verse 26 This has been a troublesome
verse. It seems to say that if a man and a woman are sealed appropriately and
the Holy Spirit of Promise ratifies the sealing, then the couple may commit all
manner of sins and still be guaranteed their exaltation. Could this be
true? No, of course not. There is no such thing in the gospel as an absolute
guarantee of exaltation, as man always maintains his free agency. Even a man
who has had his “calling and election made sure” can still fall. There are a couple
of concepts that have been left out of this verse, as we shall see.
Let us attempt an explanation.
There is apparently a certain level of “light” or spiritual progress which a
man (or woman) may reach in this life which imposes an exceedingly solemn obligation
upon him. The individual who has reached this lofty level of spiritual development
has entered into and fulfilled all the covenants of the gospel including
celestial marriage, and he has been “sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise”—he has
had his calling and election made sure. Almost invariably, the man who has
attained this spiritual plateau will continue on to his exaltation. However, if
he should fall, then the consequences are especially grave. If he loses the
Spirit and becomes a total enemy to the Church, coming out in open rebellion
against the Church, then he has committed the sin against the Holy Ghost, the
unpardonable sin, and will never achieve exaltation. He is guilty of “shedding
innocent blood,” the innocent blood of Christ, and assenting unto his death. He
crucifies the Son of God afresh. If on the other hand, that same individual loses
the Spirit but does not become an enemy of the Church he is still in very
serious trouble, and it is most unlikely that he will ever be exalted. It is possible
for him to achieve exaltation, however, through a very difficult and hazardous
procedure. By falling from his lofty state, he has rejected and forsaken Christ’s
atonement, and therefore, he must pay the penalty himself. This is done by
being destroyed in the flesh and being turned over to “the buffetings of Satan”
until the second coming of the Savior. This is the basis of the so-called “blood
atonement doctrine.” Doe s this mean that such a person should be put to death
by the Church by the shedding of his blood? Certainly that meaning is implied,
and perhaps that would be done if a righteous theocracy governed the earth.
Today, however, the Church does not have legal authority for such actions, and
it is not the doctrine of the Church that such persons should be executed. We
simply leave the remote possibility of their exaltation to the Lord. Can you
imagine how awful and frightening it must be to be turned over to the “buffetings
of Satan?!” The important point to emphasize is that through the process of being
destroyed in the flesh and being turned over to Satan, the individual may only
be exalted if he successfully and completely repents of his sins and does so
under very difficult and trying circumstances. It is most unlikely that he will
be successful.
For an interesting example of the
doctrine of blood atonement in the New Testament, see 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
wherein Paul describes the only hope for an official in the Church who is
guilty of incest.
It is now easy to see why verse 26
has caused so much confusion. Two vital concepts have been omitted from it, and
in its incompleteness, it has caused much confusion. The two concepts that are
missing are: first, that the couple spoken of had achieved the blessing of
having their calling and election made sure, and second, they can achieve exaltation
only if they repent of their transgressions. (Michael J. Preece, Learning
to Love the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: MJP Publishing, Inc.,
1988], 390-91, italics in original)
Further Reading:
Robert
D. Hales Refuting the "Antinomian" Interpretation of D&C 132:26
