Promises

"In the temple we are taught, we make covenants, and we are promised blessings." 

(See Mormon Temple Rituals at LDS.ORG)

Joseph Smith said, "...there is to be a day when all will be judged of their works, and rewarded according to the same; that those who have kept the faith will be crowned with a crown of righteousness; be clothed in white raiment; be admitted to the marriage feast; be free from every affliction, and reign with Christ on the earth, where, according to the ancient promise, they will partake of the fruit of the vine new in the glorious kingdom with Him; at least we find that such promises were made to the ancient Saints.
And though we cannot claim these promises which were made to the ancients for they are not our property, merely because they were made to the ancient Saints, yet if we are the children of the Most High, and are called with the same calling with which they were called, and embrace the same covenant that they embraced, and are faithful to the testimony of our Lord as they were, we can approach the Father in the name of Christ as they approached Him, and for ourselves obtain the same promises." (See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pg 66)

For many Latter-Day Saints, going to the temple and participating in the ordinances practiced therein is a modern day fulfillment of receiving the promises made to the ancients.
The ordinances practiced in the temple purportedly came directly from Joseph Smith, albeit through a decades delayed process that required a hefty amount of Brigham Young's memory.  So, if we accept that what Brigham received is exactly what Joseph conveyed then what I find as interesting and want to point out is that the promises made in the ordinances of the temple -that are freely available to all worthy members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints- come with a catch.
That catch is found in section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants where among many other things it says,

"And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.

 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.

Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory."

(See D&C 132:18-21)

I wonder if this is what it looks like when you are sealed by the HSP?  Regardless I think that  the next Simpson's episode should include Ned Flanders wearing one of these. 

Sealed By The Holy Spirit Of Promise?  

Now I will not even attempt to answer what the Holy Spirit of Promise is; because I really don't have a clue what it is or exactly how or what the promises it brings are.  What I do know is that President Eyring is still trying to understand all of it as well, (See Families under Covenant Apr., 2012 General Conference, where in reference to the need of temple covenants to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise he stated, "When Sister Eyring and I were sealed in the Logan Utah Temple, I did not understand then the full significance of that promise. I am still trying to understand all that it means, but my wife and I decided at the start of our nearly 50 years of marriage to invite the Holy Ghost as much as we could into our lives and into our family.")  This gives me a little bit of hope but also a little bit of bewilderment.  Hope in that there is still room for everyone who is "the church" to come to a more full understanding of this topic of which not much is ever stated.  Bewilderment because of a set of ordinances known as "The Second Anointings" that have been practiced selectively and rarely in the temples.

I have heard about the thing/things known as The Second Anointings, since I was in my teenage years.  While serving a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it came up again when my second mission President informed us that this ordinance was what was referred to by Joseph Smith as the Calling and Election made Sure.  After returning home from that mission I came across a book written by David John Buerger titled, "The Mysteries of Godliness."  Mr. Buerger did a spectacular job, in my estimation, delineating the chronology of these ordinances and why my mission President along with many modern members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints had conflated the two principles.  After reading that book, I became convinced that conflating The Second Anointings and the principle of having ones Calling and Election made sure, is an error.  I could see how they were related but not the same thing.  

Origins Of The Second Anointings  

It's interesting to me that they have come to be known as the Second Anointings.  Originally when issued they were the only anointings that one could receive.  This was in the Kirtland era, prior to the dedication of the Kirtland Temple.  It involved having their bodies being washed with water and anointed with cinnamon scented whiskey and having promises pronounced on their heads accompanied by an anointing of consecrated oil by Joseph (or perhaps another unto whom Joseph had authorized.)  

These promises were not recorded as being conditional upon faithfulness as are the ones performed modernly in the temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Now it has been a while since I have gone back to read the record delineated by Mr. Buerger, so I don't recall exactly when these ordinances began to change.  

