Section 66
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 66 is a revelation dictated by Joseph Smith on October 29, 1831, directed specifically to William E. McLellin, a recent convert. The historical preamble notes that McLellin had secretly petitioned the Lord with five questions and asked Smith to provide a revelation answering them as a test of Smith's prophetic calling. The text serves as a direct response, validating Smith's authority in McLellin's eyes by addressing his secret struggles, most notably a temptation toward adultery. The revelation outlines specific mandates for McLellin: he is commanded to preach the 'fulness of the gospel' in eastern lands, take Samuel H. Smith as a companion, heal the sick, and avoid being cumbered by property. Theologically, the text establishes a works-based soteriology, explicitly conditioning the receipt of a 'crown of eternal life' upon McLellin's ability to 'continue in these things even unto the end.' It reinforces the Mormon paradigm of ongoing, open revelation and the necessity of specific priesthood offices and continuous personal worthiness to achieve ultimate salvation.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The claimed divine author of the revelation, identified as the Redeemer and Savior who dictates His will through Joseph Smith.
- William E. McLellin: The recipient of the revelation, a recent convert whose secret questions prompted the text, and who is called to missionary service while being warned about his specific sins.
- Joseph Smith: The implicit mediator and prophet who dictates the revelation, thereby establishing his authority by allegedly revealing McLellin's secret thoughts.
- Samuel H. Smith: Joseph Smith's brother, who is assigned by this revelation to be McLellin's missionary companion.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Eternal Life (Enduring to the End)
Assertion
Eternal life is granted as a reward for continuing in obedience, preaching, and righteousness until the end of one's life.
Evidence from Text
Continue in these things even unto the end, and you shall have a crown of eternal life at the right hand of my Father (v. 12)
Evangelical Comparison
In Doctrine and Covenants 66, eternal life is presented as a conditional wage or reward ('a crown') that is only secured if the believer continues in specific works ('these things') until the end of their life. This aligns with the broader Mormon doctrine of 'enduring to the end' as a requirement for exaltation. In stark contrast, Evangelical Christianity, rooted in Sola Fide, teaches that eternal life is a free gift received entirely by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Passages like John 5:24 declare that the believer 'has eternal life' (present tense) and 'does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.' Ephesians 2:8-9 explicitly excludes works from the equation of salvation so that no one may boast. The evangelical believer perseveres *because* they are saved, whereas the Mormon believer perseveres *in order to be* saved.
Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel
Assertion
The 'everlasting covenant' and 'fulness of the gospel' have been newly sent forth in the last days.
Evidence from Text
...receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days (v. 2)
Evangelical Comparison
The text asserts that the 'fulness of the gospel' has been 'sent forth' in the last days, implying that it was previously absent or incomplete on the earth. In Mormon theology, this 'fulness' includes new priesthood authority, temple ordinances, and modern revelations not found in the Bible. Evangelical Christianity rejects the premise of a Great Apostasy that necessitated a restoration. According to Jude 1:3, the faith was 'once for all delivered to the saints.' The evangelical gospel is strictly defined by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for sins. Adding new covenants, ordinances, or requirements to this constitutes a 'different gospel' which Paul strongly condemns in Galatians 1:8-9.
Prophetic Omniscience via Revelation
Assertion
God reveals the secret sins, thoughts, and specific life directions of individuals through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Evidence from Text
Verily I say unto you, my servant William, that you are clean, but not all; repent, therefore, of those things which are not pleasing in my sight... Commit not adultery—a temptation with which thou hast been troubled. (v. 3, 10)
Evangelical Comparison
The historical context of this section relies heavily on Joseph Smith's ability to answer McLellin's secret questions and identify his private temptations (adultery). This establishes an epistemology where the prophet acts as a mediator who possesses divine access to the believer's inner life. In Evangelical Christianity, there is 'one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus' (1 Timothy 2:5). The Holy Spirit directly convicts the believer of sin (John 16:8), and the Word of God is the 'discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart' (Hebrews 4:12). Relying on a human leader to reveal one's spiritual status or secret sins creates an unhealthy spiritual dependency and violates the doctrine of the Universal Priesthood of all believers.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text teaches that eternal life is a conditional reward earned by continuing in specific works and priesthood duties until the end of life, whereas Evangelicalism teaches eternal life is a free gift received instantly by faith alone.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The fundamental theological gap between D&C 66 and Evangelical Christianity lies in Soteriology and Epistemology. Soteriologically, D&C 66 operates on a works-righteousness paradigm. Verse 12 explicitly conditions the 'crown of eternal life' on the believer's ability to 'continue in these things even unto the end.' This violates the evangelical pillar of Sola Fide (Faith Alone). In biblical theology, eternal life is not a wage earned through lifelong obedience or the magnifying of a priesthood office; it is a sovereign gift of grace imputed to the believer the moment they exercise saving faith (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5). Epistemologically, the text violates Sola Scriptura by presenting Joseph Smith as the mouthpiece of Jesus Christ, delivering new, binding revelation. The evangelical baseline holds that the canon of Scripture is closed and sufficient. By adding the 'fulness of the gospel' (which in Mormonism includes ordinances and covenants not found in the Bible), the text redefines the very nature of the gospel message, shifting it from the finished work of Christ on the cross to a system of ongoing human effort and institutional compliance.
