THE CROSS UNVEILED

Last Update: 12/2013

Doctrine and Covenants: Section Analysis 

Below is a section-by-section analysis of the Doctrines and Covenants.  There are many references in the Doctrine and Covenants to a biblical triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) which contradict the three separate gods teaching of Mormonism that are not in this section analysis, but included with the “Who is Jesus” link.

Section 1:37-38 – “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.  What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”

These verses boldly ask us to search these commandments because they are true and all prophecies shall be fulfilled.  So why is it that if anyone goes to church leadership to ask questions about potential issues regarding the veracity of the prophecies contained in the D&C we are responded with a testimony that the church is true (someone’s feelings), or that it is “deep doctrine,” or a personal attack on our testimony?  Why is the leadership of the church so fearful to provide a straight answer to many of the issues within its own scriptures or history?  Instead of the doctrine or history being the issue, it is flipped onto the person asking the questions and they are the issue.  Doesn't the leadership see that we are commanded to search and test the commandments and prophecies as clearly indicated by these verses?  As you read further, you will notice I will clearly point to the fact that many of the prophecies contained in the D&C are undeniably false.  Examples to look for include: Doctrine & Covenants 84:1-5; 104:1; 114:1; 124:59-60 among many others. 

Section 2:1 – “Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

Elijah had already come according to Jesus (Matthew 17:12, Mark 9:12).

Section 3:2-3 – “For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.  Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men;”

This verse explicitly states that God does not vary or change what he has said which contradicts D&C 56:4 which states, “Wherefore I, the Lord, command and revoke, as it seemeth me good; and all this to be answered upon the heads of the rebellious, saith the Lord.”  This verse states that the Lord changes his mind about commandments. So which is it?  Can he change his mind or not?  

The last verse states it is the work of men that is frustrated.  I could not agree more, because if Mormonism were the work of God it would have saved me hundreds of hours in putting together this website to show you just how much frustrated work there is from the creator(s) of this religion.  

Section 3:4 – “For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.”

This is one of a few verses I agree with.  Joseph Smith sure seemed to follow after the dictates of his own will and not God’s in marrying other men’s wives, marrying 14 year old children, practicing polygamy a decade before he allegedly received the revelation, breaking the Word of Wisdom, opening an illegal bank, committing treason, and many other seemingly personal dictates.  

Joseph Smith boasted the following: “Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will come out on the top at last. I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me.Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, pp.408-409) 

One month after Joseph Smith made this now infamous boast, he was murdered.  Could this possibly be that Joseph Smith fell in receiving “the vengeance of a just God”? 

Section 7:1-8 – In this section the Apostle John requests that the Lord grant him power over death so that he may be a minister to those on earth (I assume like a missionary).  John 21:22 is also quoted to support their view that John is evidently walking the earth converting people to Mormonism.  There are a few problems with this verse.  

First, if John was granted power over death to minister to people to the gospel (along with three Nephites from the Book of Mormon) then there is no total apostasy as Mormonism claims.  No total apostasy = no need for a restoration = no need for Mormonism. 

Second, the context of John 21:22-23 (and the verses around it) is horribly translated by Mormons. 

The verse states, “Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee?” 

Jesus is telling Peter not to worry about John, but to worry about yourself Peter.  Jesus says to Peter that even if John lives until he returns again, what difference does it make? John 21:23 plainly states the Jesus did not say that John shall not die, but if he wills it that John should remain alive, what is it to you Peter?  Also, you have to remember that the Apostles had no idea when Jesus would return.  They did not know if it was weeks, months or years. 

Third, the Apostle John died about 100 AD in Ephesus and was the only Apostle to die from old age. 

Section 9:8-9 - These verses tell us that if something is true it will make our bosom burn and we will feel that it is right.  This is completely contradictory to how the bible informs us how to tell if something is true (Acts 17:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:21).  I have documented much more regarding this “test” for truth in my section LDS Testimony, so please read that for more on this issue.  

Section 10:1-70 – Most of this section is devoted to God taking a side in a dispute over the lost 116 pages and what would happen if Joseph attempted to re-translate.  Why would God spend so much time over such a silly and petty dispute?  If Joseph Smith was a real prophet able to translate by the power of God this section would not be included because he could have translated the 116 pages word for word.  But he couldn’t because it would have proven too difficult to re-write the 116 pages word for word so he wrote this section instead so he would not be proven a fraud.  If it is a waste of our time reading this silly nonsense, then it must be a huge waste of God’s time too. 

