Ordinance (Latter Day Saints)
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In Mormonism, an ordinance is a religious ritual of special significance, often involving a covenant with God. Ordinances are performed by members of the priesthood. The term has a meaning roughly similar to that of the term "sacrament" in other Christian sects.
There are numerous Mormon ordinances, many of which are also practiced by other Christian denominations. For example, many Mormons practice:
Other ordinances include ordaining members to the priesthood, patriarchal blessings, blessing and anointing of the sick, blessing of homes, dedication of church buildings and temples, and blessings of newborn children.
In addition, some Mormon ordinances are usually associated with and performed in temples. These ordinances include the Endowment and sealings.
[edit] Saving ordinances
Saving ordinances are those rituals that are performed only once to an individual.
If a person is excommunicated from the church, all saving ordinances are revoked, and if the individual wishes to re-join the church, he or she must begin again with these ordinances beginnning with baptism.
[edit] Temple ordinances
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there are some ordinances, including the Endowment and sealings that are performed only in temples.
The Endowment is a sacred and confidential ceremony in which the patron is washed and anointed, followed by an instructional phase relating to what Mormons view as humanity's relation to God and God's creation of the Earth. See Endowment (Mormonism).
Sealings are ceremonies in which husband is bound to wife, and children to parents, for all eternity. See Sealing (Mormonism).
In addition, after Latter-day Saints enter the temple and receive temple ordinances for themselves, they may return and perform similar ordinances on behalf of their deceased ancestors. These and several other ordinances may be performed vicariously or by "proxy" in behalf of the dead, and Latter-day Saints believe that it is up to the deceased to accept or reject the ordinance in the spirit world. Ordinances that may be performed on behalf of the dead include the following:
- Baptism for the dead
- Confirmation (bestowing the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands) on behalf of the dead
- Ordination to the Priesthood on behalf of the dead
- Washing and anointing on behalf of the dead
- Receiving the Endowment on behalf of the dead
- Sealing on behalf of the dead.
Ordinances on behalf of the dead are performed when a deceased person's genealogical information has been submitted to the temple. Latter-day Saints complete Genealogical work for deceased persons and if it is determined an individual has not received any of the above listed ordinances by a Church Priesthood authority, their name is submitted to the temple to receive these ordinances by proxy. Optimally, the proxy who stands in will be a descendant of the deceased person, but may also be done by an unrelated volunteer. Baptism is typically a prerequisite for other ordinances. President Gordon B. Hinckley said,
- "And so these sacred buildings [temples] are scenes of tremendous activity, quietly and reverently carried forward. They call to mind a part of the vision of John the Revelator wherein are recorded this question and this answer: 'What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?...
- "'These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- "'Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.'" (Revelation 7:13-15). Tambuli, June 1992, page 3.
Latter-day Saints believe deceased non-Mormons are in a condition or state typically referred to as Spirit Prison and may be taught the gospel to prepare them and qualify them for all the blessings, ordinances, covenants, and progress in knowledge that the full gospel of Jesus Christ offers to mankind. Latter-day Saints believe that Christ went to the righteous spirits in prison and organized a great missionary force to teach the gospel to the dead (The Doctrine and Covenants, Covenant 138, 1 Peter 3:18-20, and 1 Peter 4:6).
This doctrine is similar in some respects to the Roman Catholic teaching of Purgatory although the difference between the two concepts is more considerable than their similarities.
[edit] Significance
Certain ordinances (baptism, confirmation, endowment and sealing) are seen as necessary for salvation, but not sufficient in and of themselves. For example, baptism is required for exaltation, but simply having been baptized does not guarantee an eternal reward. The person, having been baptized, is then expected to be obedient to God's commandments and to repent of any sinful conduct subsequent to baptism.
An ordinance may be viewed as a physical act signifying a spiritual commitment, or gospel covenant. Failure to honor that commitment results in the ordinance having no effect. However, sincere repentance can restore the blessings associated with the ordinance.
The emphasis on the physical aspect of the ordinance is the basis for the Mormon practice of performing ordinances vicariously for the dead. Since deceased persons no longer have an earthly existence, they are unable to directly participate in these "saving" ordinances themselves. The physical performance of these ordinances by proxy is seen as fulfillment of the requirement. As with living ordinances, ordinances for the dead are seen as necessary but not sufficient. The belief is that the spirits in Spirit Prison are offered the teachings of the full gospel of Jesus Christ and have the opportunity to accept or decline vicarious ordinances done on their behalf. Some Latter-day Saints refer to the reference by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:29 regarding baptism for the dead as evidence that this was a religious practice of ancient tradition that has now been restored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
