Section 68
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 68 is a pivotal text in the development of early Mormon ecclesiology and epistemology. Originally given in November 1831 to four specific elders, the text was significantly expanded in 1835 to retroactively include complex priesthood hierarchies that had developed in the intervening years. The text makes several monumental theological claims that permanently shape Latter-day Saint doctrine. First, it redefines the nature of scripture itself, declaring in verse 4 that whenever elders speak while moved by the Holy Ghost, their words become scripture, the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation. This establishes an open, continuously expanding canon. Second, the text delineates a rigid priesthood hierarchy, resurrecting the Old Testament Aaronic priesthood and subordinating it to the Melchizedek priesthood, while introducing the office of the Presiding Bishop and the First Presidency. It makes specific, literal claims about the genetic descendants of Aaron having a legal right to the bishopric. Finally, the text shifts into severe behavioral and familial mandates, most notably placing the spiritual culpability of children directly onto the heads of their parents. It mandates that children must be taught specific doctrines and baptized at exactly eight years old; failure to do so results in the parents bearing the sin. The section concludes with strict warnings against idleness, greed, and failing to pray in the proper season, establishing a highly conditional, performance-based metric for spiritual standing in the community of Zion.
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ (Alpha and Omega): Identified as the speaker of the revelation, the Son of the living God, and the ultimate authority.
- Orson Hyde: An elder specifically called to proclaim the gospel and given the promise that his inspired words would be scripture.
- Luke S. Johnson: One of the elders addressed and commissioned to preach and baptize.
- Lyman E. Johnson: One of the elders addressed and commissioned to preach and baptize.
- William E. McLellin: One of the elders addressed and commissioned to preach and baptize.
- First Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood: The supreme governing body established in the text, holding the authority to appoint bishops and try them for crimes.
- Literal descendants of Aaron: Individuals claimed to have a genetic, legal right to the office of the bishopric if they are the firstborn.
- Oliver Cowdery: Commanded to carry the sayings and warnings of this revelation to the land of Zion.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Continuous Revelation and Open Canon
Assertion
The spoken words of ordained elders, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, carry the exact same authority as written scripture and are the literal voice of the Lord.
Evidence from Text
And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation. (D&C 68:4)
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, having been definitively delivered by the Apostles and Prophets (Jude 1:3, Revelation 22:18-19). D&C 68:4 radically departs from this by elevating the spontaneous utterances of modern elders to the exact same ontological status as the Bible. By declaring that a human being's words 'shall be scripture' and 'the voice of the Lord,' Mormonism creates an infinitely expanding, highly subjective canon. This undermines the objective sufficiency of the Bible, as believers must constantly look to modern leaders for new, binding scripture rather than relying on the finished, written Word of God.
Restoration of the Levitical/Aaronic Priesthood
Assertion
The Aaronic priesthood is an active, necessary earthly office, and literal genetic descendants of Aaron have a legal, divine right to preside as bishops.
Evidence from Text
And if they be literal descendants of Aaron they have a legal right to the bishopric, if they are the firstborn among the sons of Aaron; For the firstborn holds the right of the presidency over this priesthood... (D&C 68:16-17)
Evangelical Comparison
The Book of Hebrews explicitly teaches that the Levitical/Aaronic priesthood was insufficient, temporary, and has been entirely replaced by the superior priesthood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:11-12, 8:13). Because the priesthood changed, the law changed. Christ offered a 'once for all' sacrifice, eliminating the need for earthly mediating priests. D&C 68 resurrects this obsolete Old Covenant shadow, claiming that literal descendants of Aaron still hold 'legal rights' to earthly priesthood offices today. This is a severe Christological regression from an Evangelical perspective, as it rebuilds the very mediating structures that Christ's finished work tore down (the veil), and denies the universal priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).
Parental Culpability for Children's Salvation
Assertion
Parents are spiritually culpable and bear the sin if they fail to teach their children specific doctrines and ensure they are baptized at exactly eight years old.
Evidence from Text
And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion... that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ... and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost... when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. (D&C 68:25)
Evangelical Comparison
While Evangelical Christianity strongly emphasizes the biblical mandate for parents to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6), it maintains the biblical doctrine of individual accountability. Ezekiel 18:20 explicitly states, 'The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son.' D&C 68:25 creates a system of transferred guilt, stating that the 'sin be upon the heads of the parents' if the child is not baptized at age eight. This creates a profound theological problem regarding the nature of sin and atonement, while simultaneously imposing a crushing legalistic burden on parents to ensure their children perform specific rituals by a specific deadline.
Baptismal Regeneration and Ordinance Necessity
Assertion
Water baptism and the laying on of hands are absolute requirements for the remission of sins and salvation.
