Holy Order

“The Holy Order is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from Heaven.”¹ Among other things, the purpose of the Holy Order is to put in place a mechanism by which God can reveal from heaven what is necessary for the salvation of man on Earth. In every generation, when God has provided salvation for mankind, it is the Holy Order that is used by God to fix what is broken, restore what has been lost, repair, heal, forgive, and reconnect those who are willing to give heed to the message sent from Heaven to enable mankind to become sons of God.² It conveys blessings and information that are withheld from the world.³

The Holy Order commenced before the world with Adam. He obtained the Holy Order in the beginning and before the world. Included with it is the right to preside over all of the human family and the right to minister to Adam’s posterity. Adam continues to hold that presiding position and will do so until the end of time.⁴ The Holy Order was much greater in scope than later priesthoods. Later priesthood functions should not be used to define the original. Something as narrow and limited as a man (or angel) laying hands on another man did not and could not convey the original Holy Order.⁵ After the time of Eden, conveying the original Holy Order required either a temple or an ascent into heaven.⁶ The other fathers were holders of the order, but it is the role of the oldest living holder of it to ordain others into the line.⁷

Many think that the renaming of the Holy Order to the Melchizedek Priesthood (in order to avoid the too frequent repetition of the name of the Son of God), was done out of respect for the Messiah, Jesus Christ — and that is true enough. But the Holy Order after the Order of the Son of God includes the first man, Adam, who is also identified as a “son of God.” There are other “sons of God.”⁸ The Holy Order after the Order of the Son of God makes those who inherit it, by definition, the sons of God. Therefore, in a way, calling it the Holy Order after the Order of the Son of God is a way of identifying the recipient as someone who has become one of God’s sons.⁹

The Holy Order, in its truest sense, is much more comprehensive and far reaching than just laying on hands to convey permission to perform ordinances.¹⁰ When the return of the original Holy Order is contemplated, it will involve restoring great knowledge that is hidden from the world. The fathers knew it would be restored in the last days. Joseph Smith also prophesied of its return and explained the forefathers of mankind anxiously anticipated its return.¹¹ Priesthood, in its most meaningful sense, involves the Holy Order after the Order of the Son of God. The restoration at the end of creation must return to the beginning. Before the return of Christ, everything — including the original Holy Order with all its components — must be restored. That has not yet been revealed to the world.¹² It will return before the Lord comes again in glory. It will be necessary before the return of the Lord for the original Holy Order to exist in all of its ramifications. It must be established on the earth and include all of the rights that originally belonged to Adam. It must be accounted for and returned back to Adam and then to Christ.¹³

It will include men and women, as husband and wife. They will be given understanding of things which the world cannot know.¹⁴ Initiation into the Holy Order provides greater knowledge and fortifies the soul for one’s ministry.¹⁵ It includes the right of dominion over all creation — the same right originally given to Adam that belonged to God. The right of dominion over this creation is why God is God. In essence, the Holy Order is to create of flesh and blood a living, mortal surrogate for the Father and Mother.¹⁶ It is the nature of this Holy Order that it is conferred upon the man and woman jointly (see 1 Corinthians 1:44).¹⁷ The Holy Order is familial. It does not involve establishing a church but, instead, connecting together the Family of God, or in other words, the Government of God. This can only be done in a temple prepared for that purpose.¹⁸ Because there is still a great conspiracy to destroy the souls of men and to capture this creation, the Holy Order is guarded by carefully qualifying those who receive it and is under God’s control and supervised by Adam and Eve.¹⁹