Section 22
Overview
Section 22 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (known as Section 68 in the modern LDS edition) is a pivotal text in the development of Mormon theology, ecclesiology, and family dynamics. Originally given in November 1831 to Orson Hyde and other elders, the text makes several radical theological assertions that permanently separate Mormonism from orthodox Christianity. First, it introduces an open and dynamic canon by declaring that whenever ordained elders speak as moved by the Holy Ghost, their words literally become 'scripture,' 'the will of the Lord,' and 'the power of God unto salvation.' Second, it retrofits a complex priesthood hierarchy into the early church, distinguishing between the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods, establishing the authority of the First Presidency, and introducing the concept that literal, genetic descendants of Aaron have a legal right to the office of Bishop. Finally, the text establishes the foundational Mormon practice regarding the 'age of accountability.' It commands parents in Zion to teach their children faith, repentance, and baptism by the age of eight. In a severe theological mandate, it declares that if parents fail to ensure their children are baptized and receive the laying on of hands at eight years old, 'the sin be upon the head of the parents.' The section concludes with moral imperatives against idleness and greed, reinforcing a works-oriented community ethic under the imminent return of Christ.
Key Figures
- Orson Hyde: An early elder called to proclaim the gospel; used as the primary example of one whose Spirit-led words become scripture.
- Luke Johnson: An early elder commanded to preach the gospel and given the power to seal people to eternal life.
- Lyman Johnson: An early elder commanded to preach the gospel and given the power to seal people to eternal life.
- William E. McLellin: An early elder commanded to preach the gospel and given the power to seal people to eternal life.
- Aaron: The biblical brother of Moses; cited here as the ancestral figure whose literal descendants hold a 'legal right' to the office of Bishop.
- Oliver Cowdery: Commanded to carry these sayings to the land of Zion.
- Jesus Christ (Alpha and Omega): The divine author of the revelation who promises to stand by His servants and warns of His quick return.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Continuous and Spoken Scripture
Assertion
The spoken words of ordained elders, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, carry the exact same authority as written canon and are explicitly defined as scripture and the voice of the Lord.
Evidence from Text
...whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, shall be scripture; shall be the will of the Lord; shall be the mind of the Lord; shall be the word of the Lord; shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation...
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Christianity holds to Sola Scriptura, meaning the 66 books of the Bible are the sole, infallible, and sufficient rule of faith and practice. The canon is closed, as warned in Revelation 22:18-19 and Jude 1:3 ('the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints'). In stark contrast, this text democratizes and expands the definition of scripture to include the spontaneous, spoken words of Mormon elders, provided they are 'moved upon by the Holy Ghost.' This creates an infinitely expanding, highly subjective canon where the 'voice of the Lord' is continually generated by human leaders, undermining the finality and sufficiency of the biblical text.
Priesthood Hierarchy and Aaronic Lineage
Assertion
The church must be governed by a First Presidency of the Melchizedek priesthood, and the office of Bishop rightfully belongs to literal, genetic descendants of Aaron.
Evidence from Text
No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a literal descendant and the first born of Aaron: but as a high priest of the Melchizedek priesthood... he may officiate in the office of bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found...
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical theology, based on the Book of Hebrews (specifically Hebrews 7:11-12, 23-24), teaches that the Levitical/Aaronic priesthood was insufficient, temporary, and entirely fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who alone holds the eternal Melchizedek priesthood. Furthermore, 1 Peter 2:9 establishes the 'priesthood of all believers,' eliminating the need for a mediating priestly class. This Mormon text resurrects the Old Covenant Aaronic priesthood, ties it to literal genetic lineage, and establishes a complex, multi-tiered hierarchy (First Presidency, High Priests, Bishops) that acts as a necessary mediator for church governance and ordinances.
Parental Imputation of Sin
Assertion
Parents are spiritually culpable for the sins of their children if they fail to teach them Mormon doctrine and ensure their baptism by age eight.
Evidence from Text
...inasmuch as parents have children in Zion... that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ... and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the head of the parents...
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, sin and guilt are individual matters before God. Ezekiel 18:20 explicitly states, 'The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son.' While parents are commanded to raise children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), salvation is an individual response to God's grace. This text creates a system of spiritual hostage-taking, where a parent's standing before God is jeopardized by their child's failure to undergo specific rituals (baptism and laying on of hands) at the exact age of eight. It shifts the focus from God's grace to parental performance and ritual compliance.
Baptismal Regeneration and Necessity
Assertion
Water baptism is an absolute requirement for salvation and the remission of sins.
Evidence from Text
...he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved... and their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old...
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelicalism teaches that justification occurs at the moment of faith, entirely apart from works or sacraments (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:1). Baptism is an ordinance of obedience that follows salvation, not a mechanism that causes it. This text explicitly links salvation and the remission of sins to the physical act of water baptism, making human effort and ritual participation co-requisites with faith for eternal life. This fundamentally alters the Gospel from 'done' (Christ's finished work) to 'do' (human ritual compliance).
Mortal Sealing Power
Assertion
Mortal men (elders) are granted the divine power to seal individuals unto eternal life.
Evidence from Text
...and of as many as the Father shall bear record, to you it shall be given power to seal them up unto eternal life: Amen.
