Section 86
Overview
Section 86 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (known as Section 82 in the modern LDS edition) was dictated by Joseph Smith in April 1832 during a council of high priests in Missouri. Historically, the text serves to integrate the church's mercantile and publishing efforts in Kirtland, Ohio (code-named 'Shinehah') with those in Independence, Missouri ('Zion') by establishing a joint financial venture known as the United Firm (or United Order). To protect the identities of the leaders involved from enemies or creditors, the 1835 publication utilized pseudonyms (e.g., Gazelam for Joseph Smith, Pelagoram for Sidney Rigdon). Theologically, this text is highly significant for its explicit articulation of Mormon soteriology and conditional grace. It introduces two foundational maxims of LDS theology: first, the doctrine of conditional forgiveness, which states that if a person sins after being forgiven, their former, previously forgiven sins return to condemn them (v. 2). Second, it establishes a strictly transactional relationship with God, famously declaring, 'I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise' (v. 3). The text mandates absolute economic equality among the covenant members, requiring them to consecrate their properties to the Lord's storehouse. It concludes with severe warnings that breaking this covenant will result in being delivered over to the 'buffetings of satan,' reinforcing a paradigm where spiritual security is entirely dependent on sustained, flawless obedience and institutional loyalty.
Key Figures
- The Lord (Jesus Christ): Portrayed as the speaker of the revelation, dictating strict terms of covenant, conditional forgiveness, and economic organization.
- Alam (Edward Partridge): The first Presiding Bishop of the church, tasked with managing the affairs of the poor and the properties in Zion.
- Ahashdah (Newel K. Whitney): Bishop in Kirtland, Ohio, responsible for managing the church's mercantile efforts there.
- Gazelam (Joseph Smith): The prophet and primary leader, bound into this financial and spiritual covenant.
- Pelagoram (Sidney Rigdon): First Counselor to Joseph Smith and a key theologian/orator in the early church.
- Mahalaleel (Sidney Gilbert): Agent to Bishop Partridge in Missouri, managing the church store.
- Horah (John Whitmer): Church historian and leader.
- Olihah (Oliver Cowdery): Second Elder of the church and key scribe/leader.
- Shalemanasseh (William W. Phelps): Church printer and publisher in Missouri.
- Mehemson (Martin Harris): Early financial backer of the church, bound into the United Firm.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Reactivation of Forgiven Sins
Assertion
If a person sins after receiving forgiveness, their previously forgiven sins are reactivated and laid to their charge again.
Evidence from Text
I the Lord will not lay any sin to your charge: go your ways and sin no more: but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, justification is a forensic, once-for-all declaration by God where the believer's sins (past, present, and future) are imputed to Christ, and Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to the believer (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of this, God declares in Hebrews 10:17, 'Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.' Psalm 103:12 states sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. Section 86 introduces a probationary view of forgiveness where justification is entirely conditional. If a believer commits a new sin, the 'former sins return.' This nullifies the sufficiency of Christ's atonement by making the permanence of forgiveness dependent on the believer's subsequent flawless performance, effectively turning grace into a temporary suspension of penalty rather than a permanent cancellation of debt.
Transactional Divine Obligation
Assertion
God's promises and blessings are strictly contingent upon human obedience; God is only bound to bless when man perfectly obeys.
Evidence from Text
I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.
Evangelical Comparison
This text establishes a strict quid-pro-quo relationship between God and humanity. The assertion 'I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say' reduces the New Covenant to a bilateral contract of works. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity views the New Covenant as a unilateral promise guaranteed by God Himself (Hebrews 6:13-20). While God does discipline His children and certain temporal blessings may relate to obedience, the ultimate promises of salvation, eternal life, and God's favor are secured entirely by the finished work of Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5). The Mormon paradigm presented here removes the security of the believer, as any failure to 'do what I say' results in having 'no promise.'
Law of Consecration
Assertion
Believers are required to bind themselves by covenant to pool their properties, manage them equally according to needs, and cast surplus into the Lord's storehouse.
Evidence from Text
you are to have equal claims on the properties... every man according to his wants and his needs... to be cast into the Lord’s storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church
Evangelical Comparison
The text mandates a specific economic system (the United Firm/Order) as an 'everlasting order' and a binding covenant. Breaking this economic covenant results in severe spiritual penalties ('delivered over to the buffetings of satan'). In Evangelical Christianity, while the early church in Acts 2 and 4 voluntarily shared possessions, it was never codified as a mandatory, everlasting law required to maintain one's standing before God. Peter explicitly tells Ananias in Acts 5:4 that his property was his own to keep or sell. Evangelicalism teaches cheerful, voluntary giving (2 Corinthians 9:7) rather than a mandated institutional consecration of all property under threat of spiritual damnation.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text replaces the biblical doctrine of definitive justification by grace through faith with a system of conditional forgiveness and strict works-righteousness, where God's promises are entirely dependent on human perfection.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between this text and Evangelical Christianity centers on the nature of justification and the New Covenant. Evangelicalism, rooted in the Reformation, teaches that justification is a definitive, forensic act of God. When a person believes, they are declared righteous once and for all; their sins are expiated, and Christ's righteousness is imputed to them. Romans 8:1 declares, 'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' Section 86 explicitly denies this by teaching that forgiveness is probationary. Verse 2 states that if a soul sins, 'the former sins return.' This creates a theological paradigm where justification is repeatedly lost and must be re-earned, fundamentally denying the sufficiency of Christ's 'once for all' sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10-14). Furthermore, verse 3 establishes a purely transactional relationship with God: 'I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.' This nullifies the concept of unconditional grace (Sola Gratia) and replaces it with a strict covenant of works, placing the entire burden of salvation and divine favor squarely on the believer's ability to perform flawlessly.
