Section 85
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 85 is an extract from a letter written by Joseph Smith in November 1832 to W.W. Phelps in Independence, Missouri. The text addresses a specific administrative and spiritual crisis: church members relocating to 'Zion' (Missouri) who were refusing to participate in the 'Law of Consecration'—a system requiring members to deed their property to the local bishop, who would then lease back an 'inheritance' or stewardship. The text elevates this economic policy to a matter of eternal salvation. It commands the Lord's clerk to keep a meticulous history of members' consecrations, faith, works, and apostasies. Crucially, it declares that anyone who does not consecrate their property will not have their name, nor the names of their ancestors or descendants, recorded in the 'book of the law of God.' Consequently, they will be denied an eternal inheritance and appointed a portion with unbelievers. The section also introduces two highly influential concepts in Mormon history: the prophecy of 'one mighty and strong' who will eventually set the house of God in order, and a severe warning against 'steadying the ark of God'—a reference to the biblical Uzzah, used here to threaten divine execution upon anyone who oversteps their appointed bounds or questions church leadership. Theologically, the text binds eternal destiny to earthly administrative ledgers and financial compliance, standing in stark contrast to the Evangelical doctrine of justification by faith alone.
Key Figures
- The Lord's clerk: The appointed church historian/recorder (historically John Whitmer) tasked with recording the works, faith, and property consecrations of the members.
- The Bishop: The local priesthood leader (historically Edward Partridge) legally authorized to receive consecrated properties and distribute inheritances.
- One mighty and strong: A prophesied future figure clothed with light and holding a scepter of power, sent by God to set the church in order and arrange inheritances.
- That man... that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark: An unnamed individual (often interpreted historically as Edward Partridge) warned that overstepping his authority will result in sudden death by a 'shaft of lightning.'
- Children of the priest (from Ezra): Biblical figures referenced as a precedent for losing priesthood and inheritance due to missing genealogical records.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Salvific Consecration of Property
Assertion
Eternal inheritance and standing among God's people are contingent upon the legal and physical consecration of personal property to the church bishop.
Evidence from Text
It is contrary to the will and commandment of God that those who receive not their inheritance by consecration... should have their names enrolled with the people of God.
Evangelical Comparison
In D&C 85, the 'Law of Consecration' is not merely a communal living arrangement; it is a salvific requirement. The text explicitly states that those who do not consecrate their properties will not have their names enrolled with the people of God, and their portion will be appointed among unbelievers where there is 'wailing and gnashing of teeth.' This creates a system of works-righteousness where financial compliance dictates eternal destiny. In strict contrast, Evangelical Christianity adheres to Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone). Ephesians 2:8-9 declares that salvation is a gift of God, not of works. Furthermore, the believer's eternal inheritance is guaranteed by the sealing of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:11-14), not by the deeding of real estate to a bishop.
Earthly Records Dictate Heavenly Standing
Assertion
A person's eternal salvation and inheritance are dependent upon their name, works, and genealogy being physically recorded by a human church clerk in the 'book of the law of God.'
Evidence from Text
And all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall be cut asunder...
Evangelical Comparison
D&C 85 conflates earthly church administration with heavenly judgment. It mandates that a clerk record the 'manner of life, their faith, and works' and warns that if a person's name is missing from this physical 'book of the law of God' or 'book of remembrance,' they will be cut asunder. The text even cites Ezra 2 to prove that missing paperwork results in a loss of priesthood and inheritance. Evangelicals reject the idea that human administrative errors or earthly ledgers can thwart God's sovereign salvation. The biblical 'Lamb's Book of Life' (Revelation 21:27) is a heavenly reality, written before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), and is based entirely on the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, not on a human clerk's assessment of a member's 'manner of life' or property consecration.
Prohibition on Steadying the Ark
Assertion
Individuals who attempt to correct, guide, or interfere with God's appointed leaders are guilty of 'steadying the ark' and will be struck down by God.
Evidence from Text
While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.
Evangelical Comparison
The text borrows the narrative of Uzzah from 2 Samuel 6, who was struck dead for touching the Ark of the Covenant. Joseph Smith repurposes this as a metaphor for church governance: anyone who tries to 'steady the ark'—meaning to correct or overstep the authority of the presiding priesthood leaders—will face divine execution ('shaft of death'). This doctrine has been used historically in Mormonism to demand unquestioning obedience to church hierarchy and to silence dissent. Evangelicals, holding to the Universal Priesthood of all believers and Sola Scriptura, believe that leaders are under the authority of Scripture. The Bereans were commended for fact-checking the Apostle Paul against the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). The threat of divine execution for questioning a leader is viewed as spiritually abusive and contrary to the New Testament model of servant leadership and mutual accountability (Galatians 2:11-14).
