Section 31
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 31 is a revelation dictated by Joseph Smith in September 1830, addressed to Thomas B. Marsh shortly after his baptism and ordination as an elder. The text serves as a divine commission, calling Marsh to leave his family temporarily to engage in missionary work. It intertwines comforting promises regarding the future conversion and well-being of his family with heavy theological mandates. Most notably, the text explicitly conditions the forgiveness of Marsh's sins upon his missionary labor ('thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you'). Furthermore, it establishes a paradigm of prophetic exclusivity by commanding Marsh to preach specifically 'the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun.' The revelation concludes with strict warnings to pray constantly to avoid temptation and the subsequent loss of his reward, establishing a framework of conditional standing before God that requires enduring faithfulness to maintain salvation and divine favor.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The claimed first-person author and speaker of the revelation, identified as the Redeemer acting by the will of the Father.
- Thomas B. Marsh: The recipient of the revelation, a newly baptized convert called to leave his family to preach, promised forgiveness of sins in exchange for his labor.
- Joseph Smith, Jun.: Identified as God's servant; the conduit of new revelation which Marsh is explicitly commanded to preach to the generation.
- The Comforter (Holy Ghost): Promised as the guiding force that will direct Marsh's travels and actions.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Forgiveness through Labor (Works-Righteousness)
Assertion
The text claims that the forgiveness of sins is achieved or activated by engaging in strenuous missionary work.
Evidence from Text
Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, justification and the forgiveness of sins are forensic acts of God based entirely on the imputed righteousness of Christ, received through faith alone (Sola Fide). Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5 explicitly deny that human effort, labor, or righteous deeds contribute to the forgiveness of sins. D&C 31:5, however, presents a transactional soteriology where Marsh's sins are forgiven as a direct consequence of him 'thrusting in his sickle with all his soul' (missionary labor). This creates a works-based paradigm where human effort is a necessary co-requisite for absolution, fundamentally altering the biblical Gospel of grace.
Prophetic Exclusivity and Continuing Revelation
Assertion
The text mandates the preaching of extra-biblical revelations given exclusively through Joseph Smith.
Evidence from Text
You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun.
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Christianity holds to Sola Scriptura—the belief that the 66 books of the Bible are the sole, infallible, and sufficient rule of faith and practice. The canon is closed (Jude 1:3, Revelation 22:18-19). D&C 31:4 commands the preaching of 'things which have been revealed to... Joseph Smith, Jun.', placing Smith's modern revelations on par with, or superseding, biblical authority. This shifts the object of preaching from the finished work of Christ as revealed in the Bible to the new doctrines and organizational structures revealed through a 19th-century figure.
Conditional Standing and Loss of Reward
Assertion
The text asserts that a believer's reward and standing are conditional upon constant prayer, faithfulness, and avoiding temptation.
Evidence from Text
Pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward. Be faithful unto the end
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical theology, particularly within Reformed traditions, emphasizes the eternal security of the believer and the assurance of salvation based on Christ's unfailing work (John 10:28, Romans 8:38-39). While Evangelicals believe in the importance of prayer and endurance, these are seen as fruits of genuine salvation, not the sustaining cause of it. D&C 31:12-13 places the burden of maintaining the 'reward' squarely on the believer's ability to pray always and remain faithful to the end. This fosters a theology of conditional standing where divine favor can be lost through inadequate performance.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text fundamentally diverges from Evangelicalism by conditioning the forgiveness of sins on human labor (missionary work) and by mandating the preaching of extra-biblical revelations given to a modern prophet.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between D&C 31 and Evangelical Christianity is rooted in Soteriology and Authority. Evangelicals hold to Sola Fide, the doctrine that justification is an instantaneous, forensic declaration by God where Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer solely through faith. D&C 31:5 explicitly ties the forgiveness of sins to the physical and spiritual exertion of missionary labor ('thrust in your sickle... and your sins are forgiven you'). This creates a synergistic soteriology where human effort is required to actualize forgiveness. Furthermore, the text violates Sola Scriptura by commanding the dissemination of 'things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun.' (v. 4). In Evangelicalism, the apostolic era closed with the completion of the New Testament, and no new binding revelation is given to the church. By elevating Smith's revelations to the core content of the missionary message, the text shifts the focus of evangelism from the historical, biblical Gospel of Christ's death and resurrection to the acceptance of a modern prophet and his new institutional church.
