Section 60
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 60 was dictated by Joseph Smith on August 8, 1831, in Independence, Missouri. The historical context involves a group of early Mormon elders who had traveled to Jackson County to dedicate the land and the temple site for the New Jerusalem ('Zion'). Having completed this task, they sought direction on their next steps. The text serves as a divine administrative and spiritual directive, commanding the elders to return to their homes in the East while actively preaching the Mormon gospel along the way. The text carries a strong tone of divine performance evaluation. God expresses pleasure that they came to Missouri but explicitly states His anger is kindled against some who failed to preach ('open their mouths') due to the 'fear of man.' The revelation utilizes the biblical imagery of the Parable of the Talents, warning that those who hide their talents will lose what they have. It provides specific logistical instructions, including travel routes through St. Louis and Cincinnati, and financial directives involving Edward Partridge. Theologically, the text intertwines missionary obedience with spiritual standing. In verse 7, the forgiveness of sins and the process of being made holy are contextually linked to the elders' obedience in declaring the word. Furthermore, the text institutes a unique ritualistic practice: the elders are commanded to secretly wash their feet as a testimony for the Day of Judgment against those who reject their message. The section concludes by reinforcing Joseph Smith's exclusive role as the prophetic mouthpiece through whom future directives for specific individuals will be revealed.
Key Figures
- The Lord (Jesus Christ): The claimed divine author of the text, who dictates travel plans, expresses anger at poor missionary performance, and promises forgiveness.
- Joseph Smith, Jun.: The prophetic conduit of the revelation, commanded to travel to Cincinnati to preach, and established as the exclusive mouthpiece for future revelations regarding other leaders.
- Sidney Rigdon: A prominent early leader commanded to travel with Joseph Smith to Cincinnati to lift up his voice and declare the word.
- Oliver Cowdery: The Second Elder of the church, commanded to accompany Joseph and Sidney to Cincinnati.
- Edward Partridge: The first Presiding Bishop of the church, acting as the financial agent instructed to impart money to the returning elders.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Prophetic Dictation and Continuing Revelation
Assertion
God speaks directly and verbatim through Joseph Smith to provide real-time logistical, financial, and spiritual commands to the church.
Evidence from Text
Behold, thus saith the Lord unto the elders of his church... And by the mouth of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., it shall be made known concerning Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery. (D&C 60:1, 17)
Evangelical Comparison
In Doctrine and Covenants 60, Joseph Smith is presented not merely as a pastor or teacher, but as the literal mouthpiece of God. The text is framed as a first-person dictation from Jesus Christ ('thus saith the Lord'). This establishes a paradigm of continuing revelation where God provides ongoing, binding scripture that includes mundane logistical details (like buying a boat or traveling to Cincinnati) alongside spiritual decrees. Evangelical Christianity operates on the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, which asserts that the 66 books of the Bible are the sole, infallible, and sufficient rule of faith and practice. Evangelicals believe that with the close of the Apostolic age, the canon of Scripture was sealed (Jude 1:3, Revelation 22:18-19). While Evangelicals believe God still leads and illuminates believers through the Holy Spirit, they categorically reject the idea that any modern leader can dictate new, binding scripture or speak with the infallible authority of the biblical prophets and apostles. This creates a severe epistemological divide. For the Evangelical, all truth claims and spiritual directives must be tested against the completed Bible (Acts 17:11). For the Latter-day Saint, as demonstrated in this text, the living prophet's current words carry the weight of scripture and are necessary for the ongoing administration of God's kingdom.
Conditional Divine Pleasure and Performance-Based Standing
Assertion
God's pleasure and the retention of spiritual blessings are contingent upon the believers' active performance in missionary work and overcoming the fear of man.
