To Bind On Earth and Heaven

“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Jesus gave this power to Peter when on earth (Matthew 16:19). This sealing power puts into force the ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Christofferson discusses this authority in his October 2023 address: “The Sealing Power.”

What Is the Sealing Authority?

Elder Christofferson states, “The power to validate all priesthood ordinances and make them binding both on earth and in heaven.” This is the sealing power. We have very few references in the scriptures to this power. However, in every dispensation, this power has been active. If it wasn’t, then the ordinances received by the faithful would not be valid in heaven.

What does it mean to “[bind] on earth and [bind] in heaven?” Think of it this way. If you were to get married in your house but not go down and get a marriage license, the state would not recognize your marriage. However, if you get a marriage license, then get married, and then get it recorded, the state recognizes your marriage. The sealing power is the “license” that allows God to recognize your ordinances as valid. This validity, however, is not only for this mortal existence but for the eternities.

How Does this Authority Transfer?

As mortal beings, we have a limited amount of time on this earth. This means that the sealing power must be transferred to an appropriately called person on the earth. Certain prophets have been given “eternal” keys or responsibilities for certain pieces of the gospel. Elijah was given the responsibility to hold and transfer the sealing power when it was missing or taken from the earth.

We read in Malachi:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Malachi 4:5-6

“Joseph Smith … explained: ‘Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood; and [unless] the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness’—that is, the ordinances would not be valid in both time and eternity.” Due to the Apostasy that occurred when the Apostles of Jesus Christ died and their authority not being transferred to others, the sealing power was taken from the earth.

This power was restored in the Kirtland temple on April 3rd, 1836. “Another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse” (Doctrine and Covenants 110:13-15). With this power restored, the ordinances of the gospel would, once again, be recorded in heaven and earth, and, more importantly, be bound.

Since the beginning of the restoration, this authority has been transferred to the current prophet (president) of the church. This means that Elijah gave it to Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith transferred all the keys to the Quorum of 12 Apostles before his death. When Brigham Young was ordained prophet, those keys were then transferred to him. This pattern has continued with every president of the church down to today’s current prophet, Russell M. Nelson.

To What Does the Sealing Authority Apply?

“We tend to think of the sealing authority as applying only to certain temple ordinances, but that authority is necessary to make any ordinance valid and binding beyond death” (emphasis added). Elder Christofferson references Doctrine and Covenants 132:7 which talks about “All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations.” Think about the coverage of this statement. There isn’t a loophole to be found. The sealing power binds all of these things in heaven and earth. For the most part, we can look at the binding to be part of these ordinances and blessings:

1. Baptism
2. Gift of the Holy Ghost
3. Patriarchal Blessing
4. Priesthood Ordinations
5. Temple Initiatories
6. Temple Endowment
7. Temple Sealing

One thing we have to remember is that the Restoration is a process and that there could be more that hasn’t yet been revealed (see Articles of Faith 1:9) that will fall under this sealing power.

No Temples Without the Sealing Power

“What was the object of gathering the … people of God in any age of the world? … The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation; for there are certain ordinances and principles that, when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 416-417).

Basically, we could not have temples and the ordinances of the temples if the sealing power were not on the earth. The temple ordinances listed above could not be performed and of effect without the sealing authority. They would be just rote rituals of no lasting efficacy. Could they bring us closer to God? Yes. However, would they bind us to the covenants that will lead to Celestial glory? No. If that were the case, the curse talked about in Malachi would come upon us and we could not be saved.

“Here we see the majesty and sacredness of the sealing power—it makes individual salvation and family exaltation universally available to the children of God wherever and whenever they may have lived on the earth.” What a glorious thing it is to have this power on the earth. A power that helps every child of God achieve exaltation. “This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.”

Does the Chain Have to Be Perfect?

We often talk about having a chain built by the sealing power that goes from ourselves all the way back to Adam. But does that chain have to be perfect? What about those whose family members have left or strayed from the path? Will the chain still be effective for us?

The answer is yes. “Elder David A. Bednar made this observation: ‘To you who have experienced the heartache of a divorce in your family or felt the agony of violated trust, please remember [that God’s pattern for families] begins again with you! One link in the chain of your generations may have been broken, but the other righteous links and what remains of the chain are nonetheless eternally important. You can add strength to your chain and perhaps even help to restore the broken links. That work will be accomplished one by one’” (David A. Bednar, “A Welding Link” (worldwide devotional for young adults, Sept. 10, 2017), Gospel Library).

Elder Bednar lets us know that the chain doesn’t have to be perfect. The righteous links of the chain remain righteous. The weakened or broken links have a chance to be repaired. Even if they cannot, our righteousness will strengthen the chain and the weakened or broken links will not count against us individually.

In my case, my dad has not yet joined the church. I have no “link” through my parents as they have not been sealed. Yet, my chain is not “broken”, there are just some links that haven’t been completed. My part is to ensure that my piece of the chain is whole. I have been blessed to be sealed to my wife and children. One day, I hope to complete the Blinston-Gilmore links and make a stronger chain for my posterity. I have faith that this can be accomplished.

The other piece to this is that I know God will reward every one of His faithful children. There is a way that our chains can be completed, even if the direct ancestral links don’t participate. God will not leave us hanging just because another one of His children has chosen not to come home. The plan He has put in place will account for any breakage and He will exercise His mercy on the righteous.

Conclusion

The sealing power, as given to Peter and others throughout the history of the world, is essential to have the ordinances of the gospel bound on earth and in heaven. There are certain ordinances that could not be performed without it. Even Baptism wouldn’t have validation in the Heavens without it. How perfect is a plan that takes into account the need to have things in order and sealed. God has provided for every contingency. Every possibility. Every nuance. The keys to this power are held by President Russell M. Nelson and allows every ordinance of the gospel is now of eternal effect.