The "Cleansing of the Church" is a pivotal preparatory event in
the last days, marking a divine purification of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This event involves the
separation of the righteous from the unrighteous within the Church, ensuring
that the Lord’s covenant people are prepared to stand in holy places and
receive further light and truth. As a foundational step in the Great and
Marvelous Work, the cleansing of the Church aligns with the broader pattern of
divine judgment and restoration, setting the stage for events such as the
fulfillment of the Times of the Gentiles and the gathering of
The concept of the Church’s cleansing is rooted in several key scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants, the Book of Mormon, and the Bible, which emphasize God’s intent to purify His people before the great day of the Lord. These passages highlight the necessity of internal sanctification to prepare the Saints for the challenges and revelations of the last days.
· Doctrine and Covenants 112:23–26:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face. Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord. And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord; First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord."
o Context: This passage explicitly states that divine judgment will begin with the Lord’s house, targeting those who profess His name but do not live according to His commandments. The cleansing of the Church is thus a prerequisite for the broader judgments upon the earth, ensuring that the Lord’s people are worthy to fulfill their covenant roles.
· Doctrine and Covenants 85:7–8:
"And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God; While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning."
o Context: This passage introduces the "one mighty and strong," a figure often associated with a latter-day servant tasked with setting the Church in order. The cleansing process may involve this figure’s role in addressing internal apostasy or disarray, ensuring the Church is aligned with divine will. The warning against those who improperly interfere with God’s work underscores the seriousness of this purification.
· 3 Nephi 16:10:
"And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them."
o Context: While this verse primarily addresses the Gentiles’ rejection of the gospel, it implies an internal cleansing within the Church, as some members may participate in or be influenced by the sins listed. The removal of the gospel from the Gentiles suggests a sifting process that begins with the Lord’s covenant people.
· Doctrine and Covenants 45:57:
"For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day."
o Context: This verse, part of the parable of the Ten Virgins, emphasizes the importance of spiritual preparedness within the Church. The cleansing process will distinguish those who are wise and guided by the Holy Spirit from those who are unprepared, reinforcing the need for personal righteousness.
· Doctrine and Covenants 45:32:
"But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die."
o
Context: The call
to stand in holy places (e.g., temples, stakes of
LDS prophets and leaders have frequently addressed the need for the Church to be purified in the last days, emphasizing the importance of personal and collective righteousness. The following quotes provide additional context and urgency to the cleansing of the Church:
· President Brigham Young (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 123, July 15, 1860):
"Do you think there is calamity abroad now among the people? Not much. All we have yet heard and all we have experienced is scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be preached. When the testimony of the Elders ceases to be given, and the Lord says to them, 'Come home; I will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth,' all you now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon that will be preached with fire and sword, tempests, earthquakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful destruction."
o Relevance: Brigham Young’s statement, also cited in your Prep Events document, suggests that the cleansing of the Church precedes the broader judgments of the world. The calling home of missionaries (another preparatory event) may coincide with or follow this internal purification, as the Lord prepares His people for the tribulations ahead.
· Elder Orson Pratt (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 18, p. 64, July 25, 1875):
"When God has called out the righteous, when the warning voice has been sufficiently proclaimed among the Gentile nations, and the Lord says, 'It is enough,' he will also say to his servants—'O, ye, my servants, come home, come out from the midst of these Gentile nations, where you have labored and borne testimony for so long a period; come out from among them, for they are not worthy; they do not receive the message that I have sent forth, they do not repent of their sins, come out from their midst, their times are fulfilled. Seal up the testimony among them and bind up the law.'"
o Relevance: Orson Pratt connects the cleansing of the Church with the end of the Gentile mission, indicating that the Lord will call His righteous servants out from among the unrepentant. This suggests that the cleansing process will involve a clear distinction between those who remain faithful and those who do not.
· Elder Heber C. Kimball (Deseret News, Church Department, May 23, 1931, p. 3):
"The judgments of God will be poured out upon the wicked to the extent that our elders from far and near will be called home. Or, in other words, the gospel will be taken from the Gentiles and later on will be carried to the Jews."
o Relevance: Elder Kimball’s statement links the cleansing of the Church with the transition from the Times of the Gentiles to the focus on the House of Israel. The calling home of missionaries, a subsequent event, implies that the Church must first be purified to fulfill its role in this transition.
