Section 106
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 106 is a revelation dictated by Joseph Smith in November 1834, directed specifically to Warren A. Cowdery, the older brother of Oliver Cowdery. The text serves primarily as an ecclesiastical calling and ordination mandate, appointing Warren as a 'presiding high priest' over the church in Freedom, New York, and surrounding regions. It commands him to abandon secular pursuits ('the crafts of men') and devote his entire time to preaching the gospel and warning the people, promising divine provision in return. The revelation heavily utilizes New Testament phraseology, weaving in concepts like the 'thief in the night,' 'children of light,' and 'mansions of my Father.' Theologically, the text establishes a framework of conditional grace and reward. God promises to give Warren grace, assurance, and a crown in the Father's mansions, but these promises are explicitly contingent upon his ongoing performance: 'inasmuch as he will humble himself' and 'if he continue to be a faithful witness.' For the evangelical analyst, this text highlights two major points of divergence: the restoration of the 'High Priest' as a continuing earthly office (contrasting with Christ's exclusive high priesthood in Hebrews) and the conditional nature of grace and eternal reward, which conflicts with the evangelical doctrine of justification by faith alone.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The implied first-person speaker of the revelation who issues the calling, sets the conditions for grace, and promises a crown.
- Warren A. Cowdery: The recipient of the revelation, called to be a presiding high priest, commended for bowing to God's scepter, but warned regarding the vanity of his heart.
- Joseph Smith: The prophet and revelator through whom the text was dictated, acting as the mediator of God's will to Warren.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Earthly High Priesthood
Assertion
The office of 'high priest' is an earthly ecclesiastical position to which men can be appointed and ordained to preside over local church congregations.
Evidence from Text
It is my will that my servant Warren A. Cowdery should be appointed and ordained a presiding high priest over my church, in the land of Freedom and the regions round about
Evangelical Comparison
In Mormon theology, the High Priesthood is an office within the Melchizedek Priesthood held by many worthy male members, allowing them to preside and administer ordinances. D&C 106 demonstrates this by ordaining Warren Cowdery to this specific office. Evangelical Christianity, relying on the Book of Hebrews (specifically Hebrews 7:23-28 and 9:11-12), teaches that the Old Testament high priesthood was a shadow fulfilled entirely by Jesus Christ. Because Christ lives forever, He holds His priesthood permanently, and there is no longer a need for earthly high priests to mediate or preside in that specific capacity. Instead, Evangelicals affirm the 'universal priesthood of all believers' (1 Peter 2:9), where all Christians have direct access to God through Christ without the need for an ordained human high priest.
Conditional Grace and Exaltation
Assertion
God's grace, mercy, and the ultimate reward of a heavenly crown are contingent upon the believer's ongoing humility, faithfulness, and works.
Evidence from Text
I will lift him up inasmuch as he will humble himself before me. And I will give him grace and assurance wherewith he may stand; and if he continue to be a faithful witness and a light unto the church I have prepared a crown for him
Evangelical Comparison
The text explicitly uses conditional language ('inasmuch as', 'if he continue') to describe Warren's reception of grace, assurance, and his heavenly crown. This reflects the broader Latter-day Saint soteriology where grace is often viewed as an enabling power that is activated or maintained through obedience and faithfulness. In stark contrast, Evangelical Christianity adheres to Sola Fide and Sola Gratia. Ephesians 2:8-9 declares that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works. Romans 11:6 further clarifies that if salvation is by grace, it cannot be based on works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. While Evangelicals believe true faith will produce good works (James 2), the works themselves do not secure or maintain the believer's justification or their ultimate heavenly inheritance, which is guaranteed by the finished work of Christ.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text diverges from Evangelicalism by establishing an earthly High Priesthood and making grace and eternal rewards strictly conditional upon ongoing human performance and humility.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The fundamental theological gap between D&C 106 and Evangelical Christianity lies in the doctrines of Priesthood and Soteriology. First, the text assumes the validity of an ongoing, earthly Melchizedek priesthood with the specific office of 'High Priest.' Evangelical theology, rooted in the Book of Hebrews, insists that the High Priesthood was a typological office fulfilled exclusively and permanently by Jesus Christ. To ordain a mere man to this office is viewed as an infringement upon Christ's unique mediatorial role. Second, the text presents a synergistic soteriology where grace is conditional. God promises to lift Warren up 'inasmuch as he will humble himself' and promises a heavenly crown 'if he continue to be a faithful witness.' This conditional framework violates the evangelical pillar of Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone). In evangelical theology, justification is a definitive, past-tense declaration by God based entirely on the imputed righteousness of Christ, not a probationary status maintained by the believer's ongoing faithfulness.
