The Law of the Lord

The Lord said, "Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high." Surely, many blessings awaited the Saints in Ohio, and they were given to them over several months in different forms. One of these blessings the Lord called, "The Law of the Lord," which we know as the 42nd section in the Doctrine & Covenants, a book of modern revelations given through Joseph Smith.

Section 42 addresses a myriad of topics, from Church administration, the Ten Commandments, the Priesthood, the New Jerusalem, and the Law of Consecration. Like all of Joseph Smith's revelations, they did not come as Joseph sat around, doing nothing. He was immersed in study and meditation, and had several questions that he asked the Lord. In the same way, we can receive revelation through the process of asking questions and seeking the answer from the Lord. Joseph's questions included, "Shall the Church come together into one place or continue in separate establishments?" "How are the Elders to dispose of their families while they are proclaiming repentance or are otherwise engaged in the service of the Church?" and "How far it is the will of the Lord that we should have dealings with the world and how we should conduct our dealings with them?"

The Law of the Lord formed a foundation for the Saints in many respects. It reiterated the Ten Commandments, but also explained more about Church organization and the Priesthood. The Elders are to preach, baptize converts, and build up the Church wherever they go. Also, for somebody to be an Elder, they must be called of God and receive the Priesthood by the laying on of hands.

This revelation also formed the basis for many of the early (and present-day) Church's disciplinary practices, explaining the punishments for each transgression, and how the councils ought to function. This revelation provided a framework upon which the leaders could build, in much the same way as Section 20. Joseph realized that the Church was expanding, and so more revelation was needed to guide the ever-growing Church.

The revelation was also part of developing the Law of Consecration, which the Church practiced in its infancy. Although the law failed due to the selfishness and dishonesty of some of the members, it provided a brief glimpse into the societies that existed in Enoch's city, and also among the Nephites after Jesus Christ's visit to the New World. Section 42 gave valuable insights and commandments to the Saints on how to keep the Law of Consecration, and its principles remain true today, even though the Saints were not (and still are not) capable of keeping them.

The last twenty verses of the section were added at a later time and have more to do with Church laws concerning discipline and Church membership. They complete what is a significant stone in the foundation of revelations that the early Church relied on.