Dead Works
Reflections on D&C 22
This revelation was given in the earliest days of the Restoration, just ten days after the Church was formally organized. It wasn’t about denying past faithfulness or rejecting those who had already sought baptism elsewhere—it was about establishing the absolute necessity of priesthood authority.
Some wanted to bring their previous baptisms with them, as if all religious acts were interchangeable. But the Lord’s response was direct and unmistakable: “You cannot enter in at the strait gate by the law of Moses, neither by your dead works.” In other words, faithfulness to past commandments does not grant access to a kingdom that requires new obedience.
This was not a rejection of past righteousness; it was a call to move forward with God, even when it disrupts what feels familiar, comfortable, or traditional.
When Old Paths No Longer Lead to God
“All old covenants have I caused to be done away in this thing; and this is a new and an everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning.”
At first glance, this sounds like a contradiction: how can something be both “new” and “from the beginning”? But this is the pattern of every major dispensation. The gospel is never “invented”—it is restored. The covenants of God are not discarded—they are fulfilled and renewed.
Consider how often God has done this:
Noah’s covenant expanded upon the commands given to Adam.
Abraham’s covenant was given when previous patriarchal traditions needed greater direction.
Moses’ law was established to bring Israel into deeper obedience and holiness.
Christ revealed the higher law, building upon what had come before.
And now, in 1830, the Lord was saying it again: “Enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded.”
The path forward is not found by clinging to expired authority. Baptism—even performed a hundred times—means nothing without the right power behind it.
This revelation was not an attack on those who had been baptized before—it was a declaration that good intentions, even religious ones, are not enough when God has set His house in order.
The Tragedy of Dead Works
“For it is because of your dead works that I have caused this last covenant and this church to be built up unto me, even as in days of old.”
This phrase—“dead works”—is a sharp one. It cuts against the idea that effort alone is enough. These people had sought baptism before. They had taken a step of faith. And yet, the Lord calls their works dead.
Why?
Because no amount of human sincerity can substitute for divine authority.
This was precisely the mistake of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day. They believed in God, they studied the scriptures, they kept the commandments—but they refused to recognize when the Lord Himself was standing before them. Their rituals continued, their prayers went up, but their works were dead, because they rejected the living Christ.
It is no different today. If we cling to past structures, past revelations, past traditions—even ones that were once divinely given—when God has declared a new work, we risk missing the very kingdom we claim to seek.
The truth is living, and living truth requires living obedience.
“Seek Not to Counsel Your God”
Perhaps the most piercing line in this revelation is “seek not to counsel your God.”
There is something profoundly human about trying to negotiate with the divine. We want partial obedience. We want our own version of discipleship, customized to our comfort level. We see this pattern all throughout scripture:
Naaman wanted to be healed, but only if he could do it his way.
The rich young ruler wanted to follow Christ, but not at the cost of his wealth.
Nicodemus wanted truth, but only under the cover of night.
But the Lord has never worked through half-measures. The same was true in 1830, and the same is true today.
Faith does not mean expecting God to accommodate us. Faith means having the courage to let go of what no longer serves us and walk into the unknown because the Lord has spoken.
What This Means for Us Today
This revelation is not just about baptism. It is about how we respond when God tells us to move forward.
Do we hesitate? Do we argue? Do we insist that what was once good must still be good enough? Or do we step into the water, trusting that what God is asking of us now is greater than what He required before?
This is the test of every generation. Those who trust step forward. Those who resist cling to the past and watch the living kingdom move without them.
The Lord’s words are clear: “Enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded.” Not as we wish. Not as we assume. Not as we are comfortable with. As He has commanded.
That is the only way into the kingdom. And there are no shortcuts.
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