For All Ages
Imagine you owed a billion dollars to a bank, and a rich king paid it all off for you. In the Bible, that debt is gone forever because of Jesus. Even if you make a mistake tomorrow, you are still debt-free, though the king might discipline you like a loving father. But in this text, it says if you make a mistake tomorrow, the billion-dollar debt comes right back, and you owe it all again. It also says the king only promises to help you if you do exactly what he says perfectly. This makes people very afraid because they can never be perfect, and it means Jesus's payment wasn't enough to keep them safe.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone)
The text teaches that justification is probationary and can be revoked, causing former sins to return upon the commission of new sins.
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
The text asserts that God is only bound to bless or save when a person perfectly obeys ('when ye do what I say'), making grace contingent on works.
Christology (Sufficiency of the Atonement)
By teaching that former sins return, the text implies that Christ's sacrifice did not permanently expiate the sins of the believer.
Christian Liberty
The text mandates a strict economic system of communal property as an 'everlasting order' required to avoid the 'buffetings of satan.'
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Forgiveness"
In This Text
A temporary suspension of penalty that is immediately revoked, bringing back all past guilt, if the individual sins again.
In Evangelicalism
The permanent cancellation of debt and removal of guilt based on Christ's atoning blood, which cannot be reversed (Psalm 103:12, Hebrews 10:17).
"Promise"
In This Text
A conditional contract that God is only obligated to fulfill if the human party executes perfect obedience.
In Evangelicalism
A guaranteed commitment from God based on His own character and grace, often fulfilled despite human weakness (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In this context, salvation involves escaping the 'sore judgments' of God, maintaining one's standing in the covenant community, and ultimately securing the kingdom forever.
How Attained: Attained through strict obedience to the Lord's commands, specifically by keeping the financial covenant of consecration and refraining from all sin.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is entirely self-dependent. A person can only have assurance if they are currently doing exactly what the Lord says and have not committed any new sins to reactivate their old ones.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text is the antithesis of Sola Fide. Romans 4:5 states, 'And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.' Section 86 states, 'when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.' Salvation here is a wage earned by perfect obedience, not a gift received by faith.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Forgive one another your trespasses
- Beware from henceforth and refrain from sin
- Watch, for the adversary spreadeth his dominions
- Go your ways and sin no more
- Bind yourselves together by a bond and covenant
- Manage the affairs of the poor
- Have equal claims on the properties
- Cast surplus into the Lord's storehouse
- Seek the interest of your neighbor
- Do all things with an eye single to the glory of God
- Make unto yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness
- Leave judgment alone with me
Implicit Obligations
- Submit entirely to the economic and spiritual authority of Joseph Smith and the church hierarchy
- Maintain absolute perfection to prevent former sins from returning
- Constantly evaluate one's own performance to ensure God remains 'bound' to His promises
Ritual Requirements
- Entering into a formal, binding covenant regarding property and stewardship
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read verse 2, which says that if you sin, your former forgiven sins return, how does that impact your daily relationship with God?
- Have you ever felt the weight of verse 3, where the Lord says He is only bound when you do what He says? How do you know if you've done enough to bind the Lord?
- If our former sins return when we make a new mistake, how can we ever have the peace that Paul talks about in Romans 5:1, where he says we 'have peace with God'?
- How do you balance the warning in verse 2 with the promise in Hebrews 10:17 where God says, 'Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more'?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for equality and caring for the poor
The text rightly identifies that God cares deeply for the poor and desires His people to be generous. We can affirm this beautiful desire, but point out that in the Gospel, this generosity flows from a heart transformed by unconditional grace (2 Corinthians 8:9), rather than being forced by a terrifying covenant that threatens the 'buffetings of satan' if we fail.
The need for forgiveness
The text acknowledges our desperate need for God's forgiveness. We can bridge from this to the true, permanent forgiveness offered in Christ, which doesn't disappear the next time we stumble.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The doctrine that 'former sins return' places an unbearable psychological burden on the believer. Every new mistake is not just a single failure, but a catastrophic event that brings back the guilt and condemnation of every sin they have ever committed in their entire life. This makes true peace impossible.
The phrase 'I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise' creates a spiritual environment of constant anxiety. Believers must constantly evaluate if they have done enough, perfectly enough, to obligate God to bless them. If anything goes wrong in their life, the immediate assumption is that they failed to 'do what I say.'
Because God's promises are entirely conditional on human performance, the believer can never have assurance of salvation. They are only as saved as their last good work, and always one sin away from losing all promises.
By tying spiritual salvation to a specific financial and property covenant (the United Firm), the believer's spiritual standing is held hostage by their compliance with the church's economic demands.