"The work of restoration cannot begin until a problem is fully faced"
--- Dan B. Allender (Christian Therapist, Professor, & Author; 1952 - Present)
There are few gospel topics that excite me as intensely and as deeply as the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have the Holy Ghost, as my personal witness, a testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the one and only true church of God on the Earth. This blog post will explore: why there are so many different Christian denominations in the world today, why a true church even matters, and how we can come to know for ourselves that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is that same church that Jesus Christ organized in Biblical times. I firmly believe that anyone who wants to know for themselves if the church and the restored gospel are true also can come to know so through humble prayer, scripture study, and experimenting upon the word (trying it out). This is my invitation to you.
**NOTE: If you wish to get in contact with missionaries of the Church to learn more, you can do so at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/missionary-visit
Click to Navigate (Table of Contents):
*** I also invite you to revisit my blog post, "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism" to learn about "organized religion".
Note: This blog post is a direct continuation of the previous post, "Christ's Ministry".
7.1 --- TRIBULATION AND PERSECUTION
Those whom Jesus appointed with priesthood authority, namely the Apostles, (Matt. 10:1) went forth preaching salvation through Christ, and what to do as a consequence of believing. Many believed, repented, and were baptized into the Church (Acts 2:37-38, 41-42, 47); the word “church” is used over a hundred times between the English translation of the book of Acts and Revelations. Church membership did not become perfect either in practice or understanding overnight, or any time after. It was precisely because of the need for Apostolic instruction that so many Epistles were written to the Corinthians, the Ephesians, and so forth. Dire was the need for an authorized shepherd to keep them on the straight and narrow path.
Some openly rebelled against the Saints [1] of the church imprisoning some or killing others (Acts 7:58-60, 12:2). Persecution of the righteous was nothing new (Matt. 21:33-43). The righteous are always opposed by the unrighteous, even today. We read about it in the Old Testament and we read about it in the New. It existed throughout Jesus' entire life. The earliest example in the New Testament, Herod sought to kill Jesus when he was an infant because He “threatened” his kingship (Matt. 2:13) because he didn't understand that “[Jesus'] kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). We've already mentioned the Pharisees, Sadducees, Chief Priests, and scribes teaming up throughout the course of Jesus' three-year ministry to accuse and kill Him too, which they did (Luke 22:2; John 7:1). When Christ “was taken up” into heaven after His resurrection (Acts 1:9-11), the threats befell His disciples just as Jesus had prophesied leading to confusion, dissension, and eventual apostasy.
7.2 --- THE GREAT APOSTASY
When individuals or groups of people turn away from the principles of the gospel, they are in a state of apostasy. Because of how long the apostasy following the death of the Apostles lasted, it is referred to as "The Great Apostasy". Apostasies occurred throughout the Old Testament whenever the people rejected the prophets until God called another prophet (See "Return of the King -- Part 2"):
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matt. 21:9-12)
Many prophets spoke of the Great Apostasy that would come, including the Apostle Paul who wrote:
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition..." (2 Thes. 2:1-3)
The believers were indeed persecuted almost immediately. Saul, later named Paul, was among those persecutors before his conversion and joining the Apostles, possibly filling the vacancy of James after his martyrdom (Acts 12:2) or another Apostle. He too prophesied an Apostasy. Peter and John were imprisoned several times (Acts 5:18; 12:5-7). And even those with links to the Apostles’ missionary efforts, like Stephen, were killed, stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60). Eventually, all the Apostles were killed or cast out one by one. Peter was crucified upside down (John 21:18-19), John the Beloved was exiled to the isle of Patmos (Rev. 1:9), and so forth; though not specified in the Bible, historical fact is clear of their complete extermination [2] (most of them by crucifixion). This comes as no surprise. The devil combats against the righteous for that was his objective from the beginning, that all might be miserable like he is (See "Return of the King -- Part 1").
The leadership that Jesus himself prepared and authorized ceased to exist. However, not all Christians were killed, if that were the case, there wouldn't be Christianity today. For example, some local Bishops among others [3], survived initial persecution. These bishops operated in their respective local communities, but as we already mentioned, the Apostles, who were "their leaders" in charge of the world at large struggled to correct the doctrinal confusion and other problems that already existed among the believers. With the death of the Apostles, these problems only worsened and there wasn't anybody to perpetuate the correct doctrine and practices. Without a prophet and Apostles who held priesthood authority to direct all the affairs of the entire Church, the people became lost. That’s not to say that faith and personal spiritual experiences ceased altogether, but that vital connection between heaven and Earth was severed. The priesthood and direct revelation from Jesus Christ were lost. Without the glue of priesthood leadership, the fallen church had no choice but to break up like a vase into shards.
This crucial authority to direct the kingdom of God which we call "the keys of the priesthood" were taken from the Earth (See "Return of the King -- Part 4.2"). Some people with good intentions tried to perform ordinances like baptism but they lacked the authority and power to do so in the eyes of God (See "Baptism by Immersion"). Without it, covenant binding ordinances like baptism could not be perpetuated, there could be no authorized church leadership, and the church as it had been established by Christ ceased to exist. The teachings and fabricated philosophies of men began to bleed into pure truths like ink on wet paper until they became “watered down” partial ineligible truths, incorrect assumptions, or engineered lies altogether (See "What is Truth? Science and Faith"). I won't say that all philosophies or teachings of men are malicious but when they are accepted as scriptural truth even though they're incongruent, or opposing spiritual truths and doctrines, they become counterfeit currency contaminating and imposing what is real and of legitimate worth. Although the intentions of many religious people were good, they were incapable of restoring the priesthood authority and consequential true doctrine that was lost. They managed to keep some precious truths afloat but the others sank (See "The Holy Bible: A Testament of Jesus Christ"). Basic truths like the knowledge of the nature of God being a separate person from the Son and Holy Ghost, to name one, was lost. (See "A Still, Small Voice")
This was the period of time that was prophesied of --- The Great Apostasy --- this time of lost truth, absence of prophets, and priesthood leadership which lasted for nearly 1800 years before God again called another prophet.
