"The Key of the House of David": Part 4

An Old Joke

A monk arrives at a monastery and is assigned to copy some old texts. 

He notices, however, that the texts are copies themselves, and not the original books.

So the new monk goes to the head monk and gets permission to see the original books. 

He goes down into the cellar.  Hours later, nobody has seen him.  One of the monks goes to check on him and hears someone sobbing.

"The word is celebrate!" says the monk with tears in his eyes, "​Not celibate." 

​This Changes . . . Everything

Now, that would be funny if it weren't so spot on, highlighting the way we can go for generations with traditions that may have started because of a misreading or misinterpretation of scripture.  

What are the "Keys of the Church?"

Let's apply this to problem to priesthood keys.

The Lord talks in the scriptures about the "Keys of the Church."  

What if there are keys which belong to all of us, collectively, as the children of Christ? 

How is it possible for us to "share" these keys (when we don't even share the key to the church library for fear someone will make too many photocopies or steal a Book of Mormon)? 

The Lord told all the elders in 1833 that "the keys of [the] kingdom have been conferred upon you" (D&C 97:14).

Notice that it doesn't say the "keys of the kingdom have been conferred upon [a select few of] you."

Upon "YOU."  You!  Us!

Can it be the Lord conferred authority (or keys) (or power) upon His people -- all of them?   

Waaait a minute.  We can't be talking about all members, can we, because that would mean women had authority (or keys) (or power) . . .

Of course it does.  Of course they do!

Jesus Christ spoke from the heavens in 1831 and said that "the keys of the church" had been given to "you."

   Lift up your hearts and rejoice,
   for unto you the kingdom,
   or in other words, the keys
   of the church have been given.

(D&C 42:69)

Well, someone might be thinking, "That could mean God gave the keys of the Church to a select few to hold in trust for the benefit of the rest of us."

I guess you could interpret it that way.  But that is not what it says.  That would be like standing up in Sacrament Meeting and saying to your Ward family: "Unto you I've given the keys of a new Ferrari sports car" . . . and then only let the bishopric use the keys to it. 

How can we call the Ferrari "ours" if we cannot use it?  Are we supposed to admire the car as it speeds by, saying, "Wow, what a great car.  I am so proud it is ours!" -- when we can't drive it?

"Okay," someone might say, "We may not possess the keys themselves, but the car is still ours because we can be passengers in it." 

* Sigh *  Well, let's talk about that.  What does it mean if we were backseat, passive passengers in the Ferrari?  Is that what Christ called us to be?  Did Christ designate assigned seats, where a select few get to drive, and the next-in-line get to ride shotgun, and the rest of us get enjoy the view?  Is that using our spiritual gifts and self-reliance?

Here's the problem: doesn't the driver determine the destination?  Is being driven about by leaders the way the Church is supposed to operate? 

"No, think of an Uber," someone says.  "What if the leaders were like our chauffeurs and we tell them where we want to go."

Ummmm.  What church do you belong to?  I've never heard of leaders taking directions from the passengers.

But you know, I think you're on to something.  Too bad it doesn't work like that.

Question

What if the "keys of the Church" are different than the keys of presidency? 

Second Opinion

Where were we?  Oh yes, verse 69.

   Lift up your hearts and rejoice,
   for unto you the kingdom,
   or in other words, the keys
   of the church have been given.

(D&C 42:69)

There's good reason to believe the Lord is talking to the whole church because Section 42 contains "the Law of the Church." Verse 69 concludes a segment which is addressed specifically to the church:

   And now, behold,
   I speak unto the church.

(D&C 42:18)

How could the Lord speaking "unto the church" mean only its leaders? 


It is referring to the entire body of Christ.  So the Keys of the Church are held by . . . all of us?​
   
​Yes.

How else could we live by common consent? 

And how could we live by common consent without women being included?  Don't they have an equal measure of the gift of the Holy Ghost?

Women are Key

   Q: Why should you never date an apostrophe?
   A: They’re too possessive

Are priesthood keys nouns, adjectives, or verbs?

   1.  Noun, Key:  a means of gaining or preventing entrance, possession, or control ("I used a key to lock the church").

   2.  Adjective, Key:  extremely or crucially important ("The bishop is the key member of the ward"). 

   3.  Verb, Key:  to bring into harmony; to regulate the musical pitch of ("We keyed our voices to sing in unison the praise of God").

They say love is a verb. 

   Why don't we think of priesthood keys as verbs, too?