God's Ordinances Do Not Change

(In response to the church's recent changes to the endowment ordinance)

Within the perameters of LDS theology, changing ordinances is contrary to God’s revealed will.

Joseph Smith said, ““Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed.” Ironically, the LDS Church cited this quotation in the August 2001 Ensign, pp. 22., after all ordinances in the church had already been changed from their original wording or form, for decades.

Joseph Smith also said, ““Now, the purpose in Himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations...He set the temple ordinances to be the same forever and ever and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them.” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 4 pp. 208

Unfortunately, ordinances in the Church have been changed numerous times since the death of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith isn’t the only prophet to condemn the alteration of sacred ordinances. In a prophecy of the Latter-days, Isaiah said:

“The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants: they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, set at nought the ancient covenant.” -Isaiah 24:5, Gileadi Translation

This whole business of changing ordinances in the LDS church is blatant hypocrisy. The LDS church has consistently preached that a primary feature of the Great Apostasy was the alteration of ordinances. Here is one of many, many instances the LDS Church has taught that principle:

“...God is unchangeable, the same yesterday, today, and forever...The great mistake made down through the ages by teachers of Christianity, is that they supposed they could place their own private interpretation on scriptures, allow their own personal convenience to become a controlling factor, and change the basis of Christian law and practice to suit themselves. This is apostasy.” -Prophet’s Message, Church News, June 5, 1965

So only Mormons are allowed to change ordinances? Other Christians who do it are apostates, but not Mormons? Okay.

The LDS Church is embroiled in apostasy, stemming from its very leadership, on down to the common lay member. The doctrines and ordinances, as well as the structure and practice of priesthood roles, have all been corrupted since Smith’s day. Every ordinance in the Church today is different from the way it was revealed to Joseph Smith. The wording of the baptismal prayer was changed, the sacrament has been changed from wine to water, both in the wording of the prayer and the substance used to represent Christ’s blood. All of the temple ordinances have been changed, and they have undergone the most severe and egregious abridgments. This is very serious. The conditions of a covenant are eternal in nature, and are set forth by God, not by man. To alter a covenant he has decreed is eternal and unchangeable, and then to participate in the changed ordinances as if they are an actual covenant, is to make a mockery of God. This is the very same sin that Cain committed when he made an unapproved sacrifice before God.

Few in the church accept it, but the primary purpose of the Book of Mormon is to warn us of this Latter-day institutional apostasy. The warnings are broad in their scope. They range from how the church handles tithing and the treatment of the poor, as well as alterations to the gospel and the acceptance of popular, paid priests who fail to prophesy to the people. It covers the persecution of those who are close to God and challenge the false leaders of the Church. It warns of political and wartime sins of our generation, and so much more.

I would recommend becoming intimately familiar with scriptural prophesy, particularly in Isaiah and The Book of Mormon. I would recommend spending hours digging through Joseph Smith’s writings and sermons. I would encourage becoming familiar with Church History as contained in the original sources (as opposed to potentially doctored compilations and commentaries). The Book of Mormon warns us that if we are fooled by the false traditions of our fathers, we cannot fully turn to God and be saved. That book would not contain such warnings if it were not going to be an issue in the Latter-day Church.

“Yea, it [day of secret combinations and works of darkness] shall come in a day when the power of God shall be denied, and churches become defiled and be lifted up in the pride of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the envying of them who belong to their churches…

“…O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get gain? Why have ye transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the revelations of God; for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled…

“…Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.

“And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.” (Mormon 8:28–36)

“Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation…” (Ether 8:24)