Section 10:62 – “Yea, and I will also bring to light my gospel which was ministered unto them, and, behold, they shall not deny that which you have received, but they shall build it up, and shall bring to light the true points of my doctrine, yea, and the only doctrine which is in me.”

Could someone please explain to me what doctrine or spiritual enlightenment that is found in the Book of Mormon that is not found in the Bible?  Virtually all Mormon doctrine comes from the D&C and the POGP.  The Book of Mormon does not contain any of the major doctrines of the church so how is it the “fullness of the everlasting gospel?”  These doctrines include:  the plan of salvation, our pre-earth existence, plurality of gods, gods with wives, temple works, eternal marriage, chance for repentance after death, baptism for the dead, three levels of heaven, the church organization, god being an exalted man, the Aaronic priesthood, eternal progression, men can become gods, celestial marriage (plural marriage), and the word of wisdom.   

Section 17:2 – “And it is by your faith that you shall obtain a view of them,…”

Why would seeing the gold plates take an act of faith? 

Section 18:23 – “Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved;”

Why is the LDS church not completely open and honest about what they mean by the word “saved” here?  They know it has a very different meaning in Mormonism vs. Christianity, yet they do not teach the missionaries to point out this major difference when they are speaking with potential converts.  They want the church to look as “Christian” as possible so the same words are used, but have very different meanings.  Salvation in the Mormon sense is merely being resurrected from the grave and that is all that Christ has the power to do.  Entrance in to one of three levels of heaven and potential for godhood is based purely on the works, obedience to laws and ordinances and moral conformity of the individual.  For more on this please read my “Salvation” section that takes a deeper look into this specific difference. 

Section 19:26 – “And again, I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing ofthe Book of Mormon, which contains the truth and the word of God”

I have detail out all the issues with the Book of Mormon that prove it is inspired of men, not of God, in the five part section titled “Inspired?”.  Here is a very high level overview of the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

Section 19:27 – “Which is my word to the Gentile, that soon it may go to the Jew, of whom the Lamanites are a remnant, that they may believe the gospel, and look not for a Messiah to come who has already come.”

DNA studies have proven this to be wrong.  American Indians are proven to come from eastern Asia.  The LDS church has lost countess members over issues like this that are scientific fact.  This is why in 2006 they changed the introduction to the Book of Mormon from:

“After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians.”

To:

“After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are among the ancestors of the American Indians.

Section 20:1 – “The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years…”

Why did it take eight years and two other church names for God to get the name of his true church on earth correct?

Section 20:17 – “By these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;”

If God “is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting” and “unchangeable,” then why does Mormon doctrine teach that God was once a man that lived on a planted and lived all the laws and ordinances of Mormonism to become an exalted god himself so that he could populate his own planet?  If God was once a man who became a god then how is it possible that he is infinite, eternal, everlasting, and unchangeable.  This means he had no beginning, which means he was not ever a man.  This is nothing short of blasphemy against God.

Section 20:75 – “It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus;”

Why would God give this revelation and then four months later change it to not require wine (D&C 27:2-4)?  It looks as if someone cannot make up their mind.

Section 23:2 – “Make known thy calling unto the church, and also before the world, and thy heart shall be opened to preach the truth from henceforth and forever. Amen.”

Oliver Cowdery left the church in 1838 when he caught Joseph Smith in what he called a “dirty, nasty, filthy affair” with 16 year old Fanny Alger and confronted Smith about.  

Section 25:1 – “Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.”

Mormon doctrine says that every soul that has ever or will ever live is the literal offspring of God.  This verse, like the Bible, says that only those who receive the gospel are his sons and daughters.  God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and this is a contradictory verse to Mormon doctrine (D&C 76:24).

Section 25:15 – “Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.”

This command is impossible for humans uphold because Jesus is the only person that could keep the commandments.  Remember the commandments were given to reveal our sinful nature, not to remove sin (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:24).  They were given to show us our need for a Savior, not to save.  The bible asks us to follow the two great commandments on love, but never suggests that if we don’t keep them continually we will not be in heaven.  

Section 27:11 – “And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days;”

Michael is not Adam, nor is either one the prince of all or the ancient of days.  These are both descriptions of Jesus and contextually conveyed in the bible (Daniel 7:9, 13, 22; Revelations 12:7)

Brigham Young also taught that not only was Adam the Archangel Michael and the ancient of days, but God himself.  

