“Only the prophet and President, and no one else, can use all of the keys of the kingdom of God on earth.”
Doctrine and Covenants 28:2–7
2 But, behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses.
3 And thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him, even as Aaron, to declare faithfully the commandments and the revelations, with power and authority unto the church.
4 And if thou art led at any time by the Comforter to speak or teach, or at all times by the way of commandment unto the church, thou mayest do it.
5 But thou shalt not write by way of commandment, but by wisdom;
6 And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church;
7 For I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead.
President James E. Faust said:
“Only the prophet and President, and no one else, can use all of the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. . . . [The prophet] and his counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have delegated specific authority and responsibility to other General Authorities and to local authorities and auxiliary leaders to direct the work in their own areas of responsibility.
“Early in the Church the Lord warned members, ‘Thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church’ (D&C 28:6).
“Some have said, ‘My integrity will not permit me to yield my conscience to anyone.’ A clear conscience is a very precious spiritual endowment when it is guided by the Holy Ghost. Ultimately, everyone has the responsibility of making their own moral decisions. However, the Prophet Joseph Smith stated that ‘it is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church . . . to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves’ (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 21; see also D&C 28:12).
“In addition, some have claimed higher spiritual gifts or authority outside the established priesthood authority of the Church. They say that they believe in the principles and ordinances of the gospel and accept the President of the Church as the legal administrator thereof, but claim they have a higher order which the President does not have. This is often done to justify an activity which is not in accordance with the doctrines of the Church. There can be no higher order, however, because the President of the Church both holds and exercises all of the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. The Lord has said of the President of the Church ‘that none else shall be appointed [to receive commandments and revelations] except it be through him’ (D&C 43:4).”
(“The Prophetic Voice,” Ensign, May 1996, 6–7.)
