The Great Apostasy
Posted by JLFuller on July 26, 2008
Following the death of Jesus Christ, wicked people persecuted and killed many Church members, and other Church members drifted from the principles taught by Jesus Christ and His Apostles. The Apostles were killed and the priesthood authority —including the keys to direct and receive revelation for the Church—was taken from the earth ( 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3). Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority and revelation, error crept into Church teachings. Good people and much truth remained, but the gospel as established by Jesus Christ was lost, resulting in a period called the Great Apostasy.
This apostasy led to the formation of many churches with conflicting teachings. Without the full gospel or the priesthood authority, people relied on human wisdom to interpret the scriptures and the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. False ideas were taught as truth, and much of the knowledge of the true character and nature of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost was lost. The doctrines of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost became distorted or forgotten. Each generation inherited a state of apostasy, as people were influenced by what previous generations passed on, including changes to Christ’s gospel. Some inspired people, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, recognized that practices and doctrines had been changed or lost and tried to reform the churches to which they belonged. Without the priesthood authority, however, Christ’s gospel could not be returned to its original form.
After centuries of spiritual darkness, a restoration of truth was needed. Under the Direction of our Heavenly Father, the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored on the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. God has promised it will never be taken from His children again. www.lds.org.
Intersted readers will want to read Bart Ehrman’s book Misquoting Jesus. A brief synopsis can be found by following the link. Dr. Ehrman is a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is a leading authority on the early Church and the life of Jesus. He is not LDS.
What's This Mormon Thing? 
Polycarp said
Mormonism is another false religion that reaches back to an ancient heresy, Gnosticism, but the take is relatively new on the historical scene. If the Church that Christ built disappeared so soon after the Apostles, then the Church was not from God and the Apostles died for nothing. We know from history that several of those mentioned in Paul’s epistles actually survived and thrived long after the death of the Apostles. We know from history and tradition that throughout the Christological controversies, the monotheistic belief of the Apostles as revealed by Christ, survived.
Polycarp said
John Calvin sought to reformed only back to Augustine. Luther not much better. The Mormon apologetic that describes these two men are pre-Mormon inspired is, well, uninspired.
JLFuller said
Polycarp
Your comments are opinions I understand that. But please support your contention. If you can’t support what you say then it is just propaganda. Links to authoritative sources are preferred but quotes with the proper citations are OK too. I want to know what you know what not what you parrot back from some unnamed whatever. You say Mormonism is another false religion but you offer no proof for what you say. Anybody can say anything but it doesn’t mean they know what they are talking about. Which people that Paul quoted are you talking about?
JLFuller said
Oh, one more thing Polycarp – anti-Mormon propagandists have no standing here. Use legitmate sources. Brother Billy Bob who graduated from Cousin Elmo’s bait shop and Bible School are not legitimate. I encourage you to rise above the temptation to use slash, burn and run techniques of discourse. I happen tot hink you are better than that. Make us think.
JLFuller said
It is OK to break your comment into smaller easier to digest chunks. Long dissertations turn people off but two or three paragraphs on each subject work better. Readers don’t get quite so inpatient trying to find conclusions.
ditchu said
– good way to handel the drop and run tatics. I do hope P. comes back with something material so we can look through it and see on what basis these opinions are being formed. –
I happen to agree that the Apostate happened. No Church that I know of other than the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day saints can trace their Preisthood Authority to Jesus Christ and his apostals. Even the catholis Church has a break in their Preisthood Authority (as far as I know). I have nothing other than my view to add at this time, so I hope you do not mind me leaving out my sources for this post.
Thank you, and keep up the good work,
-D
Annaberri said
Where is this break in the priestly succession in Catholicism you speak of? I have never seen it. As far as I can tell, there are Popes all the way from Peter to Benedict XVI. There were more than one Pope a couple of times, but it was always resolved. As far as I can tell, the Catholics have apostolic succession. Why does LDS? I don’t see how that’s possible.
JLFuller said
Annaberri
Great question. The priesthood (the authority to act in God’s name) is given to worthy men by laying on of hands by one who holds the authority to do so. That means by another priesthood holder under auspices of the 12 apostles. After the last of the apostles died, there was no one authorized to pass the priesthood on. The apostles where the only authorized body empowered to call new members to the 12 and given they did not do so authority ended. They were sole priesthood authority held on earth after Christ was crucified and ascended. Even if a man held the priesthood after the apostles died, he could not pass it on with out the authority of living apostles to approve and authorize. Without them, his authority to confer was at an end.
It was not until Joseph Smith Jr. and Oliver Cowdry had it conferred on them by Peter, James and John was it again on the earth. These three apostles returned to earth for this specific reason. None of the Christian leaders after the original 12 apostles died had authority to confer the priesthood. The dominant religion thereafter was an earthly organization only and had no authorized priesthood authority. That is why we say that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is not just another religious denomination. We represent the restoration of the Gospel as it was had at Christ’s time. It was specifically restored by God in these latter days as he promised and as was prophesied in the bible. The only authorized priesthood is that held by worthy LDS males. As you can see, our message is controversial and not readily recieved in some quarters. But it is true.