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
D&C 85 conditions eternal salvation and inheritance upon financial consecration to a church institution and the accurate maintenance of earthly records by a human clerk. Evangelicalism teaches that salvation and eternal inheritance are secured solely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, recorded in a heavenly book by God Himself.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between D&C 85 and Evangelical Christianity centers on the doctrines of Justification (Sola Fide) and the nature of eternal assurance. D&C 85 constructs a highly legalistic, works-based soteriology where a believer's eternal 'inheritance' is inextricably linked to their participation in a specific economic system (the Law of Consecration). The text explicitly threatens that those who do not deed their property to the bishop will be excluded from the 'book of the law of God' and will suffer the fate of unbelievers. Furthermore, it places the power of eternal binding and loosing into the hands of a human clerk; if the clerk does not record your name, genealogy, and works, you are 'cut asunder.' Evangelical theology categorically rejects this. According to Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5, salvation is entirely a work of God's grace, received through faith alone, apart from any human works—especially financial transactions or property deeds. The Evangelical understanding of the 'Book of Life' (Revelation 20:15) is that it is a divine, heavenly ledger, perfectly maintained by an omniscient God, not subject to the administrative errors, biases, or economic demands of earthly church leaders. By making salvation contingent on institutional compliance and human record-keeping, D&C 85 replaces the finished work of Christ with a system of religious performance and financial taxation.
For All Ages
Imagine you are invited to a wonderful, eternal party at a king's palace. In Evangelical Christianity, the King's Son (Jesus) paid for your ticket completely. Because you trust Him, the King writes your name in His special book in heaven, and you are guaranteed to get in. But in this text (D&C 85), it says you have to give your house and money to the king's earthly helpers. If you don't, or if the helper forgets to write your name down in his notebook, you can't go to the party and will be thrown out into the dark. Evangelicals believe Jesus already paid the full price, so we don't have to buy our way in with our property, and God doesn't rely on human secretaries to know who belongs to Him.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone)
Makes eternal inheritance and standing with God contingent upon the physical consecration of property and the recording of one's 'works.'
Sola Scriptura
Introduces new, binding revelation that threatens eternal damnation for failing to comply with a 19th-century economic church policy.
Universal Priesthood
Inserts a human mediator (the clerk/bishop) whose administrative actions dictate a person's eternal destiny, and threatens death to anyone who questions the hierarchy ('steadying the ark').
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Inheritance"
In This Text
Both a literal stewardship of land in Missouri (Zion) and an eternal standing among the saints in the afterlife, contingent on consecrating property.
In Evangelicalism
The eternal life and promises guaranteed to believers as co-heirs with Christ, secured entirely by His grace and the sealing of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:11-14).
"Book of the law of God / Book of remembrance"
In This Text
A physical, earthly ledger maintained by the church clerk recording property consecrations, works, and genealogies.
In Evangelicalism
A heavenly reality (The Lamb's Book of Life) where God records the names of those who are saved by grace through faith in Christ (Revelation 21:27).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Receiving an inheritance among the saints, having one's name enrolled with the people of God, and escaping the 'day of vengeance and burning.'
How Attained: By legally consecrating one's property to the church, maintaining acceptable faith and works, and ensuring a human clerk records these actions in the official church history.
Basis of Assurance: The physical presence of one's name and genealogy in the earthly records of the LDS Church.
Comparison to Sola Fide: D&C 85 is the antithesis of Sola Fide. It explicitly requires financial works (consecration) and institutional compliance to avoid being 'cut asunder' and placed with unbelievers. Romans 4:4-5 states that to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation, but to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- The Lord's clerk must keep a history and general church record of all things transpiring in Zion.
- The clerk must record all those who consecrate properties and receive inheritances.
- The clerk must record the members' manner of life, faith, works, and apostasies.
- Do not enroll the names of those who refuse to receive their inheritance by consecration.
- Do not keep the genealogy of those who fail to consecrate.
Implicit Obligations
- Members must consecrate their properties to the bishop to secure their eternal inheritance.
- Members must live a 'manner of life' and produce 'works' deemed acceptable by the clerk to remain in the records.
- Members must not attempt to 'steady the ark' by questioning or overstepping appointed church authorities.
Ritual Requirements
- The legal and religious ritual of consecrating property to the bishop.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- How does it make you feel to read that your eternal inheritance is tied to whether a human clerk accurately records your works and property consecrations?
- When you read about the 'book of the law of God' in this section, how do you contrast that with the 'Lamb's Book of Life' mentioned in Revelation?
- The warning against 'steadying the ark' is very strong here. How do you balance obeying church leaders with the biblical command to test all things and hold fast to what is good (1 Thess 5:21)?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The Book of Remembrance / Book of the Law of God
D&C 85 taps into a deep human desire to be known, remembered, and secured by God. While this text places that security in a fragile earthly ledger based on our works, the Gospel offers true security. God Himself maintains the Lamb's Book of Life, and names are written there not because of our property, but because of the blood of the Lamb.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
Believers are burdened with the anxiety that their eternal standing is fragile, dependent not only on their own ability to produce sufficient 'works' and financial consecrations, but also on the institutional bureaucracy accurately recording them. This strips away the peace of Christ and replaces it with a treadmill of institutional performance.
The 'steady the ark' doctrine creates a chilling effect on spiritual discernment. Believers are terrified to question, correct, or even offer constructive feedback to church leaders, fearing they are overstepping their bounds and inviting divine punishment. This fosters an environment of blind obedience and spiritual suppression.