Section 48
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 48 is a brief administrative and prophetic text dictated by Joseph Smith in March 1831 in Kirtland, Ohio. The historical context involves the migration of Latter-day Saints from the eastern United States (primarily New York) to Ohio, following prior commands to gather there. The text addresses the immediate practical crisis of housing and land for these incoming migrants. It mandates that current Ohio residents share ('impart') their lands with the arriving brethren. Those without land are instructed to purchase property in the surrounding regions. Furthermore, the text commands the Saints to save all the money they can in righteousness to eventually purchase land for an 'inheritance,' specifically a future 'city' whose location is not yet revealed. The revelation establishes a clear hierarchical authority, stating that specific men will be appointed to receive the revelation of the city's location, and that the gathering of families will be dictated by the 'presidency and the bishop of the church.' The text concludes with an explicit promise of ongoing, open-ended revelation, requiring obedience to laws and commandments 'which ye shall hereafter receive.'
Key Figures
- Joseph Smith: The Prophet through whom the revelation is given, establishing his role as the mediator of God's administrative and spiritual directives.
- The Eastern Brethren: The migrating Latter-day Saints from New York whose arrival necessitates the sharing and purchasing of land.
- The Presidency and the Bishop: The hierarchical leadership of the church who are granted the authority to appoint and direct the gathering of families and the distribution of resources.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Ongoing Revelation and Open Canon
Assertion
The text asserts that God will continue to give new laws and commandments to the church through its appointed leaders.
Evidence from Text
...according to the laws and commandments which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive. Even so. Amen.
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, the canon of Scripture is closed, and the 66 books of the Bible are viewed as the sole, infallible, and sufficient rule of faith and practice (Sola Scriptura). Passages like Jude 1:3 ('the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints') and Hebrews 1:1-2 emphasize that God's final and ultimate revelation is in Jesus Christ and the apostolic witness. D&C 48 explicitly promises that the church will 'hereafter receive' new laws and commandments. This establishes an open canon where modern prophetic utterances carry the same or greater weight than ancient scripture, fundamentally altering the epistemological foundation of the faith.
Hierarchical Church Authority
Assertion
The text claims that the physical gathering and spiritual inheritance of families must be directed by specific church officers (the presidency and the bishop).
Evidence from Text
...every man according to his family, according to his circumstances, and as is appointed to him by the presidency and the bishop of the church...
Evangelical Comparison
The text places immense administrative and spiritual authority in the hands of 'the presidency and the bishop,' who are tasked with appointing how and where families gather for their 'inheritance.' In Evangelical Christianity, while pastoral leadership is biblical (1 Timothy 3), the concept of a centralized, mediating hierarchy that dictates the physical and spiritual inheritance of believers is rejected. The Universal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) teaches that all believers have direct access to God through Christ, the sole mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), without needing a human presidency to appoint their inheritance.
Physical Zion and Inheritance
Assertion
The text teaches that believers must purchase physical land to establish a literal city of inheritance.
Evidence from Text
...that in time ye may be enabled to purchase land for an inheritance, even the city. The place is not yet to be revealed...
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 48 commands the saving of money to purchase physical land for an 'inheritance, even the city.' This reflects the Mormon doctrine of building a literal, physical Zion on the American continent. Evangelical theology, drawing from the New Testament, views the believer's inheritance as spiritual, kept in heaven, and secured entirely by the finished work of Christ (1 Peter 1:3-4). While Evangelicals look forward to the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21), it is a heavenly city brought down by God, not a physical city purchased and built by human financial means and real estate transactions.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text establishes an open canon of ongoing revelation and places absolute authority over a believer's life, finances, and physical location into the hands of a human church hierarchy.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap centers on authority, revelation, and the nature of the believer's inheritance. D&C 48 explicitly promises that new 'laws and commandments' will be received 'hereafter,' directly violating the Evangelical doctrine of Sola Scriptura, which maintains that the biblical canon is closed and sufficient for all faith and practice. Furthermore, the text places the mediation of God's will regarding physical gathering and inheritance into the hands of 'the presidency and the bishop.' This conflicts with the Evangelical understanding of the Universal Priesthood, where believers are led by the Holy Spirit through the Word, without needing a human hierarchy to dictate their physical movements or spiritual standing. Finally, the text's focus on saving money to purchase a physical 'inheritance' (a literal city) contrasts sharply with the New Testament teaching that a believer's inheritance is spiritual, imperishable, kept in heaven, and obtained solely through the grace of Christ (1 Peter 1:3-4, Ephesians 1:11-14).
