Section 55
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 55 is a brief but theologically dense revelation dictated by Joseph Smith in June 1831 for William W. Phelps, a printer who had recently arrived in Kirtland, Ohio. The text outlines a specific sequence of spiritual mechanics required for salvation and church participation: Phelps must first be baptized in water to receive a remission of sins, followed by the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit. Crucially, the text establishes a hierarchical priesthood authority, mandating that Phelps be ordained specifically by Joseph Smith Jr. Once ordained, Phelps is granted the 'power to give the Holy Spirit' to others who are contrite. Practically, the revelation calls Phelps to utilize his professional skills to assist Oliver Cowdery in printing and developing educational materials for children in Church schools. Finally, it commands Phelps, Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Joseph Coe to travel to Missouri, which is identified as the 'land of your inheritance,' setting the stage for the early Mormon gathering to Zion.
Key Figures
- The Lord: The claimed divine author of the text, identifying Himself as 'the Lord of the whole earth' (v. 1).
- William W. Phelps: The primary recipient of the revelation, commanded to be baptized, ordained, preach, and write books for children.
- Joseph Smith, Jun.: The prophet and mediator of the revelation, explicitly named as the one holding the authority to ordain Phelps (v. 2).
- Jesus Christ: Identified as the 'Son of the living God' in whose name baptism must be performed (v. 2).
- Oliver Cowdery: The Second Elder of the church, whom Phelps is commanded to assist in printing and writing (v. 4).
- Sidney Rigdon: A prominent early church leader commanded to travel with Smith and Phelps to Missouri (v. 5).
- Joseph Coe: An early church member commanded to accompany the group to Missouri (v. 6).
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Baptismal Remission of Sins
Assertion
Remission of sins is conditional upon and subsequent to water baptism performed with the correct intent.
Evidence from Text
...after thou hast been baptized by water, which if you do with an eye single to my glory, you shall have a remission of your sins... (D&C 55:1)
Evangelical Comparison
In strict Evangelical theology, grounded in Sola Fide, the remission of sins is a forensic declaration by God that occurs the moment a sinner places their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8-9). Baptism is viewed as an outward sign of an inward reality—an ordinance of obedience rather than a mechanism of salvation. D&C 55:1 explicitly reverses this order, stating that remission of sins comes 'after thou hast been baptized by water.' Furthermore, it adds a subjective performance qualifier: the baptism must be done 'with an eye single to my glory' to be effective, introducing a works-based metric to justification.
Mediated Pneumatology (Conferral of the Holy Spirit)
Assertion
The Holy Spirit is not received automatically upon belief, but must be imparted through the physical laying on of hands by an authorized priesthood holder.
Evidence from Text
...and a reception of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands... And on whomsoever you shall lay your hands, if they are contrite before me, you shall have power to give the Holy Spirit. (D&C 55:1, 3)
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical pneumatology asserts that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation, given directly by God to every believer at the exact moment of conversion (Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 8:9). No human mediator is required to dispense the third person of the Trinity. D&C 55 establishes a system of mediated grace, where the Holy Spirit is 'given' by men who possess specific priesthood authority. Verse 3 explicitly grants Phelps the 'power to give the Holy Spirit,' elevating human agency to a mediatorial role that Evangelicalism reserves exclusively for Christ (1 Timothy 2:5).
Exclusive Priesthood Authority
Assertion
Legitimate ministry and the authority to perform saving ordinances must be derived from ordination by Joseph Smith or his authorized successors.
Evidence from Text
And then thou shalt be ordained by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., to be an elder unto this church... (D&C 55:2)
Evangelical Comparison
The text mandates that Phelps must be ordained specifically 'by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun.' to preach and perform baptisms. This reflects the LDS doctrine of exclusive priesthood authority, which claims that divine authority was lost from the earth and restored only through Joseph Smith. Evangelical Christianity rejects this premise entirely, holding to the Universal Priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). In the Evangelical view, the authority to preach and baptize comes from the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and the calling of the Holy Spirit, not from a physical chain of ordination tracing back to a 19th-century prophet.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text fundamentally diverges from Evangelicalism by replacing justification by faith alone with a system of ritual requirements (baptism) and human mediation (priesthood ordination) to receive forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between D&C 55 and Evangelical Christianity centers on Soteriology and Pneumatology. In Evangelical theology, governed by Sola Fide, justification is an instantaneous, forensic act of God where a sinner is declared righteous solely through faith in Christ's finished work (Romans 3:28, 5:1). The remission of sins is the immediate result of this faith. D&C 55, however, institutes a sequential, ordinance-based soteriology. Verse 1 explicitly states that remission of sins occurs 'after thou hast been baptized by water.' This transforms baptism from an ordinance of obedience into a salvific necessity, violating the Evangelical understanding of grace. Furthermore, the text establishes a mediated pneumatology. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is given directly by God to all who believe (Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 3:2). D&C 55:3 claims that human beings, once ordained by Joseph Smith, possess the 'power to give the Holy Spirit' through the physical ritual of laying on of hands. This creates a theological system where divine grace and the presence of God are bottlenecked through a human priesthood hierarchy, directly contradicting the biblical doctrine of the one mediator, Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), and the universal priesthood of all believers.
