The Priesthood: Access to the Atonement

In the first talk of the Priesthood Session of the April 2018 General Conference, President Douglas D. Holmes, First Counselor of the Young Men General Presidency, paraphrased something that Elder Renlund had taught that I thought would be worth re-repeating: "Elder Dale G. Renlund taught that the purpose of the priesthood is to provide God’s children access to the atoning power of Jesus Christ."

I wonder if that means that all functions of the Priesthood accomplish that purpose. Certainly the ordinances do. Ordinances like baptism and the sacrament grant people almost direct access to the atoning power of Jesus Christ. The healings and other personal blessings do so, too, in a different way. Rather than drawing on Jesus' power to forgive sins, those blessings often draw on His power to heal the wounded and afflicted.

But there are other functions of the Priesthood that are less-obviously linked to the Atonement, such as callings in Priesthood organizations. How do they "provide God’s children access to the atoning power of Jesus Christ"? Perhaps by guiding them to it. That is, after all, the main thing that leaders do: lead. Priesthood leaders guide others to the paths that they must follow in order to gain access to the power of the Atonement. Whether that means repenting of some wrongdoings or simply taking the next step in one's eternal progression, an authorized Priesthood leader can discern what we need to do to make our way back into God's presence, and the atoning power of Jesus Christ is essential to helping us get there.

There may be other things the Priesthood is used for, besides callings, leadership, and ordinances. If there are, I wouldn't be surprised if they also helped people draw on the Atonement, just as the other two uses do. In any case, the Atonement is the most important power in our world, and the Priesthood is exactly the tool we need to help ourselves and others gain access to it.