Section 138
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 138 is a pivotal text in Latter-day Saint theology, providing the foundational narrative and theological justification for the church's extensive focus on genealogy and vicarious temple work. Received as a vision by LDS President Joseph F. Smith in 1918, the text describes the state of the dead between Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. It asserts that Christ did not personally visit the wicked in the spirit world, but rather organized the righteous spirits to preach the gospel to them. This text introduces the concept that the dead can repent, accept the gospel, and receive the benefits of vicarious ordinances (like baptism for the dead) performed by living proxies in LDS temples. Furthermore, it claims that individuals must 'pay the penalty of their transgressions' before receiving their reward, fundamentally altering the biblical understanding of justification and the finality of death. It also reinforces the LDS doctrine of pre-mortal existence, claiming that early church leaders were prepared in the spirit world before birth. For the LDS believer, this text is a source of comfort regarding deceased ancestors, but it also imposes a massive logistical and spiritual burden to perform saving ordinances for all of humanity.
Key Figures
- Joseph F. Smith: The LDS prophet who received and recorded the vision, establishing its authority.
- Jesus Christ: The Son of God and Redeemer, who is depicted as organizing the preaching of the gospel in the spirit world.
- Peter: The biblical apostle whose epistles (1 Peter) prompted Joseph F. Smith's pondering and subsequent vision.
- Adam: Identified as the Ancient of Days and father of all, present among the righteous dead.
- Eve: Identified as our glorious Mother, present with her faithful daughters.
- Abel, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elias, Malachi: Old Testament prophets listed as being present in the vast congregation of the righteous, validating LDS continuity with biblical history.
- Elijah: The prophet foretold to plant the promises in the hearts of the children, which the text explicitly ties to modern LDS temple work.
- Moroni: A Nephite prophet from the Book of Mormon, validating the LDS canon by placing him alongside biblical prophets.
- Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff: Early LDS leaders seen in the vision, validating their divine calling and establishing the doctrine of their pre-mortal foreordination.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Post-Mortem Evangelism and Salvation
Assertion
The gospel is actively preached to the dead in the spirit world, allowing those who died in sin or ignorance to repent and be saved.
Evidence from Text
Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets. (v. 32)
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 138 teaches that the period between death and resurrection is a time of active evangelism, where spirits can hear the gospel, repent, and accept proxy ordinances. This provides a 'second chance' for those who rejected the truth in life or never heard it. In stark contrast, Evangelical Christianity holds to the finality of death as the end of one's probationary state. Hebrews 9:27 explicitly states, 'it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.' Furthermore, Jesus's parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) illustrates a 'great chasm' that prevents any crossing over between the realms of the righteous and the wicked dead, demonstrating that one's eternal destiny is fixed at death.
Vicarious Ordinances for the Dead
Assertion
The dead require physical ordinances, such as baptism, which must be performed vicariously by the living in temples.
Evidence from Text
The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God (v. 58)
Evangelical Comparison
The text mandates that even if a spirit repents in the afterlife, they cannot be fully redeemed without 'ordinances of the house of God' (temple rituals) performed on their behalf by living proxies. This creates a theology where human works are strictly necessary for the salvation of others. Evangelicalism fundamentally rejects this, adhering to Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone). Ephesians 2:8-9 declares that salvation is a gift of God, not of works. Additionally, the Bible teaches that every individual is accountable for their own faith (Ezekiel 18:20), and physical rituals cannot be applied retroactively to deceased spirits.
Personal Payment for Transgressions
Assertion
Individuals must pay the penalty for their own sins before they can be washed clean and receive salvation.
Evidence from Text
And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works (v. 59)
Evangelical Comparison
Verse 59 introduces a concept akin to purgatory, stating that the dead must pay the penalty of their transgressions before receiving their reward. This directly undermines the Evangelical doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement. Evangelicals believe that Jesus Christ bore the full wrath of God and paid the complete penalty for the sins of believers on the cross. When Jesus cried 'It is finished' (John 19:30), the debt was paid in full. Hebrews 10:14 states, 'For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.' To suggest that a person must pay their own penalty is to declare Christ's sacrifice insufficient.
Premortal Existence and Foreordination
Assertion
Human spirits, particularly church leaders, existed before birth and were prepared and chosen in the spirit world to be rulers in the Church.