For All Ages
Imagine you have a complete, perfect instruction manual for building a Lego set, and the creator says, 'This is all you need.' That is how Evangelical Christians view the Bible. But this text says, 'Wait, the leaders of our group are going to get new pages of instructions tomorrow, and you have to follow those too.' It also tells the people they need to save up their money to buy a physical piece of land to get their 'inheritance.' Christians believe our inheritance isn't a piece of land we buy with money, but a free gift of eternal life in heaven that Jesus already paid for.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text explicitly promises future laws and commandments, establishing an open canon.
Universal Priesthood
Requires submission to a human presidency and bishop to receive one's appointed inheritance and gathering place.
Sola Gratia / Sola Fide
Ties the concept of 'inheritance' to the physical saving of money and purchasing of land, rather than a free gift of grace.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Inheritance"
In This Text
A physical plot of land in a literal city (Zion) purchased with saved money.
In Evangelicalism
The eternal, spiritual promises and eternal life secured for believers by Christ's death and resurrection.
"Revelation"
In This Text
Ongoing, authoritative administrative and spiritual directives given to church leaders.
In Evangelicalism
God's final, completed disclosure of Himself and His will, culminating in Jesus Christ and the apostolic writings (the Bible).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: While not explicitly defining eternal salvation, the text defines spiritual success and 'inheritance' as participating in the physical gathering of Zion.
How Attained: Attained through obedience to church leadership, financial contribution, and physical relocation.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on one's compliance with the directives of the presidency and bishop, and one's ability to secure a physical inheritance.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text focuses entirely on human effort (saving money, buying land, moving) to secure an inheritance. This stands in stark contrast to Justification by Faith Alone, where the believer's inheritance is a free gift received by faith in Christ's finished work (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7).
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Remain in current places of abode for the present time as suitable.
- Impart (share) lands with the eastern brethren.
- Buy lands in the surrounding regions for the present time if you do not have lands.
- Save all the money you can.
- Obtain all the money you can in righteousness.
- Gather with families as appointed by the presidency and the bishop.
Implicit Obligations
- Submit entirely to the administrative and spiritual authority of the presidency and the bishop.
- Accept that future laws and commandments will be given and must be obeyed.
- Prioritize the financial and physical building of the church's infrastructure (the city) over personal wealth accumulation.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read about saving money to purchase an 'inheritance' in verse 4, how does that compare to Peter's description of an inheritance that is 'imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you' in 1 Peter 1:4?
- Verse 6 mentions laws and commandments 'which ye shall hereafter receive.' How do you discern if a new commandment from modern leadership aligns with God's eternal nature?
- If the biblical canon is open and new laws are constantly being added, how can a believer ever have true assurance that they have done enough to please God?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The longing for a City of Inheritance
The early Saints' desire for a physical city of Zion mirrors the universal human longing for a perfect, eternal home. Evangelicals can bridge this by pointing to the true City of God, which is not built by human hands or bought with money, but prepared by God for those who trust in Christ.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The command to 'save all the money that ye can' to purchase land for the church places a heavy financial burden on believers. It intertwines their spiritual standing and future 'inheritance' with their economic output and willingness to consecrate their wealth to the institution.
Believers are required to submit their living arrangements, family gathering, and future obedience entirely to the dictates of 'the presidency and the bishop.' This creates a spiritual environment where questioning leadership is equated with disobeying God, leading to a loss of personal spiritual autonomy.