Section 43
Overview
Given in June 1829, shortly before the formal organization of the Church of Christ (later LDS Church), this text (known as Section 18 in the modern LDS Doctrine and Covenants) serves as a foundational transitional document. It bridges the completion of the Book of Mormon translation ('the things which you have written') and the impending establishment of a formal ecclesiastical structure. The revelation speaks in the first-person voice of Jesus Christ, validating the manuscript's truthfulness through subjective spiritual manifestation. It outlines a robust missiological mandate, famously declaring that 'the worth of souls is great in the sight of God' and promising immense joy to those who bring even one soul to repentance. However, it couples this evangelistic zeal with a strict, conditional soteriology. Salvation and the efficacy of Christ's atonement are explicitly tied to human performance: enduring to the end, being baptized, and flawlessly keeping commandments. The text also initiates the restoration of the Apostolic office, commanding Cowdery and Whitmer to identify twelve men who will take upon them the name of Christ with full purpose of heart. Theologically, the text establishes a paradigm where divine grace is acknowledged but ultimately subordinated to human obedience, culminating in the stark warning that failure to keep the commandments results in a forfeiture of salvation.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The claimed first-person speaker of the text, identified as Lord, God, and Redeemer, whose suffering allows for repentance and whose voice is equated with the dictated words of the revelation.
- Oliver Cowdery: The primary scribe for the Book of Mormon, commanded here to rely on what he has written, preach repentance, and help select the twelve apostles.
- David Whitmer: Co-recipient of the revelation, called to the same apostolic-level preaching ministry as Cowdery and tasked with finding the twelve.
- Joseph Smith, jr.: Identified as the servant who baptized Cowdery and who is called to God's own purpose, promised eternal life conditionally upon his diligence.
- Paul the Apostle: Used as a historical and authoritative benchmark; Cowdery and Whitmer are told they share the 'same calling with which he was called.'
- The Twelve: A prophesied group of future leaders who will be called to preach to all the world and ordain priests and teachers.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Salvation via Commandment Keeping
Assertion
Salvation in the kingdom of the Father is strictly contingent upon the believer's ongoing obedience to all commandments.
Evidence from Text
And after that you have received this, if you keep not my commandments, you cannot be saved in the kingdom of my Father. (v. 7)
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, justification is a forensic, once-for-all declaration by God where Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to the believer through faith alone (Romans 3:28, Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works and commandment-keeping are the *fruit* of salvation, not the *root* or requirement for maintaining it. This text, however, establishes a works-righteousness paradigm. Verse 7 explicitly states that failing to keep the commandments results in a loss of salvation. This places the ultimate burden of redemption on the believer's performance rather than Christ's finished work on the cross, fundamentally altering the nature of the Gospel from a pronouncement of what Christ has done to a mandate of what the believer must do.
Restoration of the Apostolic Office
Assertion
The office of the Twelve Apostles must be restored to the earth to preach the gospel and ordain lower priesthood offices.
Evidence from Text
there are others who are called to declare my gospel... yea, even twelve: and the twelve shall be my disciples... you shall search out the twelve (v. 5-6)
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Christianity teaches that the office of Apostle was foundational to the early church (Ephesians 2:20) and required specific qualifications, namely being an eyewitness to the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22). Because the foundation has been laid and the canon of Scripture is closed, the office of Apostle is no longer active or necessary. This text asserts that new Apostles must be called and ordained to administer the church and authorize lower priesthoods (priests and teachers). This creates a hierarchical, mediatorial priesthood structure that Evangelicalism rejects in favor of the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9), where all Christians have direct access to God through the sole mediator, Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5).
Experiential Epistemology of the Word
Assertion
Reading the dictated revelations by the power of the Spirit is literally equated to hearing the voice of Jesus Christ.
