Section 45
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 45 is a significant eschatological revelation given through Joseph Smith in March 1831. It begins with a powerful depiction of Jesus Christ as the Creator and Advocate with the Father, pleading for those who believe on His name. The text then transitions into a detailed expansion of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), where Christ recounts His prophecies to His original disciples regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, the scattering of the Jews, and the signs preceding His Second Coming. The revelation introduces the concept of the 'times of the Gentiles' and warns of impending desolations, sickness, and wars. It vividly describes Christ's return, His appearance on the Mount of Olives, and the poignant moment when the Jewish people will recognize the wounds in His hands and feet. Furthermore, the text outlines millennial conditions, including the redemption of heathen nations and the binding of Satan. Practically, the revelation commands Joseph Smith to begin his inspired translation of the New Testament (the Joseph Smith Translation) to uncover further mysteries. Finally, it mandates the physical gathering of the Saints to western lands to build the New Jerusalem, or Zion—a city of refuge and peace that will be a terror to the wicked. For Latter-day Saints, this section is foundational for their understanding of the last days, the necessity of gathering, and the establishment of a literal, physical Zion on the American continent.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The speaker of the revelation, identified as Creator, Advocate, Alpha and Omega, and the returning Lord.
- God the Father: The one to whom Christ advocates on behalf of believers.
- Enoch: Mentioned as the leader of a righteous city that was separated from the earth and received by God.
- The Jews: Prophesied to be scattered, gathered, and eventually recognize Christ at His Second Coming.
- The Gentiles: Their 'times' will be fulfilled, and the gospel light will break forth among them.
- Joseph Smith (implicit): The Prophet and recipient of the revelation, commanded to translate the New Testament.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Christ as Advocate
Assertion
Christ pleads the cause of believers before the Father, citing His sinless life and shed blood as the basis for their salvation.
Evidence from Text
Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin... Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name
Evangelical Comparison
The text presents a beautiful and seemingly orthodox view of Christ's advocacy, echoing 1 John 2:1 and Romans 8:34. Christ appeals to His own sinless life and shed blood as the basis for sparing believers. In an Evangelical context, this intercession is rooted in penal substitutionary atonement and the ontological unity of the Trinity (God is one essence). However, in Mormon theology, the Father and Son are distinct, separate physical beings, and this advocacy is viewed as a literal pleading between two separate gods. While the words sound Evangelical, the underlying Theology Proper diverges significantly.
Insufficiency of the Biblical Text
Assertion
The current New Testament is incomplete or lacks important eschatological information that must be revealed through a new translation by the Prophet.
Evidence from Text
it shall not be given unto you to know any further concerning this chapter, until the New Testament be translated, and in it all these things shall be made known; Wherefore I give unto you that ye may now translate it
Evangelical Comparison
The text commands Joseph Smith to translate the New Testament (which became the Joseph Smith Translation) to recover lost truths. This implies that the biblical text as transmitted is corrupt or incomplete, necessitating modern prophetic revision. Evangelical Christianity holds to the preservation, sufficiency, and authority of the 66-book canon (Sola Scriptura). The assertion that a 19th-century prophet needs to rewrite or add to the biblical text to reveal 'things to come' undermines the reliability of historical biblical manuscripts and places the Prophet's authority above the received biblical text.
Physical Gathering to Zion
Assertion
Believers must physically gather to western lands to build a literal city called New Jerusalem or Zion for safety from apocalyptic judgments.
Evidence from Text
gather ye out from the eastern lands... go ye forth into the western countries... And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints
Evangelical Comparison
The text mandates a physical migration and the construction of a literal city of refuge (Zion) in the American West to escape impending apocalyptic judgments. In Evangelical theology, the 'New Jerusalem' is a heavenly reality that descends at the end of the age (Revelation 21), and the Church is a spiritual body gathered across all nations, not confined to a specific geographic location for physical safety. This doctrine shifts the believer's focus from spiritual security in Christ to physical security in a specific community and location.
Millennial Sinlessness of Children
Assertion
During the Millennium, children of the righteous will grow up without sin.
Evidence from Text
and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation.