For All Ages
Imagine you broke a window, and the owner said, 'I will forgive you, but only if you go knock on 100 doors and convince people to join my club.' That is what this text is saying to Thomas—that his sins are forgiven because he is working hard at preaching. But the Bible teaches something wonderful: God forgives us as a free gift just because we believe in Jesus, who already paid for the broken window on the cross. Also, this text tells Thomas he has to teach new rules given to a man named Joseph Smith. But Christians believe the Bible is already finished and has everything we need to know about God.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Verse 5 explicitly conditions the forgiveness of sins upon the act of missionary labor ('thrust in your sickle').
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
Verse 4 commands the preaching of extra-biblical revelations given to Joseph Smith as binding truth.
Assurance of Salvation
Verse 12 threatens the loss of reward if the believer fails to pray always and enters into temptation.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Glad tidings / The Gospel"
In This Text
Includes the new revelations given to Joseph Smith, the restoration of the church, and the gathering of the saints.
In Evangelicalism
The historical death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the justification of sinners (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
"The Church"
In This Text
The specific, institutional organization established by Joseph Smith ('I will establish a church by your hand', v. 7).
In Evangelicalism
The universal body of all true believers across time and space, united by the Holy Spirit.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In this specific text, salvation is framed as having one's sins forgiven, receiving a 'reward', and securing the spiritual survival and unity of one's family.
How Attained: Attained through faith, intense missionary labor ('thrust in your sickle'), obedience to Joseph Smith's revelations, and enduring to the end.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is highly conditional, based on continuous prayer, avoidance of temptation, and steadfast endurance (v. 12-13).
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. While Romans 4:4-5 states that to the one who does not work but believes, his faith is counted as righteousness, D&C 31:5 states that forgiveness is granted because the laborer thrusts in his sickle with all his soul.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Lift up your heart and rejoice
- Declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation
- Declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun.
- Begin to preach from this time forth
- Reap in the field
- Thrust in your sickle with all your soul
- Go from them [family] only for a little time
- Declare my word
- Strengthen them [the church]
- Prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered
- Be patient in afflictions
- Revile not against those that revile
- Govern your house in meekness
- Be steadfast
- Go your way whithersoever I will
- Pray always
- Be faithful unto the end
Implicit Obligations
- Accept Joseph Smith as the exclusive conduit of divine truth
- Prioritize church duties and missionary work over immediate physical presence with family
- Rely on subjective internal guidance (the Comforter) for geographical and operational direction
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 5, it says 'thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you.' How do you balance this requirement of labor for forgiveness with Paul's teaching in Ephesians 2:8-9 that salvation is not of works?
- Verse 4 commands Thomas to preach the things revealed to Joseph Smith. When evaluating new revelations, how can we use the Bible to test if they are truly from God, as commanded in 1 John 4:1?
- Verse 12 warns about losing your reward if you don't pray always. Does this make you feel secure in God's love, or does it create anxiety about your standing with Him?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for family unity and blessing
The deep desire for our families to be saved and united in truth is a God-given desire. While D&C 31 ties this to joining a specific church organization, the biblical Gospel promises that faith in Christ brings salvation to households (Acts 16:31) and unites us in the eternal family of God.
The Physician
Marsh is called to be a spiritual physician, but Jesus Christ is the Great Physician who heals our ultimate disease—sin. We do not need to heal ourselves through labor; we need only come to the Physician in faith.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By tying the forgiveness of sins directly to the intensity of missionary labor ('with all your soul'), the believer is placed on a performance treadmill. There is no rest in Christ's finished work; absolution must be continually earned through exertion.
Verse 12 creates a constant low-level anxiety by threatening the loss of reward if the believer fails to 'pray always' or enters into temptation. This strips away the peace and assurance that comes from knowing one is held securely by God.
The command to leave family behind (v. 6) to serve the institution places immense strain on family dynamics, creating a paradigm where institutional loyalty supersedes immediate family presence and care.