Topic: Seal, Bind, Bound

Matthew 16:19 > Matthew 17:1-9 >Matthew 18:18 > Helaman 10:7 > Doctrine and Covenants 124:93-94 > Doctrine and Covenants 132:46 > John 6:27 > Doctrine and Covenants 132:19 > Ephesians 1:10-14 > 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 > Mosiah 5:15 > Doctrine and Covenants 110:16 > Doctrine and Covenants 1:8 > Doctrine and Covenants 68:12 > Doctrine and Covenants 76:50-53 > Ephesians 4:30

In other Scripture Trains, we have discussed Eternal Life, Judgment, Immortality and so forth. What we will learn in this Scripture Train is that the scriptures teach, very clearly, that in order to obtain the gift of Eternal Life it must be sealed upon us. Jesus first speaks of this binding or sealing power in Matthew chapter 16 verse 19, promising certain of His Apostles that He would give unto them the ‘Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven’. Then in the following chapter, verses 1 through 9, these Apostles, Peter, James and John, along with Jesus, were transfigured and there appeared unto them prophets of old to include Moses and Elijah. Although it is not mentioned in the scriptural account, we must assume that this wonderful event did not just happen, because God or Jesus thought it would be a neat thing to do; there must have been a purpose. In the next chapter verse 18, Jesus tells His Apostles, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven…” So, in chapter 16 Jesus tells these 3 Apostles that He will give unto them the keys to bind on earth and in heaven; in chapter 17 we learn of a marvelous transfiguration with the appearance of ancient prophets and in chapter 18 Jesus tells them that, “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven”; signifying to me that they now have this power. There is no other recording in all the New Testament where these keys were likely bestowed, only here. I believe that it was during this transfiguration that the keys to bind on earth and in heaven were bestowed on Peter, James and John.

The New Testament is not the only scripture that teaches of keys or authority to seal and bind both in heaven and on earth. In the Book of Mormon, in the book of Helaman chapter 10 verse 7, the Lord declares to His prophet, Nephi, in the presence of His angels, that He is giving to him power that whatsoever he seals on earth will be sealed in heaven. In this verse, we also learn that the opposite is true as well; that whatsoever he will loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. In the Doctrine and Covenants section 124 verses 93 and 94, speaking of Hyrum Smith, the Lord tells Joseph Smith that Hyrum will have these same keys; that whoever he blesses shall be blessed, whoever he curses will be cursed and that which he binds on earth will be bound in heaven and whatsoever he will loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. In verse 94, we learn that this authority, this power to seal, is given to those who are prophets, seers and revelators. This information helps us understand what was happening in the New Testament when prophets of old visited the transfigured Peter, James and John! These former prophets must have also held these same keys, authorities and powers. They were then conferring these keys upon these living Apostles, Prophets of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Remember your history, these Prophets who appeared to Peter, James and John had never tasted of death, they were still living in the flesh; they had their physical bodies and could place hands upon the heads of these men and confer the keys, authorities and powers upon them.

Later in the Doctrine and Covenants in section 132 verse 46, the Lord in His instruction to the Prophet Joseph Smith, teaches more about this sealing power. We learn that this power is to be used according to the Word of the Lord. He says, “In my name and by my word”! So men who have this power given them must use it according to the will of God and in His name, they cannot go about using this power arbitrarily. This is the function of the ‘Keys’ the Lord mentioned back in Matthew 16 and in subsequent verses we have studied. Keys govern and control how this authority or power is used. Only those who hold the ‘Keys’ of the Priesthood can authorize a priesthood holder to use his priesthood authority or power in the administration of saving ordinances. There must be order in the Lord’s kingdom and this is what gives needed order. The Lord goes on to say that with this power that which is bound on the earth will be eternally bound in the heavens and whatever sins are remitted on earth will be eternally remitted in the heavens. God, by nature, is eternal and that which is joined together in His name and by His power is eternal also. In John chapter 6 verse 27, we are taught to labor for those things that have an eternal significance. Jesus teaches that this is what He will give unto us, but obviously, we must seek and work for it. Then Jesus makes the statement that is so significant to us and this Scripture Train, “For Him (meaning Jesus) hath God the Father Sealed.” The holy ordinance, this sealing ordinance, has already been administered to Jesus! He has been sealed unto God! If Jesus is our great exemplar, if we must do the works He has done, then does it not make sense that we, too, must be sealed to God in order to obtain Eternal Life?

How then, are we sealed or bound? As I stated in the previous paragraph, God gives man on earth power and authority to act in His name. This is the priesthood. The authority to direct this work comes from someone who holds the keys to that authority. In other words, just because I hold the priesthood does not give me the right to go about and use it in some careless, arbitrary, order- less fashion. I may have the power to baptize, but I cannot go out to the street and take someone and baptize him. I must have the proper authorization and that authorization must come from someone who holds the keys of that authority. Only from him can I receive permission or authority to perform any saving ordinance in the name of Christ.

The crowning ordinance offered to men and women on the earth is the sealing ordinance, where a man and a woman can be sealed together, or married for time and eternity. In the Doctrine and Covenants section 132 verse 19, we learn that if a man marries a woman by the Word of God, which is His law, by someone who is properly authorized, according to the covenant of God and it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, then that marriage or sealing will be bound not only on earth, but in heaven. There is much more to study in this verse, but this is what I desire to emphasize. The Holy Spirit of Promise made mention in this verse is also made mention in the book of Ephesians chapter 1 verses 10 through 14. Here we are taught that after our conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ and after we have learned to trust in Him we are sealed by the promise of this Holy Spirit. We are taught that the reception of this Spirit is the pledge, by God, to us, that we are sealed in this eternal binding to Him. This is taught very clearly in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 21 and 22; we read that we are sealed by God and the way we know this is by the reception of the Spirit in our hearts. The Holy Spirit of Promise will bear witness to our spirit that this sealing has been ratified in heaven. It is something we will feel and thus know in our hearts. In Mosiah chapter 5 verse 15, King Benjamin counsels us to always abound in good works so that Christ may seal us His. This reemphasizes the scriptural truth that we have discussed earlier, that in order to obtain Eternal Life, we must be men and women of good works. Thus, as the Doctrine and Covenants teaches us in section 110 verse 16, “The keys…are committed into [our] hands.”

Who holds these keys today? Who is authorized to seal or bind on earth and in heaven in our day? Who can seal a man and a woman, who can seal us to God? In the Doctrine and Covenants section 1 verse 8, we read that this power will be found among those who go forth among the inhabitants of the earth bearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. This power will be given to those who the Father shall call. In other words, the bearers of this authority, or the keys of the priesthood, are those called by God and who are actively bearing the gospel to all the world, the Apostles and Prophets. See Doctrine and Covenants section 68 verse 12.

Doctrine and Covenants section 76 verses 50 through 53 sums up this entire Scripture Train and Paul in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30 gives us a sound warning. Those who will come forth in the first resurrection, the resurrection of the just, will be those who received the testimony of Jesus Christ, believed in Him, were baptized in His name, kept the commandments of God, received the Holy Spirit, overcame the world and then are sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. The warning: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by which you are sealed unto the day of redemption.