Section 100
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 100 is a revelation dictated by Joseph Smith on October 12, 1833, in Perrysburg, New York. Historically, Smith and his counselor Sidney Rigdon were on a proselytizing mission and had expressed anxiety regarding the welfare of their families back in Kirtland, Ohio. The text opens with divine reassurance that their families are secure in God's hands. The revelation then pivots to missiology, commanding the two men to preach to the people in the eastern lands, promising them immediate, verbatim inspiration ('in the very hour') and the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost. Theologically, the text is highly significant for its formalization of the hierarchical relationship between Smith and Rigdon. Echoing the biblical dynamic of Moses and Aaron, God designates Rigdon as the 'spokesman' who is mighty in expounding scripture, while elevating Smith as the 'revelator' through whom Rigdon and the church will 'know the certainty of all things.' The text concludes with reassurances regarding the redemption of Zion and the safety of other missionaries (Orson Hyde and John Gould), culminating in a stark soteriological claim: salvation is explicitly conditioned upon both calling on the name of the Lord and keeping His commandments.
Key Figures
- Joseph Smith: Designated explicitly as the 'revelator' through whom certainty of truth is mediated to others.
- Sidney Rigdon: Designated and ordained as the 'spokesman' to Joseph Smith, tasked with expounding scriptures.
- Orson Hyde: A missionary whose salvation is promised conditionally based on his obedience to commandments.
- John Gould: A missionary companion to Orson Hyde, also promised conditional salvation.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Salvation (Works-Righteousness)
Assertion
Salvation is explicitly contingent upon the ongoing keeping of commandments in addition to calling upon the Lord.
Evidence from Text
And all that call upon the name of the Lord, and keep his commandments, shall be saved. (v. 17) ...inasmuch as they keep my commandments they shall be saved. (v. 14)
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, justification is a forensic declaration by God where a sinner is declared righteous solely based on the imputed righteousness of Christ, received by faith alone (Sola Fide). Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 3:28 make it explicitly clear that works or commandment-keeping are the fruit of salvation, not the root or prerequisite for it. D&C 100:14 and 17 fundamentally alter this biblical paradigm by making salvation conditional upon human performance ('inasmuch as they keep my commandments'). Furthermore, verse 17 takes a clear biblical promise of grace (Romans 10:13: 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved') and appends a works-based condition ('and keep his commandments'), thereby nullifying the grace of the original biblical promise.
Prophetic Mediation of Epistemological Certainty
Assertion
Certainty regarding the things of God's kingdom is mediated through a living, earthly revelator (Joseph Smith).
Evidence from Text
...he shall be a revelator unto thee, that thou mayest know the certainty of all things pertaining to the things of my kingdom on the earth. (v. 11)
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 100:11 establishes a hierarchical epistemology where Sidney Rigdon (and by extension, the church) relies on Joseph Smith as a 'revelator' to 'know the certainty of all things.' This creates a mediatorial prophetic office that Evangelical Christianity rejects. According to the Evangelical understanding of the Universal Priesthood of Believers (1 Peter 2:9) and the sole mediatorship of Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), believers do not need an earthly prophet to mediate truth or provide certainty. Certainty is derived from the completed, sufficient canon of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17) as illuminated by the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27). Placing a man as the necessary conduit for certainty violates Sola Scriptura.
Immediate Verbatim Inspiration
Assertion
God promises to give His authorized servants the exact words to speak in the very moment they are needed.
Evidence from Text
For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say. (v. 6)
Evangelical Comparison
The text promises that the speakers will be given the exact words to say 'in the very moment.' While Evangelicals affirm that the Holy Spirit empowers preaching and can bring to mind biblical truths (paralleling Jesus' promise to the Apostles in Matthew 10:19 for times of persecution), Mormonism uses this concept to generate new, binding scripture and doctrine. In Evangelical theology, the canon is closed (Jude 1:3, Revelation 22:18-19), meaning that while God may guide a preacher's words for edification, those words do not carry the infallible, revelatory weight of Scripture. D&C 100 blurs the line between pastoral preaching and the generation of new divine oracles.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text diverges fundamentally from Evangelicalism by conditioning salvation on human works (keeping commandments) and establishing a modern human prophet as the necessary mediator for epistemological certainty.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between D&C 100 and Evangelical Christianity is rooted in Soteriology and Authority. Evangelicals hold to Sola Fide—that justification is an instantaneous, forensic act of God where Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer through faith alone. Good works are the necessary fruit of this salvation, but never the root or condition of it. D&C 100:14 and 17 explicitly make salvation conditional upon human performance ('inasmuch as they keep my commandments'). This transforms the Gospel of grace into a covenant of works. Furthermore, the text violates Sola Scriptura and the Universal Priesthood of Believers by inserting Joseph Smith as a necessary 'revelator' through whom others must 'know the certainty of all things' (v. 11). This creates a mediatorial hierarchy that Evangelicalism rejects, as Christ is the sole mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) and His completed Word is sufficient for all certainty and practice.