Evidence from Text
But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them. And it shall come to pass, if they are not more faithful unto me, it shall be taken away, even that which they have. (D&C 60:2-3)
Evangelical Comparison
This text explicitly links God's pleasure, His anger, and the retention of spiritual gifts/standing to the elders' performance in preaching the gospel. Because some elders were afraid to speak up ('fear of man'), God declares His anger is kindled against them and threatens to take away what they have if they do not become 'more faithful.' This creates a theological framework where God's favor is highly conditional and must be maintained through continuous works—specifically, missionary output. Evangelical theology, rooted in Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone) and Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), teaches that a believer's standing before God is not based on their works, but solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). When a person places their faith in Christ, they are justified, and Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to them (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, God's fundamental disposition toward the believer is one of settled pleasure and adoption (Romans 8:1, 15), not fluctuating anger based on their daily performance. While Evangelicals believe that believers should share the gospel and can grieve the Holy Spirit through disobedience, they reject the idea that God's wrath remains kindled against a justified believer for failing to evangelize, or that their salvation/spiritual standing is in constant jeopardy due to the 'fear of man.'
Ritualistic Condemnation (Secret Foot Washing)
Assertion
Elders are commanded to perform a secret ritual of washing their feet as a binding testimony for the Day of Judgment against those who reject their preaching.
Evidence from Text
And shake off the dust of thy feet against those who receive thee not, not in their presence, lest thou provoke them, but in secret; and wash thy feet, as a testimony against them in the day of judgment. (D&C 60:15)
Evangelical Comparison
Doctrine and Covenants 60:15 introduces a unique ritual practice: the secret washing of feet as a testimony of judgment against those who reject the Mormon message. While it borrows the biblical concept of 'shaking the dust off the feet' (Matthew 10:14), it adds a formalized, secret ordinance of foot washing specifically designed to stand as a witness against the wicked at the final judgment. This transforms a biblical idiom of moving on from unreceptive audiences into a literal, sacramental act of condemnation. In Evangelical Christianity, the washing of feet is understood primarily through the lens of Jesus washing the disciples' feet in John 13, which is a profound demonstration of humility, servant leadership, and mutual love among believers. It is never prescribed in the New Testament as a ritual of judgment or a secret testimony against the lost. Furthermore, the Evangelical posture toward those who reject the gospel is guided by commands to love enemies, pray for persecutors, and leave all vengeance to God (Romans 12:14, 19). The institution of a secret ritual to formally testify against unbelievers for their future damnation runs contrary to the Evangelical understanding of the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text diverges from Evangelicalism by linking God's pleasure and the forgiveness of sins to missionary performance, and by instituting a secret ritual of judgment against unbelievers.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between D&C 60 and Evangelical Christianity centers on the nature of justification, the basis of God's favor, and the posture of the believer toward the lost. In D&C 60, God's disposition toward the elders is highly volatile and contingent upon their works. Verse 2 explicitly states that God's anger is kindled against those who fail to preach due to fear, and verse 3 threatens the revocation of their spiritual standing. Furthermore, verse 7 links the forgiveness of sins to the act of declaring the word. This represents a works-righteousness paradigm where human effort maintains divine favor. Evangelical theology, grounded in the New Testament, teaches that justification is a one-time, forensic declaration by God where the sinner is declared righteous based solely on the imputed righteousness of Christ (Romans 3:21-26). Because the believer's standing is secured by Christ, God's wrath is fully satisfied (propitiation). While God may discipline His children (Hebrews 12), His judicial anger is no longer kindled against them for performance failures. Additionally, the mandate in verse 15 to perform a secret foot-washing ritual as a testimony of judgment against unbelievers sharply contrasts with the Evangelical understanding of grace. Evangelicals are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5), weeping for the lost as Jesus wept over Jerusalem, rather than performing secret ordinances to ensure their condemnation at the final judgment.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a loving father. In the Bible, once you are adopted into God's family by believing in Jesus, God is always pleased with you because He looks at you and sees Jesus's perfect life. You share the good news about Jesus because you love Him, not because you are afraid of Him. But in this text, God says He is angry with some of His children because they were too scared to preach. He threatens to take away their blessings if they don't do a better job. It makes it seem like God's love and forgiveness have to be earned by working hard as a missionary. Also, this text tells the missionaries to secretly wash their feet to curse the people who don't listen to them. The Bible tells us to love our enemies and pray for them, not do secret rituals against them.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text claims to be direct, new revelation from God, adding to the canon of Scripture and establishing a human prophet as the ongoing mouthpiece of God.
Sola Fide
The text conditions God's pleasure, the retention of blessings, and the forgiveness of sins on the believers' performance in missionary work.
