Section 23
Overview
Section 23 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (which corresponds to Section 51 in the modern LDS Doctrine and Covenants) was dictated by Joseph Smith in May 1831 in Thompson, Ohio. The text serves as a foundational administrative and theological document for the early Latter-day Saint economic system known as the Law of Consecration. It directs Edward Partridge, the first presiding bishop of the church, to organize the incoming saints by having them consecrate all their property to the church. In return, the bishop is instructed to deed back a 'portion' or 'stewardship' to every man based on his family's circumstances, wants, and needs, ensuring equality. The text outlines strict consequences for transgression: if a member is deemed unworthy by the church, they are excommunicated and forfeit their consecrated surplus, retaining only the specific portion deeded to them. Furthermore, it mandates the creation of a bishop's storehouse to hold surplus money and meat for the poor and needy. Theologically, the text culminates in a profound soteriological claim, explicitly promising that whoever is a 'faithful, a just and a wise steward' over these temporal affairs shall 'inherit eternal life.' This inextricably links economic compliance and communal property management with eternal salvation.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ (The Lord): The claimed author of the revelation who dictates the economic laws, threatens to cut off the disobedient, and promises eternal life to faithful stewards.
- Edward Partridge: The appointed bishop tasked with receiving consecrated property, determining the needs of families, issuing legal deeds, and managing the church storehouse.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
The Law of Consecration and Stewardship
Assertion
Members must consecrate their property to the bishop, receive a stewardship based on need, and manage it faithfully to obtain eternal life.
Evidence from Text
whoso is found a faithful, a just and a wise steward, shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life.
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, the Law of Consecration is not merely a temporal economic policy; it is a salvific requirement. The text explicitly conditions entering 'the joy of his Lord' and inheriting 'eternal life' upon being a 'faithful, a just and a wise steward' of the property assigned by the bishop. This stands in stark contrast to Evangelical theology, which teaches that eternal life is a free gift of God's grace, received through faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23). While the New Testament encourages radical generosity and care for the poor (Acts 2:44-45, 2 Corinthians 9:7), it never presents communal property management or financial stewardship as the mechanism by which a believer inherits eternal life. In the biblical framework, good works are the fruit of salvation, not the root.
Ecclesiastical Mediation of Property and Standing
Assertion
The church, through the bishop, has the authority to determine a member's worthiness, which directly impacts their property rights and spiritual standing.
Evidence from Text
until he transgresses and is not accounted worthy by the voice of the church... and if he shall transgress, and is not accounted worthy to belong to the church, he shall not have power to claim that portion which he has consecrated
Evangelical Comparison
The text establishes a system where the church hierarchy (the bishop and the 'voice of the church') holds immense power over both the spiritual and temporal lives of the adherents. If a member transgresses, they are not only excommunicated but also lose any surplus property they consecrated to the church, retaining only what was legally deeded back to them. This creates a highly coercive environment where spiritual worthiness is tied to financial vulnerability. In Evangelical Christianity, church discipline (as outlined in Matthew 18:15-20 and 1 Corinthians 5) is entirely spiritual in nature, aimed at the repentance and restoration of the sinner. The New Testament church does not act as a real estate broker or a legal entity that confiscates property as a penalty for sin.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text fundamentally alters the basis of salvation by explicitly promising eternal life as a reward for faithful economic stewardship and obedience to church property laws, rather than as a free gift of grace.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between this text and Evangelical Christianity centers on the doctrine of Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone). Section 23 explicitly states, 'whoso is found a faithful, a just and a wise steward, shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life.' This creates a works-righteousness paradigm where eternal salvation is contingent upon successful participation in a specific, church-mandated economic system. The believer's eternal destiny is placed squarely on their own shoulders and their ability to maintain 'worthiness' before the bishop. In contrast, Evangelical theology insists that eternal life cannot be earned, merited, or maintained by human effort, financial stewardship, or ecclesiastical compliance. Romans 4:4-5 states, 'Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.' By tying eternal life to the Law of Consecration, the text denies the sufficiency of Christ's atonement and places adherents under a heavy yoke of legalism, where their temporal and eternal security are constantly at risk based on their performance.
