The established order of Heaven allows for ONE mediator between God and humanity—the Lord Jesus. THIS ORDER CANNOT BE REVOKED. Under the Old Covenant that we find in the books of the Old Testament, intercession between the people and God was made by a designated High Priest:
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people (Hebrews 9)
Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses and said there would be no more shedding of blood, for His was the last to be shed “once and for all.”
13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a STOP to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and LAST sacrifice; and that great and LAST sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. (Alma 34)10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOR EVER, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by ONE OFFERING he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10)15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.
16 I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.
17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, BY ME redemption cometh, and IN ME is the law of Moses fulfilled.
18 I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
19 And ye shall offer up unto me NO MORE THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings SHALL BE DONE AWAY, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. (3 Nephi 9)21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.
22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved. (3 Nephi 9)3 And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had PASSED AWAY, and that all things had become new.
4 Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.
5 Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it [High Priest] hath an end. (3 Nephi 15)
Thus, the need for a member of the community to fill the role of High Priest was done away in the one atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.
5 So also Christ GLORIFIED NOT HIMSELF to be MADE an HIGH PRIEST; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 5)11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9)
The order of Heaven under the New Covenant is one Mediator and one High Priest—Jesus Christ. The spirit that put on Joe’s heart the idea of implementing the office of High Priest leaped on Whitlock the minute Joe laid hands and ordained him a high priest:
Joseph put his hands on Harvey Whitlock and ordained him to the HIGH PRIESTHOOD. He turned as black as Lyman was white. His fingers were set like claws. He went around the room and showed his hands and tried to speak; his eyes were in the shape of oval O’s. (Levi Hancock, Autobiography, BYU Special Collections, Writings of Early Latter-day Saints, 33)
And this is what Hyrum said who witnessed it:
HYRUM SMITH SAID, “JOSEPH, THAT IS NOT OF GOD.” (Ibid.)
Mormonism is not just another Christian denomination. No other Christian church has reimplemented the office of the High Priest for good reasons, as noted above.
Right Covenant
To receive the blessed atonement, one must enter into a covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus.
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a BETTER TESTAMENT [COVENANT]. (Hebrews 7)
28 For this is my BLOOD, which CONFIRMS the COVENANT between GOD and his PEOPLE. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. (Matthew 26 NLT)
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This CUP is the NEW TESTAMENT [COVENANT] in my BLOOD: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in REMEMBRANCE OF ME. (1 Corinthians 11)
15 And for this cause he is the MEDIATOR of the NEW TESTAMENT [COVENANT], that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the FIRST TESTAMENT, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9)
5 For there is only one God and ONE MEDIATOR who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2 NLT)
But those who go through the Mormon Temple make Replacement Covenants with the Church and ultimately to Joe, who was the originator of it.
4 For behold, I reveal unto you a NEW and an EVERLASTING COVENANT; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
7 Verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: ALL COVENANTS, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant JOSEPH TO HOLD THIS POWER in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for ALL CONTRACTS that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead. (D&C 132)
In their desire to distinguish themselves from other churches, Joe and Sidney Rigdon did what no other church would do: replace Jesus with the very office and priesthood framework He fulfilled.
ONE COVENANT
ONE HIGH PRIEST
ONE ATONEMENT
ONE MEDIATOR
ONE TESTATOR
ONE LORD
ONE FAITH
ONE NAME
ONE BAPTISM
ONE MEANS
ONE WAY
17 I say unto you, that there shall be NO OTHER NAME given nor any other WAY nor MEANS whereby SALVATION can come unto the children of men, ONLY IN and THROUGH the NAME OF CHRIST, the LORD OMNIPOTENT. (Mosiah 3)
9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may LEARN WISDOM, that ye may learn of me that THERE IS NO OTHER WAY OR MEANS whereby man can be SAVED, ONLY IN and THROUGH CHRIST. (Alma 38)
9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is NO OTHER WAY nor MEANS whereby man CAN BE SAVED, only through the ATONING BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to REDEEM the world. (Helaman 5)