2 Important things for Christ's church: Revelation, and the Priesthood

Today's scripture mastery is Matthew 16:15-19

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 19 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.

In these verses, Jesus had asked his disciples who people were saying that he was.  After they answered that question he asked them who they thought he was.  This is Peter's answer, and Jesus' response to him.

In His response, Christ tells us first about the importance of revelation.  Some answers we can receive come from our Father in Heaven, through the Holy Ghost.  Our testimony of the divinity and role of the Savior is one of those things that comes from revelation.  They can not be learned by other means.  Each man or woman must gain his own testimony.  They must learn the truthfulness of and the importance of Christ for themselves.  They can not "borrow" that knowledge from others.  They must exercise faith, and ask the Lord if what they have learned is true.  If it is, they will gain from Heavenly Father their own knowledge, just as Peter did.  (See my previous post on the importance of revelation)

The second important thing that Christ taught to Peter was the importance of the priesthood.  (See my previous post on the priesthood) The Priesthood is the power of God, given to men on the earth.  With this power, things can be "bound on earth and in heaven."  This is the power by which we can be sealed together with our families forever.  Marriage can be so much more than just "until death do us part."  That means that we don't have to grieve as much when we lose one of our loved ones do death, because we have the hope and promise that we will be reunited with them when we too have passed away.  We will still miss them greatly while they are gone, and we are still here, but having that promise brings comfort and joy to those that grieve.