Section 62
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 62 is a revelation dictated by Joseph Smith on August 13, 1831, on the banks of the Missouri River. Historically, it occurred when Smith and his company, traveling from Independence, Missouri, back to Kirtland, Ohio, providentially met another group of elders who were still en route to Missouri. The text is written in the first-person voice of Jesus Christ. It begins with a comforting Christological assertion of Jesus as an empathetic Advocate who understands human weakness. The revelation then addresses the traveling elders, assuring them that their mission is not yet complete but that their sins are forgiven specifically because of the testimonies they have borne, which are recorded in heaven and cause angels to rejoice. The text outlines specific mandates: they are to continue to Zion, hold a meeting, offer a sacrament, and then return to preach 'glad tidings' either together or two by two. The revelation concludes with a promise of preservation for the faithful, logistical permissions regarding their mode of travel (horses, mules, or chariots), and a final assurance of Christ's abiding presence with them.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The speaker of the text, identified as the Lord, God, and Advocate who succors the tempted and directs the elders.
- Elders of the church: The recipients of the revelation, tasked with traveling to Zion, preaching, and remaining faithful.
- Angels: Heavenly beings who look upon the recorded testimonies of the elders and rejoice over them.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Christ as Empathetic Advocate
Assertion
Jesus Christ is the advocate with the Father who intimately knows human weakness and actively succors those who are tempted.
Evidence from Text
...even Jesus Christ, your advocate, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted.
Evangelical Comparison
This doctrine represents a strong point of shared theology between Mormonism and Evangelical Christianity. Both traditions affirm that Jesus Christ, through His incarnation, experienced human temptation and weakness (though without sin), making Him a perfect, empathetic High Priest. Evangelicals point to Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15 to support this. The concept of Christ as 'Advocate' (1 John 2:1) is also a shared biblical tenet, emphasizing His intercessory role before the Father on behalf of believers.
Forgiveness Contingent on Works/Testimony
Assertion
The forgiveness of sins is granted, at least in part, as a reward for the act of bearing testimony and fulfilling missionary duties.
Evidence from Text
...ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, the forgiveness of sins is explicitly linked to the elders' performance of a specific work: bearing testimony. The causal structure of verse 3 ('for the testimony... your sins are forgiven you') suggests a transactional element to justification. In strict Evangelical theology, justification and the forgiveness of sins are instantaneous upon the exercise of saving faith in Christ's finished work (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:24-28). While Evangelicals believe that bearing testimony is a natural fruit of salvation, it is never the meritorious cause of forgiveness. Tying forgiveness to missionary effort introduces a works-righteousness paradigm.
Continuing Revelation via Prophetic Voice
Assertion
God continues to speak directly to the church through a modern prophet, providing new, binding scripture and specific logistical instructions.
Evidence from Text
Behold, and hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God...
Evangelical Comparison
The text is presented as the literal, first-person dictation of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith. This assumes an open canon and the necessity of a modern prophetic office to guide the church in both theological and logistical matters (such as whether to ride horses or mules). Evangelical Christianity holds to Sola Scriptura, believing that the 66 books of the Bible are the final, sufficient, and infallible revelation of God to humanity (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Jude 1:3). The assertion of new, binding revelation is fundamentally incompatible with the Evangelical understanding of biblical sufficiency.
Physical Gathering to Zion
Assertion
God commands His faithful followers to physically assemble in a specific geographic location designated as Zion (Missouri).
Evidence from Text
Assemble yourselves upon the land of Zion; and hold a meeting and rejoice together...
Evangelical Comparison
The text commands a physical gathering to 'the land of Zion' (identified historically as Jackson County, Missouri). In early Mormonism, building a literal, physical city of Zion was a central theological mandate. Evangelical Christianity, drawing on the New Testament, understands the church as a spiritual kingdom not bound by geography (John 4:21-24, John 18:36). While Evangelicals recognize the historical Zion (Jerusalem) and the future eschatological New Jerusalem, they reject the idea that God has designated a new geographic center in North America for the gathering of His church in the present age.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text diverges from Evangelicalism by tying the forgiveness of sins to the act of bearing testimony (works-righteousness) and by asserting new, binding revelation through a modern prophet.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The primary theological gap in D&C 62 centers on Soteriology and Epistemology. Soteriologically, verse 3 explicitly links the forgiveness of sins to the elders' performance of bearing testimony. This introduces a synergistic model of justification where human effort (missionary work) merits divine pardon. This is fundamentally incompatible with the Evangelical doctrine of Sola Fide, which insists that justification is a monergistic act of God, received by faith alone apart from works (Romans 3:28, Titus 3:5). Epistemologically, the text operates on the premise of an open canon. Joseph Smith speaks in the first person as Jesus Christ, issuing new commandments and defining new geographic centers for the church (Zion in Missouri). This violates Sola Scriptura, which holds that the biblical canon is closed and sufficient for all matters of faith and practice. The Evangelical framework rejects the authority of modern prophets to add to the deposit of faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).