After googling earnestly in the internet for an answer to my petition, I at length arrived at wikipedia.  So inasmuch as you trust wikipedia (because I'm too lazy to go get my copy of the book by Mr. Buerger and scan through it to find the answers I seek) I am informed that the ordinances performed by Joseph in Kirtland remained the same until just prior to his murder.  At which time he began to practice a set of rituals unto a select few men and women which were done in conjunction with what was later termed as the ordinance of "The Endowment."  

Personally, I am reticent to say anything more than that what we do know is Brigham Young called these ordinances, "The Second Anointings."  I believe that what we don't know is what Joseph termed these ordinances.  So other than the fact that there are records that he performed some type of ritual which allegedly involved washing and anointing a select group that had already received the washings and anointings as performed in Kirtland, we don't know a whole lot.  

One of the reasons why I am so cautious to join anything to Joseph's name is because I believe that in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there seems to be a significant level of success to justify anything one desires by saying Joseph did it first or at least taught it first.  This is evident in the formation of such beliefs/groups/and practices as the Danites, Polygamy, rejection of blacks from receiving the priesthood, Adam-God, Blood Atonement, etc.  So in trying to parse apart the information that we have available to us with the second anointings, there seems to be much that needs to be weighed in the balance against what derives from records that either are not contemporaneous and/or that which is verifiable directly from Joseph.  

The first factor -and only one that I will focus on in this post- that should be weighed for its importance is the question of whether what Joseph started in Kirtland, -prior to the dedication of the temple- was something he saw as a continuation of but still different than and therefore in need of separation from what he taught in Nauvoo just prior to his death?  Today it is understood that the ordinances of Washings and Anointings are completely separate ordinances from the Second Anointings. 

However, is that the way Joseph saw it or was what he taught in Nauvoo essentially the Washing and Anointing 2.0?  The washing and anointing's that Joseph began performing in Kirtland were, possibly a work in progress.  Evidence to support this can be seen in the material left behind in the records of those who participated in this rituals.  I will restate that David Buerger did a great job at compiling these records and so I commend his book to you if you want to see for yourself how the wording and the ordinances themselves evolved even in the time they were practiced in Kirtland.  

To me, that evolution seems to point to one of a handful of conclusions.  The two basic ones being that #1: Joseph was learning all of the ordinances directly from Heaven and was trying to perfect them on earth.  This seems to be the point of view of most Mormon scholars that I have come across, because it allows them to be able to account for the seeming errors/changes by saying that Joseph didn't fully know exactly what he needed to do until he started putting into practice some things he learned and then went back to God and sought further understanding on the matter.  This means that Joseph's understanding of the ordinances was a evolution instead of a knowledge that he had been given and sought to implement.  

The second main conclusion that I see from all of this is that Joseph did know what the ordinances were and how they were to be implemented.  I guess that is not the conclusion but the premise by which then all of us should ask that if this is what we believe then why the changes over time?  If the ordinances were heaven given, then why would Joseph need to change them as time passed?  

Much We Don't Know  

It is impossible without Heaven's help to parse these things perfectly.  As for me I believe that Joseph knew the ordinances from the beginning.  However, the variables in a given situation undeniably can and will change what can be given and the way they are given.  These variables are the factors that I believe account for the changes in what Joseph was giving.

For example, when first performed the Kirtland temple had not yet been dedicated.  D&C 124 indicates that there are certain ordinances that "[belong] to [the Lords] house and can not be acceptable to [Him]..."  (See D&C 124:30)  The washings and anointings performed in Kirtland were performed inside the Kirtland temple, but the temple as of yet was not dedicated.  Therefore it stands to reason that up to that point it was not yet able to be a spot that could be designated as "The Lord's House." 

I realize this brings up the question of why then Joseph even started doing the ordinances before the temple was dedicated, if this ordinance belonged to the Lord's House?  I also recognize that the same verse 30 of Section 124 that I quoted above states that certain ordinances can be performed outside of a consecrated temple, when the time is considered, "..A day of poverty..." by the Lord.  For many that easily justifies the whole situation and leaves them without any need to further inquire regarding the matter. 

