Doctrine and Covenants 82

(November 8, 2015)

                There is so much doctrine in this Section that is commonplace for us now – fully integrated into the LDS Worldview – but which was so groundbreaking then.  Sinning against the greater light receives the greater condemnation.  To the soul that sinneth shall the former sins return.  The Lord is bound when we do what He says, but if not we have no promise.  It is so much a part of who we are and what we know that it is hard to imagine that there was a time when we didn’t know this, and it had to be revealed.

                Therein is the kicker, though.  Those who would reject Joseph Smith as a prophet also need to reject these core teachings.  What it particularly interesting is to see people who use bastardizations of these concepts (and others revealed by Joseph Smith) as their ‘proof’ that Joseph wasn’t a prophet.  The irony, of course, is lost on them.