correction. And they come to this conclusion in spite of the fact that they hold no priesthood keys and are out of the proper line of priesthood authority.

Thus, figuratively speaking, they reach out their hands and try to "steady the ark." Of these kinds of people, President David O. McKay said:

It is a little dangerous for us to go out of our own sphere and try unauthoritatively to direct the efforts of a brother. You remember the case of Uzzah who stretched forth his hand to steady the Ark of the Covenant. He seemed justified when the oxen stumbled in putting forth his hand to steady that symbol. . . . The incident conveys a lesson of life. Let us look around us and see how quickly men who attempt unauthoritatively to steady the Ark die spiritually. Their souls become embittered, their minds distorted, their judgment faulty, and their spirit depressed. Such is the pitiable condition of men who, neglecting their own responsibilities, spend their time in finding fault with others. ⁷

This is not to suggest that priesthood leaders will never make mistakes or need correction. But there is an established order in the Church to correct such mistakes when they happen. A member can bring things to the attention of a stake president, for example, if it is believed a bishop is doing something wrong. But it is out of harmony with the order of the priesthood for an individual to command one who presides over him or her and demand that they change things in order to comply with what the individual believes is required. To allow that would be to sow such disharmony and contention in the Church as to drive out the Spirit completely.

Priesthood Keys

A clear understanding of priesthood keys is essential to understanding the order of the Church and, by extension, the order of revelation.

Priesthood keys are defined as "the right to preside and direct the affairs of the Church within a jurisdiction. All priesthood keys are within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and no keys exist outside the Church on earth."⁸ Note the three key elements of the definition. Keys contain the right to preside and direct, but only within a defined jurisdiction. For a bishop that jurisdiction is his ward; for a stake president it is a stake. A General Authority may preside anywhere in the world as assigned by the First Presidency and the Twelve.

To maintain the Lord's order in the Church, all presiding authority flows from priesthood keys and all priesthood keys in the Church come from the First Presidency and the Twelve. When we have the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood conferred upon us, we are also ordained to a specific office in the priesthood. Later we may be ordained to other offices in the priesthood as well—teacher, priest, elder, high priest, and so on. Priesthood keys are not bestowed when a person is ordained to an office in the priesthood, except in the case of one particular office in the priesthood. That is the office of Apostle. Men who are called as Apostles and become members of the Quorum of the Twelve have all the keys of the kingdom that are currently on the earth, which are conferred upon them at the time of their ordination to the apostleship.

This point is critical to understanding the order of the Church so we will say it again. All priesthood keys flow from the First Presidency and the Twelve. The right to preside and direct the affairs of the kingdom (priesthood keys) in any local or general jurisdiction always must come directly from the Apostles.

Usually this transference of authority happens in a very few number of steps. For example, a General Authority, or an Area Seventy, is given an assignment from the Twelve to preside over the creation of a new stake.****** That is step one. By revelation they find who the Lord wants to preside. Then by the laying on of hands, the stake president is set apart and given the keys of presidency for both the stake and for the high priests quorum in the stake (step 2). The counselors are set apart, but they do not receive keys because only one can preside. When approved and authorized by the First Presidency, the stake president can then confer the keys of presidency to a bishop (step 3). The bishop can then give the keys of presidency to a deacons or teachers quorum president (step 4). Note that, in each of these steps, the jurisdiction presided over is narrowed—from a stake to a ward to a quorum.

"Horizontal" Revelation and Priesthood Keys

It is in the concept of keys that we see what is wrong with someone trying to "steady the ark." Someone who has not been given the right to preside and direct the affairs of the Church (which right can be directly traced to the Apostles), cannot properly correct presiding officers, reveal new doctrine, unveil a new interpretation of scripture, or command a priesthood leader to take certain action. It is contrary to the order of authority God has established.

A further extension of this principle is found in what could be described as "horizontal revelation." Well-meaning but misled individuals see things in others that they feel are not right and so they receive "a revelation" that tells someone what they are doing is wrong, or what they need to do to put things right.

However, that is outside the order of God, because the principle of priesthood authority and keys applies here as well. We will not receive revelation meant to direct (or correct) someone for whom we have no priesthood responsibility or who is not within our priesthood jurisdiction. (In this case, parental authority is included in the broader concept of priesthood authority because it is given by God.)

In Summary

Once we know and understand that the Lord has set up a system of order in the Church and that those principles of order apply in the giving and receiving of revelation, we can more wisely judge between true and counterfeit revelation.

There are at least three tests that reason can apply as a threshold check on the authenticity of revelation. True revelation will pass all three of these tests, and spurious revelation (whose source is "of men" or "of devils") will fail at least one of them.

1. True revelation will edify the recipient. It must therefore be in words that are coherent or in a feeling whose message can be understood by one who is spiritually receptive. . . .

2. The content of a true revelation must be consistent with the position and responsibilities of the person who receives it. . . .

3. True revelation must be consistent with the principles of the gospel as revealed in the scriptures and the teachings of the prophets. The Lord will not give revelations that will contradict the principles of the gospel. His house is a house of order.⁹

Notes

Note: All emphasis in scriptures in this work has been added by the author.

Chapter 18

* For other references on order, see 1 Corinthians 14:40; Mosiah 4:27; Moroni 9:18; D&C 20:68; 41:3; 88:119; 90:15-16; 93:43-44; 107:58; 127:9.

** False revelations will be discussed fully in chapters 21-22.

*** The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is also called the Council of the Twelve Apostles.

**** It is interesting to note that while the Church is administered from the Church Administration Building and the Church Office Building and from other locations around the world, it is governed from the temple, the house of the Lord.

***** In more recent times, the First Presidency has occasionally used official press conferences to announce things.

****** In stake creations or reorganizations, two authorities are always assigned, but one is designated as the presiding authority. See a fuller discussion of this process on pp. 54-57.

^ 1. Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 149.

^ 2. Harold B. Lee, in Conference Report, April 1970, 55–56.

^ 3. M. Russell Ballard, "Strength in Counsel," 76; emphasis added.

^ 4. Gordon B. Hinckley, "God Is at the Helm," 53.

^ 5. Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:287.

^ 6. See LDS Bible Dictionary, "Ark of the Covenant," 613–14.

^ 7. David O. McKay, Pathways to Happiness, 86.

^ 8. Boyd K. Packer, "What Every Elder Should Know—and Every Sister as Well," 8.

^ 9. Dallin H. Oaks, The Lord's Way, 67–69; emphasis in original.