For me, it is not so simple.  If you read verse 28 of Section 124 you find this interesting tidbit, "For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood."  There is a lot to consider in this small verse.  I want to focus on the fact that it is pointing out that the fulness of the priesthood can not be given except in a house that He has accepted as His.  We can dedicate edifices all we want, but the second requirement is that He accepts it. 

Then in order to have "The Fulness of the Priesthood"  it can only be given or restored in a house fulfilling those first two requirements otherwise he wouldn't have to wait for a temple to be built.  This then brings up this question: can a man seal other men up to eternal life, without the fullness of the priesthood?  Because, I believe that if you go back and read the promises which Joseph was pronouncing upon the heads of those in Kirtland before the dedication and acceptance of the temple by the Lord, you will find that those who left records of those events say he was promising unconditionally.  So that's at least what those who wrote about the promises all seemed to believe that what they were given were unconditional promises.  

Therein Lies The Rub?  

This then seems to be the problem.  Joseph had an understanding of what he was doing.  His understanding -in my opinion- was informed by Heaven.  By a large factor, those who accepted Joseph's teachings, were informed by a Restorationist background.  (For an EXCELLENT presentation of this information I beg you to go read Daymon Smith's 5 volume set: A Cultural History Of The Book Of Mormon)  

These folks believed they were already God's restored New Testament church, even before they were baptized by missionaries sent out by Joseph.  When they accepted the Book of Mormon, there is not evidence supporting that they had read and been converted to it or any other of Joseph's teachings other than that they used these things as evidence to support their already pronounced claim that they were God's approved church. 

To me, there is no hard stretch of the imagination to see that these folks saw the ordinances that Joseph performed as THE CULMINATION of what they had been living and believing previous to ever encountering Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon.  

They did not seek to understand how to humbly repent as commended by the Book of Mormon in a way that would change their paradigm because as they understood it, there was no need for such a thing.  There was no need to have the evidence of the "signs of believers" proclaimed by both Jesus (see Mark 16:16-18) and Joseph Smith (see D&C 84:65-72), because they had bible words that they attached to the bible things in their life which proved they were on the right trail to salvation and already had these things.  They didn't need to judge whether they possessed the gifts of the spirit because they already had definitions for those things and "knew" exactly what they were and could/would list off to anyone who would listen how they already had those things.  (See D&C 46:7-26) So when they encountered the ordinances that Joseph performed there was no need to question whether if these ordinances given modernly would be better understood as teaching methods, -like those given anciently by Moses- rather than as salvific.    

No Proof  

Now I have no proof or authority to proclaim that the ordinances that Joseph restored were not authorized to bestow salvation upon the recipient.  However, Joseph talked frequently about the privilege of those who had received "The Higher Priesthood" to, "[receive] the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, 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."  (See D&C 107:19)  

Receiving the priesthood is an ordinance; that's why we call it an ordination.  If like me you conflate the High Priesthood, with the Fulness of the Priesthood; and that knowing God is salvation itself (See John 17:3); then there are proofs that should be evident in my life -things that I can tangibly point to, for myself- which indicate that as of yet, I have not received an ordinance that has guaranteed me any type of salvation.  (For the moment I am going to leave aside the argument that these things can be received after this life by the majority of people.  You can decide for yourself, but I will state that I have no faith in that concept.)  

David Bowie has magic...and he's creepy.

Now I have not received the ordinance referred to as the Second Anointing, so I do (and so should you) consider the possibility that I don't know what I am talking about.  Maybe if I were to receive that ordinance then maybe therein is the magic voodoo needed to enable me to finally have the promises and blessings seen in the canonized lives that we find in our scriptures.  

