Section 6
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 6 is a pivotal early revelation in the Latter-day Saint movement, dictated by Joseph Smith in April 1829 shortly after Oliver Cowdery arrived to serve as his scribe for the Book of Mormon translation. The text is presented as the direct, first-person voice of Jesus Christ. It serves multiple foundational purposes for the emerging faith. First, it validates Oliver Cowdery's internal spiritual experiences, establishing a precedent that subjective feelings ('peace to your mind') are the ultimate epistemological proof of divine truth. Second, it solidifies Joseph Smith's authority by commanding Cowdery to stand by him and assist in translating 'hidden' scriptures, thereby undermining the sufficiency of the biblical canon. Third, it establishes a synergistic soteriology, explicitly conditioning eternal salvation and inheritance of the kingdom of heaven upon keeping commandments, doing good, and holding out faithful to the end. The text heavily borrows phraseology from the King James Version of the Bible, repurposing familiar Christian language to authenticate a new prophetic enterprise and a divergent theological framework.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The claimed first-person speaker of the text, who identifies Himself by His crucifixion wounds and asserts authority over the translation work.
- Oliver Cowdery: The primary recipient of the revelation, validated for his secret prayers, granted a 'gift' of translation, and commanded to assist Joseph Smith.
- Joseph Smith: Identified as God's servant, whom Oliver is commanded to stand by faithfully in difficult circumstances, establishing Smith's central prophetic role.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Salvation (Works-Righteousness)
Assertion
Salvation and inheritance of the kingdom of heaven are strictly conditional upon keeping commandments, doing good, and enduring faithfully to the end of one's life.
Evidence from Text
"If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God... be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven." (v. 13, 37)
Evangelical Comparison
In Doctrine and Covenants 6, salvation is presented as a wage to be earned or a conditional status maintained through continuous obedience. The text explicitly links being 'saved in the kingdom of God' (v. 13) and inheriting 'the kingdom of heaven' (v. 37) to the prerequisites of doing good, holding out faithful to the end, and keeping commandments. This establishes a synergistic soteriology where human effort is a necessary component of justification. Evangelical Christianity, grounded in Sola Fide, vehemently rejects this premise. According to Ephesians 2:8-9, salvation is 'by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.' Furthermore, Romans 4:4-5 clarifies that to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due, whereas to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. The Evangelical baseline views the demands of D&C 6 as a return to the law, nullifying the finished work of Christ.
Subjective Epistemology (Internal Witness)
Assertion
The ultimate proof of divine truth is an internal feeling of peace or enlightenment granted directly to the mind and heart by God.
Evidence from Text
"Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" (v. 23)
Evangelical Comparison
This text establishes the foundational Latter-day Saint epistemology: truth is verified by internal, emotional, or psychological experiences, specifically a feeling of 'peace' spoken to the mind (v. 23) or the mind being 'enlightened' (v. 15). The text argues that because Oliver Cowdery experienced this internal peace, he has received the greatest possible witness from God, validating Joseph Smith's work. Evangelical Christianity approaches epistemology through Sola Scriptura. While Evangelicals believe in the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit, this testimony is strictly tethered to illuminating the objective, written Word of God (the Bible), not validating new revelations or extra-biblical texts. Jeremiah 17:9 warns that 'The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?' Therefore, Evangelicals test all spiritual experiences, feelings, and prophetic claims against the closed canon of Scripture (Acts 17:11, 1 John 4:1), rejecting the idea that an internal feeling of peace is a sufficient or infallible test for the truthfulness of a new religious movement.
Incomplete Canon and Hidden Scriptures
Assertion
The Bible is incomplete; essential parts of the gospel were hidden due to wickedness and must be restored through modern prophets.