Evidence from Text
by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power, you could not have them: wherefore you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words. (v. 5)
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical epistemology is grounded in Sola Scriptura: the 66 books of the Bible are the objective, sufficient, and final authority for truth. While the Holy Spirit illuminates the text for the believer, the truth of the text is inherent and objective. In contrast, this text teaches that the verification of truth comes through a subjective spiritual manifestation ('manifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances, that the things which you have written are true' - v. 1). Furthermore, it equates the emotional/spiritual experience of reading Joseph Smith's dictated words with audibly hearing the voice of Christ. This elevates subjective spiritual experience to the level of divine, infallible authority, making it difficult to correct theological error using objective biblical exegesis.
Age of Accountability for Baptism
Assertion
Baptism is required for men, women, and children, but only for children who have reached a specific age of accountability.
Evidence from Text
all men must repent and be baptized; and not only men, but women and children, who have arriven to the years of accountability. (v. 6)
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelicalism (specifically the credobaptist tradition) teaches that baptism is an outward sign of an inward reality, reserved for those who can articulate faith in Christ. While Evangelicals often speak informally of an 'age of accountability' regarding the salvation of infants, it is not codified as a strict ordinance prerequisite in the way LDS theology does (later defined as 8 years old in D&C 68). Furthermore, Evangelicalism rejects the necessity of baptism for salvation entirely (Sola Fide), whereas this text links repentance, baptism, and enduring to the end as a composite requirement for being saved (v. 4).
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text shifts salvation from a free gift received by faith alone to a conditional state maintained by strict obedience to commandments and participation in restored priesthood ordinances.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The fundamental theological gap between this text and Evangelical Christianity lies in Soteriology and Ecclesiology. Evangelicals hold to Sola Fide—that justification is a forensic declaration by God where a sinner is declared righteous solely based on the imputed righteousness of Christ, received through faith alone. Good works are the inevitable fruit of this new nature, but they do not earn or maintain salvation. This text, particularly in verses 4 and 7, constructs a synergistic soteriology where Christ's atonement merely provides the *opportunity* for salvation ('on conditions of repentance'), but actual salvation requires the believer to 'endure to the end' and 'keep my commandments in all things.' The chilling warning, 'if you keep not my commandments, you cannot be saved,' nullifies the Evangelical understanding of grace. Furthermore, the text diverges ecclesiologically by mandating the restoration of the Twelve Apostles and the necessity of specific priesthood authority to baptize and ordain. Evangelicalism teaches the Universal Priesthood of all believers, where no human mediator or exclusive institutional authority is required to access God's grace or perform valid ministry. By inserting a required hierarchy (Joseph Smith, the Twelve, ordained priests), the text creates an institutional barrier between the believer and Christ that the New Testament explicitly removed.
For All Ages
Imagine you owe a billion dollars to a bank, and a rich king pays it off completely. In traditional Christianity, the king hands you the receipt and says, 'It's paid. You are free. Now, out of love for me, let's do good things together.' You are safe forever because of what the king did. But in this text, the king says, 'I paid the debt so you have a chance. But if you ever break any of my rules, the debt comes back, and you will be thrown in jail.' It changes the good news from 'Jesus did it all' to 'Jesus did his part, now you have to do yours perfectly, or else.'
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Verse 7 explicitly states that salvation is lost if commandments are not kept, making salvation dependent on human works and obedience rather than faith alone.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
The text claims to be the direct, verbatim voice of Jesus Christ, adding new revelation to the closed canon and establishing a subjective spiritual epistemology.
Universal Priesthood
Verses 5-6 mandate the calling of new Apostles with exclusive authority to ordain priests and teachers, creating a necessary human hierarchy for valid ministry.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Gospel"
In This Text
A set of laws and ordinances (faith, repentance, baptism, enduring to the end) that a person must perform to be saved.
In Evangelicalism
The 'good news' of Christ's finished work on the cross, His death, burial, and resurrection, which secures salvation for the believer by grace through faith (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
"Saved"
In This Text
Attaining eternal life in the kingdom of the Father, which is strictly conditional upon keeping all commandments (v. 7).