At this point, I'm not going to bring up the obvious objection that presents itself in the record of Tom Phillips.  I do find him persuasive but unnecessary and ultimately to polarizing to back up my point.  So instead I will point to the life of nearly every single example that we find in scripture.  

If I were tasked to find an example in scripture to buttress the idea that in order to receive salvation in the highest kingdom of God, -authorized by God, while in the flesh- one could only do so by being a part of some priesthood based, hierachical, earthly (and therefore flawed) institution: I would wilt in the task.  Rather, when I look at the examples given in scripture, the rule seems to be that those who get the promise of salvation, from God, while in the flesh; are those who are outliers and sometimes outsiders to the institution claiming to have God's authority on the earth.  

This does not mean that there aren't examples of those who do record a promise of salvation in the highest kingdom of God that they received from God, while being within the hierarchy of the institution that proclaimed to hold God's authority.  However, to my view this seems to be the exception.  

Mormons Are Big On Rules  

Now it is not my belief nor intention to persuade any to not be true to the covenants made while performing ordinances.  Nor that they should believe anything other than what Joseph said when he proclaimed that faith only comes by hearing one authorized to preach it.  In fact I find in his words an echo of Paul's words to the Romans where he said, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"  (See Romans 10:13-15)

So in my estimation the best way that I believe we should view the ordinances that we have received in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is: #1- A teaching method of our relationship with Jesus Christ/How to come to Him; #2- A authorized, direct invitation to come to Him.  If I were to add to Paul's words above, in the context of the parable of the Wedding Feast, I would state: How can they come unless they be invited?  and how can they be invited unless they be authorized.  

Ordinances Are Invitations  

The quote from Joseph Smith at the beginning of this post is very revealing to his thoughts on the matter.  Salvation comes by, through, from, in and through Jesus Christ.  If we want the promises made to the ancients, then like them we must obtain those promises from Him by approaching Him.  

Receiving the ordinances, authorized by God, in this life is of upmost importance.  However, receiving them is not the same as receiving salvation.  True ordinances, authorized by God will always teach you -among other things- to be humble, where you should look to receive salvation, how you can approach God, and invite you to have the faith to approach God to receive salvation for yourself.  If we look at the ordinances that we have received from Joseph Smith, they all do that.  

For my own experience, I have found that what they don't do (at least not by themselves; which doesn't include what others tell you what they believe they do) is teach that you are ok just the way you are, to follow any man other than Jesus Christ, or purport to be an end in and of themselves.  

The Lectures On Faith  

Because I believe they are still scripture I will end this post with a exhortation to go and read the Sixth Lecture on Faith in order to find out more about how to receive these promises.  
The promises that I quoted Joseph's reference to in the beginning of this post are the very reason and essence for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I, -like Joseph- believe that because someone else received, such doesn't empower me to receive any blessing other than the faith to believe their testimony.  Yet if I don't gain the same testimony then how can I be saved by a being that I don't know?  Perhaps this is why Jesus conflated Eternal Life with knowing God.  

The Book of Mormon declares that one of the greatest tasks given to it, would be to bring some few to a memory of the covenants that God made with The Fathers.  In 2nd Nephi, Lehi recounts the prophecy given by Joseph of Egypt about, "A choice seer [which I will] raise up out of the fruit of [Joseph of Egypt's] loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of [Joseph of Egypt's] loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers."  

Of all the things that the angel could recite to Joseph the night that he prayed for forgiveness of his sins, was a misquote of Malachi.  I find it really interesting what the angel changed: And [Elijah] shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming...For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

Joseph's testimony or at least the testimony that came through Joseph about the importance of receiving these promises from God, while in the flesh was consistent.  I believe that Elijah and his cohorts are coming.  If I receive the promise/s, then I shall not be burned and left without root nor branch.  I believe these things.  I am not a preacher who has been sent.  So hearing my words are fairly useless.  So I try to quote scripture.  Because I believe that by quoting scripture you can be empowered to have faith in the right Way: He is the only Way.