Evidence from Text
"...there are records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people... you shall assist in bringing to light, with your gift, those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity." (v. 26-27)
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 6 asserts that the existing biblical record is insufficient because 'much of my gospel' has been 'kept back' or 'hidden because of iniquity' (v. 26-27). This necessitates the calling of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to translate new records (the Book of Mormon) to restore these lost truths. This doctrine inherently undermines the preservation and sufficiency of the biblical text. Evangelical Christianity holds to Sola Scriptura, believing that the 66 books of the Bible are the complete, sufficient, and infallible rule of faith and practice. Evangelicals believe God providentially preserved His Word and that the faith was 'once for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 1:3). The assertion that essential parts of the gospel were lost to wickedness contradicts Jesus's promise that 'heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away' (Matthew 24:35) and the warning in Revelation 22:18 against adding to the words of God's book.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
D&C 6 diverges fundamentally from Evangelicalism by establishing a works-based requirement for salvation, introducing a subjective epistemology based on feelings, and denying the sufficiency of the Bible by claiming essential scriptures were hidden.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between Doctrine and Covenants 6 and Evangelical Christianity is severe, touching upon soteriology, epistemology, and bibliology. Soteriologically, the text explicitly denies Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone). Verses 13 and 37 condition salvation and the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven upon human effort: doing good, keeping commandments, and holding out faithful to the end. This transforms the Gospel from a declaration of Christ's finished work into a probationary system where the believer must maintain their justification through continuous obedience, directly violating Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 3-4. Epistemologically, the text shifts the locus of truth verification from the objective, external revelation of Scripture to the subjective, internal feelings of the individual. By asserting that a feeling of 'peace to your mind' (v. 23) is the greatest witness from God, the text bypasses the biblical mandate to test all spirits and prophecies against the established Word (1 John 4:1, Acts 17:11). This creates a paradigm where historical and textual evidence can be dismissed in favor of personal spiritual experiences. Bibliologically, the text attacks Sola Scriptura by asserting that the Bible is incomplete. Verses 26-27 claim that 'much of my gospel' was 'kept back' and 'hidden because of iniquity.' This necessitates an open canon and the ongoing ministry of a modern prophet to restore lost truths. For the Evangelical, the faith was 'once for all delivered' (Jude 1:3), and the Scriptures are entirely sufficient for salvation and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The premise of D&C 6 renders the biblical Gospel inherently deficient.
For All Ages
Imagine you owe a billion dollars, and a rich king pays it all off for you. He hands you a receipt and says, 'You are completely debt-free forever, just trust me.' That is what Evangelical Christians believe Jesus did for us on the cross. We are saved just by trusting Him. But in this text, it's like the king says, 'I paid your debt, but you only get to stay debt-free if you work hard, follow all my rules perfectly, and never give up until you die.' That makes it partly your work, not a free gift. Also, Evangelicals believe the Bible is the only rulebook God gave us, and it has everything we need. But this text says that some of the most important rules were hidden away a long time ago, and we need a new man named Joseph Smith to find them and translate them. Finally, Evangelicals test what is true by reading the Bible. This text says you know what is true by having a peaceful feeling in your heart. But sometimes our feelings can trick us, which is why Evangelicals rely on the written Word of God instead of just feelings.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
Claims that essential parts of the gospel were hidden and require new revelation and translation by a modern prophet.
Sola Fide
Conditions salvation and inheriting the kingdom of heaven on keeping commandments and holding out faithful to the end.
Objective Epistemology
Elevates subjective feelings of peace to the level of infallible divine proof, bypassing scriptural testing.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Salvation"
In This Text
In LDS theology (developing from texts like this), salvation often refers to 'exaltation' or eternal life in the highest degree of heaven, which is conditional upon lifelong obedience, ordinances, and enduring to the end.
In Evangelicalism
Deliverance from the penalty of sin, granted as a free gift at the moment of faith, resulting in immediate and secure justification before God.
"My Gospel"
In This Text
Includes the new revelations, the Book of Mormon, and the restored priesthood ordinances that were allegedly 'kept back' (v. 26).
In Evangelicalism
The specific historical message of the life, death for sins, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
"Witness"
In This Text
A subjective, internal feeling of peace or emotional confirmation from the Spirit (v. 23).
In Evangelicalism
Objective, historical testimony (like the Apostles witnessing the resurrected Christ) or the Holy Spirit illuminating the written Word.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: The greatest of all the gifts of God (v. 13), equated with inheriting the kingdom of heaven (v. 37).