· President Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1988, "I Testify"):
"The Lord is hastening His work and urging us to prepare for the great day of the Lord. This preparation includes purifying our hearts and sanctifying our lives."
o Relevance: President Benson emphasizes personal purification as a critical aspect of preparing for the Second Coming, aligning with the concept of the Church’s cleansing. This purification is both individual and collective, ensuring the Church as a whole is ready for divine revelations and responsibilities.
The cleansing of the Church is a preparatory event that ensures the Lord’s covenant people are spiritually and temporally ready for the challenges of the last days. It aligns with the broader theme of polarization, where the righteous are separated from the wicked, both within and outside the Church. This event is distinct from the broader cleansing of the earth during the Day of the Lord, as it focuses specifically on the Lord’s house (D&C 112:25). Key aspects of its significance include:
· Preparation for New Revelations: The cleansing of the Church may precede or coincide with the coming forth of additional sacred writings (e.g., the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, as mentioned in 2 Nephi 27:21–26) and the mission of key servant figures (e.g., the marred servant or one mighty and strong). A purified Church is better equipped to receive and act upon new truths.
·
Protection in Holy Places:
As the world descends into tribulation, the faithful are called to stand in
holy places (D&C 45:32), such as temples and stakes of
·
Transition to the House of
· Role of the Parable of the Ten Virgins: The parable (D&C 45:56–57) illustrates that only those Church members who are wise, have taken the Holy Spirit as their guide, and are spiritually prepared will "abide the day." The cleansing process will distinguish the "wise virgins" from the "foolish," ensuring that the Church is composed of those ready to meet the Bridegroom.
The cleansing of the Church is placed among the near-term preparatory events, likely occurring after the emergence of key servant figures and the coming forth of additional sacred writings but before the gospel is preached to all nations and the missionaries are called home. This placement is based on the following reasoning:
· Precedes Polarization Phase: The cleansing of the Church sets the stage for the polarization phase, where the righteous and wicked are clearly divided. A purified Church is necessary to withstand the trials of this phase.
· Facilitates Missionary Work: A cleansed Church, unified in righteousness, is better positioned to fulfill the commandment to preach the gospel to all nations (D&C 1:4–5; Matthew 24:14) before the missionaries are called home.
·
Prepares for Servant
Figures: The mission of figures like the one mighty and strong
(D&C 85:7) or the marred servant (3 Nephi
The cleansing of the Church may be misunderstood or controversial, both within and outside the Church:
· Internal Resistance: Some members may resist the idea of a divine cleansing, fearing it implies widespread apostasy. However, the scriptures emphasize that this process is about purifying the faithful, not condemning the Church as a whole.
· External Perceptions: As noted in your Prep Events page, events like the coming forth of new scriptures or servant figures may be viewed by mainstream Christianity as antichrist activity due to their belief in a sealed canon. The cleansing of the Church, if accompanied by bold prophetic actions (e.g., the one mighty and strong), could similarly be misinterpreted as a sign of deception.
· Avoiding Extremism: As you caution in your introduction, the study of last-days events must avoid the "delusional Daybell syndrome." The cleansing of the Church should be approached with humility and reliance on the Holy Spirit, trusting in the Lord’s timing and the leadership of living prophets.
The cleansing of the Church is a critical preparatory event in the last
days, ensuring that the Lord’s covenant people are sanctified and ready for the
Great and Marvelous Work. Rooted in scriptures like D&C 112:23–26 and
85:7–8, and reinforced by prophetic teachings from Brigham Young, Orson Pratt,
and others, this event underscores the importance of personal and collective
righteousness. As the Church is purified, it will be better equipped to receive
new revelations, withstand tribulations, and fulfill its role in gathering
· Avraham Gileadi, The Last Days: Types and Shadows from the Bible and the Book of Mormon: Gileadi’s work emphasizes patterns of divine judgment and restoration, including the cleansing of the Lord’s people.
· Jonah R. Barnes, The Key to the Keystone: Discusses the restoration of lost truths, which may be facilitated by a purified Church.
· LDS Second Coming of Christ Research Group (https://gab.com/groups/4790): Join the discussion to share insights or propose additional references for this event.
Updated:
Related events:
The Greater Exodus is a broader gathering that follows or coincides with the Church’s purification, extending to all of God’s elect who accept the gospel message.
Interplay: The Cleansing of the Church is a
prerequisite for the Greater Exodus. A purified Church, free from hypocrisy and
apostasy, is necessary to lead and facilitate the gathering of