Dear Gramps,
If a Mel Priesthood holder ordains, blesses and confers authority to people unworthily and then later in life this unworthiness is confessed, do all the ordinances, etc. need to be
redone?
Brad
Dear Brad,
The only time where ordinances need to be redone is when records showing the performance of these ordinances have been lost. The exception to this is when a person is excommunicated. After going through the steps of repentance and when it is determined, by the appropriate Priesthood Council, that he is worthy to return to full activity, he will be rebaptized. If he continues in worthiness, he has the opportunity to have all of his blessings restored. This blessing, performed by a General Authority, restores all of his previous blessings, including his baptism and Temple ordinances. Upon having his blessings restored, the original dates will be given for his baptism and other ordinances.
The presiding authority, who holds the necessary keys for the performance of an ordinance, is the one who determines if the ordinance has been performed properly. Once he has made that determination, the ordinance will be recorded.
One should not perform an ordinance or utilize his Priesthood authority unless he is worthy to do so. We will answer to the Lord for our unworthiness, but the ordinance performed will still be valid.
The Lord has stated very clearly what happens to one holding and exercising the Priesthood who is unworthy to do so. In Doctrine and Covenants Section 121, the Lord states: 36″ That the arights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be bcontrolled nor handled only upon the cprinciples of righteousness. 37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.”
Gramps