Evidence from Text
Even before they were born, they, with many others, received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord (v. 56)
Evangelical Comparison
The text claims that individuals like Joseph Smith and Brigham Young existed as spirits before their mortal birth and were foreordained to their roles. Evangelical Christianity generally holds to either creationism (God creates a new soul at conception) or traducianism (the soul is inherited from parents), but universally rejects the pre-mortal existence of human souls. The Bible reserves eternal pre-existence exclusively for the Godhead, particularly emphasizing the unique pre-existence of the Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16-17). Ascribing pre-mortal existence to humans blurs the Creator-creature distinction.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text introduces post-mortem salvation, vicarious temple ordinances, and personal payment for sins, which directly contradict the biblical doctrines of final judgment at death and the all-sufficiency of Christ's atonement.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between D&C 138 and Evangelical Christianity is profound, centering primarily on soteriology, eschatology, and the sufficiency of Christ's atonement. D&C 138 establishes a complex post-mortem economy of salvation where the dead can be evangelized, repent, and receive the benefits of vicarious physical ordinances performed by the living. This directly violates the Evangelical understanding of the finality of death and immediate judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Furthermore, the text explicitly states in verse 59 that individuals must 'pay the penalty of their transgressions' before being washed clean and receiving salvation. This introduces a purgatorial concept that fundamentally denies the Evangelical pillar of Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone) and the complete sufficiency of Christ's penal substitutionary atonement. If a believer must pay the penalty for their own sins, then Christ's declaration 'It is finished' (John 19:30) is rendered incomplete. Additionally, the necessity of 'ordinances of the house of God' (temple rituals) for the redemption of the dead binds salvation to human works and institutional mediation, contradicting the biblical teaching that salvation is a free gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) mediated solely by Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5).
For All Ages
Imagine you broke a very expensive window, and you have no money to pay for it. The owner of the house says, 'If you just believe that my Son paid for it, I will forgive you completely.' That is what Evangelical Christians believe Jesus did for us on the cross—He paid the whole price for our sins, and we just have to trust Him. But this text from the Doctrine and Covenants teaches something different. It says that even after you die, you might still have to pay the penalty for your own mistakes before you can be clean. It also says that people who are alive have to go to special buildings called temples to be baptized for people who have already died, to help them get to heaven. This means Jesus's payment wasn't enough on its own, and we have to add our own work, and the work of our living relatives, to be saved. Christians believe the Bible teaches that when we die, our chance to choose Jesus is over, and that Jesus's sacrifice was 100% enough to save us without any extra rituals.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
Adds new revelation regarding the spirit world, pre-mortal existence, and temple ordinances that are absent from or contradict the biblical canon.
Sola Fide
Requires obedience to physical ordinances (baptism, temple rites) for redemption, denying that faith alone is sufficient.
Sufficiency of Christ's Atonement
Claims individuals must 'pay the penalty of their transgressions' (v. 59), denying that Christ's sacrifice was fully sufficient to pay the debt of sin.
Finality of Death
Teaches post-mortem evangelism and repentance, contradicting the biblical teaching that judgment follows death.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Salvation / Redemption"
In This Text
In this text, redemption requires obedience to the ordinances of the house of God (temple work) and paying the penalty for one's transgressions.
In Evangelicalism
Deliverance from the eternal penalty of sin, granted as a free gift by grace through faith alone, based entirely on Christ's finished work.
"The Gospel"
In This Text
Includes 'principles' and 'ordinances' (v. 4, 33) such as vicarious baptism and laying on of hands.
In Evangelicalism
The good news of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins, apart from works of the law (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Redemption from death and hell, and receiving a reward according to works after being washed clean.
How Attained: Through repentance, obedience to the ordinances of the house of God (temple work), and paying the penalty of one's transgressions.
Basis of Assurance: Completion of required ordinances and personal suffering/payment for sins.
Comparison to Sola Fide: Directly contradicts Sola Fide. The text explicitly requires 'obedience to the ordinances' (v. 58) and personal payment for sin (v. 59), whereas Ephesians 2:8-9 states salvation is 'not a result of works, so that no one may boast.'
Mandates & Requirements
Implicit Obligations
- Perform genealogical research to identify deceased ancestors
- Attend the temple to perform vicarious ordinances for the dead
- Sustain the Prophet as a revelator of new doctrine
Ritual Requirements
- Vicarious baptism for the remission of sins
- Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands
- Ordinances of the house of God (temple ordinances)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 59, it mentions that the dead must 'pay the penalty of their transgressions' before being washed clean. How does this relate to Jesus's sacrifice on the cross? If Jesus paid the price for our sins, why do we still have to pay a penalty?
- Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. How do you reconcile this biblical teaching with the idea of preaching the gospel and repenting in the spirit world?
- If salvation requires physical ordinances like baptism, how did the thief on the cross receive salvation when Jesus told him, 'Today you will be with me in paradise'?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Deliverance from bondage
The text recognizes a deep human need for deliverance from the chains of death and bondage. The biblical Gospel offers immediate deliverance from the bondage of sin and the fear of death through Christ's resurrection, without the need for ongoing proxy works.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The doctrine of vicarious ordinances places an infinite burden on the living LDS member. Because billions have died without the LDS gospel, members are tasked with endless genealogical research and temple attendance to save them. This creates a treadmill of works where one can never truly say 'it is enough,' leading to spiritual exhaustion and guilt for not doing more temple work.
Verse 59's assertion that one must 'pay the penalty of their transgressions' instills a deep uncertainty about one's standing before God. It removes the assurance of salvation provided by Christ's finished work, leaving the believer to wonder if they have suffered enough or done enough to finally be 'washed clean.'