Evangelical Comparison
The text claims that during the millennial reign, children will 'grow up without sin unto salvation.' Evangelical Christianity teaches that all human beings are born with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23) and that salvation is always by grace through faith in Christ, regardless of the era in which one lives. The idea that an environment (even a millennial one with Satan bound) can produce sinless humans contradicts the biblical teaching on the inherent depravity of man and the absolute necessity of the new birth for every individual.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text redefines the sufficiency of Scripture by commanding a new translation of the New Testament and shifts the focus of eschatological safety from spiritual standing in Christ to physical gathering in an American Zion.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap centers primarily on Bibliology and Eschatology. By commanding Joseph Smith to 'translate' the New Testament because 'it shall not be given unto you to know any further concerning this chapter, until the New Testament be translated,' the text explicitly denies the sufficiency and preservation of the biblical canon (Sola Scriptura). It asserts that the Bible is broken and requires a modern prophet to restore lost truths. Furthermore, the text mandates a physical gathering to a geographic 'Zion' in the American West as a place of refuge from apocalyptic judgments. This localized, physical eschatology contrasts sharply with the Evangelical understanding of the Church as a global, spiritual body whose refuge is entirely in Christ, not in a geographic location. Additionally, the claim that millennial children will 'grow up without sin' contradicts the biblical doctrine of total depravity and the universal need for regeneration.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a complete instruction manual for building a Lego castle, and the creator of the manual says it has everything you need. That's how Christians view the Bible. But this text says the manual is missing pages and we need a new leader to write the missing parts. Also, Christians believe that to be safe when Jesus returns, you just need to trust in Him, no matter where you live. But this text says you have to pack up and move to a specific city in America to be truly safe. It changes the rules from 'trusting Jesus' to 'moving to a new place and following new rules.'
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
Commands a new translation of the New Testament to reveal missing information, denying biblical sufficiency and preservation.
Nature of the Church / Eschatology
Requires physical gathering to a specific geographic location for safety, rather than spiritual refuge in Christ.
Original Sin / Total Depravity
Claims children can grow up without sin during the Millennium.
Theology Proper
While using orthodox language, the underlying Mormon theology views the Father and Son as separate physical beings, altering the nature of Christ's advocacy.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Zion"
In This Text
A literal, physical city to be built by the Saints in the American West (New Jerusalem) for physical safety.
In Evangelicalism
Historically Jerusalem; prophetically the heavenly city or the spiritual dwelling place of God with His people.
"Salvation"
In This Text
In the context of verse 58, growing up without sin unto salvation implies a state achieved by environmental conditions during the Millennium.
In Evangelicalism
Deliverance from the penalty of sin solely by grace through faith in Christ's finished work.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Everlasting life, redemption perfected, inheriting the earth, and abiding the day of the Lord's coming.
How Attained: Believing on Christ's name, receiving the truth, taking the Holy Spirit as a guide, and gathering to Zion.
Basis of Assurance: Obedience to the command to gather, standing in holy places, and watching for the signs.
Comparison to Sola Fide: While verses 3-5 sound remarkably like justification by faith (Christ pleading for those who believe on His name), the later verses add requirements of physical gathering, building a city, and relying on new prophetic translations. The assurance shifts from Christ's finished work to participation in the Latter-day Saint movement and its geographic mandates.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Hearken and listen to Christ's voice
- Translate the New Testament
- Gather out from the eastern lands
- Go forth into the western countries
- Call upon the inhabitants to repent
- Build up churches
- Gather up riches to purchase an inheritance
- Keep these things from going abroad unto the world until it is expedient
Implicit Obligations
- Watch for the signs of the Second Coming
- Take the Holy Spirit for a guide to avoid deception
- Stand in holy places
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verses 3-5, Christ's plea to the Father is beautiful. How does knowing that Christ's sinless life and shed blood are the basis for our salvation give you peace today?
- Verse 60 mentions that important things wouldn't be known until the New Testament was translated again. How do you reconcile this with the thousands of early biblical manuscripts we have that show the New Testament hasn't been changed or lost?
- The text talks a lot about gathering to a physical Zion for safety. In the New Testament, Jesus says His kingdom is not of this world. How do you view the difference between a physical city of refuge and finding our ultimate refuge spiritually in Christ?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Christ as the Advocate
These verses beautifully articulate the core of the Gospel—that we cannot stand before God on our own merit, but we need an Advocate who pleads His own sinless life and shed blood on our behalf. This can be a powerful bridge to discuss how Christ's work is entirely sufficient, requiring no additional works or physical gatherings on our part.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The mandate to physically gather, build a city, and purchase inheritances places a heavy temporal and physical burden on believers. Their spiritual safety is tied to their physical location and their financial contributions to building Zion.
The intense focus on desolating sickness, wars, and the necessity of fleeing to Zion for safety can cultivate a mindset of fear and paranoia regarding the outside world, making the believer overly dependent on the institution for physical and spiritual survival.
By teaching that the Bible is incomplete and requires ongoing prophetic translation, the believer is left without an objective, unchanging standard of truth, forcing total reliance on the current prophetic leadership.