Section 16
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 16 is a brief revelation dictated by Joseph Smith in June 1829 at Fayette, New York, directed to Peter Whitmer Jr. Historically, this occurred during the final stages of the Book of Mormon translation, which took place at the Whitmer family farm. As the translation neared completion, several individuals, including the Whitmer brothers, sought to know their specific roles and duties in the emerging religious movement. In this text, the voice of Jesus Christ speaks directly through Joseph Smith, establishing prophetic authority by claiming to reveal a secret desire known only to God and Peter ('that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone'). The revelation commends Peter for his past obedience and explicitly defines his highest spiritual priority: declaring repentance to the people. The text inextricably links the act of proselytizing to the eschatological reward of resting with those saved souls in the kingdom of the Father. Notably, this section is textually identical to Section 15 (given to John Whitmer), save for the recipient's name, which establishes a foundational, formulaic mandate for missionary service that would become a hallmark of Latter-day Saint culture and soteriology.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: Identified as the speaker, Lord, and Redeemer, who possesses omniscience and universal authority.
- Peter Whitmer Jr.: The recipient of the revelation, commended for his desires and commanded to preach repentance.
- God the Father: Mentioned in the context of His kingdom, where the faithful will ultimately rest.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Continuous Revelation and Prophetic Mediation
Assertion
Jesus Christ speaks directly and verbatim through a modern prophet (Joseph Smith) to individuals today.
Evidence from Text
Hearken, my servant Peter, and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer. For behold, I speak unto you with sharpness and with power
Evangelical Comparison
This text asserts that Joseph Smith operates as a direct mouthpiece for Jesus Christ, dictating new scripture with the same authority as the biblical prophets and apostles. The phrase 'listen to the words of Jesus Christ... I speak unto you' places this document on par with the red-letter words of the New Testament. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity adheres to Sola Scriptura, maintaining that the 66-book Bible is the sole, infallible, and sufficient rule of faith. Evangelicals point to Hebrews 1:1-2, which states that while God spoke through prophets in the past, in these 'last days' He has spoken definitively through His Son, whose revelation is perfectly preserved in the New Testament. The addition of new, binding revelations through a modern prophet is viewed as a violation of the biblical canon's closure (Revelation 22:18-19).
Divine Omniscience as Prophetic Validation
Assertion
The revelation proves its divine origin by revealing the secret thoughts and desires of the recipient.
Evidence from Text
And I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone—For many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you.
Evangelical Comparison
The text utilizes a specific epistemological tool to validate Joseph Smith's prophetic calling: the revealing of a secret. By stating 'which no man knoweth save me and thee alone,' the text attempts to bypass rational or scriptural testing by providing a deeply subjective, emotional confirmation to Peter Whitmer Jr. Evangelical Christianity affirms the omniscience of God (Psalm 139:1-4), but warns against accepting supernatural knowledge as automatic proof of divine origin, as false prophets or deceiving spirits can also possess hidden knowledge (Deuteronomy 13:1-3; Acts 16:16-18). Biblical prophets are validated by their adherence to previously revealed Scripture and the theological accuracy of their message regarding the nature of God and the Gospel, not merely by clairvoyant abilities.
Missiological Merit (Soteriological Value of Evangelism)
Assertion
The most valuable pursuit for a believer is to preach repentance, which is linked to resting in the Father's kingdom.
Evidence from Text
the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father.