Evangelical Comparison
In biblical theology, the sealing of a believer is an act of God. Ephesians 1:13-14 states that believers are 'sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.' It is a divine, invisible transaction based on faith in Christ. This Mormon text transfers that divine prerogative to human priesthood holders, granting them the authority to 'seal' people to eternal life. This elevates human leaders to a mediatorial role that belongs exclusively to God, creating a dependency on the institutional church for the assurance of salvation.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text replaces the sufficiency of the Bible with an open canon of spoken scripture, replaces the universal priesthood of believers with a rigid hierarchy, and replaces justification by faith alone with ritual requirements and parental performance.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological chasm between this text and Evangelical Christianity is profound, touching on epistemology, ecclesiology, and soteriology. Epistemologically, the text obliterates Sola Scriptura by declaring that the spontaneous speech of elders, when inspired, is literally 'scripture' and 'the voice of the Lord.' This creates a paradigm where the Bible is perpetually subordinate to the living voice of the Mormon hierarchy. Ecclesiologically, the text resurrects the Old Testament Aaronic priesthood and invents a Melchizedek hierarchy, directly contradicting the Book of Hebrews, which teaches that the Levitical priesthood was abolished and that Christ alone holds the Melchizedek priesthood permanently. This denies the universal priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). Soteriologically, the text denies Sola Fide by making water baptism an absolute requirement for the remission of sins. Furthermore, it introduces a terrifying legalism by declaring that parents bear the guilt of their children's sins if they fail to initiate them into these rituals by age eight, fundamentally misunderstanding the individual nature of sin and grace.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a rulebook for a game that the creator said is completely finished. Evangelical Christians believe the Bible is that finished rulebook. But this text says that whenever certain leaders speak and feel the Holy Spirit, their words become brand new pages added to the rulebook. Also, Christians believe that because of Jesus, everyone can talk directly to God and no one needs a special 'priest' to stand in the middle. But this text sets up a strict ladder of bosses and priests you have to go through. Finally, Christians believe Jesus saves us for free when we trust Him. This text says parents will actually be blamed for their children's sins if they don't make sure their kids get baptized at exactly eight years old. It turns a free gift into a heavy list of chores.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
Declares that the spoken words of modern elders are scripture and the voice of the Lord, opening the canon.
Sola Fide
Requires water baptism for the remission of sins and places the burden of children's salvation on parental performance.
Universal Priesthood
Establishes a necessary mediating priesthood hierarchy (Aaronic/Melchizedek) to govern the church and perform saving ordinances.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Scripture"
In This Text
Any words spoken by ordained elders when moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
In Evangelicalism
The closed canon of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, breathed out by God (Theopneustos).
"Priesthood"
In This Text
Exclusive authority delegated to specific male members in a hierarchical structure (Aaronic and Melchizedek) required to perform saving ordinances.
In Evangelicalism
The status of all true believers who have direct access to God through the sole mediation of Jesus Christ.
"Seal"
In This Text
An ordinance performed by mortal men with priesthood authority to guarantee eternal life.
In Evangelicalism
The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit given by God at the moment of belief as a guarantee of inheritance.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Eternal life, being saved from damnation, and receiving the remission of sins.
How Attained: Through a combination of faith, repentance, water baptism, the laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost, and being 'sealed' by priesthood authority.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on receiving the proper ordinances from authorized priesthood holders and maintaining faithful obedience (not being an idler, keeping the Sabbath, praying).
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text explicitly denies Sola Fide by stating 'he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved' and requiring children to be 'baptized for the remission of their sins.' In contrast, Romans 5:1 declares 'since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God.'
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Preach the everlasting gospel from people to people and land to land.
- Speak as moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
- Baptize believers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
- Teach children the doctrines of repentance, faith, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Baptize children at exactly eight years old.
- Teach children to pray and walk uprightly.
- Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
- Labor in all faithfulness (do not be idle).
- Observe prayers before the Lord in the season thereof.
Implicit Obligations
- Submit to the authority and judgment of the First Presidency.
- Acknowledge the hierarchical superiority of the Melchizedek priesthood over the Aaronic.
- Avoid greediness and earnestly seek the 'riches of eternity'.
- Maintain genealogical records to prove literal descent from Aaron if claiming the Bishopric by right.
Ritual Requirements
- Water baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.
- Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Anointing and ordaining under the hands of the First Presidency for priesthood offices.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- If any elder speaking by the Holy Ghost is speaking 'scripture,' how do you personally discern when a leader is speaking as a prophet versus just sharing their own opinion?
- Ezekiel 18:20 says a father won't bear the guilt of his son, and the son won't bear the guilt of the father. How does that fit with the teaching here that a child's sin is placed on the parents' heads if they aren't baptized at eight?
- If the Aaronic priesthood was fulfilled by Jesus, as the Book of Hebrews teaches, why was it necessary to bring it back and tie it to literal genetic descendants of Aaron?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for a sure word from God.
Mormons deeply desire to hear God's voice and know His will. We can bridge this by showing that God has spoken perfectly, finally, and powerfully through Jesus Christ and the preserved Word of the Bible. They don't have to guess if a leader is speaking 'as a man' or 'as a prophet'—they have the sure, unchanging Word in the Bible.
The desire to protect and guide children.
The anxiety LDS parents feel about their children's spiritual state comes from a good place—love. We can validate that love, but offer the freedom of the Gospel: we entrust our children to a gracious God who saves by faith, not to a rigid timeline of rituals that places a curse on the parents if missed.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The explicit threat that 'the sin be upon the head of the parents' if a child is not baptized at age eight places an agonizing burden on LDS parents. It transforms the beautiful responsibility of parenting into a legalistic tightrope walk, where a child's spiritual hesitation or rebellion directly condemns the parent.
Because the text claims that leaders speak scripture *when* moved by the Holy Ghost, adherents are left with the constant, exhausting task of trying to discern whether a leader's current instruction is divine scripture or fallible human opinion, especially when leaders contradict past teachings.
By requiring a specific priesthood hierarchy to 'seal them up unto eternal life' and to officiate in all matters, the believer is entirely dependent on the institutional church for their standing before God, stripping them of the direct, unmediated access to the Father promised in the Gospel.