29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. (2 Nephi 26)
The people of the Book of Mormon often struggled with pride. One way pride showed itself was in priestcraft. Teachers and leaders in the church work for God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes incorrectly known as the Mormon Church, is a lay church, and we call our church jobs callings. This means we are called of God to do God’s will and to also serve our Savior. When on the Lord’s errand, we do things the Lord’s way and for His glory, not our own.
There are some teachers and leaders, both in callings and working in church colleges, who are very popular. As in any other field, there are very popular speakers as well. There is nothing wrong with this unless they allow themselves to become more important than the church they claim to serve. If they work to gather a following and speak so forcefully that what they say matters more than what God Himself says, when their purpose becomes fame and wealth rather than serving God, they are practicing priestcraft.
Dallin H. Oaks, a high ranking church official, said:
“Some may serve for hope of earthly reward. Such a man or woman might serve in Church positions or in private acts of mercy in an effort to achieve prominence or cultivate contacts that would increase income or aid in acquiring wealth. Others might serve in order to obtain worldly honors, prominence, or power. . . .
Unfortunately, not all who accomplish works under that heading are really intending to build up Zion or strengthen the faith of the people of God. Other motives can be at work.
Service that is ostensibly unselfish but is really for the sake of riches or honor surely comes within the Savior’s condemnation of those who “outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within … are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” (Matt. 23:28.) Such service earns no gospel reward.”
Our leaders serve without pay, in part so they can avoid priestcraft. No matter how large a congregation becomes, the leaders become no wealthier. In the world, we often hear of popular, charismatic leaders who gather large followings and who use the offerings from their services to live expensive, lavish lifestyles. It is always a challenge for a leader who finds himself to be popular to be certain his motives stay pure and so our leaders avoid this entirely by working for God, not money.
Before the world began, we lived with God. When God told us He was sending us to earth to live, and said we would need a Savior, Satan volunteered. However, He did not intend to follow the plan God had created for us and in addition, He demanded all the glory be given to Him, not God. Jesus also volunteered, but said He wanted to follow God’s plan exactly, and He wanted no glory or honor for Himself.
As we serve our Heavenly Father and our Savior, we want to be certain we do so by following the example of our Savior, not Lucifer. We should teach God’s truth in God’s way, and do it with all the honor and glory given to God.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