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 16:6 creates a direct causal link between the act of declaring repentance ('that you may bring souls') and the eschatological reward ('that you may rest with them'). In Latter-day Saint theology, missionary work is a fundamental duty tied to one's progression and exaltation. While Evangelical Christianity places a high premium on the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), it strictly separates the *fruit* of salvation (good works, including evangelism) from the *root* of salvation (justification by faith alone). According to Sola Fide, a believer's rest in the Father's kingdom is secured entirely by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), not by their proselytizing efforts. The Evangelical believer evangelizes out of gratitude and obedience, not to secure or validate their eternal rest.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text diverges from Evangelicalism by establishing an open canon through a modern prophet and subtly linking eternal rest to the believer's performance in missionary work.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap centers on authority and soteriology. Epistemologically, D&C 16 operates on the premise of an open canon, where Jesus Christ continues to dictate binding, verbatim scripture through a singular prophetic leader. This violates the Evangelical pillar of Sola Scriptura, which maintains that the biblical canon is closed and sufficient for all matters of faith and practice. Soteriologically, while the text does not explicitly outline the entire LDS framework of exaltation, it introduces a performance-based metric for eternal rest. By stating 'declare repentance... that you may bring souls... that you may rest with them,' it creates a conditional framework where the believer's eschatological comfort is tied to their missiological output. This conflicts with Sola Fide, which teaches that a believer's rest is secured entirely by the imputed righteousness of Christ, received by faith alone, independent of works or evangelistic success.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a huge debt that you can never pay off. In the Bible, Jesus pays that debt completely, and because of that, you get to live in His house forever. You are so happy that you tell everyone about it! But in this text, it sounds a bit like Jesus is saying, 'The best way to make sure you get to rest in my house is to go out and convince other people to come too.' Evangelical Christians believe we tell others about Jesus because we are already saved and grateful, not because we have to do it to earn our rest in heaven. Also, Christians believe the Bible is God's complete message to us, but this text claims to be a brand new message from Jesus added on top of the Bible.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text claims to be direct, new revelation from Jesus Christ, adding to the closed canon of Scripture.
Sola Fide
The text links the believer's eternal rest to their active participation and success in missionary work.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Repentance"
In This Text
In LDS theology, repentance is often viewed as a multi-step process involving remorse, restitution, and forsaking the sin to maintain worthiness.
In Evangelicalism
A fundamental change of mind and heart (metanoia) that turns away from sin and toward God in faith, resulting in justification.
"Kingdom of my Father"
In This Text
In broader LDS theology, this refers to the Celestial Kingdom, the highest degree of glory, which requires specific ordinances and faithfulness to attain.
In Evangelicalism
The singular, eternal presence of God where all justified believers will dwell together.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Resting with saved souls in the kingdom of the Father.
How Attained: Implied to be attained or secured through obedience to the command to declare repentance and bring souls to Christ.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on the believer's active engagement in the 'thing of most worth'—missionary work.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text subtly undermines Sola Fide by making eternal rest a consequence of the believer's evangelistic efforts ('declare repentance... that you may rest'). In contrast, Romans 4:4-5 teaches that salvation is a gift to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Hearken and listen to the words of Jesus Christ
- Declare repentance unto this people
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith as the legitimate mouthpiece of Jesus Christ
- Prioritize missionary work above all other earthly or spiritual pursuits
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- I noticed that Section 15 and Section 16 are exactly the same, word for word, just with different names. Why do you think God would give the exact same revelation to two different people rather than something unique to them?
- In verse 6, it says to declare repentance so that you may rest with them in the Father's kingdom. Do you feel like your eternal rest depends on how well you do missionary work?
- If someone is physically unable to declare repentance or bring souls to Christ, how do they find rest in the Father's kingdom according to this principle?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Seeking the thing of 'most worth'
Every human heart desires to know its ultimate purpose and what is of greatest worth. While this text points to the *action* of proselytizing, the biblical Gospel points to the *person* of Jesus Christ. Knowing Him is the thing of most worth.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By defining the 'thing of most worth' as an action (declaring repentance) and linking it to eternal rest, the text places a heavy burden of performance on the believer. The adherent may feel that their standing before God and their future heavenly rest are constantly contingent upon their evangelistic output, leading to burnout, guilt, and a lack of true spiritual peace.
Relying on a human leader who claims to know secret thoughts creates a fragile foundation for faith. If the leader's other prophecies fail or their character is compromised, the believer's entire spiritual foundation can collapse, because their faith is mediated through the prophet rather than anchored in the objective Word of God.