"The Key of the House of David": Part 2

To recap Part 1:

   1.  Jesus's kingdom is not of this world. 

   2.  The keys he gave Peter are "the keys to the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19)

   3.  Heaven is not of this world.

   4.  The Catholic Church used "keys" as a basis to create an earthly institution whereby its Pontiff was made the most powerful churchman among his peers.

   5.  What if priesthood keys were not meant to run an earthly organization?  What then are they for?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

In 1839, Joseph Smith and Elias Higbee went to Washington D.C. to meet with U.S. President Martin Van Buren.  They were seeking redress from the federal government for the losses suffered in Missouri.  

​In a letter dated December 5, 1839, they wrote to home:

   In our interview with the President,
   He interogated us wherein we differed
   in our religion from the other religions
   of the day.

   Bro, Joseph said we differed
   in mode of baptism and
   the gift of the Holy Ghost
   by the laying on of hands--

   We considered that all other
   considerations were contained
   in the gift of the Holy Ghost.

[Joseph Smith and Elias Higbee, "Letter to Hyrum Smith and Nauvoo High Council, 5 December 1839," The Joseph Smith Papers]

Well, that's interesting.  

Joseph did NOT say that priesthood keys make us different -- he said the gift of the Holy Ghost does.

But . . . aren't priesthood keys necessary to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands?

The Holy Ghost

Is the Holy Ghost God?

When the gift of the Holy Ghost is given, do some people get a bigger version of the Holy Ghost than others, or do we all receive equally?

Huh.  What if priesthood keys were given in order for the gift of the Holy Ghost to be given to us, and after we received the gift of the Holy Ghost we are then led by Him?
​
Paradigm Shift

Okay, here is the take-away from Nephi, which is one of the greatest things I've ever read in the scriptures.  It opened up my eyes and changed how I see "keys."

   I say unto you
   that if ye will enter
   in by the way, and
   receive the Holy Ghost,
   it will show unto you
   all things what ye should do.

   [Notice - It is God (not persons with keys) who show us all things we should do]

   Behold, this is
   the doctrine of Christ.

(2 Nephi 32:5-6)

Wait . . . THIS is the doctrine of Christ?! 

So We Want Us Some Keys? 

Why are we so obsessed with priesthood keys?  Well, I guess it is because we want to establish a pecking order.  We want show whose got the biggest authority.

But isn't the whole purpose of priesthood keys to bring us into the presence of God? 

   And this greater priesthood
   administereth the gospel
   and holdeth the key
   of the mysteries of the kingdom,
   even the key
   of the knowledge of God.

(D&C 84:19)

So why do we invoke "keys" as a byword for bossing the body of Christ?  For exercising authority over others?  I think we have forgotten what keys are for. 
​
What we should be asking (instead of "who's in charge?") is, "How can we unlock the 'mysteries of the kingdom?'  How do we get the 'key of the knowledge of God?'"  

   Hmmm.  Is the answer . . . the Holy Ghost?!

   Therefore it is given
   to abide in you;
   the record of heaven;
   the Comforter;
   the peaceable things
   of immortal glory;
   the truth of all things;
   that which quickeneth
   all things, which maketh
   alive all things; that which
   knoweth all things,
   and hath all power
   according to wisdom,
   mercy, truth, justice,
   and judgment.

(Moses 6:61)

It is interesting that the scriptures always talk about "the power of the Holy Ghost."  Why?  Because Joseph Smith taught that "keys" is just another word for "power."  ​

Joseph said:

   John says, 'I baptize
   you with water,
   but when Jesus comes,
   who has the power
   (or keys),
   he shall administer
   the baptism of fire
   and the Holy Ghost.

(Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 360).

So anywhere we see "the power of the Holy Ghost," we could replace it with "the keys of the Holy Ghost."  (See, e.g., Romans 15:13).

The Holy Ghost is the Key

And how do we obtain power, or keys?  Well, the best explanation of how we obtain keys comes from Joseph Smith:

   Thus we behold the keys
   of this Priesthood 
   consisted in obtaining
   the voice of Jehovah
   that He talked with him
   [Noah] in a familiar
   and friendly manner.

(Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 171).

Now things are adding up.  But I want to throw this out there, too:

   [Joseph] spoke of delivering
   the keys of the Priesthood
   to the Church . . .
   [whereby we] might know
   how to ask the Lord
   and receive an answer.

(Joseph Smith, TPJS, p. 226).

Does that sound familiar?  What is the Holy Ghost but a revelator? 

Was this what Moroni really meant, when he said:

   And when ye shall receive
   these things, I would exhort
   you that ye would ask God,
   the Eternal Father,
   in the name of Christ,
   if these things are not true;
   and if ye shall ask
   with a sincere heart,
   with real intent,
   having faith in Christ,
   he will manifest the truth
   of it unto you,
   by the power [i.e. keys] 
   of the Holy Ghost.

   And by the power [i.e. keys]
   of the Holy Ghost ye may know
   the truth of all things.

(Moroni 10:4-5)

The Point? 

How are we supposed to be led?  How do we know what is true? 

Did Moroni say it was by a person's title or office or rank or position or keys?

No . . .

We know what is true by the keys (or power) of the Holy Ghost which we all hold.