Brief notes on D&C 132:26-27

One of the most misunderstood passages of uniquely Latter-day Saint Scripture is that of D&C 132:26-27, which reads as follows:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God. The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in nowise enter into my glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.

In vol. 4 of A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, Stephen Robinson and H. Dean Garrett wrote the following:

26. They shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan. Every man and woman who comes to earth and receives the gospel of Jesus Christ is expected to remain true to their covenants, to endure faithfully to the end of their mortal lives. In this life, we seek constantly, through the blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ and the powers of the Holy Ghost, to have our sins remitted and to stand clean before the Almighty. But none of us lives without error or misdeeds. That is true for the newest member of the Church as well as for seasoned members who have passed the tests of mortality and received the sweet assurance that their salvation is secured. Though not stated in this verse, it clearly implies that the individual who sins will repent and return to the gospel path. Thinking Latter-day Saints cannot suppose that they can sin willfully, remain in their sins, and go on to their exaltation.

To be sure, one who has received the assurance of eternal life has received the greater light, and thus sinning against that light brings a greater condemnation (see D&C 82:3). President Joseph Fielding Smith warned: "Verse 26, in section 132 is the most abused passage in any scripture. The Lord has never promised any soul that he may be taken into exaltation without the spirit of repentance. While repentance is not stated in this passage, yet it is, and must be, implied. . . . .

"I call attention to these two things. If covenants are broken and enormous sins are committed, but not unto death, there are certain punishments to be inflicted. The mere confession is not enough; the sinners are: 1—to 'be destroyed in the flesh'; and 2—to 'be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption.'

"Who in the world is so foolish as to wish to sin with the hope of forgiveness, if such a penalty is to be inflicted? No one but a fool! To be 'destroyed in the flesh' means exactly that. We cannot destroy men in the flesh, because we do not control the lives of men and do not have power to pass sentences upon them which involve capital punishment. In the days when there was a theocracy on the earth, then this decree was enforced. What the Lord will do in lieu of this, because we cannot destroy in the flesh, I am unable to say, but it will have to be made up in some other way.

" . . . Then to be turned over to the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, which is the resurrection, must be something horrible in its nature. Who wishes to endure such torment? No one but a fool! I have seen their anguish. I have heard their pleadings for relief and their pitiful cries that they cannot endure the torment. This was in this life. Add to that, the torment in the spirit world before the redemption comes—all of this, mark you, coming after severe and humble repentance!"

27. Ye commit murder wherein ye shed innocent blood. This sin consists of denying Christ, fighting the truth, joining hands with those who crucified him, all the while knowing full well and with a perfect knowledge that he is the Son of God; it means pursuing this course after gaining a perfect knowledge, given by the Holy Ghost, that he is Lord of all. The innocent blood thus shed is his blood; those who so sin become murderers by assenting unto his death, an assent that is given with a full and perfect knowledge of his divinity.

Joseph Fielding Smith offered the following commentary on this passage in Doctrines of Salvation 2:94-99

I will make an explanation of the expression, "Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise." This does not have reference to marriage for time and all eternity only, but to every ordinance and blessing of the gospel. Baptism into the Church is sealed by this Spirit, likewise confirmation, ordination, and all ordinances as well as marriage for time and all eternity.

The meaning of this expression is this: Every covenant, contract, bond, obligation, oath, vow, and performance, that man receives through the covenants and blessings of the gospel, is sealed by the Holy Spirit with a promise. The promise is that the blessing will be obtained, if those who seek it are true and faithful to the end. If they are not faithful, then the Holy Spirit will withdraw the blessing, and the promise comes to an end. [Sec. 76:50-54; 88:3-5; 124:124; 132:7; Moses 6:60.]

Verse 26, in Section 132, is the most abused passage in any scripture. The Lord has never promised any soul that he may be taken into exaltation without the spirit of repentance. While repentance is not stated in this passage, yet it is, and must be, implied. It is strange to me that everyone knows about verse 26, but it seems that they have never read or heard of Matthew 12:31-32, where the Lord tells us the same thing in substance as we find in verse 26, Section 132.

It is wrong to take one passage of scripture and isolate it from all other teachings dealing with the same subject. We should bring together all that has been said by authority on the question. . . .

The Lord said by his own mouth: "And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father. And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words. And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end." [3 Nephi 27:17-19.]