7.3 --- THE RESTORATION & THE FIRST VISION
God had been preparing the hearts of good men and women to again seek His word. In the year 1820, there was a climax in religious excitement in the United States. The diversity of many churches that exist today originate from the many reformations that well-intently tried to correct other churches because of the obvious discordance of doctrine [4].
But despite all these well-intended religious “reformations”, there was a need for a restoration. The puzzle had pieces missing that only God himself could provide. "Restoration" means bringing something back to its former or original state. Restoring a stool for example would require attaching the same legs it lost, not replacing them with new ones. To be the same church that Jesus organized, it had to have all its original necessary components brought back, not a reformed or man-made religion.
There were many people investigating religion in the 1800s just as they do today. One was a young boy, only fourteen years of age, named Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith was a regular boy living in the then-rural countryside of New York. In his own words, he says he was, “deprived the benefit of an education suffice it to say [he] was instructed in reading and writing and the ground rules of arithmetic” only as taught by his family who couldn't afford school. He came from a humble family of nine kids who ran a farm and believed in God and read the Bible. But unlike most boys of his tender age, Joseph had the deepest desire to know for himself which of all the religious denominations was right.
**Read Joseph Smith’s own account here.
All the churches attempted to sway him to join their congregation, many in the most unkind and pretentious of means. But rather than providing answers, the contending churches confused Joseph even more. He could find no solution by means of looking around and asking others for each said that his own church was the correct one. The same predicament could be said of many today. Maybe you can relate.
Joseph looked to the only reliable source he knew of, the Bible, for answers; consider again that reading wasn't a simple thing to do for a young uneducated farm boy (Have you ever tried to understand the Bible? Try doing it barely knowing how to spell). Finally, after much time and reflection, he came to the New Testament book of James 1:5, “If any ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God”.
So strong was the impression that came to his heart that he at length decided to put this scripture to the test. To ask God for an answer.
It was spring, just breaking off from cold winter. He went into the grove of trees near his homestead and began praying aloud. It was the first attempt he had ever made to pray vocally. Caught off guard still in the act of prayer, above him in the air appeared God the Father alongside His Beloved Son, the resurrected Jesus Christ in a column of blinding light. God spoke to Joseph calling him by name and introduced him to Jesus saying, “This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him”. He saw them and spoke with them! Jesus explained that Joseph should join none of the existing sects and that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight. Instead, Joseph was commanded to play part in restoring what had been lost in the Great Apostasy: the kingdom on Earth with Prophets, twelve Apostles, and Priesthood Authority (See "The Return of the King -- Part 4.1"). I testify and know with all my heart that that church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the one and only Church led by Jesus Christ.
This occasion was the first of many visions in our modern-day since the Great Apostasy, which is why members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints refer to it as "The First Vision".
7.4 --- CHRIST LEADS HIS PEOPLE TODAY
God does love us and continues to speak through His prophet today just as He did anciently. As this time, his name is Russell Nelson (2022) and when he dies, God will call another prophet just as He always has (See "Prophets and Callings"). Jesus Christ remains at the head (Eph. 4:15) directing His kingdom as God the Father wills it so, for the express purpose of preparing us to return to His presence. It is God the Father and the Savior whom we worship alone. Although we know our destiny and the very purpose of our creation is to become like God (which by definition is to have eternal life; See "Eternal Life: As He Is"), God will forever be the one we worship, the most High God (Gen. 14:18-20; Dan. 3:26; Acts 16:17; Heb. 1:1; 1 Ne. 11:6; 3 Ne. 11:17), for thus He commands. That is the central message of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ alike. The first of the ten commandments given to Moses thousands of years ago remains active that, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) as do the remaining nine.
The Restoration of the gospel is the central message that missionaries of the Church share with the world. Second only to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I believe that this is the truest and most important news of our modern-day because eternal life depends on what it signifies having the connection between heaven and Earth repaired. It is the primary difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and any other religion. Immortality is like a participation trophy but not the whole prize and God hopes we all choose to accept the supreme prize through deliberate obedience, meek repentance, and faithful covenant-keeping in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
I testify that like Joseph Smith, all of us are capable of knowing the truth for ourselves if we humbly pray to Heavenly Father for guidance. God is not the God of confusion. As we strive to follow Him, He will undoubtedly help us. And this is my invitation to you, that you need not take the word of this blogger alone, but that you take it to the Lord and act in faith.
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Next: "8. Prophets and Callings to Serve" -->>
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The early members of the church were referred to as Saints. There is ample evidence of this in all the epistles. Acts 9:32; Rom. 1:7; 15:25; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; 2:19; 4:12. Because we are in the last days preceding Christ's return to reign as King, we refer to ourselves as Latter-Day Saints.
[3] A Bishop received his authority from the Apostles to have jurisdiction only over the congregation to which he was assigned. Without the Apostles, no more Bishops could be ordained with authority so when there were no more Bishops called by the Apostles, the Apostasy was complete.
[4] Doctrine comes from the Latin verb docere, meaning, “to teach”. The meaning here is “something that is taught as truth”. https://www.etymonline.com/word/doctrine
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