Article of Faith 5 – Authority Is Not Assumed

“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.”

The atheist scoffs: “Called of God? This is merely the strong dominating the weak, enforcing the illusion of authority through suppression of the minds of men.”
The Protestant protests: “Authority? We already have authority through the inerrant Bible and its words. Every believer is free to preach and administer without some ritual of hands.”
The ex-LDS sighs: “I’ve seen men with supposed authority use it to dominate, to exclude, to shame. Authority doesn’t sanctify — it corrupts.”
But none of these objections stand when weighed against scripture, history, and reason.

1. To the Atheist: “Illusion of domination?”

If all authority is domination, then every system we live by is fraud: judges, teachers, doctors, and governments alike. Yet the world cannot function without recognized authority — because authority provides order, protection, and accountability.

You may not believe that there is a God, but His authority is itself demonstrated in the very laws that govern reality — laws you already trust every time you breathe, speak, or calculate. Gravity does not negotiate. The speed of light does not bend to opinion. Order itself presupposes a Lawgiver. And just as physical laws hold creation together, God’s priesthood authority holds covenant, ordinance, and discipleship together.

Christ established His order: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you” (John 15:16). Abuse of authority is real, but so is the authority itself. Without it, there is only pretense. With it, there is order, covenant, and power.

2. To the Protestant: “Bible alone as authority?”

Yes, the Bible is the word of God — but the Bible itself points to living authority. Paul and Barnabas were “separated” by prophecy and the laying on of hands (Acts 13:2–3). Timothy received his gift by “the laying on of the hands of the presbytery” (1 Tim. 4:14). Even Christ told His apostles: “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21).

If scripture alone were enough, why did Christ ordain men, why did apostles lay on hands, why did Paul insist on proper ordination? Authority is not “extra” — it is the very pattern scripture preserves. To claim Bible alone is authority is to deny the Bible’s own witness.

3. To the Ex-LDS: “Authority corrupts?”

Yes, men corrupt. They always have. Caiaphas sat in a seat of authority and condemned Christ. Priests in the Middle Ages sold indulgences. But the corruption of men does not erase the reality of God’s order. When a judge takes a bribe, we do not abolish law; we expose the counterfeit.

The fact that hypocrisy offends you is proof that you instinctively know authority ought to be holy. The Restoration does not excuse abuse — it restores authority to its true Christlike purpose: service, covenant, and blessing.

4. To the Latter-day Saint: “The truth is evident.”

You have felt the weight and the reality of authority when hands rested on your head and peace poured into your soul. You know ordinances are not man-made performances but channels of divine power. You have seen healing, ordination, sacrament, and baptism done under proper authority — and you have felt the Spirit confirm it.

And you know the scriptures are plain: “No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” (Heb. 5:4). By prophecy and the laying on of hands you received something beyond yourself — God’s own commission.

The Irrefutable Core

The atheist must see that authority is not mere domination, but the only safeguard against chaos — and Christ Himself established it.
The Protestant must see that the Bible does not remove the need for authority — it affirms it at every turn.
The ex-LDS must see that corruption is not proof against priesthood, but proof of man’s need to wield it in Christlike humility.
The LDS know firsthand that priesthood authority is real, tangible, and testified of by both scripture and Spirit.

Authority is not assumed. It is given. It is not for domination but for service. It is not man-made but heaven-sent. This is why we believe Article of Faith 5. Because without authority, the gospel devolves into chaos and counterfeits. With authority, the gospel is ordered, covenantal, and filled with power.