“When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days! about whom holy men have written and spoken—He is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do. Every man upon the earth, professing Christians or non-professing, must hear it, and will know it sooner or later.” (Brigham Young, 1852,Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1 p. 50)

Unfortunately, there is no biblical justification for any of these views the LDS hold.  Although many LDS leaders in the past have denied that Brigham Young taught the Adam – God doctrine, Bruce R. McConkie acknowledged that this doctrine was taught by Young in a February 1981 letter of rebuke to at the time BYU professor Eugene England (page 6).

Section 28:6-7 – “And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church; For I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead.”

Why would God be giving Joseph Smith “revelation” that Joseph Smith is the “head of the church” and that he has “the keys of the mysteries” and sealed revelations?  The bible clearly portrays Jesus as the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23).  This is nothing short of blasphemy.

Section 38:42 – “And go ye out from among the wicked. Save yourselves. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Even so. Amen.”

“Save yourselves?” Jesus is the only Savior.  Contrary to Mormon doctrine, we are powerless to save ourselves through works, obedience to laws and commandments, and moral conformity.  Please read through the links in the “Salvation” section for biblical proof.

Section 39:4 – “But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will I give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons.”

Mormon doctrine says that every soul that has ever or will ever live is the literal offspring of God.  This verse, like the Bible and D&C section 25:1, says that only those who receive the gospel are his sons and daughters.  God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and this is a contradictory verse to Mormon doctrine (D&C 76:24).

Section 42:18 “And now, behold, I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.”

This contradicts the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 30:2) which states, “Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.” 

Yes, you could argue that to kill someone and murder someone is different.  But under any circumstance, to murder is worse than to kill, as there is intent with murder.  For example, if I get in an accident and someone is accidentally killed versus if someone cuts me off in the car and I pull out a gun and shoot (commit murder) them.  The above verses are completely contradictory in that D&C states that killing (the lesser of the two) is unforgivable and the BOM states that murder (the worse of the two) is forgivable.  This cannot possibly be inspired by God.  God does not contradict himself.  

The Bible is clear with the commandment thou shall not kill; but does this mean that if someone kills another person, accidentally or not, that they have no forgiveness?  If this were the case, then why would Moses have appeared in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration if killing or murder is unforgivable (Matthew 17 and Mark 9)?  Why would Samson and David be listed in the Hebrews 11 "Hall of Faith" if murder was unforgivable?  The bible clearly states that blasphemy of the Holy Ghost is the only unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:31-32).  

Section 42:71-73 – “And the elders or high priests who are appointed to assist the bishop as counselors in all things, are to have their families supported out of the property which is consecrated to the bishop, for the good of the poor, and for other purposes, as before mentioned; Or they are to receive a just remuneration for all their services, either a stewardship or otherwise, as may be thought best or decided by the counselors and bishop. And the bishop, also, shall receive his support, or a just remuneration for all his services in the church.”

This verse is in absolute contradiction to the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 26:31) which states, “But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.”

The fact is that even though the LDS church prides itself that they have no professionally paid clergy, they most certainly do.  Gordon B. Hinkley called it a “modest living allowance.”  I don’t care what you call it, they get paid, and paid handsomely.  All General Authorities (70’s, Mission Presidents, Apostles, Presidency and Prophet) receive this “modest living allowance.”  It is so modest that it allowed newly christened Apostle Dieter Uchtdorf to acquire not one but two homes valued at more than $750,000 each.  Uchtdorf had not worked a day in 16 years from his retirement from Lufthansa.  If he was so wealthy, why did he wait over 16 years to buy such prestigious homes?  Why did he buy them just after he was promoted to General Authority and Apostle?  Why is the property tax statement on these homes mailed to the LDS church headquarters?  This is just one of many examples of how the church leaders completely deceptive with their finances.

Section 42:78 – “And again, every person who belongeth to this church of Christ, shall observe to keep all the commandments and covenants of the church.”

This command along with Section 64:13-14 completely contradict the meaning and message of the cross in the New Testament.
 
Galatians 5:4, “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”  

Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Romans 3:20-22 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe…”

Romans 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

The law is a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1) and a curse (Galatians 3:10-13) that Jesus' grace frees us from.  Mormons, not only put the law back on their shoulders, they add many more laws to it!

Remember, we are no longer under the old covenant of the law, but are now under the New Covenant of grace that Christ instituted with His shed blood on the cross (Hebrews Ch. 8-10).