Orthodox Christian Practice
Institutes a secret ritual (foot washing) as a testimony of judgment against unbelievers, contrary to biblical commands to love enemies and leave vengeance to God.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Forgiven"
In This Text
In verse 7, forgiveness is presented as a conditional promise linked to the elders' obedience in lifting up their voices to declare the word.
In Evangelicalism
A positional reality granted entirely by grace through faith in Christ's atoning blood, not earned by missionary service (Ephesians 1:7).
"The wicked"
In This Text
Used in verses 8, 13, and 14 to describe the non-Mormon congregations and people the elders will preach to.
In Evangelicalism
While the Bible uses 'wicked' for the unregenerate, Evangelicalism emphasizes that *all* have sinned (Romans 3:23) and that believers are simply sinners saved by grace, avoiding a self-righteous 'us vs. them' dichotomy.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In this specific text, salvation concepts are expressed as being 'made holy,' having 'sins forgiven' (v. 7), and not having one's blessings 'taken away' (v. 3).
How Attained: Attained through obedience to specific commands, particularly the command to preach the gospel and not hide one's talents.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on the prophetic declaration of Joseph Smith and the individual's ongoing performance in missionary labors.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. Ephesians 2:8-9 declares that salvation is 'not a result of works, so that no one may boast.' Conversely, D&C 60:2-3 and 7 indicate that God's anger is kindled by a lack of works (preaching) and that forgiveness is tied to the act of declaring the word.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Return speedily to the land from whence they came (v. 1)
- Do not hide talents or keep mouths closed due to the fear of man (v. 2)
- Make or buy a craft to travel to St. Louis (v. 5)
- Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, and Oliver Cowdery must travel to Cincinnati (v. 6)
- Lift up voices and declare the word in Cincinnati without wrath or doubting (v. 7)
- The residue of elders must travel from St. Louis two by two (v. 8)
- Preach the word among the congregations of the wicked (v. 8, 13, 14)
- Edward Partridge must impart money to the returning elders (v. 10)
- Those able must return the money via the agent (v. 11)
- Do not idle away time (v. 13)
- Shake off the dust of feet in secret against those who do not receive the message (v. 15)
- Wash feet as a testimony against them in the day of judgment (v. 15)
Implicit Obligations
- Submit entirely to Joseph Smith's logistical and spiritual authority
- View non-Mormon congregations as 'the wicked'
- Maintain a constant state of missionary readiness and vocal proselytizing to avoid God's anger
Ritual Requirements
- Secretly washing feet as a testimony of judgment against those who reject the Mormon gospel (v. 15)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read verse 2, how does it make you feel to know that God's anger is kindled against those who are afraid to share the gospel?
- In verse 7, the Lord says, 'declare my word... For I am able to make you holy, and your sins are forgiven you.' Do you feel like your forgiveness is dependent on how well you do missionary work?
- How do you reconcile the command in verse 15 to perform a secret ritual of judgment against people with Jesus's command in the Sermon on the Mount to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us?
- If God's pleasure is based on us not hiding our talents (v. 2-3), how can we ever have peace that we have done enough to satisfy Him?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire to be made holy and forgiven
The text recognizes the deep human need for holiness and forgiveness. While D&C 60 ties this to the work of preaching, the Evangelical can bridge this by agreeing that only God can make us holy, but showing that He does this freely through Christ's sacrifice, not our missionary efforts.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text places a heavy burden on the believer to constantly 'open their mouths' and preach. The explicit threat that God's anger is kindled against them if they succumb to the 'fear of man' creates a high-anxiety environment where the believer can never be sure if they have shared the gospel enough to appease God.
Verse 3 threatens that if they are not more faithful, 'it shall be taken away, even that which they have.' This instills a deep fear that spiritual blessings, standing, and salvation are precarious and can be lost at any moment due to inadequate performance.
The believer is required to submit entirely to the logistical and spiritual dictates of a human leader (Joseph Smith), believing that his administrative commands are the verbatim words of God. This suppresses individual conscience and biblical discernment.
By labeling non-Mormons as 'the congregations of the wicked' and instituting rituals of judgment against them, the text fosters a defensive, adversarial posture toward the outside world, hindering genuine, grace-filled relationships.