Section 95
Overview
Section 95 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (given in June 1833) serves as a severe divine reprimand to Joseph Smith and the early Latter-day Saint leadership for delaying the construction of the Kirtland Temple. The text frames this delay as a 'very grievous sin' that has caused the leaders to walk in 'darkness at noon-day.' The revelation establishes a direct theological link between the physical construction of a specific building and the reception of divine power ('endowment from on high'), drawing a parallel to the biblical apostles waiting in Jerusalem. Furthermore, the text introduces highly conditional language regarding God's love, explicitly stating that if the commandments are not kept, 'the love of the Father shall not continue with you.' It also provides specific architectural dimensions for the structure and introduces unique, extrabiblical Christological titles such as 'Son Ahman,' 'Alphus,' and 'Omegus.' The text fundamentally shifts the locus of spiritual empowerment from the sovereign outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon believers to a mediated experience contingent upon physical labor, architectural obedience, and ritual gathering.
Key Figures
- The Lord / Jesus Christ / Son Ahman / Alphus / Omegus (The divine speaker who chastens the church, commands the building of the temple, and threatens the withdrawal of the Father's love for disobedience)
- The Apostles / Servants (The early Mormon leaders who are rebuked for their grievous sin of neglecting the temple construction and for contentions in the school of the prophets)
- Three Appointed Men (Historically the First Presidency, who are to be ordained to the power of receiving the divine architectural pattern for the temple)
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Chastisement as a Means of Forgiveness
Assertion
The text claims that God chastens those He loves specifically 'that their sins may be forgiven'.
Evidence from Text
whom I love I also chasten, that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, rooted in Sola Fide and Penal Substitutionary Atonement, the forgiveness of sins is an accomplished fact for the believer, secured entirely by Christ's finished work on the cross (Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22). Chastisement (or discipline) is recognized as a reality for the believer (Hebrews 12:6), but its purpose is sanctification and correction, not justification or the expiation of sin. This text diverges by explicitly linking the endurance of chastisement to the procurement of forgiveness ('that their sins may be forgiven'). This subtly shifts the burden of atonement; rather than resting entirely on Christ's suffering, the believer's own suffering (chastisement) becomes a participatory requirement for their sins to be remitted. This undermines the sufficiency of Christ's 'once for all' sacrifice.
Temple-Mediated Pneumatology (Endowment)
Assertion
The text asserts that a physical building (temple) must be constructed in order for chosen leaders to be endowed with divine power.
Evidence from Text
I gave unto you a commandment, that you should build an house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Christianity maintains that under the New Covenant, the physical temple in Jerusalem has been superseded by the believer's body (1 Corinthians 6:19) and the corporate church (Ephesians 2:21-22). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2) fulfilled the promise of the Father, and now every believer receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14) without the prerequisite of physical architecture or esoteric rituals. Section 95 resurrects a localized, temple-centric pneumatology. It commands the building of a physical 'house' as the necessary prerequisite for receiving 'power from on high.' By drawing a parallel to the apostles tarrying in Jerusalem, the text implies that the early Mormon leaders lacked this apostolic power and could only obtain it by completing a massive public works project. This creates a works-based prerequisite for the reception of the Holy Spirit's empowering presence.
Conditional Love of the Father
Assertion
The text explicitly states that God the Father's love is conditional upon strict obedience to commandments.
Evidence from Text
if you keep not my commandments the love of the Father, shall not continue with you: therefore you shall walk in darkness.
Evangelical Comparison
One of the most comforting doctrines of Evangelical Christianity is the unconditional, electing love of God for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:38-39 explicitly declares that nothing—including present or future failures—can separate a believer from the love of God. While God may discipline His children, His fundamental disposition of love toward them is immutable because it is based on Christ's righteousness, not the believer's performance. This text presents a starkly different theology proper. It asserts that 'the love of the Father shall not continue with you' if commandments (specifically, the command to build the temple) are not kept. This renders God's love highly conditional and transactional. It places the believer in a precarious spiritual state where divine affection must be continually earned and maintained through works, fundamentally violating the doctrine of Sola Gratia (Grace Alone).
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text fundamentally diverges from Evangelicalism by making God's love conditional upon works, requiring a physical temple for the reception of the Holy Spirit, and redefining biblical terms like 'Lord of Sabaoth'.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological chasm between Section 95 and Evangelical Christianity is profound, primarily concerning the nature of God's love and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Evangelicalism, standing on Sola Gratia and Sola Fide, insists that a believer's standing before God is secured entirely by the imputed righteousness of Christ. Consequently, God's love for the believer is unconditional and immutable (Romans 8:38-39). Section 95 shatters this security by explicitly stating, 'if you keep not my commandments the love of the Father, shall not continue with you.' This introduces a terrifying works-righteousness paradigm where divine affection is held hostage to human performance. Furthermore, the text exhibits a regressive, Old Covenant-style pneumatology. While the New Testament declares that the veil was torn and the believer's body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), Section 95 demands the construction of a physical edifice to receive 'power from on high.' This effectively denies the sufficiency of Pentecost and the immediate indwelling of the Spirit at conversion, replacing it with a mediated, ritualistic, and location-bound requirement for spiritual empowerment.
