"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets,
concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended
into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."
— Joseph Smith
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The Trinity Salvation by grace God has a physical body Is the Bible all of God's word? Modern Revelation Topics
Judged by our WorksThe One-ness of God The Apostasy Jesus Christ Basic Beliefs Family Genealogy Free Book of Mormon Modern prophets speak now! Chat with a missionary Have missionaries teach me Find an LDS church Programs for youth/teens Search LDS scriptures Other Languages More Good Foundation Jeff Lindsay.com Is Mormonism a cult? Great Washington Post Article |
Apostasy"...They shall wander from sea to sea...and shall not find it."Amos was an Old Testament prophet that lived in the 8th century BC. Amos spoke of a time when people would be able to wander the entire earth and not be able to hear the words of the Lord: Amos 8:11-12 11 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. 13 In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. 14 They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again. This scripture has some interesting implications. An important point to notice is that since the time of Amos the Bible writings have been available to many people on the earth. Therefore, if you believe that his reference to "the words of the LORD" in verse 11 refer to the Bible, then you must believe that the prophecy has not been fulfilled yet, and that there will yet be a time when no Bible will be found on the entire earth. There's a more likely meaning to "hearing the words of the LORD". It means the words spoken by individuals authorized of God to speak the words of the Lord would not be found upon the earth. The prophecy of Amos has already been fulfilled. It started after the time of Jesus' crucifiction and resurrection. We know that Jesus established his Church upon the earth ("...upon this rock I will build my church..." Matthew 16:18). We also know that a time of falling away would occur before the return of Jesus Christ to the earth: A "falling away" before Christ's Second Coming2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 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. 3 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; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. We also know that the apostles were martyred. These were the men left with the charge and authority to care for the church. They were killed in this manner:
When the apostles of Jesus were killed, no one replaced them to carry on the authority. We know that Apostles of the Church must be ordained Acts 1:21-26 21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Apostles: Ephesians 4:11 Eph. 2:20 First Epistle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4:15; 2 Cor: 11 :28 Eph. 3:5
"Times of refreshing", "Restitution of all things"Acts 3:18-21 18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19 ¶ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. But the Bible says "...and the gates of hell shall not prevail..."
Matthew 16:18 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. If try to you look at these two prophecies from God's perspective, they can both come true. We must ask, if the church goes through a time of total apostasy or spiritual famine, but is then brought back alive in the end, did the gates of hell really prevail? The word "prevail" carries with it a connotation of finality, of something or someone winning outright in the end. If the Church of God is restored to then vanquish hell in the end, then the Church of God has prevailed and the gates of hell did not. Titus 1 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
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