For All Ages
Imagine you are given a free ticket to the greatest amusement park ever. The person who gave it to you paid for it completely. All you have to do is trust them and take the ticket. That is what Evangelical Christians believe about heaven—Jesus paid for it completely, and we get it by trusting Him. But in this text, it's like someone saying, 'I will give you a ticket to the park, but only if you work at my store, never make a mistake, and keep working hard until the day you die. If you do all that, then you get the ticket.' That means you have to earn it yourself, which goes against what the Bible says about God's free gift.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text claims to be direct, new revelation from Jesus Christ, adding to the closed canon of Scripture and asserting that the Bible is insufficient.
Sola Fide
The text conditions the receipt of eternal life upon continuing in works, preaching, and obedience until the end of life.
Universal Priesthood
The text relies on a singular prophetic mediator (Joseph Smith) to reveal God's will and secret sins, bypassing the direct mediation of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Fulness of my gospel"
In This Text
The complete set of doctrines, covenants, and priesthood ordinances restored through Joseph Smith, necessary for exaltation.
In Evangelicalism
The good news of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins, which was fully delivered in the first century.
"Eternal life"
In This Text
Exaltation in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, achieved by enduring to the end in obedience to Mormon covenants.
In Evangelicalism
Knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ (John 17:3), granted as a present possession to all who believe, resulting in eternal communion with God.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Receiving a 'crown of eternal life at the right hand of my Father' (v. 12).
How Attained: By turning from iniquities, receiving the everlasting covenant, and continuing in obedience and ministerial duties unto the end.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is entirely conditional. A believer can only hope for eternal life if they successfully 'continue in these things even unto the end.'
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. Romans 4:4-5 states, 'Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.' D&C 66 treats eternal life as a wage to be earned by continuing in works.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Repent of those things which are not pleasing in my sight (v. 3)
- Proclaim my gospel from land to land, and from city to city (v. 5)
- Tarry not many days in this place (v. 6)
- Go not up unto the land of Zion as yet (v. 6)
- Send property if possible, otherwise think not of thy property (v. 6)
- Go unto the eastern lands (v. 7)
- Bear testimony in every place, unto every people and in their synagogues (v. 7)
- Reason with the people (v. 7)
- Let my servant Samuel H. Smith go with you (v. 8)
- Forsake him [Samuel H. Smith] not (v. 8)
- Give him [Samuel H. Smith] thine instructions (v. 8)
- Lay your hands upon the sick (v. 9)
- Return not till I, the Lord, shall send you (v. 9)
- Be patient in affliction (v. 9)
- Ask, and ye shall receive (v. 9)
- Knock, and it shall be opened unto you (v. 9)
- Seek not to be cumbered (v. 10)
- Forsake all unrighteousness (v. 10)
- Commit not adultery (v. 10)
- Keep these sayings (v. 11)
- Magnify thine office (v. 11)
- Push many people to Zion with songs of everlasting joy (v. 11)
- Continue in these things even unto the end (v. 12)
Implicit Obligations
- Submit entirely to the prophetic authority of Joseph Smith, who dictates these commands.
- Prioritize missionary service above personal property, wealth, and comfort.
- Maintain strict personal purity to be effective in ministry.
Ritual Requirements
- Lay your hands upon the sick (v. 9)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 12, the Lord says you will have a crown of eternal life if you 'continue in these things even unto the end.' How do you know if you are continuing well enough to earn that crown?
- Verse 3 says 'you are clean, but not all.' Does this ever make you worry about hidden sins that might disqualify you from eternal life?
- How does the 'fulness of the gospel' mentioned in verse 2 differ from the gospel the Apostle Paul preached in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4?
- If eternal life requires us to endure to the end in our works, how can we experience the peace and assurance that John 5:24 promises to believers right now?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire to be 'clean' (v. 3)
The text highlights the human inability to be perfectly clean on our own; there is always 'not all' clean. The biblical Gospel offers true, complete cleansing not through our ongoing repentance and works, but through the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from ALL sin once and for all.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer is placed on a lifelong treadmill of performance. Because eternal life is explicitly conditioned on 'continuing in these things even unto the end,' the adherent can never rest in the finished work of Christ. They must constantly evaluate if they are magnifying their office enough, preaching enough, and obeying enough to qualify for the crown.
The phrase 'you are clean, but not all' introduces a profound spiritual anxiety. It suggests that despite one's best efforts to repent and turn from iniquity (v. 1), God is always holding back full approval due to unseen or unperfected areas of life. This strips the believer of the assurance of salvation.