April 16, 2006

  • From a Letter Dated April 10, 2006




    taken from a study journal entry from March 21, 2006: "For there are many yet on earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men . . . and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it . . ."





    Apostasy and Restoration I become more and more convinced of the apostasy and therefore need for the restoration the more I study the Bible and world history. There was a void in the Christian Church, in the world really, that needed to be filled. The doctrines, practices, and organization established by Jesus Christ had been corrupted. I am so grateful that Jesus Christ's church was restored in full, beginning with a young boy in 1820. Over the next three weeks I would like to briefly show how there was a general, universal apostasy, why the Protestant reformation was not enough to end it, and why it was not resolved with a restoration until the mid 1800's. Part One: General Apostasy There was a general falling away from the pure teachings, organization, and authority of the original Christian Church. Apostate doctrines and practices were the main concerns of the apostles. We can attribute most of the New Testament to those concerns. The Apostles wrote to various branches of the church to correct false doctrines and practices. They were aware of the impending general apostasy.


    For example, in 2 Timothy 1:13-15* Paul writes that the entire church in Asia had gone apostate. "All they which are in Asia be turned away from me . . ." Peter spoke of existing and future "false teachers" in 2 Peter 2:1-2 and 3:17. To the church in Corinth Paul wrote of "divisions" and "heresies" among them (1 Corinthians 11:18-19). In fact, 1 Corinthians was written because a church leader had been involved in a sexual offense and, among other things, Paul wanted him excommunicated (2 Corinthians 2:5-11). The list of situations requiring apostolic reproof goes on. (see also 1 John 2:18-19; 4:1-3; 5:21, 2 John 1:7-9, 3 John 1:9-10, Jude 1:3-4, Revelation 2:2, Colossians 2:8; 20-22, John 6:66, Galatians 1:6-7; 3:1, 1 Timothy 1:3-6; 4:1, 2 Timothy 2:17-18, Titus 1:10-16, James 4:1) It is shocking that those early Christians were "so soon removed from him that called [them] into the grace of Christ" (Gal. 1:6), but clearly the Church of Christ was being perverted, and the Apostles knew it.


    There is one specific false, or unauthorized, teacher worthy of note. Bishop Linus. Bishop Linus was ordained and set apart to be the authorized leader of Rome by Peter, however, within a year the Church under his direction had gone astray and was returning to elaborate laws and rituals that the Apostles taught were no longer needed. Bishop Linus was then removed from power by the Apostle Paul. Paul set in his stead a different leader, coincidently named Deacon Linus. Deacon Linus was then the authorized Church leader in Rome, but sadly, Deacon Lunus was killed by Emperor Nero. When that happened, Bishop Linus, who had continued his preaching, reestablished himself as the head of the Church in Rome without the Apostle's direction. Thus, apostasy began in Rome. A majority of the Christian world, however, traces its authority to Bishop Linus.


    One indication of general apostasy is specific direction or doctrine that the Apostles gave that was broken by the Christians over the ages. These doctrines include the mode and manner of baptism (Romans 6:3-5, Colossians 2:12), the nature of God, the honor and importance of marriage (Hebrews 13:4, 1 Timothy 4:1-3), etc. Changes in these doctrines indicate a "falling away" (2 Thes. 2:3) from original Christianity. Furthermore, the Apostles gave the saints counsel and direction that was ultimately ignored. For example, Paul commanded the saints to have no schisms (1 Cor. 12:25) and no confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). He told them not to use the "philosophy of man" (Col. 2:8) and to "keep from idols" (1 John 5:21). Despite all this there have been several schisms in the Church, there is much confusion, worldly philosophies (like the Egyptian concept of a triune god) crept into Church creeds, and iconography and what became the canonization of saints soon turned into Dark Age idolatry.


    If such early signs of apostasy are not clear enough, look to the latter indications of a falling away from pure Christianity. There are the crusades, the inquisition, people who were burned for trying to make sacred scripture available. There were the indulgences- salvation sold for money. There were conquered peoples, and the springing forth of the confusing multitude of churches that still exist today. Clearly these examples of corruption reveal the loss of true Christianity as was prophesied. Without continuing correction from Apostles, the apostasy became complete. The world was thirsty for a restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. *Scripture references can be found at www.scriptures.lds.org





    ". . . These should then be attended to with great earnestness . . . Therefore . . . let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." (D&C 123:12, 14, & 17).