Section 25
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 25 is presented as a direct, first-person revelation from God to Emma Smith, the wife of Joseph Smith, given in July 1830. The text serves multiple purposes within early Mormon history and theology. Practically, it outlines Emma's specific roles within the newly formed church: she is called to comfort her husband, act as his scribe, expound scriptures, exhort the church, and compile the first hymnal. Theologically, the text establishes several foundational Latter-day Saint concepts. It addresses Emma's inability to view the gold plates by commanding her not to murmur about 'things which thou hast not seen,' framing this restriction as divine wisdom. Furthermore, it reinforces the necessity of priesthood mediation, stating that Joseph must lay his hands upon her for her to receive the Holy Ghost. Most significantly for comparative theology, the section concludes with a stark declaration of conditional salvation. Verse 15 explicitly states that receiving a 'crown of righteousness' and entering God's presence is entirely dependent upon keeping His commandments 'continually.' Verse 16 universalizes this mandate, applying the conditions set upon Emma to all adherents. This text is pivotal in demonstrating the early shift in Mormonism toward works-based exaltation and the centralization of spiritual authority in the person of Joseph Smith.
Key Figures
- The Lord: The claimed first-person speaker of the text, asserting divine authority, forgiving sins, and setting conditions for salvation.
- Emma Smith: The primary recipient of the revelation, designated as an 'elect lady,' called to specific church duties, and warned to remain obedient.
- Joseph Smith, Jun.: Identified as God's servant and Emma's husband, positioned as the exclusive conduit for revelation and the priesthood authority required to impart the Holy Ghost.
- Oliver Cowdery: Mentioned as another servant of the Lord who is sent on errands by divine will, necessitating Emma's role as a substitute scribe.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Salvation / Works-Righteousness
Assertion
Entering God's presence and receiving a crown of righteousness is strictly contingent upon the continuous keeping of commandments.
Evidence from Text
Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, justification is a forensic declaration by God where the believer is declared righteous based solely on the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-28, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Salvation is secured by Christ's finished work and received by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). In stark contrast, D&C 25:15 establishes a paradigm of conditional salvation. The text explicitly states that unless the adherent keeps the commandments 'continually,' they cannot enter God's presence. This places the burden of eternal destiny squarely on human performance and sustained obedience, effectively nullifying the sufficiency of grace. While Evangelicals believe that good works and obedience are the necessary fruit of genuine salvation (James 2:17), they are never the root or the prerequisite for entering God's presence.
Priesthood Mediation for the Holy Ghost
Assertion
The reception of the Holy Ghost requires the physical laying on of hands by an authorized priesthood holder (in this case, Joseph Smith).
Evidence from Text
For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 25:8 asserts that Emma Smith will receive the Holy Ghost through the physical laying on of hands by her husband, Joseph Smith. This reflects the broader Latter-day Saint doctrine that the 'Gift of the Holy Ghost' is an ordinance that must be administered by Melchizedek Priesthood authority. Evangelical theology, based on the New Testament, teaches the Universal Priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). According to Ephesians 1:13-14 and Romans 8:9, the Holy Spirit is given by God directly to the individual at the moment they hear and believe the Gospel. No human mediator, prophet, or specific priesthood lineage is required to dispense the Holy Spirit. The LDS view inserts a necessary human hierarchy between the believer and God.
Prophetic Exclusivity and Ongoing Revelation
Assertion
Joseph Smith holds a unique calling to have 'all things' revealed to him by God, establishing him as the authoritative conduit for divine truth.
Evidence from Text
for unto them is his calling, that all things might be revealed unto them, whatsoever I will, according to their faith.
Evangelical Comparison
Verse 9 establishes Joseph Smith's exclusive prophetic prerogative, claiming his calling is to have 'all things' revealed to him. This creates an open canon where new, binding revelations can be continually added to the faith. Evangelical Christianity operates on the principle of Sola Scriptura, asserting that the 66 books of the Bible are the sole, infallible rule of faith and practice. Hebrews 1:1-2 declares that while God spoke through prophets in the past, in these 'last days' He has spoken definitively through His Son. Jude 1:3 speaks of the faith 'once for all delivered to the saints.' The Evangelical baseline rejects the need for modern prophets to reveal new doctrines, viewing the biblical canon as complete and sufficient for all matters of salvation and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text fundamentally diverges from Evangelicalism by establishing a works-based soteriology where entering God's presence requires continuous obedience to commandments, and by asserting the necessity of a human priesthood mediator to receive the Holy Spirit.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between D&C 25 and Evangelical Christianity is profound, centering primarily on Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) and Pneumatology (the doctrine of the Holy Spirit). Evangelicals hold to Sola Fide—that justification is an instantaneous, forensic act of God where a sinner is declared righteous by faith alone in Christ's finished work (Romans 3:28, Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are the inevitable fruit of this salvation, not the root cause. D&C 25:15 explicitly denies this by establishing a conditional framework: 'Keep my commandments continually... except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.' This is a system of works-righteousness that places the burden of eternal life on human performance, directly violating the Evangelical understanding of grace. Furthermore, the text violates the Evangelical doctrine of the Universal Priesthood of all believers. In the New Testament, the veil was torn, and all believers have direct access to God through the sole mediation of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). The Holy Spirit is given directly by God at the moment of belief (Ephesians 1:13). D&C 25:8, however, inserts Joseph Smith as a necessary mediator, stating that Emma will only receive the Holy Ghost when Joseph lays his hands upon her. This establishes a hierarchical, priesthood-dependent system that contradicts the biblical teaching of direct, unmediated access to the Triune God through faith.
