The Lord gives Nephi the authority to act on behalf of the Lord. The sphere of priesthood administration for Nephi now extends beyond the boundaries of the mortal world. His actions on the basis of his priesthood calling will be recognized and accepted by the Lord in heaven as well as on earth. Nephi is the Lord’s representative. He acts for the Lord. He has the Lord’s favor and is empowered to do all that the Lord might require of him in support of the ministry. Thus it has always been with the Lord’s anointed. To Peter, the Lord confirmed: “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” (Matthew 16:19). In our day, the Lord has used this manner of speaking concerning his representatives on the earth during the Restoration: “And verily I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious” (D&C 1:8). What is the essence of such sealing power? It is, first of all, to have merited the complete trust of the Lord in all things through the demonstration of strict obedience and unshakable faith; and next, it is to be commissioned of the Lord to serve as His messenger and agent on the earth in all things pertaining to the instruction and salvation of the Lord’s children. Nephi is the epitome of such favor and obedience. The scope of the sealing powers of God also includes the keys of temple sealings in the spirit of Malachi’s commission (see Malachi 4:5–6; D&C 42:69; 124:143).