So we must conclude that those spoken of in verse 26 are those who, having sinned, have fully repented and are willing to pay the price of their sinning, else the blessings of exaltation will not follow. Repentance is absolutely necessary for the forgiveness, and the person having sinned must be cleansed.

John said: "There is a sin unto death." "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it." [1 John 5:16.]

The Lord, in verse 27, has pointed out some sins unto death for which there is no forgiveness. It will do no good for one to pray for his brother for forgiveness from such a sin. All other sins, including blasphemy against the Son of God, may be forgiven men, on their true repentance. If they do not repent, then no matter what the sin may be, or the covenant violated, the guilty party or parties will never enter into the kingdom of God!

Here is something which those who contend that the Lord has granted immunity from their sins to some, if they have received certain sealings by the Holy Spirit of promise, have overlooked in this passage. I will call attention to these two things. If covenants are broken and enormous sins are committed, but not unto death, there are certain punishments to be inflicted. The mere confession is not enough; the sinners are: 1—to "be destroyed in the flesh"; 2—to "be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption."

Who in the world is so foolish as to wish to sin with the hope of forgiveness, if such a penalty is to be inflicted? No one but a fool! To be "destroyed in the flesh" means exactly that. We cannot destroy men in the flesh, because we do not control the lives of men and do not have power to pass sentences upon them which involve capital punishment. In the days when there was a theocracy on the earth, then this decree was enforced. [Gen. 9:4-6; Lev. 20:10.] What the Lord will do in lieu of this because we cannot destroy in the flesh, I am unable to say, but it will have to be made up in some other way.

Then to be turned over to the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, which is the resurrection, must be something horrible in its nature. Who wishes to endure such torment? No one but a fool! I have seen their anguish. I have heard their pleadings for relief and their pitiful cries that they cannot endure the torment. This was in this life. Add to that, the torment in the spirit world before the redemption comes—all of this, mark you, coming after severe and humble repentance!

Some among us have the idea that to confess their sins with their lips and to turn away from them constitutes all that is required of the repentant. This is not always so. It is our duty to forgive, but the Lord may require a severe penalty after this humble repentance. David sorely repented; read some of his Psalms and realize how he cried in anguish for relief; yet we understand that he is paying the price to this day and will until the Son of God comes to relieve him. [Psalms 16:10; 51:1-19; Acts 2:29, 34.]

I said that when the Lord ruled in a theocracy that punishment by death was the edict for certain crimes. Here is an example: "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." [Lev. 20:10.] There were also other crimes for which this penalty was exacted. [Rom. 1:28-32; Ex. 35:2; Deut. 13:1-11; 17:1-7; 21:20-23.]

No, the Lord has not prepared for favoritism. He has not placed exemption upon some because they have received marriage for time and for all eternity and had it sealed by the "Holy Spirit of promise." He has not given them the privilege of blaspheming his name, of committing any sin whatever, and then coming forth to receive an exaltation. We should all be grateful for the wonderful principle of repentance; we all need it. But we must not lose sight of the fact that the celestial kingdom is reserved for those who are sanctified and none others. Read Mormon 9:3-4.

Let it be remembered also that those who sin must repent in this life; if they die in their sins, unrepentant, then no matter what blessings they have received, they are not reinstated. [Alma 34:31-35; 3 Nephi 12:20; 27:17-19.]

When a man and a woman, in all sincerity, enter into a covenant of marriage for time and all eternity (and after they have "overcome by faith," and are "just and true"), [Sec. 76:54] the Holy Ghost—who is the Spirit of promise—bears record of or ratifies that sealing. In other words, he seals the promises appertaining to the marriage covenant upon them.

Now the Lord has said: "But there is a possibility that man may fall from grace and depart from the listing God; Therefore let the church take heed and pray always, lest they fall into temptation; Yea, and even let those who are sanctified take heed also." [Sec. 20:31-34.]

If one or both of these covenanting persons break that covenant by which they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, then the Spirit withdraws the seal and the guilty party, or parties, stand as if there had been no sealing or promise given. All covenants are sealed based upon faithfulness.

Should a person endeavor to receive the sealing blessing by fraud, then the blessing is not sealed, notwithstanding the integrity and authority of the person officiating. Instead of a blessing they will receive a cursing, the heaviest of all. [Sec. 41:1.] Therefore, a person who may deceive the bishop or any other officer, will stand condemned before the Lord, for he cannot be deceived and justice will be meted to all.