For All Ages
Imagine you are invited to a wonderful party at a King's palace. In the Bible, the King's Son paid for your ticket completely. Because you trust the Son, the King gives you the ticket as a free gift, and you are guaranteed to get in. You try to be good because you are so thankful for the free ticket. But in this text, the rules are different. The text says you can only get into the palace if you follow all the rules perfectly, all the time. If you mess up and don't keep the rules 'continually,' you can't come in. This makes people very worried because no one is perfect. Also, the Bible says God gives you His Holy Spirit directly when you believe in Jesus. But this text says a special human leader has to put his hands on your head for you to get the Holy Spirit.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Verse 15 makes entering God's presence explicitly conditional upon keeping commandments 'continually,' denying that salvation is a free gift of grace.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
The text presents itself as new, binding revelation from God, and verse 9 asserts that Joseph Smith will have 'all things' revealed to him, denying the sufficiency and closure of the biblical canon.
Universal Priesthood
Verse 8 requires Joseph Smith to lay hands on Emma for her to receive the Holy Ghost, inserting a human mediator between the believer and God.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Receive the Holy Ghost"
In This Text
An ordinance performed by a Melchizedek Priesthood holder laying hands on a baptized member to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost.
In Evangelicalism
The automatic, permanent indwelling of the Third Person of the Trinity in the life of a believer at the exact moment of saving faith.
"Covenants"
In This Text
Two-way promises between God and individuals, usually associated with specific priesthood ordinances (like baptism or temple rites), which must be strictly kept to earn exaltation.
In Evangelicalism
Historically, God's sovereign, unilateral promises to His people. In the New Testament, the New Covenant is established in Christ's blood, securing eternal redemption for believers.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Entering into the presence of the Lord ('where I am') and receiving a 'crown of righteousness' (often understood in LDS theology as Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom).
How Attained: By keeping the commandments 'continually' and cleaving to covenants made.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is entirely conditional. A believer can only have confidence if they are currently and continually keeping all commandments.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text is the antithesis of Sola Fide. While Romans 4:5 states that God justifies the 'ungodly' who do not work but believe, D&C 25:15 states that God will only admit those who work continually. It replaces the finished work of Christ with the ongoing work of the adherent.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God
- Walk in the paths of virtue
- Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen
- Comfort my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun.
- Go with him at the time of his going
- Be unto him for a scribe
- Expound scriptures
- Exhort the church
- Lay aside the things of this world
- Seek for the things of a better
- Make a selection of sacred hymns
- Lift up thy heart
- Rejoice
- Cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made
- Continue in the spirit of meekness
- Beware of pride
- Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him
- Keep my commandments continually
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith's prophetic claims without demanding physical proof (such as seeing the gold plates)
- Submit to Joseph Smith's priesthood authority to receive the Holy Ghost
- Prioritize church duties and the support of the prophet over personal comfort or worldly pursuits
Ritual Requirements
- Be ordained under Joseph Smith's hand to expound scriptures
- Have hands laid upon her to receive the Holy Ghost
- Cleave unto covenants made (implying participation in formal, binding religious promises/ordinances)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read verse 15, which says 'Keep my commandments continually... except thou do this, where I am you cannot come,' how does that make you feel about your own standing before God?
- Have you ever had a day where you didn't keep the commandments 'continually'? If so, how do you find peace with the warning at the end of verse 15?
- In verse 4, Emma is told not to murmur about things she hasn't seen. Why do you think God would require her to act as a scribe for the plates but forbid her from seeing them?
- How does the requirement in verse 8 (needing Joseph to lay hands on her to receive the Holy Ghost) compare to the story of Cornelius in Acts 10, where the Holy Spirit fell on them the moment they believed?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Song of the Heart as a Prayer
This beautiful concept highlights God's desire for authentic, internal worship rather than just external ritual. Evangelicals can affirm that God looks at the heart. This can bridge to a conversation about how true worship comes from a heart that has been transformed by grace, not a heart striving to earn salvation.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
Verse 15 places an impossible burden on the believer. By stating 'except thou do this [keep commandments continually], where I am you cannot come,' it creates a constant state of anxiety. The believer can never truly rest in Christ's finished work because their eternal destiny is always contingent on their next choice. This leads to a cycle of striving, failing, and guilt.
Verse 4 commands Emma not to murmur about things she hasn't seen. This places a spiritual burden on adherents to suppress natural, logical questions or desires for evidence. It equates questioning or desiring proof with 'murmuring' (a sin), forcing believers to accept extraordinary claims purely on the authority of the leader.
Because salvation is conditional upon continuous obedience, the believer can never have true assurance of salvation in this life. They can only 'hope' they have done enough, directly contradicting the biblical promise that we can 'know' we have eternal life (1 John 5:13).
By requiring a priesthood holder to impart the Holy Ghost (v8), the text binds the believer's spiritual progression to the institutional church and its hierarchy. The believer cannot simply go to God in their bedroom and receive the Spirit; they are dependent on the organization.