Section 43:12-13 – “And if ye desire the glories of the kingdom, appoint ye my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and uphold him before me by the prayer of faith. And again, I say unto you, that if ye desire the mysteries of the kingdom, provide for him food and raiment, and whatsoever thing he needeth to accomplish the work wherewith I have commanded him;”

How convenient for Joseph Smith to include a commandment that not only contradicts 2 Nephi 26:31, but allows him the benefit of not having to work for anything.  I guess Joseph Smith took this commandment verse of “whatever he needeth” as a wife for every day of the month plus a few extra, breaking the law multiple times, needing his own army, becoming a general, king and presidential candidate.  I guess you need quite a bit when you plan on taking over the world via theocracy.  

Section 49:9-10 – “Wherefore, I say unto you that I have sent unto you mine everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning. And that which I have promised I have so fulfilled, and the nations of the earth shall bow to it; and, if not of themselves, they shall come down, for that which is now exalted of itself shall be laid low of power.”

Do the nations of the earth bow to the Mormon gospel and its doctrine of polygamy?  This would qualify as a false prophecy as I see it as just the opposite.  The Mormon church had to bow to the US Government laws against polygamy in 1890.  

Section 51:13-14 – “And again, let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this church; and let all things both in money and in meat, which are more than is needful for the wants of this people, be kept in the hands of the bishop. And let him also reserve unto himself for his own wants, and for the wants of his family, as he shall be employed in doing this business.”

This verse is in absolute contradiction to the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 26:31) which states, “But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.”

Section 56:4 – “Wherefore I, the Lord, command and revoke, as it seemeth me good; and all this to be answered upon the heads of the rebellious, saith the Lord.

This contradicts the bible and the Book of Mormon which states that God does not change his mind.  

Alma 41:8 states, “Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.”

Section 64:13 – “And this ye shall do that God may be glorified—not because ye forgive not, having not compassion, but that ye may be justified in the eyes of the law, that ye may not offend him who is your lawgiver—“

The bible clearly states that we are never justified in the eyes of the law (Galatians 2:16, 5:4) because with Jesus’ death on the cross, the requirements of the law were fulfilled (Colossians 2:14).  We are no longer under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14, 8:1-3).  

Galatians 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

Romans 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Section 64:23 – “Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.”

This is one of the ways the LDS church exploits and controls its members; by threats of eternal damnation if they do not pay their full tithing.  First of all, this contradicts the following verses:

Acts 8:20 “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”

Mormon 8:32 “Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you shall be forgiven of your sins.”

Secondly, this is a form of a “prosperity gospel” message in “giving to get” (blessings, etc.) that is false. Now I am not suggesting that giving is not good or cannot lead to blessings. The problem with this is rooted in the motivation for giving. Your church is teaching you that unless you give, God can withholding His blessings. Thus the motivation for giving is fear or guilt driven in giving to get or earn blessings. The motivation is selfish to get and not selfless based on what you have received (the free gift of eternal salvation). It can only be selfless when you know your eternal salvation is secure (1 John 5:13), not based on your obedience to laws, works and moral effort, but based solely on what Jesus Christ freely gave to us as a gift to all those who believe in his name (Romans ch. 5; 6:23).     

Section 71:7-11 – “Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest. Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you—there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time.”

I invite any Mormon out there to meet me in public or private and cofound me due to the gospel of grace I am sharing/defending and by exposing the massive error in Mormonism.

Section 73:3-4 – “Now, verily I say unto you my servants, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon, saith the Lord, it is expedient to translate again; And, inasmuch as it is practicable, to preach in the regions round about until conference; and after that it is expedient to continue the work of translation until it be finished.”

The a small portion of the translation of the Inspired Version of the Bible (Joseph Smith Translation) is included in Mormon Scriptures in between the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  There are a couple reasons why the entire translation is not included.  First, Emma Smith refused to give the manuscript over to Brigham Young, so the manuscript stayed with what is now the RLDS (Community of Christ) as they own the copyright.  You can go into any Deseret bookstore and purchase Joseph Smith’s Inspired Version of the bible though.  Here is the Old Testament translation and here is the New Testament translation.

Second, there is a dilemma the LDS church faces in if they fully accept it as scripture or fully reject it.  If they fully reject it, they are basically acknowledging Joseph Smith was a fraud and if they fully accept it, they are faced with a translation fraught with errors and contradictions.  Instead, Mormon leadership has chosen to only partially accept it and attempt to say that the translation was incomplete.  They know this is a lie though.  Also, D&C 124:89 commands Joseph Smith to publish the new translation because it was complete as shown below.