For All Ages
Imagine if your parents told you that they would only love you and let you live in their house forever if you gave them all your allowance, perfectly managed the chores they assigned you, and never broke a house rule. If you messed up, you would be kicked out and lose your money. That is how this text describes God and heaven. But the Bible teaches something completely different. The Bible says God gives us heaven as a free gift because Jesus already did all the hard work for us. We don't buy our way into heaven by managing money or property well; we get to go to heaven simply by trusting in Jesus.
Friction Points
Sola Fide
Conditions eternal life upon faithful economic stewardship and obedience to church property laws.
Sola Scriptura
Introduces new, binding revelation that adds requirements for eternal life not found in the Bible.
Universal Priesthood
Places the bishop and the institutional church in a mediatorial role over the believer's property, worthiness, and ultimate salvation.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Eternal life"
In This Text
A reward granted to those who are faithful, just, and wise stewards of consecrated property within the LDS church system (often equated with Exaltation in broader LDS theology).
In Evangelicalism
The free gift of God, consisting of knowing Him and residing with Him forever, granted solely through faith in Jesus Christ.
"Steward"
In This Text
A participant in the Law of Consecration who has legally deeded their property to the bishop and received a portion back to manage for the church.
In Evangelicalism
A general principle of managing the time, talents, and treasures God has entrusted to a believer, motivated by love rather than a requirement for salvation.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Entering into the joy of the Lord and inheriting eternal life.
How Attained: By being a faithful, just, and wise steward over consecrated property and maintaining worthiness before the church.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on one's ongoing performance as a steward and the approval ('voice') of the church and bishop.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text is diametrically opposed to Sola Fide. It explicitly makes eternal life the inheritance of those who perform the work of faithful stewardship. Ephesians 2:8-9 declares that salvation is 'not a result of works, so that no one may boast,' directly contradicting the premise of verse 5.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Organize the people according to God's laws
- Appoint unto the people their portion equally according to families, circumstances, wants, and needs
- Give a writing (deed) to secure the portion to the individual
- Appoint an agent to take money and provide food and raiment
- Deal honestly
- Be alike among the people and receive alike
- Do not give church funds to another church without an agreement to be repaid
- Appoint a storehouse
- Keep surplus money and meat in the hands of the bishop
- Reserve funds for the bishop and his family
- Act upon the land as for years
Implicit Obligations
- Submit entirely to the bishop's assessment of what one's family 'needs'
- Maintain strict behavioral worthiness to avoid being 'cut off' and losing consecrated property
- Relinquish private ownership of surplus goods to the institutional church
Ritual Requirements
- The formal, legal act of consecrating property to the bishop
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read verse 5, how does it make you feel to know that inheriting eternal life is tied to being a 'faithful, just, and wise steward'?
- If the Law of Consecration was commanded by God to organize His people, why do you think the church no longer practices it in this way today?
- How do you find peace and assurance of your salvation if it depends on maintaining worthiness and perfect stewardship?
- What is the difference between doing good works to *earn* eternal life, versus doing good works because you *already have* eternal life?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Bishop's Storehouse for the Poor and Needy
The desire to care for the poor and ensure no one is in need is a beautiful, biblical concept (Acts 2). However, the ultimate 'storehouse' is the grace of Jesus Christ. Just as the bishop distributes food to the physically hungry, Christ freely distributes the Bread of Life to the spiritually bankrupt, without requiring a deed or perfect stewardship in return.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer is placed on a performance treadmill where their eternal destiny is explicitly linked to their temporal stewardship. This creates a constant, exhausting pressure to prove one's faithfulness and wisdom to church leadership in order to secure salvation.
The threat of being 'cut off' and losing both one's consecrated property and church standing creates deep insecurity. The believer knows that a misstep could result in temporal ruin and spiritual excommunication.
Because the standard is being a 'faithful, just, and wise steward,' the believer can never be truly certain they have done enough. There is no objective resting point for assurance, unlike the finished work of Christ.
The text demands total surrender of personal autonomy and property to the institutional church. The believer's survival and salvation are entirely mediated by the bishop, leading to an unhealthy dependence on human hierarchy.