Aaronic and Melchisedek Priesthoods

LDS are aware that the Aaronic Priesthood is the right of the descendent's of Aaron. Since we don't know specifically who they are yet (Cohen-modal haplotype, patriarchal blessing, genealogy), the priesthood operates within the LDS church until it can be returned to the rightful holders. Not every Jew with the last name of Cohen is "Kohenim" and very few of these are LDS.

While Blood sacrifice is no longer necessary as part of the Aaronic priesthood, sacrifice itself is still a indespensible and integral part of the Aaronic Priesthood and the higher priesthood. Paul says that only the "commandments" of this "unprofitable" and "changeable" yet "preparatory" and "everlasting" priesthood and covenant were disannuled. Therefore the requirements of blood sacrifice had an end and was replaced by water baptism and the Lord's Supper which serve the same purpose to 1. remind us of our sinfulness, 2. remind us of our need for a Savior 3. Bring us to Christ for justification

The Melchisedek priesthood is to draw us near to the Father by Sanctification. Sanctification or Perfection or the Son preparing us to return into the presence of the Father is the purpose of the LDS New Testament Temple and its sanctifying ordinances and covenants (gifts of grace). Many Evangelical churches do a great job preaching our sin nature, grace, justification, and bringing people to Jesus Christ the Son, but these churches neglect the doctrine of empowered sanctification; that Christ would prepare us to come unto, see, and enjoy fellowship with the Father. Many Evangelical churches still preach a corrected OT message but neglect the NT purpose.

Heb 7:11-19 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. . . .For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

People forget that God invited all the Elders of Israel up into the Mountain with Moses. God wanted a sanctified and perfected kingdom of priests, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a peculiar people. But the people feared God and told Moses "You go and speak for us, lest we die." While Moses was away, the people said that Moses delayed his coming, and gave all their filthy lucre (mammon) to Aaron to fashion a golden calf (false religion). Then the voice of God came to Moses and told him to hasten his returning because the people were defiling themselves. (Notice this is an allegory of the Second Coming and the Antichrist). Moses found the people in sin and the people lost the rights to the higher Melchisedek/Abrahamic Covenant. Instead they were given a preparatory covenant. The purpose of the Aaronic/Levitical Priesthood and its associated requirements/commandments (Law of Moses) was to make the people ashamed, remind them of their continual sinfulness, continual need for forgiveness and a Savior/Messiah, and to point them to Jesus Christ. While the preparatory priesthood prepared Israel to receive the Son, the Aaronic priesthood did not sanctify or prefect and therefore did not prepare Israel to progress from the Son to the Father.

This preparatory and changeable covenant and priesthood of Aaron still operates in the Kingdom, remember that only the commandments were disannuled; but the higher Melchisedek Priesthood and its associated ordinances, temple, and covenants promise sanctification through the blood of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Gal. 3: 17 And this I say, that the covenant (higher Abrahamic/Melchisedek), that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law (preparatory Aaronic/Levitical), which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.