Dated February 2, 1833, Joseph Smith writes, “I completed the translation and review of the New Testament, on the 2nd of February, 1833, and sealed it up, no more to be opened till it arrived in Zion” (History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 324).

Also in the April 1977 New Era Magazine published by the LDS church, Robert J. Matthews said the following: “Because the translation was published by the RLDS church, some questions have existed as to whether it had been published accurately. However, research in the past few years with the original manuscripts has indicated that the Inspired Version of the Bible, published by the RLDS church, is an accurate representation of the sense of the original manuscripts prepared by Joseph Smith and his scribes. Furthermore, it seems to be increasing in use and acceptance in our church today.”

The fact is that the LDS church does not want to have to answer the embarrassing questions of why the Joseph Smith Translation is full of errors and contradictions.  This is why they take their current stance on the translation and only publish small pieces of it in their scriptures.  For more on this topic please read the following from UTLM.org.

Section 76:32-37,44 – “They are they who are the sons of perdition, … whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come— Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, … These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone… Wherefore, he saves all except them—they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment—”

Mormonism denies the biblical hell/literal lake of fire and teach a doctrine of outer darkness instead.  These verses contradict their teachings.

Section 76:89 – “And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding;”

Please read the three levels of heaven section of the “Verses Mormons Misuse” which shows why the Mormon doctrine of three levels of heaven is false.

The bible could not be more clear in this teaching; either your name is in the Book of Life (Revelation 21:24-27) or it is not in the Book of Life (Revelation 20:15).  It is heaven or hell only; there are no other options as anything else is a false gospel.  

Section 77:6-7 – “Q. What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals?  A. We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence.  Q. What are we to understand by the seven seals with which it was sealed?  A. We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand years, and so on until the seventh.”

Science has proven through geology and anthropology that the earth and humanity is more than 7,000 years old.  

Section 82:7 – “And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.”

This is an impossible command to keep.  Humans have a nature to sin no matter what they do.  Even the greatest of the followers of Christ falls infinitely short due to sin.  The bible never contextually provides any such commands.  This would create a tremendous burden that would not be what Jesus promises; an easy yoke and light burden.  For more on this please read my “Salvation in Mormonism” section covering this specific verse.

1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

Jeremiah 31:34 “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Section 84:1-5 **False Prophecy** – “A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun. … the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem. Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, … Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation. For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, …”

This is a false prophecy by Joseph Smith.  That generation of people passed away long ago and there is no temple.  It still sits an empty lot owned by the Community of Christ (RLDS).  Mormon apologists such as FAIR try to claim this is not a prophecy, but a commandment from God.  The problem with this is church Prophets and Apostles have long believed this was indeed a prophecy as noted in several quotes from the Journal of Discourses.  

Also, the 1890 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants had a note on the page of this prophecy that a generation was 100 years.  This was removed for obvious reasons.  

Section 84:114 **False Prophecy** – “Nevertheless, let the bishop go unto the city of New York, also to the city of Albany, and also to the city of Boston, and warn the people of those cities with the sound of the gospel, with a loud voice, of the desolation and utter abolishment which await them if they do reject these things.”

This is a false prophecy.  Virtually all the people in these cities rejected the Book of Mormon and Mormonism.  They were never abolished as promised by the Lord in this “prophecy.”

Section 85:1-4 **False Prophecy** – “Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place. For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations. And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshaled and disciplined for war.”

This is a false prophecy.  First, Joseph Smith did correctly call a future war.  But before you use this to claim he is a prophet, you must know that before this prophecy was given this was a popular view at the time and written about in newspapers.  It is well known that this war was not poured out unto all nations because it was called the Civil War, which by definition means it involved only one nation, the United States.

Section 88:87 **False Prophecy** – “For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.

This is a false prophecy.  It specifically states that within days these things will occur.  It has been over 65,000 days and this prophecy still has never occurred.

Section 89:4-5, 9, 12-13 – “Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: … I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation— That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him…. And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly. … Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; And it is pleasing unto me thatthey should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.”

Based on the actual definition of the Word of Wisdom, I believe there are very few Mormons who follow it today.  According to the definition cold drinks are fine, such as iced coffee, iced tea, cold caffeinated soda, etc.  It is hot drinks that are not allowed like hot chocolate, decaffeinated hot tea or anything else hot drink.  Mormons today just try to stay away from caffeine and alcohol, not hot drinks.