For All Ages
Imagine you broke a window, and the owner says, 'I will forgive you, but only because you went around telling everyone how great I am.' That means you earned the forgiveness by doing a job. In the Bible, God says He forgives us completely as a free gift just because we trust in Jesus, not because of the work we do. Also, this text is like someone writing a brand new chapter of the Bible today and saying Jesus told them to write it. Christians believe the Bible is already finished and we don't need new chapters.
Friction Points
Sola Fide
Forgiveness of sins is declared as a result of bearing testimony, making justification contingent on works.
Sola Scriptura
The text presents itself as new, direct revelation from Jesus Christ, adding to the biblical canon.
Ecclesiology / Nature of the Kingdom
Mandates a physical gathering to a specific geographic location in North America, contradicting the spiritual, universal nature of the New Covenant church.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Sacrament"
In This Text
An ordinance (likely the Lord's Supper) offered *unto* God by the believers as an act of worship and obedience.
In Evangelicalism
Evangelicals generally view sacraments/ordinances (Baptism, Communion) as outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ, but not as meritorious sacrifices offered *to* God to secure favor.
"Zion"
In This Text
A literal, geographic location in Jackson County, Missouri, where the saints are commanded to gather.
In Evangelicalism
Historically Jerusalem; theologically, the spiritual kingdom of God, the heavenly city, or the church as a whole (Hebrews 12:22).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In this specific text, salvation is framed as the forgiveness of sins and preservation in the kingdom.
How Attained: Forgiveness is attained through faithfulness and the active bearing of testimony (v. 3).
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is provided externally by the prophetic declaration of Joseph Smith speaking for Christ.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text stands in direct contrast to Sola Fide. While Ephesians 2:8-9 states that salvation is 'not of works, so that no one can boast,' D&C 62:3 explicitly states, 'for the testimony which ye have borne... your sins are forgiven you,' making the work the basis for the forgiveness.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Hearken to the Lord
- Continue your journey
- Assemble yourselves upon the land of Zion
- Hold a meeting
- Rejoice together
- Offer a sacrament unto the Most High
- Return to bear record (altogether or two by two)
- Be faithful
- Declare glad tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth
- Declare glad tidings among the congregations of the wicked
- Do according to judgment and the directions of the Spirit
- Receive blessings with a thankful heart in all things
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith's dictation as the literal voice of Jesus Christ
- Submit to the overarching mission of gathering to Missouri
- Maintain personal worthiness to ensure the continued forgiveness of sins
Ritual Requirements
- Offer a sacrament unto the Most High
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 3, it says that sins are forgiven because of the testimony the elders bore. How do you reconcile this with Paul's teaching in Romans 4:5 that God justifies the ungodly who do not work, but simply believe?
- Verse 1 beautifully describes Jesus as our Advocate who knows our weaknesses. How does knowing that Jesus's sacrifice was 'once for all' (Hebrews 10:10) change how we view our daily standing before Him?
- If God's kingdom is spiritual and within us, as Jesus taught in the Gospels, why was there such a strong emphasis on physically moving to Missouri in early church history?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Christ the Empathetic Advocate
This is a profound shared truth. Evangelicals can use this verse to build a bridge to the biblical Jesus, who is our sympathetic High Priest. Because He is our Advocate, we do not need to earn our forgiveness through works (like bearing testimony), but can rest entirely in His advocacy.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By tying the forgiveness of sins to the act of bearing testimony, the text places a heavy burden on the believer to constantly perform missionary work to maintain their justified status before God. If forgiveness is earned by testimony, a lack of testimony implies a return to an unforgiven state.
Because forgiveness is tied to ongoing faithfulness and works, the believer can never have true, restful assurance of salvation. They must constantly wonder if they have been 'faithful' enough or borne enough testimony to satisfy the requirement.
The believer is conditioned to rely on a human prophet for direct, logistical, and spiritual instructions from God, rather than relying on the sufficiency of Scripture and the priesthood of all believers.