Section 136
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 136 represents a pivotal transitional document in the history and theology of the Latter-day Saint movement. Dictated by Brigham Young in January 1847 at Winter Quarters, Nebraska (near Council Bluffs, Iowa), this text served as the divine blueprint for the Mormon pioneers' arduous westward migration to the Salt Lake Valley. Historically, it solidified Brigham Young's prophetic authority following the 1844 assassination of Joseph Smith, effectively organizing the displaced Saints into a highly structured, quasi-military camp modeled directly after the biblical Exodus of the Israelites. The text mandates the creation of companies led by captains of hundreds, fifties, and tens, establishing a strict hierarchical chain of command under the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Beyond its logistical and organizational directives, Section 136 is deeply theological, establishing a rigorous covenantal framework for the community. The Saints are commanded to bind themselves by covenant to keep all commandments and 'walk in all the ordinances of the Lord.' The text intertwines practical survival instructions—such as caring for the poor, the widows, and the fatherless, and preparing crops for subsequent travelers—with strict moral imperatives against covetousness, contention, drunkenness, and taking the Lord's name in vain. Crucially, this section provides a theological theodicy for the Saints' suffering and expulsion from the United States. It frames their trials as necessary divine chastisement to prepare them to 'bear the glory of Zion.' Furthermore, it addresses the trauma of Joseph Smith's martyrdom, asserting that his death was a divine necessity so that he could 'seal his testimony with his blood,' thereby honoring him and condemning the wicked nation that rejected him. For the Latter-day Saint, this text reinforces the necessity of continuous revelation, the absolute requirement of obedience to modern prophetic leadership, and the belief that spiritual glory is contingent upon enduring trials and faithfully keeping all divine mandates.
Key Figures
- The Lord (Identified as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who led Israel out of Egypt)
- Joseph Smith (Martyred prophet whose blood sealed his testimony and whose foundational work is praised)
- Brigham Young (Implicitly the receiver of the revelation, leading the Twelve Apostles)
- Ezra T. Benson (Appointed to organize a company)
- Erastus Snow (Appointed to organize a company)
- Orson Pratt (Appointed to organize a company)
- Wilford Woodruff (Appointed to organize a company)
- Amasa Lyman (Appointed to organize a company)
- George A. Smith (Appointed to organize a company)
- Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and His Apostles (Cited as the continuous lineage of divine revelation culminating in Joseph Smith)
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Purity and Glory
Assertion
Believers are not yet pure enough to bear God's glory, but will achieve this state only through faithful obedience to all commandments and enduring trials.
Evidence from Text
My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them... marvel not at these things, for ye are not yet pure; ye can not yet bear my glory; but ye shall behold it if ye are faithful in keeping all my words
Evangelical Comparison
In Doctrine and Covenants 136, purity and the ability to dwell in God's glory are presented as future states that must be earned or achieved through a grueling process of enduring trials, bearing chastisement, and strictly keeping all commandments. Verse 37 explicitly states, 'ye are not yet pure; ye can not yet bear my glory; but ye shall behold it if ye are faithful in keeping all my words.' This establishes a works-righteousness paradigm where human effort and endurance are the mechanisms for achieving spiritual purity. Evangelical Christianity, grounded in Sola Fide and Sola Gratia, fundamentally rejects this premise. According to biblical theology, believers are justified and made pure the moment they place their faith in Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares that believers become the righteousness of God in Christ. Hebrews 10:10 states, 'we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.' While Christians do undergo progressive sanctification (growth in holiness) and endure trials (James 1:2-4), their fundamental purity and right to stand in God's glory are based entirely on Christ's finished work, not their own faithfulness in keeping all words.
Martyrdom as a Covenantal Seal
Assertion
Joseph Smith's death was a divine necessity required to seal his testimony with his blood, honor him, and condemn the wicked.
Evidence from Text
Many have marveled because of his death; but it was needful that he should seal his testimony with his blood, that he might be honored and the wicked might be condemned.
Evangelical Comparison
Verse 39 elevates the assassination of Joseph Smith to a level of profound theological necessity, stating it was 'needful that he should seal his testimony with his blood.' In the LDS framework, this martyrdom acts as a binding spiritual seal upon the dispensation he inaugurated, serving both to honor Smith and to stand as a condemning witness against the nation that rejected him. From an Evangelical perspective, this doctrine dangerously encroaches upon the exclusive Christological territory of the New Testament. While the Bible honors martyrs (Revelation 6:9), it never attributes covenant-sealing or universally condemning power to their blood. Hebrews 9:11-28 makes it abundantly clear that the New Covenant is sealed exclusively by the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect and final mediator. To suggest that a mere man's blood is 'needful' to seal a divine testimony or to bring about the condemnation of the wicked detracts from the sufficiency and exclusivity of Christ's atonement. In Evangelical theology, Christ's blood alone is the seal of redemption and the standard of judgment.