For All Ages
Imagine you owe a billion dollars to a bank, and a rich king pays it off completely for you. Evangelical Christianity says you are free because the king paid the debt, and you just have to trust him and say 'thank you' (that's faith). But this text says the king paid the debt, BUT you only get to be free if you also follow a long list of rules perfectly every day. If you mess up the rules, you aren't saved. Also, Evangelical Christianity says you can read the King's letter (the Bible) yourself to know the truth. This text says you need a special modern messenger (Joseph Smith) to tell you what is true, and you can't be certain without him.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Verses 14 and 17 explicitly condition salvation upon the keeping of commandments, denying that faith in Christ is sufficient for justification.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
Verse 11 establishes a modern human revelator as the source of certainty for the kingdom of God, denying the sufficiency and finality of the biblical canon.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Salvation / Saved"
In This Text
In Mormon theology, 'salvation' can mean general resurrection (given to almost all), but in contexts like this involving keeping commandments, it refers to 'exaltation' or eternal life in the highest degree of heaven, which must be earned through obedience and ordinances.
In Evangelicalism
Deliverance from the penalty, power, and ultimately the presence of sin, granted as a free gift by grace through faith alone, resulting in eternal life with God.
"Zion"
In This Text
A literal, geographic gathering place for the Latter-day Saints (at this time, Jackson County, Missouri), which was to be 'redeemed' or reclaimed by the church.
In Evangelicalism
Historically Jerusalem; theologically, the spiritual kingdom of God, the heavenly city, and the future dwelling place of all believers (Hebrews 12:22).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Being redeemed and secured in God's kingdom, ultimately pointing toward exaltation in Mormon theology.
How Attained: By calling upon the name of the Lord AND keeping His commandments (works/obedience).
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on 'walking uprightly' and maintaining obedience to the commandments.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. While Romans 4:5 states that God justifies the ungodly who do not work but believe, D&C 100:17 demands works (commandment keeping) as a prerequisite for salvation.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Follow me (v. 2)
- Listen to the counsel which I shall give unto you (v. 2)
- Lift up your voices unto this people (v. 5)
- Speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts (v. 5)
- Declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness (v. 7)
- Continue your journey (v. 12)
- Let your hearts rejoice (v. 12)
- Let your hearts be comforted (v. 15)
- Keep his commandments (v. 17)
- Call upon the name of the Lord (v. 17)
Implicit Obligations
- Trust God with the welfare and safety of one's family while serving Him.
- Submit to the hierarchical structure where Joseph Smith is the revelator and Sidney Rigdon is the spokesman.
- Walk uprightly to ensure that all things work together for good.
Ritual Requirements
- Ordination to a specific calling (v. 9: 'I will ordain you unto this calling')
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 17, it says we must keep the commandments to be saved. How many commandments do we have to keep, and how perfectly must we keep them to have assurance?
- When you read Romans 10:13 in the Bible, it says 'whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Why do you think D&C 100:17 adds 'and keep his commandments' to that promise?
- Verse 11 says Sidney needed Joseph to be a revelator so he could know the certainty of all things. How does this compare to 1 Timothy 2:5, which says there is only one mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
God's care for our families and anxieties.
Just as God cares for the earthly welfare of families, He cared so deeply for our eternal welfare that He did not spare His own Son. We can trust Him completely with our salvation, not relying on our own works.
The need for a Spokesman and Revelator.
Humanity does indeed need a perfect Revelator and Spokesman to know God. Jesus Christ is the ultimate 'Word' (Logos) who perfectly reveals the Father. We do not need a human prophet because we have the Divine Son.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By conditioning salvation on keeping commandments (v. 14, 17), the believer is placed on a never-ending treadmill of performance. Because no one can keep the commandments perfectly, the honest adherent must constantly wonder if they have done 'enough' to be saved, leading to deep spiritual anxiety.
Because salvation is contingent on 'walking uprightly' (v. 15), the believer lacks the objective assurance of salvation that comes from resting entirely in Christ's finished work. Their standing before God fluctuates with their daily performance.
Verse 11 creates a dependency on human leadership (the revelator) for spiritual certainty. This strips the believer of the confidence to approach God directly through Scripture and binds their conscience to the dictates of a human institution.