Also, it states that meats should only be eaten in the winter or when there is a famine.  I don’t believe most Mormons are vegetarians most of the time so they fail here too.

Section 97:19 **False Prophecy** – “And the nations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say: Surely Zion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there;”

This is a false prophecy.  This prophecy is about Jackson County, Missouri according to the section heading.  Sandra Tanner said the following regarding this prophecy, “ … two weeks prior to this prophecy, on July 20, 1833, "Zion" began moving from Jackson County! LDS newspaper presses were destroyed by a mob, and leading LDS officials were tarred and feathered and run out of town (D.H.C. Vol.I pp. 390-400). Since Smith was in Kirtland, Ohio, he was unaware of what was happening in Missouri when he said God gave him this "revelation." But, God should have known what was happening in Missouri!”
http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/mclaims5.htm#propheciesSection

Section 103:2, 24-26 – “Being driven and smitten by the hands of mine enemies, on whom I will pour out my wrath without measure in mine own time. And inasmuch as mine enemies come against you to drive you from my goodly land, which I have consecrated to be the land of Zion, even from your own lands after these testimonies, which ye have brought before me against them, ye shall curse them; And whomsoever ye curse, I will curse, and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies. And my presence shall be with you even in avenging me of mine enemies, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”

This makes it sound as if the Mormons are completely innocent.  Of course cities are going to want to drive you out of town if thousands of Mormons show up telling the town that this is their land now because God has given it to them.  They come in and refuse to trade with non-Mormons.  They sway the voting with their thousands followers under theocratic rule to elect Mormons and did many other terrible things.  Why do you think every city they went to they were driven out?

“… whomsoever ye curse, I will curse, and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies.”  Does this really sound like something God/Jesus would be saying?

Section 104:1 **False Prophecy** – “Verily I say unto you, my friends, I give unto you counsel, and a commandment, concerning all the properties which belong to the order which I commanded to be organized and established, to be a united order, and an everlasting order for the benefit of my church, and for the salvation of men until I come—“

This is a false prophecy.  Why in the world would Jesus give an everlasting revelation on pooling everyone’s property so important it was to be for the salvation of men and until He comes, then several verses later just up and change his mind (verse 47, 53) erasing the whole “everlasting” part of the prophecy?  Do Mormons actually read these prophecies and see how ridiculously false they are?

Section 107:92 – “Behold, here is wisdom; yea, to be a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.”

If you actually objectively read and study you would easily find that Joseph Smith fails the test of being a seer, revelator, translator and prophet.  I have show a tremendous amount of historical fact that proves this to be the case.  Also, Joseph Smith is not the head of the Lord’s church; that title belongs to Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 5:23).

Section 110:12-14 – “After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed. After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—“

First of all, Elias and Elijah are the same person.  Elias is the Greek spelling and Elijah is the Hebrew spelling.  God would not make such obvious mistakes in truly inspired writing.  

Secondly, According to Jesus, Elias (Elijah) had already come.  He came in the spirit and power of John the Baptist (Matthew 16:10-13; Luke 1:13-17).

Section 111:4 **False Prophecy** – “And it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours.”

This is a false prophecy.  Joseph Smith and the LDS church did not gain power over Salem, Massachusetts nor did the leave with any money, gold and silver.  Section 111 heading states, “When it became apparent that no money was to be forthcoming, they returned to Kirtland.”

Section 114:1 **False Prophecy** – “Verily thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto all the world.”

This is a false prophecy.  David Patten was never able to serve this mission as he died in the battle at Crooked River that fall and never lived to see next spring.  LDS apologists try to defend this false prophecy by stating that maybe the mission Patten was to serve was in the spirit world.  The verse does not say this though; it says he was going “unto all the world.”  Plus, he was to serve with the 11 others and they did not die.  

Apologists also state that maybe Patten apostatized and ran away.  Patten was shot in the chest engaging the enemy.  Joseph Smith has this to say about David Patten after he died, “Brother David Patten was a very worthy man, beloved by all good men who knew him…and died as he had lived, a man of God, and strong in the faith of a glorious resurrection…one of his last expressions to his wife was ‘whatever you do else, O! do not deny the faith.” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 171).

