Articles and Covenants of the Church: D&C 20

Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants is a powerhouse revelation. This section is significant to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it tells a short history of the church, it gives a short summary of what the Church believes, and it gives instructions on how to govern the church. It is important because it gives a short summary of the church for anyone who would want to join it.

The first verses of Doctrine and Covenants section 20 gives a short history of the Church to that point in time. God relates to that he appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820, that the Angel Moroni appeared in 1823, and that Joseph Smith had received the Book of Mormon in order to translate it. These three events are important because they formed Joseph Smith’s knowledge of what he was supposed to do. It allowed him to understand that he was going to restore the Church of Jesus Christ. Therefore, anyone by reading section 20, can understand what Joseph Smith experienced and realize that he was a prophet of God.

Besides containing a short history of the Church, section 20 also contains the basic doctrines of the Church. In verses 21-24 it explains how Christ, the Son of God, came to earth was crucified and resurrected. In verse 25, God explains that all need to be baptized. This forms the basis of the Church of Jesus Christ. That all men need to believe on his name and be baptized in his name. Section 20 laid explained the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who wonder what we believe.

Lastly, section 20 explains how such ordinances of the Gospel should be administered. It explains how to bless the sacrament and how to baptize. We believe, just as Jesus taught by his example, that all men must be baptized by immersion. God, through section 20, gives us directions on how to perform such a baptism.

These three reasons are why section 20 is important to us, Latter-Day Saints. It helps us understand where we have come from, what we believe, and what we are to do. The section creates a path, which helps anyone, member or not, determine where they are in relation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is therefore, not surprising that God commanded the early missionaries of the Church to take this section with them so that others might be able to read and understand their own position in accordance to the Church of Jesus Christ. It is a powerhouse revelation that has governed the Church since its revelation.