LDS Doctrine and Covenants Critique
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The Doctrine and Covenants
SECTION 11
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to
his brother Hyrum Smith, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, May 1829. This
revelation was received through the Urim and Thummim in answer to
Joseph’s supplication and inquiry. Joseph Smith’s history suggests that
this revelation was received after the restoration of the Aaronic
Priesthood.
1–6, Laborers in the vineyard will gain salvation; 7–14, Seek wisdom,
cry repentance, trust in the Spirit; 15–22, Keep the commandments, and
study the Lord’s word; 23–27, Deny not the spirit of revelation and of
prophecy; 28–30, Those who receive Christ become the sons of God.
1 A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
Note: The Book of Mormon is not a marvelous work.
Critics argue that the Book of Mormon faces major problems involving
historical authenticity, anachronisms, linguistic issues, and its 19th
century origins, noting conflicts with archaeological and scientific
evidence as well as similarities to contemporary sources.
2 Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful,
sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints
and marrow; therefore give heed unto my word.
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and
of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. Hebrews 4:12
3 Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso
desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap
while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting
salvation in the kingdom of God.
Note: Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should
boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
4 Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God.
Note: The angels of God will do the harvest at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of
His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and
gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in
the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Matthew 13:41-43
5 Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you.
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7
6 Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.
Note: Jesus Christ has one commandment for believers.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12
7 Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God
shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he
that hath eternal life is rich.
Note: The wisdom of God is Jesus Christ.
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know
God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to
save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after
wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block
and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1
Corinthians 1:21-24
8 Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall
be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing
much good in this generation. 9 Say nothing but repentance unto this
generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work,
according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed.
Note: The work of God is believing in Jesus Christ.
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29
10 Behold, thou hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift if thou wilt
desire of me in faith, with an honest heart, believing in the power of
Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee; 11 For, behold,
it is I that speak; behold, I am the light which shineth in darkness,
and by my power I give these words unto thee.
Note: By the power of the Holy Spirit believers are witnesses for Jesus Christ.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that
Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to
judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. 13 Verily, verily, I say unto
you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your
mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; 14 And then shall ye know,
or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me,
which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing
in me that you shall receive.
Note: The Holy Spirit will be a witness for Jesus Christ.
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of
Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from
the beginning.” John 15:26-27
15 Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called
to preach until you are called. 16 Wait a little longer, until you
shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may
know of a surety my doctrine.
Note: The Christian Gospel is Jesus Christ.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to
you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you
are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless
you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I
also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
17 And then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to
your faith shall it be done unto you. 18 Keep my commandments; hold
your peace; appeal unto my Spirit; 19 Yea, cleave unto me with all your
heart, that you may assist in bringing to light those things of which
has been spoken—yea, the translation of my work; be patient until you
shall accomplish it.
Note: The work of God is preaching Jesus Christ.
“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have
called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them,
they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went
down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they
arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of
the Jews. They also had John as their assistant. Acts 13:2-5
20 Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all
your might, mind and strength. 21 Seek not to declare my word, but
first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed;
then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the
power of God unto the convincing of men.
Note: The work of God is preaching Jesus Christ.
So, Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and
said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can
I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit
with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was
led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is
silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was
taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken
from the earth.” So, the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you,
of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached
Jesus to him. Acts 8:30-35
22 But now hold your peace; study my word which hath gone forth among
the children of men, and also study my word which shall come forth
among the children of men, or that which is now translating, yea, until
you have obtained all which I shall grant unto the children of men in
this generation, and then shall all things be added thereto.
Note: The Book of Mormon is not the word of God.
Conflicts include absence of evidence for described civilizations,
cities, large-scale wars, and technologies such as steel, chariots, and
domesticated Old World animals in the Americas before European contact.
23 Behold thou art Hyrum, my son; seek the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added according to that which is just.
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
24 Build upon my rock, which is my gospel;
Note: The rock of salvation is Jesus Christ.
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our
fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were
baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same
spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank
of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 1
Corinthians 10:1-4
25 Deny not the spirit of revelation, nor the spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things;
Note: The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ.
“I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony
of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy.” Revelation 19:10
26 Therefore, treasure up in your heart until the time which is in my wisdom that you shall go forth.
Note: Joseph Smith practiced seer stone divination.
“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good
fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather
figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good
man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an
evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For
out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:43-45
27 Behold, I speak unto all who have good desires and have thrust in their sickle to reap.
Note: Joseph Smith did not understand the judgment of God.
And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and
he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying,
“Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the
earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” So, the angel thrust his sickle
into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into
the great winepress of the wrath of God. Revelation 14:18-19
28 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world.
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4
29 I am the same who came unto mine own and mine own received me not;
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. John 1:11
30 But verily, verily, I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to
them will I give power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on my name. Amen.
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. John 1:12-13