For All Ages
Imagine you broke a window and owe a debt you can't pay. Evangelical Christians believe Jesus paid the debt completely on the cross. The moment you trust Him and say 'thank you,' you are forgiven, and God's Spirit comes to live in your heart. You don't have to do anything else to earn it. But this text teaches something different. It says that to be forgiven, you have to be baptized in water first. And to get God's Spirit, a specific person with a special title has to put their hands on your head. It makes forgiveness and the Holy Spirit depend on doing certain actions and going through certain people, rather than just trusting in what Jesus already did.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
The text requires water baptism as a prerequisite for the remission of sins.
Universal Priesthood / Solus Christus
The text requires human mediators (Joseph Smith, ordained elders) to confer the Holy Spirit and validate ministry.
Sola Scriptura
The text claims to be direct, binding revelation from God outside of the biblical canon.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Remission of sins"
In This Text
Forgiveness granted conditionally after the performance of water baptism by proper authority.
In Evangelicalism
Forgiveness granted instantaneously by God's grace through faith alone in Christ's atoning sacrifice.
"Elder"
In This Text
A specific office in the Melchizedek Priesthood that grants the literal power to bestow the Holy Ghost.
In Evangelicalism
A spiritually mature leader/pastor in a local congregation tasked with teaching and shepherding, not mediating salvation.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In the context of this text, salvation (remission of sins and reception of the Spirit) is the initial entry into a state of grace required for further church service.
How Attained: Attained through a combination of internal disposition (contrite heart, eye single to God's glory) and external rituals (water baptism, laying on of hands by authorized priesthood).
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on having received the ordinances from the correct priesthood lineage and maintaining the subjective standard of an 'eye single to my glory.'
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text explicitly denies Sola Fide by placing water baptism between the individual and the remission of their sins. Romans 4:5 states, 'But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.' D&C 55 requires the 'work' of baptism and the mediation of an elder.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Be baptized by water (v. 1)
- Be ordained by Joseph Smith, Jun. to be an elder (v. 2)
- Preach repentance and remission of sins by way of baptism (v. 2)
- Lay hands on the contrite to give the Holy Spirit (v. 3)
- Assist Oliver Cowdery in printing (v. 4)
- Select and write books for schools in the church (v. 4)
- Take a journey with Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Joseph Coe to Missouri (v. 5-6)
Implicit Obligations
- Submit to the spiritual and administrative authority of Joseph Smith
- Maintain an 'eye single to God's glory' to ensure the efficacy of ordinances
- Accept the necessity of human mediation for divine grace
Ritual Requirements
- Water baptism for the remission of sins
- The laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Spirit
- Ordination to the priesthood office of elder by the laying on of hands
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 1, it says you must have an 'eye single to my glory' to receive a remission of sins. How do you know when your eye is perfectly single to God's glory? Does that ever cause you anxiety?
- Verse 3 says an elder has the 'power to give the Holy Spirit.' When we read Acts 10:44-48, the Holy Spirit falls on Cornelius and his family before they are even baptized, and without anyone laying hands on them. How do you reconcile that with the requirement in Section 55?
- If the remission of sins comes after water baptism, what was the status of the thief on the cross who Jesus promised would be in paradise?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Writing books for children to receive instruction (v. 4)
This shows a beautiful desire for children to know God. Evangelicals can bridge this to Jesus's love for children in Mark 10:14 ('Let the little children come to me'). We can discuss what the most important instruction for a child is: that Jesus loves them and paid for their sins completely, so they don't have to earn His love through rituals.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer is taught that they cannot access the fullness of God's grace (remission of sins, the Holy Spirit) directly. They are entirely dependent on the LDS priesthood hierarchy. If the priesthood is absent, or if the believer is out of favor with the leadership, their access to God's promises is severed. This creates a profound spiritual reliance on an institution rather than on Christ alone.
The conditional phrase 'which if you do with an eye single to my glory' places the burden of perfect internal motivation on the believer. Because human motives are rarely perfectly pure, a sensitive conscience may constantly wonder, 'Was my eye single enough? Did my baptism actually work? Are my sins truly remitted?' This robs the believer of the objective assurance found in Christ's finished work.