Evidence from Text
And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved... And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands. (D&C 68:9, 27)
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 68 explicitly links salvation and the remission of sins to the physical acts of water baptism and the laying on of hands by authorized priesthood holders. This contradicts the Evangelical pillar of Sola Fide (Faith Alone). According to Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 4:5, justification is a forensic declaration by God based solely on the believer's faith in Christ's finished work, entirely apart from works or rituals. By making baptism and the laying on of hands prerequisites for the remission of sins, this text adds human works and institutional mediation to the Gospel, which the Apostle Paul strongly condemned in his letter to the Galatians.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
D&C 68 fundamentally diverges from Evangelicalism by rejecting the sufficiency of the Bible, denying justification by faith alone, and resurrecting the obsolete Aaronic priesthood.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological chasm between D&C 68 and Evangelical Christianity is vast and touches on nearly every major systematic category: Bibliology, Christology, and Soteriology. Bibliologically, the text obliterates Sola Scriptura. By declaring that the spoken words of elders are 'scripture' and 'the voice of the Lord' (v. 4), it creates an open canon that subjects the believer to the ever-changing dictates of modern leaders, rather than the fixed, objective truth of the Bible. Christologically, the text undermines the sufficiency of Christ's high priestly work. Hebrews 7-10 painstakingly argues that the Aaronic priesthood was weak, useless, and entirely replaced by Christ's Melchizedekian priesthood. D&C 68 resurrects this obsolete shadow, claiming literal descendants of Aaron still hold 'legal rights' to earthly offices, thereby rebuilding the veil that Christ tore. Soteriologically, the text denies Sola Fide by explicitly requiring water baptism and the laying on of hands for the remission of sins (v. 27). Furthermore, it introduces a deeply problematic concept of transferred guilt, stating that parents bear the sin of their children if they fail to ensure their baptism at age eight (v. 25), directly contradicting the biblical principle of individual accountability before God (Ezekiel 18:20).
For All Ages
Imagine you have a complete, perfect instruction manual for building a house (the Bible). Evangelical Christians believe this manual is finished and has everything we need. D&C 68 says that any church leader can write new pages for the manual whenever they feel the Holy Spirit, and those new pages are just as important as the original book. Also, the Bible says Jesus was the final, perfect priest who built a bridge to God for us, so we don't need earthly priests anymore. But D&C 68 says we still need special priests from a specific family line (Aaron) to be in charge. Finally, the Bible says we are saved just by trusting in Jesus. D&C 68 says you have to be baptized by these specific priests, and if you are a parent and don't make sure your kids are baptized right when they turn eight, God will blame you for their sins.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
Declares that the spoken words of modern elders are scripture and the voice of the Lord.
Christology / Universal Priesthood
Resurrects the obsolete Aaronic priesthood and requires human mediators for church governance and ordinances.
Sola Fide / Individual Accountability
Requires baptism for the remission of sins and places the spiritual guilt of children onto the parents if ordinances are not performed.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Scripture"
In This Text
Any spoken word by an ordained elder when moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
In Evangelicalism
The 66 inspired, infallible, and historically closed books of the Old and New Testaments (Theotneustos - God-breathed).
"Priesthood"
In This Text
An exclusive, hierarchical authority given to worthy males, divided into Aaronic and Melchizedek orders, necessary to perform saving ordinances.
In Evangelicalism
The universal status of all believers who have direct access to God through the sole mediation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:9).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Eternal life, achieved through faith, repentance, and necessary priesthood ordinances (baptism, laying on of hands).
How Attained: By believing, being baptized by proper authority, receiving the Holy Ghost via laying on of hands, and enduring in faithful labor and prayer.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on compliance with the ordinances, obedience to the First Presidency, and avoiding idleness or missed prayers.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text explicitly denies Sola Fide. Verse 9 pairs belief with baptism as the requirement for salvation, and verse 27 mandates baptism for the remission of sins. In contrast, Romans 4:5 states that God justifies the ungodly based on faith alone, apart from works.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Proclaim the everlasting gospel from people to people and land to land.
- Speak as moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
- Be of good cheer and do not fear.
- Bear record of Jesus Christ.
- Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
- Baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
- Teach children the doctrine of repentance, faith, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Baptize children for the remission of sins when they are eight years old.
- Teach children to pray and walk uprightly.
- Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
- Labor in all faithfulness (do not be idle).
- Do away with greediness and seek the riches of eternity.
- Observe prayers before the Lord in the season thereof.
- Do not transgress these sayings, neither take from them.
Implicit Obligations
- Submit to the hierarchical authority of the First Presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
- Accept the spoken words of elders as the literal voice of God.
- Maintain worthiness to avoid being tried or condemned by the First Presidency.
- Ensure family compliance with church ordinances to avoid spiritual condemnation.
Ritual Requirements
- Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.
- Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Anointing and ordaining of bishops under the hands of the First Presidency.
- Sealing up unto eternal life by priesthood authority.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- If verse 4 says that whatever an elder speaks when moved by the Holy Ghost is scripture, how do you personally discern when a leader is speaking as a man versus speaking as scripture?
- Ezekiel 18:20 says that a father will not bear the guilt of the son. How do you reconcile that with D&C 68:25, which says the sin of the children falls on the parents if they aren't baptized at age eight?
- The Book of Hebrews (chapters 7-8) explains that the Aaronic priesthood was changed and replaced by Jesus Christ. Why do you think D&C 68 restores a priesthood that the New Testament says was fulfilled and set aside?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for a High Priest to mediate and lead.
The text recognizes the human need for a mediator and a priest to stand before God. We can agree on this need, but point to the fact that we already have the perfect, eternal High Priest who never fails, never needs to be replaced, and whose lineage is divine.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
Verse 25 places an agonizing burden on LDS parents. If a child struggles with faith, rebels, or simply refuses baptism at age eight, the parent is taught that the child's sin rests upon their own head. This creates a culture of intense pressure, coercion, and deep psychological guilt for parents whose children do not conform to the church's timeline.
Verses 30-33 warn that idlers and those who do not observe their prayers 'in the season thereof' will be 'had in remembrance before the judge of my people.' This creates a spiritual environment of constant surveillance and conditional standing, where missing prayers or not working hard enough threatens one's standing before God and the church.