How Attained: By doing good, holding out faithful to the end, and keeping the commandments (v. 13, 37).
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on current obedience ('if thou wilt do good') and subjective feelings of peace. True assurance is impossible until the end of one's life, as one must 'hold out faithful to the end.'
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text is a direct antithesis to Sola Fide. Romans 11:6 states, 'But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.' D&C 6 mixes grace (calling it a 'gift') with absolute requirements for works and lifelong endurance, nullifying the biblical definition of grace.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Give heed unto my word (v. 2)
- Thrust in his sickle with his might (v. 3)
- Reap while the day lasts (v. 3)
- Ask of me (v. 5)
- Knock (v. 5)
- Keep my commandments (v. 6, 9, 20, 37)
- Seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion (v. 6)
- Seek not for riches but for wisdom (v. 7)
- Say nothing but repentance unto this generation (v. 9)
- Assist to bring forth my work (v. 9)
- Remember it [thy gift] is sacred (v. 10)
- Inquire (v. 11)
- Exercise thy gift (v. 11)
- Make not thy gift known unto any save it be those who are of thy faith (v. 12)
- Trifle not with sacred things (v. 12)
- Do good (v. 13, 33, 34)
- Hold out faithful to the end (v. 13)
- Be diligent (v. 18, 20)
- Stand by my servant Joseph, faithfully (v. 18)
- Admonish him [Joseph] in his faults (v. 19)
- Receive admonition of him [Joseph] (v. 19)
- Be patient (v. 19)
- Be sober (v. 19)
- Be temperate (v. 19)
- Have patience, faith, hope and charity (v. 19)
- Treasure up these words in thy heart (v. 20)
- Cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me (v. 22)
- Assist in bringing to light... those parts of my scriptures (v. 27)
- Fear not (v. 33, 34, 36)
- Go your ways (v. 35)
- Sin no more (v. 35)
- Perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you (v. 35)
- Look unto me in every thought (v. 36)
- Doubt not (v. 36)
- Behold the wounds which pierced my side (v. 37)
- Be faithful (v. 37)
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith as the exclusive conduit for restoring God's hidden truths.
- Accept the translation of the Book of Mormon as authentic, ancient scripture.
- Rely on internal feelings as the primary metric for discerning spiritual truth.
Ritual Requirements
- While no specific rituals are detailed, the text mentions 'the keys of this gift' (v. 28) and 'this ministry' (v. 28), implying a structured, authoritative priesthood framework that will govern the faith.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 13, it says you must 'hold out faithful to the end' to be saved. How do you know if you are being faithful enough today to have peace about your standing with God?
- Verse 23 talks about God speaking peace to your mind as a witness. Since the Bible says the heart can be deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), how do we tell the difference between a feeling from God and our own strong desires?
- If Jesus said on the cross 'It is finished,' why does verse 37 require us to keep commandments in order to inherit the kingdom of heaven?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Beholding the wounds of Christ
The text points to the physical wounds of Christ. In Evangelicalism, those wounds are not just a sign of identity, but the literal, complete payment for all our sins. We can bridge from this verse by asking: 'When you behold His wounds, do you see a partial payment that requires your lifelong works to complete, or do you see the finished, sufficient sacrifice that guarantees your salvation right now?'
The Harvest
Evangelicals also believe in the urgency of the harvest. However, the biblical harvest is bringing people to rest in the finished work of Christ, not recruiting them into a system of continuous labor for their own salvation.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By conditioning salvation on 'holding out faithful to the end' and 'keeping commandments,' the believer is placed under a constant burden of performance. They can never have true, present-tense assurance of salvation because their future faithfulness is unknown. This breeds anxiety, perfectionism, and a fear of never doing enough to qualify for the kingdom.
Because truth is verified by internal feelings of 'peace,' believers often experience severe doubt when those feelings fade, fluctuate, or are absent during times of depression or trial. The burden is on the individual to constantly generate or recall spiritual feelings to validate their faith, rather than resting on the unchanging, objective promises of God's Word.