DID A COMPLETE APOSTASY OCCUR SHORTLY AFTER THE LORD DIED?

        The Mormon Church teaches that a complete apostasy occurred shortly after the death of Jesus Christ.  They say many of the major teachings of the Lord were lost (Joseph Smith-History 1:18; 1 Nephi 14:10;  Ensign: Nov. 1985, page 82, Dec. 1984, pages 8-9; Which Church Is Right?, 1982).  Are they correct?  Was there a complete apostasy such that a restoration through Joseph Smith (the first president/prophet of the Mormon Church) was needed?

APOSTLES HAVE "KEYS", THE AUTHORITY

        Who has the authority in the Mormon Church?  The first presidency (the prophet/president and his counselors) along with the men who are under them are called the General Authorities.  Each gets his authority for assigned responsibilities from the president/prophet while he is living. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, twelve men, just under the Prophet, also have the same authority and "keys" as the President, but can only partially use them as authorized by the President.  President Joseph F. Smith, in Gospel Doctrine, page 142, said:  "What is a key?  It is the right or privilege which belongs to and comes with the Priesthood, to have communication with God."  They can only be fully used by the apostles when there is no president, and that historically has seldom happened for long periods .  With no prophet (or when Jesus died) the apostles had the keys, all the authority (Mormon Doctrine, pages 591, 49).  When the priesthood was allegedly restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery it was done by Peter, James and John, three apostles.
          The Apostle John is allegedly the only apostle, of the original twelve, left on earth.  According to Mormonism he was to live until the Lord came (see D&C 7).  It is logical that he has all the "keys," all authority.  Therefore he could appoint and ordain new apostles and keep the Lord's church going on earth.  Brigham Young seems to agree when he said:

How vain are the imaginations of the children of men, to presume for a moment that the slaughter of one, two or a hundred of the leaders of this church could destroy an organization, so perfect in itself and so harmoniously arranged that it will stand while one member of it is left alive upon the earth. Brethren be not alarmed, for if the Twelve should be taken away still there are powers and offices in existence which will bear the kingdom of God triumphantly victorious in all the world. This church may have prophets many, and apostles many, but they are all to stand in due time in their proper organization, under the direction of those who hold the keys. (Brigham Young, History of the Church, Aug. 15, 1844, 7:250)

CAN THE LORD RAISE UP PEOPLE TO SERVE HIM?

           Some correctly say that we have our free will and that the Lord, in his plan of salvation, does not force people to do his work.  Some Mormons say this is why the Lord's church was gone for 1,800 years.  True, the Lord will not force people, but, I also believe that he can and does present opportunities to people and remove obstacles from their path to enable his will.  What he did with Saul (Who became the Apostle Paul, see Acts 9:1-9) illustrates what the Lord will do to raise people up to achieve his plan.  There is also a Book of Mormon example of a similar incident with Alma the younger, see Mosiah 27:8-23.  Revelation 17:16-17 is another example of how God can enable events to meet his plan.
       The Bible does speak about a falling away and wolves creeping into the flock (Matt 24:11; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Cor 2:17, 4:4, 11:4; Gal 1:7-9).  But there is NO biblical evidence that says there would be a complete apostasy.  There is nothing that says the Lord's church would be lost and destroyed such that it could not operate and would need to be restored.

BIBLICAL PROMISES WERE WRONG?

           Mormonism would have us believe that the many biblical promises that the Lord's church would always go on and would never be lost were wrong, in error.  What happened to the clear statements in Isa. 40:8; Matt. 16:18, 18:20, 28:20; John 10:29, 14: 26, 16:7, 13, 17:20; Eph. 6:17?  Are these in error or misunderstood?
        If Mormonism is correct that these statements were meaningless for 1,800 years while waiting for Joseph Smith to come along then the apostles and the Holy Ghost were dismal failures and the Lord's Church was lost.  For about 1,800 years the Lord could not find anyone to restore his Church on earth, he stopped building his church (Matt 16:18).  Does any of this even make sense?

BIBLICAL PROMISES WERE HONORED!

        The answer is a clear "No!"  It does not make sense.  The Lord's promises in the Scripture verses given above were always honored.  The apostles the Lord appointed were not bunglers.  The Holy Ghost was not a bungler.  He was always there to teach and guide people (John 14:26, 16:7).  The Lord did build his church and the gates of hell did not prevail against it (Matt 16:18).  Where two or three were gathered together the Lord was always there (Matt 18:20).

SOME LDS TEACHINGS ALSO AGREE

        According to the reference given above even Brigham Young said that the Lord's church would survive persecution.  Power and offices would remain even if only one person were alive.  According to Doctrine and Covenants 7 the original Apostle John is still alive on earth.  He certainly had all the necessary authority to continue the Lord's church.

THE LORD'S CHURCH IS ALIVE!

         The Lord's church is alive.  But, it is not a denomination or building. It is a group of people (Matt 18:20; Col 1:24; Eph 4:11-12; Heb 12:23) who have accepted Jesus Christ, not only as their Savior, but also as their Lord.  You cannot restore what was never lost!

John Farkas
Berean Christian Ministries
P.O. Box 1091
Webster, NY 14580
 
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