LDS Doctrine and Covenants Critique
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The Doctrine and Covenants
SECTION 78
Revelation given
through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, March 1, 1832. On
that day, the Prophet and other leaders had assembled to discuss Church
business. This revelation originally instructed the Prophet, Sidney
Rigdon, and Newel K. Whitney to travel to Missouri and organize the
Church’s mercantile and publishing endeavors by creating a “firm” that
would oversee these efforts, generating funds for the establishment of
Zion and for the benefit of the poor. This firm, known as the United
Firm, was organized in April 1832 and disbanded in 1834 (see section
82). Sometime after its dissolution, under the direction of Joseph
Smith, the phrase “the affairs of the storehouse for the poor” replaced
“literary and mercantile establishments” in the revelation, and the
word “order” replaced the word “firm.”
1–4, The
Saints should organize and establish a storehouse; 5–12, Wise use of
their properties will lead to salvation; 13–14, The Church should be
independent of earthly powers; 15–16, Michael (Adam) serves under the
direction of the Holy One (Christ); 17–22, Blessed are the faithful,
for they will inherit all things.
1 The Lord
spake unto Joseph Smith, Jun., saying: Hearken unto me, saith the Lord
your God, who are ordained unto the high priesthood of my church, who
have assembled yourselves together;
Note: The New Covenant eliminated the office of high priesthood.
Now this is
the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest,
who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the
heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which
the Lord erected, and not man. For every high priest is appointed to
offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore, it is necessary that this
One also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not
be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to
the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses
was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For
He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown
you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent
ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which
was established on better promises. Hebrews 8:1-6
2 And listen
to the counsel of him who has ordained you from on high, who shall
speak in your ears the words of wisdom, that salvation may be unto you
in that thing which you have presented before me, saith the Lord God.
Note: Believers are saved by the death of Jesus Christ that is the wisdom of God.
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
3 For verily I
say unto you, the time has come, and is now at hand; and behold, and
lo, it must needs be that there be an organization of my people, in
regulating and establishing the affairs of the storehouse for the poor
of my people, both in this place and in the land of Zion—
Note: Zion is Jerusalem not Independence Missouri.
Now Solomon
assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the
chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem,
that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the
City of David, which is Zion 1 Kings 8:1
4 For a
permanent and everlasting establishment and order unto my church, to
advance the cause, which ye have espoused, to the salvation of man, and
to the glory of your Father who is in heaven;
Note: Joseph Smith was a false prophet.
Joseph Smith
officially dissolved the firm by revelation on April 10, 1834 (recorded
in D&C 104), splitting remaining assets into individual
stewardships and shifting governance to local high councils.
5 That you may
be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also,
for the obtaining of heavenly things. 6 For if ye are not equal in
earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things;
Note: Communism has never worked in any society.
In practice,
communist states often operated as resource-constrained economies
rather than demand-constrained ones, resulting in severe shortages of
everyday consumer goods and multi-year waitlists for basic items like
food.
7 For if you
will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must
prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and
required of you.
Note: Joseph Smith resorted to spiritual bribery.
The early
leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)
during the foundational era under Joseph Smith Jr. (1830–1844) included
key officers in the First Presidency, assistant presidents, the Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles, and general church officers.
8 And now,
verily thus saith the Lord, it is expedient that all things be done
unto my glory, by you who are joined together in this order; 9 Or, in
other words, let my servant Newel K. Whitney and my servant Joseph
Smith, Jun., and my servant Sidney Rigdon sit in council with the
saints which are in Zion;
Note: Zion is Jerusalem not Independence Missouri.
The LORD bless
you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of
your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon
Israel! Psalms 128:5-6
10 Otherwise
Satan seeketh to turn their hearts away from the truth, that they
become blinded and understand not the things which are prepared for
them.
Note: Joseph Smith turned people’s hearts away from the truth.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
11 Wherefore,
a commandment I give unto you, to prepare and organize yourselves by a
bond or everlasting covenant that cannot be broken. 12 And he who
breaketh it shall lose his office and standing in the church and shall
be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of
redemption.
Note: The United Firm was not an everlasting bond or covenant.
The United
Firm was an administrative organization that oversaw the expenditure of
Church funds between 1832 and 1834. In March 1832, the Lord commanded
Joseph Smith to establish this organization in order to coordinate “the
Literary and Merchantile establishments” of the Church in both Ohio and
Missouri.
13 Behold,
this is the preparation wherewith I prepare you, and the foundation,
and the ensample which I give unto you, whereby you may accomplish the
commandments which are given you; 14 That through my providence,
notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, that the
church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the
celestial world; 15 That you may come up unto the crown prepared for
you, and be made rulers over many kingdoms, saith the Lord God, the
Holy One of Zion, who hath established the foundations of
Adam-ondi-Ahman;
Note: Adam and Eve never lived in North America.
Adam-ondi-Ahman
is a historic site in Daviess County, Missouri, about five miles south
of Jameson. It is located along the east bluffs above the Grand River.
According to the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, it is the site where Adam and Eve lived after being expelled
from the Garden of Eden. It teaches that the place will be a gathering
spot for a meeting of the priesthood leadership, including prophets of
all ages and other righteous people, prior to the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ.
16 Who hath
appointed Michael your prince, and established his feet, and set him
upon high, and given unto him the keys of salvation under the counsel
and direction of the Holy One, who is without beginning of days or end
of life.
Note: Michael did not fight for the saints during the 1838 Missouri war.
“At that time
Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons
of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was
since there was a nation, even to that time.” Daniel 12:1
17 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet
understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and
prepared for you;
Note: Believers have been blessed spiritually in Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose
us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption
as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of
His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us
accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6
18 And ye
cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will
lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are
yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.
Note: The kingdom of God concerns Jesus Christ.
Then Paul
dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who
came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which
concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding
him. Acts 28:30-31
19 And he who
receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the
things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred-fold,
yea, more.
Note: Believers receive the spiritual blessing of the Holy Spirit.
Christ has
redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us
(for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the
blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that
we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians
3:13-14
20 Wherefore,
do the things which I have commanded you, saith your Redeemer, even the
Son Ahman, who prepareth all things before he taketh you;
Note: The name of God is Yahweh not Ahman.
Yahweh is the
ancient, proper Hebrew name for the God of the Israelites, represented
in the Hebrew Bible by the four consonants YHWH (known as the
Tetragrammaton: Yod, Heh, Waw, Heh).
In early
writings and revelations attributed to Joseph Smith (such as a document
titled A Sample of Pure Language), "Ahman" is defined as the name of
God.
21 For ye are the church of the Firstborn, and he will take you up in a cloud, and appoint every man his portion.
Note: The return of Jesus Christ did not happen in the 19th century.
For this we
say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain
until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are
asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the
dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one
another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
22 And he that is a faithful and wise steward shall inherit all things. Amen.
Note: Believers will do work out of love without having to be ordered.
But, beloved,
we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that
accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not
unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown
toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do
minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to
the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become
sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises. Hebrews 6:9-12