Keys of the Kingdom

D&C 27:1, 12, 13; “Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God, and your Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful. 12 … I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them; 13 Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.”

Matthew 16:18-19; “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.”

These two verses found in Matthew need to be in our memory banks for the times people come along and say they’re the only people with the keys to the kingdom of God. Notice in the previous verse (18) how Jesus promised Peter with strong words that the gates of hell wouldn’t prevail against His church.

If the church belongs to Jesus why would He hand over keys for people to decide who goes to heaven and who doesn’t? The keys of the kingdom and keys in general that we see in the New Testament are referring to the preaching of the gospel and in no way suggests it was a personal privilege or an ecclesiastic office.

Also take note of verse one from D&C. “…Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God and your Redeemer…”

Mormons don’t believe Jesus is their god. They believe he’s the redeemer and elder brother, but not their god.