In Evangelicalism
Being rescued from the penalty of sin, justified before God, and guaranteed eternal life as a present, secure possession based on faith in Christ (John 5:24).
"Repentance"
In This Text
A continuous process of behavioral modification and commandment-keeping required to access the atonement.
In Evangelicalism
A change of mind and heart (metanoia) that turns away from self-reliance and sin, and turns toward Christ in faith for justification.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Having a place in the kingdom of the Father (v. 4, 7).
How Attained: By repenting, being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, enduring to the end (v. 4), and keeping the commandments in all things (v. 7).
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is impossible to fully attain in this life, as it is entirely dependent on the believer's ongoing, flawless performance ('if you keep not my commandments, you cannot be saved').
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text is the antithesis of Sola Fide. While it mentions faith (v. 4), it immediately surrounds it with mandatory works (baptism, enduring, keeping commandments). 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.' This text demands the work.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- rely upon the things which are written (v. 1)
- build up my church upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock (v. 1)
- marvel not that I have called him [Joseph] unto mine own purpose (v. 2)
- repent (v. 3)
- Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God (v. 3)
- cry repentance unto this people (v. 3)
- ask the Father in my name in faith believing that you shall receive (v. 4)
- Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil (v. 4)
- Take upon you the name of Christ (v. 4)
- speak the truth in soberness (v. 4)
- walk uprightly before me and sin not (v. 5)
- testify they are of me, and not of man (v. 5)
- search out the twelve (v. 6)
- show these things unto them (v. 6)
- fall down and worship the Father in my name (v. 6)
- preach unto the world (v. 6)
- keep my commandments in all things (v. 7)
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith as a legitimate prophet and the one who holds the authority to baptize (v. 2).
- Accept the manuscript of the Book of Mormon as divine truth (v. 1).
- Submit to the authority of the newly called Twelve Apostles once they are found.
- Maintain a state of personal worthiness to ensure salvation (v. 7).
Ritual Requirements
- Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for all who have reached the years of accountability (v. 4, 6).
- Ordination of priests and teachers by the Twelve Apostles (v. 5).
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 3, it says the worth of souls is great. How does knowing God values you that much make you feel?
- Verse 7 says, 'if you keep not my commandments, you cannot be saved.' How do you know if you are keeping the commandments well enough to be saved?
- When you read verse 7, does it bring you peace and assurance, or does it make you feel anxious about your standing with God?
- If salvation requires us to keep the commandments in all things, how do we handle the times when we inevitably fail? Does Christ's grace cover us, or do we lose our salvation?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Worth of Souls
This is a beautiful truth that aligns perfectly with the biblical Gospel. God's love for humanity is so profound that He willingly suffered and died. This can be used to pivot to the *reason* He died: because we could never keep the commandments perfectly (contrary to v. 7). He died because our souls are worth saving, and we couldn't save ourselves.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
Verse 7 places an absolute, crushing burden on the believer: 'if you keep not my commandments, you cannot be saved.' This creates a perpetual state of anxiety, as the believer can never be certain they have done enough or been obedient enough to secure their place in the kingdom. It robs the believer of the peace and rest promised by Christ.
Verses 3-4 tie the believer's eternal joy directly to their success in converting others ('how great will be your joy, if you should bring many souls unto me'). While evangelism is good, tying one's spiritual success and joy to the free-will choices of others creates immense pressure and potential for guilt if one's missionary efforts are unfruitful.
Because salvation is conditional upon enduring to the end and keeping all commandments, the believer can never have true assurance of salvation in this life. They must wait until the final judgment to see if their performance was sufficient.
By requiring the believer to be baptized by specific authority and submit to the newly called Twelve Apostles, the text forces the believer to rely on a human institution for their standing with God, rather than having direct, unmediated access to Christ.