Section 115:7-12 **False Prophecy** – "Let the city, Far West, be a holy and consecrated land unto me; and it shall be called most holy, for the ground upon which thou standest is holy. Therefore, I command you to build a house unto me, for the gathering together of my saints, that they may worship me. And let there be a beginning of this work, and a foundation, and a preparatory work, this following summer.

And let the beginning be made on the fourth day of July next; and from that time forth let my people labor diligently to build a house unto my name; And in one year from this day let them re-commence laying the foundation of my house. Thus let them from that time forth labor diligently until it shall be finished, from the cornerstone thereof unto the top thereof, until there shall not anything remain that is not finished."

This is a false prophecy.  The cornerstone was laid and that was all that has ever occurred.  Even the LDS.org website states that the temple was never ever started other than the cornerstone.

Section 124:59-60 **False Prophecy** – “Therefore, let my servant Joseph and his seed after him have place in that house, from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord. And let the name of that house be called Nauvoo House; and let it be a delightful habitation for man, and a resting-place for the weary traveler, that he may contemplate the glory of Zion, and the glory of this, the cornerstone thereof;”

This is a false prophecy.  This house was abandoned shortly after the death of Joseph Smith.  The house did not remain with his family forever nor is it with them today.  

Section 129:1-9 – “There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones— For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.Secondly: the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory. When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you. If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand. If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear— Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message. If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him. These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.”

This has to be one of the most ridiculous revelations received from God that is in the entire D&C.  So, if I offer to shake hands with the angel and he won’t or he does and I don’t feel anything then he is sent from the Devil.  If I feel his hand then he is of God.  Really!?  If you have not noticed, there are not many angels walking around with messages for us.  But, when one does, I know exactly what to do now thanks these vital instructions!  By the way, did Joseph Smith offer to shake the angel Moroni’s hand when he told him about another gospel (The Book of Mormon)?  I have never seen any pictures/paintings in LDS meeting houses of Joseph Smith shaking the angel Moroni’s hand to make sure he was of God.  

Section 130:3 – “John 14:23—The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.”

This verse completely contradicts the Book of Mormon (Alma 34:36) which says, “And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; …”

Section 130:14-15 – “I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following: Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.”

The bible could not be clearer that nobody, not even Jesus, knows when his return is going to be.  So why would Joseph be pestering God with a question that he should know will not be answered?  Why would God tell Joseph this knowing he would die in a little over a year?  God asks Joseph Smith to stop pestering him about this after he deceives him with his answer (which God would not do).  Joseph Smith gave a prophecy regarding the second coming with a time frame that is recorded in the History of the Church: 

“President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. He then gave a relation of some of the circumstances attending us while journeying to Zion--our trials, sufferings; and said God had not designed all this for nothing, but He had it in remembrance yet; and it was the will of God that those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh--even fifty-six years should wind up the scene. “ 

False prophets use tactics like this to maintain control over their followers.  They claim a special talent that even the Bible says is not possible such as “calling the shot” as to when Jesus will return or the end of the world.  It has been done by many leaders of false churches through the years (e.g. William Miller, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Joseph Smith, etc.).

Section 130:22 – “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”

This statement completely contradicts the bible:

John 4:24 “God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.”  It is false to try and twist this scripture to ignore the first part of the verse and only state that this verse really means God is to be worshipped in spirit; not that He is a spirit.  

The Book of Mormon:

Alma 18:26-29 “And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit? And he said, Yea. And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth? And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.”

Alma 22:9-11 “And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem? And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he created all things both in heaven and in earth. Believest thou this? And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all things …”

And the Lectures on Faith (Included in the D&C until 1921):

“They are the Father and the Son:  The Father being a personage of spirit…” (Lecture four, p. 53)

Section 132 – This section on plural marriage has so many issues that require it to be a separate topic all together.  I have broken out this section and the issues under the tab “Polygamy”.

Section 135:3 – “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; …”

Joseph Smith is the best man to ever live, just ask him and he will tell you so:

“I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 6, pp. 408-409) (emphasis mine)

Do you see a pattern here?  Joseph Smith seems real meek and humble taking credit for all the things “he” has done.  He has done more than any other man except Jesus for the salvation of man.  All the Apostles in the Bible were sharing the gospel message because they were saved.  Joseph Smith gives you another gospel that the Bible warns that false prophets would have you believe sharing it with a message of works, obedience to laws/ordinances and moral conformity to earn your salvation.  The motivation driving a Christian is completely the opposite of the motivation driving a Mormon.  You cannot be free in the grace of Christ if you have to earn the free gift of eternal life.  If you try to earn it by works then your motivations are selfish.  When you know your eternal life is secure in Christ and His work, then your motivations are pure and selfless because what works you do are because He saved you.  