For All Ages
Imagine you are given a free ticket to the greatest amusement park ever. In the Bible, Jesus buys the ticket for you, hands it to you, and says, 'It's yours forever because I love you.' You are so happy that you naturally want to follow His rules while you're there. But in this text, it's like being told, 'I will give you the ticket, BUT only if you keep acting perfectly humble and do all the chores I assign you. If you stop doing the chores, you lose the ticket.' Evangelical Christians believe Jesus already did all the work to save us, so we don't have to earn our way into heaven by our own actions.
Friction Points
Universal Priesthood / Christology
Ordaining a mortal man to the office of High Priest, which belongs exclusively to Jesus Christ in the New Covenant.
Sola Fide / Sola Gratia
Making grace, assurance, and the heavenly crown contingent upon the believer's ongoing performance ('inasmuch as', 'if he continue').
Sola Scriptura
Presenting new, binding revelation outside the closed canon of the 66-book Bible.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"High Priest"
In This Text
An ordained office within the Melchizedek Priesthood held by mortal men who preside over local church affairs.
In Evangelicalism
The supreme religious leader in the Old Covenant, perfectly fulfilled by Jesus Christ in the New Covenant, who is now the sole mediator between God and man.
"Grace"
In This Text
Divine help or strength given conditionally based on a person's humility and obedience ('I will give him grace... inasmuch as he will humble himself').
In Evangelicalism
Unmerited, unearned favor bestowed upon sinners solely through faith in Christ.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Receiving a 'crown' in the 'mansions of my Father' (exaltation/eternal life).
How Attained: Through bowing to God's authority, separating from the world, humbling oneself, and continuing as a faithful witness.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is promised by God, but it is strictly conditional upon the believer's ongoing faithfulness and humility.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text directly contradicts Sola Fide. While it mentions 'grace', that grace is dispensed 'inasmuch as' the person humbles himself. The ultimate reward (the crown) is suspended on an 'if' clause ('if he continue to be a faithful witness'). Romans 4:4-5 teaches that to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Preach my everlasting gospel (v. 2)
- Lift up his voice (v. 2)
- Warn the people in his own place and adjoining counties (v. 2)
- Devote his whole time to this high and holy calling (v. 3)
- Seek diligently the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness (v. 3)
- Gird up your loins (v. 5)
- Humble himself before me (v. 7)
- Continue to be a faithful witness and a light unto the church (v. 8)
Implicit Obligations
- Accept the authority of Joseph Smith as the conduit for this divine calling
- Maintain personal worthiness to avoid the 'vanity of his heart' overtaking him
- Trust in the church's financial provision ('laborer is worthy of his hire') while serving full-time
Ritual Requirements
- Be appointed and ordained a presiding high priest (v. 1)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read verse 8, how does the phrase 'if he continue to be a faithful witness... I have prepared a crown' make you feel about your own standing with God?
- How do you balance the conditional language here ('inasmuch as he will humble himself') with Paul's teaching in Ephesians 2 that salvation is a gift, not of works?
- In Hebrews 7, the Bible says Jesus holds His priesthood permanently because He lives forever, unlike the old high priests who died. How does the LDS office of High Priest fit with Christ's finished work as our final High Priest?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Joy in Heaven over Repentance
This mirrors Jesus' teaching in Luke 15 about the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. This can be used to bridge to the true nature of repentance—not just submitting to an earthly church organization, but turning to Christ in faith, which brings immediate and secure joy to the Father.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer is required to submit to layers of human priesthood authority (like a 'presiding high priest') to mediate God's will and govern the church, obscuring the direct access to God purchased by Christ.
The constant pressure of the 'if/then' conditional grace. A believer reading this text internalizes that God's mercy and their ultimate heavenly crown are constantly at risk if they fail to 'continue to be a faithful witness' or if the 'vanity of their heart' takes over. This destroys true biblical assurance.