For All Ages
Imagine your parents told you, 'We will only keep loving you if you build us a giant treehouse exactly the way we draw it. If you don't build it, we will stop loving you.' That would be very scary! In the Bible, God's love is like a perfect parent's love—He loves us no matter what because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. But in this text, God says His love will stop if the people don't build a special building called a temple. Also, the Bible says God gives us the Holy Spirit right when we believe in Jesus, right in our hearts. But this text says they have to build the temple first before they can get God's power. It makes God's love and power something you have to earn by working hard, instead of a free gift.
Friction Points
Sola Fide / Penal Substitutionary Atonement
Claims that enduring chastisement is a means by which sins are forgiven, rather than relying solely on Christ's atoning sacrifice.
Pneumatology / Universal Priesthood
Requires the construction of a physical temple to receive the Holy Spirit's power, denying the immediate indwelling of the Spirit in all believers.
Sola Gratia / Unconditional Election
Asserts that the love of the Father is conditional and will not continue if commandments are broken.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Lord of Sabaoth"
In This Text
Explicitly defined in the text as 'the Creator of the first day; the beginning and the end.'
In Evangelicalism
A Hebrew transliteration meaning 'Lord of Hosts' or 'Lord of Armies,' referring to God's sovereign command over angelic and earthly armies.
"Endow / Endowment"
In This Text
A specific impartation of power from on high that requires the construction of a physical temple to receive.
In Evangelicalism
The giving of the Holy Spirit to all believers at the moment of salvation, or the equipping of believers with spiritual gifts, not tied to a physical temple building.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In this specific text, salvation is framed as deliverance from temptation, forgiveness of sins, and receiving divine power/endowment.
How Attained: Forgiveness is attained through enduring chastisement; divine power is attained through strict obedience to building a physical temple.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is entirely conditional. The text explicitly removes assurance by stating that the Father's love will cease if commandments are not kept.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. While Ephesians 2:8-9 states that salvation is a gift of God not of works, this text makes God's continued love and the reception of spiritual power entirely dependent on the physical work of constructing a building and maintaining behavioral perfection.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Call a solemn assembly
- Engage in fasting and mourning
- Build a house (temple) to the Lord
- Appoint and ordain three men to receive the architectural pattern
- Build the inner court to specific dimensions (55 feet wide, 65 feet long)
- Dedicate the lower part of the inner court for sacrament, preaching, fasting, and praying
- Dedicate the higher part of the inner court for the school of the apostles
Implicit Obligations
- Repent of the 'very grievous sin' of neglecting the temple
- Cease walking in 'darkness at noon-day'
- Resolve and eliminate contentions within the school of the prophets
- Reject the 'manner of the world' in building and living
Ritual Requirements
- Sacrament offering
- Fasting
- Praying and offering up holy desires
- Solemn assembly
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read verse 3, where it says 'if you keep not my commandments the love of the Father shall not continue with you,' how does that make you feel about your daily standing with God?
- How do you reconcile the conditional love described in D&C 95 with the Apostle Paul's promise in Romans 8:38-39 that nothing can separate us from the love of God?
- In the book of Acts, the believers received the Holy Spirit in an upper room without having to build a temple first. Why do you think D&C 95 requires a specific building to be constructed to receive power from on high?
- The text translates 'Lord of Sabaoth' as 'Creator of the first day.' In biblical Hebrew, 'Sabaoth' means 'Armies' or 'Hosts.' How do you understand this difference?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for a 'House' to meet with God
The human heart longs for a place where heaven and earth meet. In the Old Testament, this was the temple. But Jesus declared Himself to be the true Temple (John 2:19-21). Because of Jesus, we don't need to build a house to find God; God has made His house in us.
Chastisement out of Love
We can agree that God disciplines His children out of love. However, we can pivot to show that this discipline is to train us in righteousness, not to pay for our sins, because Jesus already paid for our sins completely on the cross.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text places an immense burden on the believer to perform physical works (building a temple) and maintain perfect obedience in order to receive spiritual power. Failure to perform results in being labeled as walking in 'darkness at noon-day.' This creates a constant treadmill of striving where rest in Christ's finished work is impossible.
By explicitly stating that the Father's love will not continue if commandments are broken, the text instills a deep-seated fear of divine abandonment. Believers are left with no eternal security, constantly wondering if their current level of obedience is sufficient to keep God loving them.