By living great, and dying great in the eyes of god must mean the eyes of the god of this earthly world (Satan).  Because being arrested multiple times, opening an illegal bank, committing treason, deceiving young girls into marrying him, marrying other men’s wives (polyandry), committing adultery, giving as many as 65 false prophecies, abusing his power, and many other terrible things he did is not “living great” according to God.  

Section 137 – When this “scripture” was submitted for a vote to be added to the canon, there were 216 words missing from the revelation that was written.  This is known because it also appeared in the History of the Church.  Why were these words conveniently left out of the Doctrine and Covenants?  Let’s look at the missing words and see if that will shed some light.  This is what is not included in the D&C today:

[Joseph Smith:] “...I saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who are now upon the earth, who hold the keys of this last ministry, in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and their feet swollen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold him. The Saviour looked upon them and wept. I also beheld Elder M'Lellin in the south, standing upon a hill, surrounded by a vast multitude, preaching to them, and a lame man standing before him supported by his crutches; he threw them down at his word and leaped as a hart, by the mighty power of God. Also, I saw Elder Brigham Young standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of a bout a dozen men of color, who appeared hostile. He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it. And I finally saw the Twelve in the celestial kingdom of God. I also beheld the redemption of Zion and many things which the tongue of man cannot describe in full.”

There are several issues with what Joseph Smith revealed in this quote.

M’Lellin never made it to the south to preach and perform miracles because he was one of the 12 Apostles to leave the church a short time later.

Seven of the Twelve initial Apostles for the LDS church within a short time left the church or were excommunicated.  You would think if these men were around the “Prophet” and in the “only true church,” a large percentage of them would have been in the church their entire lives.  Anyway, how does Joseph see these men in the celestial kingdom if they left or were excommunicated from the church?
There is no oral or written history (diaries, Journal of Discourses, etc.) of Brigham Young ever preaching to about a dozen hostile men of color.

Zion (Independence, Missouri) is still not redeemed after more than 175 years and will likely never be since the Community of Christ (RLDS) owns temple lot. Now it’s clear why this was deleted!  Why would you show something that would obviously shine a big spotlight on scriptures that have massive issues!  So if you just delete it you don’t have to worry about it anymore!  Problem solved!

Section 138:6-11 – “I opened the Bible and read the third and fourth chapters of the first epistle of Peter, and as I read I was greatly impressed, more than I had ever been before, with the following passages: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” (1 Peter 3:18–20.) “For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (1 Peter 4:6.) As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the dead, both small and great.”

These are two verses Mormons use to support their doctrinal belief in a “second chance gospel” or a chance to hear the gospel after death.  However, Mormons use these verses out of context as I point out in my section “Verses Mormons Misuse.”  Please read this section for a more contextual and biblical interpretation on these verses.

Section 138:58-59 – “The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God, Andafter they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.”

These verses could not be more unbiblical as this is the way Mormon salvation is attained.  We are never redeemed through obedience to ordinances and paying our own penalties.  If this was the case we are all bound for hell.  This is the whole reason God sent His Son to die on the cross and why the Gospel is being declared to all.  

There is nothing we can do as we are dead in sin and not just weakened by sin (Ephesians 2:1-6).  Jesus came and vicariously took upon Himself the sins of the world, past, present and future, so that we may all have the free gift of eternal life.  Jesus’ shed blood on the cross was the propitiation for all sin to those who believe for all humanity for all-time (1 John 2:2).  The word propitiation means a complete and satisfactory payment by way of atoning sacrifice.  Those who have faith on His shed blood are freely justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).  This is how we can be free in the grace of Jesus Christ because how can you be free if your eternal life was to be earned?  The gospel tells us eternal life is a gift and a gift cannot be earned.  Trying to earn eternal life make God a debtor to you and God owes us nothing, but he loves us so much that he gave us eternal life through believing in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  

The gospel provides ample warning to anyone who thinks eternal life is something that is to be earned through obedience to laws, ordinances, works and moral conformity.  Some verses include:

Galatians 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

James 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.”

Romans 4:4-8 “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, [Saying], Blessed [are] they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

Romans 9:30-10:4 “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

For more detail and the biblical view on gaining eternal life please read through each of the sections within the “Salvation” link.