Continuous Prophetic Succession
Assertion
God's words are given in a continuous, unbroken chain from Adam through biblical figures directly to Joseph Smith, placing Smith's words on par with biblical revelation.
Evidence from Text
...keeping all my words that I have given you, from the days of Adam to Abraham, from Abraham to Moses, from Moses to Jesus and his apostles, and from Jesus and his apostles to Joseph Smith...
Evangelical Comparison
The text constructs a linear, unbroken chain of divine authority and revelation, placing Joseph Smith as the direct successor to Jesus and His apostles. By commanding adherents to keep all words given from Adam down to Joseph Smith, the text explicitly equates the modern revelations of Mormonism with the established, canonical texts of the Old and New Testaments. This doctrine of continuous revelation requires adherents to view the LDS President as a living conduit of God's voice. This directly violates the Evangelical pillar of Sola Scriptura. Evangelicals believe that God's special revelation to humanity was completed with the apostolic era and the closing of the New Testament canon. Hebrews 1:1-2 states, 'Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.' Jude 1:3 urges believers to 'contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.' The addition of Joseph Smith to this prophetic lineage fundamentally alters the source of ultimate truth, shifting authority from the completed Bible to an ongoing, open canon managed by a modern institutional hierarchy.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text establishes a works-based covenant where spiritual purity and glory are contingent upon strict obedience to ordinances and modern prophets, fundamentally denying the Evangelical doctrines of Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological chasm between Doctrine and Covenants 136 and Evangelical Christianity is rooted in fundamentally different understandings of justification, authority, and the nature of the New Covenant. In this text, the relationship between God and humanity is mediated through a strict, conditional covenant of works and ordinances. Verse 4 explicitly defines the covenant as a promise to 'walk in all the ordinances of the Lord.' Furthermore, verses 31 and 37 establish that believers are inherently impure and can only become prepared to receive God's glory by bearing chastisement and being 'faithful in keeping all my words.' This creates a theological system where human effort, endurance, and ritual compliance are the indispensable mechanisms for achieving salvation and standing before God. Evangelicalism, built upon the Reformation pillars of Sola Fide (Faith Alone) and Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), categorically rejects this works-righteousness paradigm. According to the New Testament, justification is a forensic declaration by God where the believer is declared righteous instantly upon exercising faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-28). The believer's purity is not achieved through enduring trials or keeping commandments, but is imputed to them by Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Ephesians 2:8-9 explicitly denies that salvation can be achieved through works or human diligence. Additionally, the text's reliance on continuous revelation and the elevation of Joseph Smith's martyrdom to a covenant-sealing status creates an insurmountable gap regarding authority. By placing Smith in a direct, unbroken line from Jesus and the Apostles, and by asserting that his blood was 'needful' to seal his testimony, the text diminishes the finality of the biblical canon (Sola Scriptura) and the absolute sufficiency of Christ's once-for-all atoning sacrifice (Solus Christus).
For All Ages
Imagine you are trying to get into a beautiful, perfect castle. This text says that to get in, you have to follow a very long list of rules, join a specific group, go through special ceremonies, and prove you are tough enough by going through hard times. It says if you work really hard and obey the leaders, eventually you might be pure enough to enter. But the Bible teaches something completely different. The Bible says we can never be good enough or follow enough rules to get into the castle on our own. Instead, Jesus perfectly followed all the rules for us, and He opened the door. When we trust in Jesus, He gives us His purity as a free gift. We don't have to earn it by our own hard work; we just have to accept what Jesus already did for us.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Verses 37 and 42 make purity, glory, and avoiding judgment contingent upon being 'faithful in keeping all my words' and 'diligent in keeping all my commandments.'
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Verse 31 asserts that believers must be 'tried in all things' to be 'prepared to receive the glory,' making human endurance of suffering a prerequisite for receiving God's grace.
Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
Verse 39 claims it was 'needful' for Joseph Smith to seal his testimony with his blood to condemn the wicked, attributing covenantal and judicial power to a man's martyrdom.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
Verse 37 places the words of Joseph Smith on the exact same authoritative level as the words of Jesus and the biblical apostles.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Ordinances"
In This Text
Binding, necessary rituals and laws that must be walked in to fulfill the covenant and achieve glory.
In Evangelicalism
Symbolic sacraments (like baptism and communion) instituted by Christ, which are outward signs of inward grace, but are not prerequisites for justification or salvation.
"Zion"
In This Text
A physical gathering place for the Latter-day Saints (in this context, the destination in the West) and a state of spiritual glory to be achieved.
In Evangelicalism
Historically Jerusalem; theologically, the heavenly city of God, the Church, or the future eternal state.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Being prepared to receive the 'glory of Zion' and being able to 'bear my glory' (v. 31, 37).
How Attained: Through enduring trials, bearing chastisement, walking in all ordinances, and being strictly diligent in keeping all commandments from Adam to Joseph Smith.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is fragile and based on continuous performance. Verse 42 warns that failing to be diligent will result in judgments, failing faith, and enemies triumphing.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. While Romans 3:28 states 'that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,' D&C 136:42 warns 'Be diligent in keeping all my commandments, lest judgments come upon you.' The burden of salvation rests heavily on the believer's ability to perform and obey.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Organize into companies (v. 2)
- Make a covenant and promise to keep all commandments and statutes (v. 2)
- Organize with captains of hundreds, fifties, and tens, with a president and counselors (v. 3)
- Walk in all the ordinances of the Lord (v. 4)
- Provide teams, wagons, provisions, clothing, and necessaries (v. 5)
- Go to with might to prepare for those who tarry (v. 6)
- Decide how many can go next spring (v. 7)
- Choose able-bodied and expert men to go as pioneers (v. 7)
- Bear an equal proportion in taking the poor, widows, fatherless, and families of soldiers (v. 8)
- Prepare houses and fields for raising grain for those remaining behind (v. 9)
- Use all influence and property to remove the people to Zion (v. 10)
- Ezra T. Benson and Erastus Snow organize a company (v. 12)
- Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodruff organize a company (v. 13)
- Amasa Lyman and George A. Smith organize a company (v. 14)
- Appoint presidents and captains of hundreds, fifties, and tens (v. 15)
- Appointed servants must go and teach this will to the saints (v. 16)
- Go thy way and do as told (v. 17)
- Fear not thine enemies (v. 17, 30)
- Seek ye (v. 20)
- Keep all pledges one with another (v. 20)
- Covet not that which is thy brother's (v. 20)
- Keep yourselves from evil to take the name of the Lord in vain (v. 21)
- Cease to contend one with another (v. 23)
- Cease to speak evil one of another (v. 23)
- Cease drunkenness (v. 24)
- Let your words tend to edifying one another (v. 24)
- Restore that which thou hast borrowed (v. 25)
- Go straightway and tell thy neighbor if thou canst not repay (v. 25)
- Make diligent search till thou shalt deliver a lost item to its owner (v. 26)
- Be diligent in preserving what thou hast to be a wise steward (v. 27)
- Praise the Lord with singing, music, dancing, and prayer if merry (v. 28)
- Call on the Lord with supplication if sorrowful (v. 29)
- Learn wisdom by humbling oneself and calling upon the Lord if ignorant (v. 32)
- Marvel not at these things [trials and lack of purity] (v. 37)
- Hearken, O ye people of my church (v. 41)
- Ye elders listen together (v. 41)
- Be diligent in keeping all my commandments (v. 42)
Implicit Obligations
- Submit entirely to the hierarchical authority of the Twelve Apostles and the appointed captains.
- Accept the theological premise that the United States government is condemned by God for the expulsion of the Saints.
- View personal property as communal resources to be utilized for the collective migration of the church.
- Accept Joseph Smith's martyrdom as a divinely orchestrated necessity rather than merely a tragic historical event.
Ritual Requirements
- Walk in all the ordinances of the Lord (v. 4)
- Make a formal covenant and promise (v. 2, 4)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 37, the Lord says 'ye are not yet pure; ye can not yet bear my glory; but ye shall behold it if ye are faithful in keeping all my words.' Do you feel like you are currently keeping all of His words perfectly enough to be pure?
- Verse 39 mentions that it was needful for Joseph Smith to seal his testimony with his blood. How does this compare to Hebrews 9, which talks about Jesus sealing the new covenant with His blood?
- Verse 42 warns that if we aren't diligent in keeping all commandments, judgments will come upon us. How do you find peace and assurance of your standing with God when the requirement is absolute diligence?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Journey to a Land of Peace
The pioneers were seeking a physical land of peace to escape persecution. Evangelicals can bridge this to the spiritual reality that true peace is not found in a geographic location or a physical 'Zion,' but in the person of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text places an immense burden on the believer to achieve purity through their own faithfulness. By stating they are 'not yet pure' and will only see glory 'if ye are faithful in keeping all my words,' the believer is trapped on a treadmill of endless performance, never truly knowing if they have done enough to be worthy.
Verse 42 ends the revelation with a stark threat: 'Be diligent in keeping all my commandments, lest judgments come upon you, and your faith fail you.' This cultivates a relationship with God based on fear of punishment rather than resting in His grace, stripping the believer of any true assurance of salvation.
The text demands absolute submission to the organizational hierarchy (captains, presidents, apostles) and requires the believer to accept the theological necessity of Joseph Smith's martyrdom. This binds the believer's spiritual